Russell's Reserve Advent Calendar 2023
Russell's Reserve Advent Calendar 2023
Recently I was sent 20 different samples of Russell's Reserve from 20 different warehouses. I am starting an advent calendar starting today and I'll review one a day until Christmas. I hope that this will be informative to folks who are into this brand and the different warehouses. I'll be editing this post as I go along to put together a nice comprehensive list and once I am done, I will put together a truncated list with stand out flavors for ease of use. All samples will be tried from a glencarin glass and picked at random.
12/05/2023 Tyrone N
N: Vanilla pops out first with notes of brown sugar. It's slightly acidic. There are notes of tropical fruits and a hint of mint. I'm trying to pin down the fruit notes. Somewhere between banana, apple, and pineapple. Deeper in the glass I can make out some woody notes. Not quite charred oak. Maybe toasted wood. Like lacquered floorboards. As it opens up, some of the intense vanilla and brown sugar fade away to reveal a bubble gum like fruit cornucopia. (7)
P: Thick and almost briny. Full of apples, melons, and spray paint. (7)
F: Swells up right away with some heat to it. It really feels like a rollercoaster ride that ends with a calm splash into a body of water. The very end is different. It's very umami. My brain is glitching and I can't quite put my finger on what this very unexpected turn is hinting at. Hints of bread and wet stones at the tail end. It reminds me of being by the beach. I don't quite wanna say it's fishy, but it's oceany. There are small wisps of floral perfume. No oak to speak of. No astringent chalky finish to it. (8)
O: First time trying Tyrone N and I must say, "That was different". I can already tell that this is going to be a fun journey with these. The stand out characteristics of this one was the dominant brown sugar on the nose and the unexpected wet stones on the finish. I'll give it an altogether rating of (7) because of how unique it is.
Score: 29/40
12/06/2023 Tyrone H
N: At first, he nose is floral and full of bright fruits. There's a small undertone of vanilla deeper in the glass. After a while, it kind of smells like orange/lemon marmalade and chocolate with a hint of lavender. (8)
P: Apple skin, pears, and honeydew. (8)
F: Quickly changes to sugary toffee. Big swell with a short tail with a lingering oakyness that sticks around for a bit. Not too dry just leaning dry. (6)
O: Super delicious sample but I feel like it's a little all over the place. Each portion does well on its own and it tells an interesting tale but it's lacking unity. There isn't a common thread that holds it together. I did find the nose especially inviting but the finish, although pleasant, was a little short. (6)
Score: 28/40
12/07/2023 Tyrone B
N: First impression is that it's heavy on the brown caramelized sugar. There's a toasted vanilla undertone. Deeper in the glass, I'm surprised to find strawberries and baked sugar cookies. There is a faint note of juicy fruit gum. Though seemingly disjointed, it comes together as a unified, harmonious aroma. As time passes and the whiskey opens up, the vanilla and brown sugar yield to the more fruity notes (9)
P: Medium mouth feel with lovely orange striped apples and a bit of spray adhesive and oak. (8)
F: Very sweet and delightful.Very few identifiable tastes. Maybe some faint rubber. The brown sugar is definitely there. It just comes together as a great sweet flavor. Ends a little astringent with soft white oak tannins. (8)
O: This one is my favorite so far. It has a mature feel to it. When consuming it, you know every step of the way that you're enjoying a great work of art. Just delightful. (9)
Score: 34/40
12/08/2023 Camp Nelson E
N: Bright melons rind appears at first; like the not so sweet part that where you stop eating a honeydew. Underneath that there is a perfume like aroma that's divine. I could honestly wear it. Mid-distant from the glass, I find some light wisps of herbs; parsley comes to mind. Right below that there's some oak mingling with a faint hint of vanilla. All the way at the bottom, I discover hazelnut milk chocolate. All of this is overarched with a little sour twang. This is a solid measuring stick for what good bourbon should smell like. (10)
P: Very oaky right away. There is some sweetness and ephemeral hints of red delicious apple skin but it's completely overshadowed by the barrel char thick oak. It is very viscous. (7)
