Mystique: 1-10 points
Score: 2
It doesn't really have any
Color: 1-10 points
Score: 8
Nice dark garnet
Scent: 1-10 points
Score: 8
bourbon / vanilla / caramel
Initial Impression: 1-10 points
Score: 6
Cheap, old mannish and unexciting
Mouthfeel: 1-10 points
Score: 3
very oily / coating
Taste: 1-10 x 4 points
Score: 16
big burn / alcohol / slight woody taste
Raw Score Total: 41 points
Bonus Points
Value 1-10 points
Score: 2
It's not that cheap, but it tastes cheap $19.99 for a 750ml
Total Score: 43 points
I don't normally drink this stuff. I bought a small bottle just to do this review. You might see this in some old bar or maybe your grandmother has some sitting in the liquor cabinet, but I don't think its very popular anymore. There's good reason for that as this is the worst bourbon I have ever had. I drink bourbon pretty regularly from about five or so different brands. I've had many others over the years, but never tried The Old Grand-Dad. No one in my family drank it, so I can't even say maybe I sneaked some out of the liquor cabinet as a kid. It does look and smell great so I had high hopes that I had possibly found another cheap good bourbon, but as soon as it hits your tongue the horror show begins. Captain Spaulding couldn't burn your mouth with a flame thrower any worse. I drink Wild Turkey regularly and I'm used to high proof bourbons, but this doesn't even come close. I think me experience went like this:
“ Ahhhh...AHHHHH!...EWWW...BLECH!”
First it's the big burn on your tongue. You’re then wondering if you just drank rubbing alcohol. After that maybe someone must have pinched your nose until you opened your mouth and they rubbed a tongue depressor all over your tongue until your breath is the same as a Canadian Beaver. Next someone must have crashed the Exxon Valdez in your mouth to create an oil slick this big. Finally you're dazed and just trying to figure out what the hell you just did. If you add some water to it, which usually opens up the flavor of bourbon the whole horror show completely disappears like it folded up it's tent and moved on to the next town. It's work is done here. It just leaves a vaguely alcohol smell and oily aftertaste where it was. A strange experience indeed. The price is high too - it's not a value by any stretch. If your looking for a cheaper bourbon that's good, buy Evan Williams and skip the tickets to this horror show.
Monday, April 25, 2011
(Review) Cruzan Black Strap Rum 80 proof
Mystique: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Pirates!
Color: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Inky and shimmering
Scent 1-10 points
Score: 9
Molasses and butterscotch
Initial Impression: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Nice label / I love black rum / inky looking
Mouthfeel: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Burn / oily / coating
Taste: 1-10 x 4 points
Score: 36
Heavy / thick / buttery / oak / molasses
Raw Score Total: 79 points
Bonus Points:
Value: 1-10 points
Score: 10 (11.99 750ml)
Total Score: 91 points
Feel like a pirate today! If ye be willin’ I have somethin’ for ye to try. Cruzan Black Strap Rum. Technically it's called a navy rum or a dark rum not a Pirate rum, but you know the pirates must have pillaged it from navy ships. You may not be familiar with this inky treasure as most places only carry gold and light rums. There really are only a few manufacturers of truly black rum, Gosling’s Black Seal, this Cruzan and now Kracken. If you want flavor and complexity try it. It tastes like buttery molasses and it coats a glass like squid ink. The flavor is so strong you may not want to drink it straight or on the rocks. Traditionally after the 1600's Navy rum was used to add flavor to cocktails and cooking. If you get some good ginger beer like Saranac and mix it with that you'll feel the breeze blowing through your hair and smell the gunpowder from the cannons. The true drink of buccaneers everywhere. If someone tries to give you some gold rum and call it navy rum, tell that landlubber to get that sissy crap out of your face and walk the plank. This is a best buy in my opinion.
Score: 9
Pirates!
