Dram Review: Michter’s 20 Years Old (Barrel No. L16956)

[57.1%・20 Years Old・Official Bottling・Barrel L16956・Single Barrel Release of 588 Bottles] Nose: Praise be! Heavenly mahogany with smooth vanilla and leather interwinding seamlessly, well aged cigar leaves, stately yet endearing.  Wood smoked bacon in time with some thick toffee creaminess and buttery treats surfacing. Palate & Finish: Wow, honey soaked raisins and dried muscats, the sweetness…

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Dram Review: Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 20 Years Old (Bottled Circa 2014)

[45.2%・20 Years Old・Bottled in 2014・Buffalo Trace Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: A complex nose, an intensely rich dose of brown sugar drenched walnuts with an orange zing.  Hearty doses of cinnamon spices, leather and smoked sandalwood with some vanilla, thick toffee, dark chocolate and raisins.  The char is sweet and mesmerizing.. Palate & Finish: Big charred oak…

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Dram Review: Thomas H. Handy Sazerac (Fall 2009 Release)

[69.5%・7 Years Old・Distilled in 2002・Bottled in 2009・Buffalo Trace Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: Big peppery nose at first, then cinnamon, Chinese hawthorn, charred oak, orange and tanned leather.  Eye watering pungent spices. Palate & Finish: A thick maple sweetness first appeared on the palate, a couple of lemon twists to lift the body as the caramel and…

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Dram Review: George T. Stagg (2007 Release)

[72.4%・15 Years Old・Distilled in 1992・Bottled in 2007・Buffalo Trace Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: The nose comprises of sticky walnuts, cinnamon, brown sugar and burnt toast. Homey but heavy. Palate & Finish: Condensed brown sugar sweetness on the palate with the spices being rather overwhelming.  Such power displayed from the grain and oak. The spiciness stays on for…

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Dram Review: Sazerac 18 Years Old (Spring 2015 Release)

[45.0%・18 Years Old・Bottled in 2015・Buffalo Trace Bottling・Limited Release] Nose:  The nose is real attractive, cherries with a polite splash of cinnamon and perfect almond of buttery sweetness, freshly baked almond cookies, wholesome vanilla, brown sugar and this fine Horween leather note giving this fine satisfaction like a generous bosom. Palate & Finish: Green apples, apricots…

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Dram Review: Koval Single Barrel Mikkeller (Cask No. MK 5)

[40.0%・NAS・ Official Bottling・Cask No. MK 5・Sngle Cask Release] Nose: Citrus car fragrance, lemongrass, grapefruit peels, creamy mangos, finger limes and a whole bunch of over-ripen tropical fruits. Palate & Finish: Finger limes and green kiwi, with a nice vanilla sugar note, hint of greek yoghurt to go with passion fruit coulis and yoghurt coated sultana,…

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Dram Review: Seven Stills Chocasmoke

[47.0%・NAS・Bottled Circa 2016-2017・ Official Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: Meaty barbecue smoke with some eucalyptus, burnt rubber and sandalwood on the nose.  Stewed green apples coated with cinnamon served with some Vienna almonds and some limestone dust. Palate & Finish: Full of mint chocolate, very sweet with a burst of menthol cream, almost a carbon copy of…

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Dram Review: Seven Stills Fluxuate

[47.0%・NAS・Bottled Circa 2016-2017・ Official Bottling・General Release] Nose: The nose is a blast of quirky aromas, syrup, dates, cinnamon dust, cashew milk, almonds and hazelnuts all shuffled together.  Raw sugar and white peaches with a slight hint of earthiness that after a while reveals itself as deep roasted barley that fares like Chinese twenty four herbs,…

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Dram Review: Rock Town Single Barrel Reserve Cask Strength Barrel #120

[57.4%・NAS・Bottled in 2015・ Official Bottling・Cask No. 120・Sngle Cask Release of 220 Bottles] Nose: Oozing of caramelised banana, oily spirit with plenty of cinnamon powder and pitted red tart cherries. Solid doses of vanilla, golden honey and molten caramel folded atop each other, grows rather grainy in time. Palate & Finish: Juicy red cherries and a…

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Whisky Review: Old Forester Statesman

[47.5%・NAS・Bottled in 2017・Official Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: Quite an oomph of citrus, orange peels and on the dry side of things with a noticeable lean on the wood.  The char asserts itself confidently, cloves and tobacco at first and chocolate milkshake, honey and corn syrup sweetness to follow. Palate & Finish: The spirit lays bare as…

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