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Welcome to Sku's 2012 Whiskey Awards. Each winner was the product of blind tastings before a specially selected panel of expert tasters.
Best Bourbon over 140 Proof: George T. Stagg
Best Blend of Scotch, Bourbon and Rye: High West Campfire
Best Scotch Distillery (Isle of Skye): Talisker
Best Scotch Distillery (Isle of Arran): Arran
Best Scotch Distillery (Isle of Jura): Jura
Best Scotch Distillery (Isle of Mull): Tobermory
Best Indian Distillery (limited to those available in the US): Amrut
Best Religiously Themed Independent Bottler: The Jewish Whisky Company
Best Bourbon Aged on a Boat: No Winner (there were no good bourbons aged on a boat this year)
Congratulations to all the lucky winners! (Winners, please feel free to contact me for special "shelf talkers" available at a reasonable price or to advertise in our special "awards edition").
31 Aralık 2012 Pazartesi
A Dusty Curiosity: Brown Forman President's Choice
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Brown Forman introduced a President's Choice bourbon into its line in the late 1960s, but prior to that, it used the President's Choice label for gifts to special customers and other clients. The official name is actually the President's Choice for Distinguished Gentleman. The label includes the following description:
Hmm, distinguished gentlemen? I'm not sure I qualify, but let's give it a try anyway. This bourbon was bottled in 1963, a blend of 24 barrels.
Brown Forman President's Choice, bottled 1963, 90.3 proof/45.15% abv
Another nice dusty nose, this one is rich, sweet and candy-like; It reminds me very much of some of those great, dusty Old Foresters I like (another Brown Forman bourbon). The palate is sweet with peppermint and vanilla, moving onto spices in the late palate. It's very rich and densely flavored, though a bit flatter than the nose. The finish is short and spicy.
Sweet and rich, this is a very drinkable bourbon.
See the LA Whiskey Society reviews of Brown Forman President's Choice.
Brown Forman introduced a President's Choice bourbon into its line in the late 1960s, but prior to that, it used the President's Choice label for gifts to special customers and other clients. The official name is actually the President's Choice for Distinguished Gentleman. The label includes the following description:This whisky was selected by the President of Brown-Forman Distillers Corporation for its perfect balance and true Kentucky Bourbon flavor, and set aside for his private stock. This rare Bourbon was custom distilled and specially bottled at the direction of the president at the proof of 90.3 selected for barrel #989843 through barrel #989867.
Hmm, distinguished gentlemen? I'm not sure I qualify, but let's give it a try anyway. This bourbon was bottled in 1963, a blend of 24 barrels.
Brown Forman President's Choice, bottled 1963, 90.3 proof/45.15% abv
Another nice dusty nose, this one is rich, sweet and candy-like; It reminds me very much of some of those great, dusty Old Foresters I like (another Brown Forman bourbon). The palate is sweet with peppermint and vanilla, moving onto spices in the late palate. It's very rich and densely flavored, though a bit flatter than the nose. The finish is short and spicy.
Sweet and rich, this is a very drinkable bourbon.
See the LA Whiskey Society reviews of Brown Forman President's Choice.
Dusty Thursday: Kentucky Vintage 1974
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The current bottling of Kentucky Vintage is an independently bottled bourbon by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers. This bottle, however, is a rare Japanese export of the same name. The label states 1974 as the vintage year and it was bottled in 2000 exclusively for the Japanese market. Based on the name and what I've heard about it, I assume it was also a KBD product, but I don't know for certain.
Kentucky Vintage 1974, bottled 2000, 25 years old, 47% abv
The nose has mango, tropical fruit and a bit of shampoo. The palate is very sweet, like fruit punch, and the finish is bitter. Water doesn't help.
Yuck. This stuff is terrible.
See reviews of Kentucky Vintage 1974 by the LA Whiskey Society.
The current bottling of Kentucky Vintage is an independently bottled bourbon by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers. This bottle, however, is a rare Japanese export of the same name. The label states 1974 as the vintage year and it was bottled in 2000 exclusively for the Japanese market. Based on the name and what I've heard about it, I assume it was also a KBD product, but I don't know for certain.Kentucky Vintage 1974, bottled 2000, 25 years old, 47% abv
The nose has mango, tropical fruit and a bit of shampoo. The palate is very sweet, like fruit punch, and the finish is bitter. Water doesn't help.
Yuck. This stuff is terrible.
See reviews of Kentucky Vintage 1974 by the LA Whiskey Society.
It's all about style.....
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Whenever someone finds out I'm a whisk(e)y enthusiast, I can count down 3.....2.....1 "so...what's your favorite whiskey?" I understand the motivation for the question but that's like asking what your favorite food is. I like many types of food and the same goes for whiskey so the question really has no answer.
Thus the education begins ".....whiskey is diverse as wine in many respects...." and I go on to explain the origins of whiskey, the various grains that make up whiskey, the distillation differences, cooperage differences, aging differences, etc. etc. This cornucopia of whiskey information typically leads then to the real question. What style do you like?
When it comes to bourbon, I pretty much like them all. When it comes to Scotch, almost anything except Islay (ok, for those paying attention to this blog know that last exception is a lie). I dislike MOST Islay....there are exceptions like my Bruichladdich 15 year second edition.
I cut my teeth on Wild Turkey back in the day and then when reintroduced to bourbon, I gravitated toward wheated bourbons like Van Winkle Family Reserve Lot B. Today, I like a very broad cut across the whisk(e)y offerings so for me, I don't have a favorite whiskey but when it comes to styles, I do like barrel strength bourbons and in Scotch, I like Highland and Speyside primarily.
Style can cover many aspects:
Barrel proof to cut proof (that sweet spot that is your preferred drinking proof)
Single Barrel, Small Batch, or Vat
Extra age to young
World region (e.g. Japanese over Irish)
Mashbill of Rye, Wheat, Barley or Corn
Vintage or current
...and the list could go on
So, what's your style? Is your preference a broad drinking experience like mine or do you narrow in on a specific style? There is no wrong answer.....it all comes down to what you like.
Thus the education begins ".....whiskey is diverse as wine in many respects...." and I go on to explain the origins of whiskey, the various grains that make up whiskey, the distillation differences, cooperage differences, aging differences, etc. etc. This cornucopia of whiskey information typically leads then to the real question. What style do you like?
When it comes to bourbon, I pretty much like them all. When it comes to Scotch, almost anything except Islay (ok, for those paying attention to this blog know that last exception is a lie). I dislike MOST Islay....there are exceptions like my Bruichladdich 15 year second edition.
I cut my teeth on Wild Turkey back in the day and then when reintroduced to bourbon, I gravitated toward wheated bourbons like Van Winkle Family Reserve Lot B. Today, I like a very broad cut across the whisk(e)y offerings so for me, I don't have a favorite whiskey but when it comes to styles, I do like barrel strength bourbons and in Scotch, I like Highland and Speyside primarily.
Style can cover many aspects:
Barrel proof to cut proof (that sweet spot that is your preferred drinking proof)
Single Barrel, Small Batch, or Vat
Extra age to young
World region (e.g. Japanese over Irish)
Mashbill of Rye, Wheat, Barley or Corn
Vintage or current
...and the list could go on
So, what's your style? Is your preference a broad drinking experience like mine or do you narrow in on a specific style? There is no wrong answer.....it all comes down to what you like.
Grilled Tuscan Chicken - Trattoria dell'Orto: Florence, Italy
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I haven't had much Grilled Tuscan Chicken, but I believe this is the best that chicken can taste. That says a lot coming from a person who has eaten at Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken in Memphis. It also says something that in my 1 week visit to Tuscany, I actually ate this dish twice and wanted to eat it many more times. I was obsessed with this dish.
Perfectly flavored and tender with crisp smokey skin and paired with buttery roasted potatoes...I have been
craving this experience here in the States. You can't find this on a menu in the US. I tried making it once in a pan, but that's not possible either as you need the flavor that's imparted by charcoal briquettes. You have to have a grill to achieve this level of perfection. Or you can just go to Trattoria dell'Orto in Florence, Italy. The ambiance is not great inside. You need to ask to be seated on the patio in the back, which has better scenery. The main server, who happens to be the owner's wife, is not terribly friendly, but it doesn't matter. The food is authentic and the house wine is delicious.
Trattoria dell'OrtoVia dell'Orto 35A, 50124 Florence, Italy
I happened to be watching America's Test Kitchen on PBS this past weekend (don't ask why), and they happened to feature a Tuscan Brick Chicken. The recipe is below. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks really close to what I had in Florence. As soon as I have access to a grill, I'm going to try to recreate this fantastic dish.
For the best flavor, use a high-quality chicken, such as Bell & Evans. Use an oven mitt or dish towel to safely grip and maneuver the hot bricks. If you’re using table salt, reduce the amount to 1½ teaspoons in step 2. You will need two standard-sized bricks for this recipe. Placing the bricks on the chicken while it cooks ensures that the skin will be evenly browned and well rendered—don’t skip this step. A cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan can be used in place of the bricks.
Ingredients1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions1. Combine oil, garlic, lemon zest, and pepper flakes in small saucepan. Bring to simmer, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat, about 3 minutes. Once simmering, add 3 teaspoons thyme and 2 teaspoons rosemary and cook 30 seconds longer. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over small bowl, pushing on solids to extract oil. Transfer solids to small bowl and cool; set oil and solids aside.
2. Following illustrations below, butterfly chicken, flatten breastbone, and tuck wings behind back. Using hands or handle of wooden spoon, loosen skin over breast and thighs and remove any excess fat. Combine 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Mix 3 teaspoons salt mixture with cooled garlic solids. Spread salt-garlic mixture evenly under skin over chicken breast and thighs. Sprinkle remaining teaspoon salt mixture on exposed meat of bone side. Place chicken skin-side up on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
3. Wrap 2 bricks tightly in aluminum foil. Light large chimney starter filled three-quarters with charcoal (4½ quarts, or about 75 briquettes) and burn until coals are covered with layer of fine gray ash, about 20 minutes. Build modified two-level fire by arranging all coals over half of grill, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, place bricks on grate over coals, cover grill, and heat about 5 minutes. Scrape cooking grate clean with grill brush. Lightly dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill is ready when side with coals is medium-hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grate for 3 to 4 seconds).
4. Place chicken skin-side down over cooler side of grill with legs facing fire, place hot bricks lengthwise over each breast half, cover grill, and cook until skin is lightly browned and faint grill marks appear, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove bricks from chicken. Using tongs or towel, grip legs and flip chicken (chicken should release freely from grill; use thin metal spatula to loosen if stuck) and transfer to hot side of grill, skin-side up, with breast facing center of grill. Place bricks over breast, cover grill, and cook until chicken is well browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
5. Remove bricks, flip chicken skin-side down over hot coals, and cook until chicken skin is well crisped and instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165 degrees, 5 to 10 minutes, moving chicken as necessary to prevent flare-ups. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Whisk lemon juice and remaining thyme and rosemary into reserved oil; season with salt and pepper. Carve chicken and serve, passing sauce separately.
TechniquePrepping Chicken for the Grill1. BUTTERFLY Cut through bones on either side of backbone, then discard backbone.
2. PRESS Flip chicken over, then flatten breastbone and tuck wings behind back.
3. SEPARATE Loosen skin over breast and thighs and remove any excess fat.
4. SALT Spread salt-garlic mixture under skin of breast and thighs. Spread salt mixture on meat of bone side.
I haven't had much Grilled Tuscan Chicken, but I believe this is the best that chicken can taste. That says a lot coming from a person who has eaten at Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken in Memphis. It also says something that in my 1 week visit to Tuscany, I actually ate this dish twice and wanted to eat it many more times. I was obsessed with this dish.
Perfectly flavored and tender with crisp smokey skin and paired with buttery roasted potatoes...I have been
craving this experience here in the States. You can't find this on a menu in the US. I tried making it once in a pan, but that's not possible either as you need the flavor that's imparted by charcoal briquettes. You have to have a grill to achieve this level of perfection. Or you can just go to Trattoria dell'Orto in Florence, Italy. The ambiance is not great inside. You need to ask to be seated on the patio in the back, which has better scenery. The main server, who happens to be the owner's wife, is not terribly friendly, but it doesn't matter. The food is authentic and the house wine is delicious.
Trattoria dell'OrtoVia dell'Orto 35A, 50124 Florence, Italy
I happened to be watching America's Test Kitchen on PBS this past weekend (don't ask why), and they happened to feature a Tuscan Brick Chicken. The recipe is below. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks really close to what I had in Florence. As soon as I have access to a grill, I'm going to try to recreate this fantastic dish.
For the best flavor, use a high-quality chicken, such as Bell & Evans. Use an oven mitt or dish towel to safely grip and maneuver the hot bricks. If you’re using table salt, reduce the amount to 1½ teaspoons in step 2. You will need two standard-sized bricks for this recipe. Placing the bricks on the chicken while it cooks ensures that the skin will be evenly browned and well rendered—don’t skip this step. A cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan can be used in place of the bricks.Ingredients1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions1. Combine oil, garlic, lemon zest, and pepper flakes in small saucepan. Bring to simmer, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat, about 3 minutes. Once simmering, add 3 teaspoons thyme and 2 teaspoons rosemary and cook 30 seconds longer. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over small bowl, pushing on solids to extract oil. Transfer solids to small bowl and cool; set oil and solids aside.
