#FEW Rye Cask Strength

[varchasspirit]

The future of the whisky industry and the emergence of new trends and styles

The whisky industry is going through a period of rapid change. As tastes and preferences evolve, so too do the styles of whisky produce. New whisky styles are emerging, while traditional scotch whisky remains popular. Consumers are increasingly interested in trying different types of whiskies like straight bourbon whiskey, straight rye whiskey and more from around the world, leading to a surge in demand for new and innovative products.

In this article, we will explore the current state of the whisky industry and how it is evolving to meet changing consumer demands. We will look at emerging trends in the whisky market and new styles that are gaining popularity. Finally, we will discuss how producers adapt their production methods to meet these changing tastes and preferences.

Whisky is the most distilled spirit in the world. It can be made from any grain, including barley, corn, rye, wheat, and oats. In general, whiskies are aged for at least three years in oak barrels before they are ready to drink. Single malt whisky is a whisky produced at one distillery using malt as its primary ingredient and aged in oak casks which come solely from that distillery. This means that each bottle of single malt whisky contains all the same characteristics of that distillery's specific batches of mash, water and yeast.

These characteristics may vary yearly due to variations in the production process. A blended whisky is a blend of whiskies from various distilleries and vintages, often with a high percentage of malt and much less grain, that has been mixed. Blended whiskies are typically aged in new oak casks and bottled at cask strength to maintain the original flavour.

Whiskey vs Bourbon: Some people confuse whiskey and bourbon, even though they are different. Bourbon is made primarily of corn, while whiskies are distilled from grains such as barley malt or rye. Bourbon is a type of American-style whiskey that must be aged in new oak barrels and contains a minimum of 51% corn, whereas whisky can be aged in any type of cask, including used bourbon barrels. Bourbon is the only type of American whiskey to be taxed by law. Water, yeast, caramel, and sugar are added to bourbon during ageing, creating a unique taste. The Spirit of Whisky is said to be the "perfect balance of malt, grain and water". The aroma of whisky is also said to be somewhat delicate, with a mixture of vanilla and caramel notes.

Exploring the Latest Trends and styles in the Whisky industry:

The whisky industry is constantly evolving and changing, with new trends and styles emerging each year. This year, we are seeing a rise in experimental whiskies pushing the boundaries of traditional whisky production. Whiskey Distilleries are experimenting with unique flavours and styles to create unique whisky experiences.

We will explore some of the hottest trends in the whisky industry for 2023, from new whiskey styles to unique flavours. We'll also look at some of the experimental whiskies that are being produced and what's driving these changes in the market. Join us as we explore the latest trends and styles in whisky!

We'll discuss everything from new whiskey styles to unique whiskey flavours and experimental whiskies pushing the boundaries of what's possible in this beloved spirit. With so many options available, there's something for everyone - no matter your preferences! New Whiskey Styles with so many new ingredients and flavours in the whiskey scene, there's a new "style" emerging every day. The latest, and perhaps most exciting, is bourbon barrel-ageing whiskey. Some distilleries are even experimenting with turning their product into a sour ale! These are just a few innovative spirits that have become popular recently.

Check out our list of five recent whiskey trends below:

1) Bourbon Barrel-Aged Whiskey (BBA) - This style has been around for quite some time and is certainly not going anywhere anytime soon. But what exactly is bourbon barrel-aged whiskey? Well, it's the process of ageing whiskey in used bourbon barrels. This method can be used for about a year, but it typically lasts about two years. It gives the whiskey a huge amount of smoky and oaky flavours that are beyond impressive.

2) Sours - Sour ales have been around since before prohibition, but in recent years they have become increasingly popular as a unique flavour among whiskey drinkers. The process involves distilling sour beer into a neutral spirit to make Whiskey Barrel Aged Sour Ale or Whiskey Barrel Aged Sour Blonde Ale (for example), which is then aged in bourbon barrels. And blended with a fruity sour ale to create the perfect sour beer cocktail.

3) Imperial Stout - Stout is a dark beer brewed with roasted malted barley, roasted unmalted barley, or a mix of both. It has traditionally been brewed in Ireland and Britain and made with milk sugar or raw sugar to give it its distinctive sweet flavour.

Many modern stout recipes were developed during the 19th century, and the Boston Beer Company brewed the first commercial stout in America.

4) IPA - India Pale Ale is a hoppy beer from England. Mild-mannered drinkers might be surprised that IPAs are among the most consumed craft beers in the world! Some of these flavours come from hops, while some come from juniper berries and coriander seeds.

5) Hefeweizen - Weihenstephan is a German wheat beer with top-fermenting yeast at cold temperatures to produce cloudiness and a banana-ester aroma. The flavour includes wheat with slight citrus notes, clove, and fruity esters.

6) Kolsch - Originally brewed in Cologne, Germany, as "Cologne ale," to be consumed quickly before the inhabitant of Cologne ran out of drinking water from the river when it was polluted with sewage in 1838. It is characterized by its low alcohol content (typically less than 6%) and a slightly hazy gold-to-straw color.

7) Wheat beer - This style is like pale lager or German pilsner but made with wheat malt instead of barley malt and flavoured with hops and yeast. Hops provide a citrusy flavour to the beer and help keep it from getting too much wheat flavour, while they also have antibacterial properties.

8) Saison - This Belgian-style beer is made with at least 50% malted barley. It has been called "the poor man's champagne." It was originally brewed in Wallonia and the French-speaking part of Belgium, where it became popular among farmers as an affordable way to celebrate special occasions like religious festivals or harvest time.

9) American wheat beer - The use of hops in this beer is lower than traditional versions with this style, but it is still a refreshing, light-bodied beer. It should have less than 5% alcohol by volume. It is commonly served with an orange slice or lemon wedge to add flavour.

10) Blonde ale - This type of beer has a light colour and has very little to no bitterness or hop flavour.

Useful Links

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[prairiescotch]

When life hands you lemons, at least there’s still whisky.

A week ago today I was informed that my contract would not be renewed and I will be jobless after the year’s end. That’s kind of a bummer, but it wasn’t totally expected, given the political nature of my work. But even when you think you’re prepared for such a thing you can still be thrown way off balance when the dismissal process is nothing short of brutally inhumane. 

Consequently it has also been the longest week of my life. From commiserating with my fellow dismissees to some minor wallowing in self-pity to exorcising demons via a violent video game to getting support from all around me and finding a short-term bit of work to keep some money coming it, pretty much everything has happened in a few short days. But leave it to my lovely wife to turn everything around with an early Christmas present. 

Despite not living in Calgary, I’ve previously enjoyed Kensington Wine Market’s annual whisky advent calendar. They always go all-out and make sure to include some very interesting samples. I’ll be attempting once again to blog along each day, because it’s fun!

This Zuidam/Millstone cask strength/single barrel 100% rye is a wild ride, and not just because it’s a bonkers beverage. The last time I was able to hang out with my Scotch-drinking pals one of them brought the Millstone 100 Rye to the party. I did not like it! It had some overwhelming soap, rocks, bubble gum, and rubber hose notes. It was weird, baby! So I approached this first advent offering, which is an exclusive KWM bottling, with some trepidation.

It wasn’t the same, but it also wasn’t your typical whisky. It seemed almost more like a heavily-oaked gin than a whisky. The nose is shot through with pine tree, juniper, orange pith, and potting soil, along with a whole cabinet of spices. Much of that carries over to the tongue, which hits hard with a lot of alcohol burn, warming all the way through to the end. There’s a heap of dill, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, bitter almond, and oak. There’s a real strong gin presence as well, like it was mixed right in with the rye. 

This was a real trip! It could make for some very interesting cocktails, but I probably won’t be rushing to grab ahold of a bottle for myself. However, if you’ve tried just about everything else under the sun, take it for a spin! If nothing else, it’s a unique experience.

[torontocommon]

Recap of our 2nd annual Rare Canadian Whisky Tasting with @spencer.gooderham @atoitoronto 🙌🏻 We got to taste all the limited releases of the 2019 Northern Border Collection including the 2019 Canadian Whisky Of The Year @pikecreek_whisky 21 Yr, Oloroso Sherry Cask finish. @jpwisers first cask strength whisky blend, a 23 yr corn + rye blend, coming in at 64.3% ABV. #gooderhamandworts 49 Wellington, a 4 grain blend with Red Winter Wheat and Red Oak Maturation to capture the red hue of Toronto’s iconic flatiron building, the former headquarters of this equally iconic Toronto distillery. And @lot40 100% Rye, Cask Strength third edition. In this year's release, 75% of the blend is regauged in French oak creating stronger notes of vanilla to balance the bold, spicy flavours of Canada’s distinctive ingredient, #Rye. All are small batch whiskies, produced in limited quantities at the 2019 Canadian Distillery of the Year, Hiram Walker in Windsor, Ontario. And they’re all blended by Master Blender of the Year @cdnwhiskydoc, one of few distillers in the world with a PhD in brewing & distillation from the one-and-only Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. This flight of rare whiskies showed the diverse range of Canadian Whisky. Bold, sweet, spicy, soft, or complex, we can make it right here at home 😉 Special thanks to @spencer.gooderham for guiding us through Canadian whisky, its (and his family’s) history, + its legacy in Canada. And to the team at @atoitoronto for a delicious @lot40 welcome cocktail, canapés, + cafe beignets for dessert 😋 #ohcanada #homegrown #canadianwhisky #rareexpressions #rarewhisky #whiskytasting #toeats #toronto #torontoeats #torontotaste #torontolife #torontofood #torontodrink #torontofun #torontocommon (at A Toi) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7pGEHTByQh/?igshid=nubh2vmovr9h

[thewhiskyphiles]

Whisky New Releases 2017 Week 49

#Whisky New Releases 2017 Week 49 top picks from @Kilkerranwhisky @Englishwhisky @Sprinbank1828

Whisky New Releases 2017 Week 49

Welcome to The Whiskyphiles New Releases, our weekly report on the best of both the official and independently bottled whisky recently released.

