Old Forester Birthday - 2019 11 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, deep golden color with a hint of orange. The nose is incredibly expressive offering scents of rich maple, toffee, and butterscotch with waves of baked pear, corn pudding, and charred oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush and robust fruit and caramel and maple-centric core with supporting notes of brown baking spices, roasted nuts, and black fruits. Full-bodied and intense with a sharp black pepper notes that rises on the finish. The 2019 Birthday Bourbon was born on May 15, 2008 with 120 barrels produced and rested for this bottling. $99.99 – 4 Stars
King of Kentucky Barrel No. 8 15 Years Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Brilliant, deep, cherry wood color. The nose is amazingly harmonious, sweet, and complex even before a water addition. (It's better after a splash of water.) The nose is filled with scents of charred oak, baked apples and pears, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, and roasted nuts. The palate echoes the nose delivering a dense baked fruit and vanilla cream focused core with generous waves of brown baking spices, toasted coconut, black pepper, and honey. Full-bodied with a complex and dense palate that greatly evolves with water and aeration. Sip slowly as it's not cheap and there are just over 2,000 bottles available. $250 – 4.5 Stars
Bib & Tucker American White Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are reminiscent of stepping into a large feed warehouse (I love that smell) with waves of raw grains filling the nose supported by accents of grass, wild herbs, and bread dough. The palate confirms the nose delivering a dense, grain-focused core with waves of spice, dried herbs, and sweet sap accents. Medium-bodied with lush grains and vibrant edges thanks to a dose of bright acidity. $40 – 3 Stars
Heaven's Door Tennessee Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, deep bronze color. The nose is vibrant with generous notes of sweet grains, banana bread, butterscotch, and honey with hints of toffee, beeswax, nutmeg, and vanilla. The palate echoes the nose delivering a sweet, honeyed grain-driven core with spicy rye accents with hints of earth and toasted oak. Full-bodied with a lush, sweet core while balanced with a bright dose of acidity. Aged in new American oak for a minimum of seven years. $49.99 – 4 Stars
Tyrconnell Single Malt Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Bright copper color. The nose offers a very pretty marriage of apples and pears, grain, and spice with accents of oak, honey, and citrus. The palate echoes the nose offering a balance between creamy malt and peppery notes. Citrus flavors abound on the finish as this dram becomes dry and crisp. $45 – 3.5 Stars
Bushmills Red Bush Blended Irish Whiskey
Brilliant, deep copper color. The nose is quite floral with bright notes of honey with accents of vanilla, grain, and spice. The palate echoes the nose delivering a light but sweet grain and honey-centric core with waves of spice and oak as it finishes short and dry. Medium-bodied with bright acidity but it does lack depth on the palate. The Bushmills Red is made from Whiskey aged exclusively in ex-Bourbon casks. $21 – 3 Stars
Boone Co. Jail Distillery Conjugal Visit American White Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are reminiscent of stepping into a large feed warehouse with waves of raw grains filling the nose supported by accents sour mash. The palate echoes the nose with raw and rustic grain core with hints of sour bread dough and black pepper. Full-bodied with an assertive, full grain explosion that has quite a punch on the overproof palate. Made with 100% corn in Lebanon, Indiana. 3 Stars
Coopers' Craft Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant bronze color. The nose is wonderfully delicate while generous with scents of sweet oak, baked orchard fruits, and caramel, with hints of citrus zest, vanilla cream, and brown sugar. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush but sprite fruit driven core redolent of a richly spiced apple pie with toasted oak and sweet cinnamon rising on the finish. Medium-bodied with good length and ideal balance thanks a bright dose of acidity. After aging this Bourbon runs through a special beech and birch charcoal filter finishing process that contributes to its soft and silky texture. $21.99 – 4 Stars
Coopers' Craft Barrel Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, deep bronze color. The nose is filled with bold scents of charred oak, baked apples, and brown baking spices with accents of saddle leather, vanilla cream, and dark honey. The palate is in full accord with the nose delivering a rich and assertive brown sugar, fruit, and oak forward core with flanking notes of brown spice, black pepper, and vanilla. Full-bodied with bold fruit, caramel, and oak flavors the keep fresh due to bright acidity and ideal balance. Aged in house-crafted barrels that feature textured, hewn interior staves that when charred create a tremendous amount of surface space that infuse this bold Bourbon with a deeply charred oak character. $29.99 – 4.5 Stars
Roaming Man Tennessee Straight Rye Whiskey
Brilliant, deep copper with hints of burgundy. The nose is incredibly intense offering a dense core of rich caramel with waves of vanilla cream, butterscotch, and brown baking spices with accents of black pepper, cigar box, and toasted oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush caramel and brown butter core with loads of spice, oak, and dried red fruits. Full-bodied with decadent flavors that linger on the palate for minutes finishing with pepper and bright acidity. It's an unforgettable Rye. $45 – 4.5 Stars
