St. George Spirits Lot 22 American Single Malt Whiskey Review & Tasting Notes

 

“In 1982, there were fewer than than 20 distilleries in the United States. Today there are more than 2,000. When Jörg [Rupf] ran his first batch of eau de vie on his 65-gallon pot still, he didn’t just start St. George Spirits, he started a movement. In the years that followed, he also helped countless other distillers launch their own operations. Jörg’s legacy—creating spirits of uncompromising quality while helping blaze the trail for artisan distillers—lives on in everything we do.” – St. George Spirits

 

This California distillery, Jaxon Keys Winery, Charbay Distillery, and Germain-Robin were the four pioneers of the industry we know and almost take for granted today. St. George Spirits, under the guidance of Master Distiller Lance Winters, released its first lot of American Single Malt whiskey in 2000. Each year, St. George Spirits releases another as a limited edition, with this year’s bearing the badge of Lot 22.

 

The mashbill is derived from pale, crystal, chocolate, and black patent malts that were subjected to different roasting levels, and Bamberg malt that was unroasted, but smoked over beech and alder woods. That’s been the base of St. George’s American Single Malt since Lot 1. What makes Lot 22 different is the use of 26 different casks with vintage Kentucky Bourbon and Tennessee whisky barrels, along with both American and French oak casks that previously held apple brandy, port, and California Sauternes-style wines.

 

While Lot 22 carries no age statement, there are single barrels ranging in age from 4-1/2 years to 8-1/2 years and blends of whiskeys from 23 years ago. Proofed to 43% ABV (86°), a 750ml package has a suggested price of $99.99.

 

I’ve found the few American Single Malts I’ve tasted from this distillery to be tasty, and what it offers is definitely not a me-too whiskey. St. George Spirits produces the unusual. To see if Lot 22 follows the trend, we’ll have to do the #DrinkCurious thing. But, before that happens, I thank St. George Spirits for providing me with this sample in exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Appearance: A neat pour in my Glencairn glass revealed a brassy liquid that formed a medium-heavy rim before it collapsed into thick legs.

 

Nose: As I brought the rim of the glass to my nostrils, it smelled like I was at a dessert bar. Cherry pie filling, chocolate mousse, caramel, toasted coconut, hazelnut, and butter pecan rushed my olfactory sense, causing me a bit of sensory overload. When I drew the air into my mouth, I encountered orange rind.

 

Palate: A buttery texture greeted my tongue. Flavors of brown sugar, hazelnut, and almond were the first that I picked up, with white grapefruit, melon, and apple midway through. The back featured roasted coffee, milk chocolate, and clove.

 

Finish: The finish started with white grapefruit, ginger spice, apple, and French oak making various appearances. Most of it was short to medium in duration, but the citrus went beyond that.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: My only gripe with Lot 22 is its shorter finish. I was daydreaming through the nosing and tasting experience, and then it was over, leaving only the citric fizz behind. At the same time, this is my favorite of what I’ve tasted from St. George’s Spirits. Is it worth the money? Yup and all of that equals a Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.

 

St. George Spirits 40th Anniversary Edition American Single Malt Whiskey Review & Tasting Notes

Forty years is a long time. It just happens to be how long ago the craft distilling boom began. Four distilleries started it: Germain-Robin, Jaxson Keys Winery, St. George Spirits, and Charbay Distillery.

 

“In 1982, there were fewer than than 20 distilleries in the United States. Today there are more than 2,000. When Jörg [Rupf] ran his first batch of eau de vie on his 65-gallon pot still, he didn’t just start St. George Spirits, he started a movement. In the years that followed, he also helped countless other distillers launch their own operations. Jörg’s legacy—creating spirits of uncompromising quality while helping blaze the trail for artisan distillers—lives on in everything we do.” – St. George Spirits

 

St. George Spirits has come a long way since that first batch of eau de vie. It currently distills gin, vodka, liqueurs, brandy, absinthe, shochu, and American Single Malt whisky. And to commemorate this milestone, the distillery recently released its 40^th Anniversary Edition Single Malt Whiskey.

