Tastes
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NEW AND OLD ISLAY SHOWDOWN: Lagavulin 8 vs Laphroaig 10 I cut my teeth on Lagavulin and Laphroaig decades ago. Since then, I’ve explored the myriad flavor profiles that Scotch whisky offers but have always come back to these two—my first loves. I was in the mood this evening to revisit these classic bottlings. But Laphroaig 10 is six years younger than Lagavulin 16; thus I thought a more appropriate comparison with Laph10 would be Lagavulin 8, which is a fairly new addition to the Lagavulin lineup, introduced in 2016 to celebrate the distillery’s 200th anniversary. Lagavulin 8 Light straw color. Nose shows Cheerios, bread dough, saline, low-tide seaweed stones, light smoky peat, the briefest whiff of bacon fat, nectarine, and a little honey. Fruitiness even more forward on the palate with nectarine appearing for a second act, along with a smooth mouthfeel, and some heat (higher than normal 48% ABV). Long finish has characteristic Islay typicity with some iodine and the same light smoky peat from the front end. Good, but it feels like it’s reaching for the Lagavulin 16 that has been seared (or soaked) into my brain over the years. 3.5 on the Distiller scale. Laphroaig 10 Clear gold. Sweet smoky peat; not just iodine, but the whole medicine cabinet; Italian speck; some vanilla; some pomander; some dates; and some more. Smoother on the palate than the Lag8, with noticeably lighter heat (43% ABV); did I mention rum raisin ice cream? It’s all there. Long, long finish. As traditional as Laphroaig 10 is, it would benefit from more ABV when tasted next to the Lag8. A cerebral, introspective dram that cries out for the Mad Men days of dark suits, white shirts, cigar smoke, and a mahogany bar with a brass footrail at an old-school steakhouse (I’m thinking Sparks in NYC). 4.25 on the Distiller scale. The Lag8 complements the older Lagavulin 16 (and the Distiller’s Edition): it is more youthful and ostentatious than the Laph10, which shows more complexity and refinement in comparison. The Lag8 is not dissimilar to Oban Little Bay in terms of its in-your-face youthfulness in the brand’s lineup. New or old, Islay afficionados will find plenty to like with both. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.
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Kilkerran 12 Year
Single Malt — Campbeltown, Scotland
Reviewed July 26, 2022 (edited February 12, 2023)I don't drink this whisky often enough because I've only ever seen this one bottle in the wild, but boy do I enjoy it. Almost half gone now. Clear, orange-tinted gold (no coloring added). Energetic nose of gentle smoky peat, buttered pancakes, a touch of caramel, cardamom, and pears canned in syrup. This sweetness continues on the palate, with a weighty, glycerin mouthfeel and noticeable, but pleasant, heat. Finishes where it started, with long, lingering smoky peat. Full-throttle out of the gate and doesn't take its foot off the gas. The syrupy pears and gentle smoky peat suggests Oban Little Bay on steroids. Alternatively, if Oban Little Bay and Ardbeg Uigeidial had a love child, this is it. Aged in 70% ex-bourbon casks and 30% ex-sherry casks: perhaps the former is responsible for the touch of caramel on the nose. Wonderful. 46% ABV. 4.5 on the Distiller scale. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass. -
I waxed Dickensian in my just-finished review of Yamazaki 12: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." In that case, I was happy that my inventory told me I had two bottles, but depressed that I couldn't find one of them. With Blue Ridge Whiskey, it is the same Dickensian dichotomy, differently: my memory of the Y12 just several minutes ago was the best of times in comparison to my current tasting of Blue Ridge Whiskey Georgia Sour Mash. Apple juice color. Unfortunately, not apple-juice descriptors (beyond the color). My initial thought on nosing is "old country gas station": this is not pejorative per se--I love the smell of old gas stations--but it's not what one expects from any bottle purporting to be "whiskey." I also get pine sawdust. Again, this is merely incongruous rather than damning. I love sawdust (conifer- or deciduous-derived). There is a rivulet of vanilla begging for attention; but whether this is from oak or a splash of A&W cream soda from the gas station's rusty red fridge is anyone's guess. The palate also conjures bucolic imagery, but different geography: not Georgia, but Tuscany. I'm talking about grappa, which is just a fancy name for Italian moonshine. At 86 proof, this "whiskey" would need to have its proof doubled to get into moonshine territory--I've had it--but the bitter bite is not dissimilar. Never did a spring-fed creek or a bottle of Pellegrino look so appealing. As an expat Southerner living up North, I have this bottle on the mantle in my barn more for decoration than drinking. But one cannot appreciate good without knowing its evil twin. And sometimes, a little evil ain't bad. 2.0 on the Distiller scale; double that for those searching for _Porky's_ terroir. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.