2. Following illustrations below, butterfly chicken, flatten breastbone, and tuck wings behind back. Using hands or handle of wooden spoon, loosen skin over breast and thighs and remove any excess fat. Combine 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Mix 3 teaspoons salt mixture with cooled garlic solids. Spread salt-garlic mixture evenly under skin over chicken breast and thighs. Sprinkle remaining teaspoon salt mixture on exposed meat of bone side. Place chicken skin-side up on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
3. Wrap 2 bricks tightly in aluminum foil. Light large chimney starter filled three-quarters with charcoal (4½ quarts, or about 75 briquettes) and burn until coals are covered with layer of fine gray ash, about 20 minutes. Build modified two-level fire by arranging all coals over half of grill, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, place bricks on grate over coals, cover grill, and heat about 5 minutes. Scrape cooking grate clean with grill brush. Lightly dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill is ready when side with coals is medium-hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grate for 3 to 4 seconds).
4. Place chicken skin-side down over cooler side of grill with legs facing fire, place hot bricks lengthwise over each breast half, cover grill, and cook until skin is lightly browned and faint grill marks appear, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove bricks from chicken. Using tongs or towel, grip legs and flip chicken (chicken should release freely from grill; use thin metal spatula to loosen if stuck) and transfer to hot side of grill, skin-side up, with breast facing center of grill. Place bricks over breast, cover grill, and cook until chicken is well browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
5. Remove bricks, flip chicken skin-side down over hot coals, and cook until chicken skin is well crisped and instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165 degrees, 5 to 10 minutes, moving chicken as necessary to prevent flare-ups. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Whisk lemon juice and remaining thyme and rosemary into reserved oil; season with salt and pepper. Carve chicken and serve, passing sauce separately.
TechniquePrepping Chicken for the Grill1. BUTTERFLY Cut through bones on either side of backbone, then discard backbone.
27 Aralık 2012 Perşembe
Of Whiskey and Innovation (Part 3); Russell's Reserve Single Barrel
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Marketers know which words have the most power to draw eyes and attention. 'Free' is number one, but 'new' is right up there too.
The power of these words is mostly in that they make you look, which causes you to think about the brand, which makes you more likely to buy it, even if the 'news' itself is not particularly compelling to you.
New products introduced under the banner of an existing brand are called line extensions. In addition to other benefits of being new; they tend to get the brand a little more shelf space, a floor display, or a bartender recommendation, things which in themselves will increase sales of the whole line, not just the new item.
This is the strategic foundation underlying much of what is called 'innovation' in the whiskey business today. Case in point: new Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon.
The analysis above is necessary for understanding why this product exists.
Russell's Reserve began in 2001 as a Wild Turkey line extension, named in honor of veteran Wild Turkey Master Distiller Jimmy Russell. The original iteration was 10 years old and 101° proof (50.5% ABV). Soon it was repackaged to something closer to the current look and the proof was cut to 90° (45% ABV). A 90° proof, 6-year-old rye soon followed.
Beginning with release of the rye, the Wild Turkey name disappeared and Russell's Reserve became a brand in its own right. The line was positioned to be a little more contemporary than Wild Turkey, hence the lower proof and milder taste profile. Eddie Russell, Jimmy's son, is responsible for the profile and is the brand's principal spokesperson.
The latest 'innovation' in the line is Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon, which has no age statement (NAS), but is a whopping 110° proof (55% ABV). Another Wild Turkey bourbon, Rare Breed, claims to be 'barrel proof' at 108.2° proof (54.1% ABV), but that is being updated to 111°. About six years ago, Wild Turkey raised its barrel entry proof from 110° to 115°, following an earlier increase from 107°, which accounts for the higher proofs emerging now in mature barrels.
Even at 115°, Wild Turkey has the lowest barrel entry proof of any major bourbon distillery.
Many bourbon enthusiasts still mourn that long-ago proof cut from 101° to 90°. For them, Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon is a restoration, with a 9 point bonus!
In creating this single barrel line extension, Campari USA has followed what Beam did with Knob Creek Single Barrel earlier this year. Knob Single is 20° higher proof than standard Knob, and Russell's Reserve Single Barrel is 25° higher proof than standard Russell's Reserve Bourbon.
Although the new single barrel is NAS, Campari USA Senior Brand Manager Robin Coupar says the barrels are all eight to nine years old. Russell's Reserve Single Barrel should begin to appear in stores next month at a suggested retail price of $49.99.
The power of these words is mostly in that they make you look, which causes you to think about the brand, which makes you more likely to buy it, even if the 'news' itself is not particularly compelling to you.
New products introduced under the banner of an existing brand are called line extensions. In addition to other benefits of being new; they tend to get the brand a little more shelf space, a floor display, or a bartender recommendation, things which in themselves will increase sales of the whole line, not just the new item.
This is the strategic foundation underlying much of what is called 'innovation' in the whiskey business today. Case in point: new Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon.
The analysis above is necessary for understanding why this product exists.
Russell's Reserve began in 2001 as a Wild Turkey line extension, named in honor of veteran Wild Turkey Master Distiller Jimmy Russell. The original iteration was 10 years old and 101° proof (50.5% ABV). Soon it was repackaged to something closer to the current look and the proof was cut to 90° (45% ABV). A 90° proof, 6-year-old rye soon followed.
Beginning with release of the rye, the Wild Turkey name disappeared and Russell's Reserve became a brand in its own right. The line was positioned to be a little more contemporary than Wild Turkey, hence the lower proof and milder taste profile. Eddie Russell, Jimmy's son, is responsible for the profile and is the brand's principal spokesperson.
The latest 'innovation' in the line is Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon, which has no age statement (NAS), but is a whopping 110° proof (55% ABV). Another Wild Turkey bourbon, Rare Breed, claims to be 'barrel proof' at 108.2° proof (54.1% ABV), but that is being updated to 111°. About six years ago, Wild Turkey raised its barrel entry proof from 110° to 115°, following an earlier increase from 107°, which accounts for the higher proofs emerging now in mature barrels.
Even at 115°, Wild Turkey has the lowest barrel entry proof of any major bourbon distillery.
Many bourbon enthusiasts still mourn that long-ago proof cut from 101° to 90°. For them, Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon is a restoration, with a 9 point bonus!
In creating this single barrel line extension, Campari USA has followed what Beam did with Knob Creek Single Barrel earlier this year. Knob Single is 20° higher proof than standard Knob, and Russell's Reserve Single Barrel is 25° higher proof than standard Russell's Reserve Bourbon.
Although the new single barrel is NAS, Campari USA Senior Brand Manager Robin Coupar says the barrels are all eight to nine years old. Russell's Reserve Single Barrel should begin to appear in stores next month at a suggested retail price of $49.99.
Where Are Kentucky's Distilleries?
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View Kentucky Distilleries in a larger map
This map shows the location of every distillery in Kentucky, both craft and major producers. Red pins are micro-distilleries, blue pins are major distilleries, green pins are inactive distilleries. Click on the pin to see the name of the distillery and whether or not it is open to the public. Where available in Google Maps (and most are) the exact address is included, along with other listing information.
Many more inactive distilleries could be shown and a few may still be added. 'Inactive' means the distillery part of the operation is inactive; and not just inactive but demolished in most cases. The ones included are mostly all still owned by major producers and in use for other aspects of distilled spirits production, such as maturation or bottling. Another anomaly; the Four Roses maturation and bottling facility at Lotus, AKA Cox's Creek, is listed as a distillery even though no distillation is done there. That seemed preferable to 'inactive,' since there was never a distillery on that site.
It also seems unfair to green pin Heaven Hill in Bardstown, since it's their primary maturation site, bottling house, and corporate headquarters, but this is a distillery map and the distillery that was once there is gone, destroyed by fire in 1996.
There are at least a half-dozen other sites in Kentucky, mostly around Bardstown, that were once distilleries but now only the warehouses remain. The sites are owned and used by the major distillers. The warehouses visible from the Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg (you can see them on the map's satellite view) are actually owned by Wild Turkey. They were built as part of the Old Joe Distillery. Wild Turkey has another large cluster of warehouses in Nicholasville (Jessamine County), just across the road from the Camp Nelson Civil War Cemetery.
Danville Road (US Rt 27) crosses the Kentucky River just south of there. The river at that point has created rocky bluffs on both sides. It's quite a view.
In the area around the Brown-Forman (blue pin) and Stitzel-Weller (green pin) sites, there were once a dozen or so other distilleries, including a massive Seagram's plant. Some have been demolished while some (including Seagram's) are more or less intact, but none are being used by distilled spirits producers except maybe Yellowstone, which was being used to distill blending spirits from citrus fruit.
As big as Kentucky's whiskey-making business is today, it was once so much bigger. The purpose of this map was mostly to show where the craft distilleries are in relationship to the major distilleries. A historic map of defunct distilleries would be a different project.
View Kentucky Distilleries in a larger map
This map shows the location of every distillery in Kentucky, both craft and major producers. Red pins are micro-distilleries, blue pins are major distilleries, green pins are inactive distilleries. Click on the pin to see the name of the distillery and whether or not it is open to the public. Where available in Google Maps (and most are) the exact address is included, along with other listing information.
Many more inactive distilleries could be shown and a few may still be added. 'Inactive' means the distillery part of the operation is inactive; and not just inactive but demolished in most cases. The ones included are mostly all still owned by major producers and in use for other aspects of distilled spirits production, such as maturation or bottling. Another anomaly; the Four Roses maturation and bottling facility at Lotus, AKA Cox's Creek, is listed as a distillery even though no distillation is done there. That seemed preferable to 'inactive,' since there was never a distillery on that site.
It also seems unfair to green pin Heaven Hill in Bardstown, since it's their primary maturation site, bottling house, and corporate headquarters, but this is a distillery map and the distillery that was once there is gone, destroyed by fire in 1996.
There are at least a half-dozen other sites in Kentucky, mostly around Bardstown, that were once distilleries but now only the warehouses remain. The sites are owned and used by the major distillers. The warehouses visible from the Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg (you can see them on the map's satellite view) are actually owned by Wild Turkey. They were built as part of the Old Joe Distillery. Wild Turkey has another large cluster of warehouses in Nicholasville (Jessamine County), just across the road from the Camp Nelson Civil War Cemetery.
Danville Road (US Rt 27) crosses the Kentucky River just south of there. The river at that point has created rocky bluffs on both sides. It's quite a view.
In the area around the Brown-Forman (blue pin) and Stitzel-Weller (green pin) sites, there were once a dozen or so other distilleries, including a massive Seagram's plant. Some have been demolished while some (including Seagram's) are more or less intact, but none are being used by distilled spirits producers except maybe Yellowstone, which was being used to distill blending spirits from citrus fruit.
As big as Kentucky's whiskey-making business is today, it was once so much bigger. The purpose of this map was mostly to show where the craft distilleries are in relationship to the major distilleries. A historic map of defunct distilleries would be a different project.
Highlights of 2012
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In writing posts for this blog, I usually avoid the first person. I use it here to emphasize that this is a personal list. These are the highlights for me. Your results may vary.
Abraham Bowman Virginia Limited Edition Whiskey. In the year I published The Best Bourbon You'll Never Taste, and the Van Winkle phenomenon went over the moon, it's nice that a peer to all of them is still so little known and easy to get, at least if you live in or near Virginia. This is the 18-year-old bourbon, 138.6° proof (69.3% ABV) bottling.
Larceny. What Heaven Hill has done with Old Fitzgerald itself has been disappointing but redemption of a sort arrived with Larceny, an Old Fitz line extension that is a major new star in the wheated bourbon firmament. In addition to being very good whiskey, it replaces a false origin story with true one.
Jim Beam's American Stillhouse. With bourbon tourism booming, bourbon distilleries have been upgrading their visitor experiences, and each new one has outdone the last. As the world's biggest bourbon, Jim Beam should have the biggest and best visitor experience and now it does.
MGPI in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Mysteries can be fun, but the unwillingness of the previous owners of the former Seagram's distillery in Lawrenceburg to answer even the simplest questions grew tedious. The new owner, an established producer of neutral grain spirits expanding into whiskey, has been a breath of bourbon-scented fresh air.
New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon. This is 'rectification' in the finest sense of the word, which means "to set right; correct." New Holland took an undistinguished major distillery bourbon and made it not only drinkable but genuinely special by finishing it in their beer barrels. And they told the truth about it too.
Eric Gregory. I can't say enough good things about how the Kentucky Distillers' Association has developed under Gregory's leadership. And since KDA is a membership organization, funded primarily by Kentucky's major distillers (most of them), it reflects well on them too, and on their willingness to let him be creative and explore new ideas.
Maker's Mark v Diageo. As an attorney, I probably should be disappointed that I was cited in a Federal Appellate Court opinion as a bourbon authority and not as a lawyer, but I was thrilled to have my work mentioned not once but five times. As my sister said, "I sure hope all that stuff you wrote in your book was true now that they're using it to decide court cases." Me too, Jane. Me too.
Abraham Bowman Virginia Limited Edition Whiskey. In the year I published The Best Bourbon You'll Never Taste, and the Van Winkle phenomenon went over the moon, it's nice that a peer to all of them is still so little known and easy to get, at least if you live in or near Virginia. This is the 18-year-old bourbon, 138.6° proof (69.3% ABV) bottling.