 

Six hundred barrels were sampled and whittled down to just fourteen. Some barrels were four years old. The oldest is one of the first casks the distillery laid down. Various vintage cooperages once held umeshu, tawny port, and Californa Sauternes wine. This single malt is bottled at 48% ABV (96°) and should begin to show up on store shelves in mid-November. There are 1982 bottles available (did you catch the mathematical Easter egg?).

 

St. George Spirits will also donate $40,000 to STEPUP Foundation. Its mission is “[t]o provide underserved and underrepresented individuals with hands-on training and education, encouragement, and opportunities to enter the spirits community through a comprehensive internship program like no other in the alcohol beverage industry.”

 

I know you have a few questions, one of which is, How does it taste? That’s easily answered once I #DrinkCurious. But before I do, I must thank St. George Spirits for providing me with a sample in exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Appearance: This single malt presented as deep caramel when I poured it neat into my Glencairn glass. It took some effort to seduce a rim, which remained micro-thin. Watery legs fell but left sticky tears behind.

 

Nose: An aroma reminiscent of Fresca wafted from my glass. Buttered popcorn, brown sugar, caramel, and Almond Joy candy joined the fruity soda. When I pulled that air into my mouth, cocoa and toasted coconut rolled across my tongue.

 

Palate:  A silky but heavy texture greeted my palate. The front consisted of a thick blend of coffee, dark chocolate, and vanilla cream. Flavors of caramel, coconut, almond, and citrus peel hit the middle, while cinnamon, clove, and candied ginger were on the back.

 

Finish:  Tangerine, toasted coconut, caramel, clove, cinnamon, ginger, and smoked oak made for a long, complicated, lingering finish.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  I believe St. George Spirits knocked one out of the ballpark with this single malt whiskey. Everything from the nose to the finish was stunning. I thought the light smoky oak of the finish was a near-perfect way to end things.

 

I mentioned one question you had was how this tasted. Another has to be, What does it cost? As you can imagine, a whiskey with distillate from the first runs isn’t inexpensive. The 40^th Anniversary Edition Single Malt Whiskey has a suggested price of $500.00 for a 750ml bottle.

 

When we enter this super ultra-premium price category, it is beyond my means. You’ll want to try this if you’ve got a generous friend or if a great whiskey bar manages to obtain one. If you can afford it, I believe you’d walk away happy with a Bottle. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.

 

 

St. George Spirits Baller American Single Malt Review & Tasting Notes

A few years ago, before The Great Pandemic, I enjoyed attending whiskey festivals. I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to attend Distill America in Madison this May. It will be the first time since the last in-person Distill America in 2020, literally just before everything shut down around the country.

 

I mention Distill America because that’s where I was introduced to St. George Spirits, a smaller California distillery founded in 1982 by Jörg Rupf, a German immigrant. Jörg was interested in distilling brandy made from local fruits using traditional methodologies. Lance Winters came on board in 1996. He was a former nuclear scientist who had (get this) a single bottle of homemade whiskey in his inventory, presented it to Jörg, and then Jörg offered Lance a job. A year later, St. George Spirits distilled its first single malt, and in 2000, they released the first batch. Ten years later, Jörg retired, and Lance took over the reins as the head distiller.

 

The American Single Malt that I tried at Distill America was St. George Baller. I recall enjoying it, but truth be told, my palate is dead and buried at these kinds of events. And I kind of forgot about it once COVID became our new normal.

 

Fast forward to April 2022, when a sample of St. George Baller winds up on my doorstep. At this point, I’m excited because my memory of tasting it rushed back at me.

 

St. George Baller is a single malt whiskey made in a Scottish tradition but with Japanese highball cocktails in mind. Before you say, “What the…?” bear with me. It’ll make sense. It starts with a mash of primarily two-row pale barley and a bit of lightly roasted barley. That’s sent through the eau de vie pot stills before finding its way into former Bourbon and French oak wine casks, where it rested for three years.

 

The adventure isn’t over because the next step is to filter the whiskey via maple charcoal and then finish it in house-made umeshu (a Japanese plum liqueur) casks. The ume fruit was grown entirely in California.

