Tastes

It's as good as they say it is...but it doesn't come on strong. No, the OP 21 sees no need to fling itself at you; this is not a dram desperate to be loved by whoever comes its way. Rather, it displays an almost shy nose - soft, light, creme brulee, baked apple with cinnamon. Once you taste it, though...well, my exact phrase on my tasting sheet is "the Holy Trinity is this good." Maybe I'll go to hell for that (not really), but this is an insanely smooth, well-integrated single malt. The baked apple and cinnamon are there on the palate, with an almost buttery quality, along with the sea breeze and citrus (albeit now orange) that mark Old Pulteney's whiskies. There's even a light, pipe tobacco note to be found - according to head distiller Malcom Waring, it's a result of the water's drainage through a peat bog, as all of their barley is unpeated. I could strive to write out more notes, but at the end of the day, there is an almost mystical quality to this dram that beggars adjectives and descriptions. It simply is an example of what good whisky can be, and it is worth the steep price tag...every cent of it.

In an evening full of good whisky, this was a standout. At 15 years old (13 in 2nd fill ex-bourbon and 2 years in 1st fill Oloroso sherry), this is a solid, and flavor-packed, middle aged dram. The nose oozes brown sugar; I can practically hear Mick Jagger singing "yeah, yeah, yeah, WOOO!" in the background...how come ya taste so good, Balblair? Along with the dark brown sugar is dried fig, floor wax, orange zest, and roasted pine nut/pignoli. It's a great nose...as is the palate, which is a rich, giving carnival (in the pre-Lenten sense of the word) of brown sugar, fig jam, light vanilla, candied orange rind, and a hint of chocolate and wildflower honey. So. Good.

Balblair's Johnny-come-lately is this offering, bottled at 10 years old, but packing a decent punch for its youthful demeanor. Purely from 2nd fill bourbon casks, there's no surprise that bourbon notes like vanilla, chocolate, and coconut come to the forefront on the nose. On the palate, there's an almost surprising amount of substance - while refreshing, this is not a light, shrinking violet of a whisky. Instead a rather full, oily mouthfeel yields milk chocolate, vanilla, pineapple, light citrus, and white pepper notes. Really quite pleasant.

This is the first note in a series coming from an Inver House tasting/master class this evening. The anCnoc 18 was the second dram of the night (after the 12 year), and it is quite something. The 12 year old anCnoc is a light, fresh, fruity affair; this, meanwhile, sees some time in 1st fill Oloroso sherry casks, and it shows. Rich, full, and abounding in chocolate-covered raisin notes, spices, and nutty notes, this is a darker, much more indulgent affair than its younger predecessor. It's still perhaps a bit too straightforward to get five stars from me, but this is a fine whisky well worth seeking out and savoring.

Old Forester's Whiskey Row wraps up with what is, hands down, the best of the three. The nose is baked apples, clove, cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom even, with a little dried fruit, wood, and leather. It's like a Turkish dessert course served up on an old Bible cover. The palate opens bright and sweet, all vanilla and caramel and sunshine and puppies, but that gives way to dark brown sugar, dried fig, and an Ottoman caravan's worth of spices. The finish is long and lingering, a bit woody but not astringent. Even now, minutes after finishing the dram, I am still tasting dried fig. I could drink this all day long; no wonder Fred Minnick ranks this among his favorite bourbons...and he literally wrote the book on the subject. Maybe the Volstead Act was worth it if just for this one bourbon.

Next up on the Whiskey Row expedition: 1897 Bottled in Bond. Where the 1870 is fruity and light, the 1897 is dark and weighty. There's less of an overt corn note and more aged leather, dark brown sugar, and dulce de leche alongside clove, cinnamon, and oak. Smooth, sweet, and rich with just the right amount of funk to stay really interesting. Cheers to the Bottled In Bond Act!

Time for a stroll down Whiskey Row! The first of the three WR bottlings from Old Forester is the 1870 Original Batch. While there's still some of that signature OF spicy rye and cherry, there is a lot more of a sweet and fruity quality here. Buttered sweet corn, peaches, vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, and woody oak all come out to play, with a hint of some mint in the background. It finishes up a bit dry and short, but there's a little lingering wood and spice after everything else fades away. I'll bet this makes one honey of a mint julep. A nice, solid dram.

Apple pie a la mode in bourbon form...but, in a good way, not a cloyingly sweet way. Baked apples, vanilla, spices, and buttery pastry on the nose...well, and on the palate, too. You're getting what you're promised. There's a peach note at the end, too, so if you're more into cobbler, you can go that route. It's a little hot and young tasting, which doesn't have to be a bad thing, but it does harsh the mellow, eating-pie-in-Mema's-kitchen vibe a bit more than I'd like. Then again, my Mema back in Texas was drinking (and making pecan pie with) Weller's before it was a trendy luxury brand...so maybe a little boozy burn is just par for the course at her house. Not a half bad little dram.

After the pinnacle of bourbon brilliance that is the Belle Meade 9 year old single cask, this was bound to be a little bit of a letdown. Once you've seen the Promised Land, even a Hawaiian vacation seems sad in comparison. This is still a fine offering, however. A nose of vanilla, sour dill pickle, spices, and wood leads into a dry, wine-inflected (duh) palate with the usual markings of a high rye mashbill bourbon. The finish is dry, woody, and reminiscent of a dry white wine. It's not bad, and it does have a unique personality, but I would never pay the really steep recommended retail for this.

OK, now I get Redbreast. Full, creamy, honeyed, toasty. Bursting with sherries fruits and nuts. Smooth, but characterful. Really delicious stuff here; maybe more of. 4.5 than a 5, but I'm feeling generous. Beannachtaí na Feíle Pádraig oraibh, everybody!