What I Like

For my first blog, I want to share a few of the whiskey’s that I like. Mainly so we can compare palates and you guys will know where I am coming from when I give reviews.  Here we go, first up which spirit?  Bourbon is my go-to. The flavors really work for me. Maybe because I have a sweet tooth, and a lot of bourbons have flavors of brown sugar, butterscotch, caramel or maple syrup. These flavors alone may get boring by itself, but mixed in with the sweetness you find oak, pepper, tobacco, baking spices and much more. I am a big fan of peppery, licorice type flavors which you sometimes get with high Rye content. I like Rye whiskey but sometimes a 95% Rye whiskey can be a little too much for me neat. For this reason I like to compromise and have bourbon with high Rye in the mash bill, Four Roses for example. Another one I really like is a store pick from The Wine and Cheese Place, George Remus with a mash bill of 51% Corn and 49% Rye.  If I need a break from bourbon, I am a big fan of Irish Whiskey. Generally speaking, Irish Whiskey does not have as strong of an oak flavor. It has more of a fruity sweet profile, lots of apples and pears smells and flavors is what I pick up. After my two favorites I will occasionally have a Scotch. Only in the last couple of years have I gained an appreciation for Scotch. I was sticking with Speysides which are generally less peaty/smokey, but lately I have been trying a few of the smoke bombs like Laphroig, Ardberg, and Lagaluvin. With that brief overview here are some of my favorites.

The Go To

Four Roses Small Batch. First, this fits my taste preference as far the high rye content. I don’t think they give the exact mash bill because the small batch is made up of four different barrels with different mash bills but it is somewhere around 25-30 % rye. To me this is a very smooth whiskey. Aged between 6-7 years so not overly oaky. It is 90 proof but is not really hot, drinks more like a 80 proof.  It is also reasonably affordable, between 27 and 35.

The Mixer

Evan Williams bottled in bond. Not to be confused with the regular Evan Williams offering. Bottled in Bond just means that it is 50% alcohol and is aged at least 4 years. I discovered this bourbon at a whiskey tasting with a few of my neighbors a couple of years ago. It actually faired well against much more expensive whiskeys. It is good enough that sometimes I like to have it neat, but it really works well with coke, ginger ale, 7 up, etc. At 100 proof it has some kick and does not get lost in whatever is your favorite mixer. Another mixer I hear a lot about is Old Grandad bottled in bond. I have not tried yet so be fun to do a blind matchup between the two. Be looking out.

The Cocktail

Wild Turkey Rarebreed Rye. The only cocktail I really drink is the Old Fashioned. This is traditionally a Rye cocktail, but a lot of people use bourbon as well. I think Rye holds its flavor better against the simple syrup and bitters better. As I mentioned earlier this is a rye whiskey than can be a little harsh neat. Some alcohol burn, bold peppery flavors, with a hot peppery finish, but in an old fashioned it mellows out and plays nicely.

My Favorite (Right Now)

Red Breast 12 Year Cask Strength. Sorry, not a bourbon. Not a bargain bottle either at $90 dollars but you can tell immediately you are not drinking something cheap. Warm buttery mouth coating goodness. Lots of complex smells and tastes to get into here. If you like high proof and you like Irish Whiskey trust me, you will not be disappointed!