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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.
30 Kasım 2012 Cuma
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 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, 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 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, but maybe there is a reason they aren't releasing this under their own label.
Dusty Thursday: Old Grand-Dad BIB 1945
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Old Grand-Dad is another bourbon with a long heritage, going back to the nineteenth century. For years, it was made at the Old Grand-Dad distillery which was closed after National Distillers sold the brand to Beam in 1987.
This very dusty Grand-Dad is bottled in bond and was distilled in 1945 and bottled in 1949.
Old Grand-Dad BIB, distilled 1945/bottled 1949, 4 years old, 100 proof.
This one has an amazing nose that starts with a big blast of rye then moves to toffee, butterscotch and brandy. The palate isn't quite as strong as the nose. It has very dry, spicy notes with cinnamon and wood. The finish is pleasantly briny and spicy.
The nose on this is absolutely fantastic. The palate is good but lacks the sweet notes that balance the nose so well. Water mellows it nicely, bringing out maple syrup, citrus and honey.
See the LA Whiskey Society reviews of Old Grand-Dad BIB 1949.
Old Grand-Dad is another bourbon with a long heritage, going back to the nineteenth century. For years, it was made at the Old Grand-Dad distillery which was closed after National Distillers sold the brand to Beam in 1987. This very dusty Grand-Dad is bottled in bond and was distilled in 1945 and bottled in 1949.
Old Grand-Dad BIB, distilled 1945/bottled 1949, 4 years old, 100 proof.
This one has an amazing nose that starts with a big blast of rye then moves to toffee, butterscotch and brandy. The palate isn't quite as strong as the nose. It has very dry, spicy notes with cinnamon and wood. The finish is pleasantly briny and spicy.
The nose on this is absolutely fantastic. The palate is good but lacks the sweet notes that balance the nose so well. Water mellows it nicely, bringing out maple syrup, citrus and honey.
See the LA Whiskey Society reviews of Old Grand-Dad BIB 1949.
Sunny day at Shaker Village Ky 8"x10" oil
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Please click here to purchase.Shaker Village is an historic site here in Kentucky. It is one of America's largest restored community which has 34 restored buildings and 3,000 acres of preserved farmland. It also has more than 25 miles of stone walls that were made up of local limestone. Irish imagrants started the walls and passed their craft on to black slaves who became masters at building the rock walls. Only 5 or 10% of these 19th century dry stone walls exhist today. Click here for more information.
My blog: http://claudiahammer.blogspot.com
My website: http://claudiahammer.com
My email: iclaudiahammer@insightbb.com
My DPW gallery: http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Artists/chammer-209
Please click here to purchase.Shaker Village is an historic site here in Kentucky. It is one of America's largest restored community which has 34 restored buildings and 3,000 acres of preserved farmland. It also has more than 25 miles of stone walls that were made up of local limestone. Irish imagrants started the walls and passed their craft on to black slaves who became masters at building the rock walls. Only 5 or 10% of these 19th century dry stone walls exhist today. Click here for more information.My blog: http://claudiahammer.blogspot.com
My website: http://claudiahammer.com
My email: iclaudiahammer@insightbb.com
My DPW gallery: http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Artists/chammer-209
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.
29 Kasım 2012 Perşembe
14,471....
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Almost 3 years ago I added a post about Bourbon and Ginger Ale. Little did I know at the time that it would trump any other post by a margin of almost 2 to 1. Almost daily, that post has the highest number of pageviews on this blog.
So, now I'm challenged to go beyond just bourbon and try other whisk(e)y expressions with Ginger Ale. I'll use the same base soda as I did back then, Blenheims Ginger Ale, and try it with various Scotch expressions, Irish, Japanese, Canadian and Indian. I was thinking about avoiding anything with a heavy peat/smoke influence but maybe the results of that mix would surprise me (not thinking likely).
So, over the next number of days, I'll be mixing up various whisk(e)y with ginger to see how they stack up to the traditional Bourbon Highball.
So, now I'm challenged to go beyond just bourbon and try other whisk(e)y expressions with Ginger Ale. I'll use the same base soda as I did back then, Blenheims Ginger Ale, and try it with various Scotch expressions, Irish, Japanese, Canadian and Indian. I was thinking about avoiding anything with a heavy peat/smoke influence but maybe the results of that mix would surprise me (not thinking likely).
So, over the next number of days, I'll be mixing up various whisk(e)y with ginger to see how they stack up to the traditional Bourbon Highball.
Knappogue Castle 1995 - Blind Tasting
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Knappogue Castle Vintage selections denote year of distillation, this one in 1995 is 13 years old and was distilled at Bushmills (prior to 1993, Cooley). There's no color added so it's a very pale blond. I found the color interesting as this whiskey is aged entirely in bourbon barrels. Even though it's second use, I would have expected something a little darker. This selection comes in at 80 proof but to me, drinks like something more than that.
This is the 7th selection in the blind Irish tasting and for the most part, the results exhibited a somewhat lopsided bell curve with tasters approving more than disapproving. Interesting data point, the Beverage Tasting Institute gave this selection an exceptional rating of 92. Our tasting panel was not quite as generous.
My thoughts on this selection is that it's a very delicate whiskey exhibiting a profile that was somewhat grassy with citrus overnotes, honeyed, light summer berries and a touch of spice about mid palate. The finish was somewhat oily and moderate in length. The Knappogue is a lighter experience than say Jameson 12 and while both are 80 proof, the Jameson is a blend not a single malt like this selection.
Scores came out as follows:
The tasting panel had the following comments on this Irish Whiskey:
"A delicate nose of malt, spice and citrus (grapefruit, maybe a little orange). Sweet on the palate, with a clean finish."