Larceny. What Heaven Hill has done with Old Fitzgerald itself has been disappointing but redemption of a sort arrived with Larceny, an Old Fitz line extension that is a major new star in the wheated bourbon firmament. In addition to being very good whiskey, it replaces a false origin story with true one.
Jim Beam's American Stillhouse. With bourbon tourism booming, bourbon distilleries have been upgrading their visitor experiences, and each new one has outdone the last. As the world's biggest bourbon, Jim Beam should have the biggest and best visitor experience and now it does.
MGPI in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Mysteries can be fun, but the unwillingness of the previous owners of the former Seagram's distillery in Lawrenceburg to answer even the simplest questions grew tedious. The new owner, an established producer of neutral grain spirits expanding into whiskey, has been a breath of bourbon-scented fresh air.
New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon. This is 'rectification' in the finest sense of the word, which means "to set right; correct." New Holland took an undistinguished major distillery bourbon and made it not only drinkable but genuinely special by finishing it in their beer barrels. And they told the truth about it too.
Eric Gregory. I can't say enough good things about how the Kentucky Distillers' Association has developed under Gregory's leadership. And since KDA is a membership organization, funded primarily by Kentucky's major distillers (most of them), it reflects well on them too, and on their willingness to let him be creative and explore new ideas.
Maker's Mark v Diageo. As an attorney, I probably should be disappointed that I was cited in a Federal Appellate Court opinion as a bourbon authority and not as a lawyer, but I was thrilled to have my work mentioned not once but five times. As my sister said, "I sure hope all that stuff you wrote in your book was true now that they're using it to decide court cases." Me too, Jane. Me too.
Grilled Tuscan Chicken - Trattoria dell'Orto: Florence, Italy
To contact us Click HERE
I haven't had much Grilled Tuscan Chicken, but I believe this is the best that chicken can taste. That says a lot coming from a person who has eaten at Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken in Memphis. It also says something that in my 1 week visit to Tuscany, I actually ate this dish twice and wanted to eat it many more times. I was obsessed with this dish.
Perfectly flavored and tender with crisp smokey skin and paired with buttery roasted potatoes...I have been
craving this experience here in the States. You can't find this on a menu in the US. I tried making it once in a pan, but that's not possible either as you need the flavor that's imparted by charcoal briquettes. You have to have a grill to achieve this level of perfection. Or you can just go to Trattoria dell'Orto in Florence, Italy. The ambiance is not great inside. You need to ask to be seated on the patio in the back, which has better scenery. The main server, who happens to be the owner's wife, is not terribly friendly, but it doesn't matter. The food is authentic and the house wine is delicious.
Trattoria dell'OrtoVia dell'Orto 35A, 50124 Florence, Italy
I happened to be watching America's Test Kitchen on PBS this past weekend (don't ask why), and they happened to feature a Tuscan Brick Chicken. The recipe is below. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks really close to what I had in Florence. As soon as I have access to a grill, I'm going to try to recreate this fantastic dish.
For the best flavor, use a high-quality chicken, such as Bell & Evans. Use an oven mitt or dish towel to safely grip and maneuver the hot bricks. If you’re using table salt, reduce the amount to 1½ teaspoons in step 2. You will need two standard-sized bricks for this recipe. Placing the bricks on the chicken while it cooks ensures that the skin will be evenly browned and well rendered—don’t skip this step. A cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan can be used in place of the bricks.
Ingredients1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions1. Combine oil, garlic, lemon zest, and pepper flakes in small saucepan. Bring to simmer, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat, about 3 minutes. Once simmering, add 3 teaspoons thyme and 2 teaspoons rosemary and cook 30 seconds longer. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over small bowl, pushing on solids to extract oil. Transfer solids to small bowl and cool; set oil and solids aside.
2. Following illustrations below, butterfly chicken, flatten breastbone, and tuck wings behind back. Using hands or handle of wooden spoon, loosen skin over breast and thighs and remove any excess fat. Combine 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Mix 3 teaspoons salt mixture with cooled garlic solids. Spread salt-garlic mixture evenly under skin over chicken breast and thighs. Sprinkle remaining teaspoon salt mixture on exposed meat of bone side. Place chicken skin-side up on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
3. Wrap 2 bricks tightly in aluminum foil. Light large chimney starter filled three-quarters with charcoal (4½ quarts, or about 75 briquettes) and burn until coals are covered with layer of fine gray ash, about 20 minutes. Build modified two-level fire by arranging all coals over half of grill, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, place bricks on grate over coals, cover grill, and heat about 5 minutes. Scrape cooking grate clean with grill brush. Lightly dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill is ready when side with coals is medium-hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grate for 3 to 4 seconds).
4. Place chicken skin-side down over cooler side of grill with legs facing fire, place hot bricks lengthwise over each breast half, cover grill, and cook until skin is lightly browned and faint grill marks appear, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove bricks from chicken. Using tongs or towel, grip legs and flip chicken (chicken should release freely from grill; use thin metal spatula to loosen if stuck) and transfer to hot side of grill, skin-side up, with breast facing center of grill. Place bricks over breast, cover grill, and cook until chicken is well browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
5. Remove bricks, flip chicken skin-side down over hot coals, and cook until chicken skin is well crisped and instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165 degrees, 5 to 10 minutes, moving chicken as necessary to prevent flare-ups. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Whisk lemon juice and remaining thyme and rosemary into reserved oil; season with salt and pepper. Carve chicken and serve, passing sauce separately.
TechniquePrepping Chicken for the Grill1. BUTTERFLY Cut through bones on either side of backbone, then discard backbone. 2. PRESS Flip chicken over, then flatten breastbone and tuck wings behind back. 3. SEPARATE Loosen skin over breast and thighs and remove any excess fat. 4. SALT Spread salt-garlic mixture under skin of breast and thighs. Spread salt mixture on meat of bone side.
I haven't had much Grilled Tuscan Chicken, but I believe this is the best that chicken can taste. That says a lot coming from a person who has eaten at Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken in Memphis. It also says something that in my 1 week visit to Tuscany, I actually ate this dish twice and wanted to eat it many more times. I was obsessed with this dish.
Perfectly flavored and tender with crisp smokey skin and paired with buttery roasted potatoes...I have been
craving this experience here in the States. You can't find this on a menu in the US. I tried making it once in a pan, but that's not possible either as you need the flavor that's imparted by charcoal briquettes. You have to have a grill to achieve this level of perfection. Or you can just go to Trattoria dell'Orto in Florence, Italy. The ambiance is not great inside. You need to ask to be seated on the patio in the back, which has better scenery. The main server, who happens to be the owner's wife, is not terribly friendly, but it doesn't matter. The food is authentic and the house wine is delicious.
Trattoria dell'OrtoVia dell'Orto 35A, 50124 Florence, Italy
I happened to be watching America's Test Kitchen on PBS this past weekend (don't ask why), and they happened to feature a Tuscan Brick Chicken. The recipe is below. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks really close to what I had in Florence. As soon as I have access to a grill, I'm going to try to recreate this fantastic dish.
For the best flavor, use a high-quality chicken, such as Bell & Evans. Use an oven mitt or dish towel to safely grip and maneuver the hot bricks. If you’re using table salt, reduce the amount to 1½ teaspoons in step 2. You will need two standard-sized bricks for this recipe. Placing the bricks on the chicken while it cooks ensures that the skin will be evenly browned and well rendered—don’t skip this step. A cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan can be used in place of the bricks.Ingredients1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions1. Combine oil, garlic, lemon zest, and pepper flakes in small saucepan. Bring to simmer, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat, about 3 minutes. Once simmering, add 3 teaspoons thyme and 2 teaspoons rosemary and cook 30 seconds longer. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over small bowl, pushing on solids to extract oil. Transfer solids to small bowl and cool; set oil and solids aside.
2. Following illustrations below, butterfly chicken, flatten breastbone, and tuck wings behind back. Using hands or handle of wooden spoon, loosen skin over breast and thighs and remove any excess fat. Combine 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Mix 3 teaspoons salt mixture with cooled garlic solids. Spread salt-garlic mixture evenly under skin over chicken breast and thighs. Sprinkle remaining teaspoon salt mixture on exposed meat of bone side. Place chicken skin-side up on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
3. Wrap 2 bricks tightly in aluminum foil. Light large chimney starter filled three-quarters with charcoal (4½ quarts, or about 75 briquettes) and burn until coals are covered with layer of fine gray ash, about 20 minutes. Build modified two-level fire by arranging all coals over half of grill, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, place bricks on grate over coals, cover grill, and heat about 5 minutes. Scrape cooking grate clean with grill brush. Lightly dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill is ready when side with coals is medium-hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grate for 3 to 4 seconds).
4. Place chicken skin-side down over cooler side of grill with legs facing fire, place hot bricks lengthwise over each breast half, cover grill, and cook until skin is lightly browned and faint grill marks appear, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove bricks from chicken. Using tongs or towel, grip legs and flip chicken (chicken should release freely from grill; use thin metal spatula to loosen if stuck) and transfer to hot side of grill, skin-side up, with breast facing center of grill. Place bricks over breast, cover grill, and cook until chicken is well browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
5. Remove bricks, flip chicken skin-side down over hot coals, and cook until chicken skin is well crisped and instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165 degrees, 5 to 10 minutes, moving chicken as necessary to prevent flare-ups. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Whisk lemon juice and remaining thyme and rosemary into reserved oil; season with salt and pepper. Carve chicken and serve, passing sauce separately.
TechniquePrepping Chicken for the Grill1. BUTTERFLY Cut through bones on either side of backbone, then discard backbone.
Wakim André 10 Essentials
To contact us Click HERE
Introducing my friend, brother-in-law and one of the most stylish guys I know, Wakim André. He has a bit of an addictive personality, but not to your typical vices. He likes impecably tailored clothing, handmade watches, bone-in ribeyes...the refined things in life. He considers himself, at least in his mind, in all things an epicure. Below are the top 10 things he unapologetically endorses
1. American Audio VMS4
When I’m not on my day job, or ordering a martini while wearing a tuxedo “a la James Bond”, I dabble in music under the pseudonym: DJ UN. This is a hobby I started a couple years ago, and I've cut my teeth on various turntables. Right now, my go-to happens to be American Audio VMS4. Simplistic enough for a beginner, but allows the more advanced DJ all the functionality needed. My services are available for your party needs in the Manhattan area (Tuxedo not included).
2. Suit Supply
Suitsupply is a Dutch based retailer that occupies an airy second-floor space in SoHo. The concept is new to New York and the US, though Suitsupply has been making clothing elsewhere for a decade. The fabrics are impressive, from Italian mills; the construction is done elsewhere, where it’s cheaper; and alterations are done quickly in-house, sometimes while you wait.
There are few things I feel more strongly about than well fitted clothing. Too many men suffer from wearing ill fitted suits. Suit Supply offers a high quality, modern product with in house tailoring services at the right price point. For these reasons, I highly endorse Suit Supply.
3. Odin 01
You can't have a 10 Essentials without a fragrance. Cologne is essential to any man and how he presents himself. This is not an area where you skimp. A gentleman makes a bold statement with the fragrance that he uses, and I swear by this particular scent. Even better, my wife loves it on me. She happens to have this weird “scent thing”, and when we first started dating, we shopped around for months to find something she and I could both agree on. Odin 01 was the winner. She loves when I wear this, and yes, smelling good has its perks
4. Cartier Santos 100 Year Anniversary
There are 3 things a man should wear everyday: confidence, a smile and a great watch. I'm a watch guy. I have several watches in regular rotation, but my favorite watch is the Santos 100 year anniversary by Cartier. Timeless.
“Louis Cartier created the Santos watch in 1904, sealing his friendship with the aviator Alberto Santos Dumont. The famous aviator's wish was granted: he could check the time while flying. The dial's rounded angles and exposed screws made this an iconic timepiece. Cartier marked the centenary of the watch with the introduction of a steel version.”
5. Malcom Gladwell Box Set
I dig Malcolm Gladwell’s collection of books. In this box
set, Gladwell demonstrates that printed books can still be beautiful, covetable
objects that enhance the content. He hired Brian Rea, a Times Magazine
illustrator to collaborate on the visuals for this art box set, “Malcolm
Gladwell: Collected.” It’s an illustrated collection of three of his books:
“The Tipping Point,” “Blink” and “Outliers.”
These 3 books are must reads.
6. Caesar Salad, Breslin Bar Dining Room at Ace Hotel, Manhattan
The Breslin, a British gastropub, in the Ace Hotel on 29th Street has an herbed-up version of a casear salad with anchovy croutons and a rich, salty mussel soup with curry butter. You can't go to The Breslin without ordering this amazing salad. Take my word, you need this in your life.
7. P90x
I'm addicted to fitness. From Insanity to Crossfit, I have tried every workout regimen once. In the end, my all-time favorite regimen is P90X. It’s the most balanced and complete workout regimen out there.
8. Roche Bobois
Roche Bobois is a French based contemporary furniture company. They have been making furniture for over 50 years and have perfected a clean modern look that I am drawn to. Your home should be visually appealing and somewhat inspiring. Roche Bobois is the man cave at its best.
9. Warby Parker
I think eyeglasses can be a great accessory for anyone. In the past, the sheer cost of a pair of prescription eyeglasses made recreational wear prohibitively expensive. So, like others, I looked for more affordable options and stumbled upon Warby Parker. At $95 per frame with affordable lens options, you can't beat Warby Parker. As icing on the cake, Warby Parker gives a pair of glasses to someone in need for every pair of glasses purchased.
