whiskeyfortheages, Author at Whiskey for the Ages

Larceny Barrel Proof Batch C921 Review

Posted on 03-April-202228-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Larceny Barrel Proof Batch C921 Review

Original review written March 29, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Possibly the best of the best when it comes to Larceny Barrel Proofs, Batch C921 has the balance other bourbons can only dream of, with every flavor profile represented well. I’m already looking to secure myself another bottle… somehow. 96/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
– Classification: Wheated Bourbon
– Age: nas (Heaven Hill website indicates batches contain six- to eight-year-old bourbon
– Mash Bill: Corn=68%; Wheat=20%; Malted Barley=12%
– Casks: Char #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 61.3% (122.6 proof)
– Price: $59.95 USD in Idaho 2022

For more information, visit heavenhill.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the spirit 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 rich with dark fruit, and really well balanced, and I still manage to find myself craving a salty snack. I’d love to turn to an artisan pretzel, sprinkled with sea salt and let all of the flavors of this bourbon sink into the breadiness of the pretzel. I can imagine them going together and enhancing each other’s qualities to make for a delicious after-dinner treat.

Photo by Mark Zanzig on Unsplash

NOSE:

Dark fruit, vanilla, and barrel char are immediately prevalent, along with a bread component. It’s almost like a boiled bread, like an artisan pretzel. Combined with the initial dark fruit (currants, dates, cherries, prunes, berry jam) and vanilla, it makes for an overall sweet bread. There’s even a confectioner’s sugar essence that makes the salivary glands go into hyperdrive, along with ginger to amp them up even more. It’s the kind of nose that tricks the brain into thinking this bourbon really is a baked good, and you are absolutely ready for that first bite.

The wheat of the mash still makes the nose exceedingly gentle and soft, taking away any aggressive alcohol burn that could be here. Nevertheless, deep inhales do coax out some heat and evoke more of the barrel char into the mix. It’s a great nose with a lot of balance – managing not to be overwhelmingly sweet – and it definitely has me ready to take a sip.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Syrupy. It’s glossy, rich, and oily. It matches the simple syrup flavor I detect below and makes the pour that much more uniform.
– Balance: Extremely well-balanced. Nothing sticks out awkwardly, and everything seems to be rooted together in the space of darker flavors.
– Visual: Terracotta in color, this falls in sheets down the glass. It drops heavy and in thick legs, leaving a clear, almost perfectly circular ring behind, in the glass.

– Taste: I can hold it on my palate for much longer than I would have anticipated, given the proof. Despite the lack of intense alcohol burn, fruits abound with more of all the same dark ones that I detected in the nose. Next to them all now, are an increase in spices, from allspice, to cinnamon, to nutmeg. There’s also more earthy richness found on the palate as well, with the oak being more prominent and a hint of leather.

The confectioner’s sugar is still present as well, melted down to make a rich syrup that hasn’t quite turned golden – but still so sweet. Somehow, it manages to not overtake the other flavors either, standing on its own while letting the other flavors shine. The bourbon is sweet enough that I want a salty snack to go with it. However, I think that could be because I’m simply shocked with the goodness of this, and I don’t know what to do with myself. The vanilla is richer too, adding to this baked element concoction I’m developing in my head.

Alcohol still isn’t too aggressive on this sip, surprisingly. It’s warming, but it’s not painful. A Kentucky chew does heighten the burn, but it also brings out a savory, perhaps briny component. It tastes fine, but I wouldn’t say it’s necessary to chew this bourbon, no matter how much the flavors tempt you.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Long. The warmth certainly lingers, and there are even flavors that stick around as well after the sip is gone.
– Between Sips: Cinnamon, simple syrup, figs, other assorted dark fruit… the flavors of the palate simply do not leave! It’s not often you find such complexity in the pauses between sips, and I’m very pleased.

– No More: The warmth continues to grow the longer I sit with this bourbon. I’m just impressed with it. The flavors remain consistent, no matter what aspect of the bourbon I’m enjoying, and I don’t think I’ve gotten to say that about a pour before. Great offering and only climbs higher and higher in my respect as I near the bottom of the glass.

