Whiskey, Whisky, and Whiskies

This is a beer blog, but I thought I would put a few notes about some whiskies as I try them. I don't have the free time or money it takes to be seriously into whiskey, but I got a tasting set for Christmas, and occasionally get a bottle, or a nip or airplane bottle here and there. So I thought I might as well put them on here. 

Nikka Pure Malt Red –This Japanese whiskey is relatively light in color, a light golden amber. It has aromas of light peat, seaweed, lime, and juniper. The taste is a rich, yet bright explosion of flavors, mixing the aromas in a smokey, fruity, salty, oaky mix. This is really good!

Togouchi - This is aged in Japan, but it is a blend of Scottish and Canadian whiskies. It is light colored, with long legs. The aroma is bright, yet smokey. There is lime and peat, crusts of French bread, with light vanilla in the back. The taste follows the aromas, but less bright in the taste, warmer, smokier, richer. There is peat, wood, sea salt, with light lime. It is very, very warming, especially considering it is 41% alcohol and not a higher proof. This is very, very nice. 

Hibiki – This Japanese Harmony blended whisky is a very light and clear amber, with long legs. The aroma has light smoke, bright, cherry, citrus, leather. The taste is deep, much more peat and smoke, some seaweed, wood, leather, toffee, tobacco. There is a nice contrast here between the bright, citrusy aroma and the deep, smokey flavor.

Akashi White Oak Meisei - This Japanese blended whisky is clear, light amber, with long, lingering legs. The aroma is interesting, citrus, lime, kaffir lime, lemongrass, light smoke, a touch of seaweed, and woody oak. The taste is less bright, more rich with toffee and caramel, more smokey and peaty, and very smooth. The finish is very dry, somewhat astringent, but with a long-lingering aftertaste.

Nikka From the Barrel Blended Whisky – This Japanese blended whisky is a crystal clear, gem like amber in color. The aroma is bright and tingly, and has cherries, vanilla, oak, with some peat smoke. There is some dark caramel, almond extract, and a touch of seaweed. The taste is deeper, richer, with more peat smoke. The is an extremely warming whisky. The several Japanese whiskies I have tried all contrast very bright, almost citrusy aromas, with much richer, deeper, and smokier taste.  One note, I am more familiar with Scotch whiskies than any other, and it would be an oxymoron to call a Scottish blended whisky as "from the barrel", because it was taken from many barrels and blended. But, from what I understand, the Japanese blend the whisky first, and then barrel age the blend. Is this correct?

Evan Williams Single Barrel 2004 – This dark amber liquid has aromas of corn, cherry, vanilla, almonds, brown sugar and toasted oak. The taste follows the aromas, but amps them up a notch, particularly the vanilla. This is bright, warm, sweet, yet rich, like liquid cookie dough. Delicious!

Hudson Baby Bourbon - The aroma is sweet, floral, fruity, alfalfa, light leather, and tobacco. The taste follows the aromas, and finishes hot and spicy. There is toasty and sweet corn that shines in the aftertaste. 

Woodford Reserve – This Kentucky bourbon is a solid amber in color, and the legs on this run down slow. It is very aromatic, bright, tart cherries, with a touch of lime peel, caramel, toasted oak, vanilla, wintergreen, and almonds. The flavor is much richer, less bright, caramel, toffee, cinnamon rolls, toasted sweet corn, with oak, light vanilla, and a subtle touch of mint. Very warming, this is a nice sipping bourbon.

Few Spirits Bourbon – This is a dark amber in color, with streaming legs of a moderate length. The aroma is very woody, fresh cut oak, even pine-like, dark caramel, spicy, fresh cut grass, herbs and leaves. The aromas all meld in the flavor, fairly rich, very woody, spicy, with all the pine aromas acting almost smokey in the taste. Cherry and other dark fruit comes out in the aftertaste. Some vanilla comes in late.

Blanton's Gold Edition – This Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey is gleaming copper in color, this has long legs. It smells bright, citrus and spice, cherry, corn, astringent oak, with some vanilla. The taste has the same brightness, but also some deep, richer notes, caramel, and sweet corn bread. After the sweetness, the oak astringency pulls at the tongue. This is followed by another wave, where the bright fruit shines in the aftertaste.  

Buffalo Trace - This straight Kentucky bourbon whiskey is 90 proof. Copper and amber in color, this has a big aroma of cherries, almonds, vanilla and oak. The taste is big, bright, round, with the same flavors as aromas, and a big bourbony corn. It is a very warming, but still very smooth. I wouldn't say this is complex, but man it tastes good. 