10. Dexter
This is by far one of the best television shows ever created. I have seen every episode. It is engrossing, smart and for an hour, allows to embrace your dark side.
Introducing my friend, brother-in-law and one of the most stylish guys I know, Wakim André. He has a bit of an addictive personality, but not to your typical vices. He likes impecably tailored clothing, handmade watches, bone-in ribeyes...the refined things in life. He considers himself, at least in his mind, in all things an epicure. Below are the top 10 things he unapologetically endorses
1. American Audio VMS4
When I’m not on my day job, or ordering a martini while wearing a tuxedo “a la James Bond”, I dabble in music under the pseudonym: DJ UN. This is a hobby I started a couple years ago, and I've cut my teeth on various turntables. Right now, my go-to happens to be American Audio VMS4. Simplistic enough for a beginner, but allows the more advanced DJ all the functionality needed. My services are available for your party needs in the Manhattan area (Tuxedo not included).
2. Suit Supply
Suitsupply is a Dutch based retailer that occupies an airy second-floor space in SoHo. The concept is new to New York and the US, though Suitsupply has been making clothing elsewhere for a decade. The fabrics are impressive, from Italian mills; the construction is done elsewhere, where it’s cheaper; and alterations are done quickly in-house, sometimes while you wait.
There are few things I feel more strongly about than well fitted clothing. Too many men suffer from wearing ill fitted suits. Suit Supply offers a high quality, modern product with in house tailoring services at the right price point. For these reasons, I highly endorse Suit Supply.
3. Odin 01
You can't have a 10 Essentials without a fragrance. Cologne is essential to any man and how he presents himself. This is not an area where you skimp. A gentleman makes a bold statement with the fragrance that he uses, and I swear by this particular scent. Even better, my wife loves it on me. She happens to have this weird “scent thing”, and when we first started dating, we shopped around for months to find something she and I could both agree on. Odin 01 was the winner. She loves when I wear this, and yes, smelling good has its perks
4. Cartier Santos 100 Year Anniversary
There are 3 things a man should wear everyday: confidence, a smile and a great watch. I'm a watch guy. I have several watches in regular rotation, but my favorite watch is the Santos 100 year anniversary by Cartier. Timeless.
“Louis Cartier created the Santos watch in 1904, sealing his friendship with the aviator Alberto Santos Dumont. The famous aviator's wish was granted: he could check the time while flying. The dial's rounded angles and exposed screws made this an iconic timepiece. Cartier marked the centenary of the watch with the introduction of a steel version.”
5. Malcom Gladwell Box Set
I dig Malcolm Gladwell’s collection of books. In this box
set, Gladwell demonstrates that printed books can still be beautiful, covetable
objects that enhance the content. He hired Brian Rea, a Times Magazine
illustrator to collaborate on the visuals for this art box set, “Malcolm
Gladwell: Collected.” It’s an illustrated collection of three of his books:
“The Tipping Point,” “Blink” and “Outliers.”
These 3 books are must reads.
6. Caesar Salad, Breslin Bar Dining Room at Ace Hotel, Manhattan
The Breslin, a British gastropub, in the Ace Hotel on 29th Street has an herbed-up version of a casear salad with anchovy croutons and a rich, salty mussel soup with curry butter. You can't go to The Breslin without ordering this amazing salad. Take my word, you need this in your life.
7. P90x
I'm addicted to fitness. From Insanity to Crossfit, I have tried every workout regimen once. In the end, my all-time favorite regimen is P90X. It’s the most balanced and complete workout regimen out there.
8. Roche Bobois
Roche Bobois is a French based contemporary furniture company. They have been making furniture for over 50 years and have perfected a clean modern look that I am drawn to. Your home should be visually appealing and somewhat inspiring. Roche Bobois is the man cave at its best.
9. Warby Parker
I think eyeglasses can be a great accessory for anyone. In the past, the sheer cost of a pair of prescription eyeglasses made recreational wear prohibitively expensive. So, like others, I looked for more affordable options and stumbled upon Warby Parker. At $95 per frame with affordable lens options, you can't beat Warby Parker. As icing on the cake, Warby Parker gives a pair of glasses to someone in need for every pair of glasses purchased.
10. Dexter
This is by far one of the best television shows ever created. I have seen every episode. It is engrossing, smart and for an hour, allows to embrace your dark side.
20 Aralık 2012 Perşembe
New Arrivals: Michter's 20 year and 10 year single barrel bourbons!!
To contact us Click HERE
Hey all,
Holy cow am I excited about today's new arrivals. It feels like Christmas mourning around here, but instead of snow it's raining heavenly bourbon! I could make a case for this being the best release of the year. But wait a minute you say? What about Pappy Van Winkle? Well as many of you may know Stitzel-Weller barrels (a distillery Julian Van Winkle was involved with until it closed in 1992) are getting harder and harder to come by since none have been produced in 20 years. Stitzel-Weller bourbon is the main component of Pappy Van Winkle 15, 20 and 23 year, and it use to be used in the 10 and 12 year bottlings as well, which are now being made by Buffalo Trace. I have a feeling Michter's 20 year bourbon, which is probably closer to 23 or 24 years old , may be a single barrel from Stitzel-Weller. Really no way to know for sure as the company is very tight liped about revealing their sources, but my palate usually doesn't steer me wrong. Regardless it's one of the best bourbons I've ever had.
I was also able to secure a decent amount of the Michter's 10 year bourbon. Michter's has this notion that they can and should exceed your wildest expectations for a given age statement. While the 20 year is closer to a 23 or 24 year, the 10 year is likely in the 15 to 16 year range. Basically they want their 10 year to be better than any other 10 year on the market, so how do they do that? By putting out a 16 year and calling it a 10 year, kind of clever in a way. The last bottling of 10 year Michter's bourbon is rumored to have been a Stitzel-Weller bottling as well, and after opening the current one I have to say, it tastes surprisingly similar. But again no way to confirm that notion. Even if they're not Stitzel-Weller products these two bourbons have an incredible amount of depth and oak (they are seriously much older then their age statement), are elegant, refined and some of the best sauce going right now. Don't sleep on these, they definitely won't be around for long!
Nate
Hey all,Holy cow am I excited about today's new arrivals. It feels like Christmas mourning around here, but instead of snow it's raining heavenly bourbon! I could make a case for this being the best release of the year. But wait a minute you say? What about Pappy Van Winkle? Well as many of you may know Stitzel-Weller barrels (a distillery Julian Van Winkle was involved with until it closed in 1992) are getting harder and harder to come by since none have been produced in 20 years. Stitzel-Weller bourbon is the main component of Pappy Van Winkle 15, 20 and 23 year, and it use to be used in the 10 and 12 year bottlings as well, which are now being made by Buffalo Trace. I have a feeling Michter's 20 year bourbon, which is probably closer to 23 or 24 years old , may be a single barrel from Stitzel-Weller. Really no way to know for sure as the company is very tight liped about revealing their sources, but my palate usually doesn't steer me wrong. Regardless it's one of the best bourbons I've ever had.
I was also able to secure a decent amount of the Michter's 10 year bourbon. Michter's has this notion that they can and should exceed your wildest expectations for a given age statement. While the 20 year is closer to a 23 or 24 year, the 10 year is likely in the 15 to 16 year range. Basically they want their 10 year to be better than any other 10 year on the market, so how do they do that? By putting out a 16 year and calling it a 10 year, kind of clever in a way. The last bottling of 10 year Michter's bourbon is rumored to have been a Stitzel-Weller bottling as well, and after opening the current one I have to say, it tastes surprisingly similar. But again no way to confirm that notion. Even if they're not Stitzel-Weller products these two bourbons have an incredible amount of depth and oak (they are seriously much older then their age statement), are elegant, refined and some of the best sauce going right now. Don't sleep on these, they definitely won't be around for long!
Nate
New Arrivals: Aberlour 12 year, 16 year, and A'bunadh
To contact us Click HERE
Hey all,
Happy to announce the arrival of Aberlour, a Scotch that's been a personal favorite of mine for a while, and one many of you have been requesting. Aberlour whiskies are one of the more flavorful Highland single malts on the market. The combination of ex-bourbon barrels and sherry butts contributes a lot of complexity (versus just using one type of barrel), leading to layer upon layer of flavor. I get notes of toffee, milk chocolate, plums, black cherries, ginger and cinnamon. Their whiskies are really dense and lush on the palate, which would lead me to believe they primarily use first or second fill barrels, as the colors and textures are amazing. Here's what I got in:
-Aberlour 12 Year Double Cask Matured
-Aberlour 16 Year Double Cask Matured
-Aberlour A'Bunadh Cask Strength Non-Chill Filtered (Matured Exclusively in Oloroso Sherry Butts)
You want these!
Nate
Hey all,Happy to announce the arrival of Aberlour, a Scotch that's been a personal favorite of mine for a while, and one many of you have been requesting. Aberlour whiskies are one of the more flavorful Highland single malts on the market. The combination of ex-bourbon barrels and sherry butts contributes a lot of complexity (versus just using one type of barrel), leading to layer upon layer of flavor. I get notes of toffee, milk chocolate, plums, black cherries, ginger and cinnamon. Their whiskies are really dense and lush on the palate, which would lead me to believe they primarily use first or second fill barrels, as the colors and textures are amazing. Here's what I got in:
-Aberlour 12 Year Double Cask Matured
-Aberlour 16 Year Double Cask Matured
-Aberlour A'Bunadh Cask Strength Non-Chill Filtered (Matured Exclusively in Oloroso Sherry Butts)
You want these!
Nate
New Arrivals: Hooker's House Bourbon, Rye and 21 Year Bourbon
To contact us Click HERE
Hey all,
Got some new whiskies in from Hooker's House, a brand a lot of people have expressed interest in the last year. I was really impressed with what they had to offer. The rye is on the younger side, around 4 years old and is likely sourced from LDI. They finish it in Zinfandel barrels which I think adds a lot of depth, some musty grape notes and just a hint of spice. It's the first red wine finished rye I've ever seen.
Both of the bourbons are finished in Pinot Noir barrels and manage to take on even more red wine character than the rye. Their regular bourbon is a six year likely sourced from Heaven Hill. It tasted significantly older than six years to me, more like the depth and oak of a 10-12 year. The Pinot Noir flavors are incredible giving the bourbon a great minerality, notes of stone fruits, blackberries, earth, pencil shavings and charred oak.
The 21 year bourbon was something to behold. Although we weren't told the source my co-worker Dave thought it might be Stitzel-Weller. It reminded me a lot of the older Willett Family Estate bourbons I've tried. Regardless, one of the best bourbons I've ever had and very unique. It says cask strength on the bottle but what I've been told is they diluted the whiskey with water while it was still in the barrel, so even though its 47% alcohol no water was added to the whiskey after it came out of the barrel making it "barrel strength". What's interesting is when I first tried this bourbon it was so cloudy and murky the rep immediately told me they planned on filtering it before bottling. I told him it was great as is and that they should leave it unfiltered. Realizing that would save them a couple steps and a decent amount of time he agreed to release it that way (aaaahem, your welcome). I get an amazing amount of depth and oak on this with flavors of burnt caramel, port wine, concrete, gravel, eucalyptus, rye spice, dark chocolate and flint. My rep has already told me they aren't going to be getting any more barrels this old, so get it while you can!
Cheers
Nate
Hey all,Got some new whiskies in from Hooker's House, a brand a lot of people have expressed interest in the last year. I was really impressed with what they had to offer. The rye is on the younger side, around 4 years old and is likely sourced from LDI. They finish it in Zinfandel barrels which I think adds a lot of depth, some musty grape notes and just a hint of spice. It's the first red wine finished rye I've ever seen.
Both of the bourbons are finished in Pinot Noir barrels and manage to take on even more red wine character than the rye. Their regular bourbon is a six year likely sourced from Heaven Hill. It tasted significantly older than six years to me, more like the depth and oak of a 10-12 year. The Pinot Noir flavors are incredible giving the bourbon a great minerality, notes of stone fruits, blackberries, earth, pencil shavings and charred oak.
The 21 year bourbon was something to behold. Although we weren't told the source my co-worker Dave thought it might be Stitzel-Weller. It reminded me a lot of the older Willett Family Estate bourbons I've tried. Regardless, one of the best bourbons I've ever had and very unique. It says cask strength on the bottle but what I've been told is they diluted the whiskey with water while it was still in the barrel, so even though its 47% alcohol no water was added to the whiskey after it came out of the barrel making it "barrel strength". What's interesting is when I first tried this bourbon it was so cloudy and murky the rep immediately told me they planned on filtering it before bottling. I told him it was great as is and that they should leave it unfiltered. Realizing that would save them a couple steps and a decent amount of time he agreed to release it that way (aaaahem, your welcome). I get an amazing amount of depth and oak on this with flavors of burnt caramel, port wine, concrete, gravel, eucalyptus, rye spice, dark chocolate and flint. My rep has already told me they aren't going to be getting any more barrels this old, so get it while you can!
Cheers
Nate
New Arrivals: Pappy Van Winkle
To contact us Click HERE
Happy to announce the release ofthe Pappy Van Winkle line at Healthy Spirits. Please keep in mind that thisrelease is super time sensitive and will likely sell out in 15 or 20 minutes.Beer and Bourbon Club members can call in and reserve (limit one per clubmember), everyone else bottles are behind the counter first come first serve.
