The sweetest you have had?

[mrpipster]

Thanks everyone!

I found a store yesterday that had 50ml bottles of Larceny. As I understand it this is a wheated bourbon and should be sweet but,to me this stuff had a very noticeable burn to my palette when tasting. I thought rye was the culprit for the burn.

What am I missing here?

[EarthQuake]

48 minutes ago, mrpipster said:

Thanks everyone!

I found a store yesterday that had 50ml bottles of Larceny. As I understand it this is a wheated bourbon and should be sweet but,to me this stuff had a very noticeable burn to my palette when tasting. I thought rye was the culprit for the burn.

What am I missing here?

What are you missing? Probably the vocabulary to communicate what you're trying to find.

 

So firstly, sweet does not mean a whiskey will not have a burn. Pretty much all whiskey has burn, and this more than anything comes from the alcohol itself. Generally speaking, younger and/or lower quality whiskey will tend to have more of a raw alcohol burn, and how much burn a whiskey has can vary considerably by the barrel. Where and how the barrel is aged tends to have a big effect on how smooth or burny a whiskey is. There is bottom shelf swill that has a terrible burn at 80 proof, and cask strength heavy hitters and have surprisingly little burn when considering how high the alcohol content is. Most whiskey nerds appreciate some amount of burn, and this is a preference that tends to be acquired over time.

 

Generally, whiskey will calm down a bit if you pour it in the glass and wait 10-15 minutes before drinking. A little bit of water can help open whiskey up and release more flavors, and of course a bit of ice can help tame even the highest proof spirit, though ice tends to dampen some of the positive flavors as well.

 

When we talk of sweetness, generally we're talking about specific flavors, brown sugar, caramel and vanilla being common, but also getting into ripe fruit, cherry cola, etc.

 

A whiskey with little burn would typically be refered to as smooth rather than sweet. You can have a smooth and sweet whiskey, or a smooth and spicey, smooth and smokey, etc. Again, sweetness and burn are not mutually exclusive nor is sweetness and smoothness mutually inclusive. Wheat typically is associated with sweetness, but smoothness is really neither here nor there.

 

Rye is often associated with spiciness, and by this we generally mean cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, pepper, ginger, etc. Again, sweetness and spiciness are not mutually exclusive either.

 

The antithesis to sweetness is generally dryness. By dryness we get into oak and woody flavors, leather, bitterness, acidity, etc. Even here, sweetness and dryness are not mutually exclusive. If you're ever had any kind of sour candy you know that sugar and acidity can co-exist.

 

Typically good whiskies show a balance of sweetness, spiciness, dryness, and have a well managed alcohol burn. In my opinion, a whiskey that is exceptionally well balanced: smooth, sweet, spicy and with a drying finish, would be C. E. H. Taylor Small Batch (though the Single Barrel and Barrel Proof version have very similar qualities as well).

 

Now, saying all this, if you're looking for something that is very sweet and smooth, Bourbon may not be for you (though I would encourage you to try many different types, and try to appreciate flavors outside of the spectrum of sweetness). Instead, you may want to try Canadian whiskey, which is typically crafted to be very sweet and smooth. Something like Pendleton 10 year is a very sweet and smooth spirit. Rum is an option as well. Many of the "premium" rums on the market (such as El Dorado) have sugar added to them, which makes them very sweet and cuts down on the alcohol burn and funkier aspects, much to the dismay of many rum nerds, but if sweetness and smoothness is your goal, a lot of rums would probably sate your sweet tooth.

Edited May 27, 2018 by EarthQuake

[mrpipster]

52 minutes ago, EarthQuake said:

What are you missing? Probably the vocabulary to communicate what you're trying to find.

 

So firstly, sweet does not mean a whiskey will not have a burn. Pretty much all whiskey has burn, and this more than anything comes from the alcohol itself. Generally speaking, younger and/or lower quality whiskey will tend to have more of a raw alcohol burn, and how much burn a whiskey has can vary considerably by the barrel. Where and how the barrel is aged tends to have a big effect on how smooth or burny a whiskey is. There is bottom shelf swill that has a terrible burn at 80 proof, and cask strength heavy hitters and have surprisingly little burn when considering how high the alcohol content is. Most whiskey nerds appreciate some amount of burn, and this is a preference that tends to be acquired over time.

 

Generally, whiskey will calm down a bit if you pour it in the glass and wait 10-15 minutes before drinking. A little bit of water can help open whiskey up and release more flavors, and of course a bit of ice can help tame even the highest proof spirit, though ice tends to dampen some of the positive flavors as well.

 

When we talk of sweetness, generally we're talking about specific flavors, brown sugar, caramel and vanilla being common, but also getting into ripe fruit, cherry cola, etc.

 

A whiskey with little burn would typically be refered to as smooth rather than sweet. You can have a smooth and sweet whiskey, or a smooth and spicey, smooth and smokey, etc. Again, sweetness and burn are not mutually exclusive nor is sweetness and smoothness mutually inclusive. Wheat typically is associated with sweetness, but smoothness is really neither here nor there.

 

Rye is often associated with spiciness, and by this we generally mean cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, pepper, ginger, etc. Again, sweetness and spiciness are not mutually exclusive either.

