Tullamore Dew Original Irish Whiskey
There is nothing balanced or interesting in this, and a few drops of water don’t help. I would suggest using this one for mixed drinks, only.
Category: Reviews
Springbank 100 Proof (10 year)
Full bodied. Creamy. The 100 proof burn is present and intense, but gives way to roasted peanuts, rotisseried meat, salt and light oak. Not at all sweet. Springbank 100 is challenging and intriguing. I get new flavors every time I drink it.
Tyrconnell 10 year Madeira Finish Irish Whiskey
The light flavors are very much in line with the 10 year age – bright and fruity. What’s surprising is how mellow and passive the alcohol burn is. Extremely easy-drinking. Nice dram
Rittenhouse Rye 100 Proof
A tasty, satisfying dram. The smoky and peppery tobacco notes balance very well with the sweeter chai and brown sugar notes. It does not have the overbearing sweetness of some bourbons, nor the acrid dryness of some ryes. Not ground-breaking, but very much worth the price of a bottle.
Teacher’s Highland Cream
Young grain is predominant, as expected, with undertones of the typical caramel and treacle notes. I would say this is a small step above The Famous Grouse in pleasing flavors, and the creamy mouthfeel is quite nice in such an inexpensive blend.
Glenfiddich (18 year)
The delectable hazelnut and honey flavors are many-layered, and are supported by an elegant, smooth-but-fiery sweet malty character. The sherry is definitely in the background. I wouldn’t call this well-balanced, but as the dominant nuttiness is so tasty, I definitely recommend it, especially if you can find a deal.
Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
I am a lot more impressed by this bourbon than I was with any of the earlier cheap American whiskeys I’ve tried. The rawness of the grain is apparent in the nose, but subtly hidden on the palate by the surprising variety of fruit and sweet baked flavors. Still not as easy to drink and enjoy as a single malt, but definitely worth drinking neat, especially at this price. It’s even nicer with a dash of water.
Woodford Reserve Bourbon
While this is quite a decent sip, there is nothing outstanding about it to recommend it. Mild and smooth, oaky and with that familiar bourbon barrel-char and brown sugar flavors… it still doesn’t inspire me to drink more. I’m also not crazy about the nose – too composty for me. Maybe it’s the sulfur?
Old Forester Bourbon
Not particularly brash, but also not particularly complex or interesting. The oak comes through, but without much vanilla to balance it. There aren’t any higher fruity notes either. Mostly a muddy, indistinct “bourbon-ness”.
Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon (Vintage 2000)
Overall an extremely smooth, unchallenging dram. After a week drinking fiery young bourbons, I find that this one is miles ahead in sophistication. While it doesn’t yield many exciting flavors or anything unexpected, it is eminently drinkable and very satisfying.