MrWizard's Ramblings

Okay. Here’s the thing, there are way too many bottles out there and plenty of bottles that are not worth writing a long post about. I’ll still be documenting things I try, but if it’s not something interesting, expect a short blurb. I’ll write something more substantial for bottles that I find tasty. My posts, my rules as it were.

Old Carter’s Bourbon Batch #5
Nose: Dark perfume. Slightly subdued/muted. Dark cherry jam. I’m looking forward to this one…
Taste: So much dark cherry jam on this one. Can I call it cherry pie? Oddly feels in part like Buffalo Trace output with the sweet cherries. It’s wow good. The high proof is there but it doesn’t fight too much with the flavor.
Aftertaste: As typical with bourbons, caramelized cherry pie continues from the palate and lasts about medium length. With sweetness winning over bitterness. A thumbs up from me on this front.
With Water: Boy, why am I putting water into perfectly drinkable bourbon, again? More cinnamon now together with cherry if you’re into that kinda stuff. The nose opens up, though that may have been time in a glass.
Overall: What the heck does Old Carter’s do with their barrels!? This is my second bottle of their whiskey and its super yum all over. Still, I’m questioning the price with zero transparency, or the price in general. Would I drink a bottle? Yes! At MSRP ~$200? I’d want it to be someone else’s bottle.
Score: N/A

A side note for Old Carter’s: So far I’m two for two in excellent bottles. I would love to score them at highest marks (and I’m not scoring things yet, though perhaps I should)… But both bottles and my appreciation of them are borderline crippled by their availability as well as their price. I don’t want to pay $200+ to get a highly elusive limited release with zero transparency bourbon that I genuinely enjoy amid the sea of other offerings. I should not be required to do that in the first place. Get your shit together bourbon producers!

Doc Swinson’s 15 KnL SP
Note: This is something out of Heaven Hill Stills. I suspected it being Elijah Craig but its too balanced so its likely Heaven Hill instead. (After trying regular Heaven Hill 7 BiB… its not Main Heaven Hill Mash… that’s for sure)

Nose: Wood and sugar. A bit of alcohol burn. Slight menthol notes, bit of eucalyptus. Old timey wooden basement with leather furniture.
Taste: You know what, its bourbon. This one happens to be sweet and woody and well balanced. Very fine cinnamon notes, barely any. For 118 proof, there’s low alcohol burn in the mouth which is another plus.
With Water: More sugar, less bitterness, pleasing. Few drops could do well to tame the alcohol.
Aftertaste: Good aftertaste with more of the same. A little more peppery spice on the back and the aftertaste does last for quite a while so that’s a pleasant surprise.
Overall: It’s better balanced and less octane Elijah Craig Cask Strength… almost certainly it’s 15 years old Heaven Hill. It’s woody, sweet and full of perfume. Quite tasty but not worth the $155 price tag. I can see paying $100 for a bottle. Buy a bottle @MSRP? No. Too boring for myself, but I can see enjoying splitting one with a friend over a fire pit if they paid for it.
Score: N/A

Elijah Craig K&L SiB (#5711840)
Decent balance between sweetness and a tiny bit of rye spice. Somewhat thin palate, not enough oomph. Very versatile because it doesn’t overwhelm in any way. Works well with food, but not particularly interesting on its own.
Score: N/A

John E. Fitzgerald “Larceny” K&L SiB (#6196278)
Disappointing and totally not what I was expecting. What was I expecting? I don’t know but it wasn’t … that. Boring woody nose, at 92 proof, thin body, little flavor beyond lots of wheat sweetness and once past that sweetness there’s essentially nothing. No substance to this one for me. This bottle is going to end up in some home blend I expect. Mixes very well with high rye barrel proofs.

Update few weeks later: This is growing on me. It’s still not mindblowing in most ways but after oxidation this got a palate and an aftertaste that’s enjoyable enough at the end of the night. Really should have been a 100+ proof.
Score: N/A

Four Roses “Single Barrel” OBSV
Drinkable Four Roses at 100 proof. Flowery and has a decent taste. Good standby if nothing else is available by being reasonably balanced, but not fantastically outstanding for my palate. (I’m a tough judge and want something ‘interesting’ out of every bottle.) Overall tasty and worth keeping around, but not enough of a substance to write a long blurb about.
Score: N/A