Whiskey Review

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

May 3, 2014

Whisky Review: Laphroaig 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Matthias Clock

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It seems like anyone beginning their journey in Scotch hears about the Laphroaig 10 Year almost immediately. It’s the go-to “peaty scotch” for beginners. And what can I say? It is indeed a very enjoyable scotch, at a great price-point, that offers a good introduction to the world of peaty scotches. It wouldn’t be my first scotch recommendation, but for any beginner looking to experience Islay, I highly recommend. Here’s why:

Product Information

Spirit Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch
Producer: Laphroaig
Website: http://www.laphroaig.com/
Age: 10 Years
ABV: 40%

Nose

Get ready for robust, dominating peat. Smoke and black pepper up front, with an iodine (medicinal) note pushing through. As is common with Islay scotches, a whiff of sea salt is also present in the Laphroaig 10.

Taste

Heavily charred oak, cardomom, hints of vanilla, and pepper. I think in order to understand what this whisky is trying to say, you have to be vigilant in taking in the whisky’s aroma as you sip. The smoke on the nose is a great compliment. The body of the whisky is a medium-full, which surprises me considering the relatively low 40% ABV. I think the only occasional complaint I have with this whisky is the peat, though welcome, can at times be a bit distracting to the other interesting flavors present in the profile.

Finish

Surprisingly a very clean, bright finish. The lingering note is charred oak and peat. The finish is almost as good as the taste, which is saying something.

Conclusion

Are there better scotches out there? Sure, but for about $45 a bottle in NYC, this is a tough scotch to beat for anyone looking for a peaty scotch on a budget. This is a buy.

Final Grade: B+/A- (Buy)

April 21, 2014

Whiskey Review: Rowan’s Creek Bourbon

Matthias Clock

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My Bourbon Journey continues with Rowan’s Creek Bourbon. I was looking for an aggressive bourbon at a great price point, and this bottle of Rowan’s Creek was my gamble. What a good gamble it was. At 100.1 proof, this bourbon packs a punch, but at just $38 in New York City, this is easily one of my top 5 bourbons. I picked this whiskey up at my new favorite local liquor store in Crown Heights: Liquor Warehouse, on Bergen St. and Washington Ave. Now for the review…

Product Information

Spirit Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Producer: Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD)
website: http://www.kentuckybourbonwhiskey.com/whiskeys.html
Origin: Kentucky, United States
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 50%
Price: ~$38
Reviewed: Neat

Nose

In order of prominence: Caramel, vanilla, honey, rye spice, and cinnamon.

Taste

Plenty of spice present in this whiskey. Spicy upfront that quickly transforms into a thick flavor profile that coats the palate, with notes of caramel, slight butteriness, oak, and honey. Very good. A couple of drops of water bring the spice down and really help the caramel and vanilla to come through quite a bit more. A complex but accessible whiskey.

Finish

Medium length finish, with caramel and vanilla. I also notice some confectionery notes as well that quickly disappear.

Conclusion

I really enjoy this bourbon. I’ve found it pretty difficult to find a bourbon that pairs well with a powerful cigar at a reasonable price. Rowan’s Creek bourbon absolutely hits the mark here, and at just $38 a bottle I’ll be back for more.

Final Grade: A (strong buy)

March 29, 2014

EXCLUSIVE: Rating Pappy Van Winkle’s: A vertical tasting. Which made #1?

Christian

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During one of our cold and dreary winters here in New York I invited some close friends to my house for a grueling task. I wasn’t asking them to move furniture or paint rooms which are the archetypal favors you may rope a friend into. No, this was a “chore” most mates would jump at the chance to aid in. The call I placed was to ask if they would assist me in rating a vertical of Pappy Van Winkle 15, 20, and 23yr. old bourbon. Needless to say both friends didn’t seem to mind lending a hand or their taste buds. However in order to gather sufficient and comprehensive results I had to put a few key methods into place.

First I chose these two friends for particular reasons. Although I had many people offer to “help” out with my study I felt I needed some specific tasters. One of them has tasted many a fine bourbon yet still considers his tasting acumen as” budding” and continuing to develop. Also this individual doesn’t covet any booze or cigar and price and/or hype never sways him. I can always count on him for an honest assessment and he is one friend who even keeps me grounded at times. The other person has never tried bourbon but is a big fan of wine with a developing palate enhanced by his extensive Sommelier certification coursework. He is an asset to the study as he has the ability to recognize taste but no preconceived notions on what bourbon should be.

The Setup:

Second we had to do this study blind. In order to score without bias we needed to NOT be aware of what we were drinking. Each bourbon was covered up by someone not participating in the study and each bottle labeled simply 1, 2 & 3. We were poured each one in number order and utilized the UC Davis College Wine Score Card which applies to spirits as well. This card has a point system broken up into 3 categories with a scoring system for each category. The categories were Appearance, Odor, and Taste. Each category was noted and then given a score. The scores were then added up for a final scoring on that particular spirit. The highest total score that can be achieved is 25 points on the UC Davis College Wine Score Card respectively. The results and ratings below are listed highest to lowest scored with tasting notes as well as the year of the bourbon. The results were quite surprising. Enjoy!

1. Pappy Van Winkle 20yr. Old Bourbon- 20 Points. We found that this bourbon was the sweet spot in terms of the time Pappy should be aged in barrel. The color was a wonderful golden amber with a honeyed hue and a touch of rose’. The first nose gave off alcohol aromas some vanilla and slight spice. Initial tastings had vanilla, baking spice and oak with medium intensity. The mid palate was smooth and refined with oak vanilla and earthy characteristics. The finish was long, rich and continued with an interplay of spices, toasted oak and vanilla. An extremely balanced bourbon with a length that beats many I’ve tasted.