"Nose is very fruity, some tropical notes (Mango, papaya) and some fruit cocktail notes.
Palate: Fruit yielding to malt notes. Exceedingly light with floral notes.
Finish: Fruit stripe gum."
"Very light color, presented initially as fruity on the nose...but then ended with an alcohol kick.
Light legs in the glass leading to an OK mouth feel. Found this to be ok on the initial sip but thin and leading to a very short finish and that wallop of heat that was so evident from the initial nose....."
"Color of this whiskey is very light. Very clean, bright fruit nose.....this one is very interesting on the palate…grapefruit on the back end of the finish? This one packs a good deal of flavor, appears to have more age and is quite interesting."
This is an Irish whiskey that is interesting enough to keep on the bar when you want something easy to sip on. Somewhat complex with a good mingle of flavors. I'm not sure if this particular release is still available but the pricing should be reasonable if found. If this one cannot be located, maybe try the current 12 year.
This is the 7th selection in the blind Irish tasting and for the most part, the results exhibited a somewhat lopsided bell curve with tasters approving more than disapproving. Interesting data point, the Beverage Tasting Institute gave this selection an exceptional rating of 92. Our tasting panel was not quite as generous.My thoughts on this selection is that it's a very delicate whiskey exhibiting a profile that was somewhat grassy with citrus overnotes, honeyed, light summer berries and a touch of spice about mid palate. The finish was somewhat oily and moderate in length. The Knappogue is a lighter experience than say Jameson 12 and while both are 80 proof, the Jameson is a blend not a single malt like this selection.
Scores came out as follows:
| 95-100 Classic Whiskey | 0 |
| 90-94 Excellent Whiskey | 0 |
| 85-89 Very Good, Above Average Whiskey | 4 |
| 80-84 Average Whiskey | 6 |
| 75-79 Fair Whiskey | 1 |
| 74 and Under - Pass on This Whiskey | 0 |
The tasting panel had the following comments on this Irish Whiskey:
"A delicate nose of malt, spice and citrus (grapefruit, maybe a little orange). Sweet on the palate, with a clean finish."
"Nose is very fruity, some tropical notes (Mango, papaya) and some fruit cocktail notes.
Palate: Fruit yielding to malt notes. Exceedingly light with floral notes.
Finish: Fruit stripe gum."
"Very light color, presented initially as fruity on the nose...but then ended with an alcohol kick.
Light legs in the glass leading to an OK mouth feel. Found this to be ok on the initial sip but thin and leading to a very short finish and that wallop of heat that was so evident from the initial nose....."
"Color of this whiskey is very light. Very clean, bright fruit nose.....this one is very interesting on the palate…grapefruit on the back end of the finish? This one packs a good deal of flavor, appears to have more age and is quite interesting."
This is an Irish whiskey that is interesting enough to keep on the bar when you want something easy to sip on. Somewhat complex with a good mingle of flavors. I'm not sure if this particular release is still available but the pricing should be reasonable if found. If this one cannot be located, maybe try the current 12 year.
Dirty Bourbon
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One byproduct of barrel strength, non filtered, barrel to bottle bourbon is the barrel char dregs that come with it. For some, this char layer on the bottom of the bottle is the prize at the end of the journey.
Last night I enjoyed the last pour from a 2005 William LaRue Weller. I handled the bottle gently in order to minimize agitating the char. I was mildly successful but still managed to get some char into the glass producing a pour that was more the color of weak coffee than the deep amber hue of a typical pour. I added just a touch of water and wasn't disappointed with a full flavored dram of wheat bourbon goodness. The char was present on each sip but not unpleasantly so.
Some may be turned off by this but to me it's all part of the experience of enjoying bourbon of varying degrees.....including barrel char. You will most likely find char is George T. Stagg or Bookers and of course I've seen it in some of my barrel picks that go from barrel to bottle.
I owe an apology to a friend of mine (that's you Em), where he and I have argued over the years about which WLW is better, 2005 or 2006. My preference over the years has leaned toward 2006 but he swears by 2005 but in this case, I tip my hat to the 2005 as it was an exceptional dram.
Last night I enjoyed the last pour from a 2005 William LaRue Weller. I handled the bottle gently in order to minimize agitating the char. I was mildly successful but still managed to get some char into the glass producing a pour that was more the color of weak coffee than the deep amber hue of a typical pour. I added just a touch of water and wasn't disappointed with a full flavored dram of wheat bourbon goodness. The char was present on each sip but not unpleasantly so.
Some may be turned off by this but to me it's all part of the experience of enjoying bourbon of varying degrees.....including barrel char. You will most likely find char is George T. Stagg or Bookers and of course I've seen it in some of my barrel picks that go from barrel to bottle.
I owe an apology to a friend of mine (that's you Em), where he and I have argued over the years about which WLW is better, 2005 or 2006. My preference over the years has leaned toward 2006 but he swears by 2005 but in this case, I tip my hat to the 2005 as it was an exceptional dram.
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.
How to REALLY spend Black Friday
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Every year on Black Friday my wife, her mother and all of her sisters get up at o'dark thirty and take off for a day of shopping. Remember the scene in Full Metal Jacket where the dude gets beat with a sock filled with soap? I'd choose that over shopping on Black Friday.....seriously.
So, since the girls would be gone a good 12+ hours, I decided an afternoon of BBQ, Beer, Bourbon and Poker was in order. I invited the family men (brother in laws, nephews, etc.) for an afternoon of goofing off.
