Can’t afford that 20-year-old bottle of Pappy or 27-year-old Redbreast? Try some extra afforable whiskies which have garnered the best marks from the GSN employees this 12 months!
Kentucky Owl Confiscated Bourbon – In the end easy entry with notes of tree and vine fruit: contemporary apple, pear, and white grape, together with softer flavors of espresso cake, cinnamon toast and gentle oak. The physique has a medium mouthfeel, with a number of current flavors ahead on the palate. The end is medium lengthy, with a refreshing peppery finality. What we love about this bourbon is that it simply retains getting higher with every sip. Probably the most pleasant and approachable bourbons we’ve ever had. If certainly that is the sort of whiskey that was apprehended by Prohis again within the unhealthy ol’ days, we’re glad that it has lastly been granted freedom after 100+ years. Confiscated will get our vote for Bourbon of the Yr! GSN Score: A+++
The FUJI Single Grain Whiskey – A totally totally different animal than the World Whisky. That is extra fulsome, fruitier, sweeter and nectar-like. Spherical, hitting a full spectrum of the the palate with malt, spice, wooden, and a easy tree fruit essence. Glorious neat, this additionally holds up properly with a big rock. Nice showcase for the grasp blender’s ability. GSN Score: A++
Peg Leg Porker 8-year-old Tennessee Rye Whiskey – Remarkably spicy and rye ahead. Fairly dry, with a curious mellow smokiness that tastes like woodfire, versus charred oak. Uncommon, distinctive and filled with taste, the end is sort of lengthy and begs for a number of sips after the primary. What actually impresses us is the ultra-smoothness of this launch. At 105 proof, you’d anticipate burn, however there merely isn’t any. Actually, rather well performed, and engaging as heck. This spirit captures the essence of southern BBQ in a method that no different bourbon has ever come near. Extremely beneficial! GSN Score: A++
Teeling Wonders of Wooden Single Pot Nonetheless Chinkapin Oak Whiskey – Exceptional. The Chinkapin cask growing older imparts a splendidly nutty, and barely spicy patina over the candy barley distillate. A heat, spherical, open and welcoming expression. Notes of banana, ginger, buttered toast, candy tobacco leaf, and lightweight baking spices add a festiveness to the affair. Lengthy end, with the semi-dessert flavors percolating for a number of minutes. A beautiful Irish within the high 5 we’ve ever loved. Irish whiskey followers, do your self a favor and purchase a bottle or two as quickly as you’ll be able to. You’ll return to it many times. GSN Score: A++
Kentucky Owl Takumi Version Bourbon Whiskey – A novel whiskey that has a mild wood-forward entry. Delicate and nonetheless self assured, the mix of agings have a cohesiveness that also permits every to shine. Most notably, the varied barrels have made their mark on the ultimate product, leaving notes of oak, gentle berry, younger tobacco, brown bread, baking spice and tea. The mouthfeel is medium heavy with a roundness carried by the excessive notes. On the finish of the lengthy end, there’s a delicate fade into gentle rye spice. A real inventive expression, we extremely advocate this latetst launch from Kentucky Owl. GSN Score: A++
Teeling 32-Yr-Outdated Single Malt Irish Whiskey Purple Muscat End – The nostril is wealthy with berry fruits, heat caramel and a contact of vanilla bean. The flavors burst within the mouth with a wash of grape that by no means overwhelms, however helps and melds with the malted barley. For such an historical growing older, there’s loads of character right here. The upper proof helps by bringing out the extra delicate traits of an elder Irish whiskey. The mouthfeel is easy and balanced all through the palate, and the end lingers with only a trace of the Muscat on the finish. Very tasty, very properly performed, and really uncommon certainly. We’re happy to provide this expression a GSN Score of: A++
Barrell Vantage – Barrell releases simply maintain getting extra attention-grabbing. With this newest expression, they’ve hit all of the marks of a very nice whiskey. Distillate, selection of oak, char, size of growing older, and bottling at proof. The flavour is expressive, wealthy and chewy, with a number of candy spine. The mouthfeel is heat, barely heavy and hits each nook of the palate. The end is beautiful, leaving you begging for “only one extra sip”. An actual winner and it needs to be on the shortlist for American Blended Bourbon of the 12 months. GSN Score: A++
Stellum Black Rye Fibonacci Mix #1 – Candy and spicy rye greets the palate with a heat wash of caramel tinged goodness. The mouthfeel may be very spherical and semi-heavy primarily as a result of eye popping 115.12% proof. Including some water to deliver down the hearth, reveals a extra tempered spirit with softer notes of nut bread, espresso cake and pecan pie. It is a whiskey that retains on giving. One sip won’t do. To rejoice your bottle, strive a couple of ounces in your subsequent, very particular Sazerac. Actually distinctive. GSN Score: A++
