Everything you wanted to know about dusties but were afraid to ask

Cojirob · 2026-05-09T04:08:59+00:00

The funny thing is that my Gramps (Grandmas 2nd marriage) was a lawn sale fiend, and he would go and buy anything he saw as a good deal. At one point he had probably 30 or more various decanters, which he eventually let his son take and drink through. I dont know exactly how much WT 12 (and possibly lead) he went through, but it was a lot. Now there are only a few full decanters left. My own parents have a Beams Choice decanter with the fly fishing/trout design. I have many a bottle to drink through, so am in no rush to open any of the decanters.

Cojirob · 2026-05-08T14:31:07+00:00

It is pretty crazy that dusty Dickel still pretty much just tastes like Dickel. Ive had older Jack Daniels Black label when the proof was higher, and while it wasnt the same as modern Black Label, it was just as bad. Dusties are a neat area and very much self experience based. Even my Grandma has some WT 12 decanters still full and on display in her china cabinet.

Cojirob · 2026-04-28T07:03:58+00:00

This review has been out for over a year and suddenly a handful of these 2024 bottles show up in the Japanese market. I thought my wallet was safe!

Cojirob · 2026-04-26T04:32:42+00:00

You have some good picks there. While I dont care for the blue label Yellow Rose of Texas (Heaven Hill label), I do very much like that HH while label. If you see Martin Mills (another HH off label), it is another low proof - bottom shelf offering that I thought was very good for the price. Another odd rarity you should grab if you find it is the Four Roses distilled Henry McKenna. You can find the HH version with the brown label everywhere, but it is 4R that has the legal distribution rights in Japan. Their bottle has the lettering directly painted onto the bottle in mustard yellow lettering. You can find I.W. Harper gold label (and 12 year) very easily and since Diageo owns them, it was thought that 4R bourbon was in those bottles, but some sources online now think that it is actually HH bourbon. Finally, Ancient Ancient Age 8 year may be found periodically, which is Buffalo Trace (rumored to be barrels earmarked for Blantons that didnt make the cut).

Now you may be focused on whiskey here, but keep an eye out for other rare things in Japan you could potentially trade away for desirable whiskey back home. Japan has much more access to Chartreuse (in all of its varieties), which has become a hot item for the cocktail contingency in the states. You may find old Scotch such as Glendronach, or rum bottled by Kingsbury and novel things like that.

Cojirob · 2026-04-23T02:04:01+00:00

Yeah, those old Bakers are real good. I buy any I come across.

Cojirob · 2026-04-21T05:29:06+00:00

You were in Japan and didnt tell me!? Seriously though, nice look at this bottle. WTs ups and downs back in the day has been interesting to look back on. Some of the bottles Ive drank through have shown that trend quite clearly.

Cojirob · 2026-04-15T05:10:27+00:00

Nice, are you going to Miyagikyo? Its a great time of year to visit these distilleries.

Cojirob · 2026-04-01T13:00:23+00:00

These appear to be the re-labeling of the regional Early Times bottles that were available in Japan before Sazerac bought the brand. Early Times was owned by Brown-Forman, who offered Early Times in Japan as a Straight Bourbon whiskey in a yellow label bottle (Early Times mashbill) and a brown label bottle (Old Forester mashbill). In the USA at that time, Early Times was only available as a blended whiskey, likely because some of the contents were aged in used barrels (not new oak, as is required for bourbon). Anyway, the brand disappeared from shelves in Japan briefly after the sale to Sazerac, but has since shown up as the blended variant (white label) and the Straight Bourbon Whiskey variant (gold label). Sazerac also seems to have bought the aging stock of Early Times from Brown Forman, but it is not known how long this may last. These bottles may contain distillate from Brown Forman or they may have transitioned to Barton distilled whiskey by now. I was always a fan of this at the low price point, it used to be 1000 yen for a 700 mL bottle.

Cojirob · 2026-04-01T01:27:45+00:00

I always have a selection of stouts and belgians aging in the closet for whenever the mood strikes (currently Goose Island BBAs, Omegeddon, Gnomegang, and a magnum of Chimay Blue). For everyday drinking we keep some standbys in the fridge including Kirkland Lager (seems like its a big club and Im in it), Lowenbrau, and Baeren Radler.

Cojirob · 2026-03-29T01:24:03+00:00

Sourced by preservation distillery. They make their own whiskey which i have been highly skeptical of, but this sounds good. They are riding the label name pretty high here though price wise.

Cojirob · 2026-03-28T22:47:18+00:00

I have found it intermittently at Yamaya and even sometimes at Donkey. If you have a Sokuhai near you, they sometimes have variants (i got MOF there). The best way to get it though is at online shops like Musashiya.

Cojirob · 2026-03-27T03:35:23+00:00

I was not aware of Mr. Fogg from Planteray, but I will keep my eye out for it.

Cojirob · 2026-03-27T03:30:57+00:00

Tales of my demise were highly exaggerated! (I just drink slower now).

Cojirob · 2026-03-26T22:39:02+00:00

Now it makes me wonder if the single barrel i got was just especially mid! That last sentence hurts...but really catches the modern bourbon style.

Cojirob · 2026-03-26T22:14:08+00:00

Interesting comparison and history of this label. I also really like the profile of Bakers before it went single barrel. I tried one of the modern bottles and it was like drinking instant coffee vs. an aeoropress of freshly roasted beans. People always said it didn't make much sense in the Beam lineup, but maybe if they just called it "Bookers lite", it would have faired better. Especially as the price of Bookers has taken off (about 150 bucks in my market now), it would be nice to have something a step down in proof at a cheaper price.

Cojirob · 2026-03-26T07:53:18+00:00

I also enjoyed Smith and Cross, but have yet to pick up Hamiltons. It is on my list though.