 

The finished product is bottled at 47% ABV (94°), and a 750ml package costs about $69.99. The distribution used to be California-only but can now be found around the United States. Before I get started on my review, I want to thank St. George Spirits for a sample of this whiskey in exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest rating.

 

It is time for me to shut up and #DrinkCurious.

 

Appearance: Served neat in my Glencairn glass, St. George Baller presented as the color of yellow straw. It formed a medium rim that released fat legs that raced back to the pool.

 

Nose: A floral perfume intermingled with prune, lychee, and honeysuckle. As I drew the air past my lips, a tsunami of vanilla flowed across my tongue.

 

Palate:  I found the texture buttery with a medium body. The front of my palate tasted honey, vanilla, and almond, while the middle featured malty, fresh-baked bread, lychee, and brine. The back offered flavors of ginger beer, French oak, and smoke.

 

Finish:  The ginger beer carried through the end of the finish. Before it fell off, a blend of lychee, brine, and smoke joined a somewhat tannin-heavy feel.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  St. George Baller tasted like nothing I recalled. Instead of getting familiar notes, this was a brand-new experience, and that isn’t unusual when my only other sampling was while my palate was exhausted. However, that didn’t translate to an unpleasant tasting. Everything meshed seamlessly. St. George Baller is unlike any other American single malt I’ve come across. I believe this one you’ll want to savor, and as such, it earns my Bottle rating. Cheers!

My Simple, Easy to Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.

 

 

Broken Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Reviews & Tasting Notes

Established in a California garage in 2012, Infuse Spirits is the brainchild of Seth Benhaim. He was only 25 years old, but he had ideas about what was missing in the spirits world – infused spirits. He started with vodka and was the youngest distiller to win Best-in-Show and Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

 

Seth then directed his attention to whiskey. Rather than just aging distillate in a barrel, he wanted his whiskey to go through a finishing process. While most distillers and blenders would use a second barrel to accomplish this, Seth wondered what would happen if used barrel staves were thrown into a mass of liquid.

 

He took the aged whiskey from several barrels and transferred it to large, stainless steel tanks. Seth then took broken staves and placed them inside the tanks, believing that the whiskey would interact with a larger surface area than a barrel could accomplish.  Thus, the Broken Barrel Whiskey brand was born.

 

Today I’m sampling two of its expressions: Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Both start with the same mashbill from Owensboro Distilling Company: 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley. Both have aged a minimum of two years in new, charred oak before adding those broken staves. Seth calls this his signature oak bill, comprised of 40% former Bourbon barrels, 40% new French oak, and 20% sherry cask oak.

 

Before I get started on my tasting notes and ratings, I’d like to thank Infuse Spirits for providing me samples in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest reviews. Let’s get down to business and #DrinkCurious. 

 

First up is the Small Batch Bourbon. It is packaged at 95°, and you can expect to spend about $36.99 for a  750ml package.

 

Appearance: This Bourbon was medium gold in color in my Glencairn glass. It formed a medium-weighted rim that led to long, thick legs that crawled back to the pool.

 

Nose: Aromas of buttered popcorn blended with toffee, cinnamon, nutmeg, and oak tapped my olfactory sense. When I pulled the vapor into my mouth, I experienced dry popcorn that rolled across my tongue.

 

Palate:  The mouthfeel was thick and creamy. I tasted corn, berries, and roasted coffee on the front of my palate. The middle offered marshmallow, vanilla, and honey, while the back had flavors of French oak, cinnamon spice, and clove.

 

Finish:  Long and lingering, the French oak, cinnamon, and roasted coffee stuck around and was accompanied by cocoa powder, leaving my tongue a tad dry.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  The finishing staves reminded me a little of what Maker’s Mark does with Maker’s 46 and Private Selections. I half expected this whiskey to taste young, but I’m assuming the stave finishing eliminated that concern. Some tasty flavors gave me a pleasant experience, and I enjoyed this Bourbon. For $37.99, very few people would balk at the price, and this has all of the makings of a Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

◊◊◊◊◊

Next up is the Cask Strength Bourbon. This one weighs in at 115°, and a 750ml bottle costs about $45.99.

