Prev | First | # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z | Last | Next
(ri)1
Added on Friday, Jan 2, 2009 at 04:19 PM
  Bottler: Jim Beam
  Age: N/A Type: American
  Vintage: N/A Subtype: Rye
  ABV: 46.00 % Region: N/A
  Price: $50 Availability: Wide
Member Ratings and Notes
Chris
 
A very uninteresting and weak rye.  I think they’ve tried to make it more accessible to the masses (which it probably is) but that makes it less interesting to me. 


A.H. Hirsch Reserve 16
Added on Sunday, May 6, 2007 at 07:39 PM
  Bottler: Preiss Imports
  Age: 16 yrs Type: American
  Vintage: N/A Subtype: Bourbon
  ABV: 45.80 % Region: Pennsylvania
  Price: $150 Availability: Wide
This bourbon was distilled at the Michter's Distillery (Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania) in 1974.  Adolf Hirsch, a former distillery executive, bought some of the whiskey before the distillery closed.   The Hue Family (Kentucky)  bought the stocks in 1990.  The initial version (blue wax) was bottled in 1990 and the remaining whiskey was transferred into stainless steel tanks, effectively ending the aging process.    Preiss Imports (San Francisco) bought the rights to the remaining stock in 2003.  The last version (gold foil top) was bottled for Preiss by Buffalo Trace, overseen by Julian Van Winkle (the grandson of Pappy Van Winkle).
Member Ratings and Notes
CF
 
Rich rye taste with a warm tobacco-ish finish. 
DW
 
Vanilla nose. Tastes of oak and vanilla. Spicy (but not overwhelming) with lesser hints of fruit. Very enjoyable bourbon. 
Chris
 
Very full bodied, sweet, cherry, and a lot of oak.   This is like the Johnnie Blue of bourbon, its pretty good but way overpriced. 
JS
 
Smoothe and savory bourbon with just the right amount of heat.   
GL
 
Sweet, good, kick at the end. Tasty, but not magic.  
Adam
 
Relatively straightforward, sweet, well-rounded bourbon in the best way.  I really like it, but the price increase lately (due to scarcity) has made this impractical to own.  It was originally around $60, which may have been a fair price, but I've seen it as of Spring 2008 for as much as $180.  [As of early 2009, most prices around the US well exceed $200] 


A.H. Hirsch Reserve 20
Added on Wednesday, Mar 4, 2009 at 11:38 PM
  Bottler: Hue Family
  Age: 20 yrs Type: American
  Vintage: 1974 Subtype: Bourbon
  ABV: 45.80 % Region: Pennsylvania
  Price: N/A Availability: Collectors Only
This bourbon was distilled at the Michter's Distillery (Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania) in 1974.  Adolf Hirsch, a former distillery executive, bought some of the whiskey before the distillery closed.   The Hue Family (Kentucky) bought the stocks in 1990.  Although most of the stock was transferred into stainless steel tanks (which halted the age at 16 years, see A.H. Hirsch Reserve 16), some was further held in barrels and bottled at 20 years. 
Member Ratings and Notes
Chris
 
N: Fruit and a lot of oak, rancio, bacon fat, and a little cinnamon.
P: Mainly a dry oak attack.  
F: Real long with wave of bubble gum and flowery lavender, some chocolate, and after a very long time, lingering bitter oak.
Palate is a bit lacking, but the nose and finish make up for it.  Certainly an enjoyable bourbon, but lacks that special hook that brings you back from more.   


AA Special Whiskey No. 19 Cosmopolitan Hotel
Added on Monday, Nov 9, 2009 at 08:12 PM
  Bottler: C.F. Wildey and Son, New York
  Age: N/A Type: American
  Vintage: N/A Subtype: Bourbon
  ABV: N/A Region: N/A
  Price: N/A Availability: Collectors Only
A pre-prohibition bottle, circa 1909.  The top of the capsule on the bottle says "C.F. Wildey and Son, New York".   Some extensive googling revealed that C.F. Wildey was a hotel owner during this era.   One website shows him as the proprietor of the Cosmopolitan Hotel at the corner of Chambers Street and  West Broadway, which still exists today.  Given the capsule, it would seem that the hotel bottled this whisky itself.  Although the Bottled in Bond act was passed in 1897, its possible that hotels and shopkeepers still had barrels of whiskey their cellars.

The label has a government statement indicating the contents are a "compound of superior whiskey and other grain distillates".  Not very helpful but would seem to indicate that this could be a blend.   Also the spelling of whiskey (with the "e") and the dark orange color seem to point towards American whiskey. 
Member Ratings and Notes
Chris
 

First nosing reveals a very pungent and woody nose, with strong nutmeg and black tea aromas hiding some lighter cinnamon notes.   Well, it's definitely whiskey, and If I had a guess I would say it's a bourbon with some wheat in the mash bill.   

The palate is quite oily with an unusual mouth feel.   I suspect this is now a bit under proof due to evaporation and that may explain it.   Despite the oily texture, it's not sweet at all, quite dry, woody, and tannic with strong notes of tea and tobacco.   But not bad at all!  

Very hard to give a grade to something like this.   I can't say I want to drink a lot of this, but that's partially the fear factor, who really knows what's in this bottle.   It was not too long before this time that adulteration of whiskey was rampant, so it's possible those tea notes I detected are in fact tea!   I'll give it a B, because it's a whisky worth trying that you might want to own.  

