Giant Texas
Because everything is bigger in Texas....
As I browsed my local liquor store here in Texas I was searching for another whiskey for my amateur review. My last review was fairly well received on some of my other social media, I am still new here on Steemit. I mentioned in that review that I take pride in my self taught taste buds for whiskey and bourbon tasting.
Giant Texas "Ultra Premium" Bourbon Whiskey is anything but (sorry, I'm just being brutally honest). Upon first inspection of the packaging the plastic wrap is crooked and uneven. I'm not trying to be picky about something as trivial but I made sure not to take too hard of a look in the package store and wanted everything to be "unboxed" in my kitchen at home. The only thing I really took note of was the $19.99+tax price tag stickered to the cap. This is a competitive price as most "mainstream" brands (Jim Beam, Jack Daniels, or Makers Mark) can go for approx. $18.99+tax at the same store. Crown Royal Bourbon Mash was priced at $33.99+tax today for another relative perspective. Back to the presentation of the labeling and bottle. The plastic seal is off-centered and to me that is a major indicator of what to expect out of a product if the packaging is unappealing. The glass bottle is heavy and thick like a Jack Daniels but not quite as square, this is more rectangle. The neck is shaped like that of a bottle of Crown. This lead me to assume it may be a Texas blended whiskey. Nowhere on the labeling and/or bottle does it indicate being a blend though.
Tasting and smelling the first shot was really intimidating! The smell is very harsh and has strong oak-woodsy smell. This can not be further from the actual taste of char and oak bite followed by an upper digestive system burn. I usually do not chase a shot of whiskey but this particular one had me speed-walking back to my beer! A few minutes later I was feeling like a glutton for punishment and remembered that I had purchased a jar of jalapeño pickles. I pour up a pickle-back shot of jalapeño pickle juice and down the hatch again.
It did not have the intended effect....
As of now, I may be stuck with a twenty dollar bottle of fire water that may have to be mixed to enjoyed. I am not really a fan of mixing whiskey for drinking but it may be worth trying to salvage this one with a good sour mix.