Whiskey & Bourbon Reviews

[Outsider Jim]

George Dickel 17 Year Old Reserve Whiskey

• Distillery: Cascade Hollow Distillery Co.
• Location: Tullahoma, Tennessee
• Style: Tennessee Whisky
• Proof: 92
• MSRP: $250

Nose: Plum, Cherry, Vanilla, Pecan
Palate: Baked Apple Strudel, Chocolate-Covered Cherries, Oaky Tannins
Finish: Creamy Dessert, Piny Citrus, Medium-Long Finish

For decades, George Dickel has been releasing some of the best Tennessee Whiskey in the Volunteer State. And the 2022 George Dickel 17 Year Old Reserve is nothing short of exceptional (except for the price tag). The nose opens with dark fruits, including plum and cherry, followed by sweet vanilla and wafts of pecan. On the palate, wow, just, wow! It’s like a baked apple strudel topped with chocolate-covered cherries. And then there’s just the slightest hint of cinnamon and oaky tannins. It’s intense. The silky, creamy, dessert-like ending with piny citrus is the most enjoyable finish on any bottle of Dickel I’ve ever had. Or any bottle of Tennessee Whiskey that comes to mind, for that matter. If you’re a fan of the Dickel 15 or Dickel 9, you’ll be blown away by the 17.

 

[Outsider Jim]

Weller 12 Year

• Distillery: Buffalo Trace
• Location: Frankfort, Kentucky
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Proof: 90
• MSRP: $40

Nose: Vanilla, Caramel, Light Oak, Sweet Fruit
Palate: Vanilla, Caramel, Oak, Cherry, Light Orange, Light Cocoa
Finish: Sweet, Rich, Harmonized, Medium-Long Finish

More so than just about any bourbon I can think of right now, Weller 12 should be the case study for “what you smell” is “what you taste.” The nose and palate are remarkably similar. Well, maybe similar is the wrong word choice. They are remarkably harmonized. Vanilla, caramel, light oak, and sweet fruit on the nose. And then—boom. On the palate, vanilla, caramel, and light oak. And while I couldn’t pinpoint the fruit on the nose, Weller 12 has a subtle cherry undertone on the palate with a little bit of orange and just a hint of cocoa.

At 90 proof, it doesn’t clobber you with “proof” heat, but the maturity of Weller 12’s age is present on the balanced finish as you get just a tinge of warmth. The finish on Weller 12 reminds me of the rich, sweet marrow of osso buco—it just melts in your mouth.

 

[Outsider Jim]

Old Forester 1910

• Company: Brown-Forman
• Distillery: Old Forester Distilling Co.
• Location: Louisville, KY
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Proof: 93
• MSRP: $60

Nose: Light Oak, Banana, Brown Sugar, Light Alcohol
Palate: Cherry, Bananas Foster, Graham Cracker, Caramel, Full Mouth
Finish: Sweet Oak Char, Brief Spice, Tobacco, Medium-Long

The nose opens with light oak, followed by hints of sweet bananas and brown sugar. The first sip follows suit—more banana and brown sugar à la bananas foster, but with a generous note of sweet cherry, followed by graham cracker and warm caramel. The medium-long finish reveals sweet oak char (from the double barreling, presumably) and hints of pepper and tobacco. 1910 makes a tasty evening sipper, full of warm flavors—especially the wickedly delightful cherry. It’s not overly charred from the double barrelling, but does have a slight peppery kick and just a touch of tobacco.

 

[Outsider Jim]

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof

• Distillery: Jack Daniel’s Distillery
• Location: Lynchburg, Tennessee
• Style: Tennessee Whiskey
• Proof: 130.9 (ranges 125-140)
• MSRP: $65

Nose: Banana, Charred Oak, Baking Spices, Brown Sugar
Palate: Banana Nut Bread, Vanilla, Hot Tamales Candy, Lemon Zest
Finish: Sweet Cinnamon, Oak Tannins, Warm, Medium

The nose opens like Old No. 7 on steroids. It’s intense, yet inviting—with wafts of banana, charred oak, baking spices, and brown sugar. You can definitely tell a high-proof sip is on the horizon, but it’s not hair-raising. The first sip delivers on the banana nose, with notes of fresh-baked banana nut bread, layered with vanilla and Hot Tamales candy. There’s also a tinge of citrus, like the pleasant tartness in some acidic coffees. The medium finish provides more warming heat of sweet cinnamon with some oaky tannins. At 130 Proof, SBBP is remarkably sippable—even neat—but the addition of a small ice cube really opens up the palate to the layers of banana, vanilla, and sweet cinnamon.

