USA/Canada

Two Value Bourbons That Give Many More Expensive Scotches A Run for Their Money

October 21, 2015
Thumbnail image for Two Value Bourbons That Give Many More Expensive Scotches A Run for Their Money

With ever rising prices for whisky good value bottles are increasingly difficult to find. I came across two bourbons made by Heaven Hill with an excellent value for money.

Rittenhouse Single Barrel Rye 1984/2009

August 24, 2015
Thumbnail image for Rittenhouse Single Barrel Rye 1984/2009

A wonderful old rye that is very wood-forward without being too much dominated by it. It still has a surprisingly gentle base. – Rating: 88/100

Glen Breton 14 yo

August 1, 2015

Sorry, but the soapy notes on the palate ruin the experience for me. Without them it would have been a light and delicate single malt. – Rating: 63/100

Cleveland Whiskey 100 Proof

July 29, 2015

Another failed experiment to speed up maturation. It does not really taste bad upfront, but it leaves an unpleasant blandness on your palate. – Rating: 58/100

Vintage Rye 23 yo

June 15, 2015
Thumbnail image for Vintage Rye 23 yo

A very powerful old rye whose palate has already been conquered by the wood. The nose is magnificent, though. The complexity of the spice aromas is fascinating – Rating: 87/100

Wild Turkey 8 yo

March 9, 2015
Thumbnail image for Wild Turkey 8 yo

It is not easy to find but this inexpensive aged bourbon can easily compete with more expensive ones. The wood influence is quite strong but it still is a well-rounded dram. – Rating: 86/100

Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 yo

December 12, 2014
Thumbnail image for Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 yo

Big and bold wood flavours dominate this chewy bourbon. The finish is a bit on the tannic side but the overall quality is impressive. – Rating: 86/100

Heaven Hill 15 yo Whisky Jewbilee 2013 Festival Bottling

November 23, 2014
Thumbnail image for Heaven Hill 15 yo Whisky Jewbilee 2013 Festival Bottling

An excellent bourbon on the peak of maturity with both rich flavours and a gentle character. Despite the high ABV the thought of adding water never crosses the mind. – Rating: 87/100

Knob Creek Rye

November 10, 2014
Thumbnail image for Knob Creek Rye

I was surprised how gentle this is for a rye, too gentle for my taste, in fact. – Rating: 79/100

Two Rather Dusty Bourbons

August 26, 2014

A few days ago I tasted four American bottom shelf whiskies sent to me by fellow blogger Joshua Feldman. But the package he sent me did not only contain those.

American Blended Whisky – Exploring Terra Incognita

August 24, 2014
Thumbnail image for American Blended Whisky – Exploring Terra Incognita

The United States of America are currently suffering an unprecedented bourbon and craft whisky craze. But there is a type of American whisky that is almost unkown in Europe: American blends.

Bourbon Dusty Shootout: Early Times vs. Old Grand Dad

March 21, 2014

I got hold of a miniature of Early Times, probably from the late 1960s, and a full bottle of Old Grand Dad from the early 1970s. A perfect setup for a head to head tasting, if you ask me.

Jim Beam Red Stag Black Cherry with Ginger & Lime

February 4, 2014
Thumbnail image for Jim Beam Red Stag Black Cherry with Ginger & Lime

I don’t usually write in-depth whisky reviews, mainly because of time constrains but also the for reason that so many other bloggers do it. But the product I recently discovered in our local supermarket made me change my mind.

Willett Pot Still Single Barrel

January 13, 2014
Thumbnail image for Willett Pot Still Single Barrel

A powerful and complex bourbon, it is quite dry but the strong flavours support it. – Rating: 87/100

Wasmund’s Copper Fox Rye

January 8, 2014

The nose is rather strong and pleasant while the palate lacks a bit of the power you would expect from a rye. Overall quite a nice dram. – Rating: 80/100

George Dickel No. 12

December 29, 2013
Thumbnail image for George Dickel No. 12

A rather light Tennessee whisky that is on the dry side of the spectrum. It has some nice flavours but the finish could be a bit more pronounced. – Rating: 81/100

Buffalo Trace White Dog Mash 1

December 28, 2013
Thumbnail image for Buffalo Trace White Dog Mash 1

This is not more than a novelty and it cannot match a decent single malt newmake. – Rating: 55/100

Balcones Texas Single Malt Batch SM 8-12

August 28, 2013
Thumbnail image for Balcones Texas Single Malt Batch SM 8-12

Quite an unusual flavour profile here with strong emphasis on wood (in a good way). It’s a very nice whisky overall, apart from the slightly shortish finish . – Rating: 84/100

Balcones True Blue Cask Strength

February 19, 2013

I do like the spicy notes quite a bit, but there is a certain mustiness (probably the blue corn signature) that I am not a fan of. I much preferred the smoked Brimstone. – Rating: 80/100

High West Double Rye

February 16, 2013
Thumbnail image for High West Double Rye

This is a massively spiced rye, and a very complex one as well. Blending 2 and 16 year old whiskies proves to be a brilliant idea here. – Rating: 90/100

← Previous Entries