Review - Glenfiddich Project XX Experimental Series #02
There are 20 different barrels used in this blend: 17 bourbon, 1 port pipe & 2 sherry casks. It's really a great product but the complexity and effort that goes into crafting this whisky doesn't exactly translate into the experience.
Rating 3.5 Glasses
- Distillery: Glenfiddich Distillery
- Years Aged: NAS
- Proof: 94
- Local Price (USD): $79.95
- Availability: Widespread
- Local Price (USD): $79.95
Tasting Notes
- Color & Consistency: Light Golden Honey. Legs slow and thick.
- Nose: Floral, orange citrus, butterscotch, not overly complex.
- Taste: Spice, honey butter, a pinch of salt and butterscotch with a bourbonesque oakiness.
- Finish: Rather pleasurable. Long and peppery.
- Conclusion: Being non-chill filtered adds some body to this wonderful dram. There are 20 different barrels used in this blend: 17 bourbon, 1 port pipe & 2 sherry casks. It's really a great product but the complexity and effort that goes into crafting this whisky doesn't exactly translate into the experience. Good as a gift but we wouldn't go searching it out again for the price.
Sherry finished Scotches are a dime a dozen but try to find an over-proof cask strength that is as balanced as A'bunadh?... good luck.
"The finish leaves your tongue writhing in agony and pleasure, all at the same time hating itself but wanting more."
Absolutely an amazing dram and even though the grass is always greener across the pond, definitely one of if not the finest Speysides we've had to date. Enough said... Delicious.
...Jeff, for reasons unknown, wanted to try and freeze it into a popsicle... don't even try to comprehend that one.
It's generally a little fruity(due to the sherry casks) and light on the palate. Tastes young for a 12 year scotch. Good overall whisky as it has a well rounded flavor profile.
OK blended scotch for the money. Drinkable but wish the finish lasted longer. Nothing to really write home about.
Review - Ardbeg Kelpie Single Malt Scotch
Tastes like a burning fishing vessel. Smooth with a taste of the sea and all of the peatiness we have come to know and love from Ardbeg.
Rating 3.5 Glasses
- Distillery: Ardbeg Distillery
- Years Aged: NAS
- Proof: 92
- Local Price (USD): $109.00
- Availability: Uncommon
- Local Price (USD): $109.00
Tasting Notes
- Color & Consistency: Light hay. Long, thin & inconsistent legs.
- Nose: Smoke, peat & salty sea air. The Black Sea and caviar
- Taste: Oilier than Ardbeg 10, smoked salmon, peat. Old butterscotch candies from last thanksgiving that ended up in grandma Betsy's ashtray instead of the candy bowl.
- Finish: Straight and to the point, doesn't linger long. Smokey bitterness with a hint of roasted seaweed.
- Conclusion: Tastes like a burning fishing vessel. Smooth with a taste of the sea and all of the peatiness we have come to know and love from Ardbeg. Very tasty but save your rupees and by 2 or more bottles of Ardbeg 10. It's just a little too expensive for what you get and one of the reasons we knocked it down a glass on the rating. If you are an Ardbeg fan like we are, then definitely grab a bottle.
Grooves is groovy but definitely a lighter Ardbeg release that is more approachable for the casual Islay fan. We would compare it to a blend between AN OA and Ardbeg 10 . It’s really good overall and better than Kelpie with less in your face brininess and a little bit o' peat & little bit o' smoke. Great committee release for 2018.
Tastes like a burning fishing vessel. Smooth with a taste of the sea and all of the peatiness we have come to know and love from Ardbeg.
Just sniff, sip, repeat. Sweeter than most Islay Scotch but really a delicious combination...
The goal of The Distiller's Edition seems to be showcasing the ability of Lagavulin to produce and present a reserved yet broad and rich flavor profiled dram
Review - Basil Hayden's Dark Rye 2017
The more you drink the more you get used to it but its not exactly what we would call enjoyable. The port addition doesn't do it any favors either.
