Mark Garbin

About Mark Garbin

Mark Garbin is more than his career as a financial asset risk expert might suggest. He’s a five-star novelist, former radio DJ, past bartender and constant whisky connoisseur. He's always on the lookout for outstanding spirits and the most alluring bars. His current book, "Whisky and Romance Manhattan" is also 5-star Amazon rated. For decades he’s tasted thousands of whiskies, lived overseas and visited hundreds of places around the world. He’s a whisky omnivore from single malts, to ryes, bourbons, gins and tequilas and is now thrilled to share his experiences with you. For a free e-book of reviews, join his list at www.tinyurl.com/Drammers-Craigellachie or send an email for feedback (LOVE IT!) at whiskeyevents@outlook.com

Posts by Mark Garbin:

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Ron Zacapa Sistema 23 Solera

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Power Flavors for the Enthusiast in Cocktails with or AS Dessert!

photo courtesy of Diageo

Whisky Reviewed: Ron Zacapa Sistema 23 Solera
Distiller: Zacapa (Diageo)
Region: Guatemala
ABV: 40%
Suggested Retail Price: $45
Distiller Rating: 92
Rum Howler Blog Rating: 91

Mark’s Review

So I walk into the Carnegie Club for Fine Tobacco NYC’s cigar and whisky event. There, in front of me stands Kelvin. On his small table is a snifter with a dark liquid. I ask, “What’s in the glass?” With the same wide grin he shares with new guests, he lets me smell the contents. Looking odd, I say, “Rum”? Yup! Ron Zacapa 23. He proceeds to tell stories of cigars paired with whiskies and that a good rum is as wonderful an experience as scotch or bourbon.

Feeling every bit of my King Leonidas line, “I’ll put that to the test”, I sat down with a light pour, took out a pen and wrote my impressions, pre-stogie. Right off the bat, BANG! Sweet sugar smacked me upside the head. The force kept straight through the mid palate and as it eased down my throat, fleeting Broadleaf flavors emerged.

This is a splendid drink for the Enthusiast seeking life beyond the usual brown dram. I also knew any strong stick would be a perfect match, provided it had a gentle fade to allow other external tastes to emerge.

So guess what I did? You bet! I lit up! Maybe my evening smolder was not the precise pair but, nonetheless, the combo weaved its magic.

A true benefit here is that this spirit can amplify any cocktail made with it. I mentioned to Kelvin that a pina colada with Zacapa 23 drizzled on top would bring a smile to any cynic’s face. But, even if you don’t smoke, a Glencairn neat or with a cube could be fantastic with vanilla ice cream, banana cream pie or by itself after dinner.

One note, the “23” is Sistema 23 not the minimum age in the bottle. The end product of a Solera process, the number really represents the oldest whisky; the youngest being six years old. That said, I just care how great the power transfer is and how it works with a nice Montecristo #2 Torpedo.  Bliss!

Mark Garbin’s Evaluation

Aromas & Flavor Appeals to: Optimal Client Type Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado Apprentice Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer Enthusiast Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee Adventurer With Food
Chameleon Lover Hedonist Dessert or Afterwards

 

Distiller rating: Ron Zacapa 23 Sistema Solera Rum is enduringly one of the most pleasurable dark rums to sip neat. At first the sweet notes of roasted coffee, butterscotch, vanilla and dark chocolate appear, then some fresh citrus and apricot refresh the palate with green herbal accents, nutmeg and ginger. The long finish includes flavors of caramel, pipe tobacco, cedar and roasted nuts. –Amanda Schuster

