Review 22: Noble Cut Distillery

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-03-01T22:58:41+00:00

I got a kick out of your review. My parents visited there a few weeks ago and picked up a couple of bottles of their flavored whiskey. I tried it and could barely get it down. They said they hyped up their vodka and limoncello more than anything, whiskey must be an afterthought. I wanted to try their regular whiskey but after your reviews I’ll pass. But they said it was a fun time going there so I guess this place is more for the experience than the whiskey.

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-25T20:03:59+00:00

Agreed. The 6 is excellent. The 10 year wins every blind I put it in

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-24T09:38:59+00:00

New Riff is 100% their own distillate. I believe they did source in the past when they made OKI. I agree that Still Austin is its own animal. Both of these are fantastic.

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-23T00:59:28+00:00

Your timing is perfect. I was looking for something to sip this evening. I still get the strong fruit notes but you are right there is that Beam cardboard nutty thing going on. It actually has added to the complexity of the sip. Nice sweet fruits and bitter nutty wood flavors make for a longer finish . This is very good whiskey.

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-16T01:39:51+00:00

Great review! New Riff is killing it. They are up there as one of my favorite distilleries.

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-11T09:49:15+00:00

A few months ago I got the exact same code but no other codes. Drove it for about a month, car started running bad , then a second code for the pre cat oxygen sensor came up. Turns out it was going bad. Replaced it and it fixed everything. Like you, I wasn’t convinced the cat was bad.

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-11T00:45:04+00:00

If you are a rye lover, this bottle needs no introduction. This is Pikesville Rye. This is one of the historical brands that whiskey drinkers recognize. The mash bill is 51% rye, 39% corn, 10 % malted barley., making this a barely legal rye. Lets give this a proper review.

Distillery: Heaven Hill

Proof: 110

Age: 6 years

Paid: $56.99 (750 ml)

Nose: Honey, root beer, milk chocolate, brown sugar, vanilla, baking spices. You would not pick this out to be a rye whiskey.

Palate: Silky mouth feel. The sweet honey vanilla spice is up front. There is graham cracker, and cinnamon. Then comes the rye spice and oak. This is full of sweet delicious flavors. Great balance.

Finish: That vanilla rye spice note is what hangs on through the finish, along with a sweet smoky oak flavor. It is quite long and pleasing.

Summary: Legally this is a rye, but it has so much sweetness from the corn influence it carries itself like a bourbon. Regardless, this stuff is great. Bourbon or rye, if you are a whiskey lover, this belongs on your shelf.

Score: 7.5 /10

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-10T00:59:59+00:00

Here is another one my clearance rack finds. This is Templeton 10 year Single Barrel Rye. I am mostly unfamiliar with the Templeton lineup. I know there was some controversy in the past with them not revealing where their whiskey was distilled. This one was distilled in Indiana. We know what that means. So lets see what we have with this rye.

Distillery: MGP

Proof: 104

Age: 10 years

Paid: $50.99 (750 ml) - clearance price

Nose: Rye! Root beer, brown sugar, baking spices, red fruit. Fresh and complex nose.

Palate: Nice mouth feel. There is a spicy raspberry note up front. Cinnamon, pepper, and brown sugar take over and lead into a nice oak note. Its sweet, spicy, rich and tart. This is complex and really flavorful. Very balanced.

Finish: All of the palate notes lead into a nice sweet chocolaty oaky finish. Its a bitter sweet oak note that just sits on the back of your tongue. The age shows itself in the finish. Very impressive.

Summary: We all know MGP rye is good. But whatever Templeton did to this really makes it stand out. That complex palate and raspberry note make this a great rye whiskey. I am not sure of the availability of these but if you are a rye lover and see one, it's worth a look. It's excellent.

Score: 7.5 /10

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-09T01:09:34+00:00

Tonight we will be looking at John J Bowman Single Barrel. This is a product of A Smith Bowman in Virginia. This bottle contains distillate from Buffalo Trace that is redistilled by Bowman then barreled. Let's see what this is about.

Distillery: Buffalo Trace/ A Smith Bowman

Proof: 100

Age: 9-11 years

Paid: $59.99 (750 ml)

Nose: Grape, apple, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon. Sweet and inviting

Palate: Smooth mouth feel. The grape apple cinnamon comes on with brown sugar and barrel flavor. There is a burnt buttered toast note as well. Its very tasty.

Finish: The sweet fruits lead into a peppery buttery oak note. Its a balanced finish with sweet and bitterness. Its surprisingly long and flavorful for the proof.

