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”
This Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon hales from Sonoma Country, California, and is apparently named in honor of an actual redwood tree named “Pipedream”.
I guess this bourbon has a big repetition to live up to.
Which probably explains the big bold flavors that this Pipe Dream bourbon brings to the table. From the first scent, to the first sip, this is a strong, flavorful bourbon.
The nose is mildly sweet, full of toasted wood and char. Don’t let the nose fool you, the moment you take the first sip this bourbon fills your mouth with a swirling, complex flavor profile. It is wood char with a little sweetness under it, which finishes on a strong nuttiness that quickly turns to black pepper.
This is not a bourbon for the weak hearted.
Scoring – Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon
I did enjoy sipping this Redwood Empire Pipe Dream and can see myself wanting more in the future. It’s not a dram I’d drink as a casual sipper, but on those occasions I want something full flavored and strong, this will absolutely be a go to, which is the reason this scored an 81/100.
Pros
Wonderfully complex bourbon.
Mildly sweet opening that instantly becomes woody char and black pepper.
Deep and flavorful.
Cons:
May be too much for new bourbon drinkers.
Flavors may be too much for some.
The bottle is really tall. No, seriously, it doesn’t fit onto the shelf with my other bottles. I had to put it on a different shelf because its so tall.
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
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.
I’ve honestly had a lot of Maker’s Mark cross my lips. It is the most common bourbon I find at restaurants and bars when I order a Manhattan. A Manhattan is my go to drink at most establishments that don’t have a great whiskey selection. Of course I had to try it as a sipper to start!
Maker’s Mark Bourbon
So I picked up a bottle and and figured I’d try it out.
The truth is that this is a great mixer. It is subtle, smooth, but not very complex. There is a very soft sweet vanilla note that quickly gets overpowered by wood char. You can sip it, there just isn’t a lot there when it comes to depth or complexity.
Maker’s Mark is a good starter bourbon if you are just starting to sip. It doesn’t have a strong flavor, so it will be good for new drinkers. If you are more experienced, this is a bourbon for mixed drinks only.
The Score – Maker’s Mark Bourbon
Maker’s Mark scores a 60/100, putting it firmly in the Mixed Drinks Only category.
Pros
Can find in pretty much every bar across the land.
I gave straight Wild Turkey a score of 63/100 so I was curious how it would rank when mixed into a Manhattan. I’m hoping the Vermouth will help tame the burnt marshmallow I didn’t really like in the base bourbon as a sipper.
I used my normal formula to start.
2 Ounces Bourbon
1 Ounce Sweet Vermouth
After I finished my first Manhattan I remade my drink but added in two drops of Orange Bitters. This Wild Turkey really benefited from the Orange Bitters, giving it a little more complexity where it was flat.
Overall this is what I’d call a classic mixer. It’s not out of this world, but its very sippable and its a perfect drink for parties and gatherings when you want to save the “Good Stuff” for those who will appreciate it.
A Wild Turkey Manhattan ranks 73/100.
Wild Turkey Manhattan
Color
Amber and yellow. A little blood in the pee?
Proof
40.0% ABV | 80 Proof
Pros:
Affordable way to make lots of mixed drinks.
Great option for parties and gatherings of people who like Whiskey, but don’t Love Whiskey.
Cons:
If you don’t like toasted marshmallows, this may not be for you.
Wild Turkey Bourbon is a staple at most bars. I actually challenge you to go into any bar that you can wear jeans into and find one that sells bourbon where this isn’t on the shelf. As a young man, I remember when a single bottle of Wild Turkey was enough to keep four of five of us good for a night. Those were the days.
Wild Turkey Bourbon
Wild Turkey has a long history, and has been in production for over sixty years. The interesting part, is that it was started in New York in 1940 and wasn’t bought by a company in Kentucky until 1972.
The Nose
The nose on this Wild Turkey is flat to me. I can smell the wood char and a hint of sweet, but its very basic.
The Palate
The palate opens with burnt marshmallow that continues through the finish with a mix of char and burnt sugar. The flavor reminds me of Hudson’s Baby Bourbon. Its much milder than Hudson’s Baby Bourbon, but its there, that burn marshmallow that ends in a hint of leather.