Rum Howler Blog: (Edited) I have noted in the past, that this rum can at times seem to carry just a little more honey sweetness and vanilla. Dry fruit (raisins and dates in particular), pecans and walnuts, and cocoa are all highlighted in the exit which reveals just a touch of bitterness in the exit (which perhaps is the perfect foil for the honey-like sweetness which characterized the entry). The palate is left with lingering impressions of molasses and baking spices. My final score of 91/100 reflects that I have a high opinion of the Ron Zacapa Centenario (23 Solera) Rum. If I were to have a gathering of close friends and family and I wanted to serve a high quality spirit which everyone could enjoy. This rum from Ron Zacapa would be a very good choice. –Chip Dykstra

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Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve

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A Flavor Chameleon for the Enthusiast Neat Before Dinner or After

Whisky Reviewed: Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve
Distiller: Dalmore
Region: Speyside
ABV: 44%
Suggested Retail Price: $125
Distiller Rating: 90
Wine Enthusiast Rating: 95

Mark Garbin’s Review:

Yes. You can drink this gem even if you don’t smoke. On the nose, relish in floral aromas with highlights of light pound cake, malty cinnamon biscuits and a holiday wood fire.

What? You expected the typical Dalmore profile? Think again. It’s a new day for Enthusiasts.

Scores of flavors follow those scents including vanilla ice cream, toffee and caramel. After that, gentle sherry notes and orange slices emerge at mid palate. Finally, the finish generates a slight bitterness and more fireplace memories.

But then, WOW!

The taste sequences shuffled and reshuffled. I didn’t know where each began or ended. I further found that slow-drinking this dram, allowing for more air in the mix, created a velvet sensation unlike others in the product line. Water only strengthened those traits. This whisky’s inbred chameleon nature is best enjoyed without food after which it depends on your stogie choice; if desired.

Various writers suggest a strong Churchill. Allow me to retort! Don’t blow away your senses. The many varied qualities in your glass go better with a mild companion such as a Fuente Don Carlos Robusto. You might step out on the wild side and add one-half teaspoon of Grand Marnier or Cointreau to your snifter or Glencairn and savor the unfolding magic.

In summary, with Cigar Malt Reserve, the more you ease into the night’s conclusion, the more you’ll enjoy it.

Mark Garbin’s Evaluation

Aromas & Flavor Appeals to: Optimal Client Type Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado Apprentice Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer Enthusiast Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee Adventurer With Food
Chameleon Lover Hedonist Dessert or Afterwards

 

USC rating: The nose on this complex Highland whiskey offers bright orange peel, rich aromas of figs and raisins followed by dry Baker’s chocolate, nutty sherry notes and just a whisper of delicate smoke. The palate is robust with ripe tropical fruit, raisins and orange zest. This is followed by dark chocolate, vanilla and unctuous sherry notes. This whiskey finishes long & spicy with hints of fennel, sharp ginger & rich vanilla notes. –Ryan Conklin

Wine Enthusiast rating: Aged in a series of barrels—first American oak, then transferred to a former oloroso Sherry cask and finished in used Cabernet Sauvignon barriques—this Scotch would be an outstanding dessert accompaniment too. Look for dusty cocoa and lots of Sherried dark fruit, like figs and dates, wrapped in caramel and baking tones that linger on the spicy finish. –Kara Newman

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Craigellachie 10 Year – Single Cask Nation

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Power Flavors for the Hedonist in Cocktails (BOOM!) or After Dinner

Whisky Reviewed: Craigellachie 10 Year – Single Cask Nation Bottling
Distiller: Craigellachie
Region: Speyside
ABV: 67.3%
Suggested Retail Price: $125

Mark’s Review

To paraphrase a mid-20th Century joke: Do you have Sir Walter Raleigh in a scotch bottle? Well, let him out! That happened the instant I poured a spot of this beauty. Sweet Virginia tobacco and pineapple phenol smells freed themselves from captivity. The aromas transited my nose into the sinuses with ferocity and lodged there awaiting sip’s first release. The palate matched the scents and was hot as expected given the ABV.

