Devils River Barrel Strength Bourbon

Nose: It's not very aromatic for a "barrel strength." If I had to guess without knowing, I'd say it's White Label Beam or Green Label Evan, maybe slightly more but not by much. This really brought to mind some young bourbons I've sampled from local distilleries. There's no real age or indication of skill. It's like something made with the best intentions but ultimately rendered almost undrinkable by any measure of what makes "good whiskey," likely very young and raw with few redeeming qualities. Even though this is priced significantly lower than most specialty brands, it still fails to deliver. Therefore, I'd suggest just getting a bottle of Old Charter, Old Grandad, or Ancient Age instead. If you happen to end up with a bottle of this, just put it aside for when company comes over and they'll just drown it in coke and sour mix anyway. This is my second disappointment in a row, and I promise the next review will be for something worth your attention.

First off, this is barrel proof for $35, so I won't complain too much. This genuinely offers great value for money. It's clearly young, but thankfully it has good flavor. It's sweet, with notes of hay, cherry, and a wood I can't identify right now. To me, it honestly tastes like quail hunting in the Texas Hill Country. If this whiskey costs around $35 USD where you are, I'd suggest getting it.

My sense of taste for sweetness has become extremely sensitive since I had Covid, and I'm enjoying this whiskey more than I probably should be. It holds up well with ice, as one would expect. I still believe that for the price, you shouldn't pass on this whiskey.

It's hard to imagine anything worse than this. The liquor store clerk gave me a warning as I was about to pay. I thought, how awful could it be? Turns out, very awful. Avoid this one.

Nose: Vanilla and spice Taste: slightly oily, buttery vanilla flavor. Sweet, spicy finish. Excellent for sipping, I wouldn't use it for mixing, and it would also be good with a couple of ice cubes.

It hits hard initially with the first few sips, but once your palate adjusts, it reveals wonderful caramel and vanilla notes, followed by a moderately smooth and very warming finish.