The Whiskey List

Here’s a list of the 121 whiskeys I’ve tasted and written notes for since I’ve had my little whiskey tasting book!  Please do take these notes only as my personal opinion, affected by all the usual factors such as what I’d recently eaten, where I was, what mood I was in, etc. You are emphatically encouraged to try them and make up your own mind!

UPDATED 07/10/2015 – Two new whiskeys: William Larue Weller and Sazerac 18 year.

I have deliberately excluded Jack Daniels and Jim Beam (the regular, popular expressions that is) because everybody is familiar with them!

Availability Key –

  • Easy  – Available in many supermarkets and bars
  • Medium – Available in online stores and many bars that have a bourbon selection
  • Rare – Sometimes available online and in some bourbon bars
  • N/A – Not readily available in the UK, though some bars may have it if you’re lucky!
Name Type State UK Availability Tasting Notes
1776 Straight Bourbon (James E. Pepper) Bourbon KY Medium Initially a very dry nose, with an undercurrent of charred wood, black pepper, dark chocolate and seared spices. More fruity sweetness comes in the taste, along with caramel and brown sugar, a hint of mocha and a considerable alcoholic sting. Subtle cucurbit freshness in there too, like a cantaloupe stuffed with jalapenos. The 38% rye is definitely evident in this one!
1792 Ridgemont Reserve Bourbon KY Medium Quite floral with rose, lavender, soft caramel, lemon and pine furniture. The taste is a little too tangy for me, very wheats and citrusy, an acidic mouthfeel. Woody in the finish.
Angels Envy Bourbon KY N/A Nose is fantastically chewy and fruity, thick plum and smoke. Incredibly smooth, doesn’t burn at all and has a very mild taste which is still very dark and easy drinking. Chocolate, port, berries and a grain softness.
Baker’s 7yr Bourbon KY Medium Fairly light yet potent nose of toffee and cinnamon, with underlying oak, orange and a slightly clinical alcoholic sting. The high ABV does burn the tongue a bit, but there is oak, sweet toffee and a sharp, tangy gooseberry hit. The finish is long and includes a sense of relief!
Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whiskey American Whiskey TX Medium Sour and synthetic nose, like lavender, linen and fresh pine. Taste is much the same, but despite the tang there was an earl-grey quality that was fairly pleasant. A medium sandalwood finish.
Balcones Brimstone American Whiskey TX Rare Hits your nose with leather, charcoal and bacon salt. The taste is loaded with smoke and toasted wood. Bit of a sharp finish, bit perhaps the name is warning of that! Literally leaves smouldering embers in your mouth.
Bernheim Original Bourbon KY Medium Tangy and wheaty, golden syrup and grape sweetness. Pretty easy drinking.
Blanton’s Gold Bourbon KY Rare Rich oak, toffee and grapefruit on the nose. Tobacco and smoke about, quite musty taste like other Blantons.
Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon KY Medium Real depth and musty smoke, a profound velvetty woody quality
Blanton’s Special Reserve Bourbon KY Rare Extremely smooth and mellow, no one aspect of the flavour comes to the fore, very well balanced bourbon profile.
Blanton’s ‘Straight from the Barrel’ Bourbon KY Rare Powerful nose of bitter chocolate, coffee, stewed orchard fruit, leather and mahogany, and in the mouth is an explosion of treacle, oak, plum and rich cigar box woodiness. The ABV stings the throat, but the flavours are incredible and lingering.
Bowman Brothers Bourbon VA Medium Nose of polished oak, toffee and orchard fruit. Bit of a wheaty tang, dark berries and dried straw. Chewy mouthfeel and medium finish. Not bad.
Breaking & Entering Bourbon CA Medium A smoky and chocolatey nose, with clove and cinnamon (and bubblegum on one occasion!). Incredibly smooth, no initial burn, a faint musty wood taste with a chewy caramel roundness, vanilla ice-cream and a lingering charcoal and cardamom finish with a hint of citrus. Threatens to be too musty but balances it out with a treacle sweetness! I like this one better each time I try it, lots of complex congeners.
