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Review: Angels Envy

Review: Angels Envy

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the distiller. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

Color: Copper

Nose: Sweet Corn, Vanilla, Port, Maple, Black Pepper, Citrus, Black Cherry, molasses, and oak

Taste: Sweet Corn, Caramel, Vanilla, Port, Black Pepper, Citrus, Black Cherry, and oak

 Finish: Long, sweet, and smooth

Score: 
Rick: 9. 5/10.0
Sam: 9. 5/10.0
Overall: 9. 5/10.0

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Posted by on January 22, 2016 in Bourbon, Reviews, whiskey

 

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Review: W.L. Weller 12 year old

Review: W.L. Weller 12 year old

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was purchased by me. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

Color: Copper

Nose: Sweet vanilla, pepper, citrus, fruit, and oak

Taste: OAK!

Finish: Short with just a hint of pepper Read the rest of this entry »

 
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Posted by on January 22, 2016 in Bourbon, Reviews, Uncategorized, whiskey

 

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REVIEW: WHEAT STATE DISTILLING AGE YOUR OWN BOURBON KIT – Part 1

REVIEW: WHEAT STATE DISTILLING AGE YOUR OWN BOURBON KIT – Part 1

THIS IS FUN!

I’ll start from the beginning, just in case you need to catch up. A couple weeks ago was my 36th birthday and my wife purchased an “Age Your Own Bourbon” kit from Wheat State Distilling. That introduction article is here.

The whole process has been a blast so far. First and Foremost make sure to put the spout in first! I didn’t make that mistake, but it does happen. After installing the spout it is time to prep the barrel for the whiskey. To do that we have to make it swell up by adding hot water to the barrel. I could have used tap water, but I was afraid of the chlorine in tap water affecting my barrel, so I chose to use distilled water heated to boiling in a stainless steel pan. The directions say it can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple days. It took me 3 days. It might have taken less time, but I made the mistake of putting the bung in which causes a vacuum effect and doesn’t allow the water to soak in. After I removed the bung and allowed natural seepage the barrel was ready pretty quickly. I chose to reheat the water daily, not sure if I needed to, but I did. After three days of soaking the wood was finally dry.

The second step is pretty easy, empty out the water then grab a funnel and pour the Bourbon in. Before we did that though we had to see what clear, undiluted Bourbon tastes like. Don’t do it! The nose is just like moonshine, alcohol and yeast. It’s hot, and it tastes kind of like moonshine. However, it is the best moonshine I have tried yet.

That was 1 week ago

We decided to test the barrel weekly, because we have been told that it is easy to overage the Bourbon. It is amazing what has happened in just a week. The bourbon is drinkable! It’s actually decent, not the best, but not the worst either. The flavor has changed so much from our first taste of the un-aged stuff it is wild. It is already a light straw color, and the nose has lost a lot of the yeasty smell from the first tasting. It’s lost the yeasty flavor as well and has taken on slight vanilla and oak notes. I’m really looking forward to trying it out again in a week.

I’ve been looking at getting larger 5.3 gallon barrels to start aging spirits longer. I’ve also been thinking about one of these for each of my boys on their 16th birthday to be poured on their 21st. I’ll keep you all informed as I go. Look for part 2 of this series in a few weeks.

Check these guys out for more information. I just found them and they have a lot of information. Oak Barrels LTD

I welcome your thoughts and opinions. Review suggestions are welcome.

Contact info can be found HERE and don’t forget to follow us on FACEBOOK and TWITTER!

Until Next Time,

Slàinte Mhath!

 
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Posted by on November 4, 2015 in Age Your Own, Bourbon, Reviews

 

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Review: Westland Single Malt – A Triple Shot

Review: Westland Single Malt – A Triple Shot

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the distiller. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

Quick, what’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say “Single Malt”? Scotch right? When we think of Scotch we think of Scotland. Well, today’s triple shot review comes from the fine folks at Westland Distillery, in Seattle, Washington. I’ve had a bunch of American single malts from all over the country. Most, I wouldn’t give to even my buddy that would drink anything. The Pacific Northwest seems to have the corner on American single malt market. One of my favorites is from Oregon. On to the reviews, but first a quick excerpt from the Westland Distillery website, that says it better than I can.

