George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 2009 Release 70.7% ABV $65 Website What the Distillery Says: This extremely hearty whiskey ages in new charred oak barrels for no less than 15 years. Straight out of the barrel, uncut and unfiltered, the taste is powerful, flavorful and intense. Open it up with a few drops of water, sit back and ponder the wonders of the universe.
TASTING NOTES: Lush toffee sweetness and dark chocolate with hints of vanilla, fudge, nougat and molasses. Underlying notes of dates, tobacco, dark berries, spearmint and a hint of coffee round out the palate.
What Richard Says: Nose: Molasses, toffee, dried unrolled tobacco, oiled leather, with a mint back note. Palate: Rich, dripping toffee and vanilla, then a large right hook to the palate with cinnamon red hots, black pepper, and oak. Finish: Slightly dry, with cinnamon, tobacco, cocoa powder, coffee grounds, and oak on mid length finish. Comments: This is one of those bourbons like Pappy Van Winkle that has become legendary in it’s limited availability as much as it’s tremendous flavor. As Van Winkle is to wheated bourbons, Stagg is to ryed bourbons. And the flavor is tremendous. This is a dark monstrous bourbon. Alcohol content aside, if you can put 70% ABV aside, the flavor is layered, aggressive, and encompassing. You don’t drink this. It let’s you consume it. A quick word about that proof too. This is a monster in terms of alcohol. Water is required either in liquid or solid forms. Personally, I get it down to about 50% ABV for regular consumption but to each their own. If you can get your hands on a bottle I would grab it and not worry so much about “which” George T Stagg you got. You’ll also notice that this is not a single barrel bourbon. It’s done annually in small batches. As such, the flavor profile is very similar year to year. This batch was 109 barrels aged for 16 years and 7 months. For those interested in the bourbon geek minutiae, it was distilled to 135 Proof, barreled at 125 Proof in barrels with #4 55 second char and the barrels were selected from floors 1 and 3 of Warehouse K. Rating: Must Buy
Russell’s Reserve Small Batch 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 45% ABV $31.99 Website What the Distillery Says: In 1954, Wild Turkey’s Master Distiller Jimmy Russell began his career at the bottom of the totem pole, learning the bourbon making process from his two mentors, former Master Distiller Bill Hughes and Ernest W. Ripy, Jr. Fast forward to 1981 and his son, Distiller Eddie Russell, joined the distillery to learn straight from the “Buddha of Bourbon” himself. For more than 30 years, the Russells have worked side-by-side, accumulating more than 94 years of experience between them to preserve the craft and heritage of the brand.
When Jimmy was getting ready to celebrate his 45th anniversary with Wild Turkey, everyone thought he would retire. So, his son Eddie set out to create a special Bourbon in honor of his father and to also prove to his dad that the student had become the master and was capable of creating a great Bourbon on his own.
After searching the warehouses for the perfect 8- to 12-year aged Bourbon barrels that had just the right flavor, color and smooth finish, Eddie started giving Jimmy tastes of different Bourbons without telling him what they were for. In the end, it was a 10-year-old Bourbon that had Jimmy smacking his lips and wondering just what his son was up to.
After that, the rest was history. Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon is deep amber in color with a nose that is rich in vanilla, oak, toffee and a touch of old leather and a spicy palate with notes of chili peppers, tamarind, almonds and cumin. It hits all the right notes to be worthy of the man who is known as the “Master Distiller’s Master Distiller” among industry peers.
It turns out, Jimmy wasn’t ready to retire in 1999, and at 80-years-old is still at the distillery, side by side with Eddie making Russell’s Reserve. In September, he will celebrate an incredible 60 years with the company.
Created by a son for his father, Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon (MSRP $31.99) is the perfect gift for Father’s Day this year.
What Richard Says: Nose: Creamy, buttery toffee lies behind that initial burst of alcohol followed by vanilla pot de creme. Palate: More toffee on the palate put it takes a little bit to open in the mouth. Initially it is a little sharp. More creamy vanilla and honey but also a spicy pepper and dry tobacco flavor. Finish: Leather, raw wood, and more hints of tobacco. Comments: This one is like a good looking girl that you have to keep after for her to notice you and give you her number. It comes out of the bottle a little hot, sharp and alcoholic but if you spend time with it you see a bourbon that opens up additional layers. This is definitely a give it time bourbon. Rating: Stands Out
We would like to thank Andrea at Edible for sending over a bottle to review.