Breckenridge Bourbon Bourbon CO Medium One of the nicest noses I’ve smelled! Beautifully woody, deep oak and char. Straw and leather on the tongue, lots of smoke and mustiness. Reminds me of Jefferson’s, but a bit more smoky and chewy.
Buffalo Trace Bourbon KY Easy Nose has tonnes of smoke, wood and leather.  Quite earthy, with a richness like cream fudge.  Interesting musty quality on the pallet, with toasted oak, tobacco leaf, clove and spiced chocolate.
Buffalo Trace Experimental: Zinfandel aged Bourbon KY Rare The sweet wine is well evident in the nose, lovely strawberry and maple syrup. Hints of vanilla sugar and toffee. Taste is similarly bright and fruity.
Buffalo Trace White Dog Mash #1 White Dog KY Medium Sweet and sharp, a nice fruity edge and definitely very boozy! I bet it would make a nice cocktail.
Bulleit Bourbon KY Easy Very much on the musty, tobacco-ey side of things
Bulleit Rye Rye KY Medium Spicy and pleasant, smoother than regular Bulleit. Makes a great Pickleback!
Cabin Still Bourbon KY Medium Barely smells of anything! A very watered down oak and cucumber nose. On tasting it’s kinda watery and boring, but very safe. Maybe a good intro bourbon!
Canadian Club Canadian CND Easy A nice safe Canadian whisky, smooth and easy drinking, rye freshness and not too much of a burn
Collingwood Canadian CND Medium The big surprise of the Spring for me. Comparatively smooth, herby and woody with hints of hazelnut. Very enjoyable.
Colonel E.H. Taylor Single Barrel Bourbon KY Medium Deep, rich bouquet of cinnamon, clove, oak, merlot and salted beef! In the mouth is chocolate treacle, rich oak and caramel with a thick, chewy mouthfeel which lingers delightfully. A real winner!
Copper Fox Rye Rye VA Medium Nose is fantastically musty, like clay, old wood with iron fittings, genuinely quite metal-y, but the malt is very distinct too. Very, very smooth, the malt and copper come to the fore, with bitter lemon and sage. The nose does remind me of a church pew, with a hint of incense!
Corsair Ryemageddon Rye KY Rare A real surprise! Grassy, herby and almost refreshing
Crown Royal Reserve Canadian CND Medium Very light scent, cucumber and herbs. Incredible smooth and mild, woody and crisp, toffee and mint notes. Not as flavoursome as Collingwood.
Dry Fly Bourbon 101 Bourbon WA Medium A strong, unpleasant nose of wet bark, wood glue and fish. A very alcoholic burn. Extremely different, maybe a hint of sherry, something that reminds me of cave-aged cheddar but on the whole really not good.
Dry Fly Triticale Whiskey American Whiskey WA Medium A rich, malty nose with sandy driftwood and dates. Very smooth and gentle, taste is rich in toffee, cinnamon and banana, with lemongrass and sesame in the background. A medium finish of pine and celery.
Eagle Rare Bourbon KY Medium Easy drinker, nutty and caramel-y.
Elijah Craig Bourbon KY Medium Quite toppy, pleasant and drinkable. On the woody side but not too pungent with it.
Elmer T Lee Single Barrel Bourbon KY Medium Nutty and oaked, Herbal and buttery toffee nose, sweet toffee, citrus and oak char palate
Evan Williams Bourbon KY Medium A safe, cola friendly whiskey, too harsh for drinking neat but makes a perfectly acceptable alternative to JD with a mixer.
Evan Williams 1783 Bourbon KY Medium Edged on the woody side, lots of dark chocolate, tobacco leaf and liquorice notes. Very rich and luxurious.
Evan Williams 23 year Bourbon KY N/A Vintage port like quality, wheat softness, vanilla and cinnamon in the nose too. Amazingly rich, smokey palette with fiery cinnamon, chewy caramel and spiced orange.