Still, unlike many Craigellachie offerings, this had little sulfuric bitterness. But after a few seconds . . . BAM!! a ginormous never-ending peated mouthfeel emerged. Each of my nearby sidekicks did double takes. I offered that it equaled being on the receiving end of a Mike Tyson KO punch AFTER you stole his tiger! Adding water unleashed strong robusto qualities to further the heat.

This whisky is for the Hedonistic Power Lover who craves a smack upside the head. Try this in a cocktail. Don stated this was a “one and done” Rob Roy! Otherwise find a La Bomba Warhead II stogie. Cigar Advisor calls it a smoke that “pummels you like an undercover drug narc at a Hells Angels rally”. Craigellachie 10 is a perfect match for it. The combo will kick your ass so hard it needs a warning label.

Mark Garbin’s Evaluation

Aromas & Flavor Appeals to: Optimal Client Type Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado Apprentice Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer Enthusiast Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee Adventurer With Food
Chameleon Lover Hedonist Dessert or After Meal Cigar

Whisky Intelligence: This cask bottling, distilled in May 2008, spent ten years maturing in a refill bourbon hogshead. It was bottled at cask strength in May 2018 at a whopping 67.3% ABV! Cask #900305 yielded 288 bottles.

Long and warming with lingering barrel char, dark chocolate with sea salt, more confectioner’s sugar, and damp oak. Known for it’s typically heavy style of whisky, this Craigellachie falls right into line. Its departure, however, is in the heavily peated character of this spirit. Dank and pungent with earthy smoke, however, don’t fret, rich fruits, an oily mouthfeel, and a bread-like malty backbone remain.

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Deveron 12 Year Review

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Tobacco Power Flavor for the Adventurer after Dinner
Deveron 12 Year Review

Product Specifics

  • Scotch Reviewed: The Deveron 12 Year
  • Distillery: Macduff Distillery
  • Region: Highland
  • ABV: 40%
  • Suggested Retail Price:  $60+

Mark Garbin’s Review

So you walk into a cigar bar. You crave deep dark paneling and a quiet scene. The server brings over a humidor and asks if you want a Havana. You blush and say ‘I love the smell but I don’t indulge. What would you suggest?’ With a grin and not m issing a beat, he breaks out the Deveron 12 bottle and a Glencairn. A dram, in a puff of magic, appears in your glass.

Scents of red delicious apples, honey and lemon greet you, but it wasn’t that Upmann-esqe aroma you wanted. Just as you’re about to lift your hand to complain, phenolic tobacco pummels the sweetness. Hmm…Interesting for a low ABV spirit. From where did that appear? Wow! Ok, let’s try it. Arggghh. The fruit and sugar come back but…what’s going on? Whew! A Maduro fragrance returns and the initial tastes in my mouth disappear replaced by a good Cuban. But wait, now I sense a massive pepper extract. Please stop this merry-go-round! Sigh.

Sometimes, you meet a whisky where everything is not in balance and it winds up being valued. Closer to spirits designed for Power, its strong qualities rotate. The Adventurer will yearn for those flummoxed taste buds. A Rob Roy made with this, creates a cocktail pleasing for its changing flavors. A Rusty Nail all of a sudden becomes more than a mere sweet vs alcohol smack down. It transforms into a collage of style. Forget water. All you’ll find is total dilution. Open your arms, heart and palate to a multi-one-sided Scotch. If a mixed drink or a cordial doesn’t suit your fancy, pick out a medium strength stogie. Then sit outside in pleasant weather and pour yourself a measure of Deveron 12. If you light up, the UFC Speyside flavor cage match takes your smoke to a new level. If not, you’ll get the tobacco without fumes, anyway.

