Remus Repeal Reserve Series II (2018 Medley)

Acquired this at a significant discount from Costco. Nose: Medium strength with notes of smoky barrel char, cherry, vanilla, Coca Cola, watermelon, and a faint hint of grass. No ethanol detected. Complex and appealing. Palate: Evokes an "old school" profile with abundant vanilla, caramel, cherry, and orange peel, evolving into a finish of barrel spices, oak, and char. It reminds me of a well-crafted Old Fashioned. Hints of toffee and mint emerge on the back end as the spices subside. The finish is shorter than anticipated. Appropriately rich. Flavors transition smoothly, and the overall balance is excellent. Texture: Could be best described as "velvety," and it's the highlight, contributing to an easy drinking experience. It drinks slightly below its 100 proof. While there's nothing truly groundbreaking, it's a superb example of traditional bourbon. It doesn't reinvent the category, but it's a great representation of what bourbon should be. At its discounted price of $68, the purchase is regrettable. However, at the $90 market price, it lacks the uniqueness or special qualities to justify the cost.

Tasting: 2oz neat in a glen cairn. Nose (4.0): Traditional sweet bourbon aroma. Butterscotch and vanilla are dominant initially. I also detected some candy corn. Palate: (3.75) The first impression was a slightly off-putting soapy taste, which quickly faded. It then reminded me of a candy bowl, with sweet butterscotch, sugary cherry slices, and vanilla. The mouthfeel was buttery and thicker. Without that initial soapiness, it might have scored higher. Finish: (3.75) A nice finish with some peppery notes indicating some backbone, not just sweetness. It's a rather quick finish, though. Overall: Initially, I was indifferent. With more time, it shows some merit. I'm not a huge fan of blended whiskies, but if this is the direction things are headed, it's promising. Price-wise, however, you can find better options. The blending effort resulted in what I consider an above-average bourbon at a high price. I'd rather buy something like Knob Creek or WT Rare Breed for less and get a similar experience. At $50, it would be great, but over $70, I'm uncertain. For me, I'm glad it was a sample.

Sampled neat after a neck pour. I found this bottle sitting on a shelf. Having not tried Series 2 and enjoying the recent Series 4, I was eager to try this. Some consider this the best of the four releases. Its aroma is surprisingly subtle MGP, quite faint and typical of the distillery. It is, however, well-balanced. I can't decide between butterscotch or caramel, so I'll mention both. It's full of honey and graham cracker, with a vanilla royal icing scent and a touch of orange on the back. Its texture is thinner than anticipated. Brown sugar and cinnamon are upfront, with a hint of citrus. Butterscotch then dominates, followed by honey. A bit of that graham cracker and orange appears on the finish. With each sip, caramel builds in the back of my throat, lingering and intensifying. Hmmm. It presents as the most average MGP I've had, average in many respects. Overall, it's middle-of-the-road, with all its flavors sitting at their typical intensity. No single flavor stands out prominently, though everything blends well enough. It's very approachable, a background MGP. If you're seeking a Remus, I'd recommend Series 3 or 4 over this one.

This was on sale for around $70, so I decided to try it. It contains roughly 10-11 year old whiskey, give or take six months on each component. From America's top distillery, MGP. Nose - Spicy and dusty bourbon. Slightly deviates from my usual MGP profile. Still has vanilla custard and some rye spice; the blend is quite heavy on the rye. It presents as a vanilla-forward rye on the nose. Taste - Wow, I'm definitely getting a lot of rye. This is significantly different from my first pour; today I'm tasting a lot of rye. Sweet, apples, intense spices, vanilla, light oak... it's sweet and spice-forward. I'm enjoying the overall product. I could do with less of the 36% rye and more of the 25%, but I believe they've created an incredibly nice product. It's a bit pricey if you're paying upwards of $90, but if you can find it in the $60s or $70s, I think it's a reasonable choice. MGP continues to seem to sell their best barrels and bottle their more standard offerings. It's not a negative, just a bit surprising.

3.0 stars - Good; 750 ml bottle Exceptional spirits, much like great art, should evoke a response. This whisky, while akin to a masterpiece from a celebrated artist, leaves me emotionally unmoved. Does that still qualify as art? This should be a resounding success, given its components: MGP origin? Check. High rye content? Check. Advanced age statement? Check. 100 proof? Check. It presents abundant notes of aged oak and rich cherry, yet something feels absent. Objectively well-made, but lacking soul. Could this be the echo of numerous sourced MGP products? I shared the remainder of the bottle with a close friend, who thoroughly enjoyed it. Clearly, both artistic and liquid appreciation are subjective.

Aroma: Rye spice, underlying vanilla, subtle sweet oak, stone fruit. Palate: The initial taste is peppery rye, followed by red fruit sweetness, light sugar syrup, and a touch of oak. Finish: A prominent cherry note with a warm, lingering spice (more pepper than baking spice). Overall: A decent pour, but likely won't purchase again. The spice isn't overpowering, but I desire more richness, like caramel/vanilla or nutty notes, to provide balance. Rating: 6.7/10.