Our top picks this weeks are:

Kilkerran 8 Year Old Cask Strength

The Norfolk – Parched

Springbank 10 Year Old Local Barley

Sláinte!

Barry@TheWhiskyphiles

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Westport 1997 (cask 3291) (bottled 2014) £111.24

[thebourbontruth]

2019 Fathers Day Bourbon Buying Guide/List

Here is my 2019 Fathers Day Bourbon Buying Guide/List. It’s somewhat an “evergreen list” though that should hold up for a bit. Its also a “Reality List”. Its my belief that a Whiskey favorites buying list is worthless if you can’t buy it. For this reason, I’m leaving off things that are too limited to buy at a reasonable price, poor value, over rated or unfortunately not distributed to enough places to make it easy to find.

1792 Barton Small Batch, Single Barrel and Full Proof Bourbon’s are all good buys for their respective taste and price of $30-$50

Angels Envy Bourbon I’m not a big fan of wine barrel finishes but this is a rare exception. The Port is well balanced and doesn’t try to compete with the Whiskey. It’s especially nice for a before/after dinner sip and for the novice as it’s not an “in your face” high proofer. At $50-$60 it’s a fair value and makes a nice gift.

Barrell Bourbon These have been coming out regularly the past few years. Alternating or blending Dickel and MGP barrels these are well aged and range from good to great. Currently up to around Batch 20. Bottled at barrel proof. They have been experimenting with various barrel finishes but I’m happy to stick with their regular Straight Bourbon. Gift one or bring it to a party to look like an expert since this isn’t a common bottle. $80-$90

Basil Hayden Bourbon Its weakness is its strength. It’s one of the only low proof (80) true premium brands. My recommendation for the novices and beginners. This is not however something you want to mix or put ice cubes in. It’s from the higher rye recipe so it will be a bit spicier but not hot. It will get easily diluted and lost. $40-$50

Blanton’s This is really a Mirage and not a recommendation but a explanation. Too hard to find, hefty price increases and slipping quality put this once list contender off the island.

Bookers Bourbon This one can at times be “batchy” in good or bad ways. On average it’s a great whiskey that’s the original mass marketed almost barrel proof. Best to read up on some of the highly rated batches and look for those. When it’s a good one, its good but when its average or worse it can be nasty and bitter. Its high proof holds up to water and ice well but too strong for most cocktails. Some batches will blast you out of your seat while others can be so smooth the actual proof will shock you. Again, IS NOT for a novice or a beginner. It’s a lot to handle if you’re not prepared and it WILL fuck you up quickly if you treat it like Kool-aide. $60-$80 this one has a “Price Creep” and is going up little by little. Beam sees it at $100 a bottle in the not to distant future. If you find a good batch at the lower price, stocking up isn’t a bad idea.

As a side note speaking of barrel proof/high proof whiskey. I avoid gifting or bringing over 100 proof to people that aren’t used to it. It can easily sneak up on them. Same goes for people newer to Bourbon. I’m puzzled when I see newbies go for high proof and things like barrel proof Willett that is not only way past their capability to taste and enjoy but it is jumping off the deep end of the whiskey pool before they can swim. Same goes for starting the journey with expensive and rare things they haven’t learned to taste or appreciate. Work up to them eventually. I’m not a happy camper when friends are over that are Jack drinkers and go right for the Van Winkle because they saw it on TV. Same thought process goes for gifting at Fathers Day etc. Don’t over do it, most likely you’ll waste your money and they won’t enjoy it.

Buffalo Trace Bourbon the same mash bill as so many more expensive and limited options from the distillery. Good value for the price. One note of caution is that this one seems like its getting batched and bottled younger than it has been. It can show up like Pee Wee Herman, a bit light and wimpy. Younger Whiskey also has more flaws too. Short or bitter finishes and chemical notes. I wouldn’t call these common but more so than what they had been. $25

Cleveland Whiskey --Just kidding! Buy this only to disinfect toilets at the train station, NOT your own as it might strip off the enamel. Good for keeping Coyotes away from campsites and vermin out of your garden. ONLY bring this to a home you never want to be invited back to! ONLY regift it to someone actually sitting in a good Emergency Room. As for Straight Up gifting for Fathers Day, I guess there are Fathers that deserve this stuff but chances are they haven’t been seen in 40 years or they are in jail where they cant have toxic chemicals. $30-$40 (if you hate money).

Eagle Rare no longer single barrel but still 10 years old. A very good buy for this standard Buffalo Trace Mash Bill. Pretty consistent and makes a nice gift. $30-$35

EH Taylor Small Batch and Single Barrel Solid choices although the Single Barrels can be off at times. Makes a nice gift due to presentation but the quality can back this up which I cant say with many cool looking bottles. This is the standard familiar Buffalo Trace Mash Bill. $40 for Small Batch, $60 for Single Barrel.

Elijah Craig Small Batch Until recently this one had an age statement of 12 years. With the age statement now gone its still up there in the perfect age range of 8-12 years. This has been one of my long time ultimate favorites due to its consistent quality and being underpriced. It’s my first recommendation for a Bourbon and a great option at a bar when your watching your pennies. A very respectable 94 Proof. It’s a shame its Cask Strength brother isn’t something you can easily find at the retail price in a store. Wishing for the day they make the Barrel Proof available as a private pick. Until then this is a best buy at $25-$35 depending what state and if it’s on sale.

Evan Williams White Label Bottled in Bond ---Possibly the best Bourbon out there when your broke. Its 100 proof and at least 4 years old. Ice and Coke is its friend and good for a party without Whiskey snobs. At $15-$20 you won’t find anything better.

Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbon Historically a good buy year after year. Although it has gotten younger, still a solid single barrel at the price point. $26-$35

Four Roses Small Batch one of the best small batches for the price. Some prime barrels go into this one. $30

Henry McKenna Bottled in Bond Single Barrel this has been scooping lots of awards in blind tasting competitions. At 10 years and 100 proof you won’t find a better bottle with such a good mix of what you want in a bourbon. My two concerns however are the price increases by brand and stores and some inconsistency in some bad and average barrels getting to the shelf in bottles. $30-$40

IW Harper 15 Year one of the few decent older options at a fair price. Consistent quality and makes a nice gift. Fair warning that the price of this keeps going up. I’ve seen it around $100 which is too much and $65 which is a steal. I still have a hard time recommending a Diageo Bourbon implying something is made at the long-closed Stitzel Weller Distillery. Dishonesty aside, this one is still a good buy.

Larceny Small Batch Bourbon Its always nice to have an accessible Wheated Bourbon at a great price and good quality. 92 proof helps this one too. $22-$28

Makers Mark Cask Strength Another Wheated Bourbon that is more often then not a good pour. Can get batchy which stands out more at high proof. I wish the brand stopped the nonsense about not believing in overaging its Bourbon. Makers is around six years old and with another 2-4 years it could be really good. In the meantime you’ll usually get a good batch and a nice bourbon. A tad pricey at around $60.

Noahs Mill The Flagship of Willett’s regular offerings. At or near barrel proof this has lots in common with Bookers at a much better price. The high proof and longer aging make this a good value for the Whiskey Veteran. Holds up well to ice and a splash of water but can be over powering in a cocktail. $50

Old Forester Signature 100 A solid buy with good consistency at 100 proof. Little brother of Woodford at half the cost. $20-$25

Old Forester 1920 one of my favorites. Good consistency and very tasty. Seems stronger than its 115 proof so this is not for the faint of heart or the beginner. A nice ice ball will help. Priced on the high end of being fair at $55-$60.

Old Grand Dad 114 This is a higher rye recipe Bourbon which will be a bit spicier less sweet. Long time bargain best buy of many. This heritage brand wont let you down at near barrel proof. A good bottle to bring to a party with people that can handle high proof. Even with the price inching up to around $30, it’s still a bargain.

Rowens Creek little sister to Noah’s Mill from Willett. At 101 proof still holds up well to just about anything and a bit younger than Noah’s. At around $35 its priced right as a nice gift.

Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Bourbon very solid and a great price for a 10 year old from Wild Turkey and the Father and Son Master Distiller Team at Wild Turkey. This one is a hidden gem that should get much more attention than it does. $30-$35

Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Pretty much everything I wrote above at 115 proof non-chill filtered. $55- $65 on the cusp of being over priced.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed at Barrel Proof this is another hidden gem and perhaps the most under appreciated American Whiskey in existence. It’s the Swiss Army Knife of Bourbon for the veteran whiskey people. Great whiskey, Yes. Great gift, yes. Made by the most experienced Master Distillers in America, Yes. Holds up to ice, water, strong cocktails and blind tastings, Yes Yes Yes Yes. 6-12 years. As past barrel entry proof of this brand has gone up the bottling proof has also risen over the last several years. Keep an eye out for older bottlings with old labels 108.2 proof, 112.8 proof, newest is 116.8 proof. The older bottlings might be dusty, but they are around, often with old price tags and I prefer the older softer ones. $45-$50

Woodford Reserve The extensions of this brand are getting a bit out of hand, confusing and too pricy. I like the good old original. Very well blended for consistency year after year. You’ll get what you expect. I’m not sure what some Whiskey geeks see wrong with this one as its one of the most easy drinking pleasant pours going. Easy to find at stores and bars for a decent price. Makes a nice gift, works as well by the glass as it does in a cocktail. $32-$38

[sexysauron]

Review #1: Alberta Premium

Alberta Distillers Limited (ADL) has garnered a reputation as the darling distillery of folks who enjoy rye, North and sometimes even South of the border. Indeed, ADL’s focus is on rye; it is a specialty of theirs. All rye, or as near to it as matters. A good deal of what they make ends up exported to the U.S., where it is treated to a relabelling and a fierce markup (looking at you Whistle Pig). But at home they have a reputation for making solid whisky, available at a respectable price in their Alberta Premium label.

As ever in Canadian whisky, we’re short on tangible details. The bottle itself offers no age statement, but their website claims this to be at least five years of age. (Take that with a grain of salt.) What is certain is this is one hundred per cent rye. ADL claims to use “one of three distillation processes” in the creation of their products. That’s ambiguous, but I’d guess one process uses a column still, distilling to a high proof base spirit; another would use a pot still to create a more flavourful spirit. It is traditional Canadian whisky-making practice for these whiskies – base and flavour – to then be blended in varying proportions. So, does this offering hold up to scrutiny? Let’s find out!

Alberta Premium Alberta Distillers Alberta Rye Age: NAS ABV: 40%

Price paid (MLCC): $25.75 Reviewed: 2023-02-02

Colour: Dark Yellow

Nose: Distinct grain-y, bread-y rye; orange zest follows. Then clove and buttered toast. Rich toffee. Slight floral note. Linger too long and a vodka-like note asserts itself.

Palate: Candied orange peel and baking spice; peppermint candy cane. Toffee and vanilla. Green apple skin.

Finish: Citrus peel, vanilla, and a hint of green apple. Vodka comes up fast.

Well, there’s certainly things to enjoy in this. But is it some exemplar of quality or of value? Hardly. It’s anemic, with a thin mouth feel. Particularly off-putting is the vodka-like note that arises on the nose, and on the finish. It shows this to be a young, rough whisky that is nevertheless muted where it counts: in the breadth and depth of flavour.

Score: 2 out of 5

Every few years I buy another bottle of this to give it a try, apparently forgetting just how poor a whisky it is. Hopefully now I’ll remember and not restock it. Up next is Alberta Premium Cask Strength.

Scoring Guide 1 out of 5: Terrible; no redeeming qualities, just say no. 2 out of 5: Poor; possesses qualities that detract, fodder for mixers. 3 out of 5: Mediocre; middle-of-the-road whisky, sippable but perhaps better in a cocktail. 4 out of 5: Good; a solid pour, enjoyable neat and outstanding in a cocktail. 5 out of 5: Superb; continues to surprise and delight, something to cherish.

[greatdrams]

The GreatDrams Review of 2018

Welcome to The GreatDrams Review of 2018, a time for me to have a swift light hearted reflection of the year that was and my personal highlights of the year.

Well what a year it has been; Donald Trump is still president, Daniel Ricciardo sacked off Red Bull to move to Renault - massive error in judgement in my view, Brexit is still as screwed up as ever, Harry and Meghan were wed, my wife and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary at the Johnnie Walker Spa F1 Grand Prix, City won the Premiership in record-breaking style, my beloved LFC are finally looking like a ruthless challenger of honours, a load of school kids were trapped then rescued from a cave in Thailand, the World Cup in Russia was one of the best I have ever watched, all manner of politicians embarrassed themselves, their offices, our government and our country and of course, The Greatest Show managed to get me addicted to its soundtrack.

Crazy to even start reflecting on most of the above, but thankfully I only need to reflect on GreatDrams, and of course what's been going on in whisky.

This year has been amongst my busiest;

285,000 + GreatDrams readers this year

65k followers across social media and email

1,300 articles now on GreatDrams (including a load scheduled for future publishing)

256 hours airborne on planes to presentations and meetings

131 hours on trains to meetings

60 trains to meetings in London

37 flights to distilleries and meetings in seven countries (Japan, China, Germany, Spain, USA, Scotland and Ireland)

23 distilleries visited across Scotland, Japan, Kentucky

11 casks bought for our independent bottling programme

9 events attended (lower than usual due to hectic consulting schedule and family life)

8 publications written for including a year long ‘residency’ writing for Whisky Magazine

5 spirits judging panels sat on

4 whisky shows and festivals attended

3 awards shortlisted for

2 award wins - Silver Medal in the Independent Bottler’s Challenge and Best Online Spirits Resource

2 GreatDrams independently bottled whiskies, Invergorden 11 Year Old & Craigellachie 11 Year Old Single Casks, available here

1 award highly commended runner up

1 squash match against Fred Laing which raised over £4,500 for charity

Countless whiskies tried, enjoyed and commented on 

Some particular highlights for me personally have been;

Getting to visit Japan, China, Germany, NYC (x2), and Kentucky on business

Meeting so many GreatDrammers at different whisky festivals - you're all awesome

Visiting Whisky L in Shanghai

Spending time with so many icons of the whisky world including, but not limited to Dr. Bill Lumsden, Richard Patterson, John McCheyne, Georgie Bell, Fraser Campbell, Stephanie Macleod, Donald Coleville, Dr. Nick Morgan, Ewan Gunn, Billy Leighton and Brian Nation

Visiting Kentucky for the first time - wow… and managing to visit nine distilleries in three days, including a day where I just went to one!

In whisky I was fortunate to try some incredible whiskies (in the order in which I remembered them or tried them, not preference);

Johnnie Walker Ghost Reserve Port Ellen

Tullamore D.E.W. XO

Glenfiddich 40 Year Old

Fettercairn 40 Year Old

Hakushu 25 Year Old

Hibiki 35 Year Old Single Cask

Hibiki 17 Year Old

Hibiki 17 Year Old Grain Component

Hibiki 17 Year Old Mizunara Component

Hibiki 17 Year Old Sherry Component

Suntory Toki

Craigellachie Hotel 21 Year Old

Whyte & Mackay 13 Year Old

AnCnoc Peatheart

Jameson IPA

Redbreast 21 Year Old

Tullamore D. E. W. Distillery Exclusive Red Wine Finish

Roe & Co.

Teeling Brabazon 2

Bunnahabhain PX Finish

Bunnahabhain Moine Brandy Cask Finish

Dewar’s Scratched Cask 12 YO

Dewar’s White Label

Ballantine’s 21 Year Old

Ballantine’s 17 Year Old

Craigellachie 33 Year Old

Royal Brackla 21

G&M Clynelish 12 Year Old

Nikka Miyagikyo 12 Year Old Sherry & Sweet

Singleton of Dufftown Malt Masters Selection

Bushmill’s 16 Year Old

Bushmill’s 21 Year Old

The Glenlivet Captain’s Reserve

Aberlour Casg Annamh

Balcones Texas Rye

Starward 10th Anniversary

Rock Oyster 18 Year Old

Rock Oyster Cask Strength Batch 002

Yamazaki 12 Year Old

Suntory Kakubin

Asaka Six Month Mizunara Rested New Make

Chicken Cock Bourbon

Weller 12 Year Old

Wild Turkey Decades

Wilderness Trail Single Barrel

Wilderness Trail 4 Year Old Rye

Russell’s Reserve Bluegrass Tavern Barrel Select ‘Gobble Gobble Gulp’

Bluegrass Distillers Wheated Bourbon

Weller 1950’s Gold Vein

Method & Madness Hungarian Oak Finish

Glengoyne 21 Year Old 

Caperdonach 21 Year Old Peated

Along with all these stunning whiskies and a very busy year, we have seen Scotch exports up, volumes up and huge investment into new and expanding distillery operations throughout Scotland and Ireland in particular, with many new distilleries opening up in England too.