Appearance: Poured neat in my Glencairn glass, this Bourbon version was the color of bronze. It created an almost invisible rim that generated fat, slow tears.

 

Nose: Butterscotch was the first thing I smelled. Popcorn, English toffee, cherry, raisin, and French oak followed. When I inhaled the air into my mouth, raisin was easy to taste.

 

Palate: An oily texture with a medium body led to corn, caramel, and nutmeg on the front of my palate. Flavors of honey, raisin, and maple syrup were next, with clove, cinnamon spice, and French oak on the back.

 

Finish: The finish began with cherry pie filling, clove, and nutmeg, which faded off while cinnamon spice and French oak stuck around. It was long-lasting.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  Like the Small Batch version, the Cask Strength did admirably masking its age. It drank under the stated proof, but my tongue did sizzle a few moments after the finish ceased. Overall, I’d say this one is an easy sipper. Considering cask-strength/barrel-proof whiskeys are often more expensive, there’s a good value here. I believe this deserves a Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy to Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.

Lost Lantern Fall 2021 Single Cask #4 (Spirit Works Distillery) Rye Review & Tasting Notes

 

Spirit Works Distillery of Sonoma County, California, is a grain-to-glass operation founded in 2012 by the husband-and-wife team of Timo and Ashby Marshall. Ashby is the original Head Distiller, and Krystal Goulart, who trained under Ashby, is also a distiller. Interestingly, Spirit Works earned the 2020 ADI Distiller of the Year award. All of the grain they work with is organic.

 

I’ve reviewed Spirit Works before, and to be completely blunt, I was not pleased. However, one of the fun things about a #DrinkCurious lifestyle is you get to revisit distilleries that missed the mark.

 

It certainly helps that Lost Lantern, an independent bottler that has impressed me with its ability to pick impressive barrels, chose a Rye from Spirit Works. This one is called Fall 2021 Single Cask #4. It starts with a mash of 70% organic rye, 10% malted rye, and 20% malted barley. Once distilled, it rested five years in 53-gallon new American oak barrels from Independent Stave Company. Fall 2021 Release 3 is non-chill filtered, naturally colored, and weighs in at a hefty 122°. A 750ml bottle sells for $80.00, and there are 195 available for purchase.

 

I want to thank Lost Lantern for setting up this second-chance opportunity for Spirit Works in exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s get to it!

 

Appearance:  Served neat in my Glencairn glass, this whiskey was the color of burnt umber. For only five years old, that was nice to see. The rim was almost invisible, and thick, fast tears returned to the pool.

 

Nose:  Oak was the first thing my nose picked out. Plum, floral rye, brown sugar, and a whiff of cinnamon followed. As I drew the vapor into my open mouth, clove woke my palate.

 

Palate:  An oily texture greeted my tongue. Dark chocolate was the only note on the front. Nutmeg and rye bread were next, with spiced oak, cinnamon, clove, and oak on the back.

 

Finish:  The cinnamon note kept building into Red Hots. The oak became dry, and dark chocolate outlasted everything. Overall, it was a long finish that seemed well-balanced.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  I found the nose enticing, especially with the clove. The palate was deep and spicy. The finish would satisfy anyone looking for something warm. Is Fall 2021 Single Cask #4 a bad pour? Not at all. Is it an $80.00 pour? I’m not convinced. I would say, however, that I’m interested in trying more things from Spirit Works, as this was much better than what I tasted earlier this year. This Rye takes a Bar rating.  Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy to Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.

 

Spirit Works Distillery Four Grain Bourbon, Straight Rye, and Straight Wheat Whiskey Reviews & Tasting Notes

I have fun with samples I receive from others these because they're often from off-the-radar distilleries. I love that they're blind tastings for me and for the most part, I have zero preconceived notions (again, since they're not on my radar).

