Woodford Reserve Five-Malt Stouted Mash - Review

Stats

Woodford Reserve

Five-Malted Stouted Mash

Master's Collection - Limited Edition Series #17

Kentucky Malt Whiskey

NAS

Distilled by Woodford Reserve - Versailles, Kentucky

90.4 Proof

Mash Bill: Five-Malt / Undisclosed

Retail Price: $130

Poured Neat in a Glencairn

Color: Gold / Rust

Nose: Green Tea, Buttermilk, Citrus, Banana Bread

Palate: Chocolate Orange, Green Tea, Slight Char and a Creamy Spice

Finish: A light Linger with very little Warmth. Plenty of Green Tea and Banana Bread carried over.

Overall: If you're looking for typical bourbon flavors with this Limited Release, you won't find them here. A truly unique and tasty Malted Whiskey that introduces many flavors I simply wasn't ready for. In a good way. A Chocolate Orange pushes way to Green Tea Ice Cream...sounds insane, but thats my palate. There is almost zero taste of alcohol with this pour which makes it scary how easy it is to sip. Woodford has been releasing some fun expressions with the Master's Collection line and I look forward to what's to come.

Library Rating: 8.5 / 10

Rabbit Hole Cavehill - Review

Stats

Rabbit Hole Cavehill

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

4-Grain Small Batch

NAS - Aged 3+ Years

Distilled by Rabbit Hole - Louisville, Kentucky

95 Proof

Mash Bill: 70% Corn, 10% Malted Wheat, 10% Malted Barley, 10% Honey Malted Barley

Retail Price: $60

Poured Neat in a Glencairn

Color: Gold

Nose: Honeysuckle, Light Fruits and Cinnamon

Palate: Sweet Cream, Honey Nut Cheerios (Honey, Cashews & Cereal) and Vanilla

Finish: A Warm Sweet & Spicy Linger. Medium coating with plenty of honey influence

Overall: A cool bottle that catches your eye right away. When you hear 4-Grain, most of the time you think there will be some Rye in the mash. Not in the case of Cavehill. Malted Wheat and Honey Malted Barley play a huge role in bringing forth some delicious flavor combinations. I'd be lying if I didn't tell you this pour takes me back to sitting in front of the television watching cartoons on a Saturday morning and powering down a couple bowls of Honey Nut Cheerios. The memory immediately brings a smile to my face and now it's all I can think of with each sip. Nothing negative to speak of this pour, but simply an idea of boosting the Proof another 10-15 points has me wondering what that might do to the overall dynamics and flavors here. I'm not Proof-driven by any means, but I can't help but wonder "what if?" Either way, a well recommended pour at 95 Proof and a big heart-felt thank you to the kind folks at Rabbit Hole for the opportunity to enjoy this 4-Grain. I'll certainly pair this with a few cigars in the coming days.

Library Rating: 8.0 / 10

George Dickel & Leopold Bros Collaboration Blend - Review

Stats

George Dickel Column Still

Leopold Bros Three Chamber

A Blend of Straight Rye Whiskies

Inaugural Release

NAS - Aged 4+ Years

Distilled by Cascade Hollow - Tullahoma, TN

Distilled by Leopold Bros - Denver, CO

100 Proof

Mash Bill: Undisclosed / Blended

Retail Price: $110

Poured Neat in a Glencairn

Color: Amber

Nose: Floral, Chocolate and Dark Fruits

Palate: Ripe Plum, Dark Cherry and Dark Chocolate

Finish: Easy Cinnamon Spice with a Warm Medium Linger

Overall: First off, open your mind. Being a fan of both Dickel and Leopold Bros may create a small bias, but I decided to put aside everything I wanted to think about this collaboration and just dive right in! Bring the glass to your nose and take a nice whiff. A light floral scent mixed with very inviting aromas of chocolate and dark fruits really set the tone of whats to come with this Rye blend. With the nose setting the tone, the palate sets the mood. At 100 Proof, the perfect amount of warmth is there with the taste of dark fruits and more chocolate. This all may sound sweet, but in actuality, its quite balanced. Not super complex by any means, but well balanced.The finish leaves you smacking you gums and searching for more flavors that seem to dance around the back end of the palate. If this is the inaugural release, I'm very excited to try whats to come in the future.

Library Rating: 8.1 / 10