Clonakilty Single Batch Double Oak End Whiskey – Mild, malt ahead and barely sweetened from the wine barrel growing older, that is actually a beautiful and distinctive Irish whiskey. Heat, spherical, easy and filled with conviviality. The salinity you would possibly anticipate from a maritime distillery is current, however solely in the identical method a talented chef or mixologist would use. It’s simple to see that the grasp distiller makes use of the identical strategy by way of growing older, and mixing the ultimate product. This is only one nice expertise from starting to finish. Sláinte! GSN Score: A++
Wyoming Whiskey Nationwide Parks No. 2 – It is a scrumptious whiskey that not solely excels in taste, however in physique and mouthfeel. The limestone water comes by way of loud and clear, including a depth and roundness, whereas on the similar time a contact of graininess that’s fairly interesting. The distillate itself is traditional, with a great deal of heat, malt, baking spice, toffee, oak, praline and lightweight pepper. The end is lighty candy, however has a tea-like tannic edge, leaving the palate dry and prepared for an additional sip. If you happen to can, seize a bottle of this distinctive launch earlier than its gone. GSN Score: A++
Outdated Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Spring 2022 Version – These OFBIB releases maintain getting higher and higher. The newest one options an olfactory palette of heavy spice, candy notes of caramel, contemporary cocoa and younger tobacco. These all carry by way of to the palate the place they change into much more pronounced. Drinkable at full energy, the physique is medium-light, with a spherical and warming center tonality. The end is awfully lengthy, with oak-laden tannins persevering with to percolate on the tongue. With a splash of water, issues open up right into a softer and extra mellow temper, however don’t lose any of their character. This specific launch is great and reveals what an additional 12 months within the barrel can do to rework an ideal whiskey into an distinctive one. GSN Score: A++
Barrell Bourbon Batch 32 – One other positive hearth winner from the parents at Barrell. This expression has a particular chewiness with a spherical and tobacco leaf like character. Barely fruity with components of stewed prune, apricot and baked pear. All of that is tied along with a pecan pie taste profile. Even at full proof, that is one easy bourbon. add a mild splash of department water and it opens up into an easy going and chic spirit. Without delay candy, it additionally has the self assuredness of an seasoned statesman. GSN Score: A++
Heaven Hill Heritage Assortment 17-Yr-Outdated Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Exceptional flavors explode out of the bottle with this one. A shiny, spicy, heat, and wealthy paquet of tradional bourbon essences specific the enjoyment of a richly aged bourbon. That is so good, {that a} single sip is sufficient to recognize the time and ability that went into this pretty spirit. A beneficiant serving of terroir is clear, with summer season warmth, growing older wooden and venerable spirit all reflecting the place of birth. You’ll be able to by no means go mistaken with Heaven Hill choices, however this one goes the additional mile with intense, but properly balanced flavors. With out moving into the entire traditional taste notes, let’s simply say that this launch is a treasure. GSN Score: A++
Egan’s Legacy Reserve Quantity IV Irish Whiskey – A outstanding Irish. Take every of one of the best qualities of traditional uisce beatha, than mulitply them a number of instances. A heat, welcoming entry of frivolously candy malt with a light-weight contact of Moscatel signifies the route of the spirit. A medium physique, with a easy and mellow mid-range, highlighted with a young caress of oak, and a loving embrace from the wine casks. The end is pretty lengthy, ending with gentle vine fruit. A testomony to time, the ability of blender, and the craft of the distiller. GSN Score: A++
Cascade Moon 13 Yr Outdated Rye – The nostril effuses contemporary baked rye bread married to a candy, but char pushed aspect. Splendidly evocative and luscious. On the tongue, the spirit is sweeter than expectations, giving notes of toffee, vanilla and caramel lotions all patinaed by a slight burnt toast edge. The bitterness of the grain and the barrel retains the concentrate on the peppery rye. Rye whiskey is all the time a deal with, however when it deleivers in addition to this one does, it turns into an expertise. Seize a bottle when you can. Extremely beneficial. GSN Score: A++