-Old Rip Van Winkle 10yr 107 proof bourbon-Van Winkle Special Reserve 12yrLot B bourbon-Pappy Van Winkle 15yr FamilyReserve bourbon-Pappy Van Winkle 20yr FamilyReserve bourbon-Pappy Van Winkle 23yr FamilyReserve bourbon-Van Winkle Family Reserve 13yr rye
Store phone: 415-255-0610
*SOLD OUT*
Happy to announce the release ofthe Pappy Van Winkle line at Healthy Spirits. Please keep in mind that thisrelease is super time sensitive and will likely sell out in 15 or 20 minutes.Beer and Bourbon Club members can call in and reserve (limit one per clubmember), everyone else bottles are behind the counter first come first serve.
-Old Rip Van Winkle 10yr 107 proof bourbon-Van Winkle Special Reserve 12yrLot B bourbon-Pappy Van Winkle 15yr FamilyReserve bourbon-Pappy Van Winkle 20yr FamilyReserve bourbon-Pappy Van Winkle 23yr FamilyReserve bourbon-Van Winkle Family Reserve 13yr rye
Store phone: 415-255-0610
*SOLD OUT*
It's all about style.....
To contact us Click HERE
Whenever someone finds out I'm a whisk(e)y enthusiast, I can count down 3.....2.....1 "so...what's your favorite whiskey?" I understand the motivation for the question but that's like asking what your favorite food is. I like many types of food and the same goes for whiskey so the question really has no answer.
Thus the education begins ".....whiskey is diverse as wine in many respects...." and I go on to explain the origins of whiskey, the various grains that make up whiskey, the distillation differences, cooperage differences, aging differences, etc. etc. This cornucopia of whiskey information typically leads then to the real question. What style do you like?
When it comes to bourbon, I pretty much like them all. When it comes to Scotch, almost anything except Islay (ok, for those paying attention to this blog know that last exception is a lie). I dislike MOST Islay....there are exceptions like my Bruichladdich 15 year second edition.
I cut my teeth on Wild Turkey back in the day and then when reintroduced to bourbon, I gravitated toward wheated bourbons like Van Winkle Family Reserve Lot B. Today, I like a very broad cut across the whisk(e)y offerings so for me, I don't have a favorite whiskey but when it comes to styles, I do like barrel strength bourbons and in Scotch, I like Highland and Speyside primarily.
Style can cover many aspects:
Barrel proof to cut proof (that sweet spot that is your preferred drinking proof)
Single Barrel, Small Batch, or Vat
Extra age to young
World region (e.g. Japanese over Irish)
Mashbill of Rye, Wheat, Barley or Corn
Vintage or current
...and the list could go on
So, what's your style? Is your preference a broad drinking experience like mine or do you narrow in on a specific style? There is no wrong answer.....it all comes down to what you like.
Thus the education begins ".....whiskey is diverse as wine in many respects...." and I go on to explain the origins of whiskey, the various grains that make up whiskey, the distillation differences, cooperage differences, aging differences, etc. etc. This cornucopia of whiskey information typically leads then to the real question. What style do you like?
When it comes to bourbon, I pretty much like them all. When it comes to Scotch, almost anything except Islay (ok, for those paying attention to this blog know that last exception is a lie). I dislike MOST Islay....there are exceptions like my Bruichladdich 15 year second edition.
I cut my teeth on Wild Turkey back in the day and then when reintroduced to bourbon, I gravitated toward wheated bourbons like Van Winkle Family Reserve Lot B. Today, I like a very broad cut across the whisk(e)y offerings so for me, I don't have a favorite whiskey but when it comes to styles, I do like barrel strength bourbons and in Scotch, I like Highland and Speyside primarily.
Style can cover many aspects:
Barrel proof to cut proof (that sweet spot that is your preferred drinking proof)
Single Barrel, Small Batch, or Vat
Extra age to young
World region (e.g. Japanese over Irish)
Mashbill of Rye, Wheat, Barley or Corn
Vintage or current
...and the list could go on
So, what's your style? Is your preference a broad drinking experience like mine or do you narrow in on a specific style? There is no wrong answer.....it all comes down to what you like.
16 Aralık 2012 Pazar
New Arrivals: Healthy Spirits Four Roses Private Selection "Dave's Barrel"
To contact us Click HERE
Hey all,
Just got in Dave's hand selected barrel from our Four Roses private selection program, my "Nate's Barrel" sold out in a matter of days and I wouldn't be surprised if this one did to. Jim Rutledge hand selected these samples for us, fortunately we've developed a strong relationship with Jim over the years, and he knows exactly what warehouse locations best suit our tastes. Dave and myself heavily scrutinized both barrels we ended up picking, rating them on various criteria including nose/aroma, flavors and taste, and mouthfeel/finish. Dave's pick ended up being from one of the highest tiers in their warehouses, giving it the beautiful color you see in the picture and causing it to gain in proof (63.4% alcohol). The higher tiers are one of the few spots in the warehouses where the barrels gain strength instead of losing it giving it a robust oaky mouthfeel and layer upon layer of depth. The recipe choosen was OESV, the higher corn content recipe which gives the finished bourbon a beautiful creaminess and flavors of bananas foster and delicate berry fruit. Again this will probably sell out fast, beer and bourbon club members may call in to reserve .
Nate
Hey all,Just got in Dave's hand selected barrel from our Four Roses private selection program, my "Nate's Barrel" sold out in a matter of days and I wouldn't be surprised if this one did to. Jim Rutledge hand selected these samples for us, fortunately we've developed a strong relationship with Jim over the years, and he knows exactly what warehouse locations best suit our tastes. Dave and myself heavily scrutinized both barrels we ended up picking, rating them on various criteria including nose/aroma, flavors and taste, and mouthfeel/finish. Dave's pick ended up being from one of the highest tiers in their warehouses, giving it the beautiful color you see in the picture and causing it to gain in proof (63.4% alcohol). The higher tiers are one of the few spots in the warehouses where the barrels gain strength instead of losing it giving it a robust oaky mouthfeel and layer upon layer of depth. The recipe choosen was OESV, the higher corn content recipe which gives the finished bourbon a beautiful creaminess and flavors of bananas foster and delicate berry fruit. Again this will probably sell out fast, beer and bourbon club members may call in to reserve .
Nate
New Arrivals: Cragganmore 12 year, Cragganmore Distiller's Edition, Cragganmore Cask Strength 21 year!
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Hey all,
Just got a few new Cragganmore single malt Scotches in. Look out for Distiller's Editions and other limited Scotch releases over the next few weeks. Cragganmore is on the short list of distilleries in Diageo's "Classic Malts", making it the definitive Speyside single malt. New in:
-Cragganmore 12 year 40% (80 proof)
-Cragganmore 1997 Distiller's Edition (port finished) 40% (80 proof)
-Cragganmore 21 year Cask Strength Non-Chill Filtered 56% (112 proof)
The Cragganmore Distiller's Edition is arguably my favorite port finished scotch, soft and creamy with some beautiful strawberry, raspberry and red fruit undertones. What really surprised me though was the 21 year old cask strength. Pretty sure it's a one time release, I've never seen that vintage before anyway. It's unbelievably complex with incredible notes of wildflower honey, heather, lavender, sea water, stoney minerals and the tiniest hint of peat. Gorgeous stuff, I highly recommend trying it if you get a chance, I was able to get six bottles for the shop. You want these!
Cheers
Nate
Hey all,Just got a few new Cragganmore single malt Scotches in. Look out for Distiller's Editions and other limited Scotch releases over the next few weeks. Cragganmore is on the short list of distilleries in Diageo's "Classic Malts", making it the definitive Speyside single malt. New in:
-Cragganmore 12 year 40% (80 proof)
-Cragganmore 1997 Distiller's Edition (port finished) 40% (80 proof)
-Cragganmore 21 year Cask Strength Non-Chill Filtered 56% (112 proof)
The Cragganmore Distiller's Edition is arguably my favorite port finished scotch, soft and creamy with some beautiful strawberry, raspberry and red fruit undertones. What really surprised me though was the 21 year old cask strength. Pretty sure it's a one time release, I've never seen that vintage before anyway. It's unbelievably complex with incredible notes of wildflower honey, heather, lavender, sea water, stoney minerals and the tiniest hint of peat. Gorgeous stuff, I highly recommend trying it if you get a chance, I was able to get six bottles for the shop. You want these!
Cheers
Nate
New Arrivals: Michter's 20 year and 10 year single barrel bourbons!!
To contact us Click HERE
Hey all,
Holy cow am I excited about today's new arrivals. It feels like Christmas mourning around here, but instead of snow it's raining heavenly bourbon! I could make a case for this being the best release of the year. But wait a minute you say? What about Pappy Van Winkle? Well as many of you may know Stitzel-Weller barrels (a distillery Julian Van Winkle was involved with until it closed in 1992) are getting harder and harder to come by since none have been produced in 20 years. Stitzel-Weller bourbon is the main component of Pappy Van Winkle 15, 20 and 23 year, and it use to be used in the 10 and 12 year bottlings as well, which are now being made by Buffalo Trace. I have a feeling Michter's 20 year bourbon, which is probably closer to 23 or 24 years old , may be a single barrel from Stitzel-Weller. Really no way to know for sure as the company is very tight liped about revealing their sources, but my palate usually doesn't steer me wrong. Regardless it's one of the best bourbons I've ever had.
I was also able to secure a decent amount of the Michter's 10 year bourbon. Michter's has this notion that they can and should exceed your wildest expectations for a given age statement. While the 20 year is closer to a 23 or 24 year, the 10 year is likely in the 15 to 16 year range. Basically they want their 10 year to be better than any other 10 year on the market, so how do they do that? By putting out a 16 year and calling it a 10 year, kind of clever in a way. The last bottling of 10 year Michter's bourbon is rumored to have been a Stitzel-Weller bottling as well, and after opening the current one I have to say, it tastes surprisingly similar. But again no way to confirm that notion. Even if they're not Stitzel-Weller products these two bourbons have an incredible amount of depth and oak (they are seriously much older then their age statement), are elegant, refined and some of the best sauce going right now. Don't sleep on these, they definitely won't be around for long!
Nate
Hey all,Holy cow am I excited about today's new arrivals. It feels like Christmas mourning around here, but instead of snow it's raining heavenly bourbon! I could make a case for this being the best release of the year. But wait a minute you say? What about Pappy Van Winkle? Well as many of you may know Stitzel-Weller barrels (a distillery Julian Van Winkle was involved with until it closed in 1992) are getting harder and harder to come by since none have been produced in 20 years. Stitzel-Weller bourbon is the main component of Pappy Van Winkle 15, 20 and 23 year, and it use to be used in the 10 and 12 year bottlings as well, which are now being made by Buffalo Trace. I have a feeling Michter's 20 year bourbon, which is probably closer to 23 or 24 years old , may be a single barrel from Stitzel-Weller. Really no way to know for sure as the company is very tight liped about revealing their sources, but my palate usually doesn't steer me wrong. Regardless it's one of the best bourbons I've ever had.
I was also able to secure a decent amount of the Michter's 10 year bourbon. Michter's has this notion that they can and should exceed your wildest expectations for a given age statement. While the 20 year is closer to a 23 or 24 year, the 10 year is likely in the 15 to 16 year range. Basically they want their 10 year to be better than any other 10 year on the market, so how do they do that? By putting out a 16 year and calling it a 10 year, kind of clever in a way. The last bottling of 10 year Michter's bourbon is rumored to have been a Stitzel-Weller bottling as well, and after opening the current one I have to say, it tastes surprisingly similar. But again no way to confirm that notion. Even if they're not Stitzel-Weller products these two bourbons have an incredible amount of depth and oak (they are seriously much older then their age statement), are elegant, refined and some of the best sauce going right now. Don't sleep on these, they definitely won't be around for long!
Nate
New Arrivals: Aberlour 12 year, 16 year, and A'bunadh
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Hey all,
Happy to announce the arrival of Aberlour, a Scotch that's been a personal favorite of mine for a while, and one many of you have been requesting. Aberlour whiskies are one of the more flavorful Highland single malts on the market. The combination of ex-bourbon barrels and sherry butts contributes a lot of complexity (versus just using one type of barrel), leading to layer upon layer of flavor. I get notes of toffee, milk chocolate, plums, black cherries, ginger and cinnamon. Their whiskies are really dense and lush on the palate, which would lead me to believe they primarily use first or second fill barrels, as the colors and textures are amazing. Here's what I got in:
-Aberlour 12 Year Double Cask Matured
-Aberlour 16 Year Double Cask Matured
-Aberlour A'Bunadh Cask Strength Non-Chill Filtered (Matured Exclusively in Oloroso Sherry Butts)
You want these!
Nate
Hey all,Happy to announce the arrival of Aberlour, a Scotch that's been a personal favorite of mine for a while, and one many of you have been requesting. Aberlour whiskies are one of the more flavorful Highland single malts on the market. The combination of ex-bourbon barrels and sherry butts contributes a lot of complexity (versus just using one type of barrel), leading to layer upon layer of flavor. I get notes of toffee, milk chocolate, plums, black cherries, ginger and cinnamon. Their whiskies are really dense and lush on the palate, which would lead me to believe they primarily use first or second fill barrels, as the colors and textures are amazing. Here's what I got in:
-Aberlour 12 Year Double Cask Matured
-Aberlour 16 Year Double Cask Matured
-Aberlour A'Bunadh Cask Strength Non-Chill Filtered (Matured Exclusively in Oloroso Sherry Butts)
You want these!
