… Wild Turkey Diamond, BuffTurkey 15, Redemption 18 Bourbon…
Geez what a title! Samples time! Courtesy of… Friends!
What — Notes — Score
Westland, Colere #1, 50% — We’ve got dried pineapples, ginger, bitter chocolate, coffee grounds, black pepper at various points start-to-finish. Oddly thin texture, yet a flavor bomb. Lots of big flavors to unpack here, but it’s missing a common thread to tie it together. — Score: Meh+
Westland, Colere #2, 50% — Classical bourbon-casked Scotch notes, interplaying with American malt style, amping up cereal flavors. It invokes thoughts of a young Scotch malt from a new distillery of some sorts. Typical Westland notes are muted, but overall this is balanced and enjoyable. — Score: Yay
Westland, Colere #4, 50% — Yet again classic bourbon-casked Scotch, interplaying with American malt style. Compared to #2 above, the cereal note stands out less. Really reminds me of that Old Malt Cask Speyside scotch. Balanced cereal notes, vanilla, some spice. — Score: Yay
Bimber, Ex-Bourbon Batch #4, 51.2% — I’ve reviewed Batch #3 before. I won’t repeat myself. It’s mostly same, perhaps a little better balanced. Still same deal, starts pretty solid ex-bourbon refill… but the more you drink of it, the less balanced it gets — Score: Meh
Glenmorangie a Tale of the Forest, 46% — The name involuntarily starts invoking earthy notes. Mineral-forward, the malt sweetness is balanced by moderate spice, earthy, not too sweet, not too dry, clean and somewhat wood-smoked palate. This is really good actually, in a simple, but flavorful way — Score: Yay
Glenmorangie a Tale of Winter, 46% — Marsala wine casks at the fore. Warm and gentle spices, honey, toasted nuts, mulled wine. Gentle on the alcohol. The whole thing drinks like a big, warm, winey hug. Definitely for mulled wine lovers, and/or cold weather with that warming aftertaste — Score: Yay
Glenmorangie a Tale of Spices, 46% — A blend of four casks, PX, STR, Red Wine and New Oak. This is less wine-y, more oaky version of Winter above. Granted, at 46% abv there’s not a lot of wiggle room for impact, yet, it is wine, vanilla, sweetness, oak and spices balanced well — Score: Yay
Lindores NAS, Scotch, 46% — Bourbon, Sherry and Wine Barriques. No other info provided. Young, light(ish), reasonably balanced. Grains, lots of spices and some light cask character notes. Doesn’t break the mold, but doesn’t dirty the mold either — Score: Meh+
Frey Ranch, Malted Four Grain Bourbon, SFWS SP 2025, 65.58% — Cask #3048. A bourbon made of 4 malted grains? American Single Malt with a weird mashbill? Hot, woody, grain-forward, yet well aged, no notes of raw distillate here. Did I mention hot? Very nice with a dash of water. — Score: Yay-
Remus VIII, 50.5% — MGP (original) blend. Prominent minwax wood varnish nose, not in a good way. Prominently nutty and woody character with chili spice. Opens up with a little time in a glass but doesn’t quite ensnare my interest. — Score: Meh+
Four Roses 2024, Small Batch Limited Edition 54.1% — Excellent blending technique, good balance, excellent all around. Par excellence, especially for Four Roses fans. Falls solidly into flowery four roses profile without cherry or heavy wood notes of other bourbons. — Score: Yay
Wild Turkey Diamond, 45.5%
This Wild Turkey release commemorates Jimmy Russell’s 60 years of making whiskey. Released in 2014, it’s a blend of 13–16-year casks, and I was genuinely excited for it. The nose has that wonderful character somewhere between a perfume cabinet and a cigar box. The proof is strong enough to make itself known without overwhelming anything. The palate is flavorful, though the texture feels a bit thin—coming across more like an exceptionally good Russell’s Reserve (Eddie’s influence showing) than the old-style Wild Turkey it ought to echo. That said, the flavor is here in spades: dried plums, apricots, apples, loads of leather and baking spices, and an excellent balance of bitter wood against classic sweet bourbon notes. The finish lingers with more dried fruit and wood. The relatively low proof keeps it extremely drinkable without sacrificing flavor. Overall: This lands as an incredibly good Russell’s Reserve rather than a classic Wild Turkey, but the distinction is mostly academic—blind, it’s simply delicious. At the same time, it sits firmly in the ‘excellent bourbons’ cloud without quite crossing into that truly memorable, standout tier. Value: Back in 2014 it was $125, which felt obscene; today it probably tracks with modern Turkey releases in the $250+ zone. Still very expensive—though it is unique and genuinely good. If you’re rich, do as the rich do.
Score: A-
Redemption 18 Bourbon, 51.7%
This is a 2025 release of 18-year-old bourbon distilled at LDI/MGP. The nose is full of sweet, deeply toasted wood, caramels, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. The palate is classic MGP goodness: everything from the nose plus the signature cinnamon, cloves, and a touch of nutmeg spice. The aftertaste lingers with those bittersweet spices, and thanks to the lower proof, they don’t overwhelm—just hang around pleasantly. Overall: Spectacularly executed 18-year-old MGP goodness. I’d drink this any day, every day. The proof is right, the palate is spot-on, and the flavors and textures are exactly where they should be. Value: MSRP is $400… screeching stop! Terrible value! Buy Gatsby Reserve instead—it’s nearly as good for almost half the price.
Score: A
K&L Liquors’ Every Drop 16 (BuffTurkey) Bourbon, 60%
This is the weird one. It’s allegedly Wild Turkey mashbill, distilled at Buffalo Trace 16 years ago and bottled in 2025. Let’s see how it measures up. The nose is surprisingly restrained for the proof, but what does open up hints at good things ahead: plenty of alcohol (unsurprising), hard candy, candied fruits, and caramel apples. The proof is a lot to take in—though that may just be my palate tonight. Classic Kentucky bourbon notes follow: toasted wood, caramel, vanilla, lots of chili spice (that’s new), and a very prominent bubblegum note underneath it all. More chili spice carries into the aftertaste, lingering like a spoonful of sweet-and-hot sauce—pleasant burn, mouthwatering, and making me want more… just not too much more at once. With water, it settles into a still-spicy sip that leans hard into those sugary chili-oil notes. Overall: I’m genuinely not sure what to make of this. On one hand it’s tasty; on the other it’s a bit of a hot mess that somehow still works. Value: At $275 from K&L, it’s worth trying as a sample, but probably not worth buying a bottle unless you’re checking every box: “Kentucky,” “Buffalo Trace,” “Wild Turkey,” “high proof,” “hot mess,” and “flush with cash.”
Score: B+ (Possibly higher)
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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown