Sazerac Rye 18 Year (Fall 2020)

First BTAC I was able to try this year, which is quite strange considering how rare this particular release is. Unfortunately, the bar did not have a glencairn, so I had to drink it out of a rocks glass. In spite of this, I thought the aroma was excellent. Along with the classic notes of brown sugar and caramel, this one had some deep orange peel, leather, and eucalyptus notes. The mouthfeel of this one was excellent for the proof point. Everything from the nose came through well on the palate, with an added mint characteristic on the back end. The finish was a bit short for my liking, but that is to be expected for whiskeys at 90 proof. I would highly recommend a pour of this.

Nose: Pine needles and berries with a big traditional rye note with just a touch of vanilla and a touch of tobacco. Palate: still very pine and berries but pick up some more vanilla and some black tea. Finish: Finish is the most subdued feature with a berry and vanilla go back and forth. This has an unbelievably thick for 90 proof. This has one of the thickest mouthfeels I’m came across. Super complex with some unique flavors.

Molasses, coconut and almond on the nose. Slowly opens up and bursts into a long finish. Big molasses hit. Stronger oak/cask effects. than previous Saz18 releases.

Pur wine house Herbal nose, not too sweet but the pallette the herbal notes carry over with some dill and cinnamon, the finish lingers. Maple syrup. Excellent!

Maple syrup aged in vanilla extract barrels. Light whiffs of Marsala. Drinks much much bigger than 90 proof, but in a good way.

Noticeably better and less oaky than the 2023