Category: 90-94

Reviews with a final score between 90-94. These are my top shelf bottles I drink slowly and savor. A grade.

Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Camillus Liquors Pick

On By MajorHopIn 90-94, American Whiskey, Bourbon, Jim BeamLeave a comment

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Paid: $40 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Jim Beam / Beam Suntory

Region: Kentucky

60% ABV

Aged For: 13 Years, 4 months, Warehouse X, Floor 6, Rick 39, Tier 2

Mashbill: 76% corn, 12% rye, 10% malted barley

Cask Info: Barrel #5131 Camillus Liquor

Cask Type: New charred oak, char #4

Chill Filtered: No

Color: Caramel brown

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Thick oak, leather, chocolate, cinnamon, clove, corn mash, peanut, and brown sugar

Feel: Full and dry

Taste: Chewy oak, pepper, tobacco, chocolate with nuts, coffee grounds

Finish: Good warmth and length, oak, oak, baking spices, leather, pepper, and toffee

Thoughts: Knob Creek single barrel picks when they are preforming well are some of the best, if not the best value buys in bourbon. This oak bomb is no exception, loved it.

Score: 90 out of 100

Macallan Edition No. 4

On By MajorHopIn 90-94, Macallan, Scotch, SpeysideLeave a comment

Macallan Edition No. 4

Paid: $105 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Macallan / Edrington Group

Region: Speyside

48.4% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: European and American oak refill butts and hogsheads, and butts, puncheons and hogsheads from Vasmya, Diego Martin, Jose y Miguel Martin and Tevasa.

Chill Filtered: Yes

Color Added: No

Color: Tawny

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Chocolate, oak, lemon, honey, raisins, nutmeg, sherry, walnuts, vanilla

Feel:Medium body

Taste: Chocolate and caramel, oranges, vanilla, sherry, oak ,cake

Finish: Caramel, coffee, brown sugar, malt, honey, walnuts, and dried fruit. Medium warmth and length

Thoughts: Similar to the edition two, but I enjoyed this one a lot more as it hit my preferred flavors. Another solid entry in the editions series, and is tied with the edition 1 for me.

Score: 90 out of 100

Bunnahabhain 14 2003 Pedro Ximenez Finish

On By MajorHopIn 90-94, Bunnahabhain, Islay, ScotchLeave a comment

Bunna 14 PX

Price: Discontinued

Distilled/Owned by: Bunnahabhain / Distell

Region: Islay

54.3% ABV

Aged For: 14 Years

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Second fill sherry, then first fill PX sherry

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Reddish bronze

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Candied plums, caramel, rich sherry, citrus, dried fruits, alcohol, and milk chocolate

Feel: Medium body. syrupy

Taste: Maple syrup, sherry, chocolate, citrus, cinnamon, coffee, dried fruits, raisins

Finish: Very sweet, raisin, sherry. caramel, chocolate, caramel, oak and fruit, light to medium warmth and medium length

Thoughts: A delicious sherry scotch desert syrup, sad I never found one to purchase as this one was a sample. I can only Imagine if the recent Viceroys Elixir I had was bottled at CS like this it could have been the God of sherry monsters.

Score: 90 out of 100

Francis Darroze Domaine de Jouanchicot 1982 Vintage 33-Year

On By MajorHopIn 90-94, Armagnac, Brandy, Domaine de JouanchicotLeave a comment

Darroze 1982

Distilled/Owned by: Domaine de Jouanchicot

Region: Bas Armagnac

42.5% ABV

Grapes: 100% Ugni Blanc

Aged For: 33 Years (1982-2015)

Cask Type: French Oak

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Burnt Chestnut

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Dark fruits, chocolate, caramel, raisins, oak, berries, bourbon, rich dark and heavy

Mouthfeel: Medium body

Palate/Taste: Vanilla and chocolate, with baking spices, cloves, pipe tobacco, Sweetened black tea

Finish: Heavy oak tannins, plums and port wine, vanilla and cream, long length and medium warmth.

Thoughts: I am in love with the dark heaviness of this drink, right up there with some of the best bourbons and scotches I have enjoyed.

Score: 90 out of 100

 

Chateau de Pellehaut 1989 28-Year

On By MajorHopIn 90-94, Armagnac, Brandy, Chateau de PellehautLeave a comment

Pellehaut 1989

Paid: $70 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Chateau de Pellehaut

Region: Tenareze Armagnac, France

49.9% ABV

Grapes: 100% Ungi-Blanc

Aged For: 28 years (Distilled 1989)

Cask Type: French oak

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Mahogany

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn.

Nose: Toasted oak, caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate, leather, and mulled wine

Mouthfeel: Medium body, well rounded

Palate/Taste: Dried fruits, brown sugar, vanilla, pipe tobacco, sherry wine, oak

Finish: Long and warm, reminiscent of well-aged bourbon, oak, vanilla, cloves, coffee, raisins, very deep and dark.

Thoughts: It was so good I purchased two more bottles to have in reserve, an excellent vintage bottling. I’m used to seeing the insane prices currently commanded by the whiskey markets, and this is a breath of fresh air for as long as it lasts.

Score: 90 out of 100

Foursquare 2004 Single Blended

On By MajorHopIn 90-94, Barbados, Foursquare, RumLeave a comment

Foursquare 2004

Paid: $65 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Foursquare

Region: Barbados

59% ABV

Distillate: Molasses

Aged For: 11 Years

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon

Still Types: Pot & column still

Chill Filtered: No

Additives used: No

 

 

Color: Amber

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn.

Nose: Tropical fruit, vanilla, molasses, coconut, oak, has a clear fresh strong scent

Mouthfeel: Oily

Palate/Taste: Bourbon oak, vanilla, brown sugar, fresh mint, mango, and coconut with tropical overtones

Finish: Long and warm, sugary maple, chocolate, pepper, leather, dried fruits, and citrus

Thoughts: Being primarily a whisky drinker, this is the sort of thing I want out of my rum. It is still distinctly rum, but not weak 40% abv rum full of additives and filtered down.

Score: 90 out of 100

 

Bunnahabhain 29-Year 1987 Wemyss Malt “The Viceroy’s Elixir”

On By MajorHopIn 90-94, Bunnahabhain, Islay, ScotchLeave a comment

Bunnahabhain 29-Year 1987 Wemyss Malt “The Viceroys Elixir”

Price: Discontinued 

Distilled/Owned by: Bunnahabhain / Wemyss

Region: Islay

46% ABV

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Aged For: 29 years, distilled 1987

Cask Type: Sherry Butt

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Burnt Umber

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn.

Nose: Caramel, raisins, apples, dark chocolate, figs, plum pudding, sherry

Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily

Palate/Taste: Intense sweetness, PX sherry, caramel, coffee grounds, molasses, toasted nuts, oolong tea, blueberries

Finish: Long lasting, medium warmth, dark chocolate, sherry, dried fruits, caramel, blueberry jam, scones

Thoughts: It’s one of the sweetness whiskies I have ever consumed. It reminds me a great deal of drinking a vintage PX sherry, with less of the syrupy thickness that entails. Delicious and one to be savored slowly.

Score: 90 out of 100