Blinded by the Flight #1
Remember that in this format, each reviewer will be presented with a 1 to 1.5 oz sample completely blind to him/her. They are being asked to put themselves out there with absolutely no information other than the beverage hitting their lips. In this format, we do not present the name of the bottle at the intro, but would encourage you to digest the information presented by the collective reviewers and perhaps make a guess as to the bottle with us! I have bolded common themes found from each reviewer as an overall synopsis. As you process the reviews, you are encouraged to find the bottle reviewed at the bottom of the article and then compare to your opinion on the bottle if you have tried it. Please share your thoughts, takeaways, and agreement/differing opinions in the Discord. This is where we will have a great chance to engage in deeper conversations and get BSoBR community input as well!
#1
Color is a nice dark amber. Legs are thin on the glass. On the nose I get a trace of green apple and a good amount of warm caramel with maybe a little dark cherry. The palate is a little sweet, but then transitions to the darker cherry and dried fruit notes. Finish is fairly short but enjoyable. Overall, I like this and would purchase.
#2
I really enjoyed it. Had to let it open a bit and, as a result, got a lot of proof initially but in a good way. The whiskey could age for a few more years, but shows a lot of potential with budding fruit on the nose and palate. Looking forward to the reveal!
Summary
Color - medium amber
Nose - honey, vanilla, subtle cherry with a toasted pie crust, hay
Palette - lots of cherry/berry fruit and baking spice, reminds me it's a bit young on some sips but others shows potential
Finish - medium length. Finish is like cherry ZzzQuill and a tad dry
Conclusion - still a tad young but has a lot of potential, with budding fruit on the nose and palate
Rating - 6/10
Value - good for a mid-priced bottle if around $40-50
#3
Color- goldish – similar to what liquid wheat would look like right before harvest
Nose – creamy with very little alcohol burn. Very pleasant
Palate- felt round, hints of an oily feel. Might have a slight citrus/slight dried floral note
Finish – was medium warmth wise, very short though
I really enjoyed this sample and I assume it is a well-received and popular pour. Probably low proof and high quality. Don’t think I tasted a lot of oak, so I assume its young, but I get fooled on this quite often
#4
Color: Light amber, doesn’t seem older per the color. Seems like it would be sweeter and not very oaky or aged.
Nose: More maple to me than oak, sweet cooked down holiday fruit like red plums and apricots but not overly front palate sweet like citrus or cherries. This has a very pleasing nose, definitely not high proof, no ethanol burn. It does not seem like a cheap or young distillate off the nose. Seems more refined but not very high proof - I would guess around 88-95.
Taste: Baking spices, butter, butterscotch, maple syrup. Tastes nearly like a finished bourbon, like there are hints of port and a back-end dryness like red wine.
Finish: Nice finish, last a long while, can feel it in the top of the mouth behind your rear top teeth, oily, potentially non chill filtered.
Comments/Final Notes: Immediately off the nose I thought it was a wild turkey product. It had the musty, funkiness indicative of Turkey. But after opening up for a while, it feels more finished and if it’s Turkey is certainly lower than the 101.
A few drops of water brought out the baked apples and apple pie notes. Almost reminded me of Angels Envy. It really lingers on the roof of your mouth. I thought it was nice, I’d certainly drink this at my home. At more than $40 I’d want a little more proof for my money. If this was in the $40 range, I would buy it all day. It was a terrific bourbon.
#5
Did not send review. Potentially a bum, but will confirm.
*Based on the descriptions, do you have a guess for the bottle or distillery? Does it sound like something you’ve had before? See the reveal below and if you have had a pour, please share your quick hits on Discord! If not, perhaps when you come across a pour of this, re-open this review and tell us how you think we did.
Reveal:
Name – 2020 Limited Release Maker’s Mark SE4 x PR5
Age – none stated, but Stave details include “a marriage of virgin toasted American & French Oak staves
Proof – 110.8
Tasting notes provided by distiller:
Barrel finished for amplified notes of vanilla, baking spices & creamy caramel
Price
Shelves: $60 – $75
Secondary: same/no considerable added value