“…For centuries, single malt whiskies have been considered solely the domain of Scotland. But a new category of single malt is taking root. One that offers us the chance to make a mark in the world of whiskey. It must be led by your own ideas, done on your own terms and realized through your own hard work. Here in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, we are graced with world-class natural ingredients. Those ingredients inspire us to pursue our own unique American-style single malt to rival the finest whiskies in the world. With each expression we work to create something that both honors the traditions of distilling that we admire and adds something worthwhile at the same time. Something new and distinctly American. The character of our malt provides a wealth of flavor profiles for our whiskies. Regardless of the individual expression, every whiskey at Westland Distillery is underscored by our house style – a sweetness and ease on the palate accompanied by a fruity and complex but ultimately grain-focused finish worthy of its place in this new world.”

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Posted by on October 23, 2015 in Reviews, whiskey

 

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Double Review: Detroit City Distillery

Double Review: Detroit City Distillery

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the distiller. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

                                                                                                                                                             

20150809_001709Today’s review is a double. Just feels20150809_000515 like that kind of day! The two bottles are From Detroit City Distillery. They are the Bloodline Whiskey, and Two-Faced Bourbon. DCD was founded by a group of 8 friends from Bath, Michigan.It was opened in an old slaughterhouse and meat-packing facility in Detroit’s Eastern Market. I’ve only seen pictures, but the bar is a large mahogany 20-seat mirrored backed monstrosity built in the 30’s not long after Prohibition. It was disassembled from an another storefront on Broadway,and then reassembled in its’ new home. It wasn’t restored, but rather cleaned to preserve the patina, reminiscent of what some car collectors are doing now. Oh, and to top it all off, these guys started making their hooch at Michigan State University under the watchful eye of their professors. Go Spartans!

Let’s start with the bad news first. The Bloodline Whiskey smells great, but that’s the best I can say for it. We didn’t enjoy it at all. To much of a yeasty new make tone to be enjoyable. To be fair, I have only come across a small handful of “American” whiskies that I really enjoy, and unfortunately this isn’t one of them.

The Two-Faced Bourbon is so named because it is a blend of 49% 1-2 year old bourbon and 51% 5-6 year old bourbon. It’s a satisfactory bourbon. I think given a few more tweaks and some more time in the barrel these guys might have something quite good. As of right now, they have been open for just a little over a year, and it shows. I would love to let them get another year or two under their belt and try them again. For now though, at $55 a bottle, all I can is is, “I’ll Pass.” I appreciate the samples and wish you guys all the luck in the future!

I welcome your thoughts and opinions. Review suggestions are welcome.

Contact info can be found HERE and don’t forget to follow us on FACEBOOK and TWITTER!

Until Next Time,

Slàinte Mhath!

 
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Posted by on October 13, 2015 in Bourbon, Reviews, whiskey

 

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REVIEW: WHEAT STATE DISTILLING AGE YOUR OWN BOURBON KIT – iNTRO

REVIEW: WHEAT STATE DISTILLING AGE YOUR OWN BOURBON KIT – iNTRO

I have been forced (willingly) to take the next logical step in my whiskey education. My birthday is in a couple of days, and my wife being the woman she is, always tries to find that one special thing for me. She says that I am hard to shop for. Apparently, my “refined” tastes make it somewhat of a challenge. Well, I think she really took up the mantle this year. She has really outdone herself! Thank you so much my dear, it is perfect!

I know, I know, “Get to it already!”

This year she got me an age your own bourbon kit from Wheat State Distilling, right here in Kansas.In the picture below you can see that it comes with two 750ml bottles of really fresh (distilled 10-07-15) Bourbon, bottled at 125 proof. It also come with a 2 liter barrel, with bung cork and a small spout for tasting as it ages. Lastly, it comes with two tasting glasses. All of this is embossed with the “WSD” logo. The gentleman who sold it to her said that he can also have the barrel tops custom branded if you give them a week or two notice. I’m glad mine isn’t though, because depending on how this turns out I may try other distilleries too, and start a collection of mini-barrels from the distilleries that offer these. I just did a quick google search, and there are plenty! I can already see my wife reading this, and thinking “What I have I started?!?”

