Tastes
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High West A Midwinter Night's Dram Act 12 (All Scenes)
Rye — USA
Reviewed November 4, 2024 (edited November 16, 2024)Almost. Almost there…but probably all HWMW going forward will always be “almost”. What i mean is if High West Midwinter is back to it’s early Act 2 and 3, which were amazing , and set the stage for this brand as its annual flagship product. When Act 2 came out , at a mere $60, I was floored. It took me back to spice markets in Jodhpur and Morocco , back to the orange lined streets of Sevile. But after act 4, it all fell apart. They raised prices from $60 to $80 to $100, and now anywhere from $130-300. All the while , lowering their quality. Less Jodhpur , Seville, and Morocco. More big corporate America. And every year, I have purchased this. Provided if and only if i can get it under $130. And every year, i’ve been disappointed. Except this year. Yes, its not Act 2 and 3, but its the best ( in my humble opinion) since act 4. That’s 8 whole years!! This is best enjoyed when its cold outside , and you’re sitting by a warm fireplace. Notes of mulled wine, and then flavors of plum, allspice, and cinnamon. A bit more plum than previous years, and thats a good thing. If you can find this anywhere around $120-130, it’s a worthwhile buy to open up with friends and family over the holidays. @Slainte-Mhath i’ll bring over a sample when we meet up in Oslo . @Richard-ModernDrinking , @pkingmartin … will send for our Jan tasting. -
Black Tot Last Consignment British Royal Navy Rum
Navy Rum — Multiple Countries
Reviewed September 15, 2024 (edited September 25, 2024)A super rare 5 stars from me. It’s been ages since I’ve given anything 5 stars. You just get so jaded, and you really start to discern the good from the great to the “fucking wow!! “. This falls in the latter category. I had a 6ml pour last week while in the UK. A bit of background on this: It’s a piece of British navel history. For hundreds of years, the British navy supplied a daily ration to their sailors. This could be a mixture of any rum from the colonies : Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, Guyana, etc. Sort of like an infinity blend over centuries. But this practice was stopped in 1970. The management deemed it high risk to have sailors drunk around billions of pound sterling worth of military equipment. This is where the entrepreneurial brilliant chaps from The Whiskey Exchange came in. They bought the last few barrels of this rum, at which point who knows how old it was , or its components. There’s components from 1800 to 1969 in that blend. Either way… this is freaking old. So: what’s it taste like? One of the top three spirits I’ve had in my life. That good. The aroma is totally different than any rum today, either be it the sweet sugar loaded mass market stuff or the super funky Jamaican ones. It’s slightly smoky, sherry infused Speysider. Taste is amazing. Blackberry, mango, a slight bit of smoke, a wee bit of Jamaican Habitation funk, creme brulee. It’s just amazing. Last I looked , this was $1000… which is outrageous…but put in context, its like having a BTAC , Macallan , or Pappy that has components from 1800. It would be bottled in Lalique crystal, with a price tag well into 5 digits. Top three spirit on my list so far… -
SPRINGBANK 25 YEAR 2020 EDITION
Single Malt — Campbeltown, Scotland
Reviewed August 11, 2024 (edited October 20, 2024)A superbly rare treat, courtesy of @pkingmartin during our latest quarterly tasting. When does a Springbank not come in first place out of a 5 sample tasting? When the top billing went to a rarer 1970s Four Roses ( that review coming later ). Nornally, this would be the highlight of the evening. But, its like you have a chance to test drive 5 cars—- the first a BMW M5. But then to find out the other four are a Porsche 911, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and a Bugatti. I’ve never had a Springbank 25. But i reckon not many of us here have had it. That whopping price tag of well north of $1000 can be a limiting factor. This particular 2020 version is 50/50 bourbon and sherry cask. If you go in expecting that Springbank funk, you wont find it here. Instead that gritiness is replaced by silky smooth vanilla, dried fruits , pencil shavings ( when is pencil shaving taste a positive? I guess here. And full transparency…I’ve never eaten pencil shavings. I grew up poor, but not that poor), lemon and ginger. Light touch on all of those. Ultimately, you”re losing what makes a Springbank a Springbank ( grit, funky notes). But you’re getting a top notch ultra-elegant pour. Personally, i’d take the 18 over the 25, but YMMV. I beleive Springbank peaks at 18. After that, you lose an inherent quality. Thanks immensely again to @pkingmartin for this rare treat -
Inchfad 15 yr by Thompson Brothers
Single Malt — Scotland
Reviewed July 26, 2024 (edited August 9, 2024)I bought a 200ml small bottle of this while I was in London some time ago. I dont think I’ve even heard of Inchfad, but it turns out it’s simply the heavily peated version of Loch Lomond, made using the pot still , but with an additional rectifying column instead of the swan neck. I dont know what that change architecture means or does to a whisky, but whatever it does, worked out really well in the end product. This has aromas of damp moist earth and petrichor. Tatste is an umami like mushroom-y, earthiness combined with some chocolate and nuts. Really unique. The smoke is there , but it’s more an integration with the earthiness. Almost like a peated Balvenie, but less on fruits and heather. A suberb buy considering i barely paid $20-30USD for a 200ml bottle. -
I bought a few samples with me on my holiday to Alaska. I saved this one for last. Having this while looking at the Denali range, sitting out on the front porch of our lodge. That environment certainly bumps this up 1/2 star. I’ve had quite a few JW’s, and by far my favorite was always the Ghost and Rare Brora. Followed by Green ( which is great VFM). I think this one has replaced the Green as my 2nd favorite JW. Unfortunately, a full bottle is quite pricey, maybe more so than even the Ghost Brora. Which is fine…I feel I can get 80% there simply by having the $60 Green. Light smokiness ( probably from the bit of Port Ellen?), orange cream, vanilla, fresh red apples. First word that comes to mind is elegant. There’s age and maturity, and all the elements seems to be well integrated together, not one malt vying over the other. Really well done. Would I buy a full bottle? Probably not…If I’m to spend this much, I’d much rather get the Ghost Brora, which had layers more of complexity.
