HYDE No. 5 The Áras Cask Burgundy Cask Finish

I recognize this flavor. It feels so familiar. First, the aroma: vanilla and fruit, perhaps strawberry and cream. Then, upon tasting, it's like encountering an old friend. If you've ever visited Duluth and gotten intoxicated at Grandma's Sports Garden, this beverage is the after-party. Picture this: you were at the Garden, buying rounds of Scooby snacks and water moccasins for yourself and your companions, plus a cute girl you just met. You got a bit too tipsy to seal the deal. Then you headed to Perkins family restaurant to see if Tina was working. She was, which was a bonus! Then Tina brought you pancakes and toast, as you needed to sober up; it's Thursday and you have school tomorrow. You were about to dig into those pancakes, but before you did, you smothered them with the appropriate amount of twin berry and apricot syrup, took a bite of your toast, and then attacked that stack of pancakes. That's the taste of this drink.

An Irish Single Grain, Single Malt whiskey from Skibbereen, Ireland, created by brothers Conor & Alan Hyde, founders of Hibernia Distillers. Made with 100% corn and triple-distilled in a Coffey still, it was aged for 6 years in re-charred ex-Bourbon casks, then finished for 6 months in Burgundy Red Wine casks from the Côte d’Or. It begins aromatically with notes of tart strawberry and ripe cherry over crème brûlée, toasted oak, and brown sugar. Its rich and creamy character develops notes of roasted pecans, Cracker Jack, frosted cinnamon rolls, grapefruit zest, and a hint of vanilla, leading to a long finish with notes of berry pop-tart, dried fruits, and mocha. December 2020 / January / September 2022

This one has some nice honey, vanilla, and caramel, brown sugar notes – but it's also a bit too hot for my liking, with the alcohol burn masking some of the more delicate flavors. It does have a decent ashy finish, though.

Nose: Jammy cake and pecans, with some vanilla and more fresh berries. Taste: Strong pecan praline flavor, with some berry sweetness in the background. Finish: Sweet nuttiness persists, slightly dry towards the end, with a mild burn.

Awful. It tastes as though I just consumed a mouthful of rubbing alcohol. I had hoped the smell, which also resembled rubbing alcohol, would not be indicative of the taste. I feel my money was wasted.

Flaviar Advent Calendar. Smells like vanilla and citrus. Tastes mildly sweet with a metallic hint, like pecan pie. I'm not sold on this one; the metallic note isn't for me.