Westland 9yo

Westland 9yo

The Whisky Trail, Elixir Distillers
Single bourbon - Washington
Amber
56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, roast pork, honey, magic marker, dried apricots, marmalade, hints of surgical spirit. With water, sandalwood, leather, dried apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, astringent, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon zest, marmalade, surgical spirit, leather, honey, cloves, sandalwood. With water, sandalwood, lemon zest, surgical spirit, marmalade. 
Finish: Short. Sandalwood, lemon zest, cloves, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Rather herbal and floral for bourbon. Plenty of jammy notes too (not raisins or blackcurrant). Quite unusual, in that it’s still spirity after 9 years. Water brings out some more citrus.

Verdict:

I like this.

Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Bourbon

Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Bourbon

Official bottling

Single bourbon - Wyoming
Amber
44% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, vanilla, cola nuts, milk chocolate, ink, hints of cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Medium, thickens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cola nuts, blackcurrant cordial, milk chocolate, ink, cough mixture, sarsaparilla, vanilla, cloves. 
Finish: Long. Blackcurrant cordial, mint, ink, milk chocolate, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Fairly straightforward bourbon, lots of Ribena notes with herbal sarsaparilla. Also cola nuts and something dark and metallic. The finish is long with chocolate and vanilla.

Verdict:

I like this.

Holladay 6yo 2018/2025 Soft Red Wheat UK Exclusive #1

Holladay 6yo 2018/2025 Soft Red Wheat UK Exclusive #1

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Missouri 
Amber red
61.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla sponge, coconut cream, raisins, cinnamon, milk chocolate, hints of almonds. With water, vanilla, coconut cream, sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, slippery, hot. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Black tea, vanilla sponge, raisins, milk chocolate, brown paper, cinnamon, hints of almonds. With water, black tea, vanilla, milk chocolate, brown paper. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, vanilla sponge, brown paper, raisins, hints of aluminium foil. 

Comments: 

Lot 18E17 cask 6715. Soft and gentle bourbon, lots of cakey notes - vanilla, chocolate, almonds - and plenty of raisins too. Water brings out a bitterness, mostly tea, but also more chocolate.

Verdict:

I like this.

Holladay 7yo 2017/2025 Soft Red Wheat UK Exclusive #2

Holladay 7yo 2017/2025 Soft Red Wheat UK Exclusive #2

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Missouri
Amber red
61.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, peanuts, cough syrup, popcorn, milk chocolate, oak chips, hints of fresh cut grass. With water, peanuts, brown paper, fresh cut grass, milk chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, evaporates, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Oak chips, cream, cough syrup, popcorn, beetroot, vanilla, blackcurrant cordial. With water, cream, cough syrup, vanilla, milk chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Beetroot, cream, cough syrup, milk chocolate. 

Comments: 

Lot 17F03 Cask 3503. Very milky, lots of chocolate, blackcurrant and cough syrup notes. There’s a vegetal note of beet root on the finish too. A rather good bourbon, even gentle at this cask strength.

Verdict:

I like this.

Jack Daniel Triple Mash

Jack Daniel Triple Mash

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Tennessee
Amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, milk chocolate, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, cough mixture, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, expands, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Milk chocolate, honey, fresh baked bread, cream, cough mixture, hints of rye bread. 
Finish: Short. Cream, milk chocolate, honey, brown sugar. 

Comments: 

Sweet and chocolatey, a cut above the regular JD. There’s a bit of rye in this, oddly, and it makes for a slightly jarring note on the tongue.

Verdict:

I like this.

1792 Full Proof Nickolls and Perks Exclusive

1792 Full Proof Nickolls and Perks Exclusive

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber
62.5%% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, toffee, magic marker, pear drops, dark chocolate, apricots. With water, magic marker, malted grains, brown paper, hints of hay. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Toffee, cola nuts, magic marker, cream, dark chocolate, vanilla. With water, malted grains, brown paper, dark chocolate. 
Finish: Short. Cream, magic marker, pear drops, toffee, hints of hay. 

