Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon

TASTING NOTES

After leading with cedar, the nose shifts decidedly to dessert with dried strawberries and raspberry jam. A little dark chocolate and oak join the party along with crushed cloves and allspice berries. On the palate, this presents more powerfully than its 126.7 proof suggests. It’s dark, deep and complex leading with charred oak, cooked red fruits, baking spice, cigar leaf and bitter chocolate.

Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon

TASTING NOTES

The nose leads with a rush of floral and candied aromas followed by white pepper, rye spice and a little clover honey. Toasted oak leads on the palate before spice notes become more honeyed. Toasted marshmallow and campfire hint that chocolate might arrive, but not in abundance. Darker notes like raisins and prunes interwoven with ground cinnamon makes this more pie-like and old fashioned cocktail ready.

Green River Single Barrel Bourbon

TASTING NOTES

An array of fruit on the nose presents as Juicy Fruit Gum and fruit pastry. Quickly, aromas shift to white pepper, rye grain and oak. Fruit and spice transition to the palate alongside vivid baking spice, peppermint, honey and toasted oak. This whiskey punches well above its 123 proof, which means slow sipping is recommended and decadent cocktails are encouraged.

Chicken Cock Single Barrel Bourbon

TASTING NOTES

Thanks to its powerful proof, the nose is big and bossy before softening some toward honey, yellow apple and golden raisins before darkening to cured tobacco and campfire. The palate is rich and slightly viscous, and flavored with dried figs, chocolate-covered cherries and cigar leaf. Drink this neat (sip slowly!), over ice or in a decadent old fashioned or boulevardier cocktail.

Barton Full Proof Bourbon

TASTING NOTES

On the nose caramel and cooked corn lead, followed by light floral aromas, clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. On the palate comes cooked sweet corn, honey, golden apple, dried peach and cooked cherry.

Barton Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

TASTING NOTES

Corn casserole leads on the nose followed by nougat, creme caramel and sawn cedar. On the palate are banana, golden apple and raisin followed by Coca-Cola cake.

Barton Single Barrel Bourbon

TASTING NOTES

The nose delivers an unusual combination of spring flowers, milk chocolate, vanilla frosting, leather and charred oak. The palate is chock full of baking spices, fresh peaches and plums and flamed citrus.

Wenzel Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey

TASTING NOTES

Not surprisingly, this “95/5” MGP whiskey starts with mint before moving to cotton candy, caramel and winter green candies. The palate does surprise with a rich blend of golden apple, honey and toasted oak, which shifts to creme brulee, orange marmalade and confectioners sugar. This drinks a little softer than its 111.3 proof, but make no mistake, it’s a great, robust rye.

Steelhouse Blueprint Single Barrel

TASTING NOTES

This is the only distillery pick we’ve done with ample air flowing in from outside, and on this spring day, floral notes are abundant. But it is 100% rye grain, after all, so no surprise there. It’s also loaded with baking spice, warm bread crust and baked pastries. On the palate is golden apple, honeysuckle, toasted oak, cooked grain and demerara syrup. Despite the simple aroma and tasting notes, this is brightly flavored, full-bodied whiskey that drinks way below its 133 proof. Our tasting team was surprised when we learned its ABV was that high. This is a terrific middle-aged sipping whiskey.

Barely Legal Bourbon, Oloroso Sherry Cask Finished

TASTING NOTES

We tasted three rounds of whiskey: four in the first round, three in the second, and two in the third. Since we taste everything blind, the fifth whiskey, i.e. the letter “E,” was a popular choice. Some jokingly called it, “Easily my favorite,” and not surprisingly, it withstood three other challenges. The nose is highly floral with confectioners sugar and cotton candy, a little baking spice, orange cream, tobacco, dried fig and cinnamon toast. On the palate came honey syrup, a wisp of smoke, bitter chocolate, orange marmalade and toasted marshmallow.

 Single Barrel Bourbon

TASTING NOTES

The bourbon, sourced from Barton 1792 Distillery, begins with toffee, cold creamed coffee, bright candied cherry and chocolate graham cracker, then leans into fresh peach and spring flowers. The palate is deep, dark and loaded with cooked stone fruit, toffee, dark caramel, a bit of leather and charred oak.

For Bourbon Nerds: Among the tasting table snacks were Dark Hershey’s Kisses, which when combined with this whiskey, created a nigh-magical chocolate-covered cherry note. Despite the haz-mat proof, it doesn’t drink anywhere near as hot as its 142 proof implies.

KBF Revere Cask Strength Single Barrel Bourbon

TASTING NOTES

The nose starts with a lovely blend of spice and floral notes bolstered by white pepper and lemon peel. Tobacco and vanilla taffy join the party before giving way to cherry Fruit Rollups. Vanilla taffy carries through to the palate along with orange cream candy and light caramel. The finish is long, herbal, fruity, warm and slightly dry.

For Bourbon Nerds: This bourbon’s barrel entry proof was 97.5 proof. Distiller Cody Turner expects the proof to increase only slightly prior to bottling.

Silk Velvet Cask Strength Single Barrel Bourbon

TASTING NOTES

The nose starts with a combination of black cherry, dried figs and dates that moves to cacao nibs and charred oak. Baking spice notes are ample, as is flamed citrus. As one might assume given its proof, it takes charge of the palate with cooked cherry and blackberry, dried fig and bitter chocolate. Toasted almond, cinnamon and flamed orange peel align nicely with the high, but neat-sip-worthy proof.

For Bourbon Nerds: Though made and aged in Kentucky at Green River Distilling Co., Jacob Call, who was master distiller there and is now master distiller and co-owner of Western Kentucky Distillery, sent this barrel and several others to age in Dallas for 3 years. As expected, Texas’s hot climate raised proof and intensified the whiskey’s darker notes.