The Score – Wild Turkey Bourbon
The good news is that this Wild Turkey is a lot milder than Hudson’s Baby Bourbon. While I can drink Wild Turkey straight if I have to, for me this is really a bottle that should be saved for Mixed Drinks Only, scoring a 63/100.
Color
Amber and yellow. A little blood in the pee?
Proof
40.0% ABV | 80 Proof
Pros:
Cheap.
Easy to find.
Affordable way to make lots of mixed drinks.
If there aren’t other options, this can be sipped, which makes it a good backup that is easy to find.
Cons:
If you don’t like toasted marshmallows, this may not be for you.
Uncle Nearest 1856 has created a lot of stir over the last two years by winning multiple awards and having an ever growing number of sippers recommend it to their fellows, which is exactly how I ended up with a bottle in my hands. Several friends had mentioned Uncle nearest 1856 to me, but up until this week I’d never seen a bottle on a shelf, so when I did, I grabbed it, even though I was really looking for Brut for my wife to make mimosas on Kmiss morn.
Uncle Nearest 1856
2019 & 2020 Most-Awarded American Whiskey
Uncle Nearest 1856 is a blended Tennessee Whiskey with some big shoes to fill. According to their website:
Uncle Nearest is the most awarded new American premium whiskey brand in United States history, garnering 75 awards since its July 2017 debut, including being one of two brands named “World’s Best” at Whisky Magazine’s 2019 World Whiskies Awards, and earning 15 Best in Class. Cigar & Spirits Magazine also named Uncle Nearest one of the “Top 5 Whiskies in the World.”
Did it live up to the hype?
The Nose
Let’s start with the nose. The first thing you will get when you put this Uncle Nearest 1856 to your nose is alcohol burn. You can really smell that 100 Proof, but the good news is that just beneath that is a swirling, complex nose that fills your olfactory nerves with sweet brown sugar, nutmeg, caramel, maple, and a hint of cut grass.
The Palate
Just like the nose, you do get a rush of alcohol on the tongue on that first sip, but it quickly gets balanced by that brown sugar, caramel, and wood char, that is all perfectly balanced. This is a very smooth sipper. The mouth feel is light and yet complex, with the wood char mixing with the sweetness that switches between Maple and Brown sugar in a very delightful way before ending coasting to a long, smooth finish.
The Score – Uncle Nearest 1856
Uncle Nearest 1856 scored an 84/100, putting it ahead of most of its piers by a large measure. What cost it a few points? For me, that 100 Proof does balance out, but it may be too much for newcomers to the whiskey world, and while it is very smooth, the maple and brown sugar may be too sweet if you’re a Scotch lover.
Color
Dark brown with hints of golden light flashing through.
Proof
50.0% ABV | 100 Proof
Pros:
Wonderful nose that mixes maple, caramel, and nutmeg.
Perfectly blended char, maple, brown sugar, and nutmeg on the tongue.
Long, smooth finish on the palate.
Extremely smooth.
Uncle Nearest 1856 made it into my Whiskey Safe!
Cons:
That 100 proof can create a little burn on first touch.
That 100 proof can also hurt you the day after. It is very smooth and goes down easy, and that might leave you with a headache the next day, as it makes it easy to over indulge.
This may be for moderate to advanced sippers. It might just be “too much” for the new whiskey drinker.
A friend at work mentioned this Fistful of Bourbon so when I saw it on the end cap at my local liquor store I figured I’d pick up a bottle and give it a try.
Fistful Of Bourbon
Fistful of Bourbon is a blend of whiskey combined from five different whiskeys. The marketing material brags about having 100 years of experience blending whiskey.
How did they do? Well, I have to be honest that I was a little worried when I first searched for the website and the very first thing I see is a page about cocktails.
Why is this the first page? Well, to be honest I don’t think this is a whiskey the creators figured would be a sipper.
The Nose
I poured a dram into a Glencairn Whisky Glass and swirled it a bit to bring the nose up. That nose starts with alcohol burn that slowly reveals some charred wood underneath. It was strong enough that I was curious if I lost some nose hairs.
The Palate
The first sip is consistent with the nose. The initial taste is strong alcohol and jagged edges that slowly fades. It does open up with a little bit of water with does let you appreciate some of the more subtle flavors. There is wood char and spice there, but the alcohol burn just barely lets it poke through here and there.
