Tastes
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Glenns Creek ¡Cuervito Vivo!
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed January 6, 2023 (edited August 20, 2023)Glenn’s Creek is located in the previously abandoned Old Crow distillery in Kentucky where they are working to renovate and bring it back to its former self. After taking over the distillery, the former distillery supervisor came by and went through the process of creating the old mashbill until they finally came to a product that tasted similar and then aged it for a minimum of 26 months before releasing it as single barrel products with my barrel being #14 which was bottled at 51.2%. The nose starts with a mix of mossy pine needles, butterscotch pudding and dusty barnyard floor then dark chocolate covered espresso beans, rosemary and honeysuckle followed by tangerine oranges, caramelized peaches and maraschino cherries that transitions to toasted caraway seeds and light oak spices with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with a mix of mossy pine needles, butterscotch pudding and dusty barnyard floor then a moderate bitter and sour spice that slowly fades to dark chocolate mocha, rosemary and honeycomb followed by tangerine oranges, caramelized peaches and sour cherries that transitions to toasted caraway seeds and mild oak spices with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with toasted coconut, dark chocolate covered espresso beans, caramelized peaches, butterscotch pudding, spearmint, cloves and light oak spice. For a bourbon that is just slightly over 2 years old, this has come together extremely well with a unique earthy forest note upfront underscored by creamy butterscotch and a dusty oak that has a mild youthful sourness that detracts from the experience, but with some additional aging I think this will likely polish out those youthful blemishes and really showcase the expert craftsmanship that Glenn’s Creek is producing today. Unfortunately, these are only sold in Kentucky right now, but if ever in the area, I’d highly advise a trip to their distillery as it’s a very hole in the wall bourbon experience with a fun and knowledgeable team that are making some high quality products. -
Lagavulin Offerman Edition Charred Oak Cask
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed January 4, 2023 (edited January 7, 2023)The nose is soft and velvety starting with grilled oysters with a squeeze of lemon juice and dash of sea salt then freshly cracked black pepper, dark chocolate, light diesel and chamomile tea leaves followed by caramelized pears, white grape juice and grilled pineapple that transitions to gauze bandages and popsicle sticks with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with grilled oysters with a squeeze of lemon juice and dash of sea salt then a mild bitter and sour spice that slowly fades to freshly paved asphalt, light diesel, honeysuckle and chamomile tea followed by caramelized pears, brut champagne and grilled pineapple that transitions to gauze bandages and popsicle sticks with medium ethanol burn. The finish is long with tangy barbecued short ribs, brut champagne, black pepper, gauze bandages and an ashy bitterness. Overall, this is an enjoyable dram that has a balanced and delightful nose with a mix of grilled seafood, light ocean brine, creamy and lightly sour fruits along with light oak spices but the balance fails to carry over to the taste that veers towards a mild bitterness before fading and finishes meaty with sour fruits before a bitter ashy spice takes over and lingers. For me, I’d likely just reach for the Lagavulin 16 that doesn’t have ashy spice of this, but am extremely grateful for the opportunity to try this thanks to @Richard-ModernDrinking for the generous sample. -
Tamworth Bird of Courage
Flavored Whiskey — New Hampshire, USA
Reviewed December 28, 2022 (edited October 8, 2023)Creativity has proven to be advantageous in discovering technologically innovative solutions, literary artworks, culinary creations and plenty more to enhance and improve lives; however, not all creative ideas are bound for success with many fated for failure and are cast aside as ill-conceived ideas destined to be lost into the depths of the history books. A bold and innovative creator of today is Tamworth Distilling, which has been driving forth with ambitious pursuits to push the bounds of spirits with new flavor combinations such as beaver butt whiskey, corpse flower brandy, crab-flavored whiskey, venison-flavored bourbon and this Thanksgiving inspired bourbon flavor called Bird of Courage. Tamsworth has tossed out the tried and true methods of crafting and aging spirits in their commitment to make the Bird of Courage whiskey. Their team started with a five-year-old bottled-in-bond bourbon distilled at Tamworth with a mash bill of 81% corn; 12% rye and 7% malted barley then donned a chef hat and apron armed with a Paula Dean cookbook to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving dinner which was then used to infuse each dish into a small part of the bourbon before blending the 40% dish infused bourbons together with the 60% uninfused regular bourbon and botted it at 46% ABV. After all that work to create this, now it’s time to crack open this generous sample from @PBMichiganWolverine to dive into this Willy Wonka style Thanksgiving libation to find out if that creativity was successful or if this is destined to help disinfect my kitchen sink drain. The nose starts with a moderate sourness of your Aunt’s “homemade” canned cranberry sauce that turns to a meaty earthiness of roasted turkey topped with powdered mushroom gravy then cornbread stuffing and