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Charles Dickens began _A Tale of Two Cities_ thusly: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” And so it is this evening with my Yamazaki 12. My Distiller app shows that I have two bottles in inventory (additionally, I remember all of my bottles). I have one of the older bottles in the off-white box, which had already been opened, as well as an unopened bottle in the newer, dark box. And each was purchased for less than $100 (I see them occasionally for $200+). That’s the good news. The bad news is that I’m unable to find the older, opened bottle—and that never happens! So I reluctantly opened the newer bottle. First-world problems, I know. Clear amber. Nose of warm pineapple upside-down cake and peach cobbler, with both fruity and bready components. Inviting palate, neither thin nor overtly viscous, but gently trending toward the latter. A bit austere on the back end. 43% ABV. I’ve had each of Suntory’s 12-year old single malts: Hakushu, Hibiki, and Yamazaki. Of course, Hibiki 12 is no longer available. I purchased several before the supply ran out. H12 had an incredible candied orange nose and didn’t stop through the palate to the finish; it was also more weighty in the mouth. I say this given the Yamazaki craziness in the market—I suppose some of that may be due to the unavailability of H12—but offhand, I think I prefer the NAS Hibiki Harmony to the Y12. (I’m out of the former at the moment and should do a side-by-side tasting). The Y12 peaks on the nose, and is a gentle downhill from there. Good, not great, and there are certainly better values in Japanese whisky. I much prefer Nikka Whisky From The Barrel, which is significantly higher ABV (51.4% vs Y12 43.0%), wonderfully complex, more widely available (in CT, my neck of the woods), and generally over $100 less. 3.75 on the Distiller scale. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.
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High West A Midwinter Night's Dram Act 5 (All Scenes)
Rye — (bottled in) Utah, USA
Reviewed July 24, 2022 (edited August 26, 2022)My first acquaintance with High West Distillery was with an earlier version of this brand, “A Midwinter Night’s Dram”, which is released in “Acts” (same per year) and “Scenes” (various bottlings in the same year, or “Act”). This particular bottle is Act 5, Scene 2, which was released in 2017. AMND 5.2 is a rye blend sourced from MGP, in addition to High West’s own distillate (the percent of each is not disclosed). The brand is a play on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and as much as I love Shakespeare, you can read about that on the website. I discovered via a quick Internet search that this bottle, if you can find it, is selling for around $300. I bought mine (which this note just polished off) for about $70 if memory serves, sometime three or four years ago. High West was purchased by Constellation Brands in 2016 for $160 million. Dark tawny burnt orange color. Interesting nose shows rye, Chinese five spice, cardamom, cherries, cocoa, and vanilla, finishing with spearmint: but these aromas have to be coaxed out over several minutes—at least for me. While the different descriptors suggest complexity, it is a subtle complexity rather than rather than a kaleidoscopic one. AMND 5.2 is easy drinking at 98.6 proof: it offers a smooth, mouthcoating entry, with a touch of well-integrated back-end heat. The nose shows promise, but the ride is a bit downhill through palate and finish, where there is a very slight bitterness. Overall, good, not great. 3.75 on the Distiller scale. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in separate Glencairn glasses. -
Booker's Bourbon Batch 2019-04 "Beaten Biscuits"
Bourbon — Kentucky , USA
