Tastes

While in Denver this week, I had the opportunity to try this at the Westin hotel bar. Of course, adding in the premium of Westin, I’m sure I overpaid at $8 /pour. But regardless, I guess if I were to hold up three bottles that showcase the best American craft whiskies that’s not sourced but rather distilled themselves, this would definitely be one of those three. Upfront candied cherries with caramel and chocolate, not overly deep and complex ...but really well made and enjoyable as a dessert dram. Personally...I’ll be getting a bottle. Food pairing: with dessert, something like a chocolate mousse , light and airy high cocoa content

The burgundy finish really adds a nice rich finish to this one, which I got to sample through @Generously_Paul as part our little trading team. I don’t think I ever even heard of this distillery; I’m sure I passed it by a dozen times in the store and always overlooked it thinking it’s some obscure blend. The wine finish in this case adds a layer of red berry richness to the sweet dough backbone. Almost like a red velvet cake. Not sure what the price is, but I’d be willing to fork over $50-60 for this.

A sample provided by @Generously_Paul as part of the SDT round 5. A solid gateway to Islay. Nose is like you pick up some fresh clean cold seawater in your palms and smell it. Taste is an amplified briny, herbaceous, green apple and sea salt flavor. If you’re not in the mood for a kick in the teeth Islay like Lag, Ard, or Laph...give this a go. A lighter fresher Islay flavor that concentrates more on the brine of the fresh ocean and less on the medicinal iodine or tar of the other Islays. Thanks Paul

Thanks to @Generously_Paul , I got to try this smoking beauty. Such a perfect whisky to have when temperatures are like what we have here in the northeast currently, in the sub-0 category. The nose isn't much to speak of, quite light and faintly citrusy, but wow...really hits you in the palette. If you've ever been to Amsterdam, they have these little eels that are finely smoked, topped with sea salt, and a touch of lemon...that's what this taste like. Just a briny, smoky, yet sweet citrusy flavor. Probbaly the best Octomore I've had to date. Thanks Paul

Thanks to @LeeEvolved, I got to try this CB sample. You really have to hand it to Glaser and team. They produce fine blends, really push the boundaries on transparency, and offer everything from amazing entry level ( Great King St) to super-premium ( "3"). Out of all CB offerings, the only one I wouldn't drink again would be the Orangerie. Other than that orange Tang mess, every other one is a good to amazing. This here falls squarely in the "good" category. He's made a statement that he can create a fine blend by two simple ingredients. And it's a fine blend indeed, with a citrus forward nose and a woody vanilla waxiness on the palette. But at $150...I'm questioning if it's really that good. Just my opinion, but the No Name was basically all young Ardbeg at $100. This is basically a majority of Glen Elgin at well over $150. I'm finding that CB makes amazing core ranges, but their recent limited one-offs may be too expensive for what it offers. A good product, and definately something I'd have again, but not sure I'd buy it at $150. Also, interestingly, as transparent as CB is, I can be mistaken, but I don't think he's revealed the age statements of the two ingredients. Honestly...for $150, I want to know the age.

(Recalling this from memory a few weeks back in Denver). I'm loving the American whiskey craft scene. Granted you have some bombs, and then you have some hits (High West, Westland, Coppersea), and then you have these little micro-craft distillers that are merely one or two men /women shops ( like this one, and Wyoming 's Single Track) which are producing really amazing whiskies at affordable prices, but only available in local areas because of a lack of distribution supply chain. I had a pour of this, and subsequently bought a full bottle. Like having liquified chocolate. You get cinnamon and cloves on the nose, then turns to liquid chocolate and caramel on the taste. Might be too sweet if you're only a fan of the Island or Islay style malts, but if you're open to once in while breaking the peat, smoke and brine with a bit of dessert malt, this is a worthwhile try especially considering the price ( I got it for about $45 I think). Considering I'm in Denver once a month, I might have a regular supply of this one going on now 😊

Yoichi has this really unusual type of peat, an earthy mushroom-y, black truffle style of flavor. Imagine taking that, and then adding a layer of tropical fruits like mangoes, kiwi, and passionfruit. Truly unique and singular. The closest similarity I can think of for this is like having pasta with shavings of black truffle, followed by a mango cheesecake dessert. Thankful to have tried a wee sample this afternoon's at a friend's for Christmas lunch. Also, apparently, this is only available in Japan, and that too a mere 500 bottles.

The very first Laphroaig I didn't like was the QC. So, going in, I expected not to like this, and be smacked with a 2x4 oak on the palette. Instead I got a sweetness combined with the classic peat smoke. The sweetness is there, but not overpowering, just enough to counterbalance the oak and peat. I held off buying this year's Cairdeas, I just don't have any masochistic fantasies of being hit with a smoky oak tree. I stand corrected...will be buying a bottle soon enough. Thanks to my friend Lee for this sample, which he graciously gave as a bonus to the round 4 trading team offering.

So my second dram of the night. Might be a first for me. Normally it's just one dram on a Friday and one on Sunday ( post work week de-stress and prework week pick me up). But tonight it's two. Yeah, pushing the envelope to borderline party crazy here. First thing I just realized is that my palette and olfactory senses should've been cleansed before going to this, right after the first dram. I should've known better. It reminds me of when I was 26, doing my semester study abroad for my MBA in Paris at the Sorbonne. I stopped by a perfumerie on the Isle de la Cite, called L'Artisan De Perfumer. I had no intention of buying the overly pricey perfumes considering I'm on a student account, but there was this beautiful salesperson I was hoping to get the attention. I'm going from perfume to perfume smelling it, and she brings out a bowl of roasted coffee beans. I take a handful, put it in my mouth and chew. Almost broke a damn molar. She then says in that lovely (albeit snobbish) French accent "monsieur, the coffee bean is to smell, not eat. Maybe monsieur meant to go to a cafe instead ?" Anyway...back to present time...I should've cleansed my palette before having this, cause all I got was breakfast cereals. With a twist of lemon. Thanks to Lee, another sample as part of our sampling team. Oh...and to end the story...I ended up getting engaged to Nathalie, the perfumerie clerk. And roasted coffee beans taste horrible, but smell amazing.