Review: Old Forester King Ranch

Color (5%): Nice and dark with amber hues. Quite thin. 4/5

Nose (10%): Red fruits come in. Cherries and cranberry notes. Slight nuttiness with toasted marshmallow. alcohol remains quite present despite the filtration 7/10

Palate (20%): Notes of toasted bread. Tobacco, leather, and dark chocolate in the back end. Pretty acrid and almost rusty metal. Not happy flavors. Very little sweetness for a straight bourbon, much more sharp. Raw black pepper, old leather, and lots of charred wood. The wood doesn't mellow out this whiskey, though. Very bitey. 12/20

Finish (10%): There is a slight bit of that marshmallow right after you swallow it, but that heat and char quickly take over. It's a very long finish. Very dry. Not the most alcohol burn, but plenty of wood burn. 6/10

Overall Impression and Harmony (30%): This is pretty intense. I wouldn't call this a regular daily sipper. I can see it pairing with campfires and cigars, but I like something more toned down. I hope a lot will come out when I try this with ice. The pungency of that wood makes any sweetness barely noticeable. The mesquite doesn't do Old Forester any favors. 14/30

Retry on Ice (25%): The sweetness does come out more now that there is some ice in the glass. The finish is still really dry. Again, it could be a more pleasant smooth sipper. Minor improvement, but still not tremendous/ 16/25

Total Ranking: 69% Legendary, Amazing, Great, Good, Fair, Average, Tolerable, Swill

Estimated Fair Price: $44

Actual Price: $70

Conclusion: This is a special edition whiskey that I do not see a need for. When a distillery makes a partnership, they obviously want to give their partner the ability to influence the final product. I'm told that Ford trucks are good products, but this whiskey doesn't deserve any awards. I see people buying this for brand loyalty or as a souvenir, as it is only available in Texas. I love Old Forester, but this could be a better showcase of their abilities in whiskey production. Try a pour if you see it; you don't need to commit to a bottle. 

Fact Sheet:

Filtered through mesquite charcoal

ABV: 52.5%

Review: Willett Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye

Color (5%):  Medium amber, dark honey, hay hues. Medium thinning at the edges. 3/5

Nose (10%):  You can smell this one from 5 feet away. It is potent, and the rye is sharp. There are notes of pine and a good amount of oak. Crisp caramel sugars dance with apple and toffee. The rye is there; you get some of that deli rye bread scent. 8/10

Palate (20%): Big dried fruit notes on the back end. It has lots of raisin characteristics, almost like a port wine. There's a menthol character, and with the high alcohol, it almost feels like Vic's on your tongue. That sounds worse than it is. It has a slight green tea feel. Lots of green and purple. Very dry, with little sugar and tiny honey notes before the botanicals and spice kick in. 14/20

Finish (10%): The alcohol is definitely there. The menthol and botanical notes fade into a bit of black pepper spice and toasted barley. Medium length. 7/10

Overall Impression and Harmony (30%): This took some time, but I don't mind it. There's some complexity, but I prefer a bit mellow for an over-proof whiskey. This booze is hot. This brand makes some great bourbon, but this is pretty rough. I wouldn't call it anything too special. The age statement is pretty standard, and I want it to have more oak and char. It's got lots of flavors but needs a real sense of harmony. 21/30

Retry on Ice (25%): The menthol stays the dominant note here. A bit more fruit starts to poke its head out. There are notes of citrus. I still want more oak. There is a mild improvement from neat, but not much really changes. 20/25

Total Ranking: 73% Legendary, Amazing, Great, Good, Fair, Average, Tolerable, Swill

Estimated Fair Price: $42

Actual Price: $55

Conclusion: This is okay. As I said, the bourbon these guys make is excellent, but this is a rough rye. It's an experiment that they slapped their branding unto. There's an upcharge for the name brand. There isn't much of a market for overproof rye whiskeys. Knob Creek or Russell's Reserve / Wild Turkey beat this guy in my book, especially for a rocks serve. It's worth a try if it's available, but this will probably sit on my shelf for a while. 