Reviewed July 22, 2022 (edited August 26, 2022)A few years back (2016 to be exact), I was a big Booker’s drinker. Not "big" in the sense of too much, but rather as a fawning fanboy obsessed with the nuances of each release. I purchased each and every one: “Maw Maw’s Batch” (2015-02), “Annis’ Answer” (2016-02), “Toogie’s Invitation” (2016-03), “Bluegill Creek” (2016-04), and others. Then I got on an Elijah Craig Barrel Proof kick (and I still love ECBP)—but unfortunately I did not realize that the two bourbons needed to be mutually exclusive. ECBP satisfied by high-proof desires. I’ve had Booker’s “Beaten Biscuits” (2019-04) for over two years and it’s only 25% gone. I haven’t had it in at least 18 months. It clocks in at 126.1 proof, and is aged for 6 years, 6 months, and 19 days. What would the 18-day or 20-day version be like? We’ll never know. Presents as deep, clear, dark mahogany—darker than I’d expect for a bourbon that is less than seven years old. Fragrant, rich, distinctive nose shows cardamom, brown sugar, rye, some camphor, and some ethanol—expected for 126.1 proof. While viscosity is typically reserved as a descriptor for mouthfeel or palate, the smell itself has a viscous, pervasive quality. This glycerin-like quality continues on entry, where spice is present not just as heat but also flavor, like thai chilies. There is a subtle, espresso-y bitterness on the finish that comes across as complex rather than deleterious. My love affair with Booker’s is officially renewed, even if the average price seems to have increased 75%+ since I was buying it regularly a few years back. Upon pouring, a warm volcanic perfume was immediately apparent, and the first sip confirmed the full-on sensory assault. Booker’s “Beaten Biscuits” is not for the faint of heart, but it is for the bourbon connoisseur who wants a full-throttle yet cerebral bourbon that can be savored for an hour or more. A must-have on the shelf. 4.5+ on the Distiller scale. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in separate Glencairn glasses. -
Penelope Private Select Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 02
Bourbon — Indiana, USA
Reviewed July 19, 2022 (edited August 26, 2022)Dark mahogany color (it’s unclear if coloring has been added). Pleasant, though disjointed, nose shows brown sugar, cocoa powder, peanut brittle, oak, and ethanol—which is out of balance. Palate has a lot of heat (119.8 proof), adding leather and pipe tobacco, before finishing with more heat. There is a subtle, lingering bitterness. The overall impression is one of unrealized potential: the nose has some appealing aspects, but lacks the depth, complexity, and richness to offset the heat. This is likely due in some part to its young age (addressed below), and not simply to its high proof; other bourbons such as Elijah Craig Barrel Proof and Stagg Jr. excel at integrating the high heat. Penelope sources their bourbon from MGP in Indiana. Batch 02 is bottled at 119.8 proof, and is a blend of three sourced bourbons: 4% corn bourbon, 91% rye bourbon, and 5% wheat bourbon. It is unclear what exactly these terms mean, as all bourbon must by definition be (among other things) at least 51% corn. Even as mashbill descriptors: what is “corn bourbon”? (Not the same as “corn whiskey”). What is “rye bourbon”? There is high-rye bourbon, low-rye bourbon, even medium-rye bourbon, and no-rye bourbon. Rye whiskey must be at least 51% rye, and 91% of this blend is stated to be “rye bourbon,” not “rye whiskey.” This is not pedantry, but rather fundamental, foundational definitions. The distillate is aged 3-5 years. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in separate Glencairn glasses. -
I've loved every Oban expression I've had, starting with the mainstay Oban 14, which is utterly delicious. The 18 builds upon that deliciousness, even though four additional Scottish whisky years is nowhere near as "long" as four years of American whiskey aging due to Oban's damp North Atlantic coastal climate. (The average daily high temperature at the peak of summer in Oban is 64°, which is lower than the average daily low in Bardstown, Kentucky of 69°; the average daily high at the peak of summer in Bardstown is 87°. Higher temperatures age whisk(e)y more quickly). Deep pale amber. Upon opening and pouring, immediately notice richly effusive notes of orange marmalade and poached pear; successive nosings reveal honeydew, lightly toasted coconut, brown sugar, milk chocolate, and the faintest whiff of smoky bacon. A touch of leather on the palate finishing with gentle white pepper. What seems to be a touch of woody bitterness on the finish is the only detractor from an otherwise fabulous pour. 43% ABV is nicely balanced. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.