2. Pappy Van Winkle 15yr. Old Bourbon- 18 Points. The color in the glass was that of caramel and toasted almond. Nosing gave off aromas of cinnamon, citrus and spice. This bourbon had a weighty mouth feel with earth and vanilla dominating. Midway caramel, butterscotch and a bit of toasted oak came through. Some “bourbon heat” kicked in for a moment before finishing with a long caramel/toffee aftertaste. This was a medium intensity bourbon and we all felt it was a fine sipping spirit.

3. Pappy Van Winkle 23yr. Old Bourbon- 17 Points. The color on this bourbon was medium with an amber hue. There was a more intense burn on the nose with some vanilla coming through on the second impression. There wasn’t much more on the front of this offering. First sip yielded baking spice, wood and coconut. Midway gave a lot of earthiness along with baking spices and some more vanilla and caramel. There was a lot of heat present and the finish took on a long earthy and spicy character. This bourbon came on with intense spice, heat and wood no doubt due to its aging however we did not feel the extended time benefited it.

The lineup and copious note taking

So after a long hard afternoon which trickled into evening we concluded our findings. Having drunk these bourbons for years I wasn’t surprised to see the 20 yr. old the best in taste, flavor and finish as it has always been my personal favorite. We were all surprised to find that the 23yr. old scored the lowest in our tasting. This wasn’t a bad bourbon at all in fact it is of extremely high quality. The additional aging however seemed to overpower some flavors which seemingly hurt its scoring. What makes blind tastings so interesting is that you remove your preconceived notions and are forced to focus on the sight, smell and taste of the product alone. I would recommend getting some friends together and try a blind tasting. It can be done with any spirit and you may be surprised at what you THINK you like. I’m sure you won’t have any trouble finding friends to lend a hand in this endeavor,I sure didn’t.

November 13, 2013

Bull Moose Rye scores 97 points in blind tasting at Havanas Cigar Club!

Christian

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This past week I gathered some spirits and cigar aficionado friends of mine for a bourbon and rye blind tasting at Havana’s Cigar Club in East Meadow NY. Our goal was to have all of us bring bourbons or ryes for a total of 20 bottles together for the tasting. There were five guys total including myself with backgrounds ranging from sommeliers to certified tobacconists. All of us arrived at the private club at 11:00 am ready for the challenge. Another cigar associate was present as his job was to pour all the spirits as well as number them so we would have no idea what we were tasting. In addition we each had to fill out cards for every spirit tasted and evaluate them using a hundred point scale. We gave points for 4 separate criteria; 1. Appearance 2. Aroma 3. Taste & Characteristics and 4. Finish. After tasting we tallied all the points up for a top 5 best of the best. It was quite an afternoon with many surprises as to what we “Thought” was what. I urge anyone who hasn’t to organize your own blind tasting and you too may be surprised at how you taste. So without further ado, here is our official top five list and congrats to these wonderful spirits. Enjoy!

# 1: Rating 97 Points- Rough Rider Bull Moose Three Barrel Rye Whisky.

From Richard Stabile of Long Island Distillers makers of LiV vodka, Rough Rider Bourbon and Pine Barrens Single Malt this Rough Rider shot out the gate with three tasters commenting instantly on its aroma and complexity. This rye had it all for us; spice, caramel, butter, toasted oak and some wonderful heat. All that with a silky mouthfeel and a finish that lingered on our taste buds for days. All of us agreed the Three Barrel aging was a brilliant idea that added to its intertwined flavors and finish. We need more of these innovations and more of this Rye!

Website: http://www.lispirits.com/

#2: Rating 96 Points- Four Roses 2012 Limited Edition Small Batch.

This very close second in our tasting is one of my favorite bourbons. There are four different bourbons comprised here ranging from 11-17 years old. The nose on this yielded cinnamon, all spice and even a bit of citrus. Notes of vanilla, oak and caramel dominated leaving an aged oak finish. A delicate bourbon due to its age and an amazing expression of what quality blending can accomplish.

Website: http://www.fourrosesbourbon.com/

#3: Rating 95 Points- Eagle Rare 17 year old.

Yet another choice bourbon that blew us away. This spirit gave off a candied nose along with some citrus and dried fruits. Its initial spice gave way to leather, tobacco and cinnamon. Subtle oak on the finish along with a shot of heat hit all of our sensory spots. I’ve always been a fan of the different style of Eagle Rare even in their lesser offerings and this one is not to be downplayed. A stylish bourbon.

Website: http://www.eaglerare.com/

#4: Rating 94 Points- Templeton Small Batch Rye.

We were surprised how far ahead this Rye got in our ratings but despite its seemingly gimmicky claims, this Rye stood out amongst they fray. Its nose was reminiscent of the holiday with pine, allspice and woods. The cinnamon and spice came forward along with a buttery mouthfeel and heated finish. I can’t say for fact that this is a “Prohibition Era” spirit but it’s sure tasty for this day and age.

Wesbite: http://www.templetonrye.com/

#5: Rating 93 Points- Kings County Distillery Bourbon.

We must have had NY on our minds as yet another NY spirit made our top tastings. This small batch bourbon out of Kings County delivered fine malts along with a lot of corn on the nose. The flavors gave hints of charred oak, leather and touches anise. The oak finish smacked on the sides of the mouth and kept us salivating for more. Yet another unique style that cut through the rest.

Website: http://kingscountydistillery.com/

As you’ve probably guessed it was a tough afternoon sifting through choice bourbons and ryes at a private cigar lounge; fortunately we bit the bullet and suffered through the day. Our scientific method yielded the most unbiased ratings we could deliver. You’ll be happy to know we treated ourselves to some luxurious cigars afterward while dutifully sipping on the winner. All for you dear readers, all for you.

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