Tastes

I can’t believe I’m sitting through this crap. This is some bourgeoise shit. Not the whisky...I’ll get to that. This gender reveal party I’m currently in attendance, much to my chagrin. Have you ever been to a gender reveal party? Anyone care besides the parents? This one has a cake that when cut will show either a blue or pink inside. WTF!? My mom had me when she was 17. I’m sure there was no gender reveal party. Maybe just “WTF! You didn’t use protection!?!” Anyway, fast forward a few hours from this evening’s gender reveal party to now. After sitting through that bourgeoise crap, I had to have something that oozed ruggedness with spartan muscle. Perfect time to crack open a pour of 2017 Lagavulin Distiller’s, courtesy of @LeeEvolved. On the nose: Earthy, sea-ravaged ropes, hard mineral quality. Palate: thick, oily and viscous. Oceanic, smoked...maybe herrings. Just what one needs after a long week further elongated by a freakin’ gender party. Not that I care...but the cake insides were pink.

I have a bottle of this which I bought for $250, but I had a chance to try a pour last week as well, while I was away on a business trip to Denver. I was quite surprised to see it sitting pretty at eye level in the hotel bar. Got myself a pour and had it while developing a slide deck on taking 6 operating centers into 3 regional centers. Fun. So..this pour bought back memories. Back at Univeristy of Michigan, I dated this one girl, we’ll call her “A”. She was old money. Extremely wealthy parents. She lived off campus in an amazing apartment that she owned (her logic, and she was right, was that she’d be better off owning and selling when she graduates). I lived in a dorm, working as an RA to make ends meet while my tuition was covered by scholarship. She drove a BMW, while I drove a Huffy 10 speeder. So, one day she calls me at 3am. “I’m coming over now. It’s urgent, I need to tell you something. And you’ll need to sit down for it”, while sobbing away. I’m thinking “damnit. Okay, so she’s pregnant. I have 3 more years to go, and I’m sure I’ll get a job...we’ll get married, and it’ll be fine”. But no...I’m freaking out thinking it’ll be 3 years of hell with two college kids going through classes and taking care of a new born. I’m sweating a storm and sh%*ing bricks. Do I need a third job? Will her dad cover us? Hell, I can sell my Huffy for a set of diapers. And her Beamer can probably get us one year of formula. Okay, So...she comes over, sobbing and crying. I’m ready to get the news of “congrats...you’re the baby daddy”. Instead...” I need to tell you something. I’m not a pre-med major. I’m not even in college. I’m just taking my dad’s money, and spending it. I’m living a lie...and I needed to come out clean to you”. I give a huge sigh of relief...a world of burden suddenly comes off my shoulder. I mean, I knew she wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer (She couldn’t point out where my lungs were...which was a bit concerning for a pre-med ), but I figured she was just bottom of her class. Anyway...this whiskey bought back those memories. I went in expecting this hard oaky hit, like being hit with a 2x4. It’s a 30th anniversary...I’m sure there’s gotta be some old liquid there. I went in thinking I’m going to be hit with tannins and wood. It’s gonna be strong. Good thing I’m already sitting down for it. But maybe I shouldn’t be working on corporate consolidations...might axe off some poor shmuck for being in the wrong 3x3 grid. Afterall, the nose indicated to me that I’m gonna get hit. It was as if I’m taking a stroll in a lumber yard. But, the palette was all soft landing. Black truffles, butterscotch, caramel. No sign of that lumber yard. Really well done. Glad to have bought a bottle. And “A”...to close it out...I wonder if her charades continued through her “ med school”, “residency”, and “attending”. I should look her up...

For some reason, I thought Copperdog was an American distillery. Until I tasted this, courtesy of a pour sent by @LeeEvolved. Notes of ripe pears, honey, apricots, with a clear indication of some age gave it away as being a Speysider instead of an American. Really a well made blend, and if I’d tasted this blind, I’d have guessed it for a Balvenie 12. Thanks Lee for the sample

Need to up this to 4.25. After having it again, once it’s sitting out for a while, the heat really goes away and you’re left with the sweet salty balance. Really well done. Once you have it sitting out, you can then also isolate which muscat casks...I’m guessing Italian Asti white based on not too sweet, dry, and color.

This is one of those times I wish distilleries were a bit more clearer on their labeling. Muscat is a pretty broad range of wines ranging from a dry sweet Italian white wine ( Asti Moscato from Piedmont) to yellow ( Moscato Giallo) to pink ( Moscato Rosa ) to dark purple ( Muscat Hamburg). It’s even a liqueur. But characteristics are basically floral. So...this is a 11yr old hand filled Bunna matured fully in Muscat casks. Pretty much available at the distillery only. But, I’ve no idea if I’m dealing with white, pink or yellow wine casks. The color in glass is pale bronze..so maybe a yellow or white Muscat. Aroma: sunflower seeds, hemp oil. Flavor: dry, herbaceous, probably a bit salty and sweet. I’m not getting floral at all. It’s an interesting experiment. Not my favorite Bunna, but I’m appreciative of it since one can’t simply buy this from a local store or online.

I’ve had quite a few good bourbons, maybe 3-4 damn good ones, and 2 that I thought were spectacular. This outdoes all the ones I’ve ever had. It’s a new offering from the chaps at Barrell, a blend of 15 yr olds from IN, TN and KY. Imagine walking into a chocolate covered cherry. That’s what the nose of this is...heavenly cherries dipped in sinfully sweet chocolate. Taste follows with caramel, cloves, nutmeg, and more cherries. This is hands down one of the most complex, complete, and exciting bourbons I’ve ever tried. At $250, it’s not cheap...but was a worthwhile splurge to spend with family over Christmas. We had a few things open, but this was the only one that finished quickly that evening. My only regret—-I wished I squirreled away a few more pours for latter. If you can find it, don’t hesitate to get it right away.

This was sent to me by my buddy @LeeEvolved, a nice healthy 2 pour sample—of which I had 1/2 of it this evening. I love the aroma on this. Musty red wine cellars. Long ago, I went to Mendoza, Argentina on vacation. Stayed at a winery there for a few days—-rustling cattle with the cowboys during the day, drinking red wine at night. The cabins had this musty, earthy red wine smell to it. Like old earth mixed with Malbec grapes. This is like that, simply amazing. Amazing and Auchentoshan aren’t two words I’d use in the same sentence, but this surprised me. As far as palette: a bit of a step down from the nose, only because it’s more musty than red wine...but I’m nitpicking. For all those years in red wine casks, I’m astonished the tannins didn’t carry through harshly. Simply and sinfully well made. Who knew a light Lowlander can match well with a strong red? And, more importantly...why is Auchentoshan doing more of this!?!