FEW Bourbon Cask Strength Bourbon IL Medium I ordered a dram of this from Masters of Malt and I was so convinced that what they sent me was actually a malt whisky that I’ve complained and asked them to send another. They assured me it was right, but to this day I suspect they really sent me the FEW malt wrongly labelled. Loads of banana sweetness and earthy heat.
FEW Rye Rye IL Medium Quite pungent, almost like blue cheese on the nose, something like raw potatoes, card and leather. The taste is very accessible, not too much spice of burn, very woody for a rye.
Gentleman Jack American Whiskey KY Easy I think the twice mellowing must strip out all the flavour! It’s quite a bland, crystalline whiskey with sour remnants. I only use it with mixers and for cocktails.
George T Stagg Bourbon KY Rare Very centred bourbon profile with a strong alcoholic punch, rich woody notes and a dark berry fruitiness
Fighting Cock Bourbon KY Medium Lovely sweet brown sugar and cinnamon on the nose! The theme continues in the taste with a fantastic oakiness and just a slight tang. Certainly impressive.
Four Roses Bourbon KY Easy Really nice, woody and gently fruity.
Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon KY Medium Honey, grass and pine on the nose. A strong wheaty tang with hints of lavender and caramel. Not a favourite but no terrible.
Hancock’s President’s Reserve Bourbon KY Medium Dark fruits, black grape and toffee in the nose, dark oak and char on the tongue with a sour, waxy but rich finish.
Henry McKenna 10yr Single Barrel Bourbon KY N/A Lovely nose of seasoned oak, treacle, red grapes, white pepper, a nice smoke quality. The flavour has a fizzy, cola-like sour-sweetness, lots of char and wood, maple and dark chocolate.
Herman Marshall Bourbon TX N/A Very syrupy and sweet, lots of brown sugar and cinnamon syrup.
High West American Prairie Reserve American Whiskey UT Medium A nose of smoke and grassy rye, notes of herby rye sharpness, fruity brandy like quality not one for every day but enjoyable. Initial explosion fades quickly leaving a lingering, toffee sweetness.
High West Campfire American Whiskey UT Medium Earthy, smoky malt with a clove and caramel bourbon background. The peat is present but not overwhelming, and there’s a dark hint of espresso and oriental spice. In the mouth the rye plays a bigger part, with a little minty sharpness and bitter lemon against a huge hit of smoked wood. The first time I’ve enjoyed peat! Best of all, in the finish there’s a kind of wood smoke fragrance that reminds me of my favourite smokehouse BBQ restaurants!
High West Double Rye Rye UT Medium Incredible! Nose has notes of red apple, cinnamon and plum, dark velvety liquorice and wood. Taste begins very fruity with apple and grapefruit, opens out with a lovely chewy woodiness, and finishes with a fresh spearmint and lemon sharpness. A new favourite!
High West Rendezvous Rye Rye UT Medium The mixture of spicy rye and heavy woodiness on the nose almost creates a sort of ‘new car’, or ‘new board game’ fragrance! Quite a tang to the taste, and also a bit of burn! But the grassy rye is there, along with white chocolate, black cherry and celery, and an impressive airy breakout in the finish. A formidable whiskey, but I prefer the Double Rye.
Hudson Baby Bourbon Bourbon NY Medium The nose is very yeasty, like B-vitamin pills! The taste starts well, with oak and port richness and wheat, but quickly swells up with a nasty, laundry basket finish.
Hudson Four Grain Bourbon Bourbon NY Medium Has a similar plasticy, yeasty nose to the Baby Bourbon, but a bit easier to distinguish some oaky goodness and rye. Tastes and smells a lot of rye spice and caramel.
Jack Daniels Single Barrel American Whiskey TN Easy Excellent balance of sweet and sour, rich and woody. Whatever people say about JD, this single barrel is still one of my fond faves!
Jack Daniels Silver Select American Whiskey TN Medium Bold and tasty, a little sharper than regular single barrel, which I still prefer. Charcoal present in the nose.
