Tastes

I'm not the biggest fan of port finishes and I'm especially suspicious when it comes to older spirit, which shouldn't need varnishing if the original barrels are in good shape. But the four months that this Balvenie spends resting in the port pipes adds complexity rather than obfuscation. The dark fruit notes play well with the more refined flavors and don't outstay their welcome. I'd need to try more than the wee dram I had today in the presence of master distiller David Stewart before I could mark this five stars, but I wouldn't question the potential.

Just had a quick dram of this in the company of none other than master distiller David Stewart, who happened to be signing bottles in a store near my office. It's quite different to the Peated Triple Cask I reviewed earlier, but just as well balanced and integrated. The main difference is that the peat is more overt on this one, which is matured entirely in new and refill American oak. The triple cask has some sherry wood in the mix, which Stewart said has the effect of subduing the peat influence a touch. I had to search to find the typical Balvenie notes of honey, but they are present in the finish. Don't expect Islay-level peatiness -- this is tamer mainland smoke. There's just enough to influence the nose and initial taste without overwhelming the spirit. Worth buying a bottle.

A fresh, lemony nose with a hint of zesty wood spices. The first sip starts off creamy vanilla, then transitions after a beat to spices. It’s soft, light and malty. The segue from vanilla to spice is well done, but it’s otherwise a little simplistic for my taste. A higher ABV might have been more interesting. Thanks for the sample, Pranay.

I think it took me all of five minutes between coming home and seeing the package of samples from Pranay (aka PBMichiganWolverine) to getting this in a glass, such was my anticipation for it. I'm a big fan of Amrut and rye so I had high hopes for this. It didn’t disappoint. It's a beautiful russet color in the Glencairn, with a nose of polished wood and an undertone of menthol. Left to air over time (due to a thoughtless dinner interruption), the mint emerges as the dominant note, with a hint of something floral in the background. It’s quite overpowering on the first sip, but once the palette adjusts it reveals flavors of nuts and black tea, enveloped in zesty rye spices. The finish is very long and spicy. I’d gladly keep a bottle of this in my collection, though it does inhabit the expensive end of the rye spectrum. Thanks, Pranay.

This was the last of four samples I tasted last night so maybe my palette was tired, but I didn’t get the complexities that most of the reviews here describe. I picked up sandalwood on the nose and enjoyed the oily honeyed mouthfeel, but otherwise found it good rather than great. Will look to try this again as it should be my kind of thing.

This is a very well integrated blend that sits somewhere between HIgh West’s Bourye and Campfire. It’s more rye-centric than the former and lacks the smokey finish of the latter, but it’s a worthy rival with a distinct taste.

A nice, easy drinker that tastes more like an American rye than a Canadian one.

Nose of stewed fruits and plum wine. Unpleasant bite on its way down and a sour aftertaste. I’ve had some good wine-finished whiskies but this one didn’t work for me.

This is a well executed blend that should be more approachable for casual drinkers than a typical Ardbeg, yet is still true enough to its distillery’s character to make an appealing alternative for the fan base. The dominant flavors throughout are lemon and dark chocolate, a combination that’s hard to fault. There’s also a whiff of wet wood on the nose, which is less overpoweringly peaty than many an Ardbeg. You’ll find a sweet crescendo mid-palette as the sherry influence rises, followed by the peppery peat reasserting itself on the finish. A dash of water surprisingly extends the aftertaste. It’s not as complex or as pleasantly challenging as Uigeadail, but it’s enjoyable enough to keep in the home bar rotation. A welcome addition to the family.

My cycling route out from the lovely Hudson Valley town of New Paltz this weekend took me past Coppersea’s tiny countryside distillery and I stopped off at its new tasting room on my way back. Chief distiller Christopher Briar Williams poured me three samples from his range: this green malt rye plus the Bonticou Crag Straight Single Malt Rye and Big Angus Green Malt. The straight rye was lovely (***1/2), but it was the unique green malts that I dwelled on. Made from wet germinating grain, they have an unusual herbaceous profile to their flavors. The green malt rye (***) was the more quirky of the two, with a hint of lavender amid its many vegetal notes. Big Angus — made from green malt barley (****) - has striking aromas of Assam tea. The circumstances didn’t allow for note taking, but all three whiskies were very well balanced and integrated given their youth and complexity. I would gladly have bought a bottle of Big Angus were it not for the fact that it and the green malt rye cost $90 for 375 ml. The price reflects the labor involved — it takes two days to grind wet grain — and the craftsmanship that extends to Coppersea making its own barrels from New York oak. But it also speaks to the challenging economics of the craft spirits business. Still, the flights aren’t expensive at $10 for three small pours, so it’s well worth a visit if you’re in the area.