whiskeyfortheages, Author at Whiskey for the Ages

Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Review

Posted on 22-November-201929-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Review

Original Review written on September 8, 2019

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

More of a premium bourbon than the general Maker’s Mark, this one does not disappoint for the dark fruit lover, like myself. A regular in the household for its warmth and reliability to bring a smile to my face. Read my full Maker’s Maker Cask Strength Review here! 92/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Loretto, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Maker’s Mark Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Cask Strength
– Age: 5-7 yrs.
– Mash Bill: Corn=75%; Soft red winter wheat=16%; Malted barley=14%
– Barrel Entry Proof: 110
– ABV: 55.25% (110 proof)*
– Price: $59.95 USD in Idaho
*Varies by bottle

Visit makersmark.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 bourbon is here to make a statement. Not around to pull punches, this bourbon is the one to sip with the big boy bourbons who THINK they know their stuff. Though not as glamorous as my other settings for bourbons, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength could easily fit in, in a board room fully of supposed sophisticated men and is there to show who’s REALLY the boss.

Photo by Benjamin Child on Unsplash

NOSE:

Fresh, dark fruit – particularly cherries mixed with a biting caramel and fresh-from-the-mill oak. Can definitely smell the alcohol. Even though there’s darkness in these flavors, there is still a lifting brightness surprisingly that’s definitely pleasant.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: A rich and full body that has some bite.
– Balance: The rich mouth feel lends to a beautifully complex and blended balance.
– Visual: Mahogany colored with minimal legs but has some clinging, fat droplets in an upside-down crown formation.

– Taste: The dark fruit sticks around from the nose and is couple with a pinch of allspice to keep things interesting. These bolder flavors eventually give way to a stone fruit dusted with brown sugar that simply leaves one primed for the next sip.

With a Kentucky chew, there arises a bitterness that perches at the tip of the tongue that is reminiscent of leather, walnuts, and a subtle almond. With all of these flavors, there remains an undercurrent of caramel that is one second away from being burned. But man, what a great springboard for the other flavors…

I absolutely love the depth of it all. That being said, I do wish that there was a touch more oakiness to the taste.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Finishes as full and as long as it started, but there is a bitterness there waiting.

– No More: Left with a warm and full sensation with vanilla suddenly a key player begging to be hear.

Empty Glencairn smells like spicy oak. Definitely leaves you with an “I came. I saw. I conquered” kind of impression.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Yes

RATING: 92/100

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Click 92/100 to access other whiskeys with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark.

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Jefferson Reserve Bourbon Review

Posted on 22-November-201909-May-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Jefferson Reserve Bourbon Review

Original review was written on November 21, 2019

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Not sure if the bottle purchased is an accurate representation of what this bourbon can/could be, but if our bottle’s offering was standard in taste, I’m not impressed. 58/100

VITALS:

– Made in: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Kentucky Artisan Distillery (KAD). Castle Brands has a 20% stake in KAD
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: undisclosed; believed to be high rye
– Casks: undisclosed char
– Barrel Entry Proof: undisclosed
– Batch #360; Bottle #05070
– ABV: 45.1% (90.2 proof)
– Price: $46.95 USD in Idaho

Visit jeffersonsbourbon.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

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

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

For this, I imagine standing on a small plot of land where tall herbs tickle the hips and palms of outstretched hands. The wind creates a playful rustle in the herb stalks, bathing you in the bright, floral scents of your small garden.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

NOSE:

Smells very oaky and caramelly on the first draw. Brown sugar and other syrups join in, even when my nose is far from the dram. On deeper breaths, I get the ethanol bite of alcohol. Overall, this smells like something one with a love of candied bourbons would enjoy, but this is far too sweet for me. Not to mention that there also seem to be undertones of a medicinal herb-quality that I catch traces of every now and again. Not looking for a doctor’s visit here, but okay.

Nevertheless, the nose is favorite aspect of this bourbon.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Tingly and a bit sharp
– Balance: Unbalanced – I feel as though there is a battle of sour and bitter here…
– Visual: No crown, but long legs; tawny color

– Taste: The herbs from the nose are carried in unfortunately in an even more dominant way than before. The herb in question I would say, is lavender, and it has uplifting qualities just at the end of the sip. This kick almost seems to give the bourbon a… bubbly feel? Like it’s carbonated? Not a fan.

The aftertaste of the lavender sticks around between sips also, which I’m not thrilled about.

Taking larger sips to coax out other flavors (like the sickly sweet sugar I’m suddenly craving) only brings more of the same lavender to the palate, maybe with a sprinkle of lemon zest.

With a Kentucky chew, the alcohol finally appears in all its burning glory, only to be overtaken by the bright and happy lavender and lemon, like it’s meant to cheer you up.

I guess I like my bourbons a bit dark, sarcastic and sinister.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. I can feel the warmth in my throat. And the aftertaste, I’m pretty sure, is tattooed into my tongue.

– No More: As I keep sipping, taking the same volume of sips each time, the alcohol kick is unpredictable and wild, causing me to uncharacteristically cough a couple of times. At only 90 proof, this should not be happening.

Towards the bottom of the glass, the flavors begin to mellow out, but the lavender and lemon are still the overriding flavors.

Hard to tell what the empty Glencairn smells like. I guess a soft wood? Eventually, it becomes a bit more intense, but a sudden resurgence of caramel from the original nose turns the glass a bit sickly once again.

WORTH THE PRICE?

RATING: 58/100

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Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C917 Review

Posted on 21-November-201928-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C917 Review:

written on 22-December-2018

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C917 REVIEW:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C917 (ECBP C917) stands well on its own. I found its aroma to be fresh with citrusy undertones, spicy with no sweetness on the palate, and woody with a fair amount of heat on the finish.

**ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C917* VITAL STATS:**

– Region: Bardstown, KY, USA
– Producer: Heaven Hill Distilleries
– Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
– Casks: New American Oak
– Barrel Char Level: #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 65.5% (131 Proof)
– Age: nas
– Price: $59.95 USD in Idaho
– Availability: Limited Tri-annual Release

*NOTE: Heaven Hill releases Elijah Craig Barrel Proof three times a year and they are all are unique in their own way. While the proof may vary, all are distinctly Elijah Craig. To help buyers know what they are getting, each bottling, is assigned an alpha-numeric identifier. An “A”, “B” or “C” identifies the release. A “1”, “5” or “9” signifies the month of the release and the last two digits designate the release year. Therefore, “C917” was the third bottling of 2017 and released in September.

Learn more at https://heavenhill.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 bourbon here!

NOSE:

The traditional bourbon nose on ECBP C917 is accompanied by a great deal of earthiness, orange flavoured citrus, caramel apple, sweet rich vanilla, and oak undertones.

PALATE:

There is a noticeable amount of alcohol on the front with a strong dose of spice and oak in the mouth. Subsequent sips bring on dark figs blending with light floral notes and while not sweet, are accompanied by the baking spices of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon.

Balance, Body, Feel, and Look:
Burnt amber in colour, ECBP C917 creates light legs in a Glencairn. Its flavors blend well, however I detected an unusual and unexpected aftertaste. The mouth feel is light and watery with little viscosity; quite possibly due to the high alcohol content.

FINISH:

While ECBP C917’s finish is exceptionally short and its flavors dissipate relatively fast, its bourbon warmth and strong oak lingers on and on.

COMPARISON NOTES:

I enjoyed ECBP C917 during a direct comparison with ECBP A118 and ECBP B518. While a good bourbon, I rated it third, below the other two.

MY RATING: 88/100

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

Click 88/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Elijah Craig.

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