wsd

I’ll be filling the barrel Saturday, right now I am prepping the barrel by filling it with hot distilled water to swell the barrel. I originally was going to use tap water, but though better of it, because I don’t want any chemical contaminants in the barrel. I want the spirits to shine through, not the chlorine and fluoride! The directions say to place the spout is first, which makes sense to me. Afterwards, fill it with hot water and allow it to swell until it stops leaking, which can take anything from one hour to a few days. So, after a little begging, because my birthday isn’t technically until Monday, I was able to talk my wife into letting me prep the barrel last night. I am contemplating using some of the distilled water that is in the barrel to top off the Bourbon, but haven’t decided yet. I like higher proof whiskey, and I don’t know if I want to mess with experimentation my first time.

The plan is to have a small tasting of the new make Bourbon, and then to fill the barrel and revisit it every 2 weeks. I figure doing it this way we’ll be able to get an idea of the aging process. I don’t have a set amount of time that I will age it, just until it’s good! I hope you will follow along on our journey!

I welcome your thoughts and opinions. Review suggestions are welcome.

Contact info can be found HERE and don’t forget to follow us on FACEBOOK and TWITTER!

Until Next Time,

Slàinte Mhath!

 
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Posted by on October 9, 2015 in Age Your Own, Bourbon, Reviews, whiskey

 

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REVIEW: BOWENS WHISKEY

REVIEW: BOWENS WHISKEY

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the distiller. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

Color: Dark honey
Nose: Smokey Campfire, Sweet Almonds, Honey, Vanilla, and Oak
Taste: Smoky Campfire, Honey roasted Almonds, Pepper, Vanilla, and Oak
Finish: Long Smooth Finish
Score:
Rick: 8.5/10.0
Sam: 9.5/10.0
Overall: 9.0/10.0

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Posted by on October 6, 2015 in Reviews, whiskey

 

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Review: Manatawny Still Works American Whiskey

Review: Manatawny Still Works American Whiskey

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the distiller. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

Color: Copper with a Red tint
Nose: Pear, Honey, Cedar, Orange Zest, Vanilla
Taste: Malted Vanilla, Orange, Honey, Caramel, Spice, and Oak
Finish: Long Pepper Finish
Score:
Rick: 8.5/10.0
Sam: 9.0/10.0
Overall: 8.75/10.0

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Posted by on September 5, 2015 in Reviews, whiskey

 

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REVIEW: JIMMY’S TEXAS BOURBON

REVIEW: JIMMY’S TEXAS BOURBON

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the distiller. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

Color: Dark Caramel
Nose: Pepper, Vanilla, Raisin, Oak, and Corn
Taste: Sweet Corn, Pepper, Raisin, Oak, and vanilla
Finish: Medium Pepper Finish
Score:
Rick: 8.0/10.0
Sam: 8.0/10.0
Overall: 8.0/10.0

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Posted by on August 27, 2015 in Bourbon, Reviews, whiskey

 

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REVIEW: CLEVELAND WHISKEY BLACK RESERVE

REVIEW: CLEVELAND WHISKEY BLACK RESERVE

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the distiller. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

Color: Dark Amber
Nose: Corn, Pepper, Vanilla, Citrus, Caramel, Oak, and a hint of New Make
Taste: Sweet Corn, Black Pepper, Grapefruit, Vanilla, Buttered Popcorn, and Oak
Finish: Short Peppery Finish
Score:
Rick: 8.0/10.0
Sam: 7.5/10.0
Overall: 7.75/10.0

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Posted by on August 25, 2015 in Bourbon, Reviews, whiskey

 

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REVIEW: CLEVELAND WHISKEY “THE 87”

REVIEW: CLEVELAND WHISKEY “THE 87”

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the distiller. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

Color: Amber

Nose: Corn, Pepper, Vanilla, Red Fruit, Caramel, Banana Nut Bread, and Oak

Taste: Sweet Corn, Pepper, Fruit, Vanilla, Butterscotch, and Oak

Finish: No kick Short Vanilla and Oak

Score: 7.5/10.0
Rick: 7.0/10.0
Sam: 7.25/10.0

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Posted by on August 20, 2015 in Bourbon, Reviews

