Virginia Distillery Blue Ridge Toasted Barrel Finish

Virginia Distillery Blue Ridge Toasted Barrel Finish

Official bottling
Single malt - Virginia 
Dark gold
46.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, nectarines, malted grains, black pepper, foam shrimp, dried apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Nectarines, malted grains, foam shrimp, vanilla, dried apricots, hints of leather. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, dried apricots, leather, malted grains, foam shrimp. 

Comments: 

Delicate and rounded, lots of stone fruit notes and barley sweetness. There’s a hint of leather and pick and mix sweets, and a fragrant, slightly bitter finish. Rather good whiskey.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Courage and Conviction Bourbon Cask

Courage and Conviction Bourbon Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Virginia
Yellow gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, pears, orange juice, malted grains, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon zest, hints of cream. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Cucumbers, pears, lemon zest, honey, malted grains, white pepper, hints of nutmeg. 

Finish: Short. Malted grains, white pepper, barley sugar, honey, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Delicate and fragrant whisky, lots of herbal, fruity notes. Plenty of barley sugar as well, which befits a good stripped back bourbon cask. This is the sort of whisky I like.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Virginia Distillery American Single Malt Cider Cask

Virginia Distillery American Single Malt Cider Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Virginia
Pale gold
46.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, vanilla, white wine, nutmeg, peaches, pears, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, cool, astringent.
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Barley sugar, white grapes, pears, green apples, white wine, hints of malted grains. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, hoppy beer, white wine, barley sugar. 

Comments: 

Quite an appley whisky, but with a high level

Of maltiness and even some fermented grape notes. A very Scotch like single malt, which actually makes it quite unusual for American whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Reservoir Wheat 2yo Batch 1

Reservoir Wheat 2yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single grain - Virginia
Amber
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Nectarines, strawberries, honey, green tea, photocopy paper, hints of condensed milk. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Green tea, nectarines, honey, lemon zest, white pepper, chamomile, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, chamomile, nectarines, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Fruity, lots of herbal notes, but they’re quite gentle and mostly in the background. No water required, I felt that would kill some of these gentle background notes. A rather short finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

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.

Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye Distiller’s Edition

Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye Distiller’s Edition

Official bottling
Single rye - Virginia
Amber
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, black pepper, orange peel, custard, brown paper, cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, static, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Coffee, black pepper, orange peel, brown paper, fresh baked bread, hints of gentian. 
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, brown paper, vanilla, hints of gentian. 

Comments: 

Rather bitter for a rye, lots of fragrant notes and some peppery spiciness. It’s also quite bready, which is a little odd, but that pepper note still comes through.

Verdict:

I like this.

Copper Fox Rye 12mo

Copper Fox Rye 12mo

Official bottling
Single rye - Virginia
Light amber
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Blackberries, blackcurrant cordial, oak chips, magic marker, maple syrup, raisins, damson jam. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, hot, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Blackcurrant cordial, blackberries, magic marker, malted grains, black pepper, strawberry jam, cherries. 
Finish: Short. Magic marker, pear drops, strawberry jam, cherries, hints of coffee. 

Comments: 

Surprisingly well flavoured despite its young age. Lots of berries and stone fruit, mainly cherries. Rather cough mixture like, with without the medicinal flavour.

Verdict:

I like this.

Reservoir Hunter & Scott Bourbon 2022 Batch 2

Reservoir Hunter & Scott Bourbon 2022 Batch 2

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Virginia
Chinese tea
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cooked rice, cookie dough, vanilla, peaches, magic marker, white grapes, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Magic marker, cucumbers, peaches, fresh baked bread, honey, vanilla, white grapes. 
Finish: Short. White grapes, fresh baked bread, vanilla, honey. 

Comments: 

Cereally, lots of vanilla notes. On the tongue there’s a good deal of white grapes and cucumbers. It’s a bit lighter than the average bourbon.

Verdict:

I like this.

Reservoir Bourbon 2022 Batch 2

Reservoir Bourbon 2022 Batch 2

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Virginia
Amber
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, brown paper, popcorn, brown sugar, sawdust, vanilla, hints of white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Brown paper, popcorn, sawdust, fresh baked bread, caramel, vanilla, white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Toffee, caramel, brown paper, cinnamon, white pepper. 

Comments: 

A papery, dry bourbon, with plenty of woody notes as well. There’s plenty of caramel and bananas, but that’s as far as it goes. A session dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Courage and Conviction

Courage and Conviction

Official bottling 
Single malt - Virginia
Amber gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, wet stones, ink, sultanas, brass polish, vitamin C tablets. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Gooseberries, wet stones, ink, sultanas, orange juice, geraniums, hints of orange peel. 
Finish: Short. Peanuts, sultanas, orange juice, honey, white grapes. 

Comments: 

I’ve had the special finish version of this previously, but I think I much prefer this - it’s citrusy and floral, with nutty sweet notes. A rather good whisky from a distillery not often seen here.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Courage and Conviction (Cuvée Cask)

Courage and Conviction (Cuvée Cask)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Virginia
Amber

46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, fresh cut grass, sea salt, geranium soap, lemons, hints of sage. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, thickens slightly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemons, sage, honey, orange peel, hints of geranium soap. 
Finish: Medium. Mint, lemons, copper pennies, honey. 

Comments: 

A rather odd, slightly soapy single malt from a distillery I’ve not had before. It’s got some lovely floral notes but they sort of meld together with the fruit to taste a bit like grandmother’s soap. Good length on the finish, sweet and metallic. I like this, for novelty value if nothing else. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Reservoir Rye 2yo Batch 1

Reservoir Rye 2yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Rye Company, Master of Malt
Single rye - Virginia
Red brown
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, rose, blueberries, strawberry jam, cloves, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, loosens, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Red grapes, cloves, strawberry jam, maraschino cherries, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, white pepper, strawberry jam, hints of leather. 

