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Trail’s End Bourbon Review

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Trail's End Bourbon Review Bottle

Up for review today is a relatively new whiskey from Hood River Distillers that was created in collaboration with Clear Creek Distillery.  Clear Creek Distillery is the producer behind McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt Whiskey, an extremely well crafted and popular single malt that has won the hearts of many a whiskey blogger (myself included). So, I’m excited to try this product if for no other reason than the minds at Clear Creek Distillery were involved in the making of it.

Also cool to note about Hood River Distillers is that they’re not just churning out whiskey in isolation. After 2017’s nightmare fire season burned huge swaths of Oregon forests, HDR partnered with the National Forest Foundation to give part of the proceeds of each bottle of whiskey to support reforestation. Bravo, guys.

Alright, on with the review…

Product Specifics

  • Whiskey Reviewed: Trail’s End Bourbon
  • Distiller: sourced (not specified)
  • Bottler: Hood River Distillers
  • Mashbill: at least 51% corn, rye, and malted barley
  • ABV: 45% (90 proof)
  • Cask: New Charred Oak and finished with Oregon Oak staves
  • Age: 8 years
  • Batch: 003

Notice here the distinction between “bottler” and “distiller.” Since this is sourced whiskey, we really don’t know which distillery produced it. Does that mean it’s bad whiskey, or somehow cheap? Not at all. Some of the most popular brands on the market today use whiskey sourced from MGP, including big names like Angel’s Envy, High West (one of my favorites) and dozens more.

What matters is, does the person purchasing and blending the sourced whiskies know what they’re doing? In this case because Hood River Distillers is working with Clear Creek Distillery–a distillery that has proven it knows whiskey–I have faith even before tasting this that the product will be, at minimum, thoughtfully produced.

Trail's End Bourbon Review

Appearance

The bottle that this whiskey calls home pays obvious respects to Oregon, its origin (at least in terms of bottling). Unlike 99% of bottles you’ll encounter, this one actually has the logo and product information printed directly on to a very thin slice of wood.

The Oregonian in me is pleased.

As you can tell, the whiskey in this bottle is very red. The lighting for these shots create the impression that it is darker than it actually is, but it is still a dark copper tone with red hues.

Nose

The aromas off the glass are assertive but without much burn. Heavy doses of caramel, vanilla, rye and a bit of oak.

Palate

Other reviews have noted that this whiskey starts off hot and aggressive on entry. That isn’t my experience, though to be fair I’m drinking batch 003 and other reviews have focused on batch 002. To me, batch 003 is soft on entry with butter and vanilla (this may be the Oregon Oak). Then the flavor blooms immediately, with lots of rye spice and some chocolatey character. The mouthfeel is really round (a texture I enjoy) and for that reason this whiskey is extremely drinkable.

Finish

The finish is long, with oak, vanilla, a bit of rye, and moderate ethanol burn.

Conclusion

This was a difficult review for me to write, partially because every glass of Trail’s End I poured to review came loaded with my hopes and expectations that this whiskey would live up to the incredible quality of McCarthy’s Single Malt. In the end, it didn’t, which was disappointing.

Still, Trail’s End is a very drinkable whiskey. The vanilla character pops more on this bourbon more than I’m used to, which could have to do with the Oregon Oak staves. It’s a quality I really enjoy, along with the oaky roundness and rye spice. For those reasons, Trail’s End is a whiskey worth buying. The chances you’ll find it at a bar is nil so I’d recommend purchasing it at your local liquor store or online.

Final Score: 88

Disclaimer: the fine folks at Trail’s End graciously offered this bottle for review. While I’m grateful they did, I retain all rights to speak my mind. 

Padron Family Reserve No. 85 Maduro Review

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Padron Family Reserve 85 Year Maduro Review 2

Up for review today is a very special smoke from Padron: the Padron Family Reserve No. 85 Maduro. The cigar honors the 85th birthday of the late José Orlando Padrón who founded Padron Cigars in 1964. The cigar is also special in that all tobaccos in the cigar have been aged 10 years, which in the manufacturing of cigars is a long time.

While I’m a fan of Padron cigars, my tastes have gravitated towards the more mild/medium end of the cigar spectrum for some time now, so I’m excited to smoke something with more heft.

Product Details

  • Cigar Reviewed: Padron Family Reserve No. 85 Maduro
  • Wrapper: Nicaragua
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Size: 5 1/4 x 50 (Robusto)

Padron Family Reserve 85 Year Maduro Review closeup

Appearance and Construction

The box pressed Padron Family Reserve 85 Years carries the traditional dark red and gold primary band along with a brighter red secondary band bearing “85 Years.” It is without a doubt a very classy look.  The outer wrapper is a dark, slightly marbled brown, with a bit of visible oil and a rough, toothy texture.

