Bourbon Reviews

Distinctly brandy-toned, sweet yet briskly pungent. Cleanly expressed brandy, strawberry-like fruit, dark chocolate, night-blooming flowers in aroma and cup. Round, gently vibrant acidity; lightly syrupy, very buoyant and lively mouthfeel. Rich, deep, profoundly flavor-saturated finish.

Soft, rich, deep. Complex floral-related notes (honeysuckle, rose, vanilla, peach) lead, particularly in the cup, with complicating hints of earthy, strawberry-like fruit and walnut. Pronounced but gentle acidity; plush, silky mouthfeel. Floral notes profoundly saturate a sweet-toned finish.

Rich, deep, sweet-savory. Caramel, fresh-cut fir, pineapple, pear, a hint of honeysuckle in aroma and cup. Crisp, pleasantly bittersweet acidity; plush mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates but persists in a very rich finish.

Deep, pungent, complexly chocolate-toned. Dark chocolate, hazelnut, apricot, hints of night-blooming flowers and black currant in aroma and cup. Tart, richly brisk acidity; syrupy, lively mouthfeel. Chocolate and flowers in particular carry into a richly drying finish.

Resonant and complex from aroma through finish: roasted cacao nib, vanilla, apricot, hazelnut. Crisply bittersweet acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. The long, deep, flavor-saturated finish is particularly impressive.

Complex, delicately distinctive. Rose-like flowers, sweet carob, malt, orangy citrus in aroma and cup. Rich, rather opulent acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Hints of citrus and malty carob carry into a sweet-toned though drying finish.

Sweet-toned, deep, balanced. Green apple, night-blooming flowers, hints of hazelnut and roasted cacao nib in aroma and cup. Gently bright, lively acidity; buoyant, silky mouthfeel. Hazelnut and apple carry into a sweet though richly drying finish.

Deeply but buoyantly pungent. Caramel, honeysuckle, lemon zest, roasted cacao nib in aroma and cup. Poised, sweetly bright acidity; syrupy, lively mouthfeel. Rich, flavor-saturated finish. The depth and persistence of flavor in the long finish is extraordinary.

Evaluated as espresso. Ken (91) and his co-taster (91) recorded identical scores and very similar readings for this lively, balanced espresso: in aroma and flavor sweetly tart fruit (orange, lemon, kiwi) rounded by flowers for Ken and “sweet pea” for the co-taster; smooth, lightly syrupy mouthfeel; most impressively a very sweet finish with chocolate and cinnamon suggestions. Delicately chocolaty in three parts milk (“pure milk chocolate” according to the co-taster).

Savory-sweet and lushly floral-toned. Flowers, plum, dark chocolate, raisin in aroma and cup. Delicately balanced, crisply sweet acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Rich, deeply flavor-saturated finish.

Round, sweet-toned, balanced. Apricot, orange, caramel, lily-like flowers and a hint of chocolate in aroma and cup. Softly tart acidity; plush mouthfeel. The chocolate hint in particular comes forward in a slightly drying finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Balanced, richly complex, distinctive. Vanilla, hazelnut, candied ginger, dark chocolate and ripe, orangy raspberry in aroma and small cup. Full, round mouthfeel; raspberry, ginger and dark chocolate particularly saturate the finish. Preserves richness and complexity two parts milk.

Gently crisp, refreshingly balanced. Freshly cut aromatic wood, dark chocolate and a faint tart berry note in aroma and cup. Quiet, softly expressed acidity; lightly creamy mouthfeel. Aromatically simple but balanced, resonant finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Richly and sweetly tart in aroma and small cup: fresh-cut cedar, dark chocolate, zesty orange, hints of flowers and pipe tobacco. Full yet buoyant, lively mouthfeel. Flavor carries into a long, deep finish. Tart fruit, softened by a backgrounded chocolaty sweetness, continues to dominate in two parts milk.

Intense, gently but sweetly tart. Lemony peach, almond, fresh-cut fir, brown sugar in aroma and cup. Delicate, lively acidity; leanish but silky mouthfeel. Long, almost sugary sweet short finish, drying in the long.

Intense, exhilaratingly complex citrus character, simultaneously suggesting bitterish lemon zest, sweet ripe lemon, pungent grapefruit with a heady hint of citrus blossom. Lightly syrupy body; clean but tartly dry finish.

Quietly balanced, sweetly tart: flowers and orangy citrus, a hint of cedar carry from aroma to cup. Round, soft acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel; the tart sweetness extends into a long finish.

Gently sweet in aroma and cup, highlighted by notes of honeyed orange, flowers and a suggestion of nut. Gently bright acidity, medium body and a silky mouthfeel. A simplified version of the fruit-floral complex lingers in the dry finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Bright and juicy. Flowers, ripe citrus and stone fruit in the small cup with caramel undertones. The fruit carries into a clean finish, with sugary sweetness developing in the long. Two parts milk amplifies the caramel character and rounds the persistent fruit and floral notes.

Orange, bittersweet lemon, nut, aromatic wood in aroma and cup, with complicating floral top notes. Balanced, crisp acidity; silky mouthfeel. The citrus notes in particular carry into a rich, sweet finish.