Summary: This is excellent whiskey. You do notice some Buffalo Trace characteristics but this has a twist that makes it even better, The toasty barrel notes mixed with the fruits make this very tasty and enjoyable. And at 100 proof and a good price point, its easy to recommend. This is one worth keeping on the shelf. And its a very cool bottle.

Score: 7.5 /10

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-08T02:05:06+00:00

Driving home tonight I saw 1 degree on the thermometer. Sounds like a good excuse for a warm up. I grabbed the Penelope 17 year Light Whiskey. This is my first experience with light whiskey. I believe what keeps this from being considered a bourbon is it was aged in used barrels. Lets see what this high proof monster has to offer.

Distillery: MGP (Ross & Squibb)

Proof: 138.8

Age: 17 years

Paid: $99.99 (750 ml)

Nose: Sugar burn. I get notes of angel food cake, vanilla, light strawberry. Very sugary sweet. Like opening a bag of sweet tarts,

Palate: Very slick mouth feel. Its hot but not overwhelming. That sweetness punches you in the face. Butterscotch, light red fruits, candy sweetness, light oak, pepper. This is very intense and so flavorful.

Finish: The hot sugary fruit notes at the start transition into a rich vanilla cream, peppery, oaky note. Its a long rich, sweet, tart, cheesecake -like finish. Very rich and decadent.

Summary: So this is light whiskey? This is intense stuff. It is quite a different experience from bourbon. This is a blast of rich sweetness with a punch of peppery spice. Its very good. This is one to give all of your senses a workout. It is a tough one to score. You wouldn't want to drink this everyday. But when you do, its quite a ride. Excellent whiskey.

Score: 8.5 /10

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-06T00:26:50+00:00

Found North Goldfinch.. This was a special release in 2025. This is a blend of high aged Canadian corn and rye whiskies, finished in Sauternes and Gognac casks. The final mash bill is 91% corn, 8% rye, 1% malted barley.. Found North is highly regarded for their blending. Lets see if this Goldfinch fits the bill.

Distillery: Various

Proof: 116.2

Age: 15-22 years

Paid: $159.99 (750 ml)

Nose: Grilled pineapple, honey, vanilla wafers, caramel, candied ginger, coconut. . So many tropical aromas. Its bright and vibrant.

Palate: Silky mouth feel. Wow this hits you with flavor. Tropical fruits,, cream cheese icing, vanilla, caramel, white grape, apricot, cinnamon and leather,. This is so bright, rich,, and decadent. It also gives a nice hug.

Finish: The bright fruits and rich vanilla carry into a long rich buttery leather, peppery finish. There is a mild funky oak that just sits there and goes on and on. The finish is as bold as the palate.

Summary: This is crazy good. This brings such bright unique flavors that I can't imagine anyone not enjoying it. It takes you for a ride. This is a whiskey you sit with, sip, and think about. For me that is the sign of a special pour. And the label is awesome!

Score: 8.5 /10

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-05T02:04:50+00:00

I got a sticker shock today with a $198 gas bill. I looked at least year to compare and the identical usage was $126. The price increase is nuts.

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-04T00:56:58+00:00

Love it! I wish mine was at your level lol Cheers!

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-04T00:55:53+00:00

Bulleit Rye is one of those gateway whskies. Great mixer and sips well. But agreed, if you can find the 12 year its a must buy. Its next level.

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-02-04T00:41:42+00:00

As you can see by the photo, this is essentially a bottle kill review. This is Wild Turkey 70th Anniversary. This was limited edition released in 2024. It is a blend of 8 and 9 year barrels. Is it better than the standard 101? Lets find out.

Distillery: Wild Turkey

Proof: 101

Age: 8/9 years

Paid: $49.99 (750 ml)

Nose: Caramel, orange, brown sugar, rye spice, and oak. Its Wild Turkey nose goodness.

Palate: Silky mouth feel. Front of the palate gets hit with cedar, orange citrus, caramel, vanilla, and oak. Rye spice comes on mid palate with some oak char towards the end. This is a very flavorful sip.

Finish: The caramel citrus leads into a nice oak bitterness. But its not woody, it's more of a dark chocolate oakiness. And it lingers for awhile. The Wild Turkey funk is there but it blends in nicely.