Parker’s Heritage Collection Golden Anniversary Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 3rd Edition 50% ABV $150 Website What the Distillery Says: The third edition honors Parker’s Golden Anniversary. Parker hand-selected Bourbon from each decade of his illustrious career and married them together. The undeniable smooth taste of this small batch Bourbon is a true representation of its namesake and while this brand, Parker’s Heritage Collection, is a tribute to him, this specific edition celebrates his 50 years of Bourbon making.
Parker’s Heritage Collection Golden Anniversary was awarded “2010 American Whiskey of the Year” by Malt Advocate Magazine, “2010 World’s Best New Release” by Whisky Magazine’s World Whiskey Awards, “2010 Bourbon of the Year, No Age Statement (Multiple Barrels)”by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2010.
What Elizabeth Says: Nose: Dried cherries in a barrel. Palate: Vanilla and wheat fields in a fierce wind. Finish: Delightful. Comments: I really like the whole package of this one from start to finish. Rating: Must Try
What Richard Says: Nose: Honey drizzled fruits, vanilla extract, hints of yeast rolls, and brown butter sauce. Palate: Banana’s Foster, caramel ice cream,polished oak furniture with leather accents, and cherry pie. Finish: Long and lingering with wood and pepper. Comments: Good God Damn! This is amazing. Top…five…bourbon…ever! Delicious, approachable, and layers of complexity to keep you busy on multiple visits. Rating: Must Buy
Parker’s Heritage Collection Promise of Hope Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 7th Edition 48% ABV $85-$90 Website What the Distillery Says: For Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., the fall release of the annual Parker’s Heritage Collection bottling is always a labor of love, but this year’s release could more accurately be described as a labor for love.
Heaven Hill Master Distiller Emeritus Parker Beam, who has recently been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also called ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease), and for whom the acclaimed series is named, has selected special barrels of Bourbon for this year’s edition that mirror his own personal preference for age, proof and warehouse location. Called the “Promise of Hope” bottling, this seventh in the acclaimed series will feature a remarkable cause-related component—for each bottle of the “Promise of Hope” edition sold, Heaven Hill will contribute $20 to the Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund, a fund established through the ALS Association in honor of the legendary 6th Generation Master Distiller (www.alsa.org/ParkerBeamPromiseofHope). Heaven Hill is estimating the overall contribution to the Promise of Hope Fund will be in excess of $250,000.
In addition to being the first cause-related bottling in the Parker’s Heritage Collection series, the Promise of Hope bottling will mark the first time that a single barrel American Whiskey has been offered in the collection. Parker Beam, a past recipient of Whisky Advocate’s Lifetime Achievement Award and a charter member of the Bourbon Hall of Fame who is in his 53rd year at Heaven Hill, painstakingly sampled and selected Bourbon barrels that met his own personal “wish list” criteria. From among Heaven Hill’s nearly one million barrels in storage, Parker selected approximately 100 barrels of ten-year-old rye-based Bourbon from one of his favorite warehouses, the tiered 80-year-old Rickhouse EE in Deatsville, where they sat in high storage for 40 seasons. Each of the chosen barrels was dumped and bottled, with no chill-filtering, in 750ml bottles at Parker’s preferred bottling proof of 96° (48% alcohol/volume). The 7th Edition Parker’s Heritage Collection Promise of Hope will be available on select retail shelves and at fine bars and restaurants nationwide starting in mid-September at an average retail price of $90 for the 750ml bottle.
This year’s release of Parker’s Heritage Collection promises to be a worthy successor to the previous six releases, which, having won multiple awards from Whisky Advocate Magazine (formerly Malt Advocate Magazine), Whisky Magazine and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, stand as some of the most critically lauded American Whiskeys in recent memory. Past bottlings have won awards ranging from “Best North American Whiskey” to “American Whiskey of the Year” to “Best of Show, Brown Spirits.”