Comments: 

Quite fruity and strong. The alcohol masks a lot of flavours, water brings out maltiness, a dusty papery note and dark chocolate. The finish is short, intense and fragrant.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bardstown Origin Series Straight Wheated Bourbon 6yo

Bardstown Origin Series Straight Wheated Bourbon 6yo

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber gold
53% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, white pepper, vanilla, toffee, cough mixture, blackcurrant cordial. With water, magic marker, cough mixture, cornflakes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Blackcurrant cordial, white pepper, cola nuts, raspberry jam, cornflakes, cream. With water, cream, cough mixture, magic marker. 
Finish: Medium. Toffee, vanilla, cola nuts, blackcurrant cordial. 

Comments: 

Flinty, peppery, with big blackcurrant notes. Tastes a little like cough mixture. There’s plenty of corn in this, if I’m any judge. Water brings out even more blackcurrant.

Verdict:

I like this.

The Storyteller Bourbon Batch 1 5yo

The Storyteller Bourbon Batch 1 5yo

The Story Of
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber
54.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cooked rice, vanilla, malted grains, brown paper, white pepper, caramel. With water, malted grains, vanilla, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Vanilla, malted grains, brown paper, honey, caramel, hints of nutmeg. With water, honey, white pepper, dried apricots, nutmeg. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, nutmeg, brown paper, honey, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Bardstown distilled. Rather cereally, but also with many malty toasty vanilla and caramel notes. Water brings out some more pepper and dried apricot notes. Dried apricots seem to be a theme.

Verdict:

I like this.

The Bootzamon Wheated Bourbon Batch 1

The Bootzamon Wheated Bourbon Batch 1

The Story Of
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber brown
56.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Popcorn, dried apricots, white pepper, honey, damson jam, hints of cloves. With water, popcorn, dried apricots, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, evaporates, mouth coating, astringent. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. White pepper, vanilla, honey, ink, pear drops, hints of damson jam. With water, popcorn, dried apricots. 
Finish: Medium. Pear drops, damson jam, vanilla, honey, dried apricots. 

Comments: 

Bardstown distilled. Quite cereally, with notes of buttered popcorn. Cask strength and high intensity, makes it hard to discern the layers of flavours. Water brings out more dried apricots and pepper. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

New Riff 4yo 2021/2025

New Riff 4yo 2021/2025

#22, The Heart Cut
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber brown
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Walnuts, toffee, coffee, molasses, cough mixture, cherries. With water, walnuts, toffee, molasses. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, volatile, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Mint, cherries, cough mixture, blackcurrant cordial, walnuts, marmalade, hints of coffee. With water, cherries, vanilla, cough mixture, popcorn. 
Finish: Medium. Cough mixture, walnuts, cherries, marmalade. 

Comments: 

Love me a new Heart Cut when they come out. This one is like walnut praline, with lots of mint and cough mixture on the tongue. It’s quite intense, not much of the brown paper note that so many bourbons have.

Verdict:

I like this.

New Riff 8yo

New Riff 8yo

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber red
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cola nuts, strawberry jam, oak chips, milk chocolate, black pepper, vanilla, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, slightly astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, strawberry jam, cola nuts, milk chocolate, cream, apricots, black pepper. 
Finish: Long. Apricots, strawberry jam, brown sugar, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

I prefer bourbon to be aged a bit more than 5 years, so this is good for me. Quite chocolatey and sweet, builds to a long fruity finish. A good dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Great Jones Distillery Reserve 10yo

Great Jones Distillery Reserve 10yo

Official bottling
Single bourbon - New York
Amber
52.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, oak chips, chocolate, cream, honey, brown sugar. Wit water, honey, cola nuts, oak chips. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Vanilla, honey, white pepper, chocolate, brown sugar, malted grains. With water, honey, brown sugar, sandalwood, honey. 
Finish: Long. Oak chips, brown sugar, malted grains, chocolate. 

Comments: 

A Manhattan distillery, makes creamy, chocolatey whisky. This one is quite sweet and honeyed, takes water well. - very interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Rocktown Four Grain Sour Mash

Rocktown Four Grain Sour Mash

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Arkansas
Amber brown
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, acetone, malted grains, ink, lemon zest, black pepper, hints of cotton sheets. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, expands, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour. Black pepper, cornflakes, malted grains, acetone, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, hints of cotton sheets.
Finish: Short. Acetone, black pepper, pear drops, fresh cut grass, hints of cotton sheets. 

Comments: 

Quite fruity and plenty of the black pepper note that is characteristic of the. Plenty of grassy and herbal notes too, especially on the tongue. The finish is quite short, but with the same estery notes.

Verdict:

I like this.