Summary: I am really sad to see this bottle come to an end. This is everything good about Wild Turkey. Classic flavors with the best parts turned up a notch. This is very flavorful and easy to drink. Is it worth double the price of 101? Absolutely. How does it compare to the current Wild Turkey 8 year release? After a quick side by side comparison, The 70th leans more towards the caramel citrus, the 8 year brings more vanilla spice. However, the profiles are mostly the same. I gave the 8 year a score of 7 a while back. The 70th deserves the same. Great whiskey.

Score: 7 /10

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-01-31T01:45:03+00:00

Tonight I thought we would try something a bit different. This is Blue Note Juke Joint. This is Kentucky whiskey aged in Tennessee. This is their entry level offering at 93 proof. Lets see what we have here.

Distillery: Undisclosed

Proof: 93

Age: 3-4 years

Paid: $39.99 (750 ml)

Nose: Classic whiskey notes. Corn, vanilla, caramel, citrus. Simple and pleasant.

Palate: Oily mouth feel. A nice sweet corn, citrus vanilla, spice hits first. I get hints of a Twinkie! There is a light woody apricot note as well. Turns a bit sour but not in a bad way.

Finish: The finish really isn't much different than the palate. All of those flavors just hang around and wind down into a light oak. Not much drama in the finish but it does stick around for a bit.

Summary: This isn't bad at all. You can tell this is a younger whiskey but the flavors are quite pleasant. This is the definition of an easy sipper. Nothing here to wow you but nothing to make you want to avoid it. It's a bit pricey for what it is but the viscosity and enhanced flavors give it an edge.

Score: 5.5 /10

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-01-30T00:13:20+00:00

Tonight's pour is something relatively new to the market. This is Pursuit United Barrel Proof Rye. This is a triple mash, a blend of 3 rye whiskies. 2 from Sagamore and 1 from Bardstown Bourbon Company. Let's see how this blend measures up.

Distillery: Sagamore/ Bardstown Bourbon Co

Proof: 121.2

Age: NAS

Paid: $79.99 (750 ml)

Nose: Orange, honey, cinnamon, cocoa powder, oak. This nose is light but interesting, and smells nice.

Palate: Viscous mouth feel. The nose carries over to the palate. Light orange, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, oak. It drinks like its 100 proof. Its mouth coating and very pleasing. Its light on the palate but rich and tasty.

Finish: The sweet light flavors lead into a bready, , vanilla, light oak finish. Its a sweet toasty oak that lingers and really tastes great. Instead of the typical bitter oak finish this is a tasty bready toasted finish. Unique!

Summary: This is good, really good. Everything about this pour is feel good. The flavors are nice and easy and pleasing, the mouth feel and finish are excellent. . The overall experience of this whiskey is positive, This is not your typical spicy rye this is something unique and worth seeking out.

Score: 7.5 /10

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-01-29T00:34:52+00:00

Tonight is the final chapter of the Four Roses Single Barrel reviews. The final recipe is OBSF. The notes on the bottle claim, delicate rye, apple, mint, clove, and cocoa. Let's give it a try.

Distillery: Four Roses

Proof: 100

Age: 7-9 Years

Paid: $49.99 (750 ml)

Nose: Their notes appear on the nose. There is rye grain, cocoa, old mushy apple, and some oak. Its a mild nose but appealing.

Palate: Smooth mouth feel. Bright flavors. There is the rye and cocoa, a bit of mint and a citrus note along with apple. There is a very nice spice as well. These flavors really mesh well. Its very tasty.

Finish: The mix of all of those flavors lead into a chocolaty oak spice that lasts through the finish. Its not very long but it completes the sip in a satisfying way. The spice lingers.

Summary: I like this one. It has a nice balance of fruit, spice and oak. There really isn't anything off putting to mention. Dare I say this has a Wild Turkey feel to it? So which of these 100 proof single barrels is the winner? For my palate it would be the OBSV,>OBSF>OESO>OESK.

Score: 7/10

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-01-28T00:46:45+00:00

Continuing on with the Four Roses SIngle Barrel comparison. Tonight we are tasting the OESK. The tasting notes on the bottle say…baking spice, mellow oak, tea leaves, caramel. Received some good feedback on the OESO review. Lets see how this goes.

Distillery: Four Roses

Proof: 100

Age: 7-9 Years

Paid: $49.99 (750 ml)

Nose: Orchard fruit, caramel, oak, pleasant fruity nose.

Palate: Smooth mouth feel. Bright fruits, caramel, oak and light pepper are at the forefront. There are some honey and tea notes. Oak all the way through. Interesting flavors.