2019 looks to be another busy year with many new distilleries having spirit old enough to start releasing their first bottlings after three or more years of patience, and I'm sure a degree of nervous anticipation.

Thanks for reading, following, liking, Tweeting, Facebooking, Instagramming and tagging GreatDrams across the web this year, I've had a blast and it's been so lovely to help so many GreatDrammers with their whisky choices and to meet a fair few of you at events around the UK over the last twelve months.

As always, please do send me pics of your whisky exploration, or tag me in festivities so I can share with the wider GreatDrams Network and please also keep sending your feedback, questions and comments to me, I reply to every single email I get sent; Greg@greatdrams.com.

Here's to a prosperous 2019 for one and all, have a great Christmas, New Year and see you at the next show!

The post The GreatDrams Review of 2018 appeared first on GreatDrams.

from GreatDrams http://bit.ly/2Qh3OLs Greg

[chadwick211]

Best Liquor Gifts for Thanksgiving 2022

In just a few weeks, Thanksgiving 2022 will kick off a month full of holiday celebrations and booze. There is one mandatory item you must include on your Thanksgiving 2022 gift list: LIQUORS!

You can give clothes, jewelry, and dinner treats, but the party is incomplete if you do not include a wonderful, good-looking liquor bottle. Thus, Sendgifts has compiled a brief list of Thanksgiving alcoholic drinks that are sure to please everyone.

In the United States, Sendgifts is one of the most trusted online alcohol delivery services. Our online liquor store offers the largest selection of liquor at the best prices. You can order liquor online and have it delivered right to your door. With Sendgifts, you can now buy alcohol online easily.

Let's begin. Raise a glass to these top thanksgiving liquors with your family and friends.

 Thanksgiving 2022 alcohol bottles to have:

 Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey

The Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey adds an extraordinary charm to parties; it is one of the most popular whiskies in the world. Every sip of the whiskey makes you fall in love with its perfectly blended flavor and smooth texture.

Brand: Woodford Reserve

Country: United States

State: Kentucky

Spirits Type: American Whiskey

Spirits Style: Whiskey

ABV: 45.2%

Tasting Notes

Nose: Brown sugar, freshly baked apricot pastries, nutty bread, caramel and a touch of cask char.

Palate: Honeycomb, peanut brittle, buttered corn, toasted oak, brown bread.

Finish: Hints of dark chocolate and toffee linger.

 Hennessy Paradis

Hennessy Paradis Cognac is the best whiskey to have on Thanksgiving 2022. This whiskey is blended with Eaux-de-vie, which gives it a flavorful aroma of rose petals, truffles, honey, and more. Hennessy can certainly make your thanksgiving more exciting.

Category: Cognac

Region: France, Cognac

Brand: Hennessy

Alcohol/vol: 40%

Proof: 80.00

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Dark Copper.

Nose: Dark fruits, roses, and spice.

Palate: Rich, with rancio, juicy plum, honeysuckle, and wood.

Finish: Medium length with complex fruit and spice.

 Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge

The Grand Marnier Liqueur is another option besides whiskies or vodkas. You can impress your party hosts by presenting them with the most prestigious and superior liqueur. It is aged 25 years with wild oranges and eventually becomes a rich tipple that can be mixed with any cocktail.

Brand: Grand Marnier

Country: France

Spirits Type: Liqueurs/Cordials/Schnapps

Spirits Style: Citrus & Triple Sec, Orange

ABV: 40%

Tasting Notes

Nose: Full and ample; bitter orange aromas balanced by Sweetness and Cognac notes of hazelnuts and toffee.

Taste: Complex, Orange, Refined.

Finish: The finish is long and harmonious.

Serve: On the rocks, cocktails, shots.

 Wild Turkey 101 Proof Bourbon

America's biggest-selling premium bourbon, the much-loved Wild Turkey 101 is a richly-flavored concoction with a mellowness that belies its high strength.

Brand: Wild Turkey

Country: United States

State: Kentucky

Spirits Type: Bourbon

ABV: 50.5%

Tasting Notes

Nose: Big and peppery to start, with rye and caraway seed following. Toffee sweetness sits at the back.

Palate: Intense and layered, with waves of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, hazelnuts and mint.

Finish: Long and spicy.

Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without a bottle of Wild Turkey. The Wild Turkey 101 Proof Bourbon is perfect served on the rocks.

 Sipsmith London Dry Gin

Sipsmiths London Dry Gin stays true to the style with a bold, complex flavor that starts with notes of dry juniper and blossoms into a citrusy bouquet of lemon tart and orange marmalade. For the dedicated Martini drinker, this affordable bottle is a no-brainer.

Brand: Sipsmith

Country: England

Spirits Type: Gin

Alcohol Volume: 41.6%

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Crystal clear.

Nose: Honey with ripe fruits and a little yeasty. Nutty undertones with a hint of chocolate and grape jam.

Palate: A gentle mouth feel, with initial dry juniper joined by growing sweetness, showing lemon tart & orange marmalade, garnished by a wave of fresh lemon zest, followed by bolder juniper & light dryness, before all the flavors harmonise into one integrated taste.

Finish: Dryness leads, with spicy juniper and a hint of lemon tart emerging.

Old Forester 1870 Original Batch Bourbon Whiskey

Old Forester 1870 Original Batch pays tribute to the Old Forester's status as the first bottled bourbon. To recreate the original Old Forester's flavor profile, barrels from three different warehouses with different production dates, barrel entry proof and maturation dates are blended into the final bottling.

Light bodied and much more fruit forward than other Old Forester marques, Old Forester 1870 is made for mixing and will shine in an Old Fashioned or Manhattan cocktail.

Brand: Old Forester

Country: United States

State: Kentucky

Spirits Type: Bourbon

Spirits Style: Small Batch Bourbon

ABV: 45%

Tasting Notes

Eye: Amber

Nose: Cherry-heavy dried dark fruit, oak, coffee cake, vanilla, brown sugar and touches of cinnamon. Not super-expressive or dense, but the aroma is enjoyable.

Palate: Caramel, dried dark fruit, oak, biscuit, maple frosting on a donut, cocoa and some baking spice. Like the aroma, the palate is soft, easy and enjoyable.

Finish: Charred oak leads with a clean peripheral spice.

 Nolet's Silver Dry Gin

Nolet's Silver Dry Gin is one of the most classical dry gins for gin lovers, and it is exceptionally crafted. The bottle's top is covered with a balloon bowl. You can smell the delicious aroma of botanical flavors as soon as you open the cap.

Brand: Nolet

Country: Netherlands

Spirits Type: Gin

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Crystal clear.

Aroma: A splash of water opens a perfumed floral rose petal/Turkish delight, sweet cherryade nose with subtle herbal and fruit aromas.

Taste: Similarly rose petal/Turkish delight-influenced palate has raspberry, black pepper and a drying blast of piney juniper and earthy orris root.

Aftertaste: Long finish brings interplay between fruity, floral, rooty, piney and peppery flavors.

[contactvishalkadu]

SCOTTISH WHISKY MARKET ANALYSIS(2019-2027)

Scottish Whisky Market, by Product Type (Single Malt, Blended Malt, Blended, Single Grain, Blended Grain, and Organic), by Price Range (Premium, High End Premium, and Super Premium), by Distribution Channel (On Trade (Restaurants & Bars, Liquor Stores, and Others) and Off Trade (Supermarket & Hypermarket, Discount Stores, Online Stores, and Others)), and by Region (North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and Africa) - Size, Share, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2019 - 2027

Scottish Whisky Market- 2017-2027

Definition of Market/Industry:

Scottish whisky is a malt whisky, which is made up of grains. Originally, Scottish whisky was processed using barley, but around 18th century, wheat and rye-based Scottish whisky was made. On the basis of product type, Scottish whisky is segmented into single malt, blended malt, blended, single grain, blended grain, and organic whisky. Furthermore, on the basis of price range, Scottish whisky market can be segmented into premium, high end premium, and super premium.

Statistics:

Scottish whisky market was valued at US$ 4.97 Bn in 2018, and it is expected to reach US$ 7.89 Bn by the end of 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period (2019 to 2027).

Drivers:

Several health benefits associated with consumption of Scottish whisky is expected to drive the market growth during the forecast period. For instance, Scottish whisky contains high levels of elegiac acid, which is an antioxidant compound that prevents the body against cancer. Furthermore, Scottish whisky also reduces the risk of stroke, helps prevent diabetes, and lowers the risk of dementia. These factors are expected to boost demand for Scottish whisky among health conscious people, globally.

Statistics:

Figure 1. Global Scottish Whisky Market Share (%), By Region, 2018

Market Restraints:

Stringent government regulations about the production and processing of Scottish whisky are expected to hamper growth of the global Scottish whisky market over the forecast period. For instance, according to the Government of U.K., the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 came into force from 23rd November 2009, which includes regulations related to the production, labelling, advertising, and packaging of Scottish whisky.

