It isn’t harsh, which is good for a 4 year old, but that’s likely due to the low proof. Wolf Moon is best suited for sipping while hanging around and burning it down, and you don’t want to sip on any Jack Daniels. The type of whiskey you pour over ice in a solo cup around a bonfire, hanging out at the lake, or knocking back on a muddy tailgate.
Angel’s Envy Limited-Edition 2020 Cask Strength Bourbon Review
I’m really pleased with this release because of its port-forward notes. Some recent Angel’s Envy Cask Strength releases tasted more like delicious, polished bourbon while lacking the distinctive port finish components of early releases. For anyone wondering why I pointed to purple iris in my nose notes: Years ago, a friend gave me some purple iris bulbs that I replanted. As they grew and bloomed, a powdered grape aroma (think grape Kool-Aid) emanated from them. Ever since, they’ve been one of my favorite flowers. That aroma is present in this release.
Black Button Distilling Cask Strength Bourbon Review
Now we’re talking! If you have been following my Black Button Bourbon reviews you know that their Signature Four Grain Bourbon and Double Oaked Bourbon didn’t quite do the trick for me at 84 proof. This cask strength version at 110.2 proof has something going for it. Yes, on the nose you still get that young bourbon note, however on the palate the richness of the bourbon starts go come through and has a very nice finish. Still a slight hint of young bourbon but more flavors as well. Note that Black Button bourbons are non-chill filtered.
Black Button Distilling Double Barrel Bourbon Review
This bourbon was started as the Black Button Four Grain expression aging in barrels of New York State White Oak, hand charred over open flames. After the first year, the wood was too tight and began to split. The bourbon was re-barreled into new, hand charred American White Oak from Missouri.
Old Forester 2020 Birthday Bourbon Review
Old Forester’s 100 proof standard is a super-versatile and amazingly affordable favorite of mine. Some of this year’s special distillery releases (such as the 150th Anniversary Bourbon, Batch 2, which I reviewed here) have been brilliant. But Old Fo’s Birthday Bourbons are always hit or miss for me. The 2019 Birthday was brilliant, one of my favorite ever. At the press event when we tasted it, master taster Jackie Zykan included slices of birthday caramel cake because she deemed it the whiskey’s paramount note. She was dead on. It was deep, dense and rich, just like the cake. So confident that we’d love that release, she even poured us a 150 proof-barrel strength sample that, believe it or not, was far softer than anyone would think.
Black Button Distilling Four Grain Bourbon Review
This is the signature bourbon for Black Button Distilling. This bottle of the Four Grain Small Batch Bourbon is Batch 19. It consists of a blend 20 to 24 barrels. The blend includes bourbon aged in both 15 and 30 gallon barrels. While the label states it is aged at least two yours, according to Owner and Head Distiller Jason Barrett, the 15 gallon barrels run almost 36 months in age and the 30 gallon barrels about 44 months. The label states “aged at least two years” so they don’t have to keep changing the label.
Heaven Hill 85th Anniversary Single Barrel Bourbon Review
Straight out of the bottle this bourbon’s inviting nose led me to jump in and taste, which was a small mistake. It was surprisingly oaky and tannic, especially for a 13-year-old. So, I poured a little more and abandoned it for about 20 minutes to let it open up, and it did. The oak returned, but cloaked in brown sugar, and the tannin nearly disappeared save for the finish—and not much of it there either. It’s a delightful whiskey all around; a fine example of what the team at this venerable distillery has learned over 85 years.
Blue Run Bourbon Review
The price is a tough sell for me but the bourbon itself is exceptional. It certainly reminds me of one of my all-time favorite expressions (Elijah Craig) and when I had my boyfriend taste it he asked, “Is this Elijah Craig?” It is fitting, as the proximity to Elijah Craig’s Scott County homestead (“close enough to throw a nerf football and hit the front door”) is what originally inspired one of the co-founders to launch a bourbon brand. Though the source of the bourbon is kept under wraps, it was expertly chosen. The folks from Blue Run – a diverse crowd from tech to marketing to politics – recognized themselves as industry outsiders and lacked the sophisticated palate required to select an exceptional bourbon, not to mention optimal proof. So they brought in an industry veteran with proven bourbon chops to thumbs up or down their barrel selections.
Old Forester 150th Anniversary Bourbon Review
Don’t let Old Forester 150th Anniversary bourbon’s potent proof fool you, this bourbon can be rolled around the mouth and savored. The finish on it is beautiful, silken and long; it’s a real pleasure to drink. This is Old Forester at its purest, boldest, most enticing and exciting. It’s why I love (most iterations) of this brand.