On Thanksgiving evening I took out a 12lb pork butt and let it sit out for a little over an hour to let it come up in temp a little bit. I applied some Dizzy Pig Dizzy Dust rub and then tossed into the smoker. I used bourbon barrel staves for the wood.
At 3:00 a.m. I got up and checked the temp.....167. Perfect! I pulled it out, foiled it and placed it back into the smoker. At 9:30 a.m. when the temp reached 207, I pulled it out, wrapped it in a towel and put it in a cooler to sit for a couple hours.
I prepped the food so at 1:00 when everyone arrived, we dug in and had some great BBQ. On tap for beer we enjoyed some Bruery Saison Rue, Goose Island Bourbon County Stout and Great Lakes Commodore Perry. After lunch we watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail (my personal favorite) and drank Monty Pythons Holy Grail Ale (I know....corny but fun).
We finished off the day with a 3 hour game of poker. My sisters boyfriend who professed to have only played poker a couple of times and apologized for not fully understanding all the rules, cleaned us all out.
During the game we enjoyed some whiskey libations that included 1991 Eagle Rare 101, 1988 Weller Special Reserve, Caperdonich 19 year and Four Roses OESO barrel strength.
It was a good Black Friday and I'm thinking I'll repeat this next year....and hopefully win my money back.
So, since the girls would be gone a good 12+ hours, I decided an afternoon of BBQ, Beer, Bourbon and Poker was in order. I invited the family men (brother in laws, nephews, etc.) for an afternoon of goofing off.
On Thanksgiving evening I took out a 12lb pork butt and let it sit out for a little over an hour to let it come up in temp a little bit. I applied some Dizzy Pig Dizzy Dust rub and then tossed into the smoker. I used bourbon barrel staves for the wood.At 3:00 a.m. I got up and checked the temp.....167. Perfect! I pulled it out, foiled it and placed it back into the smoker. At 9:30 a.m. when the temp reached 207, I pulled it out, wrapped it in a towel and put it in a cooler to sit for a couple hours.
I prepped the food so at 1:00 when everyone arrived, we dug in and had some great BBQ. On tap for beer we enjoyed some Bruery Saison Rue, Goose Island Bourbon County Stout and Great Lakes Commodore Perry. After lunch we watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail (my personal favorite) and drank Monty Pythons Holy Grail Ale (I know....corny but fun). We finished off the day with a 3 hour game of poker. My sisters boyfriend who professed to have only played poker a couple of times and apologized for not fully understanding all the rules, cleaned us all out.During the game we enjoyed some whiskey libations that included 1991 Eagle Rare 101, 1988 Weller Special Reserve, Caperdonich 19 year and Four Roses OESO barrel strength.
It was a good Black Friday and I'm thinking I'll repeat this next year....and hopefully win my money back.
28 Kasım 2012 Çarşamba
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
To contact us Click HERE
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
To contact us Click HERE
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
To contact us Click HERE
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 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, 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 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, but maybe there is a reason they aren't releasing this under their own label.
A. Smith Bowman Distillery and Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Whiskey Port-Finished Bourbon
To contact us Click HERE
Daniela and I took a tour of A. Bowman Smith Distillery a few weeks ago. The distillery is located in an old cellophane factory in Fredericksburg, Virginia, a little over an hour drive south of Washington, DC. This is a very special place, where small batch and single barrel bourbons are produced with patience, care and skill.
The distillery tour departs every hour on the hour from 9am to 3pm Monday thru Friday. Hours are limited on Saturday and the distillery is closed on Sundays. I recommend calling ahead 2-3 weeks in advance to reserve a spot. The complimentary tour includes a brief history of the distillery, a museum tour with relics from distilling in the past, and a behind-the-scenes look at the operation of the distillery. We arrived on a beautiful partly cloudy Saturday morning in the middle of Fall.
The week of our visit, the distillery released a limited edition bourbon called
Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Whiskey Port-Finished Bourbon. This bourbon was aged for four
years at A. Smith Bowman in a single barrel. Next, the barrel was emptied, shipped to a winery in Potomac
Point, Virginia, filled with port, aged for two years, emptied again, then sent
back to Bowman where it was filled in January this year with a seven-year-old
bourbon before being dumped again and bottled in September.
This bourbon is released in very limited supply, only about 100 bottles from this one barrel. Luckily, I was able to purchase one of these bottles in the gift shop. These limited releases sell out very quickly, so the timing on our trip was just right. We haven't opened it yet, but it should be a nice treat for a special occasion some time down the road.
Master Distiller at A. Smith Bowman Distillery is Truman Cox. He signs all the bottles sold in the gift shop at the distillery. We didn't meet him on our tour, but we did learn a little about him. His background is as a chemist, he apprenticed at Buffalo Trace Distillery, and recently started in his position here in early 2011. He says that there are
plans to release more limited-edition whiskies in the future, “The Port-Finished Bourbon is our fourth release in our
limited edition series, and we have plans to ramp that up a little bit each
year as we move along.” Cox aspires for each release to be a distinct expression,
and with their limited availability, to be valued as a unique collector’s item. On our tour, we got to see a few of his experimental projects he is working on for limited release projects in the future.
Now back to the tour, Mary was our tour guide and she gives one hell of a tour. She has an excellent grasp of the history of the Bowman Brothers, the distillery and the bourbon making process. The original Bowman Brothers were officers in the Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War, and helped found Fayette County. Their descendant, A. Smith Bowman, began distilling around 1935 after the end of prohibition and produced Virginia Gentleman The family owned a large dairy/granary farm, and needed a use for all the excess grain they produced. The distillery moved to the facilities in Fredericksburg in 1988 due to increasing real estate prices among other reasons.
