• Review Donations
  • About
  • BJCP
  • NRA
  • Refuse To Be A Victim

Bangers and Mash

~ firearms and fermentation

Bangers and Mash

Monthly Archives: October 2021

Smoke Wagon Small Batch Bourbon

30 Saturday Oct 2021

Posted by Bangers and Mash in Bourbon

≈ Leave a comment

I happened upon Smoke Wagon Small Batch Bourbon at the store and decided to bring it home based on the hype I’ve seen. It wasn’t exactly bargain basement pricing at 56 beans for this 100 proof Bourbon. This is typically in a dark bottle, but this came in a clear bottle with a gold label. The back of the label explains they ran out of the dark amber glass and this “is not limited nor special.” We’ll circle back to a part of that statement later in this blog post. The aroma was caramel, brown sugar, leather, oak, cherries, and nuts. The flavor was spicy black pepper, brown sugar, caramel, oak, leather, and cherries. The finish was oak tannin and leather with black pepper and a back of the throat alcohol presence. The aftertaste had a long lasting black pepper and alcohol note. While this isn’t limited, as they stated it also isn’t special. In fact it’s almost pedestrian. It might be worth 40 bucks, but certainly is not worth the 56 buck price of admission. I’m glad I didn’t exert any extra energy to find this bottle. I might try the other Smoke Wagon variants if I run into them, but I won’t go out of my way to try to find them to bring home.

Stellum Rye

17 Sunday Oct 2021

Posted by Bangers and Mash in Rye, Whiskey

≈ Leave a comment

I’ve seen several positive reviews of Stellum Rye, so when I happened upon a bottle I decided to give it a try. At 116.24 proof this had potential to be a hottie. At a price point of 55 bucks per bottle, I was hopeful I would like this Rye. My first couple of pours seemed to have a mint characteristic, but after having glasses with a clean palate, I think it was due to the interaction with what I had eaten or drank prior to the glass. The website indicates this is a Rye blend of 95% Indiana Rye with the remainder being comprised of barrels from Kentucky and Tennessee. The aroma was leather, brown sugar, caramel, black pepper, sweat, baked apples, and an underlying earthy note. The flavor was initially sweet with brown sugar, caramel, apples, slight black pepper, melon, and just a slight hint of mint. The finish had apples, brown sugar, and light black pepper long into the aftertaste. If you’re paying attention, what I didn’t mention was alcohol. Sure it was present, but always in the background and never strong nor oppressive. I’m not exactly sure how they made a high proof Rye without a strong presence of alcohol, but here it is. There is a lower proof Rye which is slightly less expensive I prefer more, but when you consider the proof on this one the price point seems appropriate. I’m not going to run out and grab another bottle, but perhaps you should if high proof spirits are you favorite. Give it a whirl and see what you think.

Stellum Bourbon

09 Saturday Oct 2021

Posted by Bangers and Mash in Bourbon

≈ Leave a comment

I had seen some recent excited posts for the roll out of Stellum bottles, so when I happened upon a bottle of Stellum Bourbon I brought it home to see if there was anything there. At $55 it wasn’t crazy expensive, but it wasn’t cheap either. It’s in the price point most bottles try to be nowadays, but I’m in the camp of if you are going to charge more than $50, it better be special. Stellum rings in at 114.98 proof so you’re getting full use of all the spirits in the bottle which may make the price of admission acceptable to some. The aroma is restrained brown sugar, black pepper, oak, leather, and tobacco. The alcohol is low yet present in the aroma. The flavor was brown sugar, black pepper, oak, leather, and a back of the throat presence of alcohol. The finish lingers with black pepper and the warming post consumption is where you know it packs a punch. While there is nothing at all wrong with this bottle, it just doesn’t get me excited. It’s not complex enough for the price I paid. If this were $15 less than I might be singing a different tune, but at the 55 buck price point I expect more that just a higher proof. Maybe this needs a cube or a splash to really shine, but when I added water it just seemed more watered down so I stuck to consuming it neat. Again, it’s not bad in any way, but it’s not complex enough for me to purchase it again.


