Tastes
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Westland Peated American Single Malt
American Single Malt — Washington, USA
Reviewed November 2, 2016 (edited November 21, 2018)I had this evening during a Westland sponsored tasting at Park Ave Liquors. When you think of peat, you automatically think of the kick in your teeth brute force like Laphroaig or Ardbeg. This is much milder, just as if it dipped its toe in a wee bit of peat. it's now over 3 yr old, so probably a tad better than previous versions. If you're not a fan of peat, or haven't tried it, this is right up your alley. Subtle enough, but still quite complex. About $75 w/o tax... so personally I'd not buy it since for $10 more I can get a Laphroaig Cairdeas. VFM isn't there for me personally -
Westland Garryana 2016 Edition 1.1
American Single Malt — Washington , USA
Reviewed November 2, 2016 (edited April 15, 2017)During my 2nd year of my MBA, I already had a job offer, but I used to sign up for interviews anyway just to get in all the free food and drinks (the night before, companies used to wine and dine us). I bombed the interviews on purpose, just wanted the free food. So...today I get an email from Park Ave Liquor in NYC (which by the way is on Madison Ave, but whatever floats their boat). They had a tasting event sponsored by Westland. I'm there, even though it's out of my way from Penn Station!! Like business school all over again! Free drinks and all you have to do is chat! I especially wanted to try their Garryanna. It's good...real good. Amanda's spot on---fruity with a heaping dose of coffee, fresh herbs and a wee bit of peatiness (which the guy told me is not from peat, but the west coast native species of oak called Garryanna. He said it's just under 3 yrs old as well. Now the bad news---it's $115!!! It's good, but not $115 good. -
Springbank 10 Year
Single Malt — Campbeltown, Scotland
Reviewed October 28, 2016 (edited November 30, 2019)My whisky Friday is starting early...noon-ish. Don't judge me...was taking the afternoon off before my kids' bday party this evening...will need this before we do Elmo and other fuzzy creatures. BTW...is it just me, or is Barney way too touchy feely for his own good? I suppose it's better than what we had as kids (Shaggy who looks like a drug addict, and Donald Duck who goes around without any pants). Anyway...on to Campbeltown today. So...Springbank is a bit of a unique whisky. It does its own floor to bottle, without chill filtration or coloring. And a 2.8 distillation. Not 2. Not 3. But, 2.8. it's just to mess with us. No, actually, this is because they do the third distillation using parts of the first and second. About 80% of first, 20% of second, mathematically comes out somehow as 0.8 more. I think...don't quote me on that. But...either way, sounds like a lot of extra work, and it's really worth it...this 10 year old is simply really well made. It's as if a Balvenie, Talisker, and Caol Ila had a threesome, and this was the outcome. Salty, sweet, briny, and smoky. For about $50, I think it's worth it. I added a few drops of water, let it sit out while watching my DVR of last Sunday's Walking Dead. (I'm so glad I had this while watching that, in fact probably could've used something stronger. Never will be able to see a baseball bat the same way). Net/net...this is HIGHLY recommended. VFM...for a 10 yr old, $50 might be a bit on the high side, but on par to other equally well made 10 yr olds like Ardbeg and Laphroaig. I'd say it's priced fairly considering quality. There's a fair price you pay for quality (Lagavulin 16, Ardbeg and Laphroaig 10), and an unfair price you pay for assumed quality (like $3000 for a Yamazaki Sherry 2016!!! I can't draw an equation where whisky quality is worth $3k, unless it's made of actual molten gold). This, though, falls clearly in fairly priced for quality. -
We were at a friend 's place this evening, and he bought this along with the Blue Label out for his guests. I loved the JW Green Label. Just not a fan of this. I really love a whiskey that has the aroma along with the palette. I just couldn't get a nose on this one. Palette---honey and light peat. Really delicate, more than I expected. Rather have the Green label any day over this
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It's probably blasphemous, but I wasn't impressed as much as the hype makes me believe I should have been. We were at a friend's place, and he bought this out for his guests. I was the only one that wasn't impressed by it...thought it didn't have the complexity as it's price tag should warrant. Instead, for a fraction of the price, I really liked the Green Label I tried a while back. I like blends (Compass Box, Hibiki)...just not this particular one