Furthermore, side effects related to excessive consumption of Scottish whisky are expected limit demand for Scottish whisky globally. Side effects such as ulcers and nerve damage, among others are a few long term side effects of over consumption of alcohol.

Market Opportunities & Trends:

The market players within the Scottish whisky market are focusing on development of single cask bottling, owing to change in buying behavior of customers. Independent bottlers are experimenting with bottling at cask strength, maturing with different kinds of cask types such as rum casks or wine casks. Furthermore, there is an increasing trend of younger distillations bottled as single cask whisky in the market. The trend is attributed to the fact that independent bottlers are running out of finances, as long matured whisky are rare and expensive. The players within the market are also willing to offer high quality bottling at a lower price range.

Figure 2. Global Scottish Whisky Market, By Distribution Channel

Competitive Section:

Company Names

Diageo Plc.

Pernod Ricard

William Grant and Sons Ltd.

Bacardi Limited

Bowmore Distillery

Suntory Beverage & Food Limited

Brown-Forman Corporation

LVMH

Isle of Arran Distillery

La Martiniquaise

The Edrington Group

Recent Developments:

Diageo Plc.

In November 2019, Diageo launched a new artificial intelligence-based whisky selector, which is helpful in selecting single malt scotch whiskeys for the consumers based on their individual tastes. This device can be accessed from all smartphones or electronic devices, which are connected through internet. This mobile application is named as “what’s your whisky” and uses innovative FlavorPrint Technology.

Bowmore Distillery

In November 2019, Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky became an exclusive spirits partner of Aston Martin Lagonda. These two British luxury brands came into collaboration for creating an exclusive series of outstanding products and experiences by selling Scotch whisky to its customers.

Brown-Forman Corporation:

In April 2016, Brown-Forman Corporation acquired BenRiach Distillery Company for around US$ 312 million. With this acquisition, three single malt Scotch whisky brands would be added to the whisky portfolio of the company namely - The GlenDronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh. This acquisition would help the company to re-enter into the industry’s growth segment- single malt Scotch whisky.

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About Us:

Coherent Market Insights is a global market intelligence and consulting organization focused on assisting our plethora of clients achieve transformational growth by helping them make critical business decisions.

What we provide:

•       Customized Market Research Services

•       Industry Analysis Services

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Coherent Market Insights Pvt. Ltd.

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Phone: +1-206-701-6702

Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com

Source: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/market-insight/scottish-whisky-market-3476

[prairiescotch]

The 12th day of the Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar brings us the company behind the calendar itself, Secret Spirits, and puts the limelight on one of their truly secretive offerings.

As Jonathan notes in today’s blog post, the name is sometimes left off these independent bottlings because distilleries don’t want the product competing with their own on store shelves (and it can be cheaper for buyers if they agree not to reveal the product’s origins). 

This powerfully high-test single malt comes from an undisclosed Speyside distillery, and it promises to pack a whallop. Bottled at a Booker’s-like 63.4% ABV, this secret spirit was aged in former bourbon barrels (cask #184) for 19 years after being distilled in 1997. 

Interestingly, the 3rd edition of the SWAC had a similarly-unnamed Speyside sample that was 58.1% ABV and 18 years old -- one year younger than this one. That, I felt confidently, was a Glenrothes, which is a distillery I have never much liked. There were two Glenrothes in that calendar, however, which deviated significantly from the Glenrothes I’ve hated, which I felt at the time was a great endorsement for what independent bottlers can do to differentiate a product. 

This one certainly differentiates itself, but I’m getting to that. 

First, the nose is shockingly without character for something that is also so high proof. I honestly had trouble picking out ANYTHING from this nose, it seemed so thin. Aside from some alcohol sting if my schnoz wandered to far into the glass, I did manage to glean some vanilla, lemon zest, and powdered sugar. But that's it. I could barely pull that much.

On the tongue, the aggressiveness was overwhelming. Honestly, all I got from it was an intense burn. I'm assuming it's the massive ABV that's to blame, but it was positively painful, no matter how much I put in my mouth. It still stung, even with water. Even with a lot of water, the attack was huge! 

Eventually, after nearly doubling the overall volume with water, a few things started to show themselves, namely some vanilla, strong oak spice, cinnamon and chilli pepper -- adding heat to the alcohol burn. There was a bitter note on the finish that carried through, along with an unidentifiable minty and earthy note.

Now, I like a lot of cask strength whiskies. Glenfarclas 105, Booker’s Bourbon, Aberlour’s A’bunadh, Last Mountain’s 100% Rye, most of last year’s Secret Spirits Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar...I’m not shy about high-test brown liquors. But this feels like it’s high-ABV for the sake of being high-ABV. Jonathan’s blog speaks glowingly about this whisky and the benefits he perceives from the high alcohol level, but I genuinely can’t imagine someone tasting this and getting anything but a burning sensation on the tongue. I really can’t!

To be honest, it seems like this could even be the secret Speyside from last year, like they left some in the barrel and didn’t water it down this time. The previous Speyside I mentioned above also had a lot of burn, heat, and spice with a minty, earthen finish. I don’t want to be an advent conspiracy theorist, but I just can’t help but wonder...

[carissahickling]

Kentucky Rye - Wilderness Trail Single Barrel 56.5%

Kentucky Rye - Wilderness Trail Single Barrel 56.5% @WTDistillery ‏

Our host set himself a very clear goal – to bring together a quartet of Kentucky Rye that reflects the range of possibilities…

Next up was a single barrel from Wilderness Trail at full cask strength… Spoiler alert! This was simply exceedingly drinkable, pairing perfectly with a cigar!

In this case the magic lies in a few things these folks are doing a bit differently….  They talkof their unique…

[alamio]

Beer Styles in Germany

Wheat beers. - Weizenbier (wheat) and Weißbier (white) are the standard German names for wheat beer. - Weizenbock is the name for a strong beer or bock made with wheat. - Roggenbier is a fairly dark beer made with rye, grainy flavor similar to bread. - Berliner Weisse is a pale, sour wheat beer brewed in Berlin. It’s typically mixed with raspberry or woodruff syrup. - Leipziger Gose is an amber, very sour wheat beer with an addition of salt, brewed in Leipzig. - Hefeweizen (yeast wheat) is an unfiltered wheat beer. - Kristallweizen is similar to Hefeweizen but without yeast. The fermentation is started using sparkling wine. - Kottbusser is a heirloom style originating in the city of Cottbus, typically containing oats, honey, and molasses in addition to wheat and barley malts.  

Pale beers. Altbier is a top-fermented, lagered beer, brewed only in Düsseldorf and in the Lower Rhein region. Its origins lie in Westfalen; there are still a few Altbier breweries there. Tastes range from mildly bitter and hoppy to bitter. About 10 breweries in the Düsseldorf region brew Altbier. - Export is a pale lager brewed around Dortmund that is fuller, maltier less hoppy than Pilsner. Germany’s most popular style in the 1950s and 1960s, it’s now becoming increasingly rare. - Helles is a malty pale lager from Bavaria. - Kölsch is a pale, light-bodied, top-fermented, beer which, when brewed in Germany, can only legally be brewed in the Cologne region. - Maibock is a pale, strong specialty lager brewed in spring. - Märzen is a medium body, malty lagers that come in pale, amber and dark varieties. It’s the type traditionally served at the Munich Oktoberfest. - Pilsener is a pale lager with a light body and a more prominent hop character. By far the most popular style, with around 2/3 of the German market. - Spezial is a pale, full, bitter-sweet and delicately hopped lager.

Dark beers. Bock is a heavy-bodied, bitter-sweet lager darkened by high-colored malts. - Doppelbock is a very strong, full-bodied lager darkened by high-colored malts. - Dunkles is a dark lager which comes in 2 varieties: the sweetish, malty Munich style and the drier, hoppy Franconian style. - Schwarzbier is a bottom-fermented, dark lager, full, roasty, chocolatey flavor.

Unfiltered beer. Kellerbiere (cellar beers) are unfiltered lagers which are conditioned in a similar manner to cask ales. Strength and color will vary, though in Franconia where these cask conditioned lagers are still popular, the strength will tend to be 5% abv or higher, the color is a deep amber. - Zwickelbier was originally a sample amount of beer taken by a brewery boss from the barrel with a special pipe called a “Zwickelhahn”. They’re unfiltered lagers like Kellerbier, though with a slightly different conditioning process which gives them more carbonation. Zwickelbiere tend to be younger, lower in alcohol and less hoppy than Kellerbiere. A very similar beer is Zoiglbier, which in the Upper Palatinate’s brewing practice is advertised with a “Zoiglstern”, a 6-pointed blue-and-white symbol made from wooden slats.

Also see the beer tag here. :)

[greatdrams]

Dillon vs Wells and a few thoughts on blind tasting

Unless you happened to be an incredibly secure character at school, you’ll know the deal. A couple of the big kids are doing something fun, and you want to join in. Partially because it’s fun (obviously), and partially (if you’re honest with yourself) because you want to be part of what the big kids are doing.

