Whiskey is Good » 45%

Buffalo Trace

Whiskey is Good — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 21:40:27 +0000

Buffalo Trace has a unique quality, not in its smell and not in its taste, but in its burn. I would almost go as far as to call it a sting. That sting is what I think many people refer to as an alcoholic beverage being “dry”, and I am not into dry bourbons. It has a sweet corn flavor, added on top of vanilla, and a nice mild spiciness. The smell, and burn are a little unpleasent in that my first reaction was that my eyes watered from my nose being on fire. That being said, this is not completely an unenjoyable whiskey. It has the cask charred oak flavor, smokey hints, and sweetness that draws me to bourbon as my favorite whisk(e)y.

Virginia Gentleman – Small Batch

Whiskey is Good — Wed, 12 May 2010 15:42:34 +0000

As you know, we like to give states other than Kentucky a voice, too. This week’s offering is a hybrid: Virginia Gentlemen, distilled by A Smith Bowman Distillery is distilled three times, twice in Kentucky by the Buffalo Trace Distillery, then again in Virginia where it is aged in charred barrels, officially making it bourbon.

So, does this third distilling across a state border make it any better? In my opinion, not at all. It seems it just misses in almost every way. Straight, it’s too harsh. Mixed, it’s too sweet. The flavors you want don’t seem to stand out in the right ways, or at all, and the flavors you want to be subtle jump to the front. All this being said, it has won numerous awards and has a decent name for itself, but in my opinion, not a great showing. I would suggest sticking with Buffalo Trace’s own label instead of venturing into this line.

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.

W. L. Weller – 7 Year

Whiskey is Good — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:24:01 +0000

In for a night with the guys, this bourbon was a big hit. My friends that don’t drink whiskey often even gave their compliments to its smoothness. I have had several experiences with this brand before, and I have never been let down. This whiskey has a hint of something that was a first for me to notice, and I was thrilled about it. I am talking about honey, mixed with a caramel, and pepper flavor that is unique. I was curious about the honey flavor and did a little more research into it to find that wheat is part of the mash. I won’t forget to give the nice charred oak its due for adding great color and flavor. For its price, I would say that this is a steal, and that if you don’t try it you will be missing out greatly.

Jim Beam Distiller’s Series

Whiskey is Good — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:42:11 +0000

The very first distinct thought I had with my initial sip was “Damn, this is smooth”. Which prompted me to really get a proper sniff from the bottle. It reminded me of the smell of brown sugar covering a hot bowl of oatmeal in the morning. If you can get past the easy finish without immediately taking another drink, you will notice a nice combination of vanilla and caramel on your tongue, and in your nose. If you like Jim Beam’s original blend, this will be a treat.