2012 Twitter Tasting Notes

In writing the "2012 Twitter Cocktails" post, I was reminded that, on January 1 2012, I tweeted:

My 2012 whiskey objective: Try 4 new whiskies (1 ea. rye, bourbon, scotch, & other) a month. Recommendations welcome.

The unwritten corollary was that I'd then post tasting notes for all of these on this blog.

While I certainly didn't keep to any sort of monthly plan, I may actually have come pretty close to the general goal of trying 48 new (to me) whiskies, of various types. On the other hand, I pretty much completely failed at blogging -- at all, much less tasting notes, with only three blog posts written in the last six months of 2012.

The good news is that a) my tasting notes are pretty lousy anyway; and b) I was able to harvest the following notes from Twitter (which may be lousy, but at least they're brief).

In no particular order, though I'll begin with my favorite (provided by someone who is much better at tasting whiskey than I am):

• "Peppery, peaty, and gross" -- my wife the non-whiskey fan, on Ardbeg Corryvreckan's finish


• Sent to store for white wine, managed taste of Corsair Artisan Triple Smoke & Virginia Distillery's Eades Double Malt. Both worth spending more time with.


• Had some Angel's Envy at Jack Rose. Very nice, great finish; not as heavy as I'd expected from the sound of port barrel finishing.... I like it fine, it's just not as... I'll say, luxurious as I'd expected, given the story and marketing.


• Paddleford Creek bourbon sweet and watery. Doesn't hold up well to chili.


• EH Taylor dry spice and oak up front, sweeter notes follow.


• Maker's 46 seems oakier, spicier than Maker's Mark. A wintertime Maker's, maybe.


• Bit disappointed with Michter's US*1 bourbon. Okay, but unremarkable, particularly for the price. Should've gotten the rye.


• A sip of Hancock's President's Reserve Bourbon for a nightcap. Sweet & fruity, with a bit of spice.


• The closer I get to finishing the bottle of Springbank 10 yo, the more I like it.


• Tasting the Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye Cask Strength (58% abv). Extra punch adds a lot to the young (~9 mos.) Roundstone. (Lagniappe: Pearousia pear brandy: young, almost newmake fruitiness on nose. Creamy palate, dry finish.)


• Winner of a mini-tasting at i.m.wine: Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whiskey. A young nose but a developed flavor.


• Had a glass of Headframe Neversweat bourbon the other night. Sort of a perfumy off-note. Could probably stand more barrel time.


• Have to say this Montana Whiskey pure malt is leagues better than what I had 2 years ago. "It's from Montana" is now a fact, not an excuse.

• Time to fly at the Judge's Bench. Going with the T's today: Tobermory 10 yo, Tomatin 18 yo, Tomintoul 16 yo, Tullibardine 16 yo. Tomatin knows what they're doing over there, but of the four, Tomintoul 16 yo was my favorite. Today.

• I did like that taste of Wasmund's Copper Fox rye. A touch of smoke and 33% malted barley in the mash bill gives a nod across the pond.


• Liked Glacier's Glacier Dew, loved the North Fork Flood Stage. (And slivovitz!)


• Spicebox Canadian Whisky: Not bad at all, but I thought it tasted more like a whiskey-based liqueur than a spiced up whiskey.


• Arbeg Day 2012: A salty syrup, that (like a basalmic vinegar) somehow isn't sweet, and turns into an Ardbeg after several moments.


• Holy smokes, Bully Boy white whiskey drinks smooth! It'd be dangerous stuff with a tall glass of ice on a hot afternoon.


• Singleton 10 yo: Vanilla crackers, sweet and sippable, hint of ash in the finish.


• Cragganmore 12: very sharp nose, much mellower on the palate. On the whole, a pleasant way to transition to evening. A bit of vinegar for that aperativo touch. Nose settles down after 10 minutes.


• Longmorn 16 yo: Nothing special. Would've pegged it as an unremarkable 10-12 yo.

• Forty Creek Barrel Select: nose springtime forest, sweet palate w/ sourness that says it's not trying to copy any American style.


• I will say this for the hotel's selection of complimentary cocktails: I don't think I'd've ever tried Kentucky Tavern bourbon otherwise.


• Highland Park 12: It's no Kentucky Tavern. But then, what is?


• Dickel No. 8 green apple gives way to caramel on the nose, woody corn w/ light mouthfeel.Touch of charcoal in finish. Is its own TN whisky.

• Old Crow motto should be, "You want a bourbon? Fine." Not to be confused with, "You want a fine bourbon."


• Michel Couvreur Overaged: Lots of fruit and sweetness. Finer palates say layered; hits mine as a bit muddled.


• Hans Reisetbauer 7 yo: A young malt whisky that tastes like it was made by an Austrian brandy distiller.


• Yamazaki 12 yo: a very drinkable malt. Just wish some of the sushi restaurants around me carried Japanese whiskies.


• Rasputin hopped whiskey from Corsair Artisan isn't my thing. At all. But I love the experimental spirit behind it.


• A quick tasting of Koval whiskies. Favorite probably the oat whiskey. Don't care for the 47th Ward; I like smoke but not soot. Koval Raksi Millet White Whiskey: v. fruity, almost like a tequila; curious what aging does to it (Lion's Pride Millet).


• Tried Connemara last night. Peat smoke and Irish whiskey, a great match. Like the fluffernutter of the brass rail.


• I do believe I could drink a good amount of Powers Gold Label. An easy drinking, everyday Irish whiskey.


• A Bulleit rye for dessert. Light mouthfeel but a lot of flavor & long finish.