 

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Review: Van Brunt Stillhouse Bourbon, and two honorable mentions

Review: Van Brunt Stillhouse Bourbon, and two honorable mentions

 

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the manufacturer. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

Color: Burnished Copper

Nose: Pepper, Vanilla, Corn, Cinnamon, and Oak

Taste: Corn, Vanilla, Spice, and Oak

Finish: Long Fruit finish with cherry, oak and hints of vanilla

Score:
Rick- 8.5/10.0
Sam- 8.5/10.0
Overall- 8.5/10.0

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Posted by on July 28, 2015 in Bourbon, Reviews, whiskey

 

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Review: Wilderness Trail Distillery Vodka And Rum

Review: Wilderness Trail Distillery Vodka And Rum

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the manufacturer. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

I contacted Wilderness Trail about their Bourbon, but was told it wasn’t ready yet. Not folks to miss an opportunity, they asked if I would be interested in trying out some Rum and Vodka. I said sure and let them know that I wasn’t really in to Rum or Vodka but I’d give it a try. I was a little surprised that they would send me Rum and Vodka, I mean who sends a whiskey blogger that kind of stuff? I agreed to try it anyway, thinking that if nothing else I’d give the rum to my wife, and get some orange juice for the vodka.

I must admit that I didn’t think much more about it until the package came in. As I am pulling out the bottles, I realize that the Bottle have tags on them. I’ll have pictures of the tags a little later. It was the claims on the tags that made me do a bit more reading about these spirits. Lets start with the Rum. Read the rest of this entry »

 
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Posted by on July 22, 2015 in Reviews, Rum, Vodka

 

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REVIEW: JEFFERSON’S OCEAN: AGED AT SEA

REVIEW: JEFFERSON’S OCEAN: AGED AT SEA

Color: Chestnut

Nose
: Sweet Corn, Rye Spice, Cherries, Apples, Pepper, Vanilla, Caramel, Smoky Oak, and a hint of Brine

Taste: 
Sweet Buttered Corn, Tobacco, Cinnamon Spice, Pepper, Vanilla, Oak, and a touch of Islay

Finish: Long, Smooth, Sweet heat, with a bit of burn. Lingering Oak

Score:
 9.25/10.0
Sam: 9.25/10.0
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Posted by on July 10, 2015 in Bourbon, Reviews, whiskey

 

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REVIEW: RED RIVER TEXAS BOURBON WHISKEY

REVIEW: RED RIVER TEXAS BOURBON WHISKEY

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the manufacturer. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

Color: Fresh Straw

Nose
: Sweet Corn, Pepper, Vanilla, Oak

Taste: 
Sweet Corn, Pepper, Vanilla, Oak

Finish: Medium slightly sweet

Score:
 6.5/10.0
Rick: 7.0/10.0
Sam: 6.0/10.0
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Posted by on July 9, 2015 in Bourbon, Reviews, whiskey

 

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REVIEW: RED RIVER CANADIAN STYLE WHISKEY

REVIEW: RED RIVER CANADIAN STYLE WHISKEY

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the manufacturer. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

Color: Fresh Straw

Nose
: Sweet Corn, Honey, Vanilla, Cedar, Rye

Taste:
  Sweet…Sweet…Sweet!

Finish: Short and Sweet

Score:
 Not going to rate
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Posted by on July 8, 2015 in Reviews, whiskey

 

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REVIEW: QUEEN JENNIE SORGHUM WHISKEY

REVIEW: QUEEN JENNIE SORGHUM WHISKEY

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the manufacturer. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

Color: Light Caramel
Nose: Molasses, brown sugar, Hay, Oak, and some light Vanilla
Taste:  Sweet Vanilla, Molasses, Dark Fruit, Oak, Spice, Sweet Tobacco
Finish: Short with a bit of sweet tobacco
Score:
Rick- Did not care for it.
Sam- 6.0/10.0
Overall- 6.0/10.0

The bottle we are going to discuss came from Old Sugar Distillery and is called Queen Jennie Sorghum Whiskey. I had to revisit this one because it was the last of the aged whiskey we tried that night, and I was a bit put off by how different it was from the rest of the whiskey we had tried. It wasn’t bad, just off.

Slide1

Sorghum Grass

As I said, this is sorghum “Whiskey”. Normally, whiskey is made from a grain or combination of grains consisting of corn, barley, rye, or wheat. This however is made from the syrup squeezed from the stalks of the sorghum grass. This syrup is often called Sorghum Molasses, although that is a bit of a misnomer. Now here is where the conundrum really starts. Molasses is the base for…RUM. This isn’t the same molasses that is used for most rum production. The molasses used for most rum production is pressed from sugar cane, not sorghum. However there are a few distilleries producing alcohol from sorghum and calling it rum, such as Wilderness Trail Harvest Rum and Heart Land Distilling had a Sorghum spirit, but it may not make it anymore. On the flip side , there are distillers out there making Sorghum Whiskey too. See High Wire Distilling and Still 360’s S.S. Sorghum. The question now is should this be called “Whiskey” or “Rum”?  The manufacturers are calling it whiskey, but because of its’ lack of grain some would label this a rum. So in the name of scientific discovery, let’s delve into this55563408 The color is a light caramel, which could be either a whiskey or a rum. It is a bit cloudy like a non-filterd whiskey, but I have seen a few rums that were cloudy too. Seeing as all aged alcohol has color I don’t feel we can judge this as whiskey or rum on color alone. Let’s move on. The nose is a conundrum all to itself. I have close to 20 bottles of whiskey, and 4 bottles of rum. I broke them all out to try and decipher this puzzle. It has strong notes of Molasses and brown sugar. Typical rum smells. Then we have Oak and Vanilla, typical notes of whiskey. Then throw in the some fresh cut hay, which to be honest is a first for me and after some research could go either way. Again I am stymied. The nose can go either way, so the last chance is flavor. Let’s go. I give up. The flavor can go either way as well. We have the rum with its’ Molasses and Dark Fruit. Then we have the whiskey with its Oak and Spice. Lastly we have the common flavors like the Vanilla and Sweet Tobacco. Arguably the dark fruit could go either way as well, but this isn’t raisins or cherries, this is more of a plum or prune. While the reading I have done says this also could go either way, I smelled it in the four rums I have on hand, but not in any of the whiskey. Well, we are no closer to an answer than when we started. We have characteristics of both rum and whiskey. I suppose for now we will just have to go with what the manufacturer says and call it whiskey.890b32668620ac199d428e5a69a0962a I can’t say this was my favorite. It is to different for my taste. I don’t mind rum, but I love my whiskey. A combination of rum and whiskey is just to weird for me. It’s not bad, it’s just not really my cup of whiskey. It might be good for someone trying to make the transition from rum to whiskey, or for someone who enjoys both equally. I won’t go looking for it, but I wouldn’t turn it down either.

I welcome your thoughts and opinions. Review suggestions are welcome.

Contact info can be found HERE Don’t forget to like us on Facebook!

Until Next Time,

Slàinte Mhath!

 
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Posted by on July 2, 2015 in Reviews, whiskey

 

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REVIEW: ALBERT G’s BBQ and BAR

REVIEW: ALBERT G’s BBQ and BAR

This is a first for me, as I usually review Scotch and Bourbon, But when you find a golden nugget like this you just have to share it. This is a review of an outstanding BBQ joint in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I originally went to a place up the street called Whiskey Business, but sadly they didn’t have anything I couldn’t live without. The gentleman working there kindly directed me to Albert G’s, which is just right down the street. The first time I went in I spoke to Tyler, who unfortunately is leaving for the higher elevations (No pun intended) of Colorado. In the 15 minutes I talked to him I could tell that he was knowledgeable, a Bourbonite, and very well spoken. They have around 115 different bottles of bourbon and American Whiskey on their shelves a long with at least six barrel aged cocktails. I was extremely tempted to belly up to the bar and never leave, but sadly it was eleven o’clock in the morning and a little to early to drink, so I promised to come back later in the evening.

