I have to be honest with you when I tell you that I bought this bottle of Fighting Cock Bourbon as a joke. One of my older boys was turning 25 and I thought this would be a funny gift – which he then left at my house when he departed.
Fighting Cock Bourbon
This bottle of Fighting Cock has sat in a dark corner of my whiskey shelf for a few months since then, at least until I tweaked my back a little. That means I’ve only been driving or going out for critical activities. Sadly, buying booze is not a critical activity.
This Fighting Cock is tops if your budget is under $20 bucks. It is rough, and has strong flavors, but if you are on a budget, this is a great choice. Don’t let the overall score of 58/100 and the fact that this is technically in the Mixed Drinks Only category fool you. As a budget option, this was pretty good.
Pros
So very affordable.
If you like a spicy whiskey and don’t mind a few rough edges this is a great buy.
Your mom will tell you she doesn’t like the whiskey’s name.
Cons:
So very affordable. This could be bad if you have a problem with self control.
It has a plastic, screw off cap. I know, I’m a whiskey snob, but what I am supposed to do when I collect whiskey corks?
I’m embarrassed to say I like drinking “Fighting Cock”
Mr. Whiskey is a blended Irish offering that is matured in IPA Casks. At $22 this is what I’d describe as a budget offering, but don’t let that scare you off, this dram punches way above its price point.
Mr. Whiskey
The Nose
I poured an oversized dram into a Glencairn Whisky Glass and swirled it gently before putting my nose to the glass. The nose is floral with hints of malt. This is a gentle, subdued nose which is perfect for the beginner.
The Palate
The mouth feel is light and watery and opens with sweet vanilla that turns to malt as it reaches the mid tongue. The finish is more malt mixed with just a hint of butter cookies that ends with just a flash of roughness.
The Score – Mr. Whiskey
Mr. Whiskey scored a 70/100, making it Sip Worthy, but more importantly, this whiskey also made into my Whiskey Safe. At this price to value, I plan to keep a bottle on my shelf at all times.
Color
Light straw color.
Proof
40.0% ABV
Pros:
Classic Irish notes.
Amazing price to value.
Cons:
Incredibly affordable as anywhere close to $22 bucks.
While it is an easy sipper, there isn’t a lot of depth here.
There is a little roughness on the finish, its not overbearing, but it is there.
We were driving by a CostCo and decided to hit their liquor store. Which you don’t need a membership to shop at! It is apparently illegal to have private alcohol stores? We don’t have a CostCo nearby so I had to grab this huge bottle of Kirkland Irish Whiskey to try out.
Kirkland Irish Whiskey
The Nose
The nose on this Kirkland offering is subtle. It hints at butter cookies but it is really hard to appreciate through the alcohol. Not super impressive so far.
The Palate
The mouth feel is clean, but has lots of sharp edges. Those sharp edges continue all the way to the finish with a stab of alcohol.
Of course I couldn’t try this without comparing it to Jameson right?
Kirkland Irish Whiskey Vs Jameson
It is really hard to see in the pictures, but the Kirkland offering is just a tiny bit darker than the Jameson. Picking the Jameson by nose was very easy, it all comes down to the alcohol burn. Neither has a strong nose, but the Kirkland Irish Whisky really hits in with the alcohol in comparison. Even my wife, who does not like whiskey, could pick out the Kirkland Irish Whiskey. It is the one that smelled “stronger” of alcohol.
The mouth feels are very similar. The very first note on the tip of my tongue makes me wonder if the Kirkland Irish Whiskey might be sourced from Irish Distillers Ltd. Yes, the same company that owns Jameson. From what I can find on the public forums, it does appear these two are coming from the same source. For obvious reasons, CostCo wants to keep this a mystery.
A lot of other reviews comment on the sweet creaminess of the the Kirkland Branded Whiskey. I was really looking forward to enjoying that! Sadly, the only thing I could really appreciate was a bit of sweetness mixed in with those sharp edges.
For me, the flavor comparison is close. Kirkland Irish Whiskey has an age statement and is an excellent budget offering. I just think the Jameson is smoother and easier to sip. If you are going for volume per dollar though, the Kirkland option is the clear winner.
The Score – Kirkland Irish Whiskey
Jameson scored an 75/100, and while this Kirkland Irish Whiskey is a huge value, it is not as good. I’m scoring it a 65/100 putting it at the uppermost range of Mixed Drinks Only.
Color
Golden brown.
Proof
40.0% ABV
Pros:
Holy carp, this was only $18 bucks.
Very economical if you are making mixed drinks.
Aged 4 years.
Cons:
Very faint nose that is hard to get to because of how alcohol forward this whiskey is.
Rough edges on the finish.
Even though its twice as much volume for a few dollars less, I would still go with a bottle of regular old Jameson.
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised when I took the first sip of Stillhouse Black Bourbon. My expectations weren’t that high, as I only paid $22, so on top of being a very drinkable bourbon, it is quite affordable.
Stillhouse Black Bourbon
So how drinkable was it?
The nose hits you with a bit of alcohol, but it quickly mixes with wood char.
The palate starts in a very similar fashion. The alcohol burns then quickly turns to mild oak char that finishes with a touch of bitterness, astringency, and spice from the coffee ground and rye. Those coffee notes through me at first. Stillhouse Black Bourbon is “mellowed in coffee beans”, but I didn’t know that until after I’d taken the first few sips. Then it clicked, that bitterness and astringency is from the coffee.
