Blackened Whiskey

Not a super bold bourbon, but i like my whiskeys on the sweeter side. Calm a d mellow, and you can definitely taste the black brandy cask finish

This is like one of those Netflix movies you download for a flight, hoping it’s just a brainless entertainment, but turns out actually much more thought provoking. I was in the mood for my weekly pour as something simple and one dimensional, while watching Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Rings with my kids. It’s one of my favorite movies, wanted to introduce it to my kids, so wanted something straightforward to sip. Don’t let the gimmicky marketing fool you. Yes, it’s gimmicky. Really cringe-worthy gimmicky. “ finished black brandy barrels”? What the hell is black brandy? Why not just write “brandy finished “. “Matured next to Metallica soundtrack !!??!” WTF? Makes that Jefferson Aged at Sea bullshit almost plausible. Why not just send a cask up with Elon Musk’s Dragon spacecraft and call it something like Macallan Dragon: “ exploring the timeless effect of lack of gravity and full vacuum impacts on the Highland flavor profile”. And then charge $1000. Bullshit. But...much to my chagrin, this is actually pretty good. I had the #101, which has a higher rye mix. You get a caramel vanilla palette, with a sudden taste of a bit of grape...but not too much like you’re having armagnac. Just enough to remind you “ oh, that must be that ambiguous black brandy “. This was from my own sample ( hey @Richard-ModernDrinking and @worldwhiskies95 ...my first Drammers pour), but would I buy a bottle ? Probably...since I’m glad to have tried a pour, and would happily serve this when guests are over.

As this is a celebrity-backed product with a suspect maturation gimmick, I am naturally inclined to hate it. But damn, it’s good. The late Dave Pickerell didn’t just slap Metallica’s branding on some generic sourced whisky. He and his successor Rob Dietrich, formerly the master distiller at Stranahan’s, have blended whiskies from Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Canada in ex-Spanish brandy barrels to create something unique and delicious. Dietrich says chemical analysis shows the “sonic enhancement” process — agitating the barrels with low frequency Metallica tracks -- does boost flavor by driving the whisky deeper into the barrels, which rest for about three months in Whistlepig’s Vermont warehouses. Whatever the science, the results are tasty and unique. There’s considerable batch variation, though the two I tried were both full bodied and rich with dark chewy flavors. Batch #094 had more caramel flavors, while #101 had a stronger rye spice influence that was more to my liking. The brandy barrels added notes of juicy, musty grapes that leave a long and pleasantly sour finish. Metallica’s music isn’t to my taste, but with whisky this good, I’m with the band.

Smooth and tasty