So when the big kids of the whisky blogging scene (Greg and Malt Review’s inimitable Mark Newton) challenged each other to a blind tasting, I took to twitter and digitally hollered the adult equivalent of “can I play?” Though actually, why shouldn’t the adult equivalent of “can I play?” be “can I play?”?

Shortly thereafter I sent Greg an unlabelled sample of the Kilkerran Open Day 2016 bottling, which he covered here. The return sample was sent once Greg had completed his move to Manchester, and arrived on my desk a couple of weeks back. First thing in the morning; completely ruined my day’s productivity, but that’s because I’m an excitable child.

As soon as the bell went for the end of the day I was out of the office and straight home. Metaphorical bell, you understand, though I’ll dispense with the children analogies now; I promise I am actually allowed to legally drink whisky... Bottle was breached, cursory sniff was taken, sample was poured and notebook was flipped open beside me.

But let’s pause there for a moment, because the practice of blind tasting is one that’s worth a smidge of consideration.

Ostensibly, blind tasting is the only way to give your fully objective opinion of a whisky. (Or wine/beer/cider/cat-food brand [delete as appropriate].) It theoretically frees you of biases and prejudices, it strips away distracting information and it forces you to focus on the drink alone.

I’ve lost count of the number of people who sneer at non-Scotch malt when they know what they’re facing, but proclaim their admiration when it’s just amber liquid in a glass. Or take me, for example – I’m quoted as saying Aberlour A’Bunadh is my favourite whisky for under £50. But one day some vicious ne’er-do-well will doubtless hide one next to a similarly secret Glenfarclas 105, and when that day comes I can only hope I get my call of “heads” right.

Blind tasting also exposes you; makes you really think; underlines any shortcomings or gaps in your experience. Not tried Rye before? Then that spicy kick will mean nothing. Didn’t know countries outside of Scotland use peat? Then good luck when Paul John Bold crosses the table. And who hasn’t indulged in a bit of a smile when a trained expert, or a particularly vocal individual comes unstuck on confronting an anonymous glass?

The problem with objective blind tasting is that it effectively requires the taster to be a robot. Human nature being what it is, we start guessing the end before we’ve even finished the beginning. We want to skip to the last page of the book. No one, on being presented with a glass, can ever truly extinguish the irritating light in the back of their head that immediately flashes: ‘WHAT IS THIS?’

And so we start guessing. I don’t care how expert or practiced you are. I taste up to fifty wines a week at work, and countless more for my wines and spirits diploma. And that’s without getting into all the whiskies I pump my salary into. (I do have a life outside alcohol; I play hockey and everything.) But that light never goes off. Dark colour: “I wonder if that’s a sherry cask?” Slight hint of peat: “hmm, could that be Highland Park?” Bit of meatiness: “do I have a Mortlach here?” You know the drill.

And once an idea pops into your head, it’s very hard to ignore. Just ask the cast of Inception. You want to be right. You want to be validated. You want to have ‘won’ at blind tasting. Most of all, you don’t want to look like an idiot. And so you subconsciously ignore the niggling uncertainties. You shoehorn your blind tasting into what you want it to be. Perhaps you try to second guess the person presenting you the sample. “Ah, she’ll give me something off-piste...he knows I’ve said mean things about this distillery before...hang on, is this even whisky?” Sound familiar?

Blind tasting can be influenced by all sorts of things. Your mood; what you’ve eaten recently; the temperature of the room; the time of day – even what music is playing (or not playing) in the background. And if you’re on the spot and nervous about getting it wrong, you haven’t a hope. You stress, you panic and your common sense slips. Which is why most tasting competitions worth noting are judged anonymously. No one does their ‘best’ tasting under pressure.

So yes – everyone should do some blind tasting once in a while. It’s fun! But stop worrying about getting the whisk(e)y right. After all, with so many countless thousands of whiskies in production, what realistically are your odds? You might get the distillery or producer from time to time. Heck, you might once or twice nail the whole shebang. But you’ll have missed the point of whisk(e)y in the process: to enjoy it. After all, the end is just a tiny part of the journey. You’re really best off taking the Ferris Bueller attitude. It’s a pretty hollow ‘victory’ otherwise – if you even score the victory at all.

And we’re back in the room. (At my house, in case you’d lost track. Wouldn’t blame you.)

My cursory sniff (ok, I also took a cursory sniff at the office when it arrived, but so would you if you’re human) raised some suspicions. Greg and I had set the rules as Single Malt Scotch of £50 or lower, but something about the aromas I found myself picking up suggested foul play.

Far be it from me to accuse my charming new boss of hoodwinkery, but I’m a mistrusting soul where blind tastings are concerned. (See: told you they bring out the over-thinker.) Besides, any holder of an Anfield season ticket who moves to Manchester has to have a wily streak about them. In as unaccusatorial a tone as I could manage I casually checked that the rules still stood. (Is unaccusatorial a real word? There’s a red squiggly line, but I feel in my heart that it deserves to be one.)

“It might well be on brief...or might have changed the game a little...who knows...” replied the Machiavellian Dillon, admitting that it was definitely a Scotch. Bet he steals from the bank when he’s playing Monopoly too. Deep mistrust smouldering in my bosom I returned to the task at hand.

I nosed, I scribbled, my brow furrowed, I nosed some more, scribbled some more, sipped a little, furrowed some more and scribbled a bit more for good measure. And then I proceeded to ignore all the advice I’ve just written above.

Straight away, I knew that it wasn’t a malt, and that it probably wasn’t under £50. Anyone who drinks as much bourbon as I do ought to know what distilled corn smells like. Which in Scotch terms more or less means either old, or North British. (Or both.)

But something about this one seemed to hint at a little more complexity. In the back of my mind, something niggled away, making me wondering whether Greg had also dispensed with the ‘single’ ruling. Which was when I stupidly decided to ignore most of the note I had just written, and start to play the man, not the ball. And in blind tasting that almost always ends in disaster.

My blended grain experience certainly isn’t vast. In fact, it’s Compass Box Hedonism, which I knew was not what I was tasting. But could I perhaps have its fancier ‘big brother’ Quindecimus in front of me?

Deciding for some reason that I was along the right lines on the blended grain front, I was torn between Quindecimus and The Exceptional Blended Grain, neither of which I had sampled previously. From what I had read, Quindecimus was the richer of the two, which tallied with what I had written. So, with great doubt and several second guesses, I presented Greg with my answer.

I was wrong.

In fact, what I had was the Cadenhead’s North British 1985 31 years old Single Sherry Butt at 54.6%. And believe you me, it holds that cask strength well - I’d never have guessed it was that high. The spirit also stands up remarkably well to the sherry - there’s not a hint of raisin, and the corn is really on song. Full note below:

Fruity. Some aspects of red berries, and some of orchard fruit (apples/pears). Plenty of sweetness; caramels and a good whack of vanilla. There’s a lightness of touch, but a great deal of depth too. Medium intensity of aroma, but very good complexity. Corn asserts itself. Slight meatiness in the background, with distinct, but not overpowering wood.

Alcohol clear, but completely controlled and kept in check by flavour on the palate. Flavours are more intense than aromas and crescendo significantly as you hold it in the mouth. Largely follow on from the nose, but bourbon-like aspects of caramel and dark sugars dominate particularly, wrapped in more of that red berry fruit. Possibly a touch of date.

More of that meatiness - not quite sulphur - on the finish, which is ever so slightly shorter than expected. Very well balanced and complex.

All in all, a delicious whisky, which I can’t thank Greg enough for. Particularly special, as it happened to be distilled in his birth month. He outfoxed me this time (though thank God I clocked it was Grain whisky - could have been a lot more embarrassing!) but you can be sure there’ll be a rematch.

In the meantime, two ‘morals of the story’ to take away from this. Firstly, when it comes to blind tasting, do as I say, not as I do! And secondly, if you play games with the big kids, be prepared for them to move the goalposts!

Cheers!

[gallery type="rectangular" ids="23412,23413,23414"]

The post Dillon vs Wells and a few thoughts on blind tasting appeared first on GreatDrams.

from GreatDrams http://ift.tt/2jtOYWs Greg

[boozedancing]

G-LO: We sure did pack a lot in during our short trip to Chicago. That “Maximize your time!” mantra of yours works every single time we get together. I’m talking three bars, one brewpub, a diner, a coffee shop, several liquor stores, a massive whisky show, a distillery, and a good bit of walking around. For a couple of old guys, we’re pretty spry.

AK: Life is short, Mi Amigo. Semper fi! Go for the gusto! Chi-town is built for that take-no-prisoners attitude. And 30° temperatures keep the body moving. Or you’ll die.

G-LO: Right on, Brother! Death would be bad, but it’s not the worst case scenario. Never being allowed to drink another drop of booze would be a fate worse than death. Give me whisky, or give me DEATH! And speaking of whisky, how about that Koval Distillery behind-the-scenes tour?