One such distillery is Spirit Works Distillery of Sonoma County, California. It is a grain-to-glass operation that was founded in 2012 by the husband-and-wife team of Timo and Ashby Marshall. Ashby is the original Head Distiller, and Krystal Goulart, who trained under Ashby, is also a distiller. One thing of note is Spirit Works was awarded the 2020 ADI Distiller of the Year. All of the grain they work with is organic.

"We make everything in-house from milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling all the way through to bottling and shipments out the door." - Spirit Works Distillery

I'm going to explore their Four Grain Bourbon, Straight Rye, and Straight Wheat whiskeys. Without further ado, let's #DrinkCurious and get these tasted and rated.

Four Grain Bourbon

This is a blend of two of their whiskeys, and has a mashbill of 60% corn, with the remainder rye, wheat, and malted barley. The corn and wheat are from California. The mash was distilled in their German-made hybrid pot still and then aged at least four years in new, charred oak 53-gallon barrels.  This Bourbon is bottled at 90°, and a 750ml runs about $50.00, which is smack-dab in the middle of what craft whiskey is priced. 

Appearance:  In my Glencairn glass, the whiskey presented as a brassy, orange-amber.  It created a thicker rim that generated slow, medium-weight legs to roll back down the wall into the pool of liquid sunshine.

Nose: The nose on this was sweet and fruity, with brown sugar, honey, berry, cherry, plum, and then oak. When I inhaled the vapor through my lips, I found a blend of honey, vanilla, and musty oak. 

Palate: The mouthfeel was light and creamy. There was no burn per se, but spice notes were evident. The first thing I tasted was vanilla sugar cookie. That was the only flavor on the front. At mid-palate, flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg took over. On the back, there was an impression of cherry and toasted oak.

Finish: The finish was challenging because it was a flash and then gone. It required several sips to pin anything down. I picked up nuts, nutmeg, and finally, white pepper.

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  As I stated earlier, $50.00 is right in the middle of what most craft distilleries charge.  At 90°, you aren't left with a feeling that the distillery is only interested in mass production. The team has carefully determined what the optimal proof should be. However, I believe this Bourbon needs to age a year or so longer. The almost missing finish gave nothing to round things out. This had a beautiful nose but an average, unremarkable palate. Considering all of that, I'm going to toss a Bar rating.

Straight Rye Whiskey

This one is non-chill filtered and aged a minimum of four years in 53-gallon new, charred oak barrels. The mashbill is undisclosed other than it being a "high rye" whiskey. Suggested retail is $65.00 for a 750ml, and bottled at 90°.

Appearance: Using a Glencairn glass, the Rye appeared as a honey-amber color. It left a medium rim on the wall, which created long, fast legs to drop back to the pool.

Nose:  Aromas of oak, cinnamon, mint, and green apple greeted my nostrils, and when I drew the air into my mouth, spearmint rolled across my tongue. 

Palate:  A medium body with a very oily mouthfeel started things off. On the front, I tasted caramel and cinnamon. As it moved to the middle, flavors of cherry and coconut became evident, and then, on the back, I discovered rye spice and oak.

Finish:  I found the finish to be long and peppery, with dry oak and cherry abounding.

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  The Straight Rye was a fairly basic whiskey. There's nothing not to like, but similar to the Four Grain, there's nothing that stands out. If Spirit Works didn't mention it was a "high rye" whiskey, I would have guessed it was barely legal at 51%. Again, I think this needs a few more years in oak. Were I to keep this in my whiskey library, it would be for mixing cocktails. That being said, $65.00 is way too much to pay for a mixer. Due to that, I'm rating this one a Bust. 

Straight Wheat Whiskey

Made from a mash of 100% California-grown red winter wheat, the Straight Wheat Whiskey is non-chill filtered and aged at least four years in new, charred oak barrels. It is proofed down to 90°, and you should expect to pay about $65.00 for a 750ml bottle.

Appearance: Being consistent and using a Glencairn glass, the Straight Wheat offered a deep honey color.  It left no rim but generated one heck of a wavy curtain to drop down the wall.

Nose:  Light and floral on the nose, one thing that stood out was bubble gum. When I brought the fumes into my mouth, I was hit with a wave of butterscotch.

