Category: 85-89

Reviews with a final score between 85-89. Really good stuff. B+ grade.

Review: Lustau Solera Gran Reserva Finest Selection

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, Brandy, Brandy De Jerez, LustauLeave a comment

Paid: $60 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Lustau

Region: Spain

40% ABV

Aged For: 15 Years

Cask Type: Amontillado, Oloroso, and PX sherry casks

Grapes: Airen

Color: Brown Sherry

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Lots of raisin, dried fruit, figs, old oak, sherry, chocolate, walnuts, butterscotch, and citrus

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, slightly syrupy

Palate/Taste: Syrupy cherry and raisin notes, PX sherry, dates, figs, caramel, milk chocolate, orange, hazlenut

Finish: Light to medium warmth, and medium length, Again the sweet sherry notes dominate, a touch of oak and with more tannins than the palate, but still predominantly fruity

Thoughts: Its like an old sherry cask aged scotch on sweetness steroids. Would have liked to see it bottled at 45% but still a good buy at the price.

Score: 85 out of 100

Review: Booker’s Noe Hard Times

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, American Whiskey, Bourbon, Jim BeamLeave a comment

Paid: $60 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Jim Beam / Beam Suntory

Region: Kentucky

63.90% ABV

Aged For: 6 Years, 10 months

Mashbill: 77% corn, 13% rye, 10% barley

Cask Type: New charred oak

Chill Filtered: No

Color: Auburn

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Chocolate, brown sugar, pepper, leather, oak, tobacco, alcohol, butterscotch

Feel: Full, dry

Taste: Pepper, oak, leather, tobacco, clove, cinnamon, caramel, coffee grounds

Finish: Long, warm, and dry, with vanilla, dark chocolate, oak, roasted nuts, brown sugar, and leather

Thoughts: Solid spicy oak bourbon

Score: 88 out of 100

Review: Knob Creek Single Barrel Fusion/Navarre 2017 Batch 2

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, American Whiskey, Bourbon, Jim BeamLeave a comment

Paid: $45 for 750 ml

Distilled/Owned by: Jim Beam / Beam Suntory

Region: Kentucky

60% ABV

Aged For: 13 Years

Mashbill: 77% corn, 13% rye, 10 % barley

Cask Type: New charred oak, char #4

Chill Filtered: No

Color: Auburn

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Sweet corn, caramel, vanilla, oak, butterscotch, milk chocolate, and peanut butter

Feel: Full body

Taste: Oak, pepper, cinnamon, tobacco, caramel, vanilla, nuts, cream, honey and leather

Finish: Warm and lasting, dry, cloves, tobacco, oak, burnt peanuts, coffee grounds, and pepper

Thoughts: Sweeter on the nose and palate than some other KC SiB’s I’ve had. Still has that nice oak underlying profile and spice.

Score: 85 out of 100

Review: XXX One 2005 Foursquare

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, Barbados, Foursquare, RumLeave a comment

Price: $68 for 700ml

Distilled/Owned by: Foursquare / r/rum bottling

Region: Barbados

63% ABV

Distillate: Molasses

Aged For: 12 Years

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon

Chill Filtered: No

Additives used: No

Color: Chestnut

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Pepper, cinnamon, oak, vanilla, rye, coconut shavings, molasses, clove, and leather

Mouthfeel: Full, spicy, dry

Palate/Taste: Vanilla, orange, oak, pepper, leather, tobacco, coconut, peach, mango, maple

Finish: Long and warm, vanilla, flan, cinnamon, chocolate, pineapple, oak, pepper, and more rye spices

Thoughts: It’s very similar to a high rye bourbon, but with more tropical fruit and coconut notes. This is high octane boozy rum, and I love it.

Score: 87 out of 100

Review: L’Encantada Le Freche #49 1990

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, Armagnac, BrandyLeave a comment

Paid: $90 for 500ml

Distilled/Owned by: “Le Freche” / L’encantada

Region: Bas Armagnac

52.4% ABV

Aged For: 28 Years, Distilled 1990

Cask Type: French Oak

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

Color: Mahogany

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Grapes, hazelnut, orange rind, tobacco, oloroso sherry, dates, and port soaked oak

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body

Palate/Taste: Coffee, grape, dark chocolate, clove, pepper, oak, blackberry, and spice

Finish: Long and lasting warmth, dry on the palate, oak, pepper, tobacco, cinnamon, toffee, and citrus

Thoughts: I love trying things distilled during my birth year. This Armagnac has fruit on the nose, followed by a slightly dry oaky body with fruit injected here and there.

Score: 87 out of 100

Review: Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year 2018

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, American Whiskey, Bourbon, Buffalo TraceLeave a comment

Paid: $120 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by:Buffalo Trace / Sazerac

Region: Kentucky

53.5% ABV

Aged For: 10 Years

Mashbill: Buffalo Trace Wheated mashbill

Cask Type: New charred oak

Chill Filtered: Yes

Color: Auburn

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Vanilla, honey, oak, caramel, cherries, pecan, brown sugar

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Creamy vanilla with pepper, oak, and spices. baked wheat bread, honey, cherry, and pipe tobacco

Finish: Medium warmth and length, oak, cinnamon, pepper, toffee, chocolate, and butterscotch

Thoughts: It’s good a good bourbon, with a simple sweet profile. Honestly it’s what I excepted of Weller Antique after all the hype that surrounds that bottle now.

Score: 85 out of 100

Review: Royal Brackla 11-Year 2006 Virgin French Oak Exclusive Malts

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, Highland, Royal Brackla, Scotch, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Price: $100 for 750 ml

Distilled/Owned by: Royal Brackla / The Exclusive Malts

Region: Highland

58.2% ABV

Aged For: 11-Years, distilled 2006

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Virgin French oak

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

Color: Amber

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Oak, honey, malt, vanilla, Peach/apricot, French pastries, sweet and sticky syrup

Feel: full bodied, thick

Taste: Vanilla, oak, honey, backlava, spices, subtle, sweet, baked goods

Finish: medium warmth, long, oak, vanilla, honey, malt, ect

Thoughts: awesome oak/vanilla malt bomb

Score: 85/100