The empty Glencairn is a spicy sawdust, like a white pepper spice. It’s warm all the same, and a fine way to finish off this solid pour.

WORTH THE PRICE?

This may be the best Larceny Barrel Proof I have had to date, and I have thoroughly enjoyed all of their offerings immensely. This one has a balance found only in dreams. Warmth and proof that don’t burn intensely, and every flavor profile you’re looking for. This one is most certainly worth the price, and I hope you all get to try it. It’s truly delicious.

LARCENY BARREL PROOF BATCH C921 REVIEW RATING: 96/100

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Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Straight Bourbon

Posted on 28-March-202206-May-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Straight Bourbon:

reviewed 22-March-2022

SMOKE WAGON UNCUT UNFILTERED BOURBON:

From its balanced, lightly spiced nose to its nearly sweet flavors, this batch of Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Straight Bourbon (Smoke Wagon UU) is consistent whiskey. But for those of us who like dark, earthy, high proof bourbons with a woody backbone, this is one to add and keep in the bunker. I look forward to enjoying this outside when sitting by myself on a warm summer evening, and when staring at campfire embers while reflecting on the day’s events. I need another bottle.

SMOKE WAGON UNCUT UNFILTERED VITAL STATS:

Category: Straight Bourbon
Company: Nevada H&C Distilling Co. Las Vegas, NV
Distillery: DSP-IN-15016, MGPI Lawrenceburg, IN
Mash Bill: 60% Corn,36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
Barrel Char: unpublished
Barrel entry proof: unpublished
Age: nas
Release Date: Ongoing
ABV: 57.84% (115.78 Proof)
Price: $60.00 (MSRP 2021)
Bottling Date: 27-June-2021
Batch 74

^{Not All Barrels are Created Equal. Only the Best, Most Flavorful Barrels Earn the Right to Show Off Their Full Potential. This Bourbon, In Its Truest Form, Uncut and Unfiltered, Wild and Untamed, [is] Not for the Faint of Heart.
_{— Smoke Wagon Barrel Strength Bourbon bottle label}}

Learn more at Smoke Wagon Bourbon.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

Alternate pours, equaling about four ounces, were added into two Glencairns. Hannah and I enjoyed the bourbon neat for this review.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

SMOKE WAGON UNCUT UNFILTERED NOSE:

The first waft of Smoke Wagon UU is quite mild. However as my nosing becomes more deliberate, a little nip of alcohol tingles as barrel tannins and herbal notes of hay fade in and out. There is little if any fruit here, yet my nose “feels” the sensation one might get when smelling an empty snack box of Sunmaid raisins. As I work my way around our Whiskey Traits and Flavor Wheel, I sense faint cloves, nutmeg, and rye along with traces of bittersweet chocolate, rich vanilla and some burnt woody caramel. Along with these dark notes, there are hazelnuts as well as aromas of heavy old oak, hazy barrel char and even a small handful of damp soil.

SMOKE WAGON UNCUT UNFILTERED PALATE:

As I sip Smoke Wagon UU, I get a bit of alcohol tingle, which one would expect from a 115 proof whiskey. I taste barrel tannins and the herbal sensation of drying mowed grass. As with the nose, fruit flavors are scant but I do taste a touch of bitter citrus and the juice one might expect when chewing on a piece of old fruit leather. The spices are dark as well; cloves, nutmeg, pepper, and rye mixed in bittersweet chocolate. Sweet flavors of rich vanilla, woody caramel, and dark honey do come through but they are quite faint. But the woodiness shines in this whiskey. I taste bitter hazelnuts, heavy old oak, hazy barrel char and the earthiness of rich black dirt.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Smoke Wagon UU is quite balanced in its flora, spice and sweetness, but its dark woodiness dominates. The liquid is viscous, oily and easy to hold but it does have a mild and manageable tickle. As the Glencairn is lowered after each sip, a thick veil breaks into long clinging legs transporting the dregs back to the tawny colored pool, leaving behind big droplets and a nice even crown.