Nate
New Arrivals: Hooker's House Bourbon, Rye and 21 Year Bourbon
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Hey all,
Got some new whiskies in from Hooker's House, a brand a lot of people have expressed interest in the last year. I was really impressed with what they had to offer. The rye is on the younger side, around 4 years old and is likely sourced from LDI. They finish it in Zinfandel barrels which I think adds a lot of depth, some musty grape notes and just a hint of spice. It's the first red wine finished rye I've ever seen.
Both of the bourbons are finished in Pinot Noir barrels and manage to take on even more red wine character than the rye. Their regular bourbon is a six year likely sourced from Heaven Hill. It tasted significantly older than six years to me, more like the depth and oak of a 10-12 year. The Pinot Noir flavors are incredible giving the bourbon a great minerality, notes of stone fruits, blackberries, earth, pencil shavings and charred oak.
The 21 year bourbon was something to behold. Although we weren't told the source my co-worker Dave thought it might be Stitzel-Weller. It reminded me a lot of the older Willett Family Estate bourbons I've tried. Regardless, one of the best bourbons I've ever had and very unique. It says cask strength on the bottle but what I've been told is they diluted the whiskey with water while it was still in the barrel, so even though its 47% alcohol no water was added to the whiskey after it came out of the barrel making it "barrel strength". What's interesting is when I first tried this bourbon it was so cloudy and murky the rep immediately told me they planned on filtering it before bottling. I told him it was great as is and that they should leave it unfiltered. Realizing that would save them a couple steps and a decent amount of time he agreed to release it that way (aaaahem, your welcome). I get an amazing amount of depth and oak on this with flavors of burnt caramel, port wine, concrete, gravel, eucalyptus, rye spice, dark chocolate and flint. My rep has already told me they aren't going to be getting any more barrels this old, so get it while you can!
Cheers
Nate
Hey all,Got some new whiskies in from Hooker's House, a brand a lot of people have expressed interest in the last year. I was really impressed with what they had to offer. The rye is on the younger side, around 4 years old and is likely sourced from LDI. They finish it in Zinfandel barrels which I think adds a lot of depth, some musty grape notes and just a hint of spice. It's the first red wine finished rye I've ever seen.
Both of the bourbons are finished in Pinot Noir barrels and manage to take on even more red wine character than the rye. Their regular bourbon is a six year likely sourced from Heaven Hill. It tasted significantly older than six years to me, more like the depth and oak of a 10-12 year. The Pinot Noir flavors are incredible giving the bourbon a great minerality, notes of stone fruits, blackberries, earth, pencil shavings and charred oak.
The 21 year bourbon was something to behold. Although we weren't told the source my co-worker Dave thought it might be Stitzel-Weller. It reminded me a lot of the older Willett Family Estate bourbons I've tried. Regardless, one of the best bourbons I've ever had and very unique. It says cask strength on the bottle but what I've been told is they diluted the whiskey with water while it was still in the barrel, so even though its 47% alcohol no water was added to the whiskey after it came out of the barrel making it "barrel strength". What's interesting is when I first tried this bourbon it was so cloudy and murky the rep immediately told me they planned on filtering it before bottling. I told him it was great as is and that they should leave it unfiltered. Realizing that would save them a couple steps and a decent amount of time he agreed to release it that way (aaaahem, your welcome). I get an amazing amount of depth and oak on this with flavors of burnt caramel, port wine, concrete, gravel, eucalyptus, rye spice, dark chocolate and flint. My rep has already told me they aren't going to be getting any more barrels this old, so get it while you can!
Cheers
Nate
12 Aralık 2012 Çarşamba
New Arrivals: Corsair Rasputin, Ryemageddon and Quinoa Whiskey!
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Hey all,
Just got a shipment of aged whiskies from Corsair, the first time they've ever been available in the Bay Area! Corsair is a micro distillery in Kentucky that has a reputation for having unique products and doing a lot of experimentation. The quinoa whiskey definitely uses a grain I've never seen in whiskey before, and I was surprised how much I liked the finished product. They use red and white quinoa seeds and are able to extract flavors of roasted nuts, earth, vanilla, toffee and a hint of espresso. This is more than just an experiment, it's an overwhelming success.
The Ryemageddon is also quite unique. Most American rye whiskey is made with raw or unmalted rye grain which lend most of the spicy, floral and earthy notes. For the Ryemageddon Corsair uses malted rye and chocolate rye (heavily charred). While it lacks the typical rye spice it more than makes up for it with lush notes of dark chocolate, creme brulee, burnt caramel and bread pudding. Totally different take on a rye but man oh man is it good.
Lastly we have the barrel aged Rasputin, which is made from an imperial stout beer. My understanding is that when they're distilling it they allow the whiskey vapors to pass through a basket of hops, almost like botanicals in gin, making it a hop flavored imperial stout whiskey. Basically this whiskey is the "kitty's titties", if you'll excuse the workaholics reference. It's super floral and hoppy on the nose but wonderfully rich and chocolaty on the palate. The hop flavors are well integrated and the whiskey really tastes like a fantastic roasty-chocolaty stout. Well done guys, well done.
Pretty limited numbers on these people, I only got 6 bottles of each just FYI.
Nate
Hey all,Just got a shipment of aged whiskies from Corsair, the first time they've ever been available in the Bay Area! Corsair is a micro distillery in Kentucky that has a reputation for having unique products and doing a lot of experimentation. The quinoa whiskey definitely uses a grain I've never seen in whiskey before, and I was surprised how much I liked the finished product. They use red and white quinoa seeds and are able to extract flavors of roasted nuts, earth, vanilla, toffee and a hint of espresso. This is more than just an experiment, it's an overwhelming success.
The Ryemageddon is also quite unique. Most American rye whiskey is made with raw or unmalted rye grain which lend most of the spicy, floral and earthy notes. For the Ryemageddon Corsair uses malted rye and chocolate rye (heavily charred). While it lacks the typical rye spice it more than makes up for it with lush notes of dark chocolate, creme brulee, burnt caramel and bread pudding. Totally different take on a rye but man oh man is it good.
Lastly we have the barrel aged Rasputin, which is made from an imperial stout beer. My understanding is that when they're distilling it they allow the whiskey vapors to pass through a basket of hops, almost like botanicals in gin, making it a hop flavored imperial stout whiskey. Basically this whiskey is the "kitty's titties", if you'll excuse the workaholics reference. It's super floral and hoppy on the nose but wonderfully rich and chocolaty on the palate. The hop flavors are well integrated and the whiskey really tastes like a fantastic roasty-chocolaty stout. Well done guys, well done.
Pretty limited numbers on these people, I only got 6 bottles of each just FYI.
Nate
Bourbon Influx – Spring 2012
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Yup….I'm a little late posting the picks of the Spring 2012 barrel picks. Better late than never…..
These bottles rolled in early July and consisted of multiple picks from Four Rose and Buffalo Trace. In all the entire group purchased 13 barrels of bourbon….a rather silly amount of juice but this consisted of the group buy and those in our group that wanted to purchase their own barrel. For this posting, I'll focus on only those that I acquired myself as I didn't go in on any of the private purchases.
Back in June I posted a couple of blogs about the trip to KY here and here .
Old Weller Antique 7.4 years 107 proof (#8) - Loaded up with caramel, burnt brown sugar and cinnamon, this selection was quickly a top favorite. One member described this selection and "liquid candy" and I can't argue with that. This barrel and the following two were all distilled on the same day but the aging certainly took a different turn on each of these. The heat is non-existent and drink way too easy even at 107 proof.
Old Weller Antique 7.4 year 107 proof (#9) – This one to me has an abundance of ripe fruit. The profile also exhibits spices, toasted nut and a creamy mouthfeel. It's a very intriguing and another one that is too easy to drink and very full of flavor. Another cracker pick.
Old Weller Antique 7.4 year 107 proof (#10) – I didn't get many bottles from this barrel which is my own fault and I'm sorry I didn't acquire more. This one has turned out to be another favorite. I think at first opening, the bourbon was somewhat tight but after getting a little air, it opened up very nicely exhibiting a wonderful array of flavors similar to #9 above but different in some aspects. The fruit isn't as dominant and is more in line with pear or apple, add in caramel, vanilla and buttercream. This bourbon is a bit drier than the previous two selections but that's not a negative in this case. One member commented that they thought it was very similar to Pappy 15.
Four Roses (OESK) 11 year 124.5 proof – As I mentioned in my previous post about the Four Roses tasting, this barrel was extremely short and Jim Rutledge didn't think we would actually get any bottles from the barrel. Well, we ended up with 48. That was it. Unfortunately, this was the top pick for the group during the tasting. So, allocation went out by lottery. I managed two bottles. This one was described as a bourbon candy bar exhibiting a flavor profile of fruit, nut, caramel and vanilla. I would add in that the finish is long and lingering. Heat's totally in check….another drinkable bottle at barrel strength.
Four Rose (OBSF) 9.9 year 122.7 proof – This one was an interesting pick as I picked up a herbal/mint aroma on the nose with some moderate heat about mid palate. There a nice sweetness to this bourbon that's not overdone but a subtle mix of sweet, barrel char, stone fruit with a finish that's complex and deep. A very compelling bourbon and unlike the other two FR picks. Very tasty.
Four Rose (OESF) 9.9 year 122 proof – The "F" yeast is quickly becoming one of my favorite yeasts of the Four Roses mashbills. I find this to be another complex whiskey with a berry and chocolate profile. Long lingering wood notes and char (which gives the chocolate flavoring). This is a very satisfying bourbon and another great example from Four Roses. The fact that they have 10 mashbills really makes their bourbons so unique and appealing.
I'm expecting two more barrels selections to show up and both from Kentucky Bourbon Distillers; a Willett 9 year barrel strength and an 8 year barrel strength. Hopefully not too much longer to wait.
Yup….I'm a little late posting the picks of the Spring 2012 barrel picks. Better late than never…..
These bottles rolled in early July and consisted of multiple picks from Four Rose and Buffalo Trace. In all the entire group purchased 13 barrels of bourbon….a rather silly amount of juice but this consisted of the group buy and those in our group that wanted to purchase their own barrel. For this posting, I'll focus on only those that I acquired myself as I didn't go in on any of the private purchases.
Back in June I posted a couple of blogs about the trip to KY here and here .
Old Weller Antique 7.4 years 107 proof (#8) - Loaded up with caramel, burnt brown sugar and cinnamon, this selection was quickly a top favorite. One member described this selection and "liquid candy" and I can't argue with that. This barrel and the following two were all distilled on the same day but the aging certainly took a different turn on each of these. The heat is non-existent and drink way too easy even at 107 proof.
Old Weller Antique 7.4 year 107 proof (#9) – This one to me has an abundance of ripe fruit. The profile also exhibits spices, toasted nut and a creamy mouthfeel. It's a very intriguing and another one that is too easy to drink and very full of flavor. Another cracker pick.
Old Weller Antique 7.4 year 107 proof (#10) – I didn't get many bottles from this barrel which is my own fault and I'm sorry I didn't acquire more. This one has turned out to be another favorite. I think at first opening, the bourbon was somewhat tight but after getting a little air, it opened up very nicely exhibiting a wonderful array of flavors similar to #9 above but different in some aspects. The fruit isn't as dominant and is more in line with pear or apple, add in caramel, vanilla and buttercream. This bourbon is a bit drier than the previous two selections but that's not a negative in this case. One member commented that they thought it was very similar to Pappy 15.
Four Roses (OESK) 11 year 124.5 proof – As I mentioned in my previous post about the Four Roses tasting, this barrel was extremely short and Jim Rutledge didn't think we would actually get any bottles from the barrel. Well, we ended up with 48. That was it. Unfortunately, this was the top pick for the group during the tasting. So, allocation went out by lottery. I managed two bottles. This one was described as a bourbon candy bar exhibiting a flavor profile of fruit, nut, caramel and vanilla. I would add in that the finish is long and lingering. Heat's totally in check….another drinkable bottle at barrel strength.
Four Rose (OBSF) 9.9 year 122.7 proof – This one was an interesting pick as I picked up a herbal/mint aroma on the nose with some moderate heat about mid palate. There a nice sweetness to this bourbon that's not overdone but a subtle mix of sweet, barrel char, stone fruit with a finish that's complex and deep. A very compelling bourbon and unlike the other two FR picks. Very tasty.
Four Rose (OESF) 9.9 year 122 proof – The "F" yeast is quickly becoming one of my favorite yeasts of the Four Roses mashbills. I find this to be another complex whiskey with a berry and chocolate profile. Long lingering wood notes and char (which gives the chocolate flavoring). This is a very satisfying bourbon and another great example from Four Roses. The fact that they have 10 mashbills really makes their bourbons so unique and appealing.
I'm expecting two more barrels selections to show up and both from Kentucky Bourbon Distillers; a Willett 9 year barrel strength and an 8 year barrel strength. Hopefully not too much longer to wait.
Whiskey vs. Whisky
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I had the pleasure of meeting a couple of like minded whisk(e)y enthusiasts this past week while on business in Dallas. We had a good time enjoying multiple pours in the Gaylord Texan Cigar Lounge (we kind of snuck stuff into the lounge).