 

[MLU]

Bardstown Bourbon Company Pfifer Pavit

Color: Not just the typical amber, but deep red hues fill the bottle and glass. You might even say there is a copper-tone there, too. It's nice to look at.

Nose: Kinda of a chocolate fruit nose to it. Not really cherries, but milk chocolatey dark fruit which is probably thanks to the wine barrels. Not really something I would just nose all day, but worth the casual hover over the rim.

Palate: Definitely get oak, but not too much. Very sweet like cream corn, but not candy-like. The mouthfeel is nice and soft, just short of oily. Caramel and vanilla are always there in bourbon, but it's very faint here. I have seen reviews mention raisins and graham cracker crust, but I can't find it.

Finish: Despite being officially "cask strength" it's a very mellow 100 proof. The finish is short, so I guess I'll just have to have another sip. This one won't hold up to a cigar, but it's fantastic with red meat. There is definitely a nice balance between bourbon and wine in this bottle.

Cost: $125; While that might be a shock to some, this is a 10 year old bourbon with the added expense of an additional 18 months of aging. This is definitely a personal choice. I don't use this as a daily sipper. Steak isn't a regular meal for me, so it makes sense for me to save this when I enjoy bovine, cooked to a perfect rare.

Score: I'm not ready for this yet. We're a long way from this kind of confidence. Let's just say that I don't regret the purchase. Cost aside, this a good bottle of finished bourbon and if you can swallow the lump in your throat while you hand over he money, I do not feel that you will be disappointed. I lucked into a second bottle recently and that made me pretty happy because I enjoy a filet more with a dram.

 

[ClarkG]

Heaven's Door - love the stuff

 

[Outsider Jim]

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year

• Company: Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery
• Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
• Manufacturer: Sazerac Company
• Location: Frankfort, KY
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Proof: 107
• MSRP: 69.99 (but good luck with that)

Nose: Apple Cider, Fresh-Cut Hay, Honeyed Wheat, Cherry Blossoms, Cocoa
Palate: Inviting Warmth, Caramel Popcorn, Apple Butter, Candied Fruit, Toasted Marshmallow
Finish: Mexican Chocolate, Sweet Leather, Long Finish

The nose opens with the welcoming warmth of sweet apple cider, followed by wafts of fresh-cut hay and rich honeyed wheat. There’s more floral warmth on the way, with the slightest tinge of cocoa and cherry blossoms. It’s definitely sweet, both fruity and grassy. On the palate, the warmth is inviting, to say the least. The first taste yields notes of fresh caramel popcorn and creamy apple butter. Chewing evokes more sweetness in the form of candied fruit and marshmallow, like a sweet potato casserole topped with toasted marshmallow and pecans. In other words, it’s like dessert for dinner. The finish is long and delicious with the lingering hints of Mexican chocolate (just a tad of cayenne) and sweet leather, before the candied fruit fades, and fades, and fades. It’s creamy and rich and delicate. It’s not so much layered and complex as it is truly harmonious.

 

[Outsider Jim]

Blue Note Juke Joint Whiskey Uncut

• Company: B.R. Distilling Company
• Location: Memphis, TN
• Distillery: Undisclosed in Kentucky
• Style: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Mash Bill: 70% corn, 21% rye, 9% malted barley
• Age: 4 years
• Proof: 120.2 (varies)
• MSRP: $42

Nose: light ethanol, oak, lemon pepper, sweet clove, brown sugar
Palate: oak, brown sugar, apple-cherry tart, lemon butter, sassafras root
Finish: fleeting citrus, cinnamon heat, medium

The nose on this bottle of Blue Joint Uncut opens with light ethanol and fresh oak. After a three-minute breather, there’s a subtle waft of lemon-pepper and a whisper of sweet clove and brown sugar. The first sip delivers more oakiness and brown sugar with a bit of enjoyable proof heat. After chewing on it, light fruit emerges middle tongue, evoking an apple-cherry tart with a hint of cinnamon. It’s also a little lemon-buttery, both in terms of taste and mouthfeel, and has the slightest zing of sassafras root. The finish is medium with fleeting citrus and a touch of delightful cinnamon heat. Very tasty. And damn affordable.

