Author: Xenoraiser
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Caol Ila 12-Year Scoresheet & Review
It’s almost impossible to discuss Caol Ila without mentioning Johnnie Walker. Malts.com, the page for Diageo’s multiple scotch brands, literally calls it “the Islay home of Johnnie Walker.” That alone should clue curious minds into just how big this Islay distillery is, but if you want numbers, the distillery is…
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Benchmark Small Batch Scoresheet & Review
I imagine many people look at Benchmark as little more than a meme. Perhaps not to the same degree as Mellow Corn, but it still makes a solid case. Black label? Check. Use of the word “old” and a number (8) on the bottle? Check. Lowly age statement (3 years)…
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Castle & Key Restoration Rye 2021 Batch 1 Scoresheet & Review
American whiskey has no shortage of great stories. It’s to the point that any brand worth their salt has a tale to tell that could essentially be told by a campfire to instill a sense of wonder and appreciation for history. Although one could easily take their pick from the…
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Milam & Greene Single Barrel r/bourbon Pick Scoresheet & Review
Milam & Greene doesn’t necessarily spring to mind when I think of barrel picks. Given the staff’s background, blending and batching would seem more up their alley. Yet as anyone who’s done a blind tasting can attest, whiskey and surprises (good or bad) can often go hand-in-hand. Case in point:…
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Talisker 10-Year Scoresheet & Review
Whisky is very much a product of its environment. Wherever the aging spirit physically resides will impact how the final product comes out, from the surrounding climate to the casks chosen for maturation. One of the more interesting ways whisky can take on a unique personality is through coastal influences.…
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Blackened Scoresheet & Review
Metallica and Dave Pickerell. These two names hardly require an introduction when discussing their respective fields. Metallica are essentially the biggest metal band still producing material (albeit infrequently); the late Pickerell was a guiding force for a multitude of distilleries, including Maker’s Mark and Whistlepig. So what happened when these…
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Michter’s Single Barrel Rye Scoresheet & Review
Do you ever accidentally do something backwards? That’s how I felt coming into this review. The last time I looked at an expression by Michter’s was with their Barrel Strength Rye. Without giving too much away, I’ll just say that it’s a personal favorite. And yet, like most of the…
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Chattanooga 1816 Reserve Scoresheet & Review
Some things simply slip through the cracks. When preparing one of my upcoming reviews, I realized that I hadn’t talked about a certain bottle that I bought on a whim during my vacation last year. That bottle is 1816 Reserve from Chattanooga Whiskey. Although the folks at Chattanooga Whiskey were…
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Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered (Batch 45) Scoresheet & Review
The spirits industry (bourbon in particular) has been seeing a lot of firsts recently. For example, it was only a decade ago that a Las Vegas distillery was first established. Enter Nevada H&C Distilling Company, founded by Aaron Chepenik and Jonathan Hensleigh. Their backstory comes from trying a host of…
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Buffalo Trace Scoresheet & Review
These days it’s nearly impossible to discuss bourbon at large without mentioning Buffalo Trace. If not the brand name itself, then certainly any of their multiple bottlings. The Frankfort distillery’s more coveted expressions (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Van Winkle) might be what some enthusiasts go nuts for, but even their…
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Willett Family Estate Rye Scoresheet & Review
Willett has always been a tricky distillery for me to pin down. A host of people hold the brand in particularly high regards, largely thanks to their purple-top (Family Estate Bottled) bourbon. These coveted bottles can occasionally push the 30-year mark, but tend to land between 4 and 12 years…
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Heaven’s Door Decade Series 10-Year Scoresheet & Review
Of all the celebrity-sponsored whiskey brands out there, Heaven’s Door might be one of the more respected. Initial responses to the core lineup may have amounted to a resounding shrug, but the brand has gone on to offer a slew of other releases, including barrel picks and at least one…
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