whiskeyfortheages, Author at Whiskey for the Ages

Tincup Whiskey Review

Posted on 18-January-202006-May-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Tincup Whiskey Review:

reviewed 16-January-2020

TINCUP WHISKEY REVIEW:

My daughter and fellow reviewer asked me about Tincup Whiskey sometime ago, but it just wasn’t on my radar. On a recent trip to the liquor store, a patron was asking the manager about it and he asked me if I had tried it. I told him I would post a review soon and bought a bottle. I am happy to report, if a bottle is found in your store, buy, Buy, BUY with confidence! This whiskey is one of the freshest drams I’ve ever enjoyed.

TINCUP WHISKEY VITAL STATS:

– Category: Blended Whiskey using sourced bourbon and single malt whiskey
– Region: Denver, CO, USA
– Distiller/Blender: Jess Graber, Tin Cup Founder
*“High rye” bourbon, distilled and aged in Indiana, is blended with a small amount of Colorado single malt whiskey then cut with Rocky Mountain water
– Mash Bill: unpublished percentages of corn, rye, and malted barley
– Barrel Char: #3
– Barrel entry proof: unpublished
– Age: Minimum 4 years
– ABV: 42% (84 Proof)
– No batch or bottle number identifiers
– Price: $29.95 USD in Idaho

*Learn more at https://tincupwhiskey.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this whiskey here!

NOSE:

Tincup Whiskey has a pleasant aroma. It starts dry, with little to no alcohol, then sends light fruit blossoms and a mixture of new apples and the aroma of fresh picked ripe strawberries still in the pail to the nose. There is an element of fresh but undefined citrus and ripe pineapple rind in the dram as well. The only spices I sense are faint cinnamon and light sweet vanilla which allow wafts of apple pastry or pie drift in and out. Tincup’s sweetness is of simple syrup, buttery caramel, and orange blossom honey. There is no wood (maybe faint pecans) in the full Glencairn, but I really like its fresh, simple and gentle aromas.

PALATE:

When brought to the lips, Tincup Whiskey treats the mouth with a bite, and a little burn before it settles to warm the tongue and the throat between each sip. The potpourri of dried fruit blossoms sensed on the nose are enhanced with a bit of mint and fruits of dried plump Goji berries and canned Mandarin oranges add a fresh element of acidic citrus zest. Its spices of black and white pepper and rye are bold and nearly overshadow the sweetness of simple syrup and buttery caramel. Tincup is simple and yet intense as its toasted wood, barrel spice, and seasoned oak began to assert themselves.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Tincup Whiskey is fresh and clean on the palate. When held in the the mouth, it is smooth and pleasant but when swished and swallowed it it has a gritty tickle. Still, it is well blended and balanced. In the Glencairn the juice provides a nice inverted crown of clinging droplets which fall quickly back into the chestnut sherry colored pool.

FINISH:

Tincup Whiskey has a long and lingering finish. It goes down warm on the tongue and throat and fades away with an essence of roasted corn mixed with citrus zest, pepper, rye and seasoned wood. As Glencairn is emptied, fresh cut old oak wafts to pacify the nose.

MY RATING: 88/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

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Booker’s 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review

Posted on 16-January-202027-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Booker’s 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review

Original review written on January 14, 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

I remember my first dram of this was covered in peanuts, but I cannot find them in this reviewing pour. Nevertheless, a tasty Booker’s offering that doesn’t disappoint. 93/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam Distillery, Master Distiller, Fred Noe
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch
– Age: 6 years, 5 months, 1 day
– Mash Bill: Corn=77%; Rye=13%; Malted Barley=10%
– Casks: New charred oak; undisclosed char
– Barrel Entry Proof: undisclosed; Non-Chill Filtered
– ABV: 62.0% (124 proof)
– Price: $84.95 in Idaho

– From Master Distiller’s Notes: This batch is made from two production dates, stored in three different rickhouses/warehouses (WH) and sourced as follows
43%: 4th floor 9-story WH J
39%: 4th floor 9-story WH E
18%: 6th floor 9-story WH D

Visit bookersbourbon.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

This spirit settles into the tight coziness of a hat shop in humid, summer Kentucky. Southern belles reach with one hand for wide-brimmed sun hats to shelter them from a bright sun. They hold a glass of Shiny Barrel in the other hand, living in the simple moment with their own bright smiles prepared to dazzle and shine.