Not that anyone will ever find another bottle of this, or be foolish brave enough to drink it, but whatever. 
Adam
 
I'm not assigning a rating to this. I don't even know what it was. On my first sip, it immediately struck me as rancid and sour, and I raced to the bathroom and spat it out. I waited some time to see if the other guys in the room -- who were swallowing quite a bit of this -- seemed to suffer any ill effects. As they all seemed to retain their eye and lung functions, I dared take another sip. That time, it didn't strike me so awfully... in fact, it was quite sweet and rather caramel-y. Felt funny in my mouth, a texture like a liquer. And that's about all I could find out about it, because I was too scared to drink much more. 

Notes entered just so I can remember years from now that I tried this. NOTE TO SELF: Stop trying stuff like this.
 


Aberfeldy 12
Added on Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 12:00 AM
  Bottler: OB
  Age: 12 yrs Type: Scotch
  Vintage: N/A Subtype: Single Malt
  ABV: 40.00 % Region: Highlands
  Price: $40 Availability: Better Stores
Member Ratings and Notes
Adam
 
Nose is citrusy.  Palate is sweet and decent, fruity and lightly sherried.  Honey, malt, and light spice make appearances.  Finishes well, with more malt.  This kind of strikes me as an "advanced" party whisky... meaning it's decently-priced, and pretty drinkable at length but with a little extra something.  B/B- 
Mike
 
Nose is light sherry and dried fruit.  The palate has more pear, grain sugar, spiced peaches.  The finish has some definite honey that turns into mint milk chocolate and dark rum. The last two flavors are personal favorites, so I have a real liking for this whisky.  Very balanced weight for the light to medium body flavors.  Nothing was off-putting.  Good deal for an easily available distillery bottling. I am buying some. 
Dave
 
Creamy and a bit sweet and buttery.  Nice malt flavors just not enough of anything.  Some fruits and malts and again...just not enough. 


Aberfeldy 1998 Signatory
Added on Saturday, Sep 5, 2009 at 06:24 PM
  Bottler: Signatory
  Age: 10 yrs Type: Scotch
  Vintage: 1998 Subtype: Single Malt
  ABV: 43.00 % Region: Highland
  Price: $55 Availability: Wide
Cask 103
Member Ratings and Notes
Mike
 
Nose is cereal malt, candy cane and ginger.  Palate is light in body and hot for the ABV.  Finish turns to Nerds candy.  


Aberfeldy 21
Added on Monday, May 25, 2009 at 08:18 PM
  Bottler: OB
  Age: 21 yrs Type: Scotch
  Vintage: N/A Subtype: Single Malt
  ABV: 40.00 % Region: Highland
  Price: $150 Availability: Specialty Stores
Member Ratings and Notes
Adam
 
Nose of cherries, and other berries galore.  Other standard-like caramel and toffee characteristics.  On the palate there's cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, and bread -- good, balanced sweetness -- and it's really tasty.  Finish continues the theme at some length.  This is a single malt that's bursting with accessible, enjoyable flavors.  This is a great choice for a high-class party-pleaser.  Yum! 


Aberlour 12 Double Cask Matured
Added on Friday, Jan 2, 2009 at 04:41 PM
  Bottler: OB
  Age: 12 yrs Type: Scotch
  Vintage: N/A Subtype: Single Malt
  ABV: 43.00 % Region: Speyside
  Price: $35 Availability: Wide
Member Ratings and Notes
Chris
 
A young sweet oaky affair.  Good for a glass, not for a bottle. 
Dave
 
Hmmm...  Chris kinda says it all.  Nice and sweet basic sherried malt.  Go with the 16 instead. 


Aberlour 15
Added on Saturday, Sep 15, 2007 at 11:24 AM
  Bottler: OB
  Age: 15 yrs Type: Scotch
  Vintage: N/A Subtype: Single Malt
  ABV: 40.00 % Region: Speyside
  Price: $45 Availability: Wide
Member Ratings and Notes
Chris
 
Citrus nose. Non-descript malt and oak taste, which fades quickly. 
Adam
 
Sherry. Good but not distinctive, but not in a bad way "not distinctive." Some bad notes creep in on the crossover and prevent a higher grade. 
DW
 
N: Sweet, slight bourbon. T: Vanilla, molasses. F: Sweet, short finish. O; Easy to drink, good sweet / molasses. 
PD
 
Vanilla, caramel, smooth  
CF
 
N: Sweet, wine. T: Full-bodied, fruit. Finish: Full, smooth, oak. 
JH
 
Drinkable and immediately forgettable. No thank you.  
AS
 
Light bourbony nose, a little vanilla sweetness, warm, pleasant. This is something I would order but it’s not remarkable, just pleasant and enjoyable…good, not great.  
Andy
 
Bourbony smell, good but not great, hint of floral and toffee. 


Aberlour 16
Added on Thursday, Jul 17, 2008 at 08:44 PM
  Bottler: OB
  Age: 16 yrs Type: Scotch
  Vintage: N/A Subtype: Single Malt
  ABV: 46.00 % Region: Speyside
  Price: $70 Availability: Wide
Member Ratings and Notes
Chris
 
Warming and citrusy, reminds me of Chivas Royal Solute, but not as good.  A little too thick and syrupy. 
Mike
 
This had some mild sherry in the nose, a little dried fruit, mint.  Some apricot and sugar sweetness on the palette.  BUtter, sugar, raspberries. Finish goes to coffee grinds. 
Dave
 
Nice sherried malt with some grassy/hay earthiness that comes forth in the finish.  Better than the 12 year and not much more expensive.  A solid Sherry to have in the cabinet. 


Prev | First | # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z | Last | Next
Per Page  10  |  20  |  50  |  All