Tastes
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Two hours. That’s how long I sat in a car, driving north of Oaxaca, visiting local countryside and some small distilleries. And that was with 2 young children and a wife that doesn’t drink. There’ll be either a special place in hell for me for putting them through that, or a special place in heaven for them. This is a no name bottle that I picked up from one of those visits. Some years back, we took a trip to a foodie trip to Oaxaca and Mexico City , followed by a beach vacation to Cabo. ( I HATED Cabo…over priced, touristy). One of the things we were told we should absolutely do while in Oaxaca is take a mezcal tour. It’s really diametrically opposite than the tours you get at the behemoth bourbon or scotch distilleries. We went to two…one was a professionally run small distillery, and then this one which was a co-op run by farmers. Both made products that were sold only locally. No distribution channels. No marketing. And what’s made is consumed by locals. This one was run by farmers, who seemed more interested in selling us their crop then mezcal. Small operation …some farmers working during their free time, and a donkey ( I forgot his name), who grinds the agave. We were treated to lunch, bought about $10 worth of local honey, and had all you can drink mezcal. I loved the mezcal so much, I bottled some, duct taped it, and bought it back. This is unlike most mezcal I’ve had. It’s muted on the smoke ( maybe it’s because I’ve had it 3-4 years in an unopened bottle, loosely held by duct tape?). It’s more herbal, grassy, and almost granite-y. Personally , I love it…and gave it a very biased score…but that’s also because of the experience. @ctbeck11 @pkingmartin @Richard-ModernDrinking @ContemplativeFox this was the sample recently sent Oh— if anyone is interested in a pour—will be happy to send one. I have 1/2 bottle still left10.0 USD per Bottle
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Compass Box Experimental Grain
Blended Grain — Scotland
Reviewed March 29, 2022 (edited November 20, 2023)Not a review— just a component breakdown: Loch Lomond , 11yr, 2nd fill bourbon barel, 31% Hedonism, 16yr, 2nd fill bourbon, 17.8% North British, 24yr, recharred American oak, 36.7% Cameronbridge, 24yr, Recharred American oak, 14.5% Great to see 21+ yr olds, close to 50% of total -
Killowen Stone Soup Poitin
Spirit — Ireland z, Ireland
Reviewed March 27, 2022 (edited June 25, 2022)I’ve only had one poitin so far, and it was a horrid experience. Was about 10 years ago. Never touched it ever again. Felt like it was having a shot of Everclear. I’m sure what I had was probably worst of the bunch, and my not knowing any better, wrote off all poitin as gut rot. This is diametrically opposite to my experience from a decade ago. This is a very small batch ( about 200 bottles. All sold out now. I only got to try a small 3cl sample). It takes Ireland’s native spirit, turf smokes it, and then matures it for 10 weeks in a PX cask with a mourne stone ( which are those stones used to make border markings ). This is absolutely delicious. Nose is sticky sweet, figs and dates. Palette is earthy, granite, and oily brown sugar. Grapefruits and creme brûlée on the finish. These are probably all sold out, but if you see one—pick up immediately, open, and share with friends. I haven’t a clue as to what great poitin looks like, but this has just set the bar for me.14.0 USD per Pour -
George Dickel x Leopold Bros Collaboration Blend (2021 Release)
Rye — USA
Reviewed March 22, 2022 (edited July 4, 2022)Remember back in middle school, your science teacher would take the class out on a field trip to collect specimens to view under a microscope? You’d walk by a pond, fill a test tube, and bring it back to see what’s in there that’s invisible to the naked eye. Under the 1000x view of the microscope, you’d find a whole world in there. Amoebas. Paramecium. Tons of other Protozoa. Every where you look, it’s something different. And changing every time you even look in the same place. This is like that microscopic world. One of the few whiskeys I’ve had that changes at every aroma. I’m getting herbs and green apples on the nose. I put it down, come back to it a few seconds later, and now I’m getting leather , tabacco and oak. The palette isn’t quite the ride as the nose, unfortunately. It’s apples and caraway seeds. Really a well done collaboration. Two ryes, made two different ways. And the first rye made by Dickel as well. Unfortunately we don’t know what percent is Dickel or Leopold, but honestly, not sure it matters. Thanks immensely to @ctbeck11 for a generous pour. Around my neck of the woods, this is $100…and at that price, it’s a definite buy. This is one of those that you don’t want to rush into tasting, but just nose the kaleidoscope of aromas. That itself is worth the price of admission. -
Del Maguey Ibérico Mezcal
Mezcal Joven — Oaxaca, Mexico