Rating 2 Glasses
- Distillery: Kentucky Springs Distilling Co. (Owned by Beam Suntory)
- Years Aged: NAS
- Proof: 80
- Local Price (USD): $49.95
- Availability: Widespread
- Local Price (USD): $49.95
Tasting Notes
- Color & Consistency: Fresh out of the tap rich maple syrup, thin & quick like Mo Farah.
- Nose: Cherry flavored Play-Doh and no, not the philosopher, but if so very likely had incredibly offensive BO.
- Taste: The aftertaste is worse so just swallow.
- Finish: Very organic and kind of musty. It doesn't hit you right away but when it does, all you want is for it to be over.
- Conclusion: We all had high hopes for this bottle as the port addition was intriguing but this unfortunately has a slightly offensive / funky profile from bow to stern. The more you drink the more you get used to it but its not exactly what we would call enjoyable. The port addition doesn't do it any favors either. It's a completely odd duckling and we give them credit for trying this blend (Kentucky Rye, Canadian Rye from Alberta Distillery & California Port). Unfortunately it just doesn't translate for us in the finished product.
10 individual custom wood finishing staves were hand selected by Troutdale Liquor in Troutdale, OR creating this kick in the pants….It isn’t for faint of heart at 109.8 proof and is definitely not in the price point for just anyone either. This is top-shelf hand-crafted Kentucky Bourbon and fits the bill.
More and more coming to the conclusion that Basil Hayden’s is the Lacroix of bourbons. Basically whiskey infused with essential oils… It's pretty pricey for what it brings to the table … confused. Two By Two Rye doesn’t give us anything to hate but nothing to bring us back.
…The main component of what makes the profile of this whiskey unique is the proprietary dual-charcoal filtration process…that makes you want to fire up the Traeger® with every sip.
Longbranch is a good value for an 8 year small batch and a great whiskey for someone being introduced to Bourbon and American Whiskey.
Bottled at 108.4, this particular selection from barrel No. 18F829 is truly a wonder to behold. Familiar but with a depth of flavor and ABV punch that you won’t get from Michter’s std US-1 Rye.
…Wanderback's second release sets itself apart by first aging in new American oak barrels then finishing its last 6 months in Nicaraguan ex-rum and Heaven Hill ex-bourbon barrels. In our opinion Batch No. 2 is a notch above its older sibling and delivers a smoother, more balanced and flavorful experience overall….
The first release from Wanderback Whiskey, Batch No. 1 was made in collaboration with Westland Distillery in Seattle, WA….This solid whiskey is full of oak and smoke and perfectly at home enjoyed neat in a Glencairn.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed 116.8 is a solid barrel proof bourbon that is readily available and reasonably priced. Steadily increasing in proof over the years, this most recent release at 116.8 is the best yet… Rare Breed delivers a flavor packed punch that can hang with the other big boys in the category …
…Old Grand-Dad uses a mash bill of 62% Corn, 28% Rye & 10% Malted Barley. This unusually high Rye content and high proof makes this pour an especially potent one. Basically like pouring 10lb of sugar into a bucket of kerosene and setting it ablaze…
Light oak and vanilla that wants to stay for a while. Somewhere in between your brother-in-law jetting out before the end of the 1st quarter …and your great uncle just hanging around long after the final buzzer, watching re-runs of The Price Is Right and reciting for the 26th time the story about how he was “that close” to making it on the show…
…Tuthilltown ages their Baby in “special small American Oak Barrels” which explains how they achieve such a dark color and heavy oak influence from such a young whiskey. The other unique thing…is their use of sonic maturation by playing loud music to agitate the whiskey inside the barrels....
The oak is really the front man of the band…Definitely makes a killer (albeit expensive) whiskey & coke and would feel right at home in an old fashioned…
Review - Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon
...contains every characteristic it is supposed to as a well put together and aged spirit and just does those Bourbon-y things so darned well.