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Heaven Hill Bottled In Bond 7 Year
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed July 3, 2024 (edited July 10, 2024)On vacation right now, and bought a few samples woth me. For today—-it a Heaven Hill 7 yr bourbon. Nothing too impressive, but nothing to dismiss as well. Just a good well rounded bourbon with the basics intact— nice ABV, upfront caramel and vanilla, finishes with a dose of oak. Probably goes well in a variety of cocktails as well as having it neat or over ice. Sometimes uncomplicated is good, and that is exactly what this is.Denali Backcountry Lodge -
Denali Spirits Whiskey
American Single Malt — Alaska , USA
Reviewed July 2, 2024 (edited July 10, 2024)Had this at the distillery just outside Denali in Talkeetna. Of course, having it at the distillery adds to the enjoyment, and i’d pribably score it much lower if i had it at home. Aroma is simple baked goods, some vanilla. Pallette is better than i expected for a brewery that ventured into distilling. Carmel, vanilla, sourdough. Young, and naturally the aging process in Alaska adds to its rough profile. Overall, not bad…just not good. Needs age and maturity.Denali Spirits -
Ardnahoe Inaugural 5yr old
Single Malt — islay , Scotland
Reviewed May 19, 2024 (edited October 15, 2024)I usually treat inaugural releases as a marketing gimmick. Something new and shiny, bottled too soon, and limited release making it silly overpriced. Not to mention severely underwhelming in taste. Even if it’s bottled with a good age statement and taste great, there’s still that over-price factor ( Daftmill inugural comes to mind). Except for now. This is a 5yr old , respectable 50%, 70k bottle release, priced at a very affordable $75. And taste fantastic! Nose: wow, not expecting this…big smack of peat and smoke. Palette: this is where that use of sherry comes out. Initially soot and campfire, but then turns into apples, heather , red berries and cocoa. Think if Ledaig and Balvenie had a child. This is really impressive for a first release. And more so considering its for the mass market at a whopping 70,000 bottle release. They really wanted all to be able to afford it and, more importantly, OPEN it to drink, not to hoard. Till now, my favorite inaugural release ( that I actually opened and had) was Kilchoman, and more recently, Torabhaig. Others were simply too expensive ( Daftmill, Bimber), or simply “meh, it’s fine” ( Aber Falls, Lagg, Drumshambo, Cotswold, Filey Bay, Isle of Harris, Lochlea, Wolfburn, Mc’Nean). This is now my new favorite inaugural release, with the bonus factor of actually being damn good. Buy on sight. Sure, slightly pricey for a 5 yr old ( still not bad, considering Ardbeg Wee Beastie is $65 and not as good), but damn affordable for an inaugural release.75.0 USD per Bottle -
Ardbeg Smoketrails Côte Rôtie Edition
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed April 28, 2024 (edited October 1, 2024)Travel rerail is a tricky place. It’s like being transported to the bazaars of India , Morocco or Turkey. You have these aggressive sales folks that try to convince you that the bottle they have is “one of a kind”, and “ can’t buy anywhere else”, or, my favorite one so far —- “ i know the head distiller, and he personaly told me this is the best they’ve made yet”. But once in a while, you do find a gem. Far and few in between, but it happens every so often. The firet SmokeTrails was case and point. That as a Manzanilla one, which i thiught paired really well with the smoke of Ardbeg. The dry wine added a layer of complexity above and beyond what Ardbeg normally offers. Based on how good that first one was, I automatically bought this second release. Nornally, my rule of thumb is that if I dont like that wine, i wont buy the whiskey finiahed in that wine. I dont like Manzanilla. I find it dry. But i lobed that first SmokeTrails finished in Manzanilla. So…i dont like Cote Rotie. But i fugured Ardbeg + Cote Rotie might be good based on the previous experience. I was wrong. This nose has a muted Ardbeg nose. Either the wine took over, or this just has low PPMs. Im getting smoke and something herbal on the palette …thyme? Along with saline , lemons. I’m not getting any wine influence. In fact everything is muted. The smoke, saline, everything. It’s as if they took Ardbeg and stripped what makes Ardbeg an Ardbeg. It’s not bad…just not good.80.0 GBP per Bottle -
Hardin's Creek Kentucky Series - Boston
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed April 27, 2024 (edited May 16, 2024)I’m so the outlier in this one. I bought the 3 bottles 200ml tasting pack. I shared a pour during our quarterly online tasting between @pkingmartin , @Richard-ModernDrinking and @ctbeck11 , and had this along with a few others ( of which the standout was a red wine matured Talisker from @Richard-ModernDrinking ). I had this again subsequently by itself. Just not a fan. I know I’m the rare exception. It’s amazing on paper—- 17 yr old, single location, 110 proof, priced well. And most reviews seem to love it. So, more of a “me” issue. But…I feel it’s too one dimensional, and overly tannic and oaky-y. I’m getting tabacco and cocoa on the nose. The palette is just not doing it for me. Oak, tannic. A bit bitter of a finish. I loved the previous Hardin’s Creek ( Jacobs Well, which was 15 yr old). That had more depth and complexity, and more importantly less tannic and oak.
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