Two Stars Bourbon

Rating: 7/23 Total Wine devoted an entire shelf in the middle of the bourbon section to this, suggesting that it really isn't all that good (at least for the price). So naturally I had to grab a mini to check it out. N: It has a richer nose than Bulleit does, with caramel, some woody spices that don't play up cinnamon too much, apple with some mineral tartness, light floral, and some cardboard. It smells young, but not painfully so. P: The nose is better. The palate is very young. It isn't undrinkable, but it tastes like caramel flavoring was added to cover up the youth. A little bit of that apple does come through along with some spice and quite a bit of mineral. It has an OK mouthfeel, but the flavor is miserably mild. What a let down. There's even a bit of unpleasant bitterness. I get a bit of alcohol, but not too much. F: Minerals and overly spicy wood. And something a bit bitter. There's really nothing much going on here. A faint wisp of nice sawdusty wood does come through at the end though. I'm very unimpressed. This is unpleasant. It's around the quality of Clyde May's Alabama style, but just a bit more off. I'm thinking of a 7. It reminds me a bit of IW Harper 15 with its lightness and sawdust, but only in comparison with other bourbons. This is even lighter than the likes of Jim Beam Black and Ezra Brooks. This is to those as IW Harper is to the likes of Elijah Craig and Wild Turkey Rare Breed. I won't say that this is a disappointment, because I expected it to be bad, but it sure is an unpleasant experience.

Bought this at a Total Wine in Lexington, KY. Didn’t have a lot of time to research but the employees said it was rated high despite the name on the bottle. I did look at some reviews before I tasted it and thought maybe I made a mistake. I didn’t expect much. I was pleasantly surprised when I tried it. Classic bourbon notes of vanilla, oak, and caramel. Also some spicy cinnamon and clove. Need to drink it straight. I tried a glass with an ice cube and all flavors are muted. I give it a 3/5. There is a little metallic/bitterness on the finish. Third glass I added a couple drops of orange bitters, worked well. I know there are diamonds in the rough but most times a $20 dollar bourbon tastes like a $20 bourbon.

Really light gold color. Among the lightest I've seen. Aroma is lots of cinnamon and almost like a Red Hot candy. Musty corn grain just beneath this. It just hit me, smells like uncooked pizza dough. Flavor - vanilla with some light cinnamon. Much less than the Aroma let on. Pretty sweet and really coats the tongue. Almost oily. Finish falls off and leaves mostly a light corn flavor. Didn't really notice this opening up at all with some time. Just a single note. A touch of water brings out some ethanol heat and cinnamon. Amped up the flavor a bit, but I wouldn't say it improved it. Bottom Line - they aptly named this as the two stars it deserves.

If you've read some of my posts before, you realize I mostly drink things neat and, with bourbon/whiskey, always try a standard ice cube per shot and a half to taste the differences: THIS bourbon, add a cube! SUCH A REMARKABLE flavor profile change with a bit of ice/water! On the nose: Some astringent, charcoal, woody, and light black pepper. Taste: full of flavor, dark chocolate covered cherries, molasses, longer maple syrup finish. Very, very delicious with one cube: 3.5 - 4 stars. Without a cube? Lives up to its namesake: 2 stars! Ha! Add a cube, you won't be disappointed. 😀

I had to give this bourbon some kind of rating, since it's better than some stuff I've had, but it's barely better. I wasted $22.99; this whisky would be about right at $15, or lower. The nose gave me rubbing alcohol and some sort of candy. The taste provided a creamy but thin mouthfeel, with vanilla, something medicinal, and mint. Whisky shouldn't taste like a breath mint, and it shouldn't remind me - as this did - of menthol cigarettes without the tobacco. The finish was long, but was just boring oak all by itself.

Mini bottle tasting series. Light orange-straw color, medium legs in the glass. Light cereal and yeast bread on the nose, with a sweet hint. Thin grain and burnt sugar flavors followed by explosive ethanol. Odd chemical taste and dry feel in the mouth grows through the finish that leaves me with real heartburn. Maybe that's the mole enchiladas I had for dinner last night, but... I don't think so. Definitely NOT two stars. Do yourself a favor--enjoy the mole and skip this.