Whiskey is Good » $30+

Benromach Traditional Speyside Single Malt

Whiskey is Good — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:30:21 +0000

Re-opened by Prince Charles in 1998, this distillery produces a variety of bottlings, of which the Traditional is the probably the youngest. And you can taste it. The absence of barrel taste makes me wonder if this qualifies as scotch, and the variety of other flavors (cream, smoke, citrus, flower) is a bit egregious for my taste. That said, the blend could be interesting for some, individual flavors aren’t too poignant, and the overall taste is mild. (Sorry for the low quality image. We’ll get a better one if we can find it.)

Sam Houston Small Very Small Batch

Whiskey is Good — Wed, 26 May 2010 15:40:33 +0000

The $30 price range is often a bit shady. It can be a good bourbon at a respectable price, but is often a bad bourbon hoping the price will make you think it’s good. Because of this, I often avoid it. Sam Houston however is the former. It has a nice spice due to the high rye content. That doesn’t over power the other flavors though, fruit and oak. Overall, if you’re looking for something different, sometime with a little character that doesn’t cost a fortune, just look for the first president of the Republic of Texas on the shelf of your liquor store.

Eagle Rare Single Barrel

Whiskey is Good — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:43:05 +0000

Eagle Rare is packaged with the “bold american eagle” on the front of each bottle, and looks like a special occasion kind of bourbon. The dark amber color, in the thinner than normal whiskey bottle, drew me to it and piqued my curiosity. I was impressed immediately when I uncorked this spirit. The intensity of the burn in my nose was on the lower side of medium and didn’t overpower the smokey aroma. The sweetness and fullness of body of this bourbon is dangerous. It was hard for me to not make drink after drink to an overly intoxicating level (which we don’t support). The perfect balance of smoothness and bite is interestingly well blended, and is “reminiscent of a fine port wine” (so says the label). This is certainly a whiskey that deserves to have “rare” in its name.

Rowan’s Creek

Whiskey is Good — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:18:01 +0000

I’m a sucker for product labeling and any customer-facing design. So, naturally, when I see something like the label for Rowan’s Creek, I’m very interested. The label looks like it was made by hand, and that’s exactly how the whiskey is made. In small batches, by hand. And you can tell. A nice mix of spice, oak and vanilla compete a bit with the strong alcohol presence, but that is easily overcome with a couple ice cubes or a splash of water. Overall, a nice bourbon, worth the price if you’re drinking it straight. Might want to find something else if you’re mixing though.

1792 Ridgemont Reserve, Barrel Select

Whiskey is Good — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:43:48 +0000

1792 is a small batch whiskey, and a fine one at that. Let’s think about balance for a second. This whiskey has a great balance of sweetness, oaky flavors and a nice kick that blends together in just the right proportions. In a sense, everything is working in harmony to create a nice balanced bourbon. If you are looking for a well crafted whiskey, this one should stand at the top of your list. I had seen it sitting on the shelf, and the bottle stood out to me for a while before I decided to check it out, but I am certainly glad I did. What I tasted in this was a blend of that syrupiness and smokey flavor that I have come to love about most good bourbons. The shape of the bottle shows off the color really well, and I actually think the bourbon itself is more full bodied than others.