I've mentioned before that my whiskey journey started with Bourbon and after many years began branching out to other whiskies. In talking with one of the guys, Tim, he started with Scotch and migrated toward Bourbon.
While I still buy quite a bit of Bourbon, those dollars are for the most part focused on barrel picks. The other portion of my disposable income now goes to other whiskies like Scotch, Irish, etc. I can see this starting the slip down that slippery slope since there's not many other whisk(e)y expressions that I don't like in some fashion, obviously, some better than others.
Tim was gracious enough to pick up a new Scotch expression for me from Specs Liquor in Dallas that was a selection in a recent Scotch tasting he attended. The Duncan Taylor 19 year Caperdonich ended up being one of the tops picks and Tim highly recommended it. So, being very game and trusting Tim's palate, he grabbed two bottles, one for me and another for a friend.
That got me thinking about how my purchasing has changed over just the last year. Looking at the bunker I've added a number of various Scotch expressions in just the last 10 months that include:
Caperdonich 19
Compass Box Spice Tree
Glenmorangie 18
Balvenie 21
Glenburgie 14
Glen Grant
Signatory Royal Lochnagar 17
Springbank 10
Springbank Claret 12
Springbank 13
Springbank Madeira 14
Aberfeldy 21
Prior to that I added:
Redbreast 12 cask
Yamazaki 18
Jameson 18
Rosebank 20
Aberlour a'bunadh batch 22
Greenspot Irish
Slieve Foy 8
Greenore 18
The Glenlivet Nadurra 16
Balblair '89
I see over time my purchasing becoming more balanced in the acquisition of Whiskey and Whisky. I feel I missed out on years of great drinking by ignoring Scotch, Irish, Japanese and the like. Better late than never I guess. By the way, the recent release of Balvenie 17 year Doublewood is giving me palpitations.
Question: Anyone else find more diversity in their whisk(e)y purchases? If so, what?
I've mentioned before that my whiskey journey started with Bourbon and after many years began branching out to other whiskies. In talking with one of the guys, Tim, he started with Scotch and migrated toward Bourbon.
While I still buy quite a bit of Bourbon, those dollars are for the most part focused on barrel picks. The other portion of my disposable income now goes to other whiskies like Scotch, Irish, etc. I can see this starting the slip down that slippery slope since there's not many other whisk(e)y expressions that I don't like in some fashion, obviously, some better than others.
Tim was gracious enough to pick up a new Scotch expression for me from Specs Liquor in Dallas that was a selection in a recent Scotch tasting he attended. The Duncan Taylor 19 year Caperdonich ended up being one of the tops picks and Tim highly recommended it. So, being very game and trusting Tim's palate, he grabbed two bottles, one for me and another for a friend.
That got me thinking about how my purchasing has changed over just the last year. Looking at the bunker I've added a number of various Scotch expressions in just the last 10 months that include:
Caperdonich 19
Compass Box Spice Tree
Glenmorangie 18
Balvenie 21
Glenburgie 14
Glen Grant
Signatory Royal Lochnagar 17
Springbank 10
Springbank Claret 12
Springbank 13
Springbank Madeira 14
Aberfeldy 21
Prior to that I added:
Redbreast 12 cask
Yamazaki 18
Jameson 18
Rosebank 20
Aberlour a'bunadh batch 22
Greenspot Irish
Slieve Foy 8
Greenore 18
The Glenlivet Nadurra 16
Balblair '89
I see over time my purchasing becoming more balanced in the acquisition of Whiskey and Whisky. I feel I missed out on years of great drinking by ignoring Scotch, Irish, Japanese and the like. Better late than never I guess. By the way, the recent release of Balvenie 17 year Doublewood is giving me palpitations.
Question: Anyone else find more diversity in their whisk(e)y purchases? If so, what?
It's all about style.....
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Whenever someone finds out I'm a whisk(e)y enthusiast, I can count down 3.....2.....1 "so...what's your favorite whiskey?" I understand the motivation for the question but that's like asking what your favorite food is. I like many types of food and the same goes for whiskey so the question really has no answer.
Thus the education begins ".....whiskey is diverse as wine in many respects...." and I go on to explain the origins of whiskey, the various grains that make up whiskey, the distillation differences, cooperage differences, aging differences, etc. etc. This cornucopia of whiskey information typically leads then to the real question. What style do you like?
When it comes to bourbon, I pretty much like them all. When it comes to Scotch, almost anything except Islay (ok, for those paying attention to this blog know that last exception is a lie). I dislike MOST Islay....there are exceptions like my Bruichladdich 15 year second edition.
I cut my teeth on Wild Turkey back in the day and then when reintroduced to bourbon, I gravitated toward wheated bourbons like Van Winkle Family Reserve Lot B. Today, I like a very broad cut across the whisk(e)y offerings so for me, I don't have a favorite whiskey but when it comes to styles, I do like barrel strength bourbons and in Scotch, I like Highland and Speyside primarily.
Style can cover many aspects:
Barrel proof to cut proof (that sweet spot that is your preferred drinking proof)
Single Barrel, Small Batch, or Vat
Extra age to young
World region (e.g. Japanese over Irish)
Mashbill of Rye, Wheat, Barley or Corn
Vintage or current
...and the list could go on
So, what's your style? Is your preference a broad drinking experience like mine or do you narrow in on a specific style? There is no wrong answer.....it all comes down to what you like.
Thus the education begins ".....whiskey is diverse as wine in many respects...." and I go on to explain the origins of whiskey, the various grains that make up whiskey, the distillation differences, cooperage differences, aging differences, etc. etc. This cornucopia of whiskey information typically leads then to the real question. What style do you like?
When it comes to bourbon, I pretty much like them all. When it comes to Scotch, almost anything except Islay (ok, for those paying attention to this blog know that last exception is a lie). I dislike MOST Islay....there are exceptions like my Bruichladdich 15 year second edition.
I cut my teeth on Wild Turkey back in the day and then when reintroduced to bourbon, I gravitated toward wheated bourbons like Van Winkle Family Reserve Lot B. Today, I like a very broad cut across the whisk(e)y offerings so for me, I don't have a favorite whiskey but when it comes to styles, I do like barrel strength bourbons and in Scotch, I like Highland and Speyside primarily.
Style can cover many aspects:
Barrel proof to cut proof (that sweet spot that is your preferred drinking proof)
Single Barrel, Small Batch, or Vat
Extra age to young
World region (e.g. Japanese over Irish)
Mashbill of Rye, Wheat, Barley or Corn
Vintage or current
...and the list could go on
So, what's your style? Is your preference a broad drinking experience like mine or do you narrow in on a specific style? There is no wrong answer.....it all comes down to what you like.
Celebrate 12/5/33
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Tomorrow fellow whiskey lovers is Repeal Day. December 5th 1933 the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution passed. For clarification, the 18th Amendment ratified in 1919 did not make drinking illegal but the manufacturing and transportation of liquor and as a byproduct of this law, the Speakeasy came into existence. So, in essence, people continued to drink.....a lot.
So, tomorrow, I'll be lifting a snifter of something delicious to those that came before us in repealing prohibition. My drink of choice? I'm leaning toward a Prohibition Old Crow and a post Prohibition Mt. Vernon Rye.
How about you?
So, tomorrow, I'll be lifting a snifter of something delicious to those that came before us in repealing prohibition. My drink of choice? I'm leaning toward a Prohibition Old Crow and a post Prohibition Mt. Vernon Rye.How about you?
11 Aralık 2012 Salı
Jefferson's Rye
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McLain & Kyne's Jefferson's Rye is the third of the trifecta of Canadian ten year old ryes that came out last year, the others being WhistlePig and Masterson's. Like the other two, Jefferson's is ten years old and made from 100% rye mash, but it's about $25 cheaper than its competitors.
Jefferson's Rye, 10 years old, 47% abv ($40)
The nose is sweet and piney, like a sugar coated pine needle. The palate is very similar to the aforementioned Canadian ryes with strong, earthy, piney notes and a bit of brine but some sweetness as well. The finish is decidedly spicy and briny.
These Canadian ryes came around at just the right time, during a shortage of aged American straight rye. In comparing Jefferson's to the other two Canadian ryes, WhistlePig is stronger, and Masterson's is slightly more nuanced. When it comes right down to it, though, they are strikingly similar. Given that similarity, you might as well buy the cheaper one, and that is clearly Jefferson's.
McLain & Kyne's Jefferson's Rye is the third of the trifecta of Canadian ten year old ryes that came out last year, the others being WhistlePig and Masterson's. Like the other two, Jefferson's is ten years old and made from 100% rye mash, but it's about $25 cheaper than its competitors.
Jefferson's Rye, 10 years old, 47% abv ($40)
The nose is sweet and piney, like a sugar coated pine needle. The palate is very similar to the aforementioned Canadian ryes with strong, earthy, piney notes and a bit of brine but some sweetness as well. The finish is decidedly spicy and briny.
These Canadian ryes came around at just the right time, during a shortage of aged American straight rye. In comparing Jefferson's to the other two Canadian ryes, WhistlePig is stronger, and Masterson's is slightly more nuanced. When it comes right down to it, though, they are strikingly similar. Given that similarity, you might as well buy the cheaper one, and that is clearly Jefferson's.
Bon Voyage: Jefferson's Ocean Aged
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The story of Jefferson's Ocean Aged is one of the more curious bourbon stories of the year. It started out with a slightly gimmicky release by McLain & Kyne, makers of the Jefferson line of bourbon. They took a sourced Kentucky bourbon and aged it at sea, in the hull of a ship, for four years. The theory was that the bourbon would slosh around at sea, getting more contact with the barrel. This is not an entirely original concept, having already been done with Kelt Cognac. They originally announced that they would release 600 bottles at $90 each.
Well, apparently some of the bourbon disappeared at sea. There would be fewer bottles and they would cost more like $200. The allocation to retailers was cut way back. As a result, one retailer, K&L here in California put the bottle on auction. Shockingly, it sold for over $1,000. You read that right, a current bottling that was originally priced at $90 went for over $1,000 at auction. As I remarked at the time, this, more than any single event, marks the end of the golden age of whiskey and portends the crash.
To their credit, K&L gave the proceeds to charity, but what about the bourbon? Could it possibly be worth that amount? Lucky for me, I was able to taste some that was acquired for a far lesser amount.
Jefferson's Ocean Aged, 41.15% abv ($1,000?)
The nose has a nice spicy characteristic, but the palate is a bit flat. There is banana and some spice that trails into the finish. Not unlike the standard Jefferson's bourbon, this is a decent but totally unexceptional bourbon. There's just not much to it.
Having tried this, I'm even more shocked that it could sell for a ridiculously high price. This is a totally average bourbon. We are truly living in whiskey bubble which may be close to popping, and this is the pets.com of bourbon.
The story of Jefferson's Ocean Aged is one of the more curious bourbon stories of the year. It started out with a slightly gimmicky release by McLain & Kyne, makers of the Jefferson line of bourbon. They took a sourced Kentucky bourbon and aged it at sea, in the hull of a ship, for four years. The theory was that the bourbon would slosh around at sea, getting more contact with the barrel. This is not an entirely original concept, having already been done with Kelt Cognac. They originally announced that they would release 600 bottles at $90 each.
Well, apparently some of the bourbon disappeared at sea. There would be fewer bottles and they would cost more like $200. The allocation to retailers was cut way back. As a result, one retailer, K&L here in California put the bottle on auction. Shockingly, it sold for over $1,000. You read that right, a current bottling that was originally priced at $90 went for over $1,000 at auction. As I remarked at the time, this, more than any single event, marks the end of the golden age of whiskey and portends the crash.
To their credit, K&L gave the proceeds to charity, but what about the bourbon? Could it possibly be worth that amount? Lucky for me, I was able to taste some that was acquired for a far lesser amount.
Jefferson's Ocean Aged, 41.15% abv ($1,000?)
The nose has a nice spicy characteristic, but the palate is a bit flat. There is banana and some spice that trails into the finish. Not unlike the standard Jefferson's bourbon, this is a decent but totally unexceptional bourbon. There's just not much to it.
Having tried this, I'm even more shocked that it could sell for a ridiculously high price. This is a totally average bourbon. We are truly living in whiskey bubble which may be close to popping, and this is the pets.com of bourbon.
Beam's Finest: Booker's Bourbon
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In my review of Knob Creek Rye I noted that I'm not a big fan of Jim Beam products. I particularly dislike their ryes but also don't care for the basic Beam mashbill that goes into Jim Beam label bourbons as well Knob Creek and Baker's. The only bottling of this mashbill that I have enjoyed is Booker's, the barrel strength version of the Beam mashbill. It's been years since I tried Booker's, and I've never done a formal review, so I thought it was a good time to revisit this member of the Jim Beam small batch collection.
Booker's Bourbon, 63.7% abv ($50)
The nose has nice caramel notes and maple syrup with some decent wood on it, as well as tobacco and red wine notes. The palate is distinctively Beam, syrupy sweet but then it has some nice, spicy, tobacco type notes, then it gets a bit soapy and ends on a cloyingly sweet note which fades into a sticky finish.
Well, this is definitely better than most of the Beam mashbill, but while I remember it fondly, I wasn't very impressed with this one (and of course, there is always the possibility that the composition has changed over the years). It's far too sweet for my taste, though I like the spicy/tobacco note that creeps into the mid-palate. If you like Beam, this is definitely a step up, but there is a lot better bourbon to be had for $50.