Rating 4 Glasses
- Distillery: Michter's Distillery, LLC - Louisville Kentucky
- Years Aged: 10
- Proof: 94.4
- Local Price (USD): $120.00
- Availability: Rare
- Local Price (USD): $120.00
Tasting Notes
- Color & Consistency: Golden honey with slowly developing skinny legs. Random comment of the night "Like little caterpillar legs" - Jeff
- Nose: Relatively light. Subtle amounts of alcohol, cherry & vanilla
- Taste: Not very sweet like most traditional bourbons. Oak is "IN YO' FACE!" & the tannins are more present than Elijah Craig 18 even though it's 8 years younger.
- Finish: Peppery and very long lasting.
- Conclusion: Batch 16 / Barrel No. 195
- This is the first special release from Michter's new master distiller Pam Heilmann. She is the first female master distiller at a Kentucky Distillers Association distillery since prohibition. It contains every characteristic it is supposed to as a well put together and aged spirit and just does those Bourbon-y things so darned well. Not really bold in any one direction (except maybe a little extra oak) but extremely well balanced and just really good. Yearly release and definitely would buy again if we can find it.
10 individual custom wood finishing staves were hand selected by Troutdale Liquor in Troutdale, OR creating this kick in the pants….It isn’t for faint of heart at 109.8 proof and is definitely not in the price point for just anyone either. This is top-shelf hand-crafted Kentucky Bourbon and fits the bill.
More and more coming to the conclusion that Basil Hayden’s is the Lacroix of bourbons. Basically whiskey infused with essential oils… It's pretty pricey for what it brings to the table … confused. Two By Two Rye doesn’t give us anything to hate but nothing to bring us back.
…The main component of what makes the profile of this whiskey unique is the proprietary dual-charcoal filtration process…that makes you want to fire up the Traeger® with every sip.
Longbranch is a good value for an 8 year small batch and a great whiskey for someone being introduced to Bourbon and American Whiskey.
Bottled at 108.4, this particular selection from barrel No. 18F829 is truly a wonder to behold. Familiar but with a depth of flavor and ABV punch that you won’t get from Michter’s std US-1 Rye.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed 116.8 is a solid barrel proof bourbon that is readily available and reasonably priced. Steadily increasing in proof over the years, this most recent release at 116.8 is the best yet… Rare Breed delivers a flavor packed punch that can hang with the other big boys in the category …
…Old Grand-Dad uses a mash bill of 62% Corn, 28% Rye & 10% Malted Barley. This unusually high Rye content and high proof makes this pour an especially potent one. Basically like pouring 10lb of sugar into a bucket of kerosene and setting it ablaze…
Light oak and vanilla that wants to stay for a while. Somewhere in between your brother-in-law jetting out before the end of the 1st quarter …and your great uncle just hanging around long after the final buzzer, watching re-runs of The Price Is Right and reciting for the 26th time the story about how he was “that close” to making it on the show…
…Tuthilltown ages their Baby in “special small American Oak Barrels” which explains how they achieve such a dark color and heavy oak influence from such a young whiskey. The other unique thing…is their use of sonic maturation by playing loud music to agitate the whiskey inside the barrels....
The oak is really the front man of the band…Definitely makes a killer (albeit expensive) whiskey & coke and would feel right at home in an old fashioned…
You can’t beat Elmer T. Lee for the flavor and value… ETL is pretty darn rare so grab it when it’s available as you won’t find a better or more consistent single barrel bourbon for the price. Earned all of its 4.5 glasses and we will definitely be picking up every bottle we come across.
We plan on keeping a bottle of 107 on hand at all times and for under $30 bucks you can too. Probably would not be a good first experience for a novice whiskey drinker because it comes across pretty hot and surprisingly deep in flavor. Someone who enjoys bourbon would appreciate the detour from your standard Kentucky release.