Photo by Onur Bahçıvancılar on Unsplash

NOSE:

Rich bourbon warmth that screams Booker’s spice is all over the nose, with allspice and dark stone fruits being the overriding flavors, but also there’s a sweetness here. It’s almost like circus peanuts, but I find fresh Belgian waffles too. At 124 proof, one must exercise caution while nosing, but it’s still not as big as you might first assume. At the back of the inhale is where I find evergreen pine and a seasoned worn-out leather. A very complex nose, to be sure.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Very oily, slightly coppery/briny to make the mouth water.
– Balance: Full-bodied and full of complexity. Very fun!
– Visual: Auburn in color; barely distinguishable thin legs that coat the glass.

– Taste: The alcohol continues to remain subdued but the depth and warmth can be found in spades. The allspice remains, but it’s paired now with applesauce and maybe a hint of lemon zest. There’s a savory herb I find here as well that carries some freshness with it – maybe thyme?

The leather is still here, but instead of mingling with pine, I’d say oak of a buttery nature occupies the wood category.

A Kentucky chew coaxes out a bit of chocolate, mixing with a briny peach-like essence. It tastes surprisingly good, but it is accompanied by strong alcohol, as to be expected with chewing on 124 proof.

I will say that each sip makes my mouth water, awaiting the next encounter.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Exceptionally long. The warmth settles absolutely everywhere. At this proof, it may even come back out and bite HARD. It can hurt, yes, but it isn’t stopping me from going back for me.
– Between Sips: Briny-ness and allspice keep me busy between sips, which admittedly, is not a very long time at all.

– No More: A couple of maraschino cherries sneak in the further into the glass I get but overwhelming flavors are still allspice, bourbon warmth and the aforementioned briny peach quality.

The empty Glencairn is nothing but a pleasant and toasty oak, leaving all extremities to tingle with leftover warmth.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Booker’s is a special top-tier bourbon from a distillery, so there is a sense of buying a brand. That being said, I would happily buy this bourbon again for this exact price.

RATING: 93/100

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1792 12 YR Old Bourbon Review

Posted on 09-January-202027-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s 1792 12 YR Review

Original review written on January 7, 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

A very good bourbon at a decent price, 1792 continues to show its worth in the 12 YR variety. If you can find it, secure yourself a bottle. Read on for my full 1792 12 YR review! 89/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Barton 1792 Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Age: 12 Years
– Mash Bill: undisclosed; 1792’s high rye recipe
(possibly Corn=75%; Rye=15%; Malted Barley=10%)
– Casks: New charred oak; Char #3.5
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 48.3% (96.6 proof)
– Price: $39.95 USD in Idaho

*Visit http://1792bourbon.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

On a brisk, freezing morning on the slopes of a snow-covered mountainside, 1792 12 YR will warm you up and bring you into the peaceful equilibrium with nature. The cold washes over you and brings into question your definition of clean and pure, but the whiskey keeps your senses fresh and perfectly crisp.

Photo by Luca Lago on Unsplash

NOSE:

I’d say the overarching theme is a combination of plant material and general sweetness. I find fresh herbs like mint and maybe basil, but there is also caramelized sugar and maple syrup. There’s a dark vanilla custard here as well that mixes with rye. Very little alcohol burn and very little fruit; if I squint, maybe I get chocolate covered orange, but that’s a big “if” and a major squint.

Not much in the way of oak, but the mind lends itself to a eucalyptus sensation, which isn’t unpleasant.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Rough and a little gritty – my favorite qualities
– Balance: Lots of spice, but none are overwhelming the other flavors.
– Visual: Mahogany in color, there are long legs that cling to the glass, but there is no crown.

– Taste: The rye fools you into thinking this a higher proof, but as it blends into a Fuji apple, it mellows. Subsequently, sips bring out white pepper and crystallized ginger. While there are strong flavors, somehow grass seeps out too. And the herbs don’t stop there, with fennel and anise seed making the bourbon fresh and cleansing.

There’s a hint of brown sugar, and it mixes with the aforementioned apple, but more so with apricots or perhaps peaches. Given the rough texture of the mouth feel, I’d be inclined to say peach.

Barrel char with a leather-like bite is there too – without even needing a Kentucky chew. But when I do go for that Kentucky chew, I get heavy rye, leather, and a single-candy corn. Very interesting and quite a full-bodied bourbon.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Very long. The warmth just lingers everywhere the whiskey touches, leaving me with quite a happy feeling.
– Between Sips: It is mostly grassy, along with a strong traditional bourbon warmth. I can’t find much else.

– No More: The flavors stay pleasantly constant throughout the glass which I do appreciate in a whiskey.

The empty Glencairn is a rich oak with the rye lasting all the way to the very end.

WORTH THE PRICE?

At around $40, you cannot go wrong. I loved this and would buy it again.

RATING: 89/100

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Click 1792 Barton to see other whiskies from this distillery.

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