u/WhiskyFit

Smoked Maui Porter, aged 69 months, bottled at 50% and hands down my favorite after dinner/dessert whisky. The porter comes out strong with notes of chocolate, toffee, and caramel without extensive burn. The 50% ABV is smooth and aids the flavor as opposed to becoming a standout character. This whisky reminds me of a JW Gold Label on steroids, more flavor and more ABV; a great combo from a micro-distillery in the heart of Texas whisky country at a very reasonable cost!

I picked this up recently from Crowded Barrel near Austin and it’s quite simply amazing; a 60% whisky that drinks like a 46% whisky…dangerously good. It was distilled in Indiana, aged 15 years, and finished in an Armagnac barrel, and damn…what a flavor profile.

Commonly at 60%, I’ll add water to calm the fire but this doesn’t require any water. Crowded Barrel impressed me because before I sampled this expression the bartender warned me it was an expensive bottle ($150) and that I would love it, he was absolutely correct. I’m always impressed when a business shows customers good ethics without being predatory and ultra greedy like most modern companies; it actually makes me want to spend more money with them.

I’m not big on flavor notes, as I’m not a professional taste tester, so I’ll keep this basic and honest:

vanilla or honey, maybe both, up front and on the nose

sweet Melon, like a honeydew of some sort at the end

In sum…it’s a damn good dram 9/10, hell…maybe even a 9.5/10 and worth the $150

I was fortunate enough to reserve Still Austin’s most recent DRS bottle, Sonora Wheat. The art work is incredible, per usual.

We converted this room from a home office to a home bar and it is still a work in progress; we’re adding another cabinet/shelf on the left wall as a showcase for nicer bottles. I’ve been collecting for around 18 months and it’s developed into quite the hobby!