Old Forester - This 86 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky is copper and amber in color. The aroma has vanilla, spices, cinnamon, some sweetness, but also a tangy woodiness. The taste takes all the aromas, adds in a pleasant bourbon corn note, and melds them all together in a very coherent and pleasant tasting whole. There is a burst of flavor, an abrupt end, and then a slow building aftertaste returns. This is a really nice bourbon for its price point. 

Old Forester Mint Julep - I was just too curious to not give a try to this 60 proof pre-mixed mint julep from long time bourbon maker, Old Forester. It's nose is a bright blast of mint, that blends well with the sharp, corn mash tang, that bourbon is known for. The mint has a fresh smell, not artificial or stale in any way. The taste matches the aromas, it is quite minty, and quite sweet. I have enjoyed making mint juleps in the past, but it is nice to not have to make your own simple syrup. The mint and sweetness here are good, but not enough of the bourbon flavor itself shines through. I had a bottle of regular Old Forester on hand, and found that if you mix them close to half and half over your crushed ice, I get a mint julep flavored as I like it. So, I'd add some extra bourbon, but the flavors here are excellent.

Old Tub - This is a "new" release from Jim Beam. It is actually a recreation of their oldest brand. This Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is bottled in bond, and thus 100 Proof. It is unfiltered (any wood bits are removed, but it is not charcoal or chill filtered), and can cloud up when poured over ice. The whiskey is dark amber, dark copper in color. It has long legs. The nose is spicy, peppery, spearmint, cinnamon, clean hard corn in a galvanized bucket, an old straw covered wooden barn floor with a bit of dust from nearby hay bales. The flavor is also spicy, full of the herbs, intense warmth that is deep and long-lasting, tobacco leaves, and rustic sourdough bread with a slightly sweet pepper hummus spread on it. This is thoroughly delicious.

Jim Beam - This 80 proof amber whiskey is sweet, vanilla, cinnamon, mint, with that distinctive bourbon corn note. The taste is clean and bright and follows the aromas, hitting all the same notes, surprising with its mint and spice tones. It has a spicy finish, warming but not hot, it sips easily. This is pretty good for a value, large volume bourbon.

Jim Beam Black - This is an 86 proof Beam Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey aged 8 years. It has a nice dark amber and copper color, with long legs. The aroma is deep vanilla, oak, caramel, sour corn mash, almonds. The taste hits the same notes as the aromas, adding some bass, this is deep and rich, warming without being hot, and nicely balanced in its sweet, tart, corn, and wood. 

Jim Beam Devil's Cut - This 90 proof Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey is named after the opposite of the “angel's share” that is lost to evaporation from barrels. Instead this is the concentrated devil's cut that would otherwise be left behind. Beam extracts it from the barrels with a proprietary process. The aroma to this whiskey is cherry, mint, bourbony sour corn mash, vanilla, and light oak. The taste takes the aromas and melds them into perfect harmony, big, round, with a bourbon's bourbon blast of corn mash taste. It drinks with a woody dryness on the finish, but is smooth in the mouth, and quite easy drinking considering its 45% alcohol. The aftertaste is strong, pleasant, and repeats the original flavors. This is quite nice. 

Evan Williams - This is an 86 proof sour mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The aroma is honey, almonds, mashed corn, a congruous tangy note, with light oak. The taste follows the aromas, bright, tangy, yet sweet, some vanilla. It drinks very smooth, easy, warming. This is not complex, but is drinkable. Not surprisingly, their 10 year old single barrel (above) was much better. 

Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey - This is a 90 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey. I love the shape of the full-sized bottles. The aroma is bright with sour mash, with some cinnamon, oak, and vanilla. The taste hits the same notes as the aroma, well balanced, lots of bourbon corn, tangy, with some sweetness and spice. It is very warming, and drinks smooth. This is pleasant and solid bourbon. 

Rebel Yell Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey -  A light amber in color, the aroma has a bit of raw alcohol, but also a bit of cinnamon, mint, vanilla, spices, cookie dough, and a good amount of good old bourbon corn. The taste is a very pleasant amalgam of the aromas, a solid, straightforward corn bourbon's bourbon. The whiskey is warming, but not hot. It drinks quite smooth. This is pretty good as a value bourbon. 

Watkins Select - This 80 proof Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey pours a very dark amber. The aroma is sweet, honey, cherries, vanilla, with light oak, and some sour bourbon corn. The taste is much brighter than the aroma, but still hits the same notes, and adds in a woody-grassy, herbal note, almost clove-like. The finish is warming, but not hot. There is a black pepper note in the aftertaste.

Knob Creek - This 9 year old Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey comes in at 100 proof. It has a big, bright aroma, cherries, oak, vanilla, caramel and toffee, with some nice sour bourbon corn in the back. The taste is a deep, rich mixture of the aromas, sweet and tangy, woody and creamy. This is classic Kentucky bourbon on flavor steroids. It drinks very warming, but not as hot as you would think for 100 proof. This is really, really tasty.