Reviewed March 5, 2022 (edited March 17, 2022)@pkingmartinmartin , @ctbeck11 @Richard-ModernDrinking and I had our quarterly online tasting. We had 4 pours …all amazing. 25yr Proof and Wood Light whiskey, Tears of Llorana tequila, Del Maguey Iberico, and a no name local only mezcal from a oaxacan distillery. Years ago, I took a trip to Spain. We did Barcelona , Grenada , Rhonda, and Madrid. One thing I always will remember from Spain will be the Iberico ham. They have these black footed hogs that are raised on hazelnuts. Their meat is delicate, unlike any other ham you can possibly have. It’s aged and then served thinly sliced. You can taste the forest floor —-earthy, hazelnuts. The first sip of this took me back to Barcelona and those thinly sliced Iberico ham. Says something when a drink makes you remember an amazing experience. This has all the trademarks of that iberico ham…hazelnuts, floral, but not too floral, earthy and with a hint of smoke. Thanks @pkingmartin for the pour!!! -
Tears of Llorona Extra Añejo Tequila
Tequila Extra Añejo — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed March 5, 2022 (edited November 18, 2024)@pkingmartinmartin , @ctbeck11ck11 @Richard-ModernDrinking and I had our quarterly online tasting. We had 4 pours …all amazing. 25yr Proof and Wood Light whiskey, Tears of Llorana tequila, Del Maguey Iberico, and a no name local only mezcal from a oaxacan distillery. Okay, I’m no tequila expert, but I did have more than enough to have one listed as my all time best. This is it. It’s my all time favorite tequila I’ve ever had. This is a whiskey drinker’s tequila. It’s layers and layers of complexity, almost like a well aged Speysider finished in tequila cask. Aged 5 years, in a cognac, scotch , and Sherry casks. Heavy in rancio, custard, toffee. Expensive, but so damn good. I’d you’re going to buy one tequila, this is it. Thanks to @ctbeck11 for the pour!! -
Proof and Wood 25 Year Old American Light Whiskey 100 Seasons
Blended American Whiskey — Kentucky , USA
Reviewed March 5, 2022 (edited June 27, 2023)@pkingmartinmartin , @ctbeck11 @Richard-ModernDrinking and I had our quarterly online tasting. We had 4 pours …all amazing. 25yr Proof and Wood Light whiskey, Tears of Llorana tequila, Del Maguey Iberico, and a no name local only mezcal from a oaxacan distillery. It’s seldom that I have a pour and immediately go out and buy it. This is one of those… just amazing, top tier whiskey. After our tasting, I literally went out where I had noticed this for $350, and bought it immediately. The one word I would use to describe this is “honeysuckle “. I have honeysuckle growing in my backyard, and the spring aromas are amazing. This reminds me of those aromas. Floral but not light. Close to 55% ABV, but drinks Silky smooth with no heat. Just amazing. I can count on one hand how many times I had a pour, and immediately sat in my car to buy a bottle. It’s less than 2… Thanks @pkingmartin for the generous pour -
Not a review — just a posting of the components and their volume % : 23yr Macallan first full bourbon, 12.1% 25yr Highland Park, Recharred hogsheads, 38.9% 25 blended scotch ,refill Sherry butt, 15.6% 25yr blended malt, refill Sherry butt, 29.3% 37yr Caol Ila , 4.1%, refill hogsheads Impressively well aged. But close 50% is their own blend. Nice to see a well aged Macallan and HP in there, and in substantial percentage.
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Glen Scotia 10 Year Peated
Single Malt — Campbeltown, Scotland
Reviewed March 1, 2022 (edited April 10, 2024)My particular bottling is a Drammer’s single cask pick, with a higher ABV, but including it here so as not to create another version. Wow…been close to 3 weeks since I had a pour. Been having less and less…god only knows what I’ll do with my 800 bottles… I really liked this one. It might be on par with the Springbank 10, and better than the venerable Talisker 10 or Ardbeg 10. A strong dose of peat, but not in your face Ardbeg style — more like a Springbank style. Lemons, earthy char, brine. The Drammer’s version is a bit pricier than the standard ( I guess bc of the higher ABV), so not sure if the standard is on the same playing field. But this is a no-brainer. Well made, and well picked by Drammers team.80.0 USD per Bottle -
Sometimes experiments work. Sometimes they don’t. But if you’re Ardbeg, even failures are cash generating. It’s very uncharacteristically Ardbeg. Citrusy. Almost tart. Then comes some soot. Then some sour lactic acid? Finally…then sudden sharp hit of peat comes at you. For me, it’s simply too discombobulated, just a stitched up mess. Mine was only a 1 ounce sample, but I’d be pissed as hell if I were to spend anywhere close to the market price. It lacks complexity and the fluidity I’d expect for something of this price ($250+). You first get citrus. Then soot. Then sharp peat. All as separate entities without one flowing to the next. Not to mention that sour lactic acid taste. That was very uncharacteristic Ardbeg. I’m probably the outlier…but another special release Ardbeg disappointment.
Results 101-110 of 933 Reviews