Drinking the El Dorado 21 Year throughout the last 6 years or so has given me a sense of knowing I'm in for a special treat. Every time I pour myself a glass, I'm surprised by how amazingly complex and nuanced the rum is.
I purchased this bottle at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in April of 2015. Fast forward to now, I'm glad to see the distillery has gained much respect and accolades. In terms of the Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon Cask Cask Strength Single Barrel, this was a warm and inviting, not overly powerful whisky showing good complexities.
Overall, the Kentucky Fried Chicken Cheetos Sandwich is solid but it could definitely be taken to a higher level with some modifications. They dropped the ball and were too afraid to truly commit to making a sandwich of the Gods and instead settled for Middle America.
The Caravel Hazy Horizon is a satisfying Hefeweizen that stands out in a number of categories. I wouldn't hesitate to order this again, and I'm going to seek this out on tap at a local beer pub in Calgary.
The Twa Dogs Parting Kiss shows you can make a beer with bourbon barrel character that isn't defined by that barrel aging. I found the flavors to be pleasant, balanced and enjoyable throughout. I'd pick up another one of these without hesitation.
The JFR Lunatic Loco El Gran Loco didn't have a lot of complexity or beautiful transitioning and depth throughout, but it was a solid cigar. If you look at how they blended for a cigar of this nature, they did a great job.
It's been a while since I've had this type of richness in mouthfeel and flavor in a Four Roses LE. No doubt, the Four Roses 2017 Limited Edition Small Batch is one of the top notch Four Roses I've had (and that's including private picks and other years' LE's).
The Henry Clay War Hawk Corona was a very enjoyable cigar and one of my favorite Ecuadorian Connecticut offerings this year. I love the use of the Broadleaf binder and the Honduran tobacco in the filler. The cigar has a great price and winning qualities.
The Elijah Craig Single Barrel 18 Year is one of the epitomes of flavor and balance. And to do this with such an old whiskey makes it that much harder and brings a wow factor. Heaven Hill knocked this one out of the park proofing it down just right to 90 proof.
I found the 2 Crows All In to be an enjoyable and sessionable Saison that wasn't too intense on any of the flavor components. I would categorize this as a training wheels Saison for people who struggle to get into the funky side of beer styles.