At the end of the tour Mary allowed us to sample various Bowman products: Bowman Brothers Small Batch bourbon (90 proof and aged 8 years), John J. Bowman Single Barrel bourbon (100 proof and aged 10 years), George Bowman Carribean rum, Deep Run Virginia Vodka, and Sunset Hills Virginia Gin (all of the latter three products are not produced on site). The highlight of the tasting was the John J. Single Barrel, which despite the higher proof is very smooth and truly a sipping bourbon. I highly recommend a visit to the distillery, and you can browse the pictures below.
A. Smith Bowman
1 Bowman Drive
Fredericksburg, VA 22408
(540) 373-4555
The distillery tour departs every hour on the hour from 9am to 3pm Monday thru Friday. Hours are limited on Saturday and the distillery is closed on Sundays. I recommend calling ahead 2-3 weeks in advance to reserve a spot. The complimentary tour includes a brief history of the distillery, a museum tour with relics from distilling in the past, and a behind-the-scenes look at the operation of the distillery. We arrived on a beautiful partly cloudy Saturday morning in the middle of Fall.
The week of our visit, the distillery released a limited edition bourbon called
Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Whiskey Port-Finished Bourbon. This bourbon was aged for four
years at A. Smith Bowman in a single barrel. Next, the barrel was emptied, shipped to a winery in Potomac
Point, Virginia, filled with port, aged for two years, emptied again, then sent
back to Bowman where it was filled in January this year with a seven-year-old
bourbon before being dumped again and bottled in September.
This bourbon is released in very limited supply, only about 100 bottles from this one barrel. Luckily, I was able to purchase one of these bottles in the gift shop. These limited releases sell out very quickly, so the timing on our trip was just right. We haven't opened it yet, but it should be a nice treat for a special occasion some time down the road.
 |
| Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Whiskey Port-Finished Bourbon |
Master Distiller at A. Smith Bowman Distillery is Truman Cox. He signs all the bottles sold in the gift shop at the distillery. We didn't meet him on our tour, but we did learn a little about him. His background is as a chemist, he apprenticed at Buffalo Trace Distillery, and recently started in his position here in early 2011. He says that there are
plans to release more limited-edition whiskies in the future, “The Port-Finished Bourbon is our fourth release in our
limited edition series, and we have plans to ramp that up a little bit each
year as we move along.” Cox aspires for each release to be a distinct expression,
and with their limited availability, to be valued as a unique collector’s item. On our tour, we got to see a few of his experimental projects he is working on for limited release projects in the future.
Now back to the tour, Mary was our tour guide and she gives one hell of a tour. She has an excellent grasp of the history of the Bowman Brothers, the distillery and the bourbon making process. The original Bowman Brothers were officers in the Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War, and helped found Fayette County. Their descendant, A. Smith Bowman, began distilling around 1935 after the end of prohibition and produced Virginia Gentleman The family owned a large dairy/granary farm, and needed a use for all the excess grain they produced. The distillery moved to the facilities in Fredericksburg in 1988 due to increasing real estate prices among other reasons.
At the end of the tour Mary allowed us to sample various Bowman products: Bowman Brothers Small Batch bourbon (90 proof and aged 8 years), John J. Bowman Single Barrel bourbon (100 proof and aged 10 years), George Bowman Carribean rum, Deep Run Virginia Vodka, and Sunset Hills Virginia Gin (all of the latter three products are not produced on site). The highlight of the tasting was the John J. Single Barrel, which despite the higher proof is very smooth and truly a sipping bourbon. I highly recommend a visit to the distillery, and you can browse the pictures below.
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| Mary cutting up with folks on the tour |
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| Museum: Relics from the past |
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| Museum: Relics from the past |
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| Bourbon penetration line in white oak barrel wood. |
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| Museum: Relics from the past |
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| This massive copper still's name is Mary, no relation to our tour-guide Mary. |
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| From the "Angel's Perch" overlooking more than 5000 bottles sitting upright and aging. |
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| Barrel candy |
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| Where the barrels are filled |
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| New Bottling Station. Currently, they still use a single pump for bottling. |
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| Spirit tasting |
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| View from outside the distillery |
27 Kasım 2012 Salı
Parker's Heritage Collection 2012: Blend of Mashbills
To contact us Click HERE
One of the annual special releases I most look forward to each fall is the Heaven Hill's Parker's Heritage Collection. Like the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, the Parker's is always good (and sometimes amazing), but unlike the BTAC, Parker's is always something different and is usually easy to find on the shelf.
This year, Heaven Hill brings us a "Master Distillers' Blend of Mashbills." It's a vatting of rye recipe bourbon and wheated bourbon distilled in 2001, and bottled at cask strength.
There were three different barrel minglings (aka "dumps") that will be released, each with a slightly different abv. The one I review here is the first dump.
Parker's Heritage Collection 2012 "Master Distiller's Blend of Mashbills", 11 yo, 65.8% abv ($80)
The nose starts with lots of spicy rye and winds through yeasty bread notes, ending with a good dose of oak, a pleasant journey. The palate starts with the acidic kick I'd usually identify with a wheated bourbon though even more acidic, like a sour lemon candy, then some chocolate notes (you want specifics? I'd say high cacao Costa Rican chocolate). Water brings clarity, that initial sour kick is more lemony and is followed by caramel and wood (more an oak tree than cut wood), though the sourness lingers. The finish is a muted oak, the sour notes reduced to a tangy tongue.