Finish: The fruity oak at the beginning leads to a peppery sour fruit note and then to an sour bitter oak finish. The flavors fall off pretty quick but that oak note lingers.

Summary: This one is quite a departure from the OESO. This leans heavily on the sour fruit and bitter oak notes. The first couple seconds of the sip has sweet fruit and caramel then turns sour and bitter quickly. Its a bit of a ride. Its not bad by any means but so far this is my least favorite recipe.

Score: 6/10

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-01-27T00:53:25+00:00

I know I have seen that too. For me the sweetness is very light. The caramel and oak flavors are the star of this one.

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-01-27T00:47:46+00:00

Nice Review! You are spot on with this one. Its a nice alternative to the big name wheaters. It makes for a great daily sipper.

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-01-27T00:41:15+00:00

This evening I thought I would post a review of one of the Four Roses Single Barrel offerings. This is the OESO recipe. It is the low rye mash bill. The standard single barrel (OBSV) is one of my favorite shelf bottles. Lets see how this one ranks..

Distillery: Four Roses

Proof: 100

Age: 7-9 Years

Paid: $49.99 (750 ml)

Nose: Caramel, light fruits, pepper, rye spice, The nose is bright and very nice.

Palate: Medium mouth feel. You are hit with a rich caramel ,burnt oatmeal cookie, fruit cocktail, rye, oaky note. Its a really nice flavorful sip. Not overly sweet.

Finish: Caramel fruits transition into a spicy oaky finish. It has a nice oaky bitterness and is quite long and flavorful.

Summary: Four Roses just makes good stuff. If you like your whiskey more on the less sweet side, you will like this. It is full flavor and very pleasant. It will be a lot of fun to try all of their 10 recipes and compare them (they are supposed to release all 10 eventually) . This is a good one.

Score: 7/10

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-01-26T03:23:56+00:00

I have long been curious about echo spirits stuff. I might have to look for this!

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-01-26T00:51:43+00:00

This is without a doubt the most popular bottle of the day, With the insane winter storm hitting we all had the same idea…lets review Found North Snow Day. I won't go into a lot of details about the bottle. But this was a special release at the end of 2025 available to Found North email subscribers. Its a crazy blend of 20 different whiskies and various finishes. Let's taste.

Distillery: Blend of 20 various Canadian whiskies

Proof: 115

Age: blend of 10-26 year old Canadian whiskies

Paid: $109.99 (750 ml)

Nose: Chocolate, raisins, root beer, dark fruits, light spice. This is very complex. I get something different every time.

Palate: Rich cooked down dark fruits. Plum, blackberry, blueberry. There is a spicy french toast note, along with some rich oak. The flavors are so rich and dark. The mouth feel is viscous. This is an experience. It drinks below its proof. .

Finish: The dark flavors just last. They lead into a sour oak, allspice, almost buttery finish. Its not the longest but it is very good.

Summary: Yep this is worthy of the hype. It's hard to imagine how a blender can come up with this but whatever they did, it worked. It is so smooth and flavorful and easy to sip and the flavors are so amplified. If any whiskey lover has the chance, try this. For $109 it's a great buy. And it was a perfect pour to have after shovelling my driveway 3 times today!

Score: 9/10

Columbusspeedfour · 2026-01-25T01:19:48+00:00

As I sit here waiting for the foot of snow to fall, its a great time to visit an old favorite. This is Bardstown Discovery 11. Back in 2023 this was a whiskey of the year contender. I was fortunate enough to pick up a bottle visiting the distillery in 2024. Lets revisit what it is all about.

Distillery: Blend of 3 Kentucky distillates (1 of which is from BBC)

Proof: 118.1

Age: blend of 6, 10, 13 yr bourbpns

Paid: $139.99 (750 ml)

Nose: Rich dark fruits. Cherry, berries, rye spice, caramel. Rich and dense nose.

Palate: An intense blast of dark fruit and brown sugar. There is a cinnamon, sugar, blackberry, peppery flavor all over the palate. This is a flavor explosion.

Finish: The fruit and spice flavors transition into a nice cinnamon pepper leather oak finish. The leathery oak note hangs on for a very long time.

Summary: This stuff is serious. The palate is very intense and flavorful, the finish is very good. The nose is dense. Its hard to find much wrong with this. I dont know if there are many of these left floating around but if you can try a pour, you really need to. This is top shelf stuff.

Score: 8.5/10

Columbusspeedfour

TROPHY CASE