Packaged in the same upscale 750ml bottle as the previous six editions, the Parker’s Heritage Collection Promise of Hope bottling is part of a number of cause-related efforts Heaven Hill and Parker Beam have recently taken on to help in the fight against ALS, a neurological disease which affects approximately 30,000 Americans at any time. Also part of this effort is the recently announced Master Distillers’ Unity, a special crystal two bottle set of Bourbon from all the major Kentucky heritage distilleries blended together which will be offered at the Bonham’s Whisky, Cognac and Rare Spirits auction in New York City on October 13th. All proceeds from the auction of this one-time bottling will also go toward the Promise of Hope Fund.
“I, my wife Linda, my son Craig and all my family are honored and enthusiastic about our efforts toward helping those affected by ALS”, stated Parker Beam, “and the new Promise of Hope edition of my Parker’s Heritage Collection represents a great way for Bourbon fans and even novices to enjoy a great single barrel Bourbon while helping make a real difference in the fight against ALS. I enjoyed developing the profile and selecting these barrels that represent ‘my favorite things’ in a Bourbon, and I feel sure that anyone who purchases a bottle will get an outstanding single barrel Bourbon and the satisfaction of knowing they are helping with this worthy cause.”
The 2013 Parker’s Heritage Collection Promise of Hope is a very limited release, as all of the previous six editions have been, but Heaven Hill will be releasing more cases than in the past to maximize fund raising. And as always, once these are shipped from Bardstown, no more will be available.
What Elizabeth Says: Nose: Melon with beads of honey dripping onto oak. Palate: Sharp and deadly golden fruit. Finish: Smooth and more subtle. Comments: It is sharp but strangely addictive. You hope to keep on sipping it. Rating: Stands Out
What Richard Says: Nose: Pipe tobacco, old leather, caramel apples, dusty old books like in a boarded up library. Musty right after opening the bottle. The nose opens up as it sits. Palate: Caramels, vanilla cream, viscous and mouth coating. Nice wood back bone. Finish: Hot, in your face, and no nonsense. A quick flash then a long fade to oak with vanilla hints peaking around the corners. Comments: This is supposedly “how Parker likes his bourbon” in that the selection comes right from his sweet spot in terms of age, location, proof etc. This isn’t changing anybody’s religion on drink but it’s damn good. It is very “bourbon-y” in all the right ways. I could only drink this for the rest of my days and be perfectly content. Just like eating where the locals do, I guess tailing the Master Distiller to his sweet spot pays dividends too. Rating: Must Try
Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition 2013 Release Barrel Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 60% ABV $85 – $95 Website What the Distillery Says: For the 2013 Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition release, we have once again hand-selected an uncut and non-chill filtered Barrel Strength masterpiece.
The celebration of 125 years of exquisite bourbon making begins with a single sip of this stunning 13-year-old barrel strength Bourbon. Hand selected by our Master Distiller from our 10 distinct Bourbon recipes, this Bourbon draws you in with delicate wisps of fresh honey and brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Light mint and wild berry notes mingle fancifully with the aromas of orange peel and fresh gingerbread. Dark chocolate truffle and spiced cookies lay like velvet on the palate and lead to a long and spicy finish that’s so soft, smooth and mellow, you’ll no doubt want to raise your glass and toast to 125 more.
Tasting Notes Nose: Orange peel and fresh gingerbread. Palate: Dark chocolate truffle and spiced cookies. Finish: Long and spicy, yet soft smooth and mellow.
Recipe OBSK – 13 years
What Richard Says: Nose: Vanilla, spearmint, Granny Smith apples, citrus zest, and pumpkin pie spice. Palate: Viscous with mouth coating layers of gingerbread cookies. Water brings out toffee and dark chocolate. Finish: Cocoa powder and cayenne out of the bottle. With water it lingers with black pepper and oak and leaves a lingering flavor reminding me of a good cigar. Comments: You might be tired of hearing me rhapsodize Four Roses but damn they make some good bourbon. This year’s single barrel limited edition is no exception. I’m pretty late getting my review of this posted but if you can still find one then grab it. Rating: Must Buy
A big thank you to Laura and the rest of The Baddish Group for sending me over a sample to review.
