Q's Quest to Nothing

    Nose: Front spice that hits the nostril with a little bit of honeysuckle with a sense of denseness encapsulating the sweetness.   The spice lingers on in the back.     Palate: The front tart spice followed by a lot of sweetness.   Reminds me of being at sea where after a hit of the wave and the boat rocks, it follows by smoothness.   The flavor and intensity linger – with a long heat hug of the front to the back of the throat—lots of sweetness with lingering citrus elements to follow.   Multi-layered flavors with spice and sweetness intertwined infused with an ebullient feeling to follow.   The flavor seems almost to rise as your taste more.     Verdict:   When I look at the bottle, it is very dark – the flavor profile shows the complexity of that darkness.   A good pour for a cold day to warm you up – great for the holidays.  

2022 William Larue Weller 124.7°   Nose:   Sweet with an immediate thought of coconut (never had that before). Then subtle feelings of traditional sweetness follow – brown sugar, molasses, candied caramel, and pepper. The sweetness seems to fill my chest after a deep whiff. Light elements of a heat profile finish with the sweetness.       Palate:   A more pronounced sweetness than normal with a decent amount of depth and finish - the finish lingers on the tongue as it tingles ever so slightly. A slightly bright yellowish element to the second tasting brings back more of that childhood sweetness – a feeling of days long gone when the sound of the ice cream truck excites you to no end. An immensely pleasant feeling of refinedness follows that reminds you that this is WLW and demands the star-struck feeling that many along the bourbon journey have expressed. More mellowness encompassed with sweet elements finishes the third sip that, makes you w...

Nose:  A lush rich front-end nose with a hint of spice that makes one feel that a treat is coming. A back sweetness reminiscent of a sweet glaze with a little bit of black pepper. A slight sense of being in front of a grill comes to mind. I’d imagine this would be a great campfire pour – seemingly ideal for this Autumn weather.   Palate:  A lighter front sweetness that reminds me of a rich dark Werther’s Original I would savor as a treat in adolescence. A little bit of bitterness, similar to that of coffee grinds. Following it is a nice subtle spiciness that isn’t overwhelming. A decent amount of body, all things considered, for the average New Riff. The finish lingers a little, but is not overly extensive in nature; that said, the finish recedes like a sweet wave, basting you just enough and then, before you know it, gone.   Verdict:  Pleasantly surprised. New Riff can be a hit or miss, but with this being right at 107.7°, it is easily approachable with just th...

    Nose:   A front in nectar sweetness with a backing of rye spice. Of all things, I smelled the sea – or the thought of being close to the water with some green colors encapsulating that thought. The smell settles to a little bit of pine and grass with the thought of a corn maze during the autumn weather. The subtle heat profile builds on the third and fourth nosing.           Palate:   Front in sweetness with a backdrop spiciness of the rye with a ping of malted barley characteristics. Despite the proof being a modest 114, it offers a good mouthfeel that sits down on the jaw. The taste reminds me of something that would be great during a Christmas time-frame for a sense of jubilation; it isn’t the most grand of all things but a middle-class feeling of accomplishment. The flavor builds on the second sip to offer more of that front-in sweetness and lingers on for a moment before it dissipates. There is a decent amoun...