Whiskey Review Archives - Page 11 of 13

March 13, 2016

James Oliver American Whiskey Review

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A few weeks after reviewing Burnside Bourbon, I was contacted by representatives of Indio Spirits Distillery in Portland, Oregon and asked if I wanted to review a few of their spirits. I agreed and along in the mail came a few (very beautiful) bottles of whiskey. Three in total, including their American, Rye, and Canadian blend whiskies.

The Bourbon Barreled American Whiskey up for review today is particularly exciting to me because it is a high rye whiskey, double-barreled in used bourbon and sherry barrels. On the website, they claim the whiskey is “barreled and bottled” in Oregon, leaving some speculation open that the whiskey itself is being imported from somewhere else (UPDATE: the corn whiskey is sourced from MGP in Indiana, the rye from Bardstown, KY). In any case, this whiskey also won a “Best American Whiskey” Gold Medal at the 2015 International Whisky Competition.

With the background out of the way, let’s begin the review.

Appearance

I really enjoy the branding and appearance of all of the James Oliver bottles. There’s a real retro feel going on that satisfies my inner hipster (a small, quiet voice, I assure you). The whiskey itself is golden with a slight reddishness (the sherry finish, I assume). For what it’s worth, this bottle looks great on a shelf, moreso if you collect each of the whiskies from this producer. The only thing I’m confused about is “Est. 1931” — an impressive date but seeing as Indio Spirits was founded in 2004, I’m not sure what the reference is to.

Nose

The nose gives away that this is a high-rye whiskey. Spices, some breadiness, oak, and a touch of vanilla. The combined aromas are very pleasant, an added bonus being that there’s very little ethanol burn so I can enjoy the aroma without feeling my nose light on fire.

Taste

To me, this whiskey tastes very much like a high-rye bourbon–it just doesn’t bite like most of the high-rye bourbons out there. The texture of the whiskey is medium bodied, quickly coating my palate. I pick up lots of caramel, rye spices, some vanilla, and a hint of that sherry–very enjoyable.

Finish

The finish here is long and smooth, with just the slightest touch of burn.

Final Thoughts

I give Indio Spirits a lot of credit here for thinking outside of the traditional American whiskey box by double-barreling this whiskey in ex-bourbon and sherry casks. But they didn’t just think outside the box, they also delivered a quality product. I really appreciate how this whiskey packs a lot of flavor into a very smooth dram. It stacks up well against its other ~$30 competitors and it definitely deserves a bottle purchase.

Final Grade: B+

February 14, 2016

Whiskey Review: Burnside Bourbon

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A couple of weeks back I stopped by a local liquor store in Astoria and came across Burnside Bourbon. There are lots of new boutique distilleries releasing new products every week, but not many from my home town of Portland, Oregon, so I decided to give it a shot.

And without further ado, here’s the review (that rhymed, right?).

Specifics

Spirit Type: Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Eastide Distilling
Age: 4 Years
Proof: 96 proof

Appearance

The first thing that you notice when looking at any bottle of Burnside whiskey is the prominent portrait of none other than General Ambrose Burnside, who (you may have guessed), rocked sideburns so hard that they are named after him. The label on the bottle has a classic shape and a sort of washed out paper character that sings of the Civil War. The color of the spirit is a light amber.

Nose

On the nose I pick up heavy notes of corn, vanilla, and some oakiness, all behind a not so subtle ethanol.

Taste

I like the texture of this whiskey. Medium bodied texture starts smooth, and ends a bit rough — a bit like the Northwest in character if you ask me (though this whiskey might be a bit more on the smooth side). As for notes, I pick up oak, hints of rye, and light vanilla and caramel notes. Not exactly overwhelming on the taste side of things, but enjoyable all the same.

Finish

The finish here is medium length with about an average amount of ethanol burn. Pretty standard for what you’ll get for a $25 bottle of whiskey.

Conclusion

For about $25, this whiskey is worth a shot. It has some nice offerings from a flavor and texture standpoint, but there are dozens of contenders in this same price-point competing for this market.

Final Grade: B-

January 21, 2016

Whiskey Review: Jeffers Creek 6 Year Old Bourbon

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I came across Jeffers Creek whiskey after I saw it on sale at Gary’s Wine and Marketplace on Route 23 in NJ for $20. I had stayed away from it the last time I visited because it looked clearly like a cheap knockoff of Old Weller Antique wheat whiskey, but I noticed it had a Gary’s “recommendation” this time around so I figured I’d give it a shot.

