Old Forester Birthday 2015 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear. This is a very aromatic Bourbon offering a complex set of aromatics featuring generous oak notes, sweet vanilla, dried orchard fruits, cigar box, orange peel, toasted walnuts, dried herbs, and brown baking spices. The palate echoes the nose delivering more pepper upfront than the nose suggests while quickly developing a lush and spicy fruit and caramel core with loads of baking spices building on the finish. This is a full-throttle Bourbon that marries intensity with complexity. $79.99 – 5 Stars
Michter's Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully layered with pepper and brown spices mingling perfectly with brown butter, caramel, and butterscotch supported by rich, sweet toasted grain, and vanilla. The palate echoes the nose with black pepper and cloves in the lead quickly followed by a melange of brown baking spices, butter toffee, roasted cashews, baked apples and pears, and cinnamon stick with hints of burnt sugar and oak. This is an intense Bourbon while perfectly balanced with a raw, rustic charm that begs for sip after sip. $48 – 5 Stars
Old Forester Birthday - 2010 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant amber color with an orange tint. The nose is incredibly fragrant and complex with dried fruits, vanilla, caramel, nougat, orange zest, and brown baking spices. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush but sprite mouthfeel with waves of silky fruit and caramel with flanking spice notes and a deft touch of oak. New flavors are revealed with each sip and a splash of water presents even more. $49.99 – 4 Stars
Old Forester Birthday - 2011 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant amber color with an orange tint. The aromatics rise from the glass as it's being poured. Nosing can be accomplished from 18 inches away. The nose is incredibly fragrant and complex offering up the essence of Bourbon with dried fruits, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, orange zest, and brown baking spices. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich but vibrant mouthfeel with waves of silky baked fruit, caramel, clove, allspice, and black pepper. A splash of water brings all the flavors into harmony. Super! $49.99 – 4 Stars
Blade and Bow Limited Release 22 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully rich and complex offering waves of decadent caramel, roasted nuts and toffee, dried fruits, brown baking spices, vanilla, and loads of charred oak. The palate confirms the nose delivering a lush caramel and fruit focused core with a wave of dry, peppery spice quickly leading to a long finish featuring brown butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This is a big and bold Bourbon showing its 22 years in oak on both the nose and the palate (while not as much to the eye) with flavors that build as sipped. $149.99 – 4 Stars
Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully complex with notes of toasted pecans virtually leaping from the glass with supporting notes of rich caramel with hints of dark caramel, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, butterscotch and candied orange peel. The palate echoes the nose delivering a silky, lush toffee and praline core with accents of brown baking spices, cappuccino, maple syrup, treacle, and brown sugar. This is certainly a full-bodied and complex liqueur but its edge is that it is remarkably balanced with vibrant acidity that leads you to desire sip after sip. $34.99 – 5 Stars
Michter's Barrel Strength US*1 Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The nose is beautifully complex with rich, sweet toasted grain in the lead with generous supporting scents of toffee, butterscotch, dried black fruits, charred oak, brown baking spices, and vanilla. The palate is in full accord with the nose delivering a rich, caramel soaked rye core with generous notes of clove, allspice, vanilla, black pepper, and nutmeg. This is absolutely an intense Rye but the ultra balanced flavors perfectly mask the high alcohol levels. $75 – 5 Stars
Colorado Sun 'Shine Moonshine USA White Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is filled with the scents of sweet talc and corn Whiskey supported by notes of citrus redolent of limeade and lime zest. The palate echoes the nose delivering a thick and sweet core with copious amounts of sweet lime and candy sugar. Despite the high proof, this spirit is rather soft and pleasant on the palate with no significant sense of alcohol heat. $30 – 3 Stars
Grand Traverse Distillery Small Batch Botanical Gin
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are bold and clear rising from the glass well before it's lifted. Scents of juniper with vibrant citrus notes take the lead with accents of angelica and cilantro. The palate echoes the nose while being somehow even more intense with the botanicals becoming nearly chewy. The juniper and citrus have become fruity being framed by vibrant citrus zest and peppery spice notes. This is a bold and intense Gin with generous botanicals delivered on a silky, creamy bed of a beautiful wheat-based spirit. $35 – 5 Stars
Grand Traverse Distillery Silver Reserve Rum
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is quite intriguing as the material (molasses) is quite familiar while the distillation in a hybrid pot still gives the rich, densely fruity qualities of a Caribbean pot still while being as clean and floral as a column still Rum. The palate confirms the nose delivering a dry, fruit-forward core with a silky texture. The over-proof finish gives the clove and pepper spice accents more lift as well as the charred sugar flavors that emerge on the finish. A full-bodied white Rum with lots of gusto and personality that will hold its own in cocktails. $31 – 4 Stars