Larceny - This is a 92 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Old Fitzgerald. The aroma is bright and intense, with corn mash and cherries. There is also some vanilla, honey, black pepper, and oak. The taste is a nice harmonious amalgam of the different aromas. It is hot from its proof, and it can take a touch of water, but even then it has a quite peppery finish. Behind that head, it is smooth and soft. This takes a little bit to open up, but is then quite pleasant. 

Wild Turkey 101 -  This is the 101 proof version of Wild Turkey Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. It is a dark amber and copper. The aroma is sweet, cinnamon, pastry, cherry, and light spearmint. The taste follows the aromas, but takes all of those notes and mixes them together in a harmonious whole. The whiskey drinks easier than expected at first due to its high proof, but a very long and slow burn can be felt as it makes its way slowly down the gullet. Now, with a proof this high, to add a little water, and see what happens. On the nose, the cinnamon and spearmint brighten up into citrus, lime and tangerine zest. There is still some cherry, along with oak. The taste is similar, less hot of course, and that allows the traditional bourbon corn and tang to enter into play. 

Michter's Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon - This is a deep, gem-like amber in color. The nose has cinnamon, mint, pastry, corn, oak, and some citrus peels. The taste follows the aromas, full of corn, spicy, warming. There is a crisp, clean break after the initial taste, and then lingering aftertastes appear, staying true to the original flavor.

Maker's Mark - This 90 proof Kentucky straight bourbon is a light amber in color. On the nose, it has notes of corn, spearmint, fruit, cherry and pineapple, with light vanilla and cinnamon. The taste is corn, cherry, a bit of pepper, with an oaky astringency on the finish. It drinks a bit hot, its 90 proof feels more like 100 in the back of the mouth. While there is some lingering aftertaste that is not unpleasant, the finish is a bit abrupt or flat. This one just didn't do much for me.

Cedar Ridge Iowa Bourbon Whiskey - This 80 proof bourbon made with Iowa corn. The whiskey is a light, orange amber in color. The nose is bright, spices, cinnamon, mint, with just a touch of lemongrass, some corn and caramel sweetness, along with an astringent woodiness. The taste is unlike a Kentucky bourbon. It is sweet, citrus, spicy. The corn is present, but more sweet and less the traditional mashed note. Hell, Jimmy crack corn and I don't care. The whiskey is very smooth and easy to drink.

Cody Road Bourbon - This 90 proof bourbon is from the Mississippi River Distilling Company in Le Clare, Iowa. It is a dark amber. There is a strong aroma of corn, some vanilla, a touch of cinnamon and spice. The taste is sweet, corn, a bit spicy, with the vanilla and cinnamon there. There is some pastry here, a cinnamon twist donut. This is pretty hot. There is some oaky astringency on the finish which brings an abrupt halt, before a slow-burning aftertaste kicks in. There is not much here and I would be unlikely to repeat. 

Mellow Corn - 100 proof, bottled in bond, aged four years, this is a Kentucky Straight Corn Whiskey from Heaven Hill. The nose is full of corn, spicy, with cinnamon and grass. The taste follows the aromas closely, full of corn, sweet and spicy. It is very warm, but still quite smooth. This is straight forward, but still very enjoyable. If you want to clarify what parts of a bourbon come from the corn, this one will let you know. There is some bitterness on the finish, which may just be an oaky astringency from the barrels.

Foundry 10 Year Old Corn Whiskey - From the Foundry Distilling Company in West Des Moines, Iowa, this is a 91 proof corn whiskey.  It started while Foundry's founder was at Templeton Rye. It was aged for ten years in used Templeton Rye barrels. The mash bill is 81% corn, 15% rye, and 4% barley.  This is a very light golden, sun-bleached straw in color. The aroma is not as much corn to start as I expected. Don't get me wrong, there is corn there, but this is light, bright, citrusy, grassy, like a Lowland Scotch, but without any peat present. The taste hits the same notes as the aroma, fruity, citrusy, bright, grassy, along with a light corn. The finish is quite dry, with some woody astringency, but not overwhelming. The rye barrels seem to impart a bit of spiciness as well. This is quite wonderful, like many other whiskies, but like none. They have almost created a Japanese whiskey. Does anyone know if this is the same whiskey as the Templeton Rye 10 Year Corn Whiskey?

Jack Daniel's - The ubiquitous Tennessee whiskey is 86 proof. This is an amber colored liquid with sweet, vanilla, grain, almonds, honey, apples. The taste is lightly smokey, honey, apples, almonds, vanilla and light oak. It is very warming, but not hot, and does have a nice smoothness. However, this one is not particularly complex.  