It's interesting how the wheat and rye work together here. It smells like a rye bourbon put tastes more like a wheater. As I said, Parker's bourbons range from good to amazing. I'd put this further toward the good range. It's a solid bourbon with a great nose and some interesting flavors, but I found the sourness a bit overpowering, and I didn't think the whole thing came together as well as some of the past releases.
One of the annual special releases I most look forward to each fall is the Heaven Hill's Parker's Heritage Collection. Like the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, the Parker's is always good (and sometimes amazing), but unlike the BTAC, Parker's is always something different and is usually easy to find on the shelf. This year, Heaven Hill brings us a "Master Distillers' Blend of Mashbills." It's a vatting of rye recipe bourbon and wheated bourbon distilled in 2001, and bottled at cask strength.
There were three different barrel minglings (aka "dumps") that will be released, each with a slightly different abv. The one I review here is the first dump.
Parker's Heritage Collection 2012 "Master Distiller's Blend of Mashbills", 11 yo, 65.8% abv ($80)
The nose starts with lots of spicy rye and winds through yeasty bread notes, ending with a good dose of oak, a pleasant journey. The palate starts with the acidic kick I'd usually identify with a wheated bourbon though even more acidic, like a sour lemon candy, then some chocolate notes (you want specifics? I'd say high cacao Costa Rican chocolate). Water brings clarity, that initial sour kick is more lemony and is followed by caramel and wood (more an oak tree than cut wood), though the sourness lingers. The finish is a muted oak, the sour notes reduced to a tangy tongue.
It's interesting how the wheat and rye work together here. It smells like a rye bourbon put tastes more like a wheater. As I said, Parker's bourbons range from good to amazing. I'd put this further toward the good range. It's a solid bourbon with a great nose and some interesting flavors, but I found the sourness a bit overpowering, and I didn't think the whole thing came together as well as some of the past releases.
Cookin' Bourbon at Cashmere Bites
To contact us Click HERE
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.
Bon Voyage: Jefferson's Ocean Aged
To contact us Click HERE
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
To contact us Click HERE
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.
26 Kasım 2012 Pazartesi
Bon Voyage: Jefferson's Ocean Aged
To contact us Click HERE
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.
The New Batch: Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 6
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This spring, I was very impressed by the first US release of Balvenie Tun 1401. That Batch (Batch 3) is still on some shelves, but Balvenie has now sent another release to the US: Batch 6, so I thought I'd compare them.
Whereas Batch 3 was composed of a blend of seven bourbon cask aged whiskies and three sherry cask whiskies, Batch 6 is composed of seven bourbon cask and two sherry cask whiskies.
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 6, 49.8% abv ($250)
The nose has those really nice sherry notes with mixed berries. The palate is a drier sherry that trails off with some baking spices, including cloves and allspice. Then there is just a wee bit of iodine and some medicinal notes more reminiscent of a coastal malt.
This is quite different from the first US release, Batch 3, which was fruitier. It's still a great whiskey though perhaps not as transcendent as Batch 3 was.
See the LA Whiskey Society Review of Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 6.
This spring, I was very impressed by the first US release of Balvenie Tun 1401. That Batch (Batch 3) is still on some shelves, but Balvenie has now sent another release to the US: Batch 6, so I thought I'd compare them.
Whereas Batch 3 was composed of a blend of seven bourbon cask aged whiskies and three sherry cask whiskies, Batch 6 is composed of seven bourbon cask and two sherry cask whiskies.
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 6, 49.8% abv ($250)
The nose has those really nice sherry notes with mixed berries. The palate is a drier sherry that trails off with some baking spices, including cloves and allspice. Then there is just a wee bit of iodine and some medicinal notes more reminiscent of a coastal malt.
This is quite different from the first US release, Batch 3, which was fruitier. It's still a great whiskey though perhaps not as transcendent as Batch 3 was.
See the LA Whiskey Society Review of Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 6.
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.
Happy Thanksgiving: Whiskey Edition
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In the spirit of Thanksgiving, here are ten things in the whiskey world that I'm thankful for.
1. Four Roses, Balvenie, Glenfarclas and other producers that continue to release great whiskey at reasonable prices without gimmicks or excessive bling.
2. The death of whiskey on ebay. I was pretty neutral about ebay while it was selling whiskey (and I never bought or sold whiskey on ebay), but I have to admit, I'm relieved at not seeing the latest Pappy Van Winkle 15 to go for $800. For a while, it was probably a good thing for folks who don't have a great selection of whiskey where they are, but by the time they shut it down, the prices were so ridiculous that I can't imagine it was helping consumers.
3. Craft whiskey. I give these guys a lot of grief, but on the whole, the craft whiskey movement is a good thing, and I think we'll eventually get a number of really great whiskeys out of them.
4. K&L. Those guys give 110%. I'm lucky to have them as my local shop.
5. All those amateur bloggers who spend their own time and money to keep all of us better informed, including (but in no way limited to): Serge, Oliver, Davin, Jason P., Tim R. and many, many others.
6. Jefferson's Ocean Aged, Red Stagg, Dalmore Constellation, six figure whiskey, sourced whiskey that pretends to be something it's not and all the other absurdities that provide fodder for my satire. I'm thankful for them the way political satirists are thankful for Donald Trump, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden.
7. That there's no whiskey Black Friday...yet.
8. A little known LA liquor store I frequent with a huge selection, no web presence and no email list that just sticks everything out on the shelf...first come first served, like the old days.
9. All those folks who make the whiskey, not just the distillers, but the distillery workers, coopers, folks on the bottling line and other unrecognized people who show up every day to do the unglamorous work of making whiskey.
