Well, I’m back.
We had an amazing trip. One that was far too full of fun to spend time doing whiskey tastings. Well, almost. I did happen to toss a few blind samples in my bag to try. I was on a fun adventure and these little bottles had the possibility of being very adventurous.
I mean, these were samples that I had poured from 2011 until 2017 during my “hoarding phase” of whiskey fandom. During that time, I kept samples of everything I bought. It didn’t matter if it was a limited edition or a $10 handle. All of them had a sample poured and stashed in a little box. Last year I realized I no longer wanted to keep them and started to drink them. I’d covered the original labels with painters tape in order to make them blind, just because it was more fun that way.
So while we sat in my room that overlooked the shores of Lake Powell, planning the next day’s adventure, we took a little time to have a little whiskey adventure as well. Let’s see what I brought with and if any of it was as good (or as bad) as I remember.
Blind Whiskey Sample # 1:
Nose: Corn, toffee, and a mineral note.
Mouth: Spicy, Cinnamon, Cardamom, and a delicate fruit note.
Finish: Hot and Spicy. Notes of cinnamon and cardamom.
Pre-Reveal Thoughts: I really like the spice of this one. My wife doesn't like cardamom so she isn't as big of a fan. That means I will get the rest of this pour. Yay!
Reveal: George Dickel 14-year-old private Select
Post-Reveal Thoughts: The bottle that this sample came from was purchased at a grocery store near New Orleans back in 2014. I remember it being very good and I still found it so. This makes me very excited to crack into the bottle of the 15-year-old Dickel that I found in Colorado on this trip.
Blind Whiskey Sample # 2:
Nose: Floral mint, brown sugar, and cherry.
Mouth: Cherry, brown sugar, cocoa, and nutmeg
Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Notes of cherry, nutmeg, and mint.
Pre-Reveal Thoughts: This is really good. I'm feeling like this might be a really good Canadian Whisky. It has a mouthfeel that, while not thin, is on the thinner side. Good sweetness.
Reveal: Jefferson's Presidential Select, 18-year-old
Post-Reveal Thoughts: When I first reviewed this, I wasn’t a fan. I found it too woody and stated I wasn’t a fan of bourbon with an emphasis on wood notes. I guess I have mellowed with age when it comes to that particular flavor note because it didn’t even show up in my notes seven years later when I did this tasting. Interesting.
Blind Whiskey Sample # 3:
Nose: Dried grain and spearmint
Mouth: Thin mouthfeel, dried grain, spearmint, lots of cinnamon, and sugar sweetness.
Finish: Warm, but not too warm. More dried grain and cinnamon.
Pre-Reveal Thoughts: This is pretty meh. Probably won't be finishing this one. Vacation is too short to spend time on meh whiskey.
Reveal: Old Fitzgerald Prime.
Post-Reveal Thoughts: I don’t have much to add to that statement. I put this one away back in 2014 and gave it a meh then. I still think it’s pretty meh.
I always find this to be a fun exercise. You never know when you are going to put something truly terrible in your mouth and it makes every pour a little more exciting when the product is good. And this round we got two likes and a meh. Not bad for three shots in the dark.
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