Distillery Characteristics

[kickert]

Many of us talk about how certain distilleries have certain attributes that define their products. For instance, Heaven Hill is often associated with menthol (and I associate them with a grassy flavor). Buffalo Trace seems to have a sweet earthy flavor. What characteristics stand out for you from each distillery?

[funknik]

Although, I've never really tasted any of the mint that many claim is in the Heaven Hill products, I would certainly say that grass, especially in the finish, is the hallmark of this distillery to me.

Buffalo Trace seems to have a very sweet taste (even in their rye) and somehow, BT products are usually the easiest for me to pick out blind - there is a very similar taste to all of them -- I would attribute it to the yeast, but I would just be guessing.

Four Roses has a very floral thing going on in all of their expressions except the Single Barrel.

Stitzel-Weller juice usually smells and/or tastes like roasted nuts to me.

Although I haven't had a lot of contact with Barton products, I think they have a sweet, corny taste . . . I always think of shellac, but not in a bad way: just like candy-glazed corn . . . really shiny, varnished.

Wild Turkey to me has a really strong rye character that often gives them away, although I think their products are the hardest to nail down for me. I think Wild Turkey has a lot of variation in their different labels, but rye and leather seem to be fairly consistent.

Jim Beam Clermont products seem to have a really tangible grain quality to them, maybe due to the extra rye. They also seem to have some vegetative/herbal quality (especially the OGD BIB).

Dickel always reminds me of maple syrup.

that's my two cents.

[ElasticalGomez]

Buffalo Trace seems to have a sweet earthy flavor. What characteristics stand out for you from each distillery?

awesome thread idea!

well, Buffalo Trace seems to have moved in closest to my heart. Pappy, Elmer, Eagle, Weller, Blantons and of course "Buffalo Trace" are thus far my favorite pours. unfortunately many of the others aren't available down here (not that i could afford Stagg any time soon anyway).

and the one thing that really seems to tie all these together, particular the rye bourbons of the bunch...is a dark maple syrup, and toffee flavor. sometimes subtle as with ER or BT and sometimes more pronounced with ETL and especially Blanton's. well, at least that's what my n00bie palate has noticed.

[kickert]

Jack daniels has bananas and I would say WT has a peppery quality to it.

If I get leather, I often look to Heaven Hill as well.

[jburlowski]

Ditto the comments on HH... particularly (for me anyway) the "mint" notes.

[ILLfarmboy]

I detect a lot more grass than mint in HH products. WT has dry leather and BT has sweet earthiness or pages of an old book quality.

[chasking]

Dickel has often been noted as having a "vitamin pills" aspect to its flavor. Some people find it very obvious and others don't seem to, but I've seen enough people comment on it that I think it's safe to say it's there. (I can taste it in Dickel whisky.)

[ILLfarmboy]

Dickel has often been noted as having a "vitamin pills" aspect to its flavor. Some people find it very obvious and others don't seem to, but I've seen enough people comment on it that I think it's safe to say it's there. (I can taste it in Dickel whisky.)

For me its far more in the nose and reminds me of children's chewable vitamins. Sweet. Not unpleasant, just different.

[funknik]

Dickel has often been noted as having a "vitamin pills" aspect to its flavor.

This flavor along with the mint seem to be two things that I'm totally immune to or have yet to notice.

[Josh]

Barton & its kin have a very distinctive flavor to me , but I can't seem to put my finger on it. Maybe vanilla and banana? I dunno. But I can pick it out of a line-up almost every time.

[MikeK]

To grossly oversimplify

Barton - Bananas

Four Roses - Cinnamon

Buffalo Trace - Sweet, sometime earthy

Jack Daniels - Candy, circus peanuts candy, if you've ever had them

Woodford - Pine, shellac

HH - Elijah Craig - lilacs