Jack Daniels White Rabbit Saloon American Whiskey TN Medium Slightly more flavoursome than regular Jack, very enjoyable in fact!
Jefferson’s Ocean Aged Bourbon KY Rare light toffee and pine on the nose, with a hint of sea salt. Gentle flavour, notes of peach, caramel and white pepper. The saltiness is prominent in the finish, and lingers for quite a while!
Jefferson’s Presidential Reserve Bourbon KY N/A Deep woody richness balanced with buckets of herby rye, a thoroughly amazing experience.
Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon KY Medium Softly peppery on the nose. Starts with scents of butterscotch and pine. Fills the mouth with rich dark chocolate, clove and pepper, with a long, luxurious finish of oak and sweet grain that really sets this fantastic whiskey apart.
Jim Beam Black Bourbon KY Medium Oak, new leather and biscotti notes. In the mouth cinnamon, vanilla oil, sour grainy tang, subtle peppermint. Good length finish with sour woody remnant.
Jim Beam Devil’s Cut Bourbon KY Easy Deep nose of seasoned wood, tobacco leaf and ground black pepper. Notes of treacle, liquorice root, cold pressed coffee, lots of smoke, not as much of a kick as some other whiskeys. Long powerful finish of rich wood and treacle.
Jim Beam Single Barrel (JW Steakhouse barrel) Bourbon KY N/A Huge Caramel and cinnamon sweetness on the nose, plenty of spice and a dusting of caster sugar. Leather in the background. At 47.5% it’s quite sharp, a lot of burn, but the pleasant oak, brown sugar and yellow spice kick are all there.
Jim Beam Straight Rye Rye KY Medium Very floral nose, lavender and patchouli, with creamed corn and mint chocolate pudding. Cherry liqueur in the background. A fresh, dry palate of spearmint, cucumber, pine, cantaloupe and a hint of aniseed.
Johnny Drum Private Stock Bourbon KY Medium A dusty, dank nose, reminiscent of an old shed but with a gentle peppery edge and a dry chilli spice. Smells the way I picture Mexico. Very well rounded pallette with oak, golden syrup, molasses, a healthy amount of smoke, orange, clove and a slight hint of ginger and liquorice. Good length finish with a very warming oak-hearth feel to it.
John B Stetson Bourbon KY Medium A very light, easy drinking Bourbon. On the nose there’s pine, Mediterranean herbs and pine, and it has a gentle taste with caramel, honey and lemon and vine fruit. Smooth and a great introductory Bourbon I think!
J.W.Dant Bourbon KY Medium Dark treacle and strong oak. Very safe, slightly tangy but no offensively so. A little bit of a coffee note in there.
Kentucky Vintage Bourbon KY Medium A toppy, yet thick nose with sharp toffee, lemon and pine. A much milder taste, with a very pleasant green, pear and spice flavour.
Knob Creek Bourbon KY Medium Punchy and fruity, nice hit of woody notes with citrus, pine
Knob Creek Rye Rye KY Medium Had this in the Blind Butcher in Dallas. Far too drunk to remember how it tasted.
Larceny (John E. Fitzgerald) Bourbon KY Medium A deeper nose than normal Fitz, with hessian, cocoa nibs and jasmine. A taste of cedar, grapefruit and honey, not too tangy for a wheated bourbon. Nice long finish.
Lexington Bourbon Bourbon KY Medium Sweet and tangy nose, like sour lemon jelly babies! Grain forward with a sweet lime touch, a healthy dose of oak and a sharp wheaty finish.
Maker’s 46 Bourbon KY Rare Delicious nose of Kirsch, port and old mahogany, figs and ginger. Tastes strongly of toasted grains, salted caramel, oak, hints of citrus and a cranberry sharpness. Verdict – absolutely delicious!
Makers Mark Bourbon KY Easy Too tangy and sour for my liking, as I’ve found to be the trend with most wheated bourbons.