roasted chestnuts followed by puddles of sick from the 2-year-old twins consisting of parsnips and boiled cabbage that is being cleaned up with lemon scented disinfectant that transitions to Old Spice aftershave and 20 year old blazer with stale cigarette smoke engrained in its fibers with low ethanol burn. The taste is a thin mouthfeel starting with cranberry and gooseberry sauce on top of overcooked Turkey breast then powdered mushroom gravy on potatoes au gratin and cornbread stuffing followed by sour apples, lemon pledge and curdled baby formula that transitions to shaving cream and old bowling alley shoes with low ethanol burn. The finish is short with a high sourness from lemon scented hand sanitizer then used coffee grounds and a high ashy bitter spice. Overall, this has succeeded in bringing forth a Thanksgiving experience; however, this is one of those family reunion style experiences with the bizarre and peculiar relatives that are incapable of making toast with a house covered in a mix of stale cigarette smoke and Glade air fresheners resulting in a rather dreadful, sour and offensive experience that fortunately has expedited conclusion. I admire Tamsworth for their creativity, but this one just didn’t pan out well for me and I’ll likely avoid any of their new pursuits in spirits going forward. -
Macallan 25 North Star Bottling
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed December 15, 2022 (edited January 3, 2023)To finish up my exploration through some Macallans, I have a sample of a 25-year IB that was distilled in 1993 and bottled in 2019 at 49.2%, from a single bourbon hogshead that was finished in a sherry octave. The nose is bold and syrupy rich starting with powdered sugar dusted cherries jubilee, sweet lemon lime cheesecake and dusty leather-bound books then blonde espresso, dark chocolate ganache over figgy pudding, musty cavernous minerality and freshly lit sweet pipe tobacco followed by butterscotch caramel over poached pears, sautéed mangoes and mandarin oranges that transitions to ginger, cloves, cardamom and polished antique furniture with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a rich syrupy mouthfeel starting with a mix of sweet creamy tropical fruits, butterscotch creme brûlée, Black Forest gateau and dusty leather-bound books then blonde espresso, caramelized figs, cavernous minerality and sweet pipe smoke followed by poached pears, sautéed mangoes and mandarin oranges that transitions to ginger, cloves, cardamom and freshly lacquered antique furniture with medium ethanol burn. The finish is long with creamy tropical fruits, butterscotch pudding, Black Forest gateau, cavernous minerality, blonde espresso, sweet pipe tobacco, dusty leather-bound books and freshly lacquered antique furniture. This is whisky decadence that the nose is bold and intense which permeated the room with syrupy rich sweets and creamy citrus that is underscored by dusty polished oak and earthy spices that carried over to the taste with a thick syrupy mouthfeel that is perfectly balanced with the addition of tropical fruits that finishes long starting with a mix of rich creamy fruits, butterscotch and luxurious chocolate before turning mildly earthy with musty earthiness and antique furniture that lingers for minutes after each sip. After tasting the 2020 release of the regular 25-year Macallan, I felt that it was an exceptional dram that the flavors were subtler than I prefer along with a mild bitter spice that kept it from achieving a perfect score, but this single cask from North Star rectified those issues by dialing those flavors to an 11 with no bitter spice that was an exquisite and powerful dram to experience. -
Macallan 25 Year Sherry Oak Cask
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed December 13, 2022 (edited March 12, 2024)Continuing on my exploration through some Macallan releases, next up I have a sample of their 25 year 2020 release that was bottled at 43% ABV. The nose is a rich yet velvety soft mix starting with powdered sugar dusted cherries jubilee, sweet lemon lime custard and dusty leather-bound books then blonde espresso, dark chocolate covered hazelnuts, caramelized figs, musty cavernous minerality and sweet pipe tobacco followed by pear tarte, mango and persimmons that transitions to ginger, cloves, cardamom and polished antique furniture with low ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with a mix of sweet creamy tropical fruits, cherries jubilee, lemon lime custard and dusty leather-bound books then a mild bitter spice that quickly fades to dark chocolate spicy mocha, caramelized figs, hazelnuts, cavernous minerality and sweet pipe smoke followed by pear tarte, sautéed mangoes and persimmons that transitions to ginger, cloves, cardamom and freshly lacquered antique furniture with low ethanol burn. The finish is long with creamy tropical fruits, persimmons, figgy pudding, cavernous minerality, spicy dark chocolate mocha, sweet pipe tobacco, dusty leather-bound books and freshly lacquered antique furniture. This is a hell of a dram that has aged gracefully over the 25 years with an exceptional balance of creamy citrus, well-aged sherry, dusty old oak and minerality that all flow harmoniously together with an ever so slight bitter spice found on the palate that quickly fades and finishes long and lingers for minutes after each sip. At a price of $2500+ for a bottle, this likely won’t be a bottle that will ever find a spot in my liquor cabinet, but it certainly is a very high quality and masterfully crafted dram that was a bucket list pour for me that I can now happily scratch off the list. -
Macallan 18 Year Sherry Oak Cask
