William Wolf Coffee Flavored Whisk(e)y
Brilliant mahogany color. The nose is filled with the scent of roasted coffee beans, toasted mixed nuts, and black patent malt with hints of caramel and brown sugar. The palate echoes the nose delivering a bright coffee/espresso-core with flanking notes of brown sugar that transition to drier finish that for the first time shows this spirit's Whiskey base. Medium-bodied with vibrant coffee notes with the sugar well in check with a dose of acidity and dry Whiskey notes. $24.99 – 4 Stars
Booker's Batch 2016-03 6 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is incredibly complex and subtle in some respects with rich vanilla and brown baking spices supported by waves of fruit, toasted oak, and brown butter with caramel. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a lush and silky vanilla-driven core with generous fruit, brown baking spices, and rich caramel notes that linger for minutes. Full-bodied and so incredibly silky and lush while also showing balance and restraint. $59.99 – 5 Stars
Booker's Big Time Batch Rye Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nosing at full strength shows dense fruit and spice notes with sweet caramel but a big blast of alcohol as well. With the addition of water it really blossoms revealing nuanced scents of banana bread, rich caramel with allspice, black pepper, cloves, ginger, orange peel, vanilla bean, and star anise. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich and powerful core of fruit and spice with countess barrel notes and a long, trailing finish that becomes drier as it fades. Full-bodied and quite aggressive with its nearly 70% abv but it does become a more gentle giant with the addition of water. $299.99 – 5 Stars
Knob Creek Limited Edition – Batch 1 2001 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics offered by this Bourbon are so rich and seductive that it's hard to stop nosing. The dense toffee, caramel, and baked fruit notes are perfectly married and jump from the glass (especially after a water dose). Supporting notes of charred oak, brown baking spices, and vanilla. The palate echoes the nose with a decadent, sweet fruit, caramel and nut core supported by brown spices and pepper that become drier and more wood forward on the finish. Full-bodied with the rich baked fruits and spices carrying the higher proof with ease and style. $129.99 – 4.5 Stars
RE:FIND Batch No. 3 Rye Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is unmistakably rye with loads of brown baking spices delivered at near parity and hints of vanilla bean. The palate echoes the nose delivering a round, slightly viscous sweet grain core with loads of baking spices and the vanilla found on the nose taking a bigger role while it mingles with caramel. Full-bodied with a prominent sense of alcohol due to the over-proof bottling strength. $60 – 3.5 Stars
Old Tahoe Straight Rye Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is quite subtle offering scents of honey, butterscotch, brown baking spices, and secondary notes of vanilla and caramel. The palate confirms the nose delivering soft, sweet barrel notes with a rich butterscotch core and little to no spice that one would associate with Rye Whiskey. Medium-bodied and soft in style and texture. $38 – 3.5 Stars
Old Tahoe Honey Flavored Rye Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is greeted with the scent of sweet honey with a supporting Whiskey note that includes sweet grains, vanilla, and caramel. The palate delivers a full-throttle honey sensation with flanking notes of vanilla, brown sugar, and subtle tropical fruit notes. Medium-bodied and quite sweet. $35 – 3 Stars
West Cork 10 Years Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully intense with waves of rich caramel malt, tea biscuits, honey, wild flowers, vanilla bean, and toffee. The palate is in full agreement with the nose while delivering a super rich and ever-expansive malt core that is impossibly silky. Supporting notes of brown baking spices, gingerbread, and toasted oak round out the package. This single malt is bold and beautiful while never being cloying or heavy as vibrant spice notes and a generous dose of acidity keep it fresh. $39.99 – 5 Stars
Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics jump out at you offering waves of smoke and peat delivered on a dense bed of sweet, honey-soaked malt with accents of spring flowers, heather, and a hint of citrus zest. The palate echoes the nose being rich with flavors of baked apples, malt, and honey accented by dry oak and grass notes. Wonderfully balanced and complex offering new wrinkles with each sip. This is a bold and hedonistic Whiskey with perfectly integrated peat and smoke notes that marry with the Whiskey rather than trample upon it. $44.99 – 5 Stars
I.W. Harper Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is classic Bourbon with waves of caramel, roasted nuts, brown baking spices, vanilla, and oak. The palate confirms the nose delivering a soft, fruity core with loads of toffee, caramel, oak, and spice. Medium-bodied with a gentle core of fruit and spice and sweet caramel flavors on the finish. $35 – 4 Stars
