Other Spirits

Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream

16.5% ABV
$22
Website
Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream
We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Ezra Brooks Kentucky Straight Bourbon forms the base for this smooth, rich bourbon cream that boasts authentic ingredients and an honest legacy.

“Based on the success of Ezra Brooks 99 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, we have elevated the proof for both the Ezra Brooks Rye and Bourbon Cream variants,” said Eric Winter, brand manager for Ezra Brooks. “Ezra Brooks 99 Rye drinkers will find the same great rye-whiskey taste, but with enhanced flavor delivered by the higher proof. Similarly, our new Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream delivers a bolder, richer expression of the bourbon-cream flavor our customers love.”

TASTING NOTES: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel blend with undertones of vanilla and sweet pecan on the nose. Buttery caramel is followed by sweet toffee and a smooth, warm finish on the palate.

INGREDIENTS: Corn, rye, malt, and natural cream

What Gary Says

Nose:  Half and half with nutty caramel, chocolate and vanilla.
Palate:  Creamy and thick with dulce de leche, bit of chocolate, butterscotch and a hint of cinnamon.
Finish:  Long and creamy with toffee.
Comments:  Full disclosure – I haven’t tried a lot of these, other than at the end of a distillery tour. It isn’t that I don’t like them, but since once opened they have to be kept refrigerated – I always figured that my better half wouldn’t be crazy about my taking up the space for something I might just reach for every now and then. Little did I know that she would be the one asking “So why isn’t this on-hand at ALL times?” She really likes it, and enjoys a couple ounces over an ice cube in the evening. Richard shared his thoughts, and said he found this by comparison to some of the others to be on the sweet side – which is precisely why my wife would likely prefer this to the other.
I found it quite nice in a Mudslide as well as dark roast coffee (although be sure to tamp down your usual sugar/sweetener volume, as this brings plenty of that to the party). And taking a cue from the wifey, I can’t argue that it is a nice evening sipper over some cubes on a hot summer night. Just be careful – as it drinks so easily, you can forget it is 33 proof (and don’t want to be rudely reminded of that the next morning!)

Rating: Stands Out

Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream Read More »

Cognac Hommage a Yves & Jean-Noel Pelletan

/ / Other Spirits, Review / ,

Cognac Hommage a Yves & Jean-Noel Pelletan
A PM Spirits Project | Single Cask | No Additives | Cask Strength

43.8% ABV
$400
Website
Cognac Hommage a Yves & Jean-Noel Pelletan

What the Producer Says

We think this is the best Cognac we have ever worked with. We know, we know – of course we think it’s good, it’s our product. But we’re serious…this Cognac is the epitome of everything PM Spirits is about.

Comprised of eaux de vie from one single cask plus a few assorted demijohns acquired by Nicolas over the years, these are the remains of the original plan for PM Spirits – an independent bottler of rare Cognacs. It was a romantic idea full of travels between France and the US, sourcing incredible Cognac, and bottling small lots by hand. It wasn’t practical, however, and PM Spirits eventually evolved into what it is today.

Yves Pelletan started to work full time as a cooper at age 14, learned the ropes of this demanding job and perfected his skills until he felt he was ready to open his own shop in the heart of Grande Champagne in 1973. His son, Jean-Noel, joined the family business in 2002. The work of this father and son team quickly became extremely sought-after in the Cognac region and beyond as they took the art of cooperage to the next level, prioritizing extreme quality over quantity.

We have bottled this as an homage to Yves and Jean-Noel Pelletan, two of only a handful of people to hold the title of Maitres Artisans Tonneliers, the apex of the cooperage profession. Yves and Jean-Noel have been instrumental to my understanding of Cognac and in making the liquid in this bottle taste as awesome as it does

A blend of Cognacs distilled between 1925 and 1965
Bottled in July 2020 • Cask Strength • 43.8% ABV
870 Bottles • No Additives • No Filtration

What Gary Says

DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not as familiar with Cognac (so read at your own risk!)
Nose:  Grapes, fruitcake, vanilla, leather, allspice, dark fruit, Christmas spices and a bit of molasses.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sharpens a tad with fruit salad, tart tangerines, raisins, cherries, pepper spice and cinnamon.
Finish:  Long, drying with slightly bitter fruit notes.
Comments:  I tasted this amongst a lineup of various brandies and cognacs, and this was by far my favorite. In fact when I first tried it (and didn’t know any of the details about this marvelous spirit), I thought this might replace Paulet XO as my ‘go to’ – but that won’t be the case. I’m sure that I haven’t appreciated this as much as a true Cognac aficionado would have. It does share some similarities with really old whisk(e)y, notes of leather on the nose, and that creamy mouthfeel. A really lovely dram!

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

Cognac Hommage a Yves & Jean-Noel Pelletan Read More »

Paulet Cognac Grand Champagne XO

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Paulet Cognac Grand Champagne XO

40% ABV
$80
Website
Paulet Cognac XO Grande Champagne

What the Bottle* Says

The house of Paulet was established in 1848 on an estate that has been producing Cognac as early as 1761. It is one of the iconic names in the Cognac region renowned for its quality, know how and respect for craftsmanship and tradition.

What the Retailer* Says

France- This Grand Champagne XO comes from wines issued from the first cru (growth) of the Cognac region. The distillate has a fresh minerality with pear and white flower notes, that will be enhanced during the aging in Limousin oak barrels. 2018 San Francisco Spirits Gold Medal Winner.

