Hogs 3

Aroma: Delicate fruit and vanilla notes, with subtle cereal, fragrant wood, and faint cinnamon and honey in the background. The aroma feels distinctly thin, lacking character. Taste: Initially sweet upon entry, quickly turning prickly with spice; the sweetness is primarily from ethanol. The development is subtle, revealing vague fruitiness, but the palate is simple and leans dry. Vanilla and rye are noticeable, and the texture is on the thin side of neutral. Aftertaste: Medium/short, with cereal and alcohol sweetness and a very slight bitterness. This is an inexpensive, mid-to-lower shelf bourbon that serves adequately as a mixer but isn't particularly engaging for sipping, being so mild it's boring. It lacks any truly unpleasant notes but has no real personality. It's almost like a bourbon version of blended scotch, seeming like a decent bourbon diluted with bland grain whisky. In the scotch world, it would be comparable to J&B or Grant's. It feels hollow, and adding water only dilutes the profile further without revealing more complexity. If it were the cheapest bourbon available, I'd show it some reluctant respect and rate it higher. However, at its price point, it competes with Bulleit, Wild Turkey, and Maker's Mark, falling short in comparison. Even Jim Beam White Label, which is considerably cheaper, is a superior bourbon. I would not purchase it again. "Inferior": 69/100 (1.75 stars)

An interesting story. It's distilled and aged in Kentucky for 3 years, but bottled in Scotland, then imported and distributed from Houston. Considering the price, it's a solid bourbon. Sweet aroma. I detected vanilla and raisins. The taste seemed younger than its age to me, a little harsh initially but mellows to a sweet spice. I sampled it neat and it seemed to lack flavor, then added about a teaspoon of water and it mellowed it to reveal the sweet spice. Also a good bourbon for mixing. At this price, it's worth a shot.

This Bourbon is a good value (about $44, I spent $39) and works great with mixers. However, I think it's better than expected for the price, so I'd be curious to hear opinions from others who taste it neat.

Its flavor matches its cost. More like a blended scotch with a bourbon barrel finish. Not bad, just crude and superficial. Try something else.

It's no surprise this is so inexpensive; it tastes like jet fuel. Its only positive attribute is that it is alcoholic, earning it one star.

Not very enjoyable with ice. Will try it without ice and with coke later.