Noah’s Mill Bourbon KY Rare An odd one. On first sniff all I got was nail varnish. :-\ Amongst that I picked out lavender, new cardboard and spiced orange. Tasting notes include chilli chocolate, mahogany and pumpkin pie. Interesting flavours but a harsh nose and a very long, biting finish, no doubt due in part to the high ABV!
Mellow Corn Whiskey American Whiskey KY Medium Light and delicate nose with lemon, grape, oak and vanilla fudge. The taste is much sharper and has quite a sting, with something deep and bold like sawn wood, sweet caramel and is surprisingly smoky.
Michters Bourbon Bourbon KY Medium Delicious nose of blood orange, treacle and black pepper. Taste is quite mild, with oak and smoke and a nice cinnamon sweetness.
Millstone 100 Rye Whiskey Rye DUTCH!!! Medium Moss, black cherry and pine cones. Lots of lemon zest, rye spice and some eucalyptus.
Old Fitzgerald 12yr Bourbon KY Medium Nose is a bit perfumey and soapy. The wheat definitely makes it smoother and milder on the tongue, but it’s just too tangy for my taste.
Old Fitzgerald Gold Label Bourbon KY Medium Light toffee and orange notes with a strong base of toasted cereals, smooth and easy drinking. The wheat as the secondary grain does make it a softer taste, and not as sour as other wheated bourbons.
Old Forester Bourbon KY Medium A light spicy nose of winter wood, toasted grain and cocoa. Delicate watery mouthfeel with notes of toffee, oats, peaches and melon! Airey and fresh medium length finish
Old Forester 1916 bottling Bourbon KY N/A Rich old leather and sherry cream, clove and cinnamon, brandy cream and dried fruit. A strangely pleasant sweet spice with huge oak and treacle. Dates and rye bread.
Old Grandad Bourbon KY Medium Nose is like toffee brittle and smoked spices. Very diverse, with chocolate, rye,plum, oak and slight liquorice. The taste verges on musty but regtains a rounded, full-bodied flavour with sweet spiced caramel, toasted oak, hazlenut, faint tobacco and rye. Quite a stink, a long, hot finish – a very ‘grown up’ bourbon!
Old Grandad 1973 bottling Bourbon KY N/A Nose is very dark, fruity like a cream sherry. Something that reminds me of a Turkish coffee, and treacle too. Taste is like orange, rose, chocolate and treacle tart.
Pappy Van Winkle 15yr Family Reserve Bourbon KY N/A Thick treacle, tart reducrrants, terracotta brazier, gentle tobacco, leather, a very warming nose, something like candied bananas. Tingles the tongue with the high ABV, a slightly fizzy and surprisingly bright palatte, a little overwhelming at first but the flavours of toffee and pepper are there, with a finish that is actually quite fresh and leafy.
Penny Packer Bourbon KY Rare Bought this as fodder for my aging sticks! Unimproved it has a nose of caramel and mint-chocolate, with old cottage wood and toffee brittle. Very gentle palate with a watery, cucumber-like mouthfeel. Notes of sour grain, slight oak, almond and crab-apple.
Rebel Reserve Bourbon KY Medium Very light corn and floral nose. Very gently and fruity on the tongue, plenty of vanilla and light caramel. A nice airy finish.
Rebel Yell Bourbon KY Medium An easy drinker, fairly light and fruity. Not an overpowering flavour, and lighter in colour than most bourbons.
Red River Bourbon TX N/A Very spicy. Quite dry, but tasty and easy to drink. I liked it!
Redemption High Rye Bourbon Bourbon IN Medium Grass, apples and violin resin. Taste is very grain forward, strong herbs, pine and tobacco leaf. A medium, musty finish.
Rip Van Winkle Bourbon KY Rare Rich oak, caramel and spice, rye and winter spice with leafy freshness. REALLY liked this one!
Rittenhouse Rye Rye KY Medium A dark rye, sour apple and citrus, cucumber and dried herbs.