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel - This 47 percent alcohol Tennessee whiskey pours a very dark amber in color. The aroma is sweet caramel, woody, mint, cherry, and vanilla, along with some sour grain mash in the back ground. The taste is a nice blend of the aromas, balanced, and adding in a little charcoal smokiness. The finish is abruptly dry. It is not at all too hot, especially considering the higher alcohol. This is wildly superior to regular Jack Daniels.

George Dickel Superior 12 Recipe - This Tennessee sour mash whiskey is 90 proof and filtered through sugar-maple charcoal. The whisky pours an orange tinted copper, amber, brass. The nose has peaches, peach pie, brown sugar, a bit of vanilla and oak, and a little bit of corn. The taste is fruity and bright, the peaches are there, along with the corn and sour mash, sweetness followed by astringent oak. It drinks very warm, but mellow, smooth, just fading away nicely with a light lingering fruity aftertaste. This is really enjoyable, especially at its relatively quite low price point.

Seagram's 7 - This 80 proof American blended whiskey contains 75% neutral grain spirits. This is apparent in the aroma, which is as much vodka, as it is light notes of bourbon, caramel, vanilla, with light notes of cherry. The taste follows the aromas, with a dry finish. It is a bit hot. While this is made for mixing, it is not as “cheap” tasting as I expected. It might not be very complex, but it has no objectionable flavors or off notes. 

Cedar Ridge Single Malt Whiskey - This 80 proof Iowa whiskey is relatively light in color, the aroma is bright. There is cinnamon and lime, with toasted grain, and a light smokey note. The taste follows the aromas, hitting the same notes. The whiskey drinks light, smooth, and easy; very enjoyable.

The Real Stuff - This 41% ABV whiskey is made from grain and sugar, aged in charred oak barrels. It is from Foundry Distilling, of West Des Moines, Iowa. It is a based on a Prohibition bootlegging recipe from the Odebolt, Iowa area. Dark amber in color, the aroma is sweet. There is a lot of vanilla, with some brown sugar and oak. A bit of orange rind comes through, this is as much rum as whiskey. The taste is the aroma encapsulated, sweet, warm, full of vanilla. Like the aroma, the taste is a as much like a rum as a whiskey, although there is some sharp rye bite that would not be present in a rum. It tastes good, but be prepared this is not a regular whiskey.

Jim Beam Pre-Prohibition Rye Whiskey - Relatively dark in color, there are aromas of vanilla, almonds, cherries, spicy hot, with a bourbony-corn note. The taste is rich, spicy, sweet, all at once, with vanilla, toasted corn, light cherries, along with light oak, and a very hot and spicy rye note. This has a nice smooth mouthfeel.

Knob Creek Straight Rye Whiskey - This is a 100 proof straight rye whiskey. It is a deep amber, with long, drifting legs. The aroma is spicy, peppery, bright, tangy, a nice sour mash note, cherry, toast, and toasted wood. The taste is a well balanced blend of the flavors, a big, round, sweet note, melding into bright and tangy sourness, edging off into the cherry, toast and wood. The flavors are long and lingering, and circle back to that classic American whiskey sour mash note in the aftertaste. This is really well done.

Iowa Legendary Rye White Whiskey - This is a clear, unaged white rye whiskey made in Carroll, Iowa. The aroma is shockingly fruity. There is lots of grape and berries, sweet, but also spicy. It reminds me a bit of Wray and Nephew white overproof rum. There is also some grassiness, like fresh cut tall bluegrass. The taste follows the aromas, surprisingly bright and fruity, but with a very spicy finish. I also get some bread dough notes. I would imagine creative mixologists could really go crazy with this. The finish is quite dry, with the woody bitterness of fresh sawn pine and oak.  

Iowa Legendary Rye Aged Whiskey - Also made in Carroll, Iowa, like the white, the initial aroma is surprisingly fruity, in this case I get a lot of cherry. However, this is not as bright, more rich with caramel and vanilla, along with oak. This is also quite spicy. The taste follows the aromas, there is a definite sweetness, but the finish is mostly dry, and moderated by the astringency of oak.  

Templeton Rye 4 Year Old - Pouring light amber and dark golden, the nose is spicy, cinnamon, with a touch of wintergreen, sweetness, cherry, and some almond. The taste follows the aromas, light and bright in the mouth, it is spicy, sweet, with fruit notes all at once. The finish is quite dry, and very warm. 