Mark Garbin’s Evaluation

Aromas & Flavor Appeals to

 Optimal Client Type Great For

Subtlety Aficionado

 Apprentice

Cocktails

Power Flavor Admirer

 Enthusiast Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee Adventurer

With Food
Chameleon Lover Hedonist

Dessert or Afterwards

Distiller rating: “There’s a humble elegance to this whisky. It has all the sensory pleasures of retiring to a small farm house. You stick your nose in and smell wet hay, a dab of honey in your morning oatmeal, and a pot of white flowers by the windowsill. You have to work at it but underneath the charming bouquet you’ll discover dry wood smoke, orchard fruit, and ground white pepper on the palate. All of this is cleansed at the end with a warm splash of Lapsang tea. The whole experience is light and fleeting of course, because the dram.” -Sam Davies

Whiskeyreviewer rating: “The Deveron 12 is not as sherried as its stablemate, Craigellachie, but it has its own charms. It is a great starter malt for a novice scotch drinker, but it has enough presence to make it a fine after work sipper for more seasoned whisky fans.” –Kurt Maitland

Jura 18 Year Review

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Power Flavor for the Adventurer with After Dinner Cigar

Product Specifics

  • Whisky Reviewed: Jura 18 Year
  • Distiller: Jura Distillery
  • Region: Inner Hebrides
  • ABV: 44% (88 proof)
  • Matured in: ex-bourbon / ex-red wine

Mark’s Review

“Friendship is a smoke made with the fume of sighs”. Shakespeare’s Romeo must mean Jura 18. I can’t recall drinking such a smoke grenade but if you’re a cigar lover, it’s a magnificent bomb. Don’t concern yourself with the toffee ocean spray red wine tannin nose. Forget the acrid iodine Scottish seaside taste. Focus on the campfire starting at mid-palate continuing to the ever-lasting grilled tobacco white pepper finish.

People I know speak in hushed tones of the Cu Avana Punisher stogie and its stunning hot spice.  Katman’s quote is hilarious: “I believe this cigar was really invented by Otolaryngologists who are drumming up business . . . I’m pretty sure I will need to see one to remove the scar tissue from the tip of my tongue.” He too describes this 18-year-old dynamo.

A power monster, water only diluted the force. So skip the aqua. Apprentices say “not for me.” An Enthusiast wonders “Who on earth…?” The Hedonist, always in search of stunning flavors, won’t find any here. But the Adventurer, who conquers mountains because they exist, finds comfort in this dram. Note the huge disparity in ratings. (3 out of 10? Huh?) Like I say: One person’s 95 is another’s 75. It means if you don’t crave it, move on. Otherwise prepare to fall in love. Pack either the Punisher or a stick of strength. You’ll require a companion on this trip!

Mark Garbin’s Evaluation

Aromas & Flavor Appeals to: Optimal Client Type Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado Apprentice Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer Enthusiast Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee Adventurer With Food
Chameleon Lover Hedonist Dessert or After Meal Cigar

Other expert reviews of Jura 18

Distiller.com review: The classic Jura flavors of light smoke and intense brininess are regally framed by the bourbon cask’s indulgent tones of toasted honey comb, pie crust, and vanilla cream. On the palate the red wine casks are felt with a pleasant impact of sweet red currant and dried cherry. The malt has a nice full-ish body and a lingering finish that shows a return of the peaty and salty maritime flavors of the distillate. –John Rankin

USC review: This enigmatic scotch shows overlapping tones of packed salt, preserved cherry, and baked figs. There is distinct red fruit character in the mouth that plays a beautiful contrast to intense maritime iodine that underpins the experience of the dram.

Malt-Review: A pretty lacklustre 18 year old by any stretch of the imagination. I can name several similarly aged whiskies for around this price point. Go find a Tasliker 18 or the delightful Inchmurrin 18 year old and really experience a well made whisky that hasn’t been messed with.

Hapa Mag review: There’s only one way for me to describe this whisky: spicy!! This single malt packs a fiery punch as it dances down your gullet. With sharp hints of cinnamon and holiday aromatics, this is a whisky I’d use for mulled wine, eggnog, or a hot toddy. If you have a holiday cocktail party in your future, spice things up with Jura 18. –Melissa Slaughter

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