Rock Town Bourbon AR Medium First thing that struck me about the scent was toilet cleaner, with some musk and caramel bon bons. Tastes of over-ripe plum and chlorine. A very unpleasant, chemically finish.
Roughstock Montana Bourbon Bourbon MO Medium Nose is a bit damp and perfumey, likr expanded polystyrene, rum and pasta. The taste is ambered, with salted caramel, over-ripe banana and sautéed onion. Something about it really reminded me of Bolognese. Not a favourite, a little damp and pungent.
Roughstock Spring Wheat Whiskey American Whiskey MO Medium Malty and syrupy to the nose, like fresh baked sourdough bread, sultanas and earthenware. Fresh and smooth on the tongue, zesty lemonade and barley water, a gentle malt whisky presence is evident. Not at all tangy which is a surprise, easy drinking and approachable.
Roughstock Montana Straight Rye Rye MO Medium The nose is like sea air and cucumber, distinct malt elements (something to do with those drams??) and stewed apple and pine. Taste is fresh and spicy, with a hint of pepper, like a Bloody Mary with a celery stick! There’s a bittersweet apple note that lingers on the tongue. Different, not at all unpleasant.
Rowans Creek Bourbon KY Medium Light and sugary nose with a hint of pork chops, rosemary and sherbet! Bit of an overwhelming alcohol sting in the taste unfortunately, but some of the nice sugary salted caramel notes as well, and a fairly short finish.
Sazerac Rye Rye KY Rare Wonderfully fresh, floral and grassy nose, with bamboo, lemongrass and mint. Fantastically smooth, taste contains a hint of pickle juice! Coriander freshness and minty spice with a pear sweetness. Very grain-forward.
Sazerac Rye 18yr Rye KY N/A What a treat this was! Gentle, dry and spicy nose, dry grains and a grassy freshness. The taste hints at lavender syrup, with notes of lemon and cardamom.
Seagrams 7 American Whiskey CT Medium Pretty smooth and rye-sharp.
Smooth Ambler Contradiction Bourbon WV Medium Nose is fresh and fruity, like orange and pineapple punch, soft grains, fudge and cedar. Cinnamon and apple in the background. An approachable scent with no sting. Taste is thick with toffee and leather, sinnamon comes to the fore, a lively rye spice is kicking about, but discreetly!
Smooth Ambler Old Scout 10yr Bourbon WV Medium Loads of rich wood and spiced red apple in the mode. Nice spicey wood ones with plenty of smoke and clove, and a long satisfying finish.
Smooth Ambler Old Scout Rye Rye WV Medium Beautiful, sweet caramel nose, elderflower and kumquat. Hints of rose and char. Spicy and rich on the tongue, sharp rye and cocoa nibs, faint aniseed, molasses and smoke.
Stagg Jr Bourbon KY Medium Pure caramel fire. Just really good fun, and a surprisingly good accompaniment to crème caramel!
Tincup American Whiskey CO Medium Very lively, a strong fresh and toppy rye hit with a hint of apple, dried herbs and oak. Enjoyably different and easy drinking for such a spicy whiskey.
Troy & Sons Oak Reserve American Whiskey NC N/A A remarkably light colour, and a very sour, ‘new box’ scent which is not at all unpleasant. Sloe berries, book paper and sea salt. Flavour is quite floral, nice elements of sandalwood and a gooseberry tartness.
TX Blended Whiskey American Whiskey TX N/A Very sweet, tastes like toffee apple! Very impressed.
Wathen’s Single Barrel Bourbon KY Rare Just amazing, dark but surprisingly sweet, dark chocolate treacle and a smoky, cumin spice element. Really interesting.
Whistlepig Straight Rye 10yr Rye VT Rare Huge floral bouquet, rose and varnish, but in a good way! Vanilla cream and orange zest, ginger and cream soda. Sugary and sharp on the tongue, fizzes with a sherbet sweetness which really tingles for a while. Quite extraordinary…good thing I have a sweet tooth!