The scent off of the foot of the cigar reveals bright, dried cedar, espresso bean, hay, and chocolate. The pre light draw has just the right amount of restrictiveness and carries just a bit of pepper and nothing more.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

As the cigar ignites with the first few puffs, I’m greeted by full flavored, spicy smoke. Flavors are fairly traditional Padron: dry cedar, old leather strips, paprika, black pepper, espresso, and earth. Smoke production is solid, and I’m grateful for the glass of water I have on hand. As a side note, that’s one thing I find about most of my experiences with Padron cigars: if I don’t have anything to drink on hand, my mouth quickly gets parched and that undermines the smoking experience significantly.

In any case, at this point there’s so much strength that I’m a bit worried about balance, but by just a half inch in, the strength mellows considerably and everything harmonizes. On top of it all is a really lovely creamy sweetness that balances the sharper cedar notes. To me, this is something akin to Padron heaven. Medium to full bodied. Full flavor. Everything right on point.

By the end on the first third, the ash is still holding tight and the burn is straight. The flavors have become more complex, with caramel on the finish and an interesting dark cherry note on the palate.

As I smoke past the halfway mark, the strength and body of the cigar has reduced to a solid medium, and the retrohale, once a spice bomb, is now smooth and round in textured. The flavor profile has also shifted, with less spice and paprika and more dark chocolate and oak notes. It’s a wonderful transition, and is a great demonstration of what a really complex Nicaraguan blend can achieve in terms of change and movement.

The final third is easy and smooth, with rich notes of milk chocolate, leather, baking spices and pepper. The home stretch confirms that the cigar was masterfully constructed, with zero burn or draw issues.

This will be a cigar I return to.

Conclusion

The Padron Famiky Reserve 85 Year was a phenomenal smoke from start to finish. Loaded with complementary flavors and lots of complexity, it offered a compelling story that captured my attention for the entire length of the cigar. Starting at around $21, this is in the upper tier of pricing, but the value is there (and then some).

Pickup this cigar at your local retailer or online. You’ll be glad you did.

Final Score: 93

Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review

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Clyde Mays Straight Bourbon Review

Up for review today is Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a whiskey from Conecuh Ridge Distillery. Clyde May, the namesake for this brand, was a legendary Alabama bootlegger famous for his moonshine which was reportedly of a higher quality than other moonshines at the time (this could be saying a lot or a little, depending on your perspective).

If you’re a fan of company backstories, I highly recommend reading about Clyde May’s on their wikipedia page. If you’re too lazy to click the link or have some kind of grudge against Wikipedia (jerk), here are some fun facts about the brand:

Fun fact I: Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey (characterized by adding oven-dried apples to the barrels used to age the whiskey) was designated the official “Stage Spirit” of Alabama by the state legislature in 2014.

Fun fact II: in September of 2017, the company announced plans to build a new distillery in Troy, Alabama, roughly 20 miles from where Clyde May originally made his whiskey.

To me, Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey is interesting in particular because it’s so controversial. Some reviewers enjoy it, others hate it (even if they wouldn’t use those exact words).

Here’s my take.

Product Specifics

  • Whiskey Reviewed: Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Distiller: Conecuh Ridge Distillery
  • Age: Five years
  • ABV: 46% (92 proof)

If you’re a whiskey enthusiast, one fact to be aware of is that this is a sourced whiskey, with some speculation on the blogosphere that it may be from Heaven Hill.

Clyde Mays Straight Bourbon Review with Glass

Appearance

Love it or hate it, you’ve gotta admit that Conecuh Ridge Distillery knows how to brand a product. Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon comes packaged in a classic shaped bottle with a vintage paper label. Great color selection as well – the read and blue elements really play well off of each other.

The whiskey itself is a golden corn color with a twinge of amber.

Nose

The nose is inviting, with predominant butter and caramel notes, along with a touch of vanilla. It’s a fairly standard nose as far as bourbons go, but it has a nice weight to it that cheaper bourbons don’t have. It’s also low on ethanol burn which is a plus.

Palate

Clyde May’s bourbon hits the palate gently but immediately (and somewhat aggressively) blossoms. The flavor profile kicks off with a round, buttered caramel and vanilla note that is then complemented by peanuts, rye, and a dash of cinnamon powder. Quite enjoyable.

Finish

The finish, though decently long, has a bit more ethanol burn than I like and lingers in a way I don’t entirely enjoy. The sweetness that worked so well initially a twist of bitterness that doesn’t conclude the experience as well as a cleaner or perhaps spicier finish would.

Conclusion

Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an enjoyable bourbon, though by no means a perfect one. At $40 a bottle, it faces competition from some pretty spectacular bourbons. If you’re a bourbon drinker and looking to expand outside of some of the more standard expressions on the market, give Clyde May’s Bourbon a try.

Final Score: 87

Disclaimer: though not my first bottle of Clyde May’s whiskey, the bottle reviewed today was gifted by Clyde May’s. Though we’re appreciative, we retain full rights to speak our mind.