The Score – Fistful Of Bourbon
For me this Fistful of Bourbon scores a 53/100, putting it firmly in Mixed Drinks Only territory.
Color
Light brown.
Proof
45.0% ABV | 90 Proof
Pros:
It should be cheap .
The bottle is very nice. I like the old fashioned squarish bottle. It reminds me of the bottles I found at my grandfathers house as a kid.
Cons:
The online price is nearly $15 bucks cheaper if I had looked there first. $40 bucks is just too much for this bottle.
Lots of alcohol burn and sharp edges. The alcohol overpowers any other flavors that might be hiding here.
I’m not sure what audience Agitator is going after, but apparently its the crazy drunks? Wait, how did I end up here? – Oh, never mind.
I guess I’m a rule breaker and a rabble rousers.
According to Agitator’s web site, Agitator starts as a 21% rye whiskey that is aged for two years in new charred white oak before spending a few months in California Cabernet Sauvignon barrels.
Agitator Kentucky Bourbon
Let’s see how that effort pays off.
The Nose
The first thing that hit me on the nose was the alcohol. Swirling the Glencairn Whisky Glass made my eyes water. This whiskey is only 86 proof, but the alcohol on the nose would have made me guess higher. It wasn’t until I added some ice and let it open up that I could appreciate any of the more delicate notes. Once it opened up I could really smell the oak and vanilla. I was expecting to maybe smell something from the time spent in the Cabernet Sauvignon barrels, but the nose is all bourbon to me.
The Palate
The first sip matched the nose. Straight, the alcohol smacks you in the face. Opened up a bit with some ice or water and I can appreciate the oaky vanilla on the sip, and it does finish with a red wine dry, acidic mouth feel that hints at a bit of sweet fruit.
The Score – Agitator Kentucky Bourbon
I’m giving Agitator a 50/100, but because of its red wine roots, I am very curious to find out how it does in a Manhattan, as this is a Mixed Drinks Only bottle from here on out.
Color
The color of dehydrated urine after you’ve been punched in the kidney a few times.
Proof
43.0% ABV | 86 Proof
Pros:
If you like a dry finish, this might be right up your alley.
Opens up with a bit of ice or water.
Red wine finish.
Cons:
The straight whiskey has a very strong alcohol punch.
Is $30 bucks too much for this? The fact that I’m not sure makes it a con for me.
Death’s Door is an interesting whiskey. Instead of using a traditional whiskey yeast the distillers use a champagne yeast on an 80:20 mash bill of hard red winter wheat to malted barley.
The Nose
Thankfully my initial fear that this was going to be more akin to white lightening than bourbon were ill founded. Death’s Door’s nose reminded me more of vodka than whiskey. There is malt and alcohol, but for me, the nose is very neutral and not very pronounced. I do have a minor sinus cold, so I’m curious if that will change when I’m back to 100%.
Death’s Door
The Palate
The mouth feel is clean and crisp and the opening on the front of my tongue is creamy malt, that almost, but not quite, turns into butter cookies. That opening is quite lovely. I wish it had finished as nicely. As the whiskey reaches the back of your throat a few of the rougher notes come through. It is unsweetened dark chocolate and raisins left in the sun.
The Score – Death’s Door
I enjoyed this Death’s Door and will save what’s left of the bottle to see what a few of my friends think of it. The whiskey spent just a little bit of time in uncharred Minnesota oak barrels, but I think the champagne yeast played a bigger part in the flavors at play in this whiskey.
I’m giving Death’s Door 68/100 points. This makes it perfect for Mixers or On Ice. I would call this a novelty, and it is different, but it isn’t making its way into my Whiskey Safe.
Pros:
The champagne yeast adds a creamy note that reminds me of Irish Whiskey in a pleasant way.
Different, very different. if you like trying new things, you should try Death’s Door, even if its a one time buy.
The opening on the front of the tongue is all malt, creamy sweetness.
Cons:
If your looking for bourbon, this is going to be an odd duck for you.
The finish is a little rough on the back of the tongue.
$40 is a little bit high for this bottle. $25 or $30 seems like a fairer price.