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Shannon and I at Albert G’s

When I came back I met Shannon. He’s a no nonsense tell you how it is kind of guy. We bantered back and forth for a bit, before I made my selections for my flight. There were so many to try, and I had to narrow it down to four. It took a bit of discussion, and a lot of pondering, but I finally got it. Shannon said it was probably the best Flight he has ever built except for one exception. We both agreed after the fact that the one exception would have to be made. I originally had Jim Beam Distillers Masterpiece, Orphan Barrel Rhetoric, Booker’s Bourbon Dot’s Batch, and Wild turkey Diamond Anniversary. I really wasn’t all that impressed with the Jim Beam, and would much rather replace it with the Jefferson’s Ocean. Which I ordered after my flight. These reviews will be coming over the next couple weeks as well. It was a great night. Next time I will have to try the food.

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Me with the original flight

If you are a Bourbonite living in Tulsa, or just visiting you gotta check this place out. They are also getting a Bourbon Club going. I’ll let you know more as I find out. When you order the flight make it:

  1. Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary
  2. Booker’s Bourbon Dot’s Batch
  3. Jefferson’s Ocean
  4. Orphan Barrel Rhetoric

Shannon if you are reading this we need to name this flight after me! Maybe the Bourbonite Flight?

I welcome your thoughts and opinions. Review suggestions are welcome.

Contact info can be found HERE Don’t forget to like us on Facebook!

Until Next Time,

Slàinte Mhath!

.

 
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Posted by on June 30, 2015 in Bar, Bourbon, Reviews

 

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REVIEW: LIMESTONE BRANCH DISTILLERY SUGAR SHINE

REVIEW: LIMESTONE BRANCH DISTILLERY SUGAR SHINE

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the manufacturer. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

This is going to be a little bit different than our normal posts. First off, Rick decided that due to previous experience with moonshine he was going to abstain. Second, this isn’t like any other moonshine I have had. Those have always been 150+ proof depth charges. That after 5-6 shots you just forget…everything. Lastly, I don’t feel that I have enough experience yet with shine to really rate it. The samples were provided to me by Stephen from Limestone Branch Distillery. He sent me 3 bottles, Cherry, Jalapeno, and Clear.

First a little background, the following shines are made from a 50/50 mash mixture of corn and sugar. When cold they pour out like syrup, giving them a really nice mouth feel. The Clear shine is 100 proof while the others are 50 proof. The coolest part to me is that the flavored shines aren’t artificial. They use natural ingredients for flavor. In my phone conversation with Stephen, he told me they use a ratio to achieve the flavor they want. The Cherry Shine is flavored with real Mendocino cherries that are left in the shine until they turn white. The jalapeno is done the same way. It was definitely an interesting tasting.


Clear:

This was my least favorite. It smelled yeasty. I was really put off by the smell. I still can’t seem to move past it. The first sip was just as bad. I actually was on the verge of not doing this review, when a friend told me that I should drink it ice cold. “Put it the freezer and pour it over ice when you drink it.” He’s a bit more redneck than I am, so I figured I’d try it. It worked, sort of. The cold didn’t help the smell at all, but it did improve the flavor vastly. After the second glass it seemed to be a little less revolting and was on the verge of enjoyable. I think like any drink it is an acquired taste. To be honest though I think I’ll stick to aged Whiskey, or flavored shine. The clear stuff just isn’t for me. The ice and putting it in the freezer helped a lot.

Jalapeno:

It is slightly green, and smells like fresh chopped jalapeno’s. I was put off by the smell, it is one thing to eat jalapeno’s, but to drink them? The first time I heard about spicy cocktails was on a cruise in 2011. I tried it and enjoyed the novelty of it, but that was all. This tastes very similar to that only spicier. It starts off sweet and smooth, lulling you into a false sense of security, then…BAM as soon as you swallow it feels like you just ate a pepper. The back of your throat burns all the way to your stomach, and it isn’t from the alcohol. There are only two things that quench it. The first is another sip, and the second is the Cherry Shine. With this one I did not need the ice, but it is still better cold.