F: The finish swells up with the sweetness that the palate was so vehemently guarding. I pick up white sugar, pears, apples and oak. It slides into a soft and long landing that has the same flavors slowly muting themselves in unison until the completely fade away leaving behind the slightest bit of chalky tannins. (9)
O: If you can't tell by now, the nose is my favorite part of whiskey. This one was astounding. I could smell it for hours. The body was a little lackluster considering the incredible intro but overall I'd say this is an absolutely stunning whiskey. I believe it's my first CNE. (9)
Score: 35/40
12/09/2023 Tyrone S
N: The aroma on this is a little muted and there's a number of flavors I think I recognize but they go by so fast it's hard to focus on one. I will try. Apples and strawberries come to mind. It also smells a little creamy. There are the usual suspects lurking beneath the surface; caramel and strong vanilla with a little hint of ethanol. (7)
P: Apples, bubble gum, oak (6)
F: Lots of oak at first, plenty of ethanol burn that subsides into more wood and more oak. There are moments where the sweet fruity character of this whiskey fights its way from underneath all that oak to shimmer for a second but it eventually succumbs to the darkness. (6)
O: This one was pleasant all together but hey, what can I say? I never met a whiskey I wouldn't drink. That's not actually true. There's always Hudson. That being said, although this didn't score as high as the rest so far, It's far from being a bad whiskey. (6)
Score: 25/40
12/10/2023 Tyrone T
N: Roses, cantaloupe, and vanilla, right away. Slight bit of ethanol burn deeper in the glass while these aromas are intensified. You have to search for it but there's a bit of cinnamon lurking underneath. There's also an undercurrent that reminds me of arcor strawberry hard candies. The kind grandma always had in her purse. There's a bit of astringent dryness that accompanies this otherwise sweet smell. (8)
P: Very oaky with bits of over-ripened apples. (7)
F: Overwhelming oak envelops your palate as stabbingly bright fruit notes pierce through the veil. This crescendo quickly comes crashing into an epilogue that's very dry; almost bitter and medicine like. (6)
O: I was thrilled about the nose but it all became a little monotone towards the end. I know many would really dig an oak bomb but they're just not my jam. (6)
Score: 27/40
12/11/2023 Tyrone K
N: Begins with floral perfume with light herbal tones. There is a full-bodied layer hiding under that that has a lot of fruit, vanilla, cocoa, and bubblicious gum. There's plenty of ethanol burn but it almost cools instead of burning and has that sensation when you take it away that makes the air smells a little sharper, cooler, and different. Kind of like when you take off the red colored lenses and everything looks a little green. (8)
P: Not much oak to be seen on this one. Lot's of yellow apple flesh and melons and a hint of superglue. (8)
F: The finish is right on brand given the palate. It's more apples but this time with the skin on. That industrial glue flavor is also there but very inoffensive. It has about as much astringent character as a skin on apple. It really feels like you just ate one. The whole thing lasts about 2 minutes. (9)
O: Ooh wee that was a delicious one. I especially like that the palate and finish were so congruent. While some of these fall into the category of precious, this one falls into the category of dangerous. It's just too easy to drink. (9)
Score: 35/40
12/12/2023 Camp Nelson F
N: The nose on this one is a little sharper. The ethanol is up top and it's hard to pierce through it to pick up specific notes, but the usual suspects are still there. Vanilla leads the way as toffee, caramel, and baked cinnamon streusel slowly begin to reveal themselves. I'm gonna let it rest for a bit to see if it opens up some more.
Upon resting it for a bit, its pretty much the same. Just a little tamer. I can now pick up a hint of fancy shoe leather. (7)
P: Just red delicious apple skins and burning. (6)
F: There's a lot going on here it just zips past you so fast, you hardly have the time to recognize any of them. It did swell up right away and over in under a minute. The very ending is crisp and slightly tannic but at that point, it's accompanied by no other flavors. I'm gonna go in for another and see what I can retrieve.