See the LA Whiskey Society review of Booker's Bourbon.
In my review of Knob Creek Rye I noted that I'm not a big fan of Jim Beam products. I particularly dislike their ryes but also don't care for the basic Beam mashbill that goes into Jim Beam label bourbons as well Knob Creek and Baker's. The only bottling of this mashbill that I have enjoyed is Booker's, the barrel strength version of the Beam mashbill. It's been years since I tried Booker's, and I've never done a formal review, so I thought it was a good time to revisit this member of the Jim Beam small batch collection.
Booker's Bourbon, 63.7% abv ($50)
The nose has nice caramel notes and maple syrup with some decent wood on it, as well as tobacco and red wine notes. The palate is distinctively Beam, syrupy sweet but then it has some nice, spicy, tobacco type notes, then it gets a bit soapy and ends on a cloyingly sweet note which fades into a sticky finish.
Well, this is definitely better than most of the Beam mashbill, but while I remember it fondly, I wasn't very impressed with this one (and of course, there is always the possibility that the composition has changed over the years). It's far too sweet for my taste, though I like the spicy/tobacco note that creeps into the mid-palate. If you like Beam, this is definitely a step up, but there is a lot better bourbon to be had for $50.
See the LA Whiskey Society review of Booker's Bourbon.
Trader Joe's Bourbon
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Trader Joe's has done a number of private label whiskeys, but never a bourbon, until now. Trader Joe's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a new product on their shelves. It is distilled at Buffalo Trace's 1792 Barton Distillery and goes for a typically TJ's affordable price of $15.
Trader Joe's Kentucky Bourbon, 45% abv ($15)
The nose is very nice, woody with a nice rye kick, burnt caramel and cloves. The palate is much less complex with lots of vanilla, and some spice on late palate, but it fades to bitterness in the end which lasts into the finish which is quite bitter.
This one starts well but doesn't hold up. Even for $15, there are better bourbons on the shelf. I expected more out of Buffalo Trace/Barton, but maybe there is a reason they aren't releasing this under their own label.
Trader Joe's has done a number of private label whiskeys, but never a bourbon, until now. Trader Joe's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a new product on their shelves. It is distilled at Buffalo Trace's 1792 Barton Distillery and goes for a typically TJ's affordable price of $15.Trader Joe's Kentucky Bourbon, 45% abv ($15)
The nose is very nice, woody with a nice rye kick, burnt caramel and cloves. The palate is much less complex with lots of vanilla, and some spice on late palate, but it fades to bitterness in the end which lasts into the finish which is quite bitter.
This one starts well but doesn't hold up. Even for $15, there are better bourbons on the shelf. I expected more out of Buffalo Trace/Barton, but maybe there is a reason they aren't releasing this under their own label.
The Year in Whiskey 2012
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This was a frustrating year in whiskey. Back in July, I declared the end of the Golden Age of Whiskey, and I think the year bore that prediction out.
New but not noteworthy
The year saw a massive cache of new releases. Nearly everyone had something new, but much of it didn't seem very special. It seems that the the whiskey companies have caught on to the fact that people like new things so we see continual brand extensions. This year alone brought us two new Ardbegs (Galileo and Day), Highland Park Thor (in the big wooden boat box), Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, Heaven Hill's Larceny and Elijah Craig 20, Knob Creek Rye, George Dickel Rye, Jefferson's Ocean Aged Bourbon and no fewer than four new E.H. Taylor bourbons from Buffalo Trace. Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam jumped on the invisible whiskey trend, releasing unaged white whiskeys to compete with, or perhaps overwhelm, the craft distillers.
The dropping of age and proof continued with Macallan eliminating some of its age statements and Wild Turkey dropping the proof of its rye.
Distillery happenings
It was a bad year for independence. Jim Beam, which purchased the Cooley Distillery in December 2011, announced that it would no longer be selling Cooley whiskey to independent bottlers, and the once fiercely independent Bruichladdich sold out to Remy Martin.
In the US, the explosion of craft distilleries continued with some notable names, including Old Pogue, Willett and The Party Source starting their own distilleries.
In Ireland, William Grant announced it would build a new Tullamore Dew distillery.
Meanwhile, sourced whiskey continued to grow in the US. It seemed like everyone had an LDI whiskey to release this year, and speaking of sourcing, bourbon geeks will remember this as the year of the Great Pappy Controversy.
Going once...
It was a tough year on the secondary market as well. The beginning of the year saw ridiculous mark ups at Bonhams and ebay, with Bonham's courting controversy with some of its bottle descriptions. Meanwhile, K&L sold a $90 bottle of Jefferson's Ocean Aged for over $1,000.
The tide seemed to turn when ebay shut down all alcohol sales, and Bowmore couldn't unload their latest six figure whiskey, which led some to wonder if the whiskey bubble was finally bursting.
And the silver lining
All of this isn't to say there wasn't a bright side to the year. Balvenie distinguished itself with the Tun 1401 series, showing that some distilleries are still willing to do the serious work of putting out great whiskey without gimmicks. GlenDronach's vintage series and Glenfarclas' family casks continued to impress without jewel encrusted bottles.
Four Roses continued to distinguish itself with its Limited Edition Small Batch. High West continued to innovate with Campfire (a blend of bourbon, rye and peated Scotch) and Son of Bourye, and Bulleit offered a bold and spicy rye that wouldn't break the bank (or even bruise it).
So while investing and speculation may have reached new levels of stupidity, there is still good whiskey to be had. Let's hope for good whiskey at affordable prices for the new year.
This was a frustrating year in whiskey. Back in July, I declared the end of the Golden Age of Whiskey, and I think the year bore that prediction out.
New but not noteworthy
The year saw a massive cache of new releases. Nearly everyone had something new, but much of it didn't seem very special. It seems that the the whiskey companies have caught on to the fact that people like new things so we see continual brand extensions. This year alone brought us two new Ardbegs (Galileo and Day), Highland Park Thor (in the big wooden boat box), Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, Heaven Hill's Larceny and Elijah Craig 20, Knob Creek Rye, George Dickel Rye, Jefferson's Ocean Aged Bourbon and no fewer than four new E.H. Taylor bourbons from Buffalo Trace. Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam jumped on the invisible whiskey trend, releasing unaged white whiskeys to compete with, or perhaps overwhelm, the craft distillers.
The dropping of age and proof continued with Macallan eliminating some of its age statements and Wild Turkey dropping the proof of its rye.
Distillery happenings
It was a bad year for independence. Jim Beam, which purchased the Cooley Distillery in December 2011, announced that it would no longer be selling Cooley whiskey to independent bottlers, and the once fiercely independent Bruichladdich sold out to Remy Martin.
In the US, the explosion of craft distilleries continued with some notable names, including Old Pogue, Willett and The Party Source starting their own distilleries.
In Ireland, William Grant announced it would build a new Tullamore Dew distillery.
Meanwhile, sourced whiskey continued to grow in the US. It seemed like everyone had an LDI whiskey to release this year, and speaking of sourcing, bourbon geeks will remember this as the year of the Great Pappy Controversy.
Going once...
It was a tough year on the secondary market as well. The beginning of the year saw ridiculous mark ups at Bonhams and ebay, with Bonham's courting controversy with some of its bottle descriptions. Meanwhile, K&L sold a $90 bottle of Jefferson's Ocean Aged for over $1,000.
The tide seemed to turn when ebay shut down all alcohol sales, and Bowmore couldn't unload their latest six figure whiskey, which led some to wonder if the whiskey bubble was finally bursting.
And the silver lining
All of this isn't to say there wasn't a bright side to the year. Balvenie distinguished itself with the Tun 1401 series, showing that some distilleries are still willing to do the serious work of putting out great whiskey without gimmicks. GlenDronach's vintage series and Glenfarclas' family casks continued to impress without jewel encrusted bottles.
Four Roses continued to distinguish itself with its Limited Edition Small Batch. High West continued to innovate with Campfire (a blend of bourbon, rye and peated Scotch) and Son of Bourye, and Bulleit offered a bold and spicy rye that wouldn't break the bank (or even bruise it).
So while investing and speculation may have reached new levels of stupidity, there is still good whiskey to be had. Let's hope for good whiskey at affordable prices for the new year.
8 Aralık 2012 Cumartesi
Cookin' Bourbon at Cashmere Bites
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Last weekend I hosted a bourbon tasting at a cute little cooking school called Cashmere Bites. Located in the West Adams neighborhood, Cashmere Bites is a one-woman project run by clasically trained chef Tracey Augustine. She holds classes for up to 13 people on a variety of subjects from "urban tapas" to New Orleans cuisine, and her kitchen is in a great little industrial space. The classes usually cost in the $65-$75 range.
For our bourbon tasting, I led folks through the bourbons while Tracey accompanied with a four courses, each of which used bourbon as an ingredient. In this novice tasting, we tasted Eagle Rare 10, Elijah Craig 12, WL Weller 12, George Dickel 12, Bulleit Rye, and as a bonus I brought some Rittenhouse 23 year old and George T. Stagg from my personal stash.
Tracey made bourbon glazed chicken wings, brisket sliders with caramelized onions, bourbon/bacon pecan tarts and banana-bourbon pudding. All of these were great but I especially loved the sliders and the tarts, which were mini-pecan pies with bourbon...and bacon. It's hard to describe how immediately addictive these little things were, so sweet, chewy, nutty, bourbony and, as if that wasn't enough, bacony. I had to restrain myself from eating the whole plate.
I've hosted a lot of bourbon tastings, but this one was particularly fun. I've never had a (mostly) novice class where people were so engaged in the subject, and I've never had a tasting where a majority of the participants were women. Kudos to Tracey for putting together such a great group.
If you're interested in a fun cooking class, check out Tracey's operation at Cashmere Bites.
Cashmere Bites
2609B Brighton Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90018
info@cashmerebites.com
Disclaimer: While I didn't charge for my services, Tracey offered me a free cooking class in exchange for the tasting.
Last weekend I hosted a bourbon tasting at a cute little cooking school called Cashmere Bites. Located in the West Adams neighborhood, Cashmere Bites is a one-woman project run by clasically trained chef Tracey Augustine. She holds classes for up to 13 people on a variety of subjects from "urban tapas" to New Orleans cuisine, and her kitchen is in a great little industrial space. The classes usually cost in the $65-$75 range.
For our bourbon tasting, I led folks through the bourbons while Tracey accompanied with a four courses, each of which used bourbon as an ingredient. In this novice tasting, we tasted Eagle Rare 10, Elijah Craig 12, WL Weller 12, George Dickel 12, Bulleit Rye, and as a bonus I brought some Rittenhouse 23 year old and George T. Stagg from my personal stash.
Tracey made bourbon glazed chicken wings, brisket sliders with caramelized onions, bourbon/bacon pecan tarts and banana-bourbon pudding. All of these were great but I especially loved the sliders and the tarts, which were mini-pecan pies with bourbon...and bacon. It's hard to describe how immediately addictive these little things were, so sweet, chewy, nutty, bourbony and, as if that wasn't enough, bacony. I had to restrain myself from eating the whole plate.
I've hosted a lot of bourbon tastings, but this one was particularly fun. I've never had a (mostly) novice class where people were so engaged in the subject, and I've never had a tasting where a majority of the participants were women. Kudos to Tracey for putting together such a great group.
If you're interested in a fun cooking class, check out Tracey's operation at Cashmere Bites.
Cashmere Bites
2609B Brighton Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90018
info@cashmerebites.com
Disclaimer: While I didn't charge for my services, Tracey offered me a free cooking class in exchange for the tasting.
Jefferson's Rye
To contact us Click HERE
McLain & Kyne's Jefferson's Rye is the third of the trifecta of Canadian ten year old ryes that came out last year, the others being WhistlePig and Masterson's. Like the other two, Jefferson's is ten years old and made from 100% rye mash, but it's about $25 cheaper than its competitors.
Jefferson's Rye, 10 years old, 47% abv ($40)
The nose is sweet and piney, like a sugar coated pine needle. The palate is very similar to the aforementioned Canadian ryes with strong, earthy, piney notes and a bit of brine but some sweetness as well. The finish is decidedly spicy and briny.
These Canadian ryes came around at just the right time, during a shortage of aged American straight rye. In comparing Jefferson's to the other two Canadian ryes, WhistlePig is stronger, and Masterson's is slightly more nuanced. When it comes right down to it, though, they are strikingly similar. Given that similarity, you might as well buy the cheaper one, and that is clearly Jefferson's.
McLain & Kyne's Jefferson's Rye is the third of the trifecta of Canadian ten year old ryes that came out last year, the others being WhistlePig and Masterson's. Like the other two, Jefferson's is ten years old and made from 100% rye mash, but it's about $25 cheaper than its competitors.
Jefferson's Rye, 10 years old, 47% abv ($40)
The nose is sweet and piney, like a sugar coated pine needle. The palate is very similar to the aforementioned Canadian ryes with strong, earthy, piney notes and a bit of brine but some sweetness as well. The finish is decidedly spicy and briny.
These Canadian ryes came around at just the right time, during a shortage of aged American straight rye. In comparing Jefferson's to the other two Canadian ryes, WhistlePig is stronger, and Masterson's is slightly more nuanced. When it comes right down to it, though, they are strikingly similar. Given that similarity, you might as well buy the cheaper one, and that is clearly Jefferson's.
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