La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Chisel Review

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La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Chisel Review

I remember when Litto Gomez first came onto the cigar scene as the man who brought powerful Dominican smokes into the mainstream world of cigars. His bucking the trend of more mild to medium bodied Dominican cigars helped to usher in a new taste for these full spicy smokes.  Not just a trend setter but a cigar creator, the story goes while biting on a cigar driving to his factory the head was flattened and he realized the taste yielded more concentrated flavor. He quickly had a roller create a cigar with a flat head and thus the “Chisel” was born. The Air Bender Chisel gets its namesake as homage to martial arts movies where the speed of the characters seemingly bends the air. The combination of the chisel head and the blend certainly hits you. Enjoy!

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Chisel
  • Wrapper: Habano
  • Binder: Dominican Republic
  • Filler: Dominican Republic
  • Size: 6 ½” x 54

La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Chisel Review Close Up

Appearance and Construction

The wrapper is gorgeous and expertly rolled. Firm to the touch and full of tobacco. I have never seen a poorly rolled cigar out of La Flor no matter what size vitola. The bands on the classic LFD logo is elegant gold, black and red. A lovely sheen covers the cigar and despite being a less than ordinary shape it has such a classic look.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

The Air Bender Chisel from the outset hits you with intense notes of wood and pencil lead. A decent amount of smoke is evident and the retrohale delivers more of the same. Some tanginess is left on the finish which is not too pleasing. At this point some vegetal notes are detected along with a bit of spice.

Midway cedar develops along with an intensifying of strength. The start of this cigar began in the medium bodied range however the flavors are building and the smoke is progressing. Lots of coffee and savory characteristics are on the finish which is quite satisfying. The burn is razor sharp and demonstrates the high quality craftsmanship of the cigar. The pencil lead returns as well as previous flavors of cedar and spice.

The last third delivers a weighty mouthfeel of wood and spice. The tangy finish returns which is a bit displeasing on the palate. The cedar along with nicotine rounds out the cigars profile. The Air Bender finishes in the full bodied range with a woody and earthy ending.

Conclusion

Litto once again creates and innovates with interesting and unique sizes and blends. I enjoyed the start of this cigar and its fuller bodied development. My only issue with the Air Bender Chisel was with the tangy finish as it progressed. I was a fan of the flavor profile, but it could have used more balance in its progression. I tend to prefer smokes that are rounded and complex and although this cigar had complexities I felt it could’ve been more nuanced. I would recommend giving this cigar a shot as Litto is a craftsman and the flavors are certainly evident throughout.

Davidoff Millennium Blend Toro Review

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Davidoff Millennium Blend Toro Review

Up for review today is one of my all-time favorites from Davidoff Cigars: the Davidoff Millennium Blend Toro. Every size is blended meticulously for consistency and quality. The Short Robusto size recently earned a score of 94 (spectacular) on this site.

So let’s get to it.

Product Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Davidoff Millennium Blend Toro
  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sungrown
  • Binder: Dominican Republic
  • Filler: Dominican Republic
  • Size: Toro (6 x 50)

Davidoff Millennium Blend Toro Review Closeup 2

Appearance & Construction

The Davidoff Millennium Toro’s Ecuadorian wrapper is the color of dark oak. It has a few moderate veins and some noticeable seams. The wrapper smells fairly light, with earth, cedar, some spice, and leather. When squeezed, the cigar has a bit of give and is packed consistently over its length.

I take a whiff off of the foot of the cigar, and pick up balanced aromas of coffee, earth, and some black pepper. The pre-light draw is surprisingly mild given the intensity of the smoke ahead, with notes of slightly sweet earth, granola, and wood.

Davidoff Millennium Blend Toro Review Closeup

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The Davidoff Millennium Blend Toro opens with coarse, medium bodied smoke. Notes include grass, cedar, black coffee, cocoa powder, mustiness, cured meat, and a slight creaminess. The cigar produces a high amount of lush smoke. With this cigar, you’ll quickly learn to be careful with the retrohale as it is full bodied and spicy.

At about an inch in, the smoke becomes more oily and round. Sweeter too, with the cocoa powder becoming more of a milk chocolate note. At the same time, the pepper and spice move forward, to the tip of my tongue, making it feel like I have two simultaneous flavor profiles happening at once. Complex, and yet still very balanced.

As the cigar burns well into the second third, the flavors of the smoke become more intense and concentrated. We’re now at about a medium-full in terms of strength and body. Dominant flavors are black pepper, smoked meat, chocolate, and a bit of natural tobacco sweetness. Very, very enjoyable. At this point it strikes me that this cigar could pair very well with a peaty scotch, like an Ardbeg An Oa or Lagavulin 8 Year.

As the cigar hits the final third, the profile shifts definitively like clockwork. The oak note returns, along with black and white pepper, milk chocolate, and a nice vegetal note. Where the retrohale at the start was heavy and granular, now it is extremely smooth and silky. As much as I enjoyed all of the cigar, the final third is and has always been my favorite third for this cigar. It is the perfect combo of strength, clarity, and finesse.

Conclusion

It’s hard for me to smoke the Davidoff Millennium blend and not be a bit in awe. Incredibly complex and dynamic, with a great story to tell from a flavor standpoint. Construction and draw are always top notch.

The Millennium Blend Toro is on par with any of the best cigars I’ve ever smoked.

Final Score: 95

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