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I'm not going to score this.... I think Im just not a fan of tequila. After having a few, I've realized it's just not for me...like white wine or mixed drinks. Anyway---my take on this one---the nose is delicate and herbal, almost grassy. Taste is what didn't do it for me...it's all over the place. I get herbs on one sip. Another sip,is grassy and citrusy. Yet another sip might end up being sweet and floral. I really can't pinpoint it. It's astonishing how this is from the same type of plant as Mezcal but yet I love Mezcal. ( granted Mezcal is from any agave and techniques are different, while tequila is only from the blue agave). On a personal note...can't believe I wasted one of my two dram quota a week on this
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Amrut Single Cask Peated Barley Port Pipe
Single Malt — India
Reviewed October 7, 2016 (edited August 27, 2022)It's Friday, which means whiskey day!! I just opened a new bottle this evening, and was in the mood for something Asian. Amrut hails from Bangalore, India (yes---whiskey is made there, not just software code). I love the color of this malt. Very autumn-y. Bronze, almost red. Wondering if color is added,or if it's truly an effect of the port pipes. Anyway---let's taste this. Nose is incredible! Red fruits, peaty, but not Islay peaty. Something else. Wonder how they got that? There are no peat bogs near Bangalore. The taste---Sweet Christmas! ( yes---I've been binge watching Luke Cage). This is strong. Definately needs to be tamed with some ice or water. Intense heat and burn, but not an ethanol burn. More Asian pepper burn. Green Cardamom pods. Every Amrut I've ever had has a faint cardamom taste to it. I swear, there has to be a cardamom field next to this distillery. I'm going to Bangalore in December for business---I'm actually going to make a personal mission of mine to see if there is a cardamom farm next to this distillery. Anyway--- Finish is loooong. And hot. Let it breathe for while like a good red Cabernet. And add ice. (2009 Single cask 2697, 61% ABV) -
Fidencio Pechuga Mezcal
Mezcal Joven — Oaxaca, Mexico
Reviewed October 2, 2016 (edited October 31, 2016)I had this last night at Rosa Mexicano in Union Square NYC, about $19 (which I thought was outrageously priced...but so was everything else at the restaurant for the quality). Let this sit for a bit, and the fruits really shine through. You can smell pineapples and tropical fruits, followed by delicate floral taste on the palette. Not sure I liked the finish, a bit astringent for me. Pechuga mezcals are traditionally made once a year, around harvest time. It's distilled twice over the harvest fruits, and then a third time with a chicken or turkey breast suspended over it, to counteract the fruity taste. Thankfully there's no poultry taste to this, just delicate fruits. I think if it wasn't for the finish, this would've been amazing. The waitress actually told me that the Del Maguey or Los Siete pechuga are by far much better, but I couldn't fathom spending $25 a drink on the Del Maguey and I already had an unopened bottle of the Los Siete at home (not to mention, that was even more, about $30). Considering this was $19 for the drink...definately not worth it...but it was a birthday celebration (my wife's), so a bit of a splurge. But now I'm really looking forward to the Los Siete I have at home. Also...on the bright side, this was the highlight of the meal...their entree and desserts are outrageously expensive compared to the quality and taste -
Del Maguey Minero Santa Catarina Minas Mezcal
Mezcal Joven — Oaxaca, Mexico
Reviewed September 30, 2016 (edited March 15, 2020)Such an appropriate bottle to open this evening while watching the new Netflix Luke Cage: earthy, minerally with a strong smoky finish. Del Maguey seems to be doing things right in the Mezcal space---concentrating on singular village production or wild unique agaves as opposed to your common espadins. They're also doing Mezcal the traditional way, by stone grounding the pinas. If you like Islay or Island malts, you'll love these. Substitute the briny or peaty aromas with a minerally clay, followed by the earthy green leaf on palette, and then finally the smoke of a gentle Islay -
Ron Zacapa 23 Sistema Solera Rum
Aged Rum — Guatemala
Reviewed September 24, 2016 (edited January 2, 2020)I don't quite understand the concept of "Solera aged". To me, it comes across as a marketing gimmick, where the oldest portion of the spirit is stated, as opposed to the Scotch way of stating the youngest age of the spirit. So because this is a 23 year old Solera age rum, does that mean one drop of it is a 23 yr old? Or 10% of it? 20% of it? Seems shady. Anyway, my take on this one---really sweet. Not bad, pretty good actually with flavors of coffee, chocolate and butterscotch. Also it's a great sipper over ice. And surprisingly despite the "23 years", it's not too woody or oaky. Which is why I think very little of it is the 23. All in all, if you're a fan of sipping rums, this is a great VFM. About $45 for it, give or take. Out of the few runs I've had, I'd still rate the Mezan much higher because it's without additives and sugar. This taste as if there is sugar in it...which to me is a pricier version of soda minus the carbonation
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