As I said earlier this week, I didn’t have the time, opportunity, or desire to do much whiskey tasting while on vacation last week. The weather was hot. I really lucked out on the timing of the trip, having it land right in the middle of a very unusual and long-lasting heat wave. The first week had temps over 105 every day. Which meant getting up before dawn to visit Utah’s lovely National Parks before the heat became dangerous.
Let me tell you, I’ve seldom loved a hotel room’s cooling system more than I did during this trip.
Of course, we got to see beautiful sunrises this way. Sunrise at Arches National Park is a sight to behold. So was the one we watched from a hot air balloon 1000 feet over Moab. We didn’t see the sunrise in Lake Powell, but we did get to drive fast in a rented speed boat and go swimming in a couple hundred feet of flooded canyon. That helped beat the heat as well. Plus sleeping in until the sun came up gave us the time in the evening to sip on a few blind surprises while we watched the sun set from our hotel room.
As before, these samples were all laid down between 2011 and 2017. The labels were covered up in September of 2020. And they have lived in a box untouched since, except for the occasional adventuresome sip now and then. They made a fun vacation sip too. I mean you’re out on an adventure, it is only fitting that your nightly tipple be an adventure as well.
Blind Whiskey Sample # 1:
Nose: Delicate nose. Hints of caramel, vanilla, and mint.
Mouth: Mint, baking spices and fruit notes.
Finish: Medium in heat and length. Lingering notes of dried grain and cinnamon.
Pre-Reveal Thoughts: This is ok. Not great, not terrible, just kinda meh. I'll probably finish the pour, but probably won't be sad to see it go.
Reveal: Ezra Brooks
Post-Reveal Thoughts: Wow! Super shocked on this one. This has gotten so much better since I put this sample away!
Blind Whiskey Sample # 2:
Nose: Caramel, cherry, pipe tobacco.
Mouth: Cinnamon, caramel, smoke, and floral fruit.
Finish: Smoky and spicy. Lingering warm notes.
Pre-Reveal Thoughts: This is yummy. Going to have to fight my wife for the rest of this one. Lol.
Reveal: George Dickel 9-Year-old Private Selection from Ace Spirits (2014)
Post-Reveal Thoughts: It just goes to show how much our palates change over time. When I reviewed this back in 2014, I thought it was a bit too hot for my tastes. Now, though it had some heat on it, it was certainly within acceptable levels. I didn’t even think to add water as I finished it in the hotel. Of course, there are a lot more options for Barrel Strength whiskey out there these days to help build your tolerance.
Blind Whiskey Sample # 3:
Nose: Floral vanilla, caramel, and fruit.
Mouth: Spicy. Cinnamon, vanilla, black tea, and hints of fruit.
Finish: Warm and medium length. Lingering mint, black tea, and floral fruit.
Pre-Reveal Thoughts: This is quite good. I'm really enjoying it. Nice floral fruitiness and vanilla.
Reveal: Ancient Ancient Age 10 year old.
Post-Reveal Thoughts: Oh, do I miss the days when you could get a handle of 10-year-old whiskey for a decent price. Scratch that. I miss when you could get a 10-year-old whiskey from Buffalo Trace for a decent price, whether it came in a handle or not. This is a bourbon that was better than I remembered. Sadly, when this was put away we were spoiled with an abundance of aged bourbon. It was less good than other 10-year-old bourbons when it was discontinued, but is still a damn sight better than much of the bourbon on the shelf today. For that, I savored this pour after the reveal. Made me a bit nostalgic, as you can see.
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