So let’s get on to the review.

Specifics

Spirit Type: Bourbon
Proof: 80
Bottled by: King’s Mark Company (Louisville, KY)

Appearance

Well let’s start with the obvious: the bottle design is an exact ripoff of Old Weller wheat whiskey. The typeface, label design, shape of the bottle, and even how the top label is centered are all exactly the same. I wouldn’t be incredibly surprised by this if Jeffers Creek was owned by the same company, but nope: different companies (Weller is Buffalo Trace). Wish I could tell you what the rational here is, but I can’t — if you can, please do drop in the comments (UPDATE: Thanks Mark for the heads up – this whiskey is indeed produced by the same company as Weller as identified by the UPC code!).

The color of the whiskey itself is a yellow tinged amber. When I pour the first drops and move it around in my glass, I’m surprised at how the liquid clings to the walls — syrupy, similar to something like a Makers.

Nose

Lots going on in the nose, but the first thing you notice is the burn that stings if you breath in a little too deeply. Hiding behind the intense fumes is oak and caramel.

Taste

Much like the nose, the first thing you’re likely to get with Jeffers Creek is a bit of gasoline. Behind it there are some pleasant notes of caramel, oak, and corn. After that, we get into more trouble when we get to the…

Finish

Long, sweet, and more than a little burn.

Conclusion

This is no Weller. But this also isn’t an awful whiskey. Sure for $20, I’d easily take an Evan Williams 1783 instead. But this isn’t some watered-down distillery backwash either. If you’re feeling conflicted about buying it, toss a coin, or save yourself the $$ and bump your price-range up by $20 the next time you shop for a bottle.

Final Grade: C+

December 19, 2014

Scotch Review: Talisker Storm

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I’ve been a fan of Talisker single malt scotch ever since my first taste of the Talisker 10 Year about a year and a half ago. The Talisker Storm, released by Diageo in 2013, is a No Age Statement (NAS) bottling, so there’s less factually to know about this spirit. What is immediately obvious about this bottling, however, is that it bears striking resemblance to the 10 year though with some important differences, mainly to do with a heightened strength and aggressiveness.

Bottling Specifics

ABV: 45.8%
Age: no age statement

Nose

On the nose for Talisker Storm are notes of pepper, smoke, honey, and banana.

Palate

Talisker Storm opens with a nice medium-bodied oaky sweetness. Mellow, with mild peat and slight saltiness. Gentle yet full flavored all at the same time. Some harshness betrays this is probably a younger spirit than the 10 year.

Finish

Very clean, warming, with a lingering sweetness.

Conclusion

Talisker Storm is, as one online commenter put it, like “a storm in a tea cup.” Somehow mellow yet powerful at the same time. I’m not sure I would take Storm over the 10 Year, but it’s certainly a good bottle to buy, especially since I’ve seen bottles of this product selling for around $50 at different shops in the city.

June 26, 2014

Whiskey Review: High West Double Rye

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“It’s about damn time.”

That was the first thought that came to mind when I sat down for a rooftop dram of this marvelous straight-rye blend. I’ve been drinking the Double Rye from the High West Distillery on and off again now for about a year. It’s just one of those whiskies that keeps you coming back again and again.

High West Double Rye is unique among rye whiskey in that in is actually a blend of two rye whiskies, a 2 and a 16 year. The result is a rye experience that switches back and forth between ultra smooth and kick in the pants spice.

But now for the review.

Product Information:

Spirit Type: Rye Whiskey

Producer: High West Distillery

Website: www.highwest.com

Age: Mix of 2 year and 16 year rye

ABV: 46% ABV

Nose

Spices and more spices. As other reviewers have noted, there are some really interesting gin notes, notably a subtle evergreen smell along with some oak.

Taste

The Double Rye opens up very smooth with vanilla and caramel and transforms in a moment to a flavor bomb of rye spices, confectionary spices, and an interesting mix of botanicals. Lots of character!

Finish

The finish is long and satisfying, leaving a lingering taste of orange peel and rye spice across the tongue. Really enjoyable.

Conclusion

This really isn’t a rye whiskey that any American whiskey sipper can afford to miss. For just $35 a bottle, it’s a standard on my shelf for the foreseeable future.

Final Grade: A