Tastes
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There's a joke, among Lutherans, that coffee is the third sacrament (after baptism and communion, of course). There are even more jokes about how much coffee clergy, especially Lutheran clergy, drink - the big crisis at our annual assembly in Madison was the coffee running out way too early in the day. There are also additional jokes about how much Lutheran clergy drink things that are...stronger than coffee. These jokes all have their grounding in some reality; I didn't end up on this site for nothing, and...well, where there are four Lutheran pastors, there will be a fifth. If you know what I mean. At least once in seminary, there were two Lutheran pastors-in-training, a fifth of Jack Daniel's Black, a sneaking out from a Catholic-nun-run retreat center, and an illicit campfire down by a river. They still ordained me, so here we are. So, blah blah blah, Lutheran clergy love their booze and their coffee. But...do we love them together? This little experience in the world of flavored rum suggests that I could be persuaded that they belong together, at least sometimes. Dictador's baseline rum here is brown sugar forward without much nuance, but then again, it's also got a pronounced influence from the coffee. It's brown sugary, lightly sweet rum with a big hit of coffee bean - and clearly coffee beans pre-brewing, almost like chocolate covered espresso beans. Those things will light you up, too - I ate 40-50 of them in a sitting one day in college before my 1pm class, and by the end of my back-to-back lectures at 3:45, the room was moving before my eyes like I was on a ship, I couldn't sit still, and I was talking at about three times my normal speed. Anyhow, I'm not going to reach for this all of the time, but as a late evening dessert dram, it's not bad at all. The cocktail possibilities are extensive, too. I appreciate, too, the care by which this was infused and aged - this is not a bottom shelf, dump some coffee flavored syrup in it and call it a day kind of affair. It's still quality rum allowed to infuse with some quality coffee beans. Again, not my daily go-to, but plenty enjoyable on its own terms.
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Another warm day in Wisconsin, another locally sourced Wisconsin gin. This one, made just 60-some miles away in Madison, takes a hybrid approach between the "everything must be incredibly local" ethos of many modern gins produced here and the also popular "who cares if it's local as long as it's good" ethos. The grain-based spirit (corn and wheat, sourced regionally) provide a definite connection to the local terroir, but the botanicals are a bit more open-minded, choosing to highlight juniper (could be local), sage (could also be local, if not a flavor that screams "Wisconsin"), and lemon (definitely not local). The good news here is that it all works. The base spirit is roughly the equivalent to 68*F/20*C and sunny weather - it's so pleasant that you hardly notice it, other than that it's nice. Not too heavy, but not insubstantial, smooth and easygoing. I don't mind a base spirit with a little more oomph to it, but it's hard to complain about perfect balance. The botanicals are similarly in excellent balance - the evergreen of the juniper, citrus brightness, and savory, earthy sage are all clearly identifiable (and in roughly that order from initial attack to finish), but nothing clobbers anything else. If you've had St George's Terroir Gin and felt like you'd just been attacked by a plate of Jimmy Dean breakfast sausages, this gin will do wonders to convince you that, with a more delicate hand at the wheel, sage can be used as a gin botanical in ways that won't scare off all but the biggest sage-lovers. I can imagine a variety of cocktail applications, but this evening, a gin and tonic with Fever Tree's Mediterranean Tonic Water (which is bright with citrus and herbal overtones) is getting the job done quite nicely.30.0 USD per Bottle
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Ameireaganach Huddled Mashes No. 1
American Single Malt — USA
Reviewed May 9, 2019 (edited May 11, 2019)I received a bottle of this as part of a whiskey exchange with folks from around the US. I was matched up with someone in Georgia, and this lovely bottle showed up....and I do say lovely intentionally, as this is an enjoyable dram with a lot of promise. The bad news first - this is pretty young. There's that jagged-edged mouthfeel and a certain lack of integration; a few more years to age would likely do wonders, but as it is, we get something young, brash, and a bit unbalanced. But, the good news is that what's here is pretty tasty. The kinds of flavors I would expect from an American single malt aged in new oak are all here - chocolate, HUGE coconut (quite creamy), vanilla, juicy dark fruit, spices. It's hard not to enjoy the combination. The mouthfeel, while about rough around the edges, is pleasantly full and lightly oily without being heavy. All in all, it's a fine whiskey that just needs a bit more time to grow into its potential...but once it does, it could well end up in the same camp as Stranahan's and Westland. -
Great Northern Distilling Herbalist Gin
Distilled Gin — Wisconsin, USA