Wild Turkey 81 Bourbon KY Easy similar to Buffalo Trace and Bulleit. Lots of oak and tobacco leaf notes, at first found it a little on the musty side. It’s grown on me since, and it has the prestige of being the bourbon I first bone-luged with!!
Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon KY Medium A lovely dark, beefy nose with mahogany and wood smoke. Like the 81 the taste is a bit too tobacco-ey and musty for me, but it’s got a chewy, rich woodiness that isn’t totally unpleasant.
Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Bourbon KY Medium Very much like the Rare Breed, huge, chewy oak and caramel, a dash of pepper and milky mocha. A heft alcoholic hit but rich in chocolate and toffee notes, sanded pine and honeycomb.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon KY Medium A fairly delicate nose of leather, toasted almonds and polished wood, with raisins and demerara sugar in the background. The taste is a very well balanced chorus of caramel and oak, with hints of spiced orange, plum and clove. Responds well to a drop pf water, where notes of straw, pine and sour apple come out. Cigar box mustiness rises quickly in the finish, but never becomes unpleasant. A more approachable barrel strength whiskey than the Blanton’s, but then again it’s a much lower ABV!
Willet Pot Still Reserve Bourbon KY Medium Slightly nutty and floral, apple and straw on the nose, even slightly metallic in an oddly pleasant way. Notes of toffee brittle and toasted oak, very smooth! A lot of the charm of Woodford, but less spicy. A very nice whiskey.
Witherspoon’s Texas Bourbon Bourbon TX N/A Scent of caramel and dark berries with a slightly wheaty tang. Maple syrup sweetness and cigar box mustiness. Not a favourite but palatable enough. (Not as sweet as TX).
William Larue Weller Bourbon KY N/A Gentle, slightly floral nose, distinctive toffee and a vanilla cream softeness, gentle wheaty graininess and light berry sweetness. A real explosion of taste, hot, thick oak and rich caramel. An underwhelming nose, but a formidable pallet.
W.L.Weller 12yr Bourbon KY Medium Lots of cigar box and oak, a well rounded flavour. The age seems to mask the wheat tanginess.
Woodford Reserve Bourbon KY Easy My staple whiskey! Always at least one bottle of this on the shelf. Well balanced, rich, loads of caramel and wood notes
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon KY Medium Dark and silky, rich port, black cherry and dark chocolate nose, with loads of vanilla. The taste is smooth and smoky, with lots of wood and an almost meaty savour. A long smoky finish, where the extra oak notes are particularly evident.
Woodford Reserve Masters – Aged Cask Rye Rye KY Rare Extremely ‘toppy’ with an almost minty quality. A great summer whiskey!
Woodford Reserve Masters – Maple Wood Finish Bourbon KY Rare Very sweet, enjoyable, complex and fascinating. Not one you’d drink all the time, but a real discovery. On the nose it’s roasted nuts, candied fruits, brown sugar and rich mahogany. Taste has a bit of a burn, with demerara sugar, prunes and chocolate.
Woodford Reserve Masters – New Cask Rye Rye KY Rare A real experience. Classic fresh, grassy rye flavours.
Woodford Reserve Masters – Seasoned Oak Bourbon KY Rare The nose is almost chewy in its richness, it is thick and treacly and amazing! There is cinnamon, caramel and brown sugar in abundance. Flavour is just as intense, only now there is a woody sharpness, with so much oak and hazelnut, as well as clove, sheer volume of flavour!
Woodford Reserve Masters – Sweet Mash Bourbon KY Rare Definitely a lot sweeter, the first things that sprang to my mind when tasting it was Christmas pudding! Lots of honey and dried fruit, mixed with familiar caramel and spice.
Woodford Reserve Rye Rye KY Medium Smells of dried straw, citrus zest, roasted chestnuts and a hint of sage. In the pallet there is white pepper and spearmint, a dry and sharp familiar rye kick, gentle oak notes and an undercurrent of dates, sultanas and cereals.

 

 

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