AK: Needless to say, we were treated to a great visit. I’ve been to many distilleries where it’s a handshake, a quick walk through, a bit of a taste of some whisky, and “Goodbye! Don’t let the door hit you on the way out”. This was not that. We got treated like actual humans!

G-LO: Speak for yourself, Pal! I ain’t no human. But I am an “Esteemed Member of The Media”. And yes, our tour guides, Abby and Mitch, were super gracious and very well informed of all the goings on at Koval. I was amused by the fact that they moved the distillery right down the street from where we went for this year’s Whisky Jewbilee Chicago. So if we overdid it the night before and never made it back to the hotel, we could have slept on their doorstep and still been right on time for the 10:30 tour. Granted, we’d have been smelly and not very presentable, but at least we’d have been on time.

Abby and Mitch of Koval

AK: Punctuality is next to godliness, which is right next to gobblygook. Look it up, Mr. Webster. Abby and Mitch were downright perky compared to our post-Jewbilee butts. Last thing I remember from the night before was a bad bar experience on Clark Street in Andersonville. It was a scene out of Bar Rescue without the Jon Taffer rescue team. Maybe they were across the street spying on the goings-on from an unmarked panel truck.  Koval was a welcomed first world experience on a snow flurried morning.

G-LO: I looked it up, and lo and behold, you spelled it wrong. Gobbledygook is how ya spell it, and I LOVE the definition according to the real Mr. Webster: wordy and generally unintelligible jargon. Kinda like most of our posts; chock full of gobbledygook! And so was our last stop in Andersonville the night before. The Old Fashioned that our surly 20-something bartendress made you was loaded with gobbledygood, and it tasted downright awful. That was the diviest dive bar that ever dived. It was the Triple Lindy of dive bars, but without the Rodney Dangerfield smart-alecky charm. Taffer would have thrown in a life preserver (or a grenade) and walked out. Nothing worth rescuing there.

And I wholeheartedly agree! Abby and Mitch were positively delightful. I would have been pleased as punch to spend the afternoon with those Kids whilst sampling the entire Koval line-up. Before we get to the tasting part of our visit, did I hear them correctly when they said that they went from an 11,000 sq ft facility to a 40,000+ sq ft facility? That’s one hell of an expansion for a distillery that’s only 10 years old. Fact check me, Bro!

AK: I’ll have to go to the videotape to fact check that factoid. All I know is that their new facility was pretty darn big. I’ve gotten used to seeing distilleries and breweries start up in little warehouse spaces that were formerly the home of Atlas Wholesale Tool Co., or Stevens Aircraft Parts, or Zyndex, or Quantix, or iZynQuanDataSys. This place didn’t formerly house some rinky dink business that went belly up after eight years. This place had to have been a factory where things were built by people. With hands. Connected to the same people. And now Koval is doing the same. Building whisky. With hands.

G-LO: “Pretty darn big” is a perfect way to describe the new Koval space. I remember staring at the big open space in front of us as we waited for Abby and Mitch, and thinking, “That’s an awfully big waiting room. They must have big plans in the works!”. I’d say they definitely do based upon what we saw in the distillery part of our tour. And speaking of distilling, I think I’m finally understanding what they mean when they talk about making their cuts (i.e. heads vs. hearts. vs tails). Guess it would help if I read a book about the process one of these days. Pity that’s actual work.

I got more fact checking for ya! Did I hear them correctly when they said that they only run a single distillation process, as opposed to a double or triple distillation process? Something about deep “heart cuts”, or something along those lines. Sounds to me like the kids at Koval threw out the rule book and decided to go their own way.

AK:  Correct. Single distillation all done in a uniquely designed still system that they can change on the fly depending upon what’s being made that day.  Every distiller has their own little, or not so little, unique thing about the way they make their juice.  Koval has many little parts that they call their own, not the least of which is that they are 100% organic which is 100% more work from a compliance standpoint. Ever try to source cage-free barley?

G-LO: Cage-free barley? Is that a thing? If it is, I bet that’s some really happy barley. , And by the way, I’m very impressed with your memory. Sounds like you were paying close attention while I was shutterbugging.

AK: Plenty of interesting details from our guides. My people will be glad to know that Koval is Kosher too. That’s a whole different level of details. Interesting to choose organic and Kosher to (a) hang your hat on and (b) believe in. Hope they add a pastrami liqueur in the future.

G-LO: Ohhhh! A pastrami liqueur would be stellar. And if anyone could figure out how to do it, it’d be the mad scientists at Koval. But in the meantime, while they’re doing the voodoo that they do so well, let’s make a couple of these cocktails and order some pastrami on rye sandwiches from Canter’s Deli…

Running a conventional distillery can’t be easy. Adding certified organic and Kosher just adds to that already complex complexity, but it also insures that pretty much anyone will buy your product. Well, anyone over 21 at least.

Checking out the stills and all those lovely barrels filled with all kinds of spirits was good fun, but what really took this tour to the next level was checking out the bottling run. It was like being on set for the filming of a “How It’s Made” video. The Boys and I have spent many a Sunday morning watching “How It’s Made” marathons. You never really think of all the engineering and product development that goes into making the machines that make things. Loved watching how they sterilize, fill, cork, and label those bottles! It served as a nice bookend to our tour.

AK: That was spectacular, but walking into that airplane hangar of a warehouse was awesome. Boxes of bottles as far as the eye could see. And that’s not even where they age the juice! That would be another pin on the map of whiskey heaven. I almost ditched you, Abby, and Mitch to hide behind a few pallets of Rye because, well… just because. But then I realized that (a) you’d miss me, and (b) it must get really cold in there. I like distilleries that do as much as they can under one roof. Obviously, as you get bigger that gets harder to do.

G-LO: I’d miss you? Somebody sure thinks mighty highly of themselves. OK.. FINE! So maybe I’d miss you a little. Bastard.

So true about how much they can get accomplished under one roof. And the really crazy thing is that they’re not completely settled in the new space, so I’m sure if we check in on them in a year, they’ll be doing even more under that big-ass roof of theirs.

While the behind-the-scenes tour was good fun, I thought our post-tour tasting was even more funner(?), more fun(?), funnier(?). And the fact that we got to sample a pretty big chunk of their line-up before noon makes it even more funnerer!

AK: Considering it was snowing all morning and I was freezing, nothing sounded better than a late morning tipple or two. And since I’ve only tried a few out of the Koval line, this was really interesting and more funner(?), more fun(?), funnier(?)! The sampling, not the snowing and freezing.

G-LO: We are simpatico regarding the weather. While I may live in the Northeastern United States, my blood is Sicilian and it doesn’t like the cold very much, so yes, a late morning tipple (or in our case, 5 or 6) was very, very welcome.

I too have sampled some Koval spirits, mostly at several Jewbilee events, but have never spent all that much time with them, so I usually lose all of their finesse when having them alongside many a high octane spirit. And when I say finesse, I mean that they are making some very subtle and highly approachable spirits under that mega-roof of theirs. I believe we tried the standard Bourbon, the Rye, and a cask strength Bourbon, along with the Barrel Aged Gin and the Cranberry Gin. How’s my memory, Chief?

AK: Well, we started with the 100% Birdseed. Errr… I mean 100% Millet, which was pretty interesting. Sweet. Easy and smooth. A bit spicy, and quite the long finish.  I tawt it was pwetty tasty, Sylvester!

Then we had the Rye. Smooth, buttery, not sharp. Right in my wheelhouse, Harry Carey.

Then Gentleman Mitch treated us to a wee bit of a cask strength Bourbon from a private barrel. Good lordy, oh my, was that one special! 55%, or eight clicks above the standard offering. They need to put something like that out in the regular line-up, if you ask me. No one ever asks me.

Then it was the Four Grain which was a panoply of flavors. Wheat, Rye, Oatmeal and Malted Barley. 30-30-20-20, if you’re scoring at home. Apparently, this was a delicious accident from a bunch of leftover grains that they threw together. And voilà! All aged for six months in a #3 char American Oak barrel.

Lastly, we hit the Cranberry Gin at 30% ABV. It’s their standard Gin recipe but with organic cranberries from Wisconsin, then proofed down. Sweet and tart, with a neat little Gin finish. Sure didn’t taste like whatever I was expecting. I’m not sure what I was expecting. I liked this one so much that I bought a bottle at Binny’s for Mrs. Satellite Engineer to experiment with.

G-LO: Geez, Tweety, my memory ain’t so good with regards to the whisky. I think I scored a 50/100 which if my long-term memory serves me well would equate to an F on the high school grading scale. Not good, but at least I got the Gin bit right, though I could swear I tried their Barrel Aged Gin in addition to that delicious Cranberry Gin.

