Tastings
$: Under $25 $$: $25-$49.99 $$$: $50-$99.99 $$$$: $100 and above
Welcome to the American Whiskey Magazine tasting pages. We guide you through a plethora of whiskeys so you are equipped to make your next purchase, whether something new or an old favorite. Whiskeys are tasted blind, with only proof and style information given to the experts. In this edition, Peggy Noe Stevens and Susan Reigler give their palates a workout.
Peggy Noe Stevens
Peggy Noe Stevens became the world’s first female master Bourbon taster and can trace her lineage back to some of the great Bourbon making families in Kentucky. In 2011, she created the Bourbon Women Association.
Susan Reigler
Susan Reigler is the author of several Bourbon books, including Kentucky Bourbon Country: The Essential Travel Guide, and is a former restaurant critic and beverage columnist for the Louisville Courier-Journal. She is the immediate past president of the Bourbon Women Association.
THE PROCESS
• All samples are blind tasted, with proof and style the only information disclosed.
• Samples are tasted individually over a two week period.
• Tasters are provided tasting and scoring guidelines for consistency.
• The top scorer is awarded Editor’s Choice.
• Scores of 17+ qualify for the top five recommended whiskeys.
Bare Knuckle High Rye Cask Strength Bourbon
KO DISTILLING
Proof: 127.6
ABV: 63.0%
Style: Bourbon
State: VA
Price: $$
Peggy
Nose: Rich vanilla bean and smoked caramel. Dried apricot and coconut then meander to earthy wood sugar and oak. Black pepper.
Palate: Strong and distinctive oak frame with smoky embers. The caramel reaches a new level of warm brown sugar. Pecan and black pepper with banana and coconut.
Finish: Has staying power; high-proof warmth is expressive.
Comments: Aromas of a classic Bourbon. This big boy can pack the right punch.
8.9
Susan
Nose: Sweet cherries and fresh figs, then baking spice cookies and a dusting of cocoa. A little sharpness.
Palate: Cherries and figs have changed into oranges and lemons with ginger and clove. The brown sugar becomes rich toffee with whipped cream. Rich and complex.
Finish: The toffee fades into a coffee ice cream as the fruit and spices disappear into oak.
Comments: Rich and complex. A finger or two can be savored for a very long time.