Comments: 

Well, this is not even whiskey - it's only been aged 2 years, but that has been in some sort of wine cask. It's very sweet, lots of jammy notes, and these go very well with the spicy rye character. It's good, despite its age, but I can't help thinking that it could be even better if it was left to age a little longer.

Verdict:

I like this.

George Washington Straight Rye Whiskey

George Washington Straight Rye Whiskey

Official bottling
Single rye - Virginia
Dark amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, molasses, brown paper, cookie dough, vanilla liqueur. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loose, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Desiccated coconut, molasses, brown paper, fresh baked bread, vanilla liqueur. 
Finish: Medium. Molasses, desiccated coconut, cinnamon, fresh baked bread, black pepper. 

Comments: 

An odd little rye whiskey, apparently only available at Mount Vernon itself, the family estate of George Washington. It's brightly sweet, with a bitter edge, and the usual rye spiciness is muted, drowned in vanilla. It only appears at the finish, in the guise of black pepper and cinnamon.

Verdict:

I like this.

Reservoir Bourbon 2012 Batch 7

Reservoir Bourbon 2012 Batch 7

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Virginia
Amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, brown paper, cream, dulce de leche, orange zest. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, astringent, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Orange zest, dulce de leche, malted grains, brown paper, hints of fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, fresh baked bread, orange zest, cream. 

Comments: 

This is different from the other batch I tried. It's sweeter, and maltier (perhaps the mash bill has a bit of barley?), and with a nice tannic note to the finish. I preferred this expression.

Verdict:

I like this.

Catoctin Creek Roundhouse Rye

Catoctin Creek Roundhouse Rye

Official bottling
Single rye - Virginia
Bronze
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sourdough, white pepper, nutmeg, orange zest, new plastic, hints of toast. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loose, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Orange zest, yeast, raisins, white pepper, nutmeg, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Medium. Yeast, sourdough, coffee, hints of cream. 

Comments: 

Very different from its higher strength cousin. Less sweet, sourish, yeasty and bready, with a bitter undertone. About the only similarity is the nutmeg and the hints of cream on the finish. Decent stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Reservoir Bourbon 2017 Batch 2

Reservoir Bourbon 2017 Batch 2

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Virginia
Amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Condensed milk, corn syrup, bananas, raisins, vanilla, butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Medium, warming, tingly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Condensed milk, bananas, brown paper, cooked rice, sweet corn, butterscotch. 
Finish: Medium. Chillies, sweet corn, fresh baked bread, bananas, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Sweet and milky, this is a very good topping to a wonderful dramming evening. There's plenty of corn and grain on the tongue, and it fades fairly slowly to a fragrant, cereally finish. Nice stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Catoctin Creek Roundhouse Rye Cask Proof

Catoctin Creek Roundhouse Rye Cask Proof

Official bottling
Single rye - Virginia
Amber rose
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, cream, pears, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, airy, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Strawberries, magic marker, cream, cloves, bananas, hints of cardamom. 
Finish: Short. Cucumber, strawberries, cloves, bananas, hints of mint. 

Comments: 

Wow, this is amazing stuff. It's chock-full of incredibly intense spicy notes, wreathed through with fruit and herbs. It's highly sweet, and I checked to see if it had been mixed with something. Of course it hadn't, it's just great whisky. Scarily drinkable at 58%, I didn't even bother with water.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Wasmund's Single Malt

Wasmund's Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - Virginia
Amber
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, varnished oak, cherries, peanut shells, soy sauce, apples, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, sticky, static, slightly chewy.
Tasting: Bitter salty. Leather, varnished oak, peanut shells, peanuts, apples, hints of peat.
Finish: Medium. Astringent, lemons, peanut shells, varnished oak.

Comments:

Made using malt that was dried using apple and cherry wood. I'm not sure it made any difference. The aroma is... odd. There's peat, varnish on old hardwood, peanut shells, lots of savoury estery notes but not much that is sweet. Maybe some apples, but it's hard to find underneath all that. Then on the tongue, there's much more of the same, maybe even more nutty and savoury. That all disappears in a tart finish. Can't say it's the greatest malt in the world, it probably needs longer than 3 1/2 years in a barrel.

Verdict:

Not bad.

John J. Bowman Single Barrel

John J. Bowman Single Barrel

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Virginia
Dark amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Soy sauce, honey, golden syrup, red grapes, blackcurrants, chillies.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, turns watery, slippery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Soy sauce, honey, blackcurrants, red grapes, apples, raisins, hints of brown paper.
Finish: Long. Chillies, blackcurrants, red grapes, apples.

Comments:

Sinful, dark and sweet. This is spicy and slightly salty on the nose, and on the tongue it turns fruity and fragrant. It has a really unctuous mouthfeel as well, which I can't really put into words. Smooth but not oily, mouthfilling but not mouthcoating? This is delicious bourbon. I expect great things of A. Smith Bowman distilleries, and I can't wait to try more of their output.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Bowman Brothers Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Bowman Brothers Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Virginia
Amber
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, brown paper, vanilla, custard, nutmeg, hints of watermelon.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, astringent.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Brown paper, vanilla, nutmeg, watermelon, white pepper, hints of cardamom.
Finish: Medium. Watermelon, custard, white pepper.

Comments:

Good bourbon, well made. Apparently it's Buffalo Trace spirit, redistilled in the A. Smith Bowman distillery in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It's nice and fruity, good intensity of flavour, spicy and satisfying. It's not overly complex, and it's a nice easy one to start the night with.

Verdict:

I like this.