Even though I’m giving Stillhouse Black Bourbon a 61, putting it in the Mixers or On Ice category, its already a “bottle” that I’ve bought more than once. It is perfect for mixers, and better yet, it is perfect for camping and hiking, where not having a glass bottle is a real bonus.
Color
Dark amber and brown.
Proof
40.0% ABV
Pros
Packaged in a metal tin, which makes it perfect for camping and hiking as well as parties where you don’t want to take a glass bottle.
Great bang for the buck when it comes to value.
Cons
Some drinkers may not like the opening astringency.
If you like your whiskey neat, this might not be right for you. It really does need some ice or be put in a mixed drink to help smooth out the rough edges.
It is packaged in a squarish metal case, while being awesome, also means its hard to tell when you are almost out of Stillhouse.
A blend of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and a unique honey liqueur of our own making, for a taste that’s one-of-a-kind and unmistakably Jack. With hints of honey and a finish that’s naturally smooth, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey offers a taste of the unexpected. -Jack Daniel’s
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey
Clearly Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey was an attempt to compete with other flavored whiskeys. Even if technically its not even a whiskey. It’s a Liqueur because of how its created.
The nose is all sugar. Yes, it smells a bit like honey, but really all I get is sugar and alcohol.
The mouth feel isn’t much better. It is sweet, but also sticks to my tongue as if it is just a bit too much like syrup. It only gets worse on the swallow. As well as being sickly sweet it has an odd aftertaste. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey is one of those drams that I kept licking my mouth as if I was trying to physically scrub away the flavor.
These drams are always hard to score. Instead of how much did I like it, the score becomes how much did I dislike it? It is basically a rating of how to torture me with Whiskey once the rating goes below 29. So if you want to torture me someday Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey scored a 10/100 making it just bad.
I’m not a huge fan of Flavored Whiskeys. Whiskey should taste like Whiskey as far as I’m concerned. I know the segment is expanding in lots of markets and some people love them. I’m just not one of those people. If you love Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey or other flavored whiskeys let me know int the comments and I’ll try the out.
Color
Way too much potassium in your pee.
Proof
35.0% ABV
Pros
If you like to drink syrup this might be a Whiskey for you.
Its super sweet and at only 70 proof might be good for new whiskey drinkers?
Cons
Too sweet.
Feels like a dessert but doesn’t taste good (to me).
One of my sons brought this bottle of Hill Billy Bourbon home as a gift because he knows I like to try new bottles. I now have to question if my son has it out for me. I ended up making a small modification to this bottle, updating the label From “Hilly Billy Bourbon” to “Hell Billy Bourbon”.
Hill Billy Bourbon
Even copious amounts o ice could not save this dram. Did I get a bad bottle? How in the world did this win awards? Because on their website this won several.
The nose had faint hits of vanilla and spice, but was overpowered by alcohol and wood char.
The mouth feel was clean, but for me this Hill Billy Bourbon was all jagged edges and burn on the tongue. Hill Billy Bourbon had a faint but very unpleasant antiseptic aftertaste that overpowered the more pleasant hints of vanilla.
I’m going to give Hill Billy a 9/100 as I can’t really see ever getting another bottle. Yes, the bottle looks like I did some damage to it, but I was using it as a taster for new drinkers to give them an example of what Just Bad tasted like. It is always important to give someone a point of reference. Out of two dozen tastings, I did have one person really like it, which is great. Drink what you like and enjoy it, but for me this isn’t it.
Spend a few bucks more and get a bottle of Buffalo Trace. Those extra five dollars make a world of difference.
Color
A morning pee when your quite dehydrated and may have eaten a few orange crayons the night before.
Proof
50.5% ABV
Pros
Cheap.
Great bottle if you are trying to show someone the difference between low end and high end Bourbon.
Cons
You get what you pay for, and this was cheap after all.
Tastes a little bit like someone poured some antiseptic into a glass of cheap bourbon.
Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey is distilled by Irish Distillers, at the Midleton distillery in County Cork. It is a blended offering that is just about as affordable as Irish Whiskey should get. I can routinely find Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey for $20 if I’m willing to drive to the big liquor store a few towns away. At $20 bucks, it might just make you wonder how good could it be?
Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey
The nose is really subtle. It’s a little malty and a little sweet that blends with a bit of alcohol.
The sip is just about as subtle. This is a thin whiskey. The mouth feel is watery, but its also beautifully simple. I’d say this is perfect for those times when the friends or the food is the focus, and the whiskey is going to flow freely, which is perfect as this Paddy’s Irish Whiskey is just about as affordable as it gets.
It is also an award winner. When it comes to value, you really can’t beat Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey.
Just Some of Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey Awards
The finish is a little spice that overpowers the malt, but not in a bad way.
I find it amazing that a $20 bottle is also packaged so well.
Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey Packaging
Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey scored a 70/100, putting it just into the Sip Worthy category. Don’t let that score scare you off. At this price, that score is really impressive. There are times when I just crave Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey, and since its a few bucks cheaper than Jameson, it is also easy on the wallet.
Color
Light to medium amber.
Proof
40.0% ABV
Pros
For $20 bucks this is a great buy.
Great budget whiskey.
Affordable whiskey for new drinkers.
Amazing value Irish Whiskey with tons of awards.
Cons
Not a lot of complexity. Will underwhelm a more appreciative pallet.
Not a lot of anything on the nose.
After a dram, the next dram goes down easier, which is nice, but also dangerous.