SMOKE WAGON UNCUT UNFILTERED FINISH:

Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Straight Bourbon gives a long, wood forward throat warming finish, rich with barrel tannins, heavy old oak, and hazy barrel char. The back of the palate and throat are treated to the same herbal notes and black pepper and rye detected on the nose. In addition I sense some faint bittersweet chocolate, rich vanilla, and dark honey which serve to soothe the throat. And when the last dram is downed, the woody haze of fresh cut plywood can be drawn from the empty glass.

MY RATING: 89/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 89/100 to access other whiskies with this score.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Review

Posted on 28-March-202209-May-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Review

Original review written March 22, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Unique with bitterness, oak, and a good balance, it’s worth being in a collection or two. I’ll look forward to my second pour; that’s for sure. 92/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Nevada, USA
– Distillery: Nevada H&C Distilling Co.; MGP
– Classification: Straight Bourbon
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: Corn=60%; Rye=36%; Malted Barley=4%
– Casks: unpublished char
– ABV: 57.84% (115.78 proof)
– Price: $60.00 USD in Idaho (2021)

Visit nevadadistilling.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

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

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

I can see enjoying Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered in an old library, surrounded by equally old books. Whether it’s novels, or textbooks, or perhaps even maps, this bourbon would definitely keep you company. Its texture is like the pages, and the age of whiskey and document will only enhance one another to take you to another time entirely. Imagine classy sophistication meets rustic earth in just the best way possible.

Photo by Giammarco on Unsplash

NOSE:

This smells both spicy and herbal, with spice being the most forward. Black pepper, allspice, and rye mix with a savory herb like rosemary, to create a nose that it simultaneously fresh and rich. I find earth in these aromas as well, like hay, and a dirt that is drying out after having been rained on. There isn’t much for sweetness, aside from a stray bit of apple and maybe some bitter dark chocolate. Overall, it’s musty, and even a little leathery, but certainly still textured and interesting. There is next to no alcohol burn, which I find surprising, given its proof.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Textured. It grips at the palate and feels a little like sandpaper, which I actually find appealing.
– Balance: Solid. It’s not complex, but it’s balanced throughout, and every flavor pairs well with the others.
– Visual: A brown tawny color, this leaves behind almost a perfect inverted crown, both with clinging droplets and fasting falling legs.

– Taste: The initial impression is that this bourbon is bitter, like anise. It cloys a bit at the back of the throat and is hollow, meaning it hits, and then dissipates rapidly. It leaves a minor cloud of clean freshness behind, like citrus zest. There’s an age to this bourbon, with rotted oak and yellowed book pages. I think both of these things contribute to the bitterness as well. With them are definite nuts, like shavings of walnuts, ready to be added as a garnish.

The alcohol is quite mild and doesn’t bite at all. Nevertheless, it does warm the back of the throat considerably. This component makes the overall sip rich, deep, and much more complex than one would think. A Kentucky chew coaxes out more wood and a stray bit of dark fruit – maybe cherry, but it is fleeting. The alcohol remains unaggressive, and in this case – very enjoyable.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Long. The heat just lingers and lingers at the back of the palate and in the throat. Just lovely.
– Between Sips: Grain and wood sit between sips – simple, but not at all bad.

– No More: This certainly grows on the me the longer I sit with it. At first, the bitterness was off-putting, but now it’s mellowed, and the age is the real hero of the bourbon. I’m finding I like it a great deal more now than I did originally.

The empty Glencairn is void of the typical wood you’d find at the bottom of a glass. Instead, there’s smoke and a hint of vanilla sweetness. Again – a completely new thing to find in a bourbon, and I find myself only more and more intrigued/impressed with the originality of this pour.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Simply put, yes. I don’t think I’d want to pay $70 for it, but at $60, it’s manageable and a unique addition to the bunker.

SMOKE WAGON UNCUT UNFILTERED REVIEW RATING: 92/100

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