Templeton Rye Special Reserve 10th Anniversary Rye Whiskey - The whiskey has a clear, bright, yet deep copper color. The aroma is intense, but pleasant; toasted oak, dark caramel, dark cherries, vanilla. The aromas hang together in a very cogent whole. The taste is deep, rich, with a touch of implied smokiness (this isn't a peat smoked Scotch after all), but with an intense fruitiness, mostly dark cherry, along with caramels, and some vanilla. To the extent there is oak in the flavor, it is toasted and aged, not at all astringent or tangy like fresh oak. There is also an intense spicy note, that comes through even more in the aftertaste than in the original taste. It is very, very warming, but it is over 100 proof.

      Due to the high proof, I decided to add a little water and see if it made any changes. Doing so leaves the aroma intact, just not quite as hotly intense. It also leaves the flavors intact, just dialing down the heat a notch, letting them all shine and unify into an intensely pleasurable whole. With the heat dialed down, an element of liquid honey is felt in the mouth. 

     Wow. The aroma to this is brilliant. The first taste is as akin to a fine single malt Scotch as any rye I have ever had. The flavors are terrific, and while the proof is high, a splash of water allows everything to merge together in something that approaches perfection, perhaps as close as we are allowed in our earthly coil.

Templeton Rye Special Reserve 6 Year Old - This variant of Templeton Rye is only available at the distillery in Templeton, Iowa.  The new expanded distillery is now making and aging the rye on site (it was previously distilled and aged in Indiana and only bottled on site). This interim release was distilled in Indiana, but was aged in Templeton. It is 91.5 proof. 

 The whiskey has a deep, yet bright amber color, with glinting orange tints. The aroma is big, full, spicy, sweet, caramel, cinnamon pastry, orange, tall grass, corn stalks, and a hint of freshly turned black earth. The taste is big, bold, bright, full of the flavors that populate the aroma. There is a blast of flavor and then a very abrupt, clean, and dry finish. The whiskey is very warming without being hot. The flavors linger on the palate and in the nasal cavities. I nosed and sipped this head to head with their 4-year old and their 10-year old (I did not have their regular 6-year old around). I have to say the the special reserve is the best by far, even better than the 10 year old. On the other hand, comparing them all head to head shows just how good the four year old is too, much milder than the others, but with a great base flavor. 

Templeton Corn 10 Year Old - This is a 96 proof straight corn whiskey made by Templeton Rye. It is a limited addition bottling, one of 6,000. It is available only at the distillery in Templeton, Iowa. Its ten year aging occurred in used Templeton Rye barrels. In addition to corn, its mash bill contains rye and malted barley. The nose of this bright amber whiskey is spicy, oaky, with ample Saigon cinnamon notes. Next comes a wave of Madagascar vanilla. There is cherry, almond, corn, and leather. The taste is sweet, rich, spicy, an amalgam flavor of the different aromas, all made into a wonderful fruity, spiced, floury baked treat. It is very smooth, and warming without being hot.

Cedar Ridge Malted Rye Whiskey - This 86 proof whiskey is amber in color. The nose is very spicy, lots of pepper, with some spearmint, caramel, bright fruit, cherry, vanilla, and light oak. The taste is a good amalgam of the aromas, tasting sweet and spicy. There is a honey coating that goes to the back of the tongue and down the throat. It drinks smooth, warm, with a nice round body, yet still light and airy. This is really nice. 

Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey - Made in Kentucky, this whiskey comes in bright, spicy, and sweet. There is caramel, bread, cinnamon, citrus, kaffir lime. The taste follows the aromas, quite spicy. This drinks hot down the throat for 80 proof, yet is light in the mouth.

Jack Daniels Tennessee Straight Rye - A nice dark amber in color, this whiskey is 90 proof. The aroma is bright, spicy, with some sweetness, apple, lime, and cinnamon. The taste follows the aromas, but goes up a notch in intensity. It drinks hot down the throat, but is not harsh in the mouth. 

2Gingers – This Irish Whiskey was the brainchild of Kieran Folliard, founder of Kieran's Irish Pub and The Local in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The color of sun bleached straw, the aroma is hay, freshly harvested grain, a touch of peat smoke, and vanilla. The taste follows the aromas, fresh, light, clean, grain, hay, a touch of lime, with some sweet and vanilla, and a touch of smoke. It is warming without being hot.  

Hell-Cat Maggie - This is an 80 proof Irish whiskey. It is spicy, tangy, with grain mash, and very light vanilla and caramel. The taste follows the aromas, this burns hot, and has a very thin body. There is a bit of light peat smoke. Not offensive tasting, but this is one for mixing in highballs.

Jameson Irish Whiskey - Amber and copper, this 80 proof Irish whiskey has notes of flowers, grass, spices, malted barley, and a hint of peat. The taste is an airy amalgam of the aromas. The finish is spicy, a bit warming. This whiskey drinks very smooth and easy.

Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition - This is the iconic Jameson triple distilled Irish whiskey of Cork, Ireland, that as part of their caskmates series was finished in barrels that had contained India Pale Ale. It is 80 proof. The nose is exceptionally bright, citrusy, and grassy. The hops are definitely evident. There is also a background of honey, caramel sweetness, vanilla, and toasted barley. The whiskey is light and wildly bright in the mouth. There is a blast of orange and lemon, with a lesser amount of clean, tall grass. The other aroma notes are present, but in the background. The traditional taste of Jameson lingers in the aftertaste. There is an astringent dryness on the finish, a combination of citrus rind and oak. This is tasty, certainly interesting, but I would need to taste it a couple more times to really firm up my opinion on it. The bottle suggests having some alongside an IPA, and I will definitely give that a try soon.

Redbreast - This is an 80 proof single pot still traditional Irish whiskey that is aged 12 years in oak and sherry casks. This was a Christmas present. The aroma has toffee, caramel, cream, orange, citrus peels, oak, with a touch of sherry, spice, and vanilla. The taste follows the aromas, hitting many of the same notes, big on the toffee/caramel side, and very spicy on the finish, with an implied peatiness. It drinks with a full and rich mouthfeel. I saw some notes on this that said it was oily, trying it, I see what they mean, and it is better than it sounds. This is quite nice, very pleasant.  

Bushmills Red Bush - Bushmills is from County Antrim, Northern Ireland. This is 80 proof Bushmills whiskey that was aged in bourbon barrels. It is a nice amber, golden, honey in color, with long legs. The nose has a good malty character, tangy, grassy, a whiff of smoke, a touch of honey, but underneath there is vanilla, oak, and bourbon corn. This is a definite amalgam of aromas between the two styles of whiskey at play here. The taste is a perfect meld of the aromas, bright, yet dry, sweet, yet tangy, with oak, and a very light smokiness, perhaps more implied than real. It drinks soft, smooth, and light in the mouth, leaving a tingle of heat, and a light, clean aftertaste behind. This is very pleasant. 

Bogart's Irish Whiskey - Inspired by Humphrey Bogart, this is an 80 proof blended Irish Whiskey that is part of the Bogart's spirits collection.  The color is light amber, dark golden and straw colored. The nose is pleasant grain, toasted, bready, a bit peaty, dusty straw, with bright notes of citrus and candied orange peel. The whiskey drinks amazingly light and fresh, but still flavorful, hitting the different notes from the aromas. It vaporizes on the palate, finishing amazingly clean, with a very light, but pleasant aftertaste, with a bit of lingering spice. The finish is so light and clean you want to take sip after sip. 

The Macallan - This is an 86 proof, 12 year old Highland single malt Scotch whisky. It is aged in sherry oak casks from Jerez, Spain. The aroma is bright, fruity, citrus, vinous, oak, light peat smoke, heather. The aroma is a sweet, bright, fruity, and lightly smokey amalgam of the aromas. There is caramel and leather added into the aftertaste. This is very warming. It is velvety and light on the tongue. This is ambrosia. 

Glenmorangie 10 Year Old - "The Original," this is an 86 proof Highland single malt Scotch.  This light straw colored whiskey has notes of malted barley, citrus, honey, leather, and old books. There is a floral note of hay and clover. The taste is a heavenly amalgam of the aromas, adding in just a kiss of peat smoke. The flavors hit together, but also in separate waves, with the grain and deeper, richer notes coming first, adding in some tobacco, followed by the citrus and floral. The finish is dry, astringent, oaky. This is wonderful.

Glenmorangie Lasanta - This is a sherry cask finished 12 year old single Highland malt Scotch that comes in at 86 proof. The nose is peat smoke, a touch of vinous sweet sherry, floral honey, stone fruits. The taste is a smooth, rich, bright, yet smokey, amalgam of the aromas. There is sweetness in the flavor, but the ending is still quite dry. It is silky smooth in the mouth, very warming, but not hot. My god, this will have you shaking your head with incredulity, it is so good. 

Glenmorangie Quinta Rubin - This is a port cask finished 12 year old single malt Highland Scotch whisky. It comes in at 92 proof. The aroma is big, bright, with kaffir lime, peat smoke, dark caramel, with an aromatic, deep, and slightly oxidized vinous note from the port wood. The taste is deep, rich, smokey, warm, following the aromas, with notes of sweet and tangy bouncing off of each other. The finish is astringently dry, adding in the wood. Glenmorangie makes amazingly tasty and complex whiskies.

Deanston - This is a 46.3% ABV Highland single malt Scotch whisky that is aged for 12 years. The aroma contains citrus, heather, pine, and light peat. The taste adds a further element of peat and light smoke, along with vanilla, honey, and the soft inside of fresh baked bread. It is very warming, with a lingering and pleasant aftertaste.  