Redwood Empire Lost Monarch

02 Saturday Oct 2021

Posted by Bangers and Mash in Bourbon, Rye, Whiskey

≈ Leave a comment

Many people reported loving Redwood Empire Lost Monarch so I had to give this blend a try. It took awhile, but I finally snagged a bottle. I’m still not sure why it was difficult to find, but when I did, it had a $40 price point on the 45% ABV Whiskey. I was hopeful after trying Pipe Dream this would be just as delicious, but it turned out to have more in common with Emerald Giant. That’s understandable once you realize this is a blend of 60% Rye Whiskey and 40% Bourbon. The aroma was filled with spicy rye, black pepper, brown sugar, clove, and hints of spearmint. The flavor was slightly sweet and focused on caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, black pepper, rye, and of course spearmint. The finish was restrained brown sugar and caramel, light black pepper, and lasting low spearmint. I’m just not a fan of spearmint in my rye so this one, although the spearmint is restrained, doesn’t make me want to purchase another bottle. If you love EG then this bottle is definitely one you should try, otherwise, go for the Pipe Dream.

PS: The namesake for this Whiskey is a 321 foot tall coastal redwood.

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 169 other followers

Recent but not forgotten!

  • New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon
  • Clyde May’s 5 Year Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
  • Ardbeg Wee Beastie
  • Rebel Distiller’s Collection Bourbon Whiskey
  • Blade And Bow Bourbon Whiskey
  • Ezra Books Distiller’s Collection Bourbon Whiskey
  • Russell’s Reserve 6 Year Old Rye
  • Smoke Wagon Small Batch Bourbon
  • Stellum Rye
  • Stellum Bourbon
  • Redwood Empire Lost Monarch
  • Ezra Brooks 99 Bourbon
  • Wheat Penny Barrel Proof Bourbon Whiskey
  • Jim Beam Double Oak Twice Barreled Bourbon
  • Redwood Empire Emerald Giant Rye Whiskey
  • Thomas S. Moore Cabernet Sauvignon Casks and Port Casks
  • Jim Beam Pre-Prohibition Rye
  • Pinhook Rye’d On Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
  • Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon Whiskey
  • Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength
  • Bulleit Bourbon Single Barrel NC
  • Yellowstone Select Bourbon
  • The Whistler Double Oaked Irish Whiskey
  • Maker’s Mark 46
  • Tenjaku Blended Whisky

Wayback Machine

October 2021
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Sep   Dec »

Oldies But Goodies!

  • May 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • December 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • September 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012

Categories

  • AHA
  • Ammo
  • Archery
  • BDoY
  • Beer
  • Bersa
  • BJCP
  • Bourbon
  • Buckwheat
  • Champagne
  • Cicerone
  • Cider
  • Colt
  • Competition
  • Concealed
  • Cyser
  • Dan Wesson
  • Fermentation
  • FFL
  • GABF
  • Glock
  • Gluten
  • H&R
  • Henry
  • Homebrew
  • Instructor
  • Kimber
  • Kombucha
  • Long gun
  • Mead
  • NRA
  • Optics
  • Pistol
  • Port
  • Prohibition
  • Range
  • Refuse To Be A Victim
  • Remington
  • Rossi
  • Ruger
  • Rum
  • Rye
  • S&W
  • Safe
  • Sake
  • Scotch
  • Sorghum
  • Spirits
  • Steven's
  • Taurus
  • Tequila
  • Uberti
  • Uncategorized
  • Walther
  • Wheat
  • Whiskey
  • Winchester
  • Wine
  • Witbier

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Where It Be?

Bangers and Mash - Stats

  • 135,394 hits

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Bangers and Mash
    • Join 169 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Bangers and Mash
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...