Color: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Inky and shimmering
Scent 1-10 points
Score: 9
Molasses and butterscotch
Initial Impression: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Nice label / I love black rum / inky looking
Mouthfeel: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Burn / oily / coating
Taste: 1-10 x 4 points
Score: 36
Heavy / thick / buttery / oak / molasses
Raw Score Total: 79 points
Bonus Points:
Value: 1-10 points
Score: 10 (11.99 750ml)
Total Score: 91 points
Feel like a pirate today! If ye be willin’ I have somethin’ for ye to try. Cruzan Black Strap Rum. Technically it's called a navy rum or a dark rum not a Pirate rum, but you know the pirates must have pillaged it from navy ships. You may not be familiar with this inky treasure as most places only carry gold and light rums. There really are only a few manufacturers of truly black rum, Gosling’s Black Seal, this Cruzan and now Kracken. If you want flavor and complexity try it. It tastes like buttery molasses and it coats a glass like squid ink. The flavor is so strong you may not want to drink it straight or on the rocks. Traditionally after the 1600's Navy rum was used to add flavor to cocktails and cooking. If you get some good ginger beer like Saranac and mix it with that you'll feel the breeze blowing through your hair and smell the gunpowder from the cannons. The true drink of buccaneers everywhere. If someone tries to give you some gold rum and call it navy rum, tell that landlubber to get that sissy crap out of your face and walk the plank. This is a best buy in my opinion.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
(Review) Beefeater Gin 94 proof
Mystique: 1-10 points
Score: 7
It’s always been rail gin
Color: 1-10 points
Score: 7
hard to say its clear like gin should be
Scent: 1-10 points
Score: 4
alcohol, overpowering, medicine-y, juniper and fennel
Initial Impression: 1-10 points
Score: 9
established brand, cool bottle, history
Mouth feel: 1-10 points
Score: 7
feels light like it evaporates in your mouth
Taste: 1-10 x 4 points
Score: 24
instant burn / overwhelming botanicals
Raw score total: 58 points
Bonus Points:
Value: 1-10 points
Score: 5
It's priced too high right under premium gins
Total Score: 63 points
I received this as a Christmas gift because I wanted the really cool red glass shaker it came with, but I'm sure I must have tried it before and don't remember. This gin has been around since 1820 and for a lot of people it may be the bottle they think of when they think gin. It a distinguished looking square glass bottle with the English Beefeater on it, you know the guys in the red suits with the funny hats that stand guard at the towers of London. It has a reputation of being an example of what London Dry Gin should be, but If you only ever tasted this as an example of gin I think you'd be doing gin a dis-service. Even though the company claims it to be thoughtfully blended and crafted it has no refinement or smoothness to it. It smells like rubbing alcohol with something mixed in it. This may be due to the high proofing. It doesn't have a smooth combined nose, one sip and it overpowered my sense of smell. The taste is harsh and overpowering. I tried it straight and that was awful my mouth was totally overpowered by burn and botanicals. In a g&t I still found it too strong, even overpowering the quinine and lime. I finally mixed it in a Singapore Sling and it worked. The aroma was blended in with the other ingredients and it kept a refreshing snap. I would use this for rail gin only in mixers and strong flavored ones at that. I think the company is trying to market this as a top shelf product. Pricing is just below premium gins and it's just too high in my opinion. I won’t be keeping this as my rail gin, but if you like very strong flavors or drink very sweet mixed drinks by all means try it.
Score: 7
It’s always been rail gin
Color: 1-10 points
Score: 7
hard to say its clear like gin should be
Scent: 1-10 points
Score: 4
alcohol, overpowering, medicine-y, juniper and fennel
Initial Impression: 1-10 points
Score: 9
established brand, cool bottle, history
Mouth feel: 1-10 points
Score: 7
feels light like it evaporates in your mouth
Taste: 1-10 x 4 points
Score: 24
instant burn / overwhelming botanicals
Raw score total: 58 points
Bonus Points:
Value: 1-10 points
Score: 5
It's priced too high right under premium gins
Total Score: 63 points
I received this as a Christmas gift because I wanted the really cool red glass shaker it came with, but I'm sure I must have tried it before and don't remember. This gin has been around since 1820 and for a lot of people it may be the bottle they think of when they think gin. It a distinguished looking square glass bottle with the English Beefeater on it, you know the guys in the red suits with the funny hats that stand guard at the towers of London. It has a reputation of being an example of what London Dry Gin should be, but If you only ever tasted this as an example of gin I think you'd be doing gin a dis-service. Even though the company claims it to be thoughtfully blended and crafted it has no refinement or smoothness to it. It smells like rubbing alcohol with something mixed in it. This may be due to the high proofing. It doesn't have a smooth combined nose, one sip and it overpowered my sense of smell. The taste is harsh and overpowering. I tried it straight and that was awful my mouth was totally overpowered by burn and botanicals. In a g&t I still found it too strong, even overpowering the quinine and lime. I finally mixed it in a Singapore Sling and it worked. The aroma was blended in with the other ingredients and it kept a refreshing snap. I would use this for rail gin only in mixers and strong flavored ones at that. I think the company is trying to market this as a top shelf product. Pricing is just below premium gins and it's just too high in my opinion. I won’t be keeping this as my rail gin, but if you like very strong flavors or drink very sweet mixed drinks by all means try it.