Palate:  The mouthfeel was full-bodied and somewhat bitter. On the front, I sampled walnut and sweet tobacco leaf. As it moved to the middle, there was a strange mix of unsweetened tea and cocoa powder. The back was a combination of oak, clove, and black pepper. 

Finish:  Medium-long in length, it consisted of a ramp-up of clove, dry oak, and cola. The bitterness from the mouthfeel continued all the way through.

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  There are certain things I'm not a fan of.  Unsweetened tea is one of them. I'm also not big on neat whiskeys that are bitter. Bittersweet I don't mind at all, but this was not that. It, like the previous two whiskeys, was fairly unremarkable, and when I take into account this is a $65.00 whiskey, it becomes an unattractive prospect. This, like the Rye, will, unfortunately, take a Bust from me. 

Cheers!

My Simple, Easy to Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

 

Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey Review

What's the deal with Whiskeyfellow and flavored whiskeys?  Has he gone over the edge?  No, I've not. I've just had an opportunity to try several of these and rather than just passing them off, I believe it is best to share my thoughts with you so those of you who are interested in flavored whiskeys can make an educated decision, just like with any other whiskey I review.

Today's whiskey is Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey.  This one, like when Fireball was introduced, has taken the market by storm. It isn't a cheap whiskey, a bottle will set you back about $29.99.  

Skrewball was invented by Steven and Brittany Yeng, owners of O.B. Noodlehouse and Bar 1502 in Ocean Beach, California. This was something they served to their patrons, who have been described as "misfits, black sheep, and screwballs" of the community. Brittany got the brand up and going, and the rest is history.

Made from whiskey, natural flavors, and caramel coloring, Skrewball is bottled at 70°.  It carries no age statement, but being a liqueur, you can't assume anything from that.  The distiller of the whiskey itself is undisclosed. Caramel coloring is caramel coloring. But, what catches the eye on the back of the bottle is a warning label:

So, yes, apparently the natural flavoring is from real peanuts!  While I would assume there isn't an issue simply opening the bottle in the venue of someone with a peanut allergy, I'd certainly recommend being careful around them so as to not accidentally cause any issues.

My first opportunity to taste Skrewball was at a family birthday party.  Someone started passing along a bottle, it came to me and I tried it.  SPOILER:  I enjoyed it.  I enjoyed it so much I went out and got a bottle.  Why?  I'll give you the details...

In my Glencairn glass, Skrewball appears as caramel color. Again, being artificially colored, it means nothing. However, it left a medium-thick rim that generated a huge, wavy curtain and medium legs that slowly crawled back to the pool of whiskey.

The aroma?  Let's get real.  This is a peanut-butter flavored whiskey.  I smelled peanut butter. Not just peanuts, but processed peanut butter. When I inhaled through my lips, it was peanut butter and a hint of vanilla. Anything else was indiscernible.

Skrewball has an amazingly thick and rich mouthfeel, even a bit sticky - just like peanut butter. The stickiness is typical of many liqueurs and wasn't completely unexpected. On the palate, it wasn't just peanut butter. There was also vanilla and then, my mind figured out this was honey roasted peanuts. 

The finish gave some warmth to remind you it is made from whiskey and not just a kiddie drink. But that thick peanut butter remained for a long finish.

For kicks and giggles, I made myself a cocktail of Skrewball and Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur. If you've ever had a Reeses white chocolate peanut butter cup, this was a darned good copy of it, even down to the creamy texture. No ice needed.

Bottle, Bar or Bust:  Well, the spoiler earlier makes this rating moot, but I want consistency in my reviews. Spend the $30 and get yourself a Bottle. Skrewball is a flavored whiskey worth having around. Cheers!


Postscript:  In all the years I've been writing reviews, I've never felt the need to add a postscript until today. This review has been "live" for about 48 hours and the social media response has been amazing, to say the least. Essentially, people either love Skewball or they have found it disgusting. There have been 250+ comments and not a single one suggests it is just okay or decent. The polarization is unbelievable. Cheers!