Bunnahabhain - This is a 92.6 proof Islay single malt Scotch whisky. The aroma is bright, yet smokey, iodine, seaweed, sea water and kaffir lime leaves, peat and malted barley. The taste is a deep, rich, well-balanced amalgam of all the aromas. It is very warming, but quite smooth, especially considering its high proof. This is exquisitely well done, gorgeous. 

Chivas Regal - This is an 80 proof blend of 12 year old Scotch. The aroma is bright, citrus, grass, heather, vanilla, honey, and light peat smoke. The taste is a nice mix of the aromas, bright, sweet, and with a touch of peaty smokiness on the finish. It is nicely warming without being hot. 

Glenlivet 12 Year Old - This is an 80 proof single malt Scotch whisky from the Speyside region. It is aged in both European and American oak. The aroma is bright, with dueling lime citrus and peat smoke. There is also fall leaves, grass, lemongrass, and mashed grains. The taste is a nice amalgam of the aromas, herbs, citrus, smoke, grains, with flashes of sweet. It drinks smooth and light, with no loss of full flavors. It is warming without being hot. This is very nice. 

New bottle look, new tasting notes: Dark straw to light amber in color. Bright, sunny hay, honey, citrusy fruit, a bit of pastry, with light cinnamon. The taste is bright, full of fruit, citrus and ripe plums, honey, just a hint of peat smoke, smooth and soft, but with a tight oak astringency on the finish. This is delicious.

Glenlivet Founder's Reserve - This 80 proof single malt Scotch is a dark golden straw to very light amber. The aroma is bright, citrus, tangerine and lime, straw and toasted grain. The taste is also bright, fruity, with citrus, peach, and berries, along with the straw and grain, turning into biscuit with honey. There is some oaky astringency on the finish. There is a quick end to the taste, which then slowly morphs into a long aftertaste.

Johnnie Walker Black - This is an 80 proof blend of 12 year old Scotch. The aroma opens with a big blast of smokey peat, salt water, honey tinged warm homeade bread, vanilla, and a tad spicy. The taste is a bold amalgam of the aromas, both sweet and smokey, with a spicy, yet smooth finish. 

Johnnie Walker Red Scotch Whisky - This blend is a light amber and honey in color. The aroma is a bit smokey, light peat, honey, hay, toasted almonds. The taste follows the aromas, but really kicks up the peat smoke a notch. There is a nice, round, honey softness in the mouth.  

Benromach - This is a 10 year old and 86 proof Speyside single malt Scotch whisky. The nose is full of peat smoke, sea water, iodine, with some caramel and cherry brightly peaking out between wafts of smoke. The taste follows the aromas, rich, smokey, reminiscent of a sea-sprayed, seaweed covered beach, on a cloudy day, washing very cold waves nudge the shore. There is a bright note that shines behind all of those strong, smokey flavors. This has a full, oily body, yet is also light on the tongue. It is quite warming. The aftertaste is intense and lingering. This is a nice one. 

Dewar's - This 80 proof blended Scotch whisky is from Perthshire in Scotland. It is relatively light in color. It has an interesting aroma, lime, lemongrass, and some peat smoke. The taste takes the aromas and inverts them, smokey, peaty, and then with lighter citrus notes, and some straw. It drinks easy, light, with a nice softness. The warming comes as a delayed after effect. The smokiness also builds over time. This is a quite interesting blended Scotch. 

Glen Moray Chardonnay Cask Finish - This is a 80 proof Speyside Scotch Whisky that is finished in Chardonnay casks. Sounds interesting. The nose is bright, both fruity and smokey at the same time. There is kiwi, apple, fruity and vinous tanginess, peat smoke, and oak. The taste is like a coin flipping in mid air, one second the heads of vinous fruit, the next second the tails of a standard peat smoked Scotch. The finish is spicy, and quite warm for its proof. 

Buchanan's Deluxe - This is an 80 proof blend of 12 year old Scotch. The aroma is smoky peat, tart fruit, citrus, pears, sweet pastry, and a touch of cinnamon. The taste follows the nose, this is nicely smoky, but not overwhelmingly so, with the other notes in the aroma coming through in the taste. This is deep, rich, smokey, but also with a nice counterbalancing brightness. It is warming, but not hot.

Pendleton - This is an 80 proof blended Candian whisky. The aroma is vanilla, caramel, cherry, toffee, a hint of raspberry, with a bit of a raw alcohol overtone. The taste follows the aromas, some sweetness, loads of caramel and toffee, a bit toasted, with vanilla and light oak, and lighter fruit in the taste than in the aroma. It is a bit hot. 