Second go rapid fire style: berries, melons, apples, leather, campfire, ash, chalk. Whew! (8)
O: The nose on this was a little muted and cloaked by the initial ethanol burn but pleasant nonetheless. It slouched a tad on the monotone plate but made up for it on the finish. Solid choice. (8)
Score: 29/40
12/13/2023 Tyrone O
N: Slightly floral. Deep fluffy vanilla right under it. It's like a vanilla toffee fudge. Minimal ethanol burn accompanied by an acidic overtone and a herbal(saffron) undertone. Although I can parse out the different smells, it does have a sense of being a singular unique aroma. (9)
P: Pretty tannic up front with a ton of oak and almost bunt brown sugar and some muted tropical fruit notes. (6)
F: It rapidly changes to a vegetal note I can't quite put my finger on. Like grilled zucchini or something like that. The sweetness is still there all along. That saffron taste is here too but more pronounced and noticeable. It ends very dry. (7)
O: I almost boosted the finish by a point since I'd never had a whiskey do that to me and I like being surprised, but then I realized that that's what this section is for. This one threw me for a loop. (8)
Score: 30/40
12/14/2023 Camp Nelson B
N: Classic bourbon profile. Reminds me a little of Michter's 10 year. Very rounded and inoffensive and has that "signature aroma" thing going on with it. Brown sugar, stone fruit, spray paint, vanilla and a hint of cinnamon. No oak to speak. Smells amazing. (10)
P: Sour cherry syrup envelops the mouth as green apple skin begins an elusive dance. Swimming in and out of view. There's a strong vanilla backbone to it but it's difficult to notice because it's just standing there. (8)
F: Thick and candy sweet. Very difficult to pinpoint but it's distinctly different from the rest. There's a hint of eukalyptus or something piney and vanilla. End's with a hint of oak and chalky tannins. (9)
O: I'm at a loss of words. That is such a pleasant experience but simultaneously, extremely difficult to define. (9)
Score: 36/40
12/15/2023 Tyrone G
N: I pick up cherry syrup right away. Pause... The whole house smells like steak. Headed to the patio. Ok. Let's try again. Yes. It is cherry but there's a little bit of that wet dog smell in this glass. I've smelled this before with some whiskeys, but I'm honestly not sure if it's the glass. I washed it several hours ago. Oh well. It's there so it's in my report. Not much of an oak character to it. Upon deeper inspection, I can mince out a very pleasant aroma. Confetti birthday cake. (7)
P: Green apple, slightly rubbery. Like a rubber balloon. (7)
F: Nutty, sweet, and short. The very end has a little bit of that birthday cake in it and ends with a tiny bit of tannins. (8)
O: Ok. Not a fan of the wet dog thing because I realize that it could be my glass even-though I really don't think it is. Otherwise, this is a right down the middle, no piece that stands out whiskey. Can't really complain about it but probably won't remember it as a knockout. The birthday cake thing was a pleasant surprise. (7)
Score: 29/40
12/16/2023 Camp Nelson D
N: The dominant vanilla pairs nicely with crisp gala apples to create a unique aroma. It's very thick and rich and reminds me of a nail salon. Not much to pick out here. Instead of a movie, this is a pretty jpeg. (8)
P: Red delicious apples and that slightly off-putting rubbery, medicinal smell you get at a nail salon and oak. Don't get me wrong. It's somehow very tasty. (7)
F: More of that rubbery taste. It's almost like you took a rubber band, made it edible, dipped it in candy and ate it. Tiny bit of oak on the back end. (7)
O: Overall, this was a little monotone, but it made up for it by being a great tone. (7)
Score: 29/40
12/17/2023 Tyrone D
N: Bright fruit notes up top with brown sugar and vanilla underneath. I smell green grapes, pineapple, and a faint hint of granny smith apples. Overall very balanced and nuanced. (8)
P: Very oaky right away. Almost sweet and bitter. Some apple and superglue notes but really ton's of oak. (7)
F: Holy wow. This is the most complex finish so far. It still has that oak backbone but there is a myriad of flavors that come in and out of focus while switching places. This may have to be a rapid fire round. I'l go in order of what I'm tasting.
Ready...set...go...
Spray-paint, superglue, oak, apples, melons, char, chalk, pears, tannins. (9)
O: This one was outstanding. The palate was super oaky but sweet at the same time. It was my least favorite part but still passable. The finish was a lovely rollercoaster ride. It surely is an impressive whiskey. (8)
Score: 32/40
12/18/2023 Tyrone E
N: A little bit floral at first. Reminds me of nice soap. Let's get deeper. Deeper in I find fresh plum and apricot combined with creamy vanilla. Very subtle oak. (9)
P: Tons of oak and a nice bubble gum thing going on here. Bits of Anjou pear and a burning rubber note.(8)
F: Brightens up right away with pears, apples, oak, and bubble gum. As those flavors subside, you are left with watermelon rind. (8)
O: Quite the sample here. The nose was nice, even the rubbery note on the palate was pleasant. I get that from some high proof older rums and to be honest, I quite like it. The finish was elegant and controlled but a tad short. (8)
Score: 33/40
12/19/2023 McBrayer B