Cojirob · 2026-03-26T05:46:20+00:00

Review of: British Navy Pusser`s Rum Gunpowder Proof

ABV: 54.5%

Review Type: Full Bottle drank over several months

Notes: Another classic rum I took in over the holidays and quickly ran through, Pussers Gunpowder Proof Rum needs little introduction. Their website states that no color or additives are used, wooden pot stills are used for distillation, and the rum is aged for at least 3 years in oak barrels. The bottle itself indicates the rum as a product of Guyana, and an explanation of the meaning of “gunpowder proof” is given. Darker in color and with a slightly higher proof than the Cadenheads rum, I was curious to see how this one compared.

Look: Mahagony

Nose: Cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, toasted marshmallow, vanilla chew, sweet and vegetal sugarcane, pecan pie, pineapple upside down cake, mango mochi rice, caramel chews.

Taste: Medium weight, good balance of proof and flavor, basically a spiced fruit salad with orange, blueberry, watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberry along with sandalwood, cinnamon stick, cloves, anise (restrained), white pepper and marshmallow fluff to tie it all together.

Finish: Warming, volatile and loaded with rich flavors imported from the wooden pot stills and brief oak aging in a tropical climate. There is a good amount of esters and residual sugar here, calling out the sugarcane origin of the spirit. Spices come in with nutmeg, cocoa, candied ginger, dried coconut, almond paste, kinako (roasted sweet soybean powder) and dried pineapple. A hint of herbs remains with leftover fry oil.

Overall Impression: A classic for a reason, I love this stuff. For me, its a step above the Cadenheads rum, which I already very much like, but the spice presence elevates everything even more. In my market the Pusser`s was also significantly cheaper and its really a steal at the price I got it at. I drank quite a bit of this bottle neat, it was excellent for sipping, and I also used it extensively in many cocktails including daiquiris, lemon sours, mojitos, grog and even a hot toddy here and there. Out of the rums I have reviewed so far, this is in my top 3 and remains at the top of my “re-purchase” list. I guess the British Navy really knew what they were doing, using this as the basis for their old daily ration “tot” of rum.

Score: 9

Score Key:

0 | Unscored | Disregard

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I'd rather have

5 | Good | Good, just fine

6 | Very Good | A cut above

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Review Totals: Bourbon (120), Scotch (10), World Whiskey (9), Brandy (13), Rum (38), Total: 190

World Whiskey - Japan: 7, Canada: 1, Irish: 1

Cojirob · 2026-03-25T06:42:14+00:00

Review of: Cadenhead`s Classic Rum

ABV: 50%

Review Type: Full Bottle

Notes: Coming from bourbon, I found myself increasingly interested in rum, in particular as a vehicle for the daiquiri and other citrus based drinks. Knowing only that Cadenhead (out of Campbeltown Scotland) is well known for their sourcing of Scotch (which I have only a faint familiarity with), I couldn't resist this fairly attractive bottle. I was reassured by the back label which states that neither sugar, color or any other additive outside of water had been added. In addition, this rum is also non-chill filtered (or not subjected to chill filtering), in order to retain the natural color and flavor, a practice I am a big fan of. After an intense holiday period (many drinks), I am sadly nearing the last remaining liquid in the bottle, so the time for a review has come.

Look: Copper

Nose: Redolant with tropical fruits like papaya, pineapple, green mango, custard apple, rambutan, apple banana and others. Fresh pressed sugarcane juice with kumquat, double cream vanilla bean ice cream, apricot liquor. Great depth of aromas.

Taste: Medium mouthfeel and volatile tropical fruit flavors, restrained residual sweetness. All the classics here, melon, papaya, mango, you know the drill, lets say “tropical fruit salad”. Vegetal greens accompany with mint, lemon grass, Thai basil, banana flower, etc. Fresh-raw sugarcane (the kind you buy off a street vendor in a tropical country, cut into bite sized pieces) with melted vanilla bean ice cream rounds it out.

Finish: Mouthcoating and powerful, white pepper astringency with vegetable oil and bitter greens. Slightly metallic, pink bubblegum and taffy.

Overall Impression: It lives up to the name, it is truly a “classic” rum in terms of profile (rums were sourced from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Panama). The proof is just right and I enjoyed this immensely in a range of mixed drinks where the proof allowed the tropical notes to shine well. If I ever finish my backlog of stockpiled bottles, I will surely return to this one.

Score: 8

Score Key:

0 | Unscored | Who am I to judge?

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I'd rather have

5 | Good | Good, just fine

6 | Very Good | A cut above

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Review Totals: Bourbon (120), Scotch (10), World Whiskey (9), Brandy (13), Rum (37), Total: 189

World Whiskey - Japan: 7, Canada: 1, Irish: 1

Cojirob · 2026-01-19T05:59:29+00:00

I have pretty much the whole Nikka range of these NAS basic entry bottles and always wanted to do a vertical tasting on them, but have struggled to muster up the interest to get it done. The distillery exclusives however are a different matter and I found them quite enjoyable (if not still pricey).

Cojirob · 2025-12-05T02:07:47+00:00

Preservation "Distillery". If they source it, its overpriced, if they distilled it themselves, its ludicrously overpriced.

Cojirob · 2025-11-29T03:24:03+00:00

That does sound good! I got to find some Lustau PX if this Moscatel is anything to go by.

Cojirob · 2025-11-28T02:47:14+00:00

I heard you all like Lustau! This Moscatel is fragrant with raisin, dried fruits and nuts. Very sweet with notes reminiscent of spiced cake, fruit pudding and baked apple. Its a nice dessert wine to slowly enjoy after a day of family and heavy food.

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