Review - Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel Bourbon
A good step up from Elijah Craig 12 and truly one of the best bourbons we have had to date... This thing lingers longer than your eccentric uncle Randall after a hearty holiday dinner.
Rating 4 Glasses
- Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery
- Years Aged: 18
- Proof: 90
- Local Price (USD): $112.00
- Availability: Rare
- Local Price (USD): $112.00
Tasting Notes
- Color & Consistency: Rich maple syrup tapped straight from the tree. No log cabin crap here. Crooked legs but we're not sure what that means.
- Nose: A dusty oak cabinet with cherry cough medicine spilled inside that just fell off the wall and was pieced back together with heavy construction adhesive.
- Taste: Cherries and vanilla up front then caramel and blood orange. Oak on the nose doesn't translate into the flavor.
- Finish: Vanilla. This thing lingers longer than your eccentric uncle Randall after a hearty holiday dinner.
- Conclusion: Delicious. A good step up from Elijah Craig 12 and truly one of the best bourbons we have had to date. We would call it almost an endangered species so if you can find, buy it.
10 individual custom wood finishing staves were hand selected by Troutdale Liquor in Troutdale, OR creating this kick in the pants….It isn’t for faint of heart at 109.8 proof and is definitely not in the price point for just anyone either. This is top-shelf hand-crafted Kentucky Bourbon and fits the bill.
More and more coming to the conclusion that Basil Hayden’s is the Lacroix of bourbons. Basically whiskey infused with essential oils… It's pretty pricey for what it brings to the table … confused. Two By Two Rye doesn’t give us anything to hate but nothing to bring us back.
…The main component of what makes the profile of this whiskey unique is the proprietary dual-charcoal filtration process…that makes you want to fire up the Traeger® with every sip.
Longbranch is a good value for an 8 year small batch and a great whiskey for someone being introduced to Bourbon and American Whiskey.
Bottled at 108.4, this particular selection from barrel No. 18F829 is truly a wonder to behold. Familiar but with a depth of flavor and ABV punch that you won’t get from Michter’s std US-1 Rye.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed 116.8 is a solid barrel proof bourbon that is readily available and reasonably priced. Steadily increasing in proof over the years, this most recent release at 116.8 is the best yet… Rare Breed delivers a flavor packed punch that can hang with the other big boys in the category …
…Old Grand-Dad uses a mash bill of 62% Corn, 28% Rye & 10% Malted Barley. This unusually high Rye content and high proof makes this pour an especially potent one. Basically like pouring 10lb of sugar into a bucket of kerosene and setting it ablaze…
Light oak and vanilla that wants to stay for a while. Somewhere in between your brother-in-law jetting out before the end of the 1st quarter …and your great uncle just hanging around long after the final buzzer, watching re-runs of The Price Is Right and reciting for the 26th time the story about how he was “that close” to making it on the show…
…Tuthilltown ages their Baby in “special small American Oak Barrels” which explains how they achieve such a dark color and heavy oak influence from such a young whiskey. The other unique thing…is their use of sonic maturation by playing loud music to agitate the whiskey inside the barrels....
The oak is really the front man of the band…Definitely makes a killer (albeit expensive) whiskey & coke and would feel right at home in an old fashioned…
You can’t beat Elmer T. Lee for the flavor and value… ETL is pretty darn rare so grab it when it’s available as you won’t find a better or more consistent single barrel bourbon for the price. Earned all of its 4.5 glasses and we will definitely be picking up every bottle we come across.
We plan on keeping a bottle of 107 on hand at all times and for under $30 bucks you can too. Probably would not be a good first experience for a novice whiskey drinker because it comes across pretty hot and surprisingly deep in flavor. Someone who enjoys bourbon would appreciate the detour from your standard Kentucky release.
There are 20 different barrels used in this blend: 17 bourbon, 1 port pipe & 2 sherry casks. It's really a great product but the complexity and effort that goes into crafting this whisky doesn't exactly translate into the experience.