I realized my bourbon collection was large and diverse enough to actually have a small tasting. Despite the fact that I know absolutely nothing about tastings other than putting things down as “like” or “NOPE”, I decided to give it a shot. Here are my thoughts (yes, I know they might not make any sense):
Orphan Barrel Gift Horse
- Nose: vanilla, alcohol ((m)ethanol?), caramel, not as woody as I expected tbh
- Taste: a bit harsh initially, mellows out to some floral notes, somewhat woody. Strange, honestly.
- Finish: drawn out, good constant burn
Makers Mark 46
- Nose: Heavier (than the 1812), more robust, woody, some vanilla
- Taste: wood, smooth, citrus notes, spicy (as in, can taste spices)
- Finish: long, somewhat thick mouthfeel
Twin Valley Distillery 1812 (in the decanter)
- Nose: Sweet, candy-like?,
- Taste: almost all flavor concentrated in the front, burn/zest, honey?
- Finish: nearly no finish to speak of
Overall thoughts: To be honest, I like them all. The 1812 is a solid mixer, and the 46 is something I would happily drink neat. If I liked you, I’d use this as a mixer in your Old Fashioned. The Gift Horse is weird. I like it, but it has a strange nose that can be quite off-putting.
Glassware: My wife and I bought flan at Costco a while ago, and the 8-pack came in these awesome glass containers. Perfect for small drams of whatever, and great for tasting. Not quite Glencairn glasses, but the shape is somewhat similar. This allows for the aromas to concentrate near the top of the glass, and whatnot. Seriously. Costco flan.
The Miksologist 