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed December 11, 2022 (edited September 1, 2023)Continuing on my exploration through some Macallan’s, next up I have a sample of their 18 year 2020 release that was bottled at 43% ABV. The nose is velvety soft leading with a mix of powdered sugar dusted balsamic strawberries, sweet lemon lime sorbet and dusty leather-bound books then espresso, dark chocolate covered hazelnuts, caramelized figs and faint sweet pipe tobacco followed by nectarines, poached pears and orange blossoms that transitions to ginger, cloves, cardamom and polished antique furniture with low ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with a mix of sweet creamy tropical fruits, balsamic strawberries, lemon lime sorbet and dusty leather-bound books then a mild bitter spice that quickly fades to dark chocolate spicy mocha, figgy pudding, hazelnuts, light cavernous minerality and faint pipe smoke followed by pear tarte, blueberries and mandarin oranges that transitions to ginger, cloves, cardamom and polished antique furniture with low ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with creamy tropical fruits, mandarin oranges, figgy pudding, light cavernous minerality, spicy dark chocolate mocha, faint pipe smoke, dusty leather-bound books and polished antique furniture. After tasting the 17 year, I was elated to try the 18 and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The nose is a masterfully crafted symphony of flavors leading with a mild sourness underscored by creamy citrus and dusty oak that the oak fades but remains present in the background of decadent fruits, well-aged sherry and mild sweet earthy spices that carries over to the palate with a mild spice along with the addition of a cavernous minerality and tropical fruits that maintains that exceptional balance found on the nose before a finish that starts with creamy sweets before fading to mild spices and dusty well-aged oak. I’m really impressed with the flavor, complexity and depth Macallan is able to deliver at relatively low ABV that would be enjoyable for both proof hounds and those who prefer a lower ABV dram. Unfortunately these don’t come cheap and appear to be around $350+, but at least it is a high quality product that is unlikely to disappoint. -
Macallan Fine Oak 17 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed December 9, 2022 (edited January 3, 2023)Continuing on my exploration through some of Macallan’s releases, next up I have a sample of their 17 year that was bottled at 43% ABV. The nose is velvety soft leading with a mix of powdered sugar dusted cherries jubilee, sweet lemon lime custard and dusty leather-bound books then dark chocolate ganache drizzled over figgy pudding, light musty cavernous minerality and sweet pipe tobacco followed by brut champagne, pear tarte and orange blossoms that transitions to ginger, cloves, cardamom and polished antique furniture with light ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with a mix of sweet creamy tropical fruits, Black Forest gateau and dusty leather-bound books then blonde roast espresso, fig jam, light musty cavernous minerality and freshly lit pipe tobacco followed by brut champagne, caramelized pears and orange blossoms that transitions to ginger, cloves, cardamom and polished antique furniture with light ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with orange blossom, creamy tropical fruits, Black Forest gateau, figs, blonde espresso, light baking spices, dusty leather-bound books and polished antique furniture. This is an absolutely stunning dram that has a captivating yet velvety soft nose with a sweet mix of red berries, citrus and creamy custard upfront with the old oak notes, well-present but in the background, followed by decadent chocolate covered berries, a cavernous musty minerality and faint sweet pipe tobacco which leads to mildly sour citrus, florals, light spices and antique furniture that carries over to palate with an exceptional harmonious balance along with additional flavors of tropical fruits, Black Forest gateau and espresso that finishes on the sweet side with creamy fruits that fade towards a chocolatey dessert with espresso whilst sitting in an antique armchair reading a vintage leather-bound book. For a 43% ABV dram, the flavors are far richer than I expected and highlights that low ABV drams aren’t always thin with light flavors but I’d still really like to taste this at a higher proof as those flavors weren’t quite as bold and dense as I’d preferred. Thank you so much @jonwilkinson7309 for sharing this delightful dram with me as it was a special treat to taste a discontinued Macallan and I wish these were still around without the secondary asking prices. -
Macallan Estate
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed December 8, 2022 (edited December 9, 2022)I’m always intrigued when a distillery decides to utilize a different barley in their production as it tends to produce slight variances outside of their traditional profile. Bruichladdich has conducted a few experiments with different barleys that yielded different results, some I found better than others and my favorite has been the farm to bottle Octomore’s X.3 editions where the barley is sourced from a single farm. So next up in my exploration through some of Macallan’s releases, I have a sample of their Estate which was made with barley grown on the Macallan estate and was bottled at 43% ABV. The nose starts with a mix of sour lemon, candied ginger and mild barnyard funk then cocoa powder dusted prunes, light minerality and toasted hazelnuts followed by mildly sour grapes, sautéed apples and orange zest that transition to light baking