If your go-to whiskeys are in the 97-107 proof range, don’t let the Uncut proof scare you. Even at 120.2 proof, this whiskey drinks easy when neat. The addition of an ice cube provides a little more herbal citrus on the palate but doesn’t buoy the experience in my opinion.

 

[Outsider Jim]

Eagle Rare 10 Year

• Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
• Location: Frankfort, KY
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Age: 10 Years
• Proof: 90
• MSRP: $35

Nose: cherry, pear, apricot, caramel, light oak
Palate: cherry, oak, light brown sugar, white pepper, piney citrus, herbal fruit tea
Finish: short-medium, light cinnamon heat, raw almond

The nose on Eagle Rare opens like a bouquet of in-season fruit blossoms, with plenty of sweet cherry, pear, and apricot. There’s nary a hint of ethanol. Instead, it’s just the mellow sweetness of fruit with a touch of caramel and light oak. Initially, the palate follows suit with notes of fruit (mainly cherry), oak, and light brown sugar. A little bit of chewing reveals a touch of white pepper and piney citrus, which, together with the aforementioned cherry and brown sugar, evokes an herbal fruit tea. Enjoyable, to say the least.

And really, my only quibble is the fleeting finish, which doesn’t give you much time to discern or relish the modicum of light cinnamon heat and raw almond. Instead, it immediately beckons you to sip again and again. Of course, that’s not a bad predicament with a full bottle on hand.

 

[Outsider Jim]

Willett Post Still Reserve

• Distillery: Not Stated (Made in Kentucky)
• Bottled: Willett Distillery
• Location: Bardstown, KY
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Age: Not Stated
• Proof: 94
• MSRP: $45

Nose: light alcohol, damp corn, citrus zest, cocoa
Palate: vanilla, oak, lemon grass, smoked cherry wood, cinnamon
Finish: medium, warm citrus, herbal vanilla, light mint

The nose opens with light alcohol and sweet, damp corn. It’s almost musty, like the paper of an old library book. After letting it breathe for few a minutes, citrus zest emerges with a waft of unsweetened cocoa. It’s interesting, yet neither overly inviting nor off-putting. On the palate, vanilla and oakiness are forefront, followed by the emergence of lemon grass. The mouthfeel is rather thin, but chewing reveals a hint of smoked cherry wood and cinnamon. The medium finish is slightly herbal, with notes of vanilla, warm citrus, and light mint—like the last sip of a Whiskey Smash cocktail.

Willett Pot Still Reserve won’t knock your socks off, but it does enough to merit keeping one of its show-stopping bottles atop your bar at all times.

 

[Outsider Jim]

High West Whiskey Double Barrel Select

• Distilleries: High West (Utah) and MGP (Indiana)
• Bottled: High West Distillery
• Location: Park City, Utah
• Style: Straight Rye Whiskey Blend
• Barrel Finish: Rum
• Proof: 102
• MSRP: $65

Nose: light alcohol, bubblegum, eucalyptus, dates
Palate: vanilla, bubblegum, date-nut bread, rye spice
Finish: medium, warm vanilla, minty clove

Very light alcohol greets the nose, followed by an immediate waft of bubblegum—like a big, pink square of Hubba Bubba. A deeper nosedive reveals eucalyptus and dark fruit, specifically dates and raisins. Truly delightful. On the palate, vanilla is forefront, followed by the aforementioned bubblegum. A little bit of chewing reveals this juice’s rum-barrel-enhanced dessert-like qualities in the form of fresh-baked date-nut bread (baking spices, dates, and walnuts). The medium finish brings just a touch of minty clove with soothing, warm vanilla. I wish it lingered just a tad longer because its off-bourbon profile is truly enjoyable thanks, in part, to the blending and barrelling.