Q's Quest to Nothing

Nose: An inviting nose that reminds me of the midst lingering as the sun beginnings to peak in the backdrop to mark the beginning of dawn.  A light bit of spicy undertone to the overall sweet front, the nectar of a peach, or similar sweet fruit.  Soft sweet, and somewhat graceful; it reminds me of a bourbon version of the Sazerac 18yr. Palate: A liquorish beginning that seems to coat the mouth with much more depth than one expects from a 107 proof.  A wave of sweetness comes and goes with the little bit of subtleness.  A spiciness comes about but still carries with it a softness that is very welcoming and easy to consume.  A slight bit of bitterness that reminds me of dark chocolate around a smoky haze.  Upon the second sip, the strength of the midpalate comes – not the strength one would think of in something like Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Old Label, but a more balanced flavor profile that still carries with it the sweet molasses, toffee feeling. Easy to c...

  Nose: It has been expressed that Sazerac 18 year has one of the best, if not the best, nose in all of “bourbon.” The front of the nose is a unique aged forest oak with a leafy feel that as you smell more and more, it is a green with ethereal lights shining though to characterize a sweetness of the sun’s kiss. If you have never nosed a Sazerac 18yr, it would be incomplete to call your self a bourbon lover.       Palate: Not that Sazerac 18yr is ever hot coming in, but this year’s expression gives a more warming feeling at the front. The heat lingers after the first sip – a slight embrace. It reminds me of a little child that is happy to see you and hugs you real fast before being occupied with whatever is in their world. The front has the grassy, forest-like moss with the earthiness to come slightly afterward.   The sweetness comes and goes amid the tasting – seemingly just to tease you. The soft oakiness comes at the back and reminds me of a Pappy 2...

  Nose:   A light brown sugar essence that brings about a pale, yellowish-brown of a lion’s mane with a line of green associated with a slight earthy grassiness.   Hardly any heat sense – a reminiscence of an ember towards the end that is barely radiating the aura of light.   Such an inviting smell that makes you want to slow down a little and enjoy the tempered warmth.      Palate:   An immediate sweetness captivates you, just the right potency to be satisfied on a Sunday morning.   Slight grassiness in the backdrop that balances quite well with the main stage of brown sugar.   A more potent warmth than the nosing -   may overwhelm some not familiar to bourbon, but a Kentucky hug sense of getting good soup after one just left the cold exterior into a cabin for those who enjoy higher proof items. A slight lingering bitterness that pleasantly mingles well with the sweetness, heat, and grassiness… Most of the time, bitterness is...

  2020 William Larue Weller 134.5°   Nose:   Potent with a sweet, sugary cane with a spicy heat nose that seems to swirl as you sniff more and more. A second sniff reminds me of the air of soft mist and fog in the morning amid the middle of marsh.     Palate:   Potent with extensive heat that immediately captivates the cavities of the mouth...   The heat seems to skyrocket immediately upon first taste.   There is an intriguing sourness that accompanies the sweetness… The depth of mid-palate familiar to WLW arrives afterward. There is a flavor associated with viscous items of old that reminds me of the 2019 King of Kentucky in the mid-palate. This year’s expression seems to deviate from the familiar depths of sweetness reminiscent of other WLW expression.       Verdict:   If I tasted this independently, I would not have been unable to guess it is a Larue. Intriguing. I look forward to revisiting it again in a ...

  Sojourn [n. soh-jurn; v. soh-jurn, soh-jurn] |  noun | 1. a temporary stay:   during his sojourn in Paris. verb | 2. to stay for a time in a place; live temporarily:   to sojourn on the Riviera for two months. My dad regularly expresses, "Tạm kỵ cư," which roughly translates to "temporary home" or sojourn.   The essence and demeanor when he expresses this saying in Vietnamese alludes to the ephemeral nature of life and that we are all just taking a temporary stop in this world on our journey of being.   Life, itself, is a sojourn rather than the sojourns in life.   It is cliché to say, "Life is short," but that truth can quickly be forgotten.   Indeed, life can be short-lived... and that thought has been a notion that passed my mind much in recent years.  On passing (somewhere in 2014), out of the blue, my dad said, "Ba có cỡ mười năm nữa thôi.   Ba mong rằng ba có thể thấy được ngày con thành thân..." (I have a good ten years...