-
This site contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, Poker Chip Forum may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Official PCF Whisk(e)y Thread (67 Viewers)
- Thread starter jbutler
- Start date
elemeno
Two Pair
Which sites/sources do you trust for whiskey/bourbon reviews?
BruceWayne
Flush
PCF
I've found I have a pretty similar palate to Matt at ADHD whiskey, so I typically trust his reviews.
elemeno
Two Pair
Thanks! What’s your favorite bottle at $30-50, $100, and $200?
Thinking about getting a cheaper one for myself and a more expensive one for a gift
I'm going to do these real fast, figure tbe first that comes to mind should be the best choice, right.....
$50: Old Forester 1920, 1792 Bottled in Bond, I'd we expand just a bit Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye
$100: Any Barrel specialty single barrel, like a Barrell Rye Single Barrel Cask Strength
$200+: Glendronach 18 or 21
My recent go-to recommendation for a gift bottle that's nice but not crazy over the top is James Pepper Barrel Proof Bourbon (the decanter style bottle). $60-$70, beautiful bottle, great juice, and something different that most bourbon lovers will without question enjoy. Makes a great gift
RocAFella1
Royal Flush
I’d go with the Eradour and the Caol Ila if you can handle a smokey whiskey.
RocAFella1
Royal Flush
Klobberer
Full House
How much? And, I'll be jacking your tourney if the price is wrong!
Klobberer
Full House
Bourbon Junkies on YouTube...Sean's palate aligns with mine.
I watch both of these channels. Breakingbourbon.com is pretty good too for written reviews.
Last edited:
If anyone is interested. This is supposed to be a banger. Open to the public. It’s a Drums and Drams pick and Cam has a phenomenal palate imo.
Use code “Cam” to save 5%
HARD TRUTH SWEET MASH RYE
126.6 proof / 63.3% ABV (cask strength)
5 years old
Aged in a spiral cut barrel from Independent Stave Company
94% rye, 6% malted barley
https://bourbonoutfitter.com/products/hard-truth-sweet-mash-rye-drums-drams-5-year-126-6-proof
Tasting notes:
HARD TRUTH SWEET MASH 5 YEAR RYE
NOSE
The spiral cut barrel makes itself known immediately with a dessert-like caramel apple note backed by a toffee-laden oak. Also Swiss Miss hot chocolate powder and vanilla ice cream. After acclimating to the prominent barrel influence, sweet orchard fruits and honey come into focus, which is the more typical profile for Hard Truth’s Sweet Mash Ryes. There’s also a bit of a Dr. Pepper spice.
PALATE
Rich, sweet, and quite spicy up front. Front of the palate focuses on those spicy cola and barrel notes. As it develops, it continues deepening into a caramel apple/toffee character. It gets broader and broader on the palate as the cinnamon spice ramps up. Fresh, tart cherries and fruit notes appear as the whiskey transitions to the finish.
FINISH
The finish is incredibly long. Prickly cinnamon churns and churns. Tart cherries and fresh fruit hang on, and a slight floral note appears. There’s still an underpinning of that spiral cut barrel too. Remarkable finish!
FINAL THOUGHTS
This pick will be slept on. With a young-ish age, novel barrel usage, and likely a high bottle count, I think some folks will pass it up when focusing purely on stats. Do not sleep on this bottle! I think this whiskey will blow you away, even if you’re not a “rye person.”
The spiral cut barrel used for this whiskey is a showstopper, and I think it shows so much promise for extensive aging in these barrels without becoming over-oaked. I’m curious to try other examples of spiral cut-aged products from other distilleries, but especially Hard Truth as they continue to age.
And while I love to highlight the great parts about our picks, not every whiskey is perfect, so I also like to discuss my criticisms of our picks too. The only complaint I have about this one is that there’s a bit of an extra ethanol punch on the front of the palate. It’s not much (maybe 10% too much), and it does level out as you continue drinking, but the first sip does have a bit of an extra kick. I’d ascribe that to its youth, but otherwise this whiskey doesn’t drink like a 5 year product.
Use code “Cam” to save 5%
HARD TRUTH SWEET MASH RYE
126.6 proof / 63.3% ABV (cask strength)
5 years old
Aged in a spiral cut barrel from Independent Stave Company
94% rye, 6% malted barley
https://bourbonoutfitter.com/products/hard-truth-sweet-mash-rye-drums-drams-5-year-126-6-proof
Tasting notes:
HARD TRUTH SWEET MASH 5 YEAR RYE
NOSE
The spiral cut barrel makes itself known immediately with a dessert-like caramel apple note backed by a toffee-laden oak. Also Swiss Miss hot chocolate powder and vanilla ice cream. After acclimating to the prominent barrel influence, sweet orchard fruits and honey come into focus, which is the more typical profile for Hard Truth’s Sweet Mash Ryes. There’s also a bit of a Dr. Pepper spice.
PALATE
Rich, sweet, and quite spicy up front. Front of the palate focuses on those spicy cola and barrel notes. As it develops, it continues deepening into a caramel apple/toffee character. It gets broader and broader on the palate as the cinnamon spice ramps up. Fresh, tart cherries and fruit notes appear as the whiskey transitions to the finish.
FINISH
The finish is incredibly long. Prickly cinnamon churns and churns. Tart cherries and fresh fruit hang on, and a slight floral note appears. There’s still an underpinning of that spiral cut barrel too. Remarkable finish!
FINAL THOUGHTS
This pick will be slept on. With a young-ish age, novel barrel usage, and likely a high bottle count, I think some folks will pass it up when focusing purely on stats. Do not sleep on this bottle! I think this whiskey will blow you away, even if you’re not a “rye person.”
The spiral cut barrel used for this whiskey is a showstopper, and I think it shows so much promise for extensive aging in these barrels without becoming over-oaked. I’m curious to try other examples of spiral cut-aged products from other distilleries, but especially Hard Truth as they continue to age.
And while I love to highlight the great parts about our picks, not every whiskey is perfect, so I also like to discuss my criticisms of our picks too. The only complaint I have about this one is that there’s a bit of an extra ethanol punch on the front of the palate. It’s not much (maybe 10% too much), and it does level out as you continue drinking, but the first sip does have a bit of an extra kick. I’d ascribe that to its youth, but otherwise this whiskey doesn’t drink like a 5 year product.
Last edited:
Damn that sounds good.....
$120.
gopherblue
Straight Flush
Fryeday.
CoolDude53
Sitting Out
Fryeday warm up round
CoolDude53
Sitting Out
Cheers! Will report back
Klobberer
Full House
PM incoming!
CoolDude53
Sitting Out
Wow… it’s awesome, finish just goes and goes.
A little thin on the palate but then it slams you with richness and just the right amount of barrel char. Creates a superb drying sensation that wakes your taste buds up - it’s prickly! Really fills the mouth with a pleasant grassy rye note, and has an uncharacteristic subtlety to it. My guess is the lack of corn brings out a cleaner rye that just stands out more than I’m used to - there’s no sweet notes to lend to it’s smoothness.
Definitely not as “powerful” as something like a jdsbbpr, but to me is more pleasant and approachable. A phenomenal bottle that just tastes special. 5 min finish, still getting hints of chicory and fresh fennel.
As someone who shoots for ~1oz pours, I’d give up a dozen 4r sbbs picks for another bottle.
Create an account or login to comment
You must be a member in order to leave a comment
Create account
Create an account and join our community. It's easy!
Log in
Already have an account? Log in here.