Reviewed May 9, 2019 (edited November 10, 2019)The tour of the Gins of Wisconsin continues! I've had most of these bottles for a while, but have only now gotten around to adding them to Distiller. This one, in its distinctive square bottle, is a bit closer to a traditional gin flavor profile than some of the other, more modern styles coming out of the state right now. Bright, crisp juniper and evergreen notes stand at the forefront, with spice and floral notes laying down the bass in the background. It's good stuff; maybe not the most exciting or original gin ever to cross my lips, but I appreciate a well-done classic that locally sources its ingredients. Makes a solid g&t; I might prefer something at a slightly higher abv for a martini, but the flavor profile's right.35.0 USD per Bottle -
I will admit that, gin lover that I am, this one took me a bit to really wrap my head around. Made about 90 minutes to my northeast in Baraboo (by the Wisconsin Dells), it highlights Wisconsin-grown botanicals. Did you know that 90% of the ginseng grown in the US is grown in Wisconsin? Neither did I, and it also took me a long time to figure out that it was the ginseng I kept tasting, but couldn’t place. It’s earthy, with a little bit of a licorice quality to it. And, it hides on the nose - I mostly get the spearmint and a distant hint of juniper. The palate is a dance between the sweet freshness of the mint, the earthy-anise notes from the ginseng, a subtle spiciness, and a very faint juniper note. Smooth, fairly light bodied...and quite unique in terms of flavor profile. I struggled a bit with what to do with this in terms of cocktails, but I finally hit the jackpot - a 2-1 ratio of this with Cocchi vermouth and 4-5 dashes of Peychaud's on the rocks does the trick nicely.30.0 USD per Bottle
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The Driftless Area is arguably the most unique corner of the Midwest. Rugged and hilly, it's more like Vermont than the stereotypical endless cornfields and prairies conjured up by saying "I live in the Midwest." The glaciers left this part of the country alone, and so we're blessed with amazing scenery that's also largely prevented large-scale monoculture from taking root. Farms are small, often organic, and usually not focused on churning out GMO corn and soybeans, and with that, there's a different social vibe here, too - again, think Vermont and its odd, but somehow functional, blend of old farmers and hippie types. Small wonder, then, that one of the region's distilleries (a newer one, at that) focuses on grain-to-glass, farmer-focused, organic grain-based spirits. So, that's wonderful and all, but how's the booze? Pretty good, I'd say. This gin brags about locally sourced botanicals as well as grain from a single farm, plus fresh spring water, and all of those come together in a subtle, understated fashion. There's not a huge standout ingredient here screaming for attention; if anything, the grains get the star role for helping create a spritely, smooth, and delicate - almost lacy - spirit. The lightly creamy quality that wheat-based gins often have is here, and just a touch of oiliness. This is a really excellent base. The grain-forward profile does come through on the nose with a light porridge/bread note, plus delicate evergreen plants and a touch of pepper. This isn't a particularly strong nose. Of course, that suits the palate, which is also fairly light and easygoing - the juniper is present, but comes across as more of a refreshing background of evergreen forest than anything else. Pepper, Sichuan peppercorn, lemon, and grassy green herbal notes are also present, plus a hint of limestone-like minerality at the end of the palate. So, why not quite 4 stars? This is pleasant, very much so, but it leaves me wanting a little more. I'd love to see the botanicals pushed up just a notch, but without losing the loveliness of the spirit itself. As it is, there's just a sense of restraint here that seems almost timid, and I think this gin has more to give yet. Still, a great start, and certainly pleasant on its own or mixed with a spice-forward tonic.30.0 USD per Bottle
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Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed May 1, 2019 (edited July 23, 2021)The joy of single barrel bottlings is that, if you don't fall in love with the first one you try, there's always going to be another....and who knows? It might make you happier, just like dating the sister of the girl you used to go out with might. Or, you could just be like one of my friends from high school and go through a single family like a recessive gene and decide that, no, none of them are your type. But I digress. At the very least, this time around my experience with the current Four Roses Single Barrel offering is more like the little sister than the original girl, though my prior experience wasn't bad...just underwhelming. This one has a bold, spicy nose - very cinnamon and nutmeg forward, with clove and cardamom (even allspice) in the background. With the spice is a distinctly creamy sort of sweet vanilla, quite reminiscent of creme brulee...or, better, crema catalana and its citrus undertones. I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say I get a strong citrus note here, but there's certainly a slight whiff of orange zest. Chocolate notes, too, show up. After a bit more time to open up, cherry cola turns up and the spices turn down the dial. The palate teeters between rip-roaring big spice and refined confectionary qualities - the initial attack is full of red hot cinnamon, but that pulls back to showcase vanilla, brown sugar, baking chocolate, orange zest, and leather books. The spices, plus a bit of alcoholic heat come back in at the end, eventually fading and leaving a lingering note of book leather. For between $30 and $35 USD, this is a pretty decent deal...maybe not the biggest bargain in the liquor store, but you're getting what you paid for. I don't know that this is fundamentally different than the previous release of this that I tried maybe three years ago now, but it's left a better impression. And, at the end of it all, isn't that life? Perception defining reality...no wonder empiricism and the whiskey drinking British Isles have always gone hand-in-hand. So, I'll raise a glass of this to Locke, Berkeley, and Hume and simply be glad to have a good bourbon handy.33.0 USD per Bottle -
