New Expert Spirit Reviews - January 31, 2024 - Waterford Cuvée Koffi, Ardbeg Anamorphic, Angel's Envy Cask Strength Bourbon (2023 Edition) and More!

This one of three Cuvée Concepts bottlings released by the brand in late autumn 2023 for the US. The Waterford Cuvée, aka Koffi, is made from a blend of 24 individually distilled Irish Single Farm Origins. The youngest component in the blend is 6 years-old. The product is named after contemporary French artist Nathanaël Koffi who designed the label and carton packaging. The US will get the product beginning December 2023 with other markets to follow. This is an ongoing core expression from the brand. (SRP $89.99)

This is one of three Cuvée Concepts bottlings released by the brand in late autumn 2023 for the US. Organic Cuvée Gaia is made from a blend of organic malting barley growers from multiple vintages. The US will get the product beginning December 2023 with other markets to follow. This is an ongoing core expression from the brand. (SRP $89.99)

Ardbeg Anamorphic is an Ardbeg Committee exclusive release. The spirit was aged in Ardbeg bourbon casks that had the heads removed and ground down to expose more wood. The barrels themselves were heavily charred, before the casks were filled. It is bottled at 48.2% ABV and is only available to Ardbeg Committee Members, and in limited numbers at the distillery on Islay. It carries a suggested price of $209.99.

This is 12th Cask Strength Bourbon release from Angel's Envy and the first under the leadership of Master Distiller Owen Martin who joined the brand the previous fall. Noteworthy barrels were selected form their rickhouses to undergo further finishing in port wine barrels. For this 2023 release, there were 22,656 bottles produced each with an updated bottled design for the brand. Bottled at a cask strength of 118.2 proof (59.1% ABV), availability will extend to select retailers in all 50 states as well as the Angel's Envy Distillery in Louisville beginning December 1, 2023. (SRP $229.99)

Crafted under the leadership of Master Distiller Owen Martin who joined the brand the previous fall, this bottling is the first ever Cask Strength Rye from Angel's Envy. Martin blended selected barrels of two rye whiskeys — one finished in Sauternes wine barrels and the other in toasted oak barrels. For this 2023 release, there were 5,500 bottles produced each with an updated bottled design for the brand. Bottled at a cask strength of 114.4 proof (57.2% ABV), availability will be limited to select retailers in KY, NY, FL, CA, TX, IL, OH, and TN as well as the Angel's Envy Distillery in Louisville beginning December 1, 2023. (SRP $269.99)

Dalmore Select Edition 2005 (Bottled 2023) is an 18 Year old whisky release in The Dalmore's Vintage Collection. This limited edition whisky was aged in ex-bourbon casks and finished in a combination of Vintage 2005 Sherry and Matusalem casks. It is bottled at 49.3% ABV and has a suggested price of $499.99.

Dalmore Select Edition 2008 (Bottled 2023) is a 15 Year old whisky release in The Dalmore's Vintage Collection. This limited edition whisky was aged in ex-bourbon casks and finished in a combination of 15 Year old Pedro Ximénez Sherry and Matusalem sherry casks. It is bottled at 45.8% ABV and has a suggested price of $199.99.

First released in 2016, Director's Reserve is an annual limited edition blended Canadian whisky combined with glacier-fed spring water from Oregon's Mt. Hood. After aging for 20 years, it's bottled at a 40% ABV.

Jimmy Red Bourbon Bottled in Bond Single Farm Edition was created to celebrate the 10th anniversary of High Wire Distilling Co. It was made using 100% Jimmy Red Corn grown at Plumfield Farm in Darlington, SC. This bottled in bond whiskey is the first from High Wire and has a suggested price of $299. Roughly 2,000 bottles were produced, and it is available starting in October 2023 at select liquor stores and online retailers.

Westward Whiskey Milestone was created to celebrate the brand's 20th anniversary in 2024. The whiskey was created via a 21-barrel solera system incorporating some of the distillery's oldest stocks. This marks the first release in what will be an annual, evolving series from the solera. Westward Whiskey Milestone is available exclusively via WestwardWhiskey.com and several locations within the distillery's home state of Oregon. It's priced at $250 and bottled at 43% ABV.

New Riff released a pair of eight year old whiskeys into its High Note limited edition series at the end of 2023, becoming the distillery's oldest expressions to date. The Bohemian Wheat Bourbon draws inspiration from a Dunkelweizen-style beer and is made with 65% corn, 18% floor-malted wheat, 10% unmalted wheat, and 7% dark wheat. It's billed as a “high wheat” bourbon and a rare example of a two-grain bourbon pairing corn and wheat together. The non-chill filtered bourbon is bottled at a cask strength of 117.9 proof.

New Riff released a pair of eight year old whiskeys into its High Note limited edition series at the end of 2023, becoming the distillery's oldest expressions to date. The eight year old Malted Rye is made with 100% malted rye grain and is a holdover of several beers from the distillery's earlier release of a younger malted rye whiskey. The non-chill filtered rye is bottled at a cask strength of 118.2 proof.