spices and mildly bitter black tea with low ethanol burn. The taste is a thin mouthfeel starting with sweet tropical fruits before a moderate bitter and sour spice that slowly fades sour lemon, candied ginger and charred hay bales then cocoa powder dusted prunes, espresso and toasted hazelnuts followed by pineapple, Granny Smith apple peel and orange zest that transition to light baking spices and mildly bitter black tea with low ethanol burn. The finish is short with sour grapes, mango, cocoa powder covered prunes, black pepper, ginger and mildly bitter black tea. For me, this seems like a youthful, thin spirit that turned out around average with a nose that is predominantly sour with a light farmyard funk and mild bitter tea that the taste improves slightly over the nose with sweet tropical fruits before a bitter sour spice overwhelms those fruits and veers towards the sour profile found on the nose and finishes rather sour with a light tropical fruit preventing it from being overwhelmingly along with mild bitter tea. At the cost of nearly $275 near me, this isn’t one I’d be interested in purchasing a full bottle of anytime soon and would be perfectly happy with many other lower cost options that I find to provide a better experience. -
Macallan Rare Cask Black
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed December 7, 2022 (edited April 23, 2023)Continuing on my exploration through some of Macallan’s releases, next up I have a sample of their Rare Cask Black that was bottled at 48% ABV. The nose is velvety soft leading with a mix of musty grapes, tropical fruit custard and dusty leather-bound books then dark chocolate truffles, dehydrated figs, a very light puff of pipe smoke and cavernous minerality followed by black cherries, apricots and orange blossoms that transitions to ginger, cloves, cardamom and polished antique furniture with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy tropical fruits before a mild peppery spice that slowly fades to a mix of musty grapes, vanilla creme brûlée and dusty leather-bound books then a dark chocolate spicy mocha, figgy pudding, light sweet pipe tobacco smoke and cavernous minerality followed by black cherries, apricots and orange blossom that transitions to ginger, cloves, cardamom and polished antique furniture with medium ethanol burn. The finish is long with creamy tropical fruits, dark chocolate covered figs, sour cherries, espresso, light pipe tobacco smoke, ginger, cloves, dusty leather-bound books and polished antique furniture. This is a fantastic dram that the nose is a complex and delightfully composed mix that starts on the sour side before veering towards sweet tropical fruits, dusty well-aged oak, along with rich chocolate, berries, light minerality and a faint smoke that carries over to the palate that has a small stumble with a mild spice before quickly correcting course and finishes with a long lingering finish starting sweet and fading into light smoke, spices and well-aged oak. Comparing this to the Rare Cask 2020 edition, the extra 5% ABV bump has really intensified those flavors and delivered an oilier mouthfeel along with a long finish that was lacking with the Rare Cask 2020 and the peated malt provides a very subtle smoke that could easily be missed. -
Macallan Rare Cask
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed December 4, 2022 (edited January 25, 2024)Continuing on my exploration through some of Macallan’s releases, next up I have a sample of their 2020 Rare Cask that was bottled at 43% ABV. The nose is velvety soft leading with a mix of lightly soured black cherries, sweet lemon custard and dusty leather-bound books then dark chocolate truffles, fig jam and light musty cavernous minerality followed by grape jelly, apricots and orange blossoms that transitions to ginger, cloves, cardamom and polished antique furniture with light ethanol burn. The taste is a thin mouthfeel starting with a mix of lightly soured black cherries, sweet tropical fruits and dusty leather-bound books then a mild bitter and sour spice that slowly fades to dark chocolate spicy mocha, dehydrated figs and light musty cavernous minerality followed by grape jelly, apricots and lime zest that transitions to ginger, cloves, cardamom and mildly bitter black tea with light ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with orange blossom, dehydrated mangos, dark chocolate mocha, fig jam, light baking spices, dusty leather-bound books and mildly bitter black tea. This is a very tasty dram that draws you in with a nose beginning with a mild sourness that quickly fades to creamy sweets and a dusty well-aged oak before earthy sweets with dark fruits and musty caves then to a mix of sweet grapes, light citrus and florals that fade to light spices and antique furniture that is captivating and delightful. The taste manages to maintain much of the delightful profile found on the nose; however, the flavors are dialed back into a subtle tune instead of the wonderful vibrant and delicate melody that drew me in along with a mild bitterness that detracts from the profile and finishes lightly sweet before gravitating towards well-aged oak notes and a mild bitterness. A very well balanced and executed dram that is likely tailored towards an audience that prefers little to no ethanol burn as it is a very easy sipping dram, but suffers from the lower proof which restrained those well-aged sherry notes that I think could have really thrived at a slightly higher proof. At a cost of nearly $360 near me, this doesn’t justify the premium asking price for me and I’d be happy with plenty of other options for far less.
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