Tastes

In the last month or so, I've gone to several tasting events that have featured some incredible whiskies -- ones that, quite frankly, I probably couldn't afford otherwise. This expression is one of those. The Ian Hunter Story is the first in a new series from Laphroaig, which promises to honor notable figures from the distillery's legendary history. It's 30 years old and costs around $1,250 for a bottle (or a staggering $50 an ounce!). The irony of older Laphroaig is that the features that first attract us to Islay whisky, like its intensity and smokiness, diminish noticeably with age. Like us, it mellows out and loses its sharp edges with every additional decade. Here, three decades have transformed the ashy bonfires of its heavily peated malt into notes of incense and cedar on the nose, which at times resembles a gin in its herbal and citric fruit nature. Dried, candied pineapple and almonds are more prominent than the peat, which confirms something I've noted in other 20-year-plus Laphroaigs: the medicinal notes in younger expressions matures into potent, slightly funky tropical fruit. The palate is medicinal tea twinned with grilled pineapple and retains that juniper-esque, gin flavor. Some smoke reasserts itself on the finish in wisps of black tea and brine. In my humble view, perhaps driven out of economic necessity, I prefer teenaged Laphroaig to its older siblings and cousins. Laphroaig in the 14- to 18-year-old range is nearly divine whisky perfection. We've had the privilege to try several independent bottlings over 20, and the official 25 and 30; while they reveal some deep undercurrents concealed in younger expressions, they lose as much as they gain. For me, Lore and the 10 Cask Strength are the pinnacle of the current lineup. To paraphrase the bard, "Nothing of it that doth fade/But doth suffer a sea-change/Into something rich and strange."

This E.H. Taylor expression -- Batch 7, from 2018 -- was my surprise favorite of a night where I also tried three Four Roses Private Selections, Kentucky Owl Bourbon (Batch 8), and 2018's George T. Stagg. I've had pours of earlier batches of this barrel-proof bourbon, and they never left a lasting impression on my mind. This newest release, dating from 2018, is astoundingly good and almost tastes like a sherry-finished whiskey. Raisin is readily detectable from the first sniff, along with dense blackberry preserve or compote. The fruit flavors on this one rival, or perhaps even exceed, the intensity of the Kentucky Owl. Despite being considerably younger than the Stagg, its palate had the strongest oak backbone and the most mouth-watering maple syrup note. It was incredibly viscous and full-bodied. The one slight flaw would be the overwhelming heat on the finish: turmeric, cinnamon, pie, and sweet tea giving just a glimmer of relief from that spice and alcoholic fire.

We've tried two earlier editions of Stagg and raved about both (2013 and 2017). Thankfully, Buffalo Trace has not let us down with this latest edition. Stagg is hands-down the best rye-recipe bourbon that I've tried, with the best Elijah Craig Barrel Proof editions coming a close second. It's so much older than typical bourbon releases, with an extra three years of age compared to the already well-matured ECBP, and has a characteristic and unmistakable resulting profile overflowing with stewed fruit, peanut oil, rich caramel, vanilla, green tea, salted dark chocolate, and lumberyard wood. I often associate great bourbons with a note that's reminiscent of chocolate, and Stagg offers the clearest and best example of that slightly bitter but intoxicating flavor. I doubt I'll be able to find or afford a bottle in the next five years, but this remains one of the best bourbons in the world and I can only hope that I'm lucky enough to try Fall 2019's release.

We had the pleasure of trying this $300+ bourbon at Old Owl Tavern, the bar/restaurant at the Beaumont Inn. The owner of the Inn and Tavern is the same person who revived the Kentucky Owl line and selects the batches that go into this highly coveted product (although it's since been bought out by Stolichnaya). Essentially, what we have here is a sourced bourbon picked by a person with generations-long connections in the industry, but which goes for a sky-high price. Online sources suggest that it's a blend of at least four different batches, ranging in age from 5 years -- which is quite young! -- to 14 years. Its impressive start recalls a berry-picking trip to a gentleman's farm, with ephemeral early chords of strawberry, brown sugar, buttercream frosting, and shortcake that emphasize that this is going to be a sweet pour showcasing the fruit-forward nature of young, high-quality juice. After about 15 minutes, a decent amount of dry cedar and guaiac wood announce their presence. Its nose is its highlight, as the palate reverts to a classic but spicy profile: caramel, charred oak, some chili oil and cinammon, no significant tannic grip. It almost tastes better after the swallow, when dark fruit and cherry flavors reemerge to duet with the charred oak and chocolate swirling around the back of the throat. This is a great bourbon but a bad value.

Sadly, Heaven Hill 6-Year Bottled-in-Bond was too good for this world. Farewell, sweet whiskey unicorn! This expression was a long-time Kentucky exclusive that nailed a rare trifecta for that lucky state's bourbon lovers: high quality, great value, and a clear age statement. In fact, it was such a good value that many people claimed that it was Heaven Hill Distillery's small "thank you" to the people of its home state. Compared to other Heaven Hill expressions, this one is a little different. It combines what I think of as Jim Beam funk -- roasted peanuts and anise -- with Buffalo Trace fruitiness -- orange rinds, tangerines, and mandarins. Yes, it's almost every orange-colored fruit in the citrus family in a dense and heady mixture. Light honey and those orange citrus fruits dominate the palate by far, along with some cereal grain and corn. The most notable absence in this bourbon is vanilla. If someone served this to me over an ice cube, I'd assume it was an Old Fashioned.

The third and most recent edition to the standard lineup, this is also the distillery's first wide release of rye whiskey. They promote it as a "sipping" rather than mixing rye, but I was quite disappointed in it. Perhaps it was just because my senses were exhausted at the end of a long day, but I got very little out of this expression. Its nose is faint and demure, with a young bourbon character rather than the bold, spicy rye impact I'd expect. The palate is more of the same, with light simple syrup and honey flavors with just a bit of rye. This is a kiddie-pool or training-wheels rye, inoffensive but not close to worth the $40 sticker price. Go for Old Overholt any day of the week, even as a "sipping" whiskey.

Would you believe it, a spirit aged in two different fresh oak barrels picks up a ton of charred wood and dry flavors? This second standard lineup product forms an ideal contrast with Woodford Reserve, which is one of the most fruit-forward bourbons (along with Buffalo Trace) that I've encountered. This is one of the most universally available bourbons in the country, so I bet anyone who's a fan of whiskey or drinking in general has had a pour or two of this one. In all three flavors, it's slightly smoky, dry, and leathery, with some of those more delicate Woodford Reserve peach and vanillas lurking in the background. It's a really well-balanced bourbon, but not the best value in that $55 range.

Seeing the uniform opprobrium that greeted this youthful Glen Ord single cask has made me a little nervous about reviewing it! I tasted this a few months ago but neglected to do my Distiller homework and put my thoughts to paper. In a shocking turn of events . . . I really liked this one! My tasting notes on it indicate that the nose featured lots of sweet grain, vanilla cake, egg batter, and butter cookies. The palate was a mixture of butter and lemon, with hints of salt and scrumptious ripe apple. It wraps up with lasting lemon tartness balanced by warm butter and floral accents. The strangest thing of all is, I'm not really the biggest fan of Highland whisky, but I found this one to be a pleasure. Thanks @PBMichiganWolverine for the sample!