10. Everyone out there who bothers to read my ramblings or comment on them. Thanks to all my reader-pals!
Happy Thanksgiving! What are you thankful for, whiskey or otherwise?
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, here are ten things in the whiskey world that I'm thankful for.
1. Four Roses, Balvenie, Glenfarclas and other producers that continue to release great whiskey at reasonable prices without gimmicks or excessive bling.
2. The death of whiskey on ebay. I was pretty neutral about ebay while it was selling whiskey (and I never bought or sold whiskey on ebay), but I have to admit, I'm relieved at not seeing the latest Pappy Van Winkle 15 to go for $800. For a while, it was probably a good thing for folks who don't have a great selection of whiskey where they are, but by the time they shut it down, the prices were so ridiculous that I can't imagine it was helping consumers.
3. Craft whiskey. I give these guys a lot of grief, but on the whole, the craft whiskey movement is a good thing, and I think we'll eventually get a number of really great whiskeys out of them.
4. K&L. Those guys give 110%. I'm lucky to have them as my local shop.
5. All those amateur bloggers who spend their own time and money to keep all of us better informed, including (but in no way limited to): Serge, Oliver, Davin, Jason P., Tim R. and many, many others.
6. Jefferson's Ocean Aged, Red Stagg, Dalmore Constellation, six figure whiskey, sourced whiskey that pretends to be something it's not and all the other absurdities that provide fodder for my satire. I'm thankful for them the way political satirists are thankful for Donald Trump, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden.
7. That there's no whiskey Black Friday...yet.
8. A little known LA liquor store I frequent with a huge selection, no web presence and no email list that just sticks everything out on the shelf...first come first served, like the old days.
9. All those folks who make the whiskey, not just the distillers, but the distillery workers, coopers, folks on the bottling line and other unrecognized people who show up every day to do the unglamorous work of making whiskey.
10. Everyone out there who bothers to read my ramblings or comment on them. Thanks to all my reader-pals!
Happy Thanksgiving! What are you thankful for, whiskey or otherwise?
Holiday Whiskey Gifts
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Happy holidays! Here are some gift ideas for that loved one who loves whiskey. There were a number of good new releases this year which would make excellent gifts for the booze lover in your life.
Top Picks
For single malt Scotch, my pick of the year is definitely the Balvenie Tun 1401 ($250), a vatting of whiskies aged in bourbon and sherry casks that is a wonderfully balanced sherried malt. There are two distinct batches of this that have been released in the US, batch 3 and batch 6, and while both are excellent, batch 3 is a bit better, so grab it if you can.
For bourbon, the Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition 2012 ($87) is an easy pick. It's a big, complex bourbon bottled at barrel strength with notes of briny rye, tobacco and even some fruit. If you know someone who drools at the thought of George T. Stagg or Pappy Van Winkle, get them a bottle of this. It's probably the best bourbon I had all year. Apparently, though, it's become hard to find in California, so you may have to dig a little.
Something Smoky
If you know someone who likes their whiskey smoky, you might want to get something a bit out of the ordinary instead of that usual bottle of Ardbeg or Laphroaig. Two of my favorite smoky whiskeys of the year were fun and off the beaten Islay path. High West's Campfire ($55) is a blend of bourbon, rye and peated Scotch. It's unlike anything else around with a flavor that is at once sweet, spicy and smoky. Balcones Brimstone ($50) is a corn whiskey smoked with Texas scrub oak. It's deeply smoky with a sweet edge, and it's unlike any other smoky whiskey I've tasted.
Budget Booze
If you're looking for a less pricey gift, there are several good options. Trader Joe's Single Malt Irish Whiskey ($20) was probably the best Irish Whiskey I had all year, with a nice combination of peat and sherried sweetness. Distilled at the Cooley distillery, it still seems to be readily available, and the price is right.
One of my favorite new bourbons of the year was Hooker's House ($36), a high-rye Kentucky bourbon finished in pinot noir barrels. It has a nice, fruity disposition and is a pleasure to sip for a reasonable price.
Canadian Whisky
If you know someone who loves Canadiant Whisky, you could get them one of the excellent ten year old Canadian straight ryes, WhistlePig ($70), Masterson's ($65) or Jefferson's ($40), but what you really should get them is Davin de Kergommeaux's excellent book Canadian Whisky, the Portable Expert ($15) which answers any question anyone has ever had about Canadian Whisky, its history, style and production.
Cognac
Lastly, for those of you who might be looking for a whiskey alternative, look no further than the Famille Esteve Selection Coup de Coeur Cognac ($90), part of K&L's exclusive selection of Cognacs. Equal parts sweet and spicy, this is a wonderful Cognac to sip anytime and better than some Cognacs that go for nearly double the price.
Happy holidays!
Happy holidays! Here are some gift ideas for that loved one who loves whiskey. There were a number of good new releases this year which would make excellent gifts for the booze lover in your life.
Top Picks
For single malt Scotch, my pick of the year is definitely the Balvenie Tun 1401 ($250), a vatting of whiskies aged in bourbon and sherry casks that is a wonderfully balanced sherried malt. There are two distinct batches of this that have been released in the US, batch 3 and batch 6, and while both are excellent, batch 3 is a bit better, so grab it if you can.
For bourbon, the Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition 2012 ($87) is an easy pick. It's a big, complex bourbon bottled at barrel strength with notes of briny rye, tobacco and even some fruit. If you know someone who drools at the thought of George T. Stagg or Pappy Van Winkle, get them a bottle of this. It's probably the best bourbon I had all year. Apparently, though, it's become hard to find in California, so you may have to dig a little.