Hudson Four Grain Bourbon

Hudson Four Grain Bourbon

Official bottling
Single bourbon - New York
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, foam shrimp, pear drops, mangoes, apple juice, cloves, hints of pineapples. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Strawberry jam, pear drops, surgical spirit, malted grains, cloves, hints of pineapples. 
Finish: Short. Ink, surgical spirit, pineapples, cloves. 

Comments: 

I think this sample was spoilt. A lovely fruity nose promised a lot, but on the tongue it was insipid and even bland. It’s such a pity, if it had matched the nose it would have been glorious.

Verdict:

Not bad

Yellowstone Hand Selected 2024 Release (Cognac and Brandy Cask Finish)

Yellowstone Hand Selected 2024 Release (Cognac and Brandy Cask Finish)

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - Kentucky 
Amber
50.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cooked rice, popcorn, corn syrup, prunes, pears, white pepper, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Popcorn, cooked rice, corn syrup, vanilla, brown paper, nutmeg, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Medium. Prunes, popcorn, vanilla, corn syrup. 

Comments: 

Quite cereally, lots of sweet dried fruit notes and a fair bit of spices. No water, it’s quite drinkable and doesn’t even seem to have much of an alcohol burn.

Verdict:

I like this.

Yellowstone Rum Cask Finish

Yellowstone Rum Cask Finish

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Dark gold

50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Prunes, pear drops, ink, cooked rice, vanilla, cola nuts. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, astringent. 

Tasting:  Salty sweet. Cooked rice, ink, popcorn, vanilla, tarragon, prunes, pear drops, star anise, hints of molasses. 
Finish: Medium. Cola nuts, cooked rice, tarragon, star anise. 

Comments: 

A rather odd rum cask, lots of herbal notes but without much of that deep caramelly flavour. It’s instead popcorn y, with star anise and tarragon.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kentucky 6yo Brandy Finish

Kentucky 6yo Brandy Finish

Fragrant Drops, Keeble Cask Company
Single bourbon - Kentucky 
Amber gold
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Aluminium foil, corn syrup, vanilla, sea salt, popcorn, ink, hints of white pepper. With water, popcorn, ink, corn syrup. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Blackcurrant cordial, vanilla, white grapes, white pepper, prunes, popcorn. With water, blackcurrant cordial, ink, aluminium foil. 
Finish: Medium. Blackcurrant cordial, raisins, white pepper, aluminium foil, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Quite metallic and sweet. Some of this is the corn in the mash bill of course. On the tongue, it’s quite jammy and fruity, with a hint of white pepper. Water brings out that slightly metallic character again. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Jephta Creed Bloody Butcher Corn Straight Bourbon

Jephta Creed Bloody Butcher Corn Straight Bourbon

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber gold
49% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ink, pear drops, honey, vanilla, toast, magic marker, popcorn. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Popcorn, fresh baked bread, honey, vanilla, caramel, toast, hints of iron filings. 
Finish: Short. Caramel, toast, iron filings, vanilla, corn syrup. 

Comments: 

Caramelly and sweet, lots of popcorn and toast. There’s a lot of corn in this indeed, as it says on the bottle. There’s also something slightly metallic on the tongue and the finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Four Roses Limited Edition 2025

Four Roses Limited Edition 2025

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber 
54.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Caramel, toast, pear drops, ink, popcorn, honey. With water, blueberries, acetone, black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, mouth coating, oily, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Toast, pear drops, ink, acetone, popcorn, blueberries, mint, toast. With water, blueberries, acetone, popcorn. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, mint, acetone, ink. 

Comments: 

Interesting bourbon, with a blueberries and nail varnish vibe that’s really quite alluring. There’s mint, and even toast, and it takes water rather well.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Belmont Farm Kopper Kettle

Belmont Farm Kopper Kettle

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Virginia
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Desiccated coconut, vanilla, bananas, rum and raisin ice cream, caramel, toffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Vanilla fudge, desiccated coconut, toffee, milk chocolate, cream, raisins, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Short. Rum and raisin ice cream, desiccated coconut, milk chocolate, vanilla fudge. 

Comments: 

Quite an ice cream-y bourbon, lots of fudgy chocolatey notes.  The desiccated coconut speaks to a lot of grain in the mash bill, perhaps some wheat. Unfortunately the finish is a little short.

Verdict:

I like this.