Dogfish Head Straight Whiskey

I occasionally like a 60-minute IPA from Dogfish Head. I've tried some of their other brews too, and generally, I have a positive view of the brewery. However, if this whiskey hadn't been a gift, I'm not sure I would be reviewing their straight whiskey. It's not something that would have caught my eye. Nevertheless, here I am. Nose: Gumdrops and dried apricot. Raisin, cherry, and grape. Dark chocolate and raspberry. Caramel and honey. Orange citrus and cocoa. Very, very sweet. Palate: Heavy on the dried apricot and cranberry, as well as cola. Some apple, pear, raisin, and grape. Toffee, honey, butterscotch, and caramel. Cashew and almond. Some menthol and smoked wood. Malty and grainy. Quite sweet, once again. Finish: Burst of dried cranberry and apricot. Raisin, cherry, cola, chocolate, and caramel. Toffee and nougat. Fig Newton. More of the menthol. Short to moderate finish. This is a perfectly fine whiskey. Nothing particularly remarkable either. Aside from the bitterness in the finish, I have no real complaints. The aroma was actually quite intriguing. But the youth is apparent, and that's simply it. This could be a solid product with a few more years of aging and perhaps some experimentation. 2.5/5. This bottle costs $31 at my local shop. It was a gift, but after tasting it, there are many other options I would choose first at that price. I don't dislike it at all, but I expect my next experience with Dogfish Head will be a beer.

Nose: vanilla and tart berries, with baking spices emerging later Palate: significant malty cereal sweetness, with only a slight hint of barrel influence. Finish: very short and somewhat flat. Overall, it's decent as a sipper but likely better in a cocktail. It's young and would probably benefit from a couple more years in the barrel. Update: I didn't really enjoy this in a cocktail either; it's just too sweet and one-dimensional. I happened to have some oak cubes for "barrel-aging" beer lying around, so I added a dozen to the bottle. After a week, there was a huge difference. The added wood exposure mellowed the sweetness and allowed some really great vanilla and cinnamon notes to come through. A big improvement, and I happily finished the bottle.

A young spirit, but very flavorful. The alcohol is detectable, yet it possesses considerable taste for its age. I truly enjoy drinking this whiskey.

Extremely sweet with floral notes, hints of apple and pear mixed with baking spices and toffee – similar to a spiced caramel sauce.

Honey, hay, and a smooth mouthfeel.

Suitable for cocktails...