Tag: 77/100

West Cork Irish Whiskey

TJ Provost

This West Cork blended Irish whiskey is ultra affordable at just $30 per bottle.

West Cork Irish Whiskey
West Cork Irish Whiskey

The Nose

The nose is subtle. It hints at vanilla and spice but it is underwhelming. It is subtle and not at all “in your face”.

The Palate

That subtleness continues from the nose into the palate. This whiskey is smooth and goes down easy, but its also very light and simple. The flavor profile is relatively flat. It has a note of sweet that is easily overpowered with even a splash of water or a few ice cubes.

I enjoyed this bottle of West Cork and put it in my Everyday Whiskey category. If you enjoy Irish Whiskey and want to keep an affordable bottle on hand to enjoy with friends, this should be on your list.

The Score – West Cork Irish Whiskey

Overall it scored a 77/100, making it Sip Worthy. It’s positive and negatives are closely linked. It’s smooth, but simple, making it an easy sipper, especially if you are new to whiskey, but that simplicity also means it might leave you wanting more depth and complexity.

Pros

  • Super smooth.
  • Affordable.
  • Enjoyable mouth feel.

Cons:

  • Not a lot of depth on the nose.
  • The smoothness comes at the cost of flavor.
  • It goes down really easily. Too easily?

ChestNut Farms Bourbon

TJ Provost

Chestnut Farms Straight Bourbon Whiskey is distilled by Barton 1792 Distillery and is 90 proof. It won a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco Spirits Competition according to their website. What year? I couldn’t find it, but that is probably due to my poor google skills. What I was able to find is that this bourbon doesn’t have a website, and is made at the same Barton 1792 distillery where they make the Costco and Trader Joe’s brand whiskeys. (According to the internet.)

ChestNut Farms Bourbon
ChestNut Farms Bourbon

I’ve found awards are hit and miss for me. Some things that people rave over, tastes like gasoline to me, while some things that didn’t even place, were things I’d buy another bottle of, so I didn’t get my hopes up for this Chestnut Farms.

I’m not a huge fan of rye. For me it just creates a lot of sharp edges and an aftertaste I don’t enjoy. Maybe that will change as I get older. I remember a time when I didn’t like Brussel sprouts, but now I love them.

Why am I talking about rye? It’s because this Chestnut Farms has some rye added onto its 51% corn and malted barley mash bill. That usually means I’m not going to like it, but in this case, they got the ratio just about perfect. All those rough edges I don’t appreciate in rye whiskeys are smoothed out and come out as spicy warmth in my mouth.

The Nose

The nose is mild. There is a little caramel and toffee, but its not complex and overall it very light.

The Palate

The palate is a little different from the nose. It has that warm flush of a regular bourbon that quickly turns to oak char and then finishes with the spice from the rye. Overall it is a very well balanced whiskey and a great introduction to rye for those who aren’t really rye lovers.

The Score – ChestNut Farms Bourbon

Chestnut Farms is Sip Worthy and scored a 77/100. It isn’t making it into my Whiskey Safe, but it is a bottle I could see myself picking up when the mood strikes me again.

Color

Deep golden yellow.

Proof

45.0% ABV | 90 Proof

Pros:

  • Perfect balance of corn and rye.
  • Ends with a nice mix of rye spice and oak notes.

Cons:

  • If you don’t like rye at all, you may not like this.
  • At a $45 price point, there are a lot of very competitive whiskeys to choose from.

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