 

The antithesis to sweetness is generally dryness. By dryness we get into oak and woody flavors, leather, bitterness, acidity, etc. Even here, sweetness and dryness are not mutually exclusive. If you're ever had any kind of sour candy you know that sugar and acidity can co-exist.

 

Typically good whiskies show a balance of sweetness, spiciness, dryness, and have a well managed alcohol burn. In my opinion, a whiskey that is exceptionally well balanced: smooth, sweet, spicy and with a drying finish, would be C. E. H. Taylor Small Batch (though the Single Barrel and Barrel Proof version have very similar qualities as well).

 

Now, saying all this, if you're looking for something that is very sweet and smooth, Bourbon may not be for you (though I would encourage you to try many different types, and try to appreciate flavors outside of the spectrum of sweetness). Instead, you may want to try Canadian whiskey, which is typically crafted to be very sweet and smooth. Something like Pendleton 10 year is a very sweet and smooth spirit. Rum is an option as well. Many of the "premium" rums on the market (such as El Dorado) have sugar added to them, which makes them very sweet and cuts down on the alcohol burn and funkier aspects, much to the dismay of many rum nerds, but if sweetness and smoothness is your goal, a lot of rums would probably sate your sweet tooth.

Wow! Thanks man. Food for thought. I will consider this and maybe report tomorrow.

 

[Kane]

Just now, mrpipster said:

Wow! Thanks man. Food for thought. I will consider this and maybe report tomorrow.

 

Also, call me crazy, but I think the 50ml Larcenys taste quite a bit different from a full sized bottle, probably because they don't have any time to oxidize in the bottle. Echoing EarthQuake's thoughts, let it sit for a longer-than-usual time, let it aerate a bit, there'll be a drastic change.

[JoeTerp]

18 hours ago, rjg1701 said:

IIRC, it is finished in rum casks, hence the sweetness.

I’m sure that contributes a lot of sweetness, but they can legally add a small percentage of flavoring too since it’s not labeled straight rye. 

[JoeTerp]

17 hours ago, Vosgar said:

I'd forgotten about this one until your post, and I agree with you 100%. Absolutely couldn't stand it as it was syrupy sweet. Even nosing it got to be repulsive so I ended up dumping it. 

Well I’m not going to dump it, but I sure hope I enjoy it more on the revisit. Very worst case is that I’d imagine it would be ok in a cocktail where that sweetness could help. 

[Guss West]

2rd on the suggestion of rhum agricole. 

Have you tried Mellow Corn? 

[BDanner]

18 hours ago, mrpipster said:

Thanks everyone!

I found a store yesterday that had 50ml bottles of Larceny. As I understand it this is a wheated bourbon and should be sweet but,to me this stuff had a very noticeable burn to my palette when tasting. I thought rye was the culprit for the burn.

What am I missing here?

I've always thought Laceny drinks hotter than its proof. 

[Cranecreek]

20 hours ago, mrpipster said:

Thanks everyone!

I found a store yesterday that had 50ml bottles of Larceny. As I understand it this is a wheated bourbon and should be sweet but,to me this stuff had a very noticeable burn to my palette when tasting. I thought rye was the culprit for the burn.

What am I missing here?

 

2 hours ago, BDanner said:

I've always thought Laceny drinks hotter than its proof. 

First off I don't think rye is the culprit for your "burn".  Rye will add some spiciness to a bourbon but it has been said it is like the comparison between white bread and rye bread.  More depth of flavor but not hot.  As BDanner pointed out, and I agree Larceny is "hot" due to an alcohol burn as you describe it.  Something else  'pipster ,  Whiskey is an acquired taste.  At first you are going to find it difficult to identify the flavors you hear talked about.  Over time your taste buds should adjust to the alcohol and you will be able to enjoy it more.  In this it is not unlike hot sauce, you develop a taste for it.     

[ethangsmith]

Sweetest bourbon: Maker's 46
Sweetest American whiskey: Michter's Unblended American Whiskey
Sweetest North American whiskey: Forty Creek

 

[mbroo5880i]

I once had a FR OBSQ that was really sickenly sweet.  I ended up blending it with a standard FR SiB.  It was a like a sweet cough syrup.  I haven't bought an OBSQ since.

[Jazzhead]

Of bourbons I've had recently,  I'd say Yellowstone.   Graham-cracker sweet.  But I can't disagree with those who say Dickel.  I haven't had that juice in a while, but IIRC is just about the definition of sweet mellow corn.   

Edited June 3, 2018 by Jazzhead

[Jav]

I have a store pick bottle of 1792 Single Barrel that is really sweet.  I enjoy it a lot, but it's a one pour kind of bourbon for me.

[rjg1701]

I can't get sweet from Dickell, but that is probably because I always benchmark it against Jack Daniel's, which is extra sweet.

[lcpfratn]

I can't get sweet from Dickell, but that is probably because I always benchmark it against Jack Daniel's, which is extra sweet.

I don’t understand that comparison, but everyone’s palate is different. I’m not a fan of the younger Dickel or JD products, but I really like the older, higher proof JD and Dickel products. The corn percentage is much higher in Dickel than JD, so it’s always going to be sweeter to me.