Fact Sheet: 

ABV: 54.9% (varies batch to batch)

Mashbill: A blend of the Willett high rye mash bill (74% rye, 11% corn, 15% malted barley) with the Willett low rye mash bill (51% rye, 34% corn, 15% malted barley)

Aged 4 years

Distilled at Willett Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky 

Review: Early Times Bottled in Bond

Color (5%):  Very dark brown. Little crimson. Thin edges. 5/5

Nose (10%): Big orange peel note immediately. That decently big booze kick. Honey sugars. It requires a heavy draw to get much more subtle. I like orange, but nothing too complex or nuanced. 5/10

Palate (20%): A bit of pepperiness from the rye. It still has some sweet orange character. Nice round, creamy texture. Pretty nice. It's not too wild and complex again, but it's hard to dislike. Nothing unpleasant at all. 16/20

Finish (10%): Nice and creamy at the back. Medium-light finish. Very short. The pepper is there at first but only for a short time. 7/10

Overall Impression and Harmony (30%):  22/30

Retry on Ice (25%): The creaminess is still there, which often fades out with dilution. It's alright, but it doesn't improve or eliminate shortcomings. It is fine, again, not legendary status, but fine. 20/25 

Total Ranking: 65% Legendary, Amazing, Great, Good, Fair, Average, Tolerable, Swill

Estimated Fair Price: $26

Actual Price: $21 per Liter

Conclusion: This is wonderful in a whiskey sour, especially in a New York or Stone Sour. This is an excellent well whiskey at many bars. It's not something I'd hunt for if I were looking for a Manhattan or an old fashioned. There are more fun options. This is fine for a whiskey coke. It won't be anyone's top ten, but it is good enough to do its function. This is still good for the money. It can find a home in many houses, but it isn't going on my display of great and legendary bottles for friends to experience. This is a well rail bottle at a pretty nice bar that can slot into most roles and not disappoint. 

Fact Sheet:

Distillery Location: Louisville, KY

ABV: 50% 

Age Statement: at least 4 years

Ingredients: 79% Corn, 11% Rye, 10% Malted Barley

Method:

Awards:

Review: Wild Turkey Rye 101

Color (5%):  Dark golden amber, thin edges, rich, well-aged. 5/5

Nose (10%): high alcohol evaporation for sure. I'm diving in deep to warm myself up. HHonestly bland flavor notes at a first impression. Lightly roasted apple pie notes. Honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, pie crust, light brown sugar, butterscotch, but not so sweet, fairly middle of the road. Nothing intense other than the initial booze buzz, vin du table. 6/10

Palate (20%): That's pretty good for the heat. Mild numbing heat, a big hit in the back of the throat, hard to do a session with but not bad as a slow sipper kissing the tongue. Not for glugging. Certainly suitable for mixing. It is a potent spike but rather monotone. 14/20

Finish (10%): The heat is long. There's a great flavor at the start, but the heat lingers too long on the first sip. 6/10

Overall Impression and Harmony (30%): Not something I'll be waiting for and savoring as a treat. That said, it does serve a function. It's a mixer, and certain notes can hold up in a highball or boulevardier / black Manhattan. I don't imagine any awards coming for it, but it has a home as a mid-tier spirit at the right price. 19/30

Retry on Ice (25%): This does ease the painful heat of the first impression. As ice always does. Oddly, the burning finish lingers longer. Something about polyphenols, I'm sure. It's still an excellent mixer, but it lacks any nuance that I look for in a sipping whiskey or even a highball with soda. 16/25

Total Ranking: 66% Legendary, Amazing, Great, Good, Fair, Average, Tolerable, Swill

Estimated Fair Price: $29

Actual Price: $21

Conclusion: It's still above average for some higher-proof stuff I've had. Definitely worth it for the money. But this is a mixing whiskey. It will not break out of that tier. Get the soda water and the Mountain Dew. It's also good in cocktails, as previously mentioned. It could be better, but it's good enough for bulk batches. It's a budget choice but a good one.

Fact Sheet: Straight rye

Distillery Location: Kentucky

ABV: 50.5%

Age Statement: aged in New Oak