The Bottle Facts

Are you just starting your Bourbon journey and don't know where to start? Do you know someone just starting and want to know what to buy them as a gift? This post is for you.  Here are my top 5 Bourbons for beginners. I hope this list helps you pick the right bottles to make the start of your journey pleasant and save you from falling victim to fancy packaging and marketing that is often used to mask low quality whisky.  1. Buffalo Trace Where better to start ones Bourbon journey but with this bottle and this distillery. Buffalo Trace distillery is arguably the best Bourbon distillery out there. They do a lot of things right and some of the most highly sought after Bourbons come from here. The standard Buffalo Trace Bourbon has a solid Bourbon backbone. It expresses the caramel and vanilla notes really well and introduces you to enough oak and tobacco notes without overpowering your senses. This Bourbon will not disappoint a new Bourbon drinker and it is readily available in Vancou

Distillery : Buffalo Trace Owner : Sazerac company Proof/ABV : 103°/51.5% Variety : Bourbon - Single Barrel Country : USA Region : Kentucky Dump date : 12-12-19 Warehouse : H Rick No : 1 Nose : Notes of orange zest up front followed by oak and vanilla. Slight astringency is present. The nose is not too inviting. The astringency is discouraging.  Nose score : 2 pts Palate : Short intense citrus note at the front followed by oak, caramel and orange peel. A solid Bourbon character. Medium bodied with very little heat. The palate is a slight improvement from the nose.  Palate score: 2.5 pts Finish : Medium finish. More oak notes in the finish. The sweetness from the palate carries over as burnt caramel and orange. There is great balance and complexity here. It compliments the palate really well. I love the oakyness and the sweetness   Finish score: 2.5 pts Overall : A good solid bourbon. Lots of classic bourbon notes of caramel and vanilla. A good amount of oak crea

Distillery : Jim Beam Owner : Beam/ Suntory Proof/ABV : 100°/50% Variety : Rye Whiskey Country : USA Region : Kentucky Nose : Spicy up front. Followed by notes of rye, citrus and hint of caramel. A slightly sharp ethanol smell is present. Some background of oak is noticable. Nose score : 2 pts Palate : Thick mouthfeel with lots of oak. This is followed by notes of caramel, vanilla and orange zest. The rye bread in the background adds a beautiful layer. This whisky has very little heat in the palate compared to nose.  Palate score : 4 pts Finish : Medium, with very little layer and complexity. Some notes of caramel and oak are present in the finish. The signature Beam nutty note is present at the end.  Finish score : 2 pts Overall : Great value for the price considering it is a limited release and a Rye expression that seeks to push the category into new horizons. Double barreled whiskies are starting to be a fad these days but more common in Bourbons. This Rye has a solid r

Distillery : Buffalo Trace Owner : Sazerac company Proof/ABV : 93°/46.5% Variety : Bourbon - Single Barrel Country : USA Region : Kentucky Dump date : 03-03-20 Warehouse : H Rick No : 50 Nose : Spicy up front, followed by notes of vanilla, caramel and candied orange. Slight hint of oak in the background. Nose score : 2 pts Palate : Baking spices up front but short. This is followed by more vanilla and caramel notes from the nose. It has a somewhat dominant bitterness at the end that feels out of place (maybe because there was very little body in the palate?). This is not layered but has a good bold Bourbon character.  Palate score : 2 pts Finish : Short finish with nothing much happening. Notes of lemon and oak carries throughout the finish. The finish gives a nice warm Kentucky hug.  Finish score : 2 pts Overall : I am not too sure about this. This is my first Blanton's and it does not live up to the hype. It is a single barrel so maybe I got a not so good one. It is s

Distillery : Alberta Distillers Ltd  Owner : Beam Suntory Proof/ ABV : 130.2° / 65.1% Variety : Rye Whisky Country : Canada Region : NA Nose : This has a beautiful and delicate nose with notes of candied orange and cherries. It has very litte spice notes. Very subtle and very inviting. Nose Score : 4.5 Palate : The mouthfeel is awesome. Full bodied and packs some powerful flavors. It presents a short intense heat up front but not overpowering. Has great balance and complexity. The butter, oak and leather notes are layered with brown sugar and faint orange zest.  There is so much going on here.  Palate Score : 5 Finish : Medium length with very little heat. The notes of brown sugar, oak and tobacco carries through the finish.  Finish Score : 4 Overall : This is a very solid whisky. Canadian Rye is underrated and this one proves that. Very powerful and complex in flavours. The complexity in the nose and the palate is amazing. You also feel very little alcohol heat from this c

Distillery : High West Distillery Owner : Constellation Brands Proof/ABV : 92° / 46% Variety : Whisky Blebd Country : USA Region : NA Background : This is a blend of 3 different types of whiskies; Bourbon, Rye, Peated Scotch.  Nose : Orange zest, caramel, light spices, smoke is present but not dominant.  Nose Score : 4 Palate : Light bodied, short punch of spice, followed by complex layers of caramel, canided orange, vanilla and baking spices. Peat smoke appears mid palate and slowly fades .  Palate Score : 3 Finish : long, gentle and sweet vanilla. Very little rye spice presents in the finish. Peat is present in the background.  Finish Score : 4 Overall : This is a great whisky. I was very hesitant and sceptical at first. I love Bourbon, Rye and Peated Scotch whiskies but I did not imagine the 3 could be blended so well together. I expected the peat to overpower like it over powers my living room when I open a Laphroaig or an Ardbeg. I was wrong. The peat is pr