(Review) Canadian Club 6 year 80 proof
Mystique: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Everything about it is classy and classic
Color: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Crystalline Amber catches light like a jewel
Scent: 1-10 points
Score: 8
Smells smooth and well blended hint of oak
Initial Impression: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Classic with an excellent reputation
Mouthfeel: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Even / Wet / Slightly Oily aftertaste
Taste: 1-10 x 4 points
Score: 38
Very Smooth Slight burn on the back end mellow taste stays with you
Raw Score Total: 80 points
Bonus Points:
Value: 1-10 points
Score: 10
$16.99 for 1.75
Total Score: 90 points
What is there to say about this classic whiskey? A lot actually if your into cocktail and spirit history. The short review is that you will not find a better whiskey in this price range. Even for 10-20 bucks more you're not going to find a smooth, tasty, perfectly blended whiskey like this. It's been a top selling brand for 150 years for a reason. It has received the Royal Seal from Queen Victoria, Invented the Manhattan for Lady Churchill, and been bootlegged by Al Capone during prohibition. The tale of the American entrepreneur that went to Canada to make whiskey sounds like movie script. If you go to the very in depth CC web page they'll tell you the whole story, and you'll see they are quite proud of their history and heritage. You pour it in the glass and you’re faced with an amber jewel. The smell is mellow. A hint of vanilla, and oak. The taste is smooth, but not too smooth. A perfectly blended experience of warm wet oakey flavor. It stays with you like a security blanket. The one problem with CC is it may seem a little old fashioned or boring. The new ad campaign emphasizing manliness and cool may change that view with the younger crowd. I can see hipsters latching on to it, to have with or instead of their PBR's and Millers. It's gong to make me laugh though watching unmanly skinny jeaned kids drinking it though. This whiskey is cool like the rat pack and James Bond (btw it's what he drank in the books not vodka martinis). It's not cool like that apartment your mommy and daddy are paying for is. Instead I like to picture Sean Connery and Earnest Hemingway drinking it while arm wrestling alligators and discussing the finer points of how great that broad's tits were that walked by. I think I'll leave you with that image. :)
Score: 9
Everything about it is classy and classic
Color: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Crystalline Amber catches light like a jewel
Scent: 1-10 points
Score: 8
Smells smooth and well blended hint of oak
Initial Impression: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Classic with an excellent reputation
Mouthfeel: 1-10 points
Score: 9
Even / Wet / Slightly Oily aftertaste
Taste: 1-10 x 4 points
Score: 38
Very Smooth Slight burn on the back end mellow taste stays with you
Raw Score Total: 80 points
Bonus Points:
Value: 1-10 points
Score: 10
$16.99 for 1.75
Total Score: 90 points
What is there to say about this classic whiskey? A lot actually if your into cocktail and spirit history. The short review is that you will not find a better whiskey in this price range. Even for 10-20 bucks more you're not going to find a smooth, tasty, perfectly blended whiskey like this. It's been a top selling brand for 150 years for a reason. It has received the Royal Seal from Queen Victoria, Invented the Manhattan for Lady Churchill, and been bootlegged by Al Capone during prohibition. The tale of the American entrepreneur that went to Canada to make whiskey sounds like movie script. If you go to the very in depth CC web page they'll tell you the whole story, and you'll see they are quite proud of their history and heritage. You pour it in the glass and you’re faced with an amber jewel. The smell is mellow. A hint of vanilla, and oak. The taste is smooth, but not too smooth. A perfectly blended experience of warm wet oakey flavor. It stays with you like a security blanket. The one problem with CC is it may seem a little old fashioned or boring. The new ad campaign emphasizing manliness and cool may change that view with the younger crowd. I can see hipsters latching on to it, to have with or instead of their PBR's and Millers. It's gong to make me laugh though watching unmanly skinny jeaned kids drinking it though. This whiskey is cool like the rat pack and James Bond (btw it's what he drank in the books not vodka martinis). It's not cool like that apartment your mommy and daddy are paying for is. Instead I like to picture Sean Connery and Earnest Hemingway drinking it while arm wrestling alligators and discussing the finer points of how great that broad's tits were that walked by. I think I'll leave you with that image. :)
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