Tasting Notes

Parker’s Heritage 2012

Parker’s Heritage Collection 2012: Master Distiller’s Blend of Mashbills 132 proof; 11 years old Background: Every year for the past five years, Heaven Hill has released a special limited edition whiskey that pays tribute to master distiller Parker Beam. This…

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Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, 2012

One of the many things to celebrate about Bourbon Heritage Month is that September is when many distillers target the release of their new products. Last week I received samples from Buffalo Trace’s 2012 Antique Collection, a limited release of five whiskeys that will appear on…

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Black Maple Hill

Black Maple Hill Bourbon 95 proof; no age listed Aroma: Very sweet. Corn, vanilla, caramel, green apple, light cinnamon, maybe a hint of maple syrup. Taste: Whoa! Much spicier on the palate than the nose would indicate. Coats the edges…

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Four Roses 2012 Small Batch

Four Roses 2012 Limited Edition Small Batch Mingling of four recipes, aged 11 to 17 years Barrel strength; this sample, 115 proof Aroma: Vanilla, nutmeg, a creamy caramel Taste: Very tingly on the front, with hot white pepper; settles right…

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Town Branch Bourbon

Town Branch Bourbon 80 proof As I wrote back in October, Town Branch is the first bourbon produced by craft distiller Alltech Brewing and Distilling Co. of Lexington, Ky. The distillery is the passionate hobby of Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder…

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E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof

Col. E.H. Taylor Jr. Barrel Proof 7 years old; 134.5 proof This is the fourth release in the Col. E.H. Taylor Jr. Bourbon Collection, named for the founder of what is today Buffalo Trace Distillery. The uncut, unfiltered rye-recipe small…

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Evan Williams Cherry Reserve

Yesterday’s pop quiz question about adding flavor to bourbon reminded me that I hadn’t yet opened my sample size of Evan Williams Cherry Reserve, the latest entry in the growing category of flavored bourbons. I have to say, I was a little offended at first…

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Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 90.4 proof (same as Woodford Reserve) The first addition to Woodford Reserve’s permanent product line is created by aging the bourbon in two custom-made barrels – the second barrel toasted twice as long as the first…

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Tornado Surviving Bourbon

E.H. Taylor Warehouse C Tornado Surviving Bourbon Bottled in bond at 100 proof by Buffalo Trace Distillery This limited-edition bourbon was created from 93 barrels spared by a 2006 storm that swept through Buffalo Trace Distillery, damaging historic Warehouse C….

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Rock Hill Farms

To celebrate Repeal Day, I enjoyed a glass of Buffalo Trace’s Rock Hill Farms Single Cask Bourbon. Michael Jackson (the dead beer/whisky critic, not the dead singer/dancer) once recommended trying Rock Hill with a double chocolate-chip cookie or rocky road…

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