2023 ER17, WLW, GTS, THH

 

2023 Eagle Rare 17yr (19yr) 101°

 

Nose:  Sweet, inviting nose that radiates a light brightness – my mind seems to see a small banquet with a sense of refinedness and eloquence.

The back offers some more decadent flavors of brown sugar with some cinnamon.  The nose seems endless – a long tunnel of sweet, darker flavor that goes on.   

 

Palate:  A front-end richness intermingled with oak and a slight bit of complimentary bitterness to intrigue the palate.  Sweetness follows with more bitterness that feels intoxicating to the tastebuds. A slight note of grassiness comes – making me think of looking up on an Autumn day into a single green leaf that remains while the others all seem to have changed to the time.  The heat profile is a little more subdued compared to other past ER17 expressions – which surprised me...  but what it lacked in heat, it offered in balance and depth of an ER17 that I don’t recall last.  The sweet oak combination lingers on in the back as it finishes out.     

 

Verdict:  I must admit that ER17 is usually my last favorite of the BTACs, but this year’s expression may be the best of the bunch.  

 

2023 William Larue Weller 133.6°

 

Nose:  A lighter backdropped sweetness like something that lingers in the air. Then, it crystalizes out of thin air to offer the more traditional rich sweetness. A little spice and baking elements paint the background.   

 

Palate:  A punch of flavor with some oakiness - more depths than I recall in some of the previous vintages to date - the proof may have something to do with that. The finish lingers on the tongue as it tingles ever so slightly – a little bit of electricity to the tastebuds. The sweetness has density and depth – that bold explosiveness reminiscent of WLW expressions of old. Back end darkchocolate and depths complements the journey along and lingers on for you to feeling a sense of longing… The last sip offered immense bitterness that I wasn’t prepared for, making me think a little more.   

 

Verdict:  An exceptional pour that I’d go back to time and time again to really pull all the layers out of it. Solid.

 

2023 George T. Stagg 135.0°

 

Nose: Grandma's backing of cookies with a layered crust that is ever so crispy. It is intoxicatingly pleasant and makes you feel comfortable during a holiday. Slow, steady spiciness of heat tails the back end of the nose.     

 

Palate: More strength than I can recall in comparison to the previous expression. There is also a lack of balance to it that I can't get my finger on. There is spice and bitterness that dominates the front palate – a lot of depth, too, but those two components make it harder to reach the other refined aspects of this expression. I feel that a good flight would round out and penetrate that exterior to get to the depths hidden below. Some backend sweetness with a tinge of oakiness lingers in the back, but it seems to be still overshadowed by the pre-dominate characteristics. A solid heat profile that can be fun to play with if one is skilled in heat manipulation.   

 

Verdict:  I thought 2022 was exceptional; this year has regressed some for me upon initial taste. It's not bad; it's just that I always expect a lot from GTS.  

 

2023 Thomas H. Handy 124.9°

 

Nose: It seems like a candy shop – then going to a baked goods store. There is a slight bit of saltiness from the cured meat area.

The baked goods come back with a carb-loaded, sweet feeling of just satisfaction. A slight hint of spiciness to the back finishes the nose off.     

 

Palate:  The grassiness hits the front with a swirl of sweetness that complements it perfectly. The palates continue on with more spiciness and depth while offering a sweet rye expression that THH seems to do so well (except 2019… let’s not talk more about that). A slight note of hay seems to capture my mind – placing me where the sun just came up on a farm after a rainy day where the soil is a bit muddy in nature. The sweetness builds to be the dominant flavor profile, making it feel almost like a honey-finished element. The spice numbs the crevices of the mouth somewhat as one sips more and more along the way. This expression just seems to pull you in a little deeper with each passing sip… 

 

Verdict:  A sweet rye that seems to keep going and going… A really solid THH in recent years.