American Whiskey

Scores are on a 1-10. These scores are relative to each other, not to spirits in other catagories. Foo

Whiskey	Type	ABV	Score	Notes
Balcones Texas Single Malt	Single Malt Whiskey	53%	9	Rich, slightly sweet, malty whiskey. Flavor explosion in the mouth. Intense. The high proof does it a lot of favors. Not quite as refined as a more aged Irish or Scotch, but really lovely.
Basil Hayden	Straight Bourbon	40%	4	Sweet, bland, uninteresting
Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey	Wheat Whiskey	45%	5	Strong cereal feel on the tongue. Lots of nuts and fruit on the nose, less so on the tounge. Medium body. Oily. Interesting and unique.
Buffalo Trace	Straight Bourbon	45%	8
Del Bac Dorado	Single Malt Whiskey	46%	8	Unlike anything else I’ve had. Sweet, smokey, malty. Caramel and toffee notes. Different from peat smoke; does not register as Scotch-like. Hint of BBQ, but not overwhelming. Soft finish. Thanks to johndrothe for sharing!
Four Roses Small Batch	Straight Bourbon	45%	7	Hints of caramel, oak, vanilla, faint cherry, a bit peppery. Incredibly smooth. Light and subtle. Clean finish. Very enjoyable.
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel	Tenessee Whiskey	47%	3	Tastes like Jack Daniels No. 7, but with a little more going on. Still very sweet and harsh. Some bitter caramel. Light finish. Do not recommend.
Maker’s Mark	Straight Bourbon	45%	5	Sweet, rich, vanilla, hint of orange. Smooth and easy to drink. Baseline “tastes like bourbon” bourbon. Enjoyable neat. Not terribly interesting, but good.
Old Forrester	Straight Rye	50%	7	Molasses and candied citrus on the nose. Balanced rye spiciness, with warming pie spices undertone. Sweet but not too sweet. Slight bit bitter. Medium body. Makes a fantastic Old Fashioned. Priced at ~$25 a bottle, it makes an excellent every day drinking whiskey.
Old Overholt Bonded	Straight Rye	50%	6	Hints of caramel, rye, and butterscotch on the nose. Tastes likewise of caramel, oak, rye pepperiness, and vanilla. None of the notes are particularly strong or deep. Competent, but not exceptional rye. I doubt I’ll be picking up more because Old Forrester is simply better.