Something Smoky
If you know someone who likes their whiskey smoky, you might want to get something a bit out of the ordinary instead of that usual bottle of Ardbeg or Laphroaig. Two of my favorite smoky whiskeys of the year were fun and off the beaten Islay path. High West's Campfire ($55) is a blend of bourbon, rye and peated Scotch. It's unlike anything else around with a flavor that is at once sweet, spicy and smoky. Balcones Brimstone ($50) is a corn whiskey smoked with Texas scrub oak. It's deeply smoky with a sweet edge, and it's unlike any other smoky whiskey I've tasted.
Budget Booze
If you're looking for a less pricey gift, there are several good options. Trader Joe's Single Malt Irish Whiskey ($20) was probably the best Irish Whiskey I had all year, with a nice combination of peat and sherried sweetness. Distilled at the Cooley distillery, it still seems to be readily available, and the price is right.
One of my favorite new bourbons of the year was Hooker's House ($36), a high-rye Kentucky bourbon finished in pinot noir barrels. It has a nice, fruity disposition and is a pleasure to sip for a reasonable price.
Canadian Whisky
If you know someone who loves Canadiant Whisky, you could get them one of the excellent ten year old Canadian straight ryes, WhistlePig ($70), Masterson's ($65) or Jefferson's ($40), but what you really should get them is Davin de Kergommeaux's excellent book Canadian Whisky, the Portable Expert ($15) which answers any question anyone has ever had about Canadian Whisky, its history, style and production.
Cognac
Lastly, for those of you who might be looking for a whiskey alternative, look no further than the Famille Esteve Selection Coup de Coeur Cognac ($90), part of K&L's exclusive selection of Cognacs. Equal parts sweet and spicy, this is a wonderful Cognac to sip anytime and better than some Cognacs that go for nearly double the price.
Happy holidays!
25 Kasım 2012 Pazar
New Arrivals: Moylan's American Rye and Bourbon Whisky!
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Hey all,
Well isn't that just perfect, one of our favorite breweries is now making whisky. Moylan's brewery, makers of several well crafted beers and our first bourbon barrel aged release, have started working with Stillwater Spirits in Petaluma CA and are now making bourbon and rye whisky. As if we needed even more of a connection between our two favorite things, beer and bourbon enthusiasts can now rejoice!
Moylan's Cask Strength Bourbon Whisky 60.8% Alcohol (121.6 proof)
-I've been told this is in the 2-3 year age range. What I think is clever right off the bat is the decision to leave it cask strength. Younger bourbons can be amazing, but don't necessarily have the depth to maintain their flavor profile when watered down to bottling strength. On the nose I get notes of caramel, vanilla and a touch of toasted coconut. On the palate I get notes of butterscotch, creme brulee, vanilla and white florals. Really delicate-soft flavors even at cask strength, and perilously drinkable!
Moylan's American Rye Whisky 49.5% Alcohol (99 proof)
-Also in the 2-3 year age range. Back of the bottle says: "Before now, an immpeccably constructed rye whisky was impossible to find". Probably a little bit of a stretch but hey, good rye whisky isn't exactly growing on trees these days. This is a great example of a perfectly proofed whisky. Its not cask strength, but you can tell from the concentration of flavors and balance that this was well thought out and tested before bottling. There is a fair bit of spice on the nose: aromas of peppercorns, allspice, roasted nuts, cinnamon and marzipan. As it washes over the palate I get flavors of: aged fruitcake, ginger snaps, cardamom, nutmeg, dates, earth and toasted oak. Super complex and exceedingly well rounded!
Both the rye and bourbon are local, micro distilled and well...... awesome. You want these!
Nate
Hey all,Well isn't that just perfect, one of our favorite breweries is now making whisky. Moylan's brewery, makers of several well crafted beers and our first bourbon barrel aged release, have started working with Stillwater Spirits in Petaluma CA and are now making bourbon and rye whisky. As if we needed even more of a connection between our two favorite things, beer and bourbon enthusiasts can now rejoice!
Moylan's Cask Strength Bourbon Whisky 60.8% Alcohol (121.6 proof)
-I've been told this is in the 2-3 year age range. What I think is clever right off the bat is the decision to leave it cask strength. Younger bourbons can be amazing, but don't necessarily have the depth to maintain their flavor profile when watered down to bottling strength. On the nose I get notes of caramel, vanilla and a touch of toasted coconut. On the palate I get notes of butterscotch, creme brulee, vanilla and white florals. Really delicate-soft flavors even at cask strength, and perilously drinkable!
Moylan's American Rye Whisky 49.5% Alcohol (99 proof)
-Also in the 2-3 year age range. Back of the bottle says: "Before now, an immpeccably constructed rye whisky was impossible to find". Probably a little bit of a stretch but hey, good rye whisky isn't exactly growing on trees these days. This is a great example of a perfectly proofed whisky. Its not cask strength, but you can tell from the concentration of flavors and balance that this was well thought out and tested before bottling. There is a fair bit of spice on the nose: aromas of peppercorns, allspice, roasted nuts, cinnamon and marzipan. As it washes over the palate I get flavors of: aged fruitcake, ginger snaps, cardamom, nutmeg, dates, earth and toasted oak. Super complex and exceedingly well rounded!
Both the rye and bourbon are local, micro distilled and well...... awesome. You want these!
Nate
New Arrivals: Healthy Spirits Four Roses Private Selection "Dave's Barrel"
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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!!
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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. Michter's 20 year bourbon, which is probably closer to 23 or 24 years old , is in all likelihood a single barrel from Stitzel-Weller giving you an opportunity to try what a cask strength unfiltered Pappy Van Winkle might be like.
