Less appetizing brine and zing, and showing more “weight” when compared to its sibling. Sweeter notes of toffee, fig, and vanilla fudge lay the foundation for mixed nuts, black raspberry, plum, nectarine, and ripe red grape. A soothing dram.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2009)

Not overly challenging. Stylish and very easy to embrace. I would introduce a new bourbon drinker to this kind of bourbon. Pleasingly sweet, with honeyed vanilla, graham cracker, candy corn, dates, and golden raisin. Subtle spice (cinnamon, mint, cocoa, and nutmeg), leading to a smooth, silky finish. I would love to see this at 45% ABV or even higher, as it comes across almost too soft. But for this price, I’m not complaining. A great value.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2009)

Good, straightforward, moderately sherried Balvenie. Classic honeyed notes combine with vanilla, ripe barley, glazed citrus, apricot marmalade, cinnamon, and nutmeg. A nice entry level Balvenie, a solid effort.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2009)

A very hearty Birthday Bourbon. Richly textured with lush sweet notes of jammy berried fruit, coconut cream pie, and apple crisp, married with firm dry notes of fresh mint, warming cinnamon, and vanilla. Dry, polished leather finish. The oak-influenced dryness on the finish lingers longer than I would like, and the flavors aren’t integrated as well as last year’s version (which is understandable, given that last year’s release was Malt Advocate magazine’s American Whiskey of the Year). This is certainly an entertaining whisky. Save it for after dinner, though.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2009)

Soft, gentle aroma, with notes of vanilla wafers, marzipan, and bramble. Continued soft, sweet, and creamy on the palate, with red and black currant, pear, subtle gin botanicals, and lingering anise on the finish. Good oak grit for such a young whisky, which helps to balance the sweetness. Fairly straightforward, as would be expected with such youthfulness, but very enjoyable. I wonder if this whisky is peaking at eight years old (or at least reached a plateau)? Certainly mature enough to enjoy now, but I would be curious to see this at 12 years old, where it might gain some additional depth and complexity, providing the oak is kept in check.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2009)

A unique and quite intriguing whiskey. A “bottle ready” California pilsner beer was given an extra dose of hops, then distilled in a pot still and aged in new oak for six years. Then it was “aged” in stainless steel for another three years. Five barrels were bottled. When I traveled through Europe, some of the breweries let me taste “Hop Schnapps” they’d had a distiller produce from their own beer. It was always just for their own private consumption, not for sale. This Charbay release reminds me of that, only aged into a mature whiskey. It’s a complex whiskey, naturally accentuated by hops, exotic teas, marijuana (seriously!), candied fruit, lavender, dark berries, raspberry (red and black), juniper, freshly ground tellicherry pepper, and light Caribbean rum. A nice “change of pace” whiskey.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2009)

Some of these older Duncan Taylor grain whiskies are very individualistic and exciting. With others, the wood has gotten the best of them (Grain whiskies are light in body and thus vulnerable to excessive oak aging). This one, fortunately, gravitates more towards the former, with a rather reserved oak influence, given its age. A bit tight on the nose. Rather sweet too, and somewhat viscous. Notes of vanilla, crème brulee, marzipan, caramel-coated popcorn, brown sugar, toasted coconut, and subtle pineapple and papaya. A gentle dried spice finish rescues the whisky from all the sweetness.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2009)

Remarkably light and drinkable for an all-malt product. Malty foundation with citrus (lemon zest, tangerine sherbet) shining through, along with vanilla wafer, white chocolate, coconut, ginger, and cut grass. A worthy “bridge whisky” for blended whisky drinkers curious about malt whisky, but single malt whisky drinkers might want more individuality. A whisky for a warm, lazy afternoon.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2009)

Rich and sweet, with toffee, coconut cream, Turkish delight, nougat, and honey. Ripe black raspberries, citrus, and dried spice (vanilla, fennel, and evergreen mint) provide complexity and attempt to balance all the sweetness. A pleasant dram, but I wish there was a little more to prop up all that sweetness. A whisky for those with a sweet tooth. Good with dessert, as dessert, or with a cigar.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2009)

A more significant oak impact when compared to the standard Old Forester bourbons, which is evident by the polished leather, tobacco, and dry resin notes (especially on the finish). There’s an attempt to balance all this wood with notes of dusty corn, coconut, mint, vanilla, juniper, and dark berried fruit (blueberry, black raspberry, black cherry), but I don’t think it quite gets there. This bourbon is a nice change of pace (and I understand the reason behind this whisky -- to emulate bourbons from the era of Repeal), but I prefer the Old Forester “Signature” 100 proof to this whiskey. I’m happy drinking the whiskeys of today, thank you. (Price is per 375 ml.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2009)