Pendleton 1910 - This is an 80 proof Canadian rye whiskey that is aged for 12 years.  It is amber and burnt orange in color. The aroma is sweet and spicy, candied oranges, a bit of cherry, brown sugar, with a lot of oak. The taste follows the aromas, adding sweetness, spiciness, and fruit together in a nice amalgam. The taste mostly follows the aromas, although the brown sugar becomes more caramel with just a hint of vanilla. It has an abrupt, astringent, dry oaky finish. This is smooth, with nice flavor, but the woodiness on the finish is so strong as to be bitter, and provides the main negative note to this. I am anxious to try it with a few mixers and see how it holds up.

R&R Reserve (Rich & Rare) - This is an 80 proof blended Candian whisky. The aroma is bright, tangy, spicy, caramel, along with a corn note. The taste follows the aromas directly, hitting the same notes, sweet, with a spicy finish, just a touch hot. It is quite smooth, and finishes easy. There is a bit of oak and vanilla on the end. 

Crown Royal - This is the ubiquitous 80 proof blended Canadian whisky. It has an aroma of tangy mash, with tones underneath of caramel and light vanilla. It is bright, with a touch of spiciness. The caramel and vanilla sweet tones are accentuated in the flavor, but not overly dominant. There is spiciness and some oak. The tang and brightness are in good balance in the taste. It is very warming. The finish is quite dry. They're doing a pretty good job here considering the volume they are putting out. 

JP Wiser's Rye - This 80 proof Canadian whisky has a bright aroma, definitely with a note of grain alcohol, some spicy rye, toast, along with a corn mash note. The taste is bright and sweet, but with a very spicy finish. The aftertaste alternates between sweet bread, sour corn mash, and spicy rye. It is very warming for 80 proof and drinks smooth and easy. There is a strange metallic or incongruous astringent charred note that stays in the background and is the only negative here. Not complex, but very drinkable, and would probably make a great cocktail mixer. 

Canadian Club - This is an 80 proof blended Canadian whisky. It has a deep color. The nose has caramel, pepper, and a bit of medicinal hot alcohol. The taste is much smoother, caramel, light oak, peppery, with no off notes. The finish is very dry, astringently oaky.

Canadian Club Reserve - This is a 9 years aged version of CC. It is also 80 proof. Dark amber, the whisky has a surprisingly bright aroma, and filled with spice. There are levels of sweetness, dark caramel and toffee, along with some citrus, and fall, warming spices. The taste is an amazing, bright, sweet, delicious meld of the aromas. There is sweetness, spices, and a balanced bright citrus. There is great balance between the competing notes, good flavor. The whisky is warming, but not hot, drinking with a smoothness. I am not a fan of regular Canadian Club, but this is a delicious drinking whisky. 

Ensign Red Black - I don't get the name (it's red, but it's black?), but let's get on to the whisky. This is a 90 proof blended Canadian whisky. The nose is peppery, spicy, toffee, caramel, and a bit of oak. The taste is a surprise, light, bright, cinnamon, a touch of citrus, along with the toffee, caramel, and peppery spice from the aroma. It has some heat from the alcohol, but not overly so considering the proof. The first aroma from this was not promising, but give it a little air and let it breathe a bit, and it is actually quite nice.

Black Velvet - This is an 80 proof Canadian blended whisky, aged 3 years. The nose is full of toasted caramel, but also has a hot blast of alcohol. There is some grain mash, and very light vanilla. The initial taste is not nearly as hot as the aroma, but subsequent sips begin to burn. There is still much toasted caramel, some sweetness, the vanilla comes up a notch, and the finish is abruptly and strongly dry, at least implying, if not actually offering, oak. This is for mixing.

Canadian Mist - This is an 80 proof blended Canadian whisky that is at least three years old. The nose is toasted oak, toasted caramel, a light cherry note, with a sharp alcohol edge. The taste follows the aromas, lots of caramel, spicy on the end, a bit hot, but not terribly so. Basically “meh,” I'd hit this one with some ginger ale. 

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye - This is a 90 proof Canadian whisky made with a 90% rye mash. The aroma is caramel, toasted caramel, toasted oak, light vanilla, peach, honey, and spicy rye. The taste follows the aromas, putting them together in a nicely balanced amalgam. It drinks quite hot, even considering the higher proof. This does nicely with some water added in, it cuts down the heat, but very little of the flavor. 

Crown Royal Bourbon Mash - This 80 proof whisky is a dark amber. The nose has sweetness, caramel, brightness, citrus, particularly lime, and a fermented corn bourbon note all melded together. The tastes hit the same notes as the aromas, ending with a surprisingly spicy finish. The whisky is quite warming for its proof. It drinks with an easy lightness, smooth, but quite flavorful. Some candied orange and rind develops in the aftertaste.