Cherry:

I really liked this one. It smells just like fresh black cherries. The first sip is excellent, the syrup texture makes it feel like a dessert. It wasn’t overly sweet like maraschino cherries, it was more of a tart cherry. If it had of been any sweeter I wouldn’t have enjoyed it.  There is no burn whatsoever to this and it goes down smooth as silk. This is the only one that I could enjoy room at temperature, cold, or over ice. It seems to be very versatile. I am going to apologize before I say this. I keep wondering what it would taste like with coke. I know, to some of you folks that really love moonshine that is the same to you as someone pouring Coke into scotch is to me.


I am glad I was given the opportunity to try these out. My first experiences with moonshine were at a much younger age, when the point of drinking was to get drunk. I didn’t care what it was or how it tasted as long as the end result was the same. Now, I like to get a slight buzz and maintain that state. I probably won’t ever reach for a clear shine again. It could grow on a person, but it just doesn’t have what I am looking for. The flavored shine however I think would be fun to keep in the cabinet for a little something different.

I welcome your thoughts and opinions. Review suggestions are welcome. Contact info can be found HERE

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Until Next Time,

Slàinte Mhath!

 
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Posted by on June 26, 2015 in Flavored, Moonshine, Reviews

 

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REVIEW: 1792 SMALL BATCH KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY

REVIEW:  1792 SMALL BATCH KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY

DISCLAIMER: The Sample for this review was provided by the manufacturer. All ideas and opinions in this post are entirely my own. I do not accept any money for these reviews.

Color: Toffee

Nose: Charred Oak, Sweet Corn, Banana Bread, Toffee, Cinnamon Spice, Vanilla, Rye

Taste:  Sweet corn, Citrus Fruit, Oak, Spice, Smokey Oak, Vanilla, Malt, Rye Bread

Finish: Long and Smooth, Spicy Rye, Charred Oak and some slight heat

Score:
Rick- 9.5/10.0
Sam- 9.0/10.0
Overall- 9.25/10.0

This beautiful Bourbon is 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. It was also sent to me from the fine folks at Sazerac / Buffalo Trace.This is another one of those bottles that just shines. No water, no ice, just sip it neat.

I had a hard time with which “Pocket” to put this in. It ranges from $29.99 – $31.99. Ultimately, I decided that at 29.99 you are still going to spend more than $30, which is the cap. So this one moves to the top of “Bourbon Under $59.99“. It only just squeaked into the top spot. I’d like to do a head to head with this and Bulleit 10 Year Old. On to the review

The nose on this is one of the most complex yet. It has to be drawn out and allowed to breathe. Don’t try to inhale it to fast, it does have a slight burn and can hinder the aromas. It smells so good that you the urge to see what it tastes like is strong. Resist and let the nose be drawn out, it makes the first sip that much better.

The flavor of good bourbon is right there, along with a few flavor profiles I haven’t had before. Rye usually comes through as spice, but with this it was more like bread. The malt was stronger than what I am used to. Not bad, just pronounced. All in all I think the whole mouth feel is what really sets this one apart from the others. It engages your whole mouth. You can feel it everywhere.

When you swallow, you get a nice long finish full of Spicy Rye and charred oak. There is also a bit of heat with this one. It really warms the throat on the way down. It has a slight bite, but not as much as I’d like.

All in all this is a great Bourbon. The price is in the right neighborhood, and it isn’t going to leave you disappointed. Not really a beginners Bourbon, more of an intermediary. It’s definitely something even old pros would enjoy too. Unfortunately I have been sipping on this bottle for the last two weeks, so it is almost gone. Definitely will be buying another one. After trying this, I’d really love to get my hands on the 1792 Sweet Wheat. If you haven’t heard, 1792 is replacing the Rye in their mashbill with Wheat giving it a sweeter profile.

Well this is the last review from the last round of tastings. We have a whole new round coming up this weekend. So look forward to Rum aged in Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrels, Vodka made from corn, and a lot of whisk(e)y. We are still predominantly whisk(e)y, and those first two reviews will be from a whisk(e)y drinkers perspective. Should be fun. Thanks for reading.

I welcome your thoughts and opinions. Review suggestions are welcome. Contact info can be found HERE

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Until Next Time,

Slàinte Mhath!

 
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Posted by on June 20, 2015 in Bourbon, Reviews, whiskey

 

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