N: I notice floral perfume and creme brule at first. Little sharper than the rest. A tad bit of paint and a bit of astringency. Upon some time resting, I start to pick up some overripe fruit. Like almost rotting watermelon and mangoes as well as baked pastries. (9)
P: Bright fruit and sunshine. Tons of red apples and mangoes. (9)
F: This finish is divine. Bubble gum, paint and adhesive, tropical fruit, and baked sweets. Lasts a good while, all the while telling an evolving story. No oak, no astringent qualities, the last flavor you're left with is faint banana bread. (9)
O: This is the most obscure warehouse on the list for me. I've never came across one on the past so I was excited to try. I was not disappointed. Very nice texture and no off-putting notes whatsoever. It's the only one that didn't finish with at least a little bit of tannins. Good ride. (10)
Score: 37/40
12/20/2023 Tyrone Q
N: The nose starts off citrusy, zesty, and herbaceous. There's a little bit of vanilla, some brown sugar and pepper. A hint of tarragon deeper in the glass. Once you burn off all your smell receptors, it actually gains a bit of fruity sweetness. It's like an orange soda hard candy. Reminds me a little of the Bardstown Curaçao. At this point, I could smell this all day. (10)
P: Little bit of oak up front, but mid-palate, it's all apples, pears, orange zest, and vanilla. (9)
F: It was so pleasant that I had to experience it in silence. I'll go in again and see if I can figure out what notes there were. Slight bit of sweet oak, It swells up over and over again with vanilla, orange zest, marmalade, tarragon, tiny bit of oak, and finishes a little like Tyrone E with watermelon rind. Holy wow. Incredibly balanced. (10)
O: Omfg!!! This has got to be the one. It is decadent and up there with the best of the best. Just a stupendous piece of art. (10)
Score: 39/40
12/21/2023 Camp Nelson A
N: A bit floral and soapy at first. Lavender followed by apple flesh. Good bit of ethanol burn deep in the glass and deeper still, we hit the full bodied, fluffy vanilla intermingling with acetone. There's also a bit of acidity to the right of the glass. Sour but not citrus. No oak presence at all. (8)
P: Yellow apple skin, astringent, industrial adhesive. (7)
F: Fluffs up with a bit of marshmallows and apples, that astringent flavor is there in the background all along but the sweetness holds for a good while. Not overly complicated but it holds up. Ends with a little bitterness. (7)
O: This was a "right down the line" good whiskey. Nothing is offensive, as a matter of fact, it was quite pleasant. Just a bit uninteresting. (8)
Score: 30/40
12/22/2023 Tyrone M
N: Tons of vanilla and very fluffy smelling. Little bit of burnt brown sugar and chocolate come together to form an amazing aroma. This reminds me of the E.H. Tylor Barrel Proof batch 10. I'm very much digging this. There are some fruity notes, and some acidity but I can't quite pick them out. Kind of like when you get those expensive chocolates that tell you the origin country and sometimes they have a sour/fruity twang. Everything is just so harmonious. (10)
P: Sour, bitter, sweet. Fruit character is between apples and honeydew. There's a tiny bit of oak and some rubbery character. Interestingly, the bitter quality hit's you mid palate rather than the front so you're greeted with a tangy sweet taste and then all the players reveal themselves. (9)
F: It falls apart a little on the finish. It begin's promisingly with some caramel but towards the end the rubbery taste takes over everything and fades out into chalk. (6)
O: Man! The nose on this promised so much. I'm not sure what went wrong on the process. Perhaps it stayed in the barrel longer than it was supposed to or something like that. I'm still a huge fan of the nose on this but it just couldn't hold itself together to the end. (7)
Score: 32/40
12/23/2023 Tyrone A
Sorry. Gonna keep this short because I have company over.
N: Brown sugar and vanilla. A slightly sour note and stone fruit. Very full bodied with a nice ethanol tingle. As it evolves, I pick out a distinct coffee note. (9 )
P: Nice and lush. The brown sugar is present along with apples and soft oak. (9)
F: Big stone fruit at first, that moves into a sweet slide into some industrial flavors and stays sweet all the way to the end. (9)
O: I really liked this one, I wish I could give it more attention but from the little that I did, It was amazing. (9)
Score: 36/40
12/24/2023 Tyrone F
N: Tropical fruit. Papaya and banana combined with toasted vanilla and graham cracker. Nice fluffy smell to this one. (9)
P: Has that graham cracker thing going all the time. It's accompanied by superglue and a hint of burning rubber. Very coherent. (8)
F: Industrial flavors up front that again fade into the baked cerealy notes. Slight hint of bitterness that ends with a doughy, bready, slightly bitter taste. (8)
O: This one was unique and enjoyable. Good luck in the lottery. (8)
Score: 33/40
Merry Christmas Everyone!
So the thing is that I only consumed 1/2 of the samples. So if you want to experience this, click on this link, fill it out, and I'll do a randomizer to give away the rest. Entry ends 12/31/2023 at midnight. You must be a member of a facebook group that I advertised this on. You must be 21+, no purchase necessary, I ask you to follow this page, I pay for shipping within the lower 48. Good luck!
Comments
Post a Comment