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Rabbit Hole Dareringer Straight Bourbon Finished in PX Sherry Casks
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed July 8, 2022 (edited March 20, 2023)Earlier this year I attended a bourbon tasting with Rabbit Hole's founder, Kaveh Zamanian. I'd seen some of Rabbit Hole's bottlings at local stores, but had never tried them. The tasting changed that, and I was converted. Kaveh is building a world-class distillery that is focused on quality. About a decade ago, Angel's Envy started the sherry cask finishing trend in bourbon. Rabbit Hole Dareringer continues that tradition, and is the only whiskey in the Rabbit Hole lineup that is finished in sherry casks. The mash bill is 68% corn, 18% wheat, and 14% malted barley. It is bottled at 93 proof. Despite the sherry-cask finishing, Rabbit Hole Dareringer is not significantly darker than many bourbons, showing a clear mahogany color (some scotch whiskies, e.g., Edradour 10, Glendronach 18, etc. are much darker than typical due to the sherry influence). Gorgeous, sweet nose evokes brown sugar, dates, nutmeg, carrot cake, some vanilla and espresso. Palate has some oak and a touch of amaretto, with some drying leather notes and some vanilla extract, finishing long. A pleasure to drink. I've yet to taste Dareringer side by side with Angel's Envy, but based on my experience with both separately, the Dareringer shows more of the sherry influence, pushing it a little further from classic bourbon typicity--but this is a good thing. I would bet that some bourbon purists might shy away somewhat (though Rabbit Hole has these bases covered with its Cavehill and Heigold bottlings), but the sherry makes this bourbon unique. Fabulous stuff. In the opinion of this taster, Rabbit Hole is a distillery with which every bourbon afficionado needs to become familiar--if they're not already. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass. -
Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed July 7, 2022 (edited October 1, 2022)Wild Turkey's Kentucky Spirit is a single-barrel release, bottled at 101 proof. This one was bottled on 4/30/2020 from barrel 1448, stored in Warehouse A, on rick 37. Clear mahogany color. Vanilla, roasted marshmallow, milk chocolate, orange oil, Red Delicious apple skins, and a musty/dusty (though not unpleasant) undernote. Palate has tobacco and leather, in addition to some welcome--and expected--heat, finishing with char, oak, and vanilla. Kentucky Spirit is a model of restraint. It doesn't need to be showy. It's neither hazmat-strength nor the watery bourbon minimum of 80 proof. It isn't young and aggressive; neither is it too old and overcome with woody tannins (the #4 "alligator" char used by Wild Turkey helps). It is polished and smooth. There is no age statement on the bottle, but WT's website states that it is aged 8 years. Postscript With all due respect, I continue to find wide variance in Stephanie Moreno's Distiller reviews (see my reviews on Compass Box Hedonism and Glendronach Allardice 18 Year). Her note is worth repeating here: "The nose hits you with a big hit of oak along with sweet caramel and vanilla notes. There's also a touch of orange peel and dried herbs to be found as well. Moving on the the taste, you'll find butterscotch candies mixed with peppery oak flavors, apple skins and baking spices. The mouthfeel is on the thin side and the length of the finish is average. Could stand to be a bit more complex." Five different olfactory descriptors. Four different palate notes. And ending with "could stand to be a bit more complex"? for a score of 84? Logically inconsistent. To be fair, Kentucky Spirit is a single-barrel bourbon, which means there will be variance from barrel to barrel. That does not, however, mean that a review should be intemperate. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in separate Glencairn glasses.
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