I will preface this by saying that there is no universe in which this is such an amazing step up in quality from other JW entries of worth that it justifies the price tag. Now, that being said... This is a damn fine dram to, say, share with your cousin on the night of his big sister's wedding (which I had just officiated). Late into the evening, the party over and the guests gone home, we sat and he pulled out a bottle of this given to him by an ex-girlfriend's dad. If this was the only thing he got out of that relationship, he did alright. It's classic Johnnie Walker; there are no surprises here. The opening rush of sweet, Speyside vanilla, fruit, and caramel opens up into coastal salty seabreeze and a light bit of smoke - woody rather than peaty. There's a nice little citrus note in with the salty air and smoke, enough spice to suggest good quality oak, and a loooooong finish. This is much more polished, integrated, and refined take on Johnnie Walker's signature style...it achieves a balance of complex elements that is nothing to sneeze at. And...it's an excellent choice for making memories. The night the Cubs won it all in 2016, or bonding with your cousin who you haven't seen in years and is now all grown up - these kinds of experiences cry out for the polish and easy elegance of a masterful blend like this. Nothing that's going to detract from the celebration by demanding too much attention, but that will perfectly compliment the joys of life with a masterful sense of perfect balance. Will I ever buy a bottle? Probably not, or at least not at the current price point...if this were selling for, say, $100 or so, I might be tempted to bite. Ultimately, your ability to enjoy this comes down to two things - whether or not you like the general Johnnie Walker flavor profile, and how you respond to the pricing. If you like Johnnie Walker's sweet-salty-lightly smoky profile, and you're willing to ignore the pricing (thanks, ex-girlfriend's dad!), it's hard not to enjoy this, especially when the time's right for it.
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Since my ultra-Irish grandfather would rise from his grave and slap me if I didn't prioritize Irish whiskey in March...I'm trying out some new Irish drams! And, there is NO regret to be found about this having been one of them. The concept is alone worth a sampling - an Irish rye? Well...yes and no. It's a rye whiskey in that rye is a portion of the mash bill (about 30%), but unlike American rye, it doesn't represent a majority of the mash bill. Instead, the traditional pot still mixture of malted and unmalted barley makes up the remainder. This creates a remarkably unique profile that's defined by both single pot still characteristics and the spicy, slightly herbal qualities that rye brings to the table. The nose has notes of shortbread, chocolate, lemon zest, sea salt, coconut, cinnamon, clove, and a tiny hint of dill. The palate opens up with a very malt-forward shortbread, salted caramel, and chocolate profile, with light salt and citrus in the midsection, and then...bam, the rye notes suddenly come in with caraway, cinnamon, clove, and dill at the very end. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied and coating, but not quite as rich as a pure single pot still. This is quite unique, at least for me, in the world of whiskey, especially Irish. At $40 or less a bottle, too, it's a good deal. Slainte!37.0 USD per Bottle
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Treaty Oak Ghost Hill Texas Bourbon
Bourbon — Texas, USA
Reviewed March 16, 2019 (edited March 17, 2019)I’m officiating my cousin’s wedding this weekend here in Dripping Springs, so when the opportunity arose to sample a very local, grain-to-glass bourbon...I’m not saying no to that. The first thing that is obvious on the nose is the age, or lack thereof, of the spirit. That hard to describe, but recognizable scent mildly reminiscent of shoe polish is all over this dram. It’s not unpleasant per se, but it screams that the bourbon needs more time to mature into its true self. There’s a pronounced cinnamon and nutmeg spice beyond that, cherry cola, and vanilla custard. The palate matches the nose - very young, but at least fairly smooth with minimal burn. The flavors are spice-forward, Red Hot candies and crema Catalana dusted with nutmeg washed down with a sip of cherry cola. Overall, this is a promising start. I think the base spirit is high quality stuff, but it needs more time in the barrel to live into its potential. With some more time and care to develop those flavors and build up some more complex layers, this could become a truly excellent bourbon. As is, it’s a perfectly fine, if a bit unexciting, drink for a rehearsal dinner.
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