Tastes

Now that I’m back to just an ounce on a Friday and one on Sundays, I so look forward to settling in end of a hard work week, or in advance of a hard work week, full of meetings and business operations models. The hardest part actually of getting back to an ounce every Friday is now choosing which of my backlog of 50+ samples, a few open bottles, and an obscene number of unopened bottles should I go for. First world problems. This week has been especially taxing...the non-stop reality show we have going on day after day (this week is Kavanaugh and that mad circus). I count my blessings every day I’m not employed in our new reality circus. Then again, if I were...I’d probably drink a bottle a night instead of an ounce or two a week. Anyway, I digress. This sample was provided by my friend @LeeEvolved. I can’t tell if this was meant to be the Abunadh replacement, or a new line. But either way, I liked this much better. The Abunadh was cherry NyQuil reinincarnated as a scotch. I can’t stand cherry NyQuil. This is much better...you get the classic sherry influence of sweet dried fruits and sultanas, with enough of a kick without being hot, with a finish that similar to Brazil nuts. Would I buy a bottle? Yeah...if I t were priced <$60. Thanks Lee!

Damnit. I meant not to buy this. Now that I’m back to one pour / week, I really need to reduce my acquisition rate. Else, 450 bottles will quickly become 800. I had a small sample of this at a large chain wine store, and immediately fell in love with it. This is a 13 yr single sherry cask Highland Park...something you don’t see often. At $200, yes, expensive...but it’s NCF, single cask, sherry HP with an age statement. But, more importantly, it’s the taste of this that wowed me. Aroma of black cherries and sweet icing. On palette, very lightly smoked, with floral taste...raspberries, some salt. Really well made. I ended up getting a bottle...

I remember having this two years ago at the Frankfurt airport en route to Dubai. It was one of the few JW’s I actually liked ( the other being its cousin, JW Green). On the nose, the Caol Ila takes the leadership position. You clearly get the Islay aromas. But, the Clyneish waxiness comes into play on palette. Islay is tempered a bit with the Highlander and Lowlander. Personally, I still favor the JW Green over this, namely because I liked the Talisker presence. But, this is still a job well done by JW. Thanks to @LeeEvolved for a generous pour!

I love getting to try local craft whiskey. I really think it’s a true testament of gritty hard work, creativity, and passion. But, their prices seem more on par with well aged malts, which is what I can’t seem to fathom for young whiskies and bourbon. I got to try a sample of this thanks to a pour from @LeeEvolved. I’m especially thankful, because this one here isn’t simply available in NJ. You can clearly tell the passion that went into this—-it’s quality spirit, with strong aromas of fruit (specifically kiwi, stone fruits), followed by a crisp hint of beer and cereals. Ideally suited for a nice sunny hot Virginia day. It’ll be interesting to see where these guys go, as their whiskey becomes older and more refined. Bar, Bottle Purchase, or Avoid...I’d say bar for this one. I’d gladly buy a pour, but at $65, I can get a good young single malt or bourbon. Thanks Lee!

I had a pour of their latest release, B518, during a one day quick Chicago business trip. This is the 12 yr old, taken to cask strength full flavor. Each batch varies, but they’re all supposedly good to amazing. I’ve had previously two other EC barrel proof releases, one courtesy of @Dreaming-of-Islay, the other from a bottle I bought. Both excellent. But this beats those two. Hands down this has now taken the top spot for my favorite bourbon, which was previously held by the 2016 Four Roses LESB. At a mere $60-80, to me this is a no-brainer buy, rather than chasing the Four Roses LESBs, or the BTACs. This is inches away from being a hazmat warning, clocking at nearly 135ABV. You get the firepower, but surprisingly none of the heat and burn. It’s all buttercream and vanilla frosting. It’s thick and creamy...almost like they put in full fat cream into the vatting. Only once I made the claim of “you gotta buy this”, and that was for the Brora 30yr old, specifically targeted to the whisky connoisseur ...but this at $69.99 is a must buy for the general masses that love bourbon. (the price I paid. As soon as I finished my pour, I bought it immediately online).

I fished off my last 1 ounce of this. One ounce sitting for months in an otherwise empty 750ml has got to have some oxidation impacts. I noticed the profile much more extreme this time around. I took 1/2 an ounce and added a small amount of ice, and took the rest with a drop of water. It’s like the Miley Cyrus of the whiskey world. One sample was the wild butt naked gritty Miley swinging on a wrecking ball, the other was the pretty, Sunday brunch dressed Miley barefoot in her backyard singing Jolene. You find both attractive, depending on the mood. So...the one with ice was much more grittier than before, with burned coffee and pure cacao overwhelming in the forefront. The one with a drop of water was milk chocolate and orange, lighter than months ago. I guess that’s the magic of oxidation’s ionic breakdown.

Another sample graciously sent by my friend @LeeEvolved. I’m clearly not having this the right way. After my ounce of Laphroaig Cairdeas, I decided to have a Halo chocolate chip ice cream, alongside this. A single barrel 12 yr old bourbon maybe isn’t meant to be had after a Cairdeas, and with Halo high protein ice cream. I found this overly sweet like candy corn, with a burnt mocha flavor ( Laphroaig + Halo chocolate chip?). Thankfully, I have an ounce still left...I need to have this by itself , without proceeding after an amazing Cairdeas. Sorry Lee...I’m dumb enough to have it after the Cairdeas, but smart enough to keep half for another day.

A sample provided by my good buddy @LeeEvolved. This year’s Cairdeas is a winner, almost (but not quite) up there with the Port cask one from some years back. Aroma is typical Laphroaig: medicinal, briny, tarry. But the difference is on first taste. Sweet smoke. Grilled fruits, with pink salt. Just amazing. Just like how that port wood Cairdeas is now so hard to find and 5x it’s original asking price, I believe this will be in the same category. Buy one now, while it’s still barely $100. Thanks for the pour Lee!

I had this 2 weeks ago at WhiskeyLive in NJ. I’d say out of the 50 or so whiskies there, this one and the Balcones rye were the highlights. Whereas the Balcones was simply very unique, this one was just purely well made innovation. It was triple matured—bourbon, sherry, back to bourbon. All in the Indian heat and high humidity, which really ages the whiskey quicker than the Scottish brethren. It’s a nutty sweet flavor, with a strong hint of vanilla. Quite potent too..but that’s Amrut’s calling card. Walking out of the event, this was the best one. If you see it, worthwhile purchase. I don’t believe it’s that expensive...maybe $100