Excited yet? You should be. As an encore, 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 was a Stitzel-Weller bottling as far as I know, and after opening the current one I have to say, it tastes surprisingly similar. But I haven't been able to confirm it as independent bottlers often don't share their sources. Even if it's not a Stitzel-Weller product it's probably one of the best bourbons I've ever had. 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. Michter's 20 year bourbon, which is probably closer to 23 or 24 years old , is in all likelihood a single barrel from Stitzel-Weller giving you an opportunity to try what a cask strength unfiltered Pappy Van Winkle might be like.
Excited yet? You should be. As an encore, 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 was a Stitzel-Weller bottling as far as I know, and after opening the current one I have to say, it tastes surprisingly similar. But I haven't been able to confirm it as independent bottlers often don't share their sources. Even if it's not a Stitzel-Weller product it's probably one of the best bourbons I've ever had. 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
24 Kasım 2012 Cumartesi
New Arrivals: Moylan's American Rye and Bourbon Whisky!
To contact us Click HERE
Hey all,
Well isn't that just perfect, one of our favorite breweries is now making whisky. Moylan's brewery, makers of several well crafted beers and our first bourbon barrel aged release, have started working with Stillwater Spirits in Petaluma CA and are now making bourbon and rye whisky. As if we needed even more of a connection between our two favorite things, beer and bourbon enthusiasts can now rejoice!
Moylan's Cask Strength Bourbon Whisky 60.8% Alcohol (121.6 proof)
-I've been told this is in the 2-3 year age range. What I think is clever right off the bat is the decision to leave it cask strength. Younger bourbons can be amazing, but don't necessarily have the depth to maintain their flavor profile when watered down to bottling strength. On the nose I get notes of caramel, vanilla and a touch of toasted coconut. On the palate I get notes of butterscotch, creme brulee, vanilla and white florals. Really delicate-soft flavors even at cask strength, and perilously drinkable!
Moylan's American Rye Whisky 49.5% Alcohol (99 proof)
-Also in the 2-3 year age range. Back of the bottle says: "Before now, an immpeccably constructed rye whisky was impossible to find". Probably a little bit of a stretch but hey, good rye whisky isn't exactly growing on trees these days. This is a great example of a perfectly proofed whisky. Its not cask strength, but you can tell from the concentration of flavors and balance that this was well thought out and tested before bottling. There is a fair bit of spice on the nose: aromas of peppercorns, allspice, roasted nuts, cinnamon and marzipan. As it washes over the palate I get flavors of: aged fruitcake, ginger snaps, cardamom, nutmeg, dates, earth and toasted oak. Super complex and exceedingly well rounded!
Both the rye and bourbon are local, micro distilled and well...... awesome. You want these!
Nate
Hey all,Well isn't that just perfect, one of our favorite breweries is now making whisky. Moylan's brewery, makers of several well crafted beers and our first bourbon barrel aged release, have started working with Stillwater Spirits in Petaluma CA and are now making bourbon and rye whisky. As if we needed even more of a connection between our two favorite things, beer and bourbon enthusiasts can now rejoice!
Moylan's Cask Strength Bourbon Whisky 60.8% Alcohol (121.6 proof)
-I've been told this is in the 2-3 year age range. What I think is clever right off the bat is the decision to leave it cask strength. Younger bourbons can be amazing, but don't necessarily have the depth to maintain their flavor profile when watered down to bottling strength. On the nose I get notes of caramel, vanilla and a touch of toasted coconut. On the palate I get notes of butterscotch, creme brulee, vanilla and white florals. Really delicate-soft flavors even at cask strength, and perilously drinkable!
Moylan's American Rye Whisky 49.5% Alcohol (99 proof)
-Also in the 2-3 year age range. Back of the bottle says: "Before now, an immpeccably constructed rye whisky was impossible to find". Probably a little bit of a stretch but hey, good rye whisky isn't exactly growing on trees these days. This is a great example of a perfectly proofed whisky. Its not cask strength, but you can tell from the concentration of flavors and balance that this was well thought out and tested before bottling. There is a fair bit of spice on the nose: aromas of peppercorns, allspice, roasted nuts, cinnamon and marzipan. As it washes over the palate I get flavors of: aged fruitcake, ginger snaps, cardamom, nutmeg, dates, earth and toasted oak. Super complex and exceedingly well rounded!
Both the rye and bourbon are local, micro distilled and well...... awesome. You want these!
Nate
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!
To contact us Click HERE
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. Michter's 20 year bourbon, which is probably closer to 23 or 24 years old , is in all likelihood a single barrel from Stitzel-Weller giving you an opportunity to try what a cask strength unfiltered Pappy Van Winkle might be like.
Excited yet? You should be. As an encore, 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 was a Stitzel-Weller bottling as far as I know, and after opening the current one I have to say, it tastes surprisingly similar. But I haven't been able to confirm it as independent bottlers often don't share their sources. Even if it's not a Stitzel-Weller product it's probably one of the best bourbons I've ever had. 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. Michter's 20 year bourbon, which is probably closer to 23 or 24 years old , is in all likelihood a single barrel from Stitzel-Weller giving you an opportunity to try what a cask strength unfiltered Pappy Van Winkle might be like.
Excited yet? You should be. As an encore, 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 was a Stitzel-Weller bottling as far as I know, and after opening the current one I have to say, it tastes surprisingly similar. But I haven't been able to confirm it as independent bottlers often don't share their sources. Even if it's not a Stitzel-Weller product it's probably one of the best bourbons I've ever had. Don't sleep on these, they definitely won't be around for long!
Nate
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