My memory may suck, but Koval’s spirits most definitely do not. While I generally prefer a whisky with some bite, I can also appreciate a subtler and more easy drinking spirit as well. All four of the whiskies we tried were really interesting and very easy drinking, even the cask strength Bourbon which I would have never guessed was 55% ABV. That was delicious as-is and needed no water to enjoy. The Rye was also really tasty and definitely different from other Rye whisky that I’ve had. It was very fruity with much less bitey spice. It was closer to the Catoctin Creek Rye that we tried at Jewbilee Chicago the night before which was also really mellow and easy drinking.

As far as that Cranberry Gin goes, if it wasn’t for the fact that I wanted to avoid the whole checked luggage thing for the flight home, I too would have bought a bottle. Such a fun and versatile spirit! It was lightly sweet, lightly tart with a mild pucker, and had just enough Gin flavor to get the wheels turning with regards to cocktailing with it. I enjoyed it on it’s own and could see it being used in a variety of beverages, i.e. something as simple as a highball with sparkling water and a wedge of lemon, a holiday friendly punch, or maybe even a cranberry martini. I’m guessing Mrs. Satellite Engineer will have mucho mucho fun with this elixir!

AK: Koval really has an interesting lineup. We didn’t even get into all the Rye based liqueurs they have. I’m sure those are packed with flavor. And very prettily bottled. It seems as if they are doing some backroom experimentations with barrels from the local breweries, coffee-mongers, and a cider maker. Love the quest for the wild and wacky!

G-LO: And if anyone knows from wild and wacky, it’s YOU, Mi Amigo! Speaking of their Rye based liqueurs, LimpD and I reviewed their Ginger Liqueur many moons ago. It was really really nice with a great balance of sugary sweetness and tingly ginger. If your curiosity has been piqued, you can read all about it by clicking these words. How’s THAT for a shameless plug?

In case you couldn’t tell, I really enjoyed our time at Koval, and Abby and Mitch’s enthusiasm was downright infectious! Those Kids know their stuff and they were a joy to spend time with. And now that I have a greater appreciation for what they’re doing at Koval, I will definitely keep their spirits on my watch list.

Any final thoughts?

AK:  I agree wholeheartedly! Our hosts treated us with true Midwest hospitality and flavor. And flavor is what really makes Koval stand out to me. Their range really stretches the flavor spectrum and even gets into the weird and wacky which is right up our alley. Tie all that up with their 100% organic bow, and you really have something special.

G-LO: Well said! We most definitely like our packages to be both pretty AND flavorful. Koval’s offerings are most definitely all that. And so much more!

The WCO (aka @AaronMKrouse) + G-LO Get a Private Tour of Chicago's @kovaldistillery. #Whisky #Chicago G-LO: We sure did pack a lot in during our short trip to Chicago. That “Maximize your time!” mantra of yours works…

[goodspiritsnewsat]

GSN Spirited News: September 15th 2020 Edition

GSN Spirited News: September 15th 2020 Edition

Evanston, Illinois-based Few Spirits has launched Immortal rye, a new whiskey proofed down to bottling strength with tea. The 46.5% abv whiskey is made by blending cask strength Few rye with 8 Immortals tea from Denver’s the Tea Spot. The whiskey does not contain added sugar or other additives. The whiskey’s label art showcases a dragon print that was shown at the 1893 World’s Fair. The initial…

[gailmalooft]

New Booze Information: Barrell Craft Spirits, Templeton Rye Barrel Energy and Extra!

And identical to that, we’re at the ultimate day of November. New spirit releases are nonetheless coming in, simply in time for the vacations. American whiskeys are the point of interest right here—maximum bottled at cask power.

Moreover, Douglas Laing & Co. has a few whiskies for you to try. With Christmas at the horizon, each function vacation pictures with every mascot on its respective label. However as an alternative of simply slapping a vacation label on an current product, the emblem has created distinctive, limited-edition variations of its combined malt whiskies.

And after all, as a result of we will be able to’t live to tell the tale whiskey by myself, we’ve were given a antique cognac to inform you about—a really perfect nightcap from HINE to have subsequent to the stockings hung via the chimney with care.

BARRELL CRAFT SPIRITS

Impartial bottler, Barrell Craft Spirits, has presented a brand new line of sourced cask power, restricted version spirits. Those are all combined and bottled on the bottler’s Louisville, Kentucky house base. This sequence enhances the bottler’s batch sequence spirit releases. To be had starting December 2018. Prompt retail costs TBA.

Corporate Founder Joe Beatrice says, “After 3 years within the works, I’m delighted to unencumber our Barrell Craft Spirits line. Our intent was once to mix a suite of spirits—every outlined via easiest and absolute steadiness, with deep taste layering. The barrels harvested for those particular releases have been personally decided on for his or her subtle homes and distinctive taste profile. We bottled at cask power so to enjoy the intensity of personality and their odd flavors.”

Barrell Craft Spirits’ newest releases / Picture Credit score: Barrell Craft Spirits

BARRELL CRAFT SPIRITS BOURBON 15 YEAR

Produced from a mix of 15-year-old immediately bourbon whiskeys distilled and elderly in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana. It’s bottled in Kentucky at a cask power of 105.1 evidence.

BARRELL CRAFT SPIRITS WHISKEY 25 YEAR

Distilled and elderly in Indiana, this 25-year-old American whiskey completed its maturation in sercial Madeira casks. Bottled at a cask power of 111.2 evidence.

BARRELL CRAFT SPIRITS RUM 13 YEAR

Produced from a mix of antique rums elderly between 13-21 years sourced from Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica. It’s bottled at a cask power of 124.2 evidence.

Woodford Reserve Bottled In Bond

This bottled in bond release is from the Woodford Reserve Distillery Sequence, a certainly one of a sort sequence of whiskeys launched via the emblem and crafted via master distiller Chris Morris. This Kentucky immediately bourbon follows the principles for a bottled in bond unencumber: produced via one distiller, at one distillery, in a single six-month distillery season, elderly for no less than 4 years in a federally bonded warehouse, offered at 100 evidence. Introduced in November 2018, this might be to be had on the distillery and at choose Kentucky shops. Bought in 375ml sized bottles. SRP $49.99

Woodford Reserve Bottled In Bond / Picture Credit score: Woodford Reserve

Templeton Rye Barrel Strength Straight Rye Whiskey

This barrel power immediately rye whiskey from Templeton Rye is bottled with out relax filtration at 57.2% ABV. As a immediately whiskey, this bottling does no longer have the added “proprietary formula” as different Templeton Rye bottles have. This sourced rye whiskey bears no age commentary and is a restricted version addition for the emblem introduced in overdue November 2018. SRP $59.99.

Templeton Rye Barrel Energy Instantly Rye Whiskey / Picture Credit score: Templeton Rye

Peerless 3 Year Straight Rye Whiskey

This whiskey marks the second one unencumber from Peerless Whiskey in over 100 years (the primary being the Barrel Proof Straight Rye, elderly 2 years). This whiskey makes use of a candy mash and is non chill-filtered. It elderly for three years in new, charred American oak and is bottled at a cask power of 54.55% ABV. To be had starting in 2019. SRP $125

Peerless three Yr Instantly Rye Whiskey / Picture Credit score: Peerless Whiskey

DOUGLAS LAING & CO. HOLIDAY EDITION BOTTLINGS

Those combined malt whiskies are to be had in restricted amounts at the bottler’s site or at choose shops, essentially in the United Kingdom.

SCALLYWAG RED NOSED REINDEER EDITION #3

This vacation version from Douglas Laing options the emblem’s liked Fox Terrier on its label donning a pink nostril. This combined malt options unmarried malt whiskies from Speyside that have elderly completely in sherry casks for 12 years. This restricted version whisky is bottled with out chill-filtration or added colour at 48% ABV. To be had starting December 2018. SRP £65.

Scallywag Purple Nosed Reindeer Version #three / Picture Credit score: Douglas Laing

Big Peat Christmas 2018

Giant Peat Christmas 2018 is the 8th annual vacation unencumber for impartial bottler Douglas Laing & Co. This combined malt is made up from seven unmarried malt whiskies from Islay distilleries together with Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila and Port Ellen. It’s bottled with out chill-filtration or added colour at a cask power of 53.nine% ABV. SRP £55.

Giant Peat Christmas 2018 / Picture Credit score: Douglas Laing

HINE Bonneuil 2008

HINE Bonneuil 2008 is the 3rd unencumber within the Bonneuil sequence, a unmarried antique, unmarried winery cognac from HINE’s personal property in Grande Champagne. This unencumber follows the 2005 and 2006 antique—the 2007 antique was once deemed “insufficiently expressive”. The 2008 antique yielded simply 16 casks (7,200 bottles) after getting old in oak for a decade. The bottle bears the bottling date (19 July 2018), cask quantity and bottle quantity on every label. This unencumber is to be had in america in November 2018. SRP $139.99.

HINE Bonneuil assortment / Picture Credit score: HINE Cognac

With Distiller, you’ll at all times know what’s within the bottle earlier than you spend a cent. Price, Assessment and Uncover spirits! Head on over to Distiller, or obtain the app for iOS and Android as of late!

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