* I couldn’t find a website for the producer, so information is from the bottle itself and the retailer

What Gary Says

DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not as familiar with Cognac (so read at your own risk!)
Nose:  Grapes, kiwi, tangerines, peaches, vanilla, subtle rose petals and a hint of something savory (maybe fennel?).
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sweet with fruit salad, kiwi, pears, peaches, stewed apples, hint of cinnamon and rice pudding.
Finish:  Moderately long, damp with cinnamon dusted apples.
Comments:  I really like this, and in fact this is my go-to Cognac when making a Vieux Carré. I started out using a VS Cognac for that cocktail, but after experiencing an XO decided to give this one a shot, and wasn’t disappointed. Although if you have a Cognac in the same price range that you think does a superior job in that cocktail, please drop me a line and let me know!

Rating: Stands Out

Paulet Cognac Grand Champagne XO Read More »

Germain-Robin XO California Alambic Brandy

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Germain-Robin XO California Alambic Brandy

40% ABV
$130
Website
Germain-Robin XO California Alambic Brandy

What the Distillery Says

Germain-Robin XO is an icon of California Brandy. Distilled exclusively in Pruhlo Charentais Pot Stills and aged in Limousin Oak Barrels, XO highlights the unique flavor and characteristics of California Pinot Noir grapes.

DISTILLER’S NOTES:
The high-quality California wine grapes in Germain-Robin XO showcase unique flavors and layered textures. The signature grape, Pinot Noir, provides a dark cherry character and a rich silky mouthfeel. Colombard distillate adds a fresh apple character while Sémillon provides richness with peach and apricot notes. The balance of both fruit and oak flavors is unique to Germain-Robin XO. The vanilla and toast flavors from the French oak complement the fruit which creates layers of complexity that only can be found from sourcing great fruit. The fermentation and distillation is driven with the goal of emphasizing fruit and mouthfeel and then paired with aging in select Limousin Oak Barrels. Texturally, the brandy is extremely smooth and has an incredibly long finish.

SIGNATURE FLAVORS:
Cherry, Vanilla, Oak

What Gary Says

DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Brandy (so read at your own risk!)
Nose:  Grapes, apples, sherried fruit, sandalwood incense, floral, hint of green tea with subtle mulling spices.
Palate:  Bright, floral with apples, cherries, and pepper spice (tad astringent).
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, dry with unsweetened grape juice and apples.
Comments:  I haven’t had a lot of brandy, but I enjoyed this one. The nose is delightful and complex, although the palate left me wanting what the nose was advertising. Seemed like the nuance and subtle notes from the nose just got lost along the way to my tongue! This isn’t my area of expertise, so that may be typical – and as such, not knocking down my rating.

Rating: Stands Out

Germain-Robin XO California Alambic Brandy Read More »

Bartender’s Handshake Old Fashioned

/ / Cocktails, Other Spirits, Review /

Bartender’s Handshake Old Fashioned

40% ABV
$35
Website*
Bartender's Handshake Old Fashioned
Bartender's Handshake Old Fashioned

What the Bottle Says

Crafted by a Team of Heaven Hill Distillery Experts
Old Fashioned Cocktail Made with Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Orange Curacao Barrels
Ready to Drink

We did the work, so you don’t have to. This classic cocktail was crafted using 7 and 8-year-old bourbon finished in Orange Curacao barrels. The bourbon marries with the orange essence of the Curacao for a light, yet elegant orange note. Bitters and sugar are then combined with the aged bourbon to perfectly represent a true old fashioned cocktail

* Linking to the TTB filing only because I could not find any website from Heaven Hill (same with use of TTB images in place of the bottle)

What Gary Says

I picked this up in the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience (formerly known as the ‘Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center’) in April 2022.  Honestly, I’m not really into ‘ready to drink/premade cocktails’, but I think highly of Heaven Hill, and with the 7 & 8 year age statements on the back, bottled at 40% – I thought this might be different. I’ve tried some different ‘bottled cocktails’ and thought some were OK, some not so much, and none were as good as I make at home. I was intrigued enough to give this one a shot and bump it up against what I felt was a “standard/typical” Old Fashioned recipe.

It wasn’t really close.

I did this blind, which required closing my eyes because this was so much lighter in the glass than my ‘control/standard’. I didn’t go through and make detailed notes on the nose, palate, etc – because that’s just now how I enjoy a cocktail (and if served one, I’m not going to study it in that manner). I took a quick sniff and sipped. By comparison, I thought this had more bitters both on the palate and in the aroma, and tasted thin. There were orange notes, but at the end of the day – I didn’t really enjoy it, let alone find it to be a close/quick replacement.

What I compared it against as a ‘control/standard’ was this:
2 oz Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
2 tsp (10 gr) simple syrup
1 dash Angostura Orange Bitters
2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters

I mixed this up and poured what would fit into a 2 oz sample bottle, which I put in the fridge (and put in an identical sample bottle some of the Bartender’s Handshake) as I didn’t want ice dilution to be a factor. Granted – this is a higher proof whiskey, but my estimation of adding the 2 tsp of simple syrup is that the end result is around 85-86 proof. I wanted to use a Heaven Hill product to take that out of the equation, and didn’t want to use something that would be considered a more ‘premium’ bourbon (like Elijah Craig at 94 proof would have hit as close to 80 as I was going to get). Honestly, I didn’t work out the math until after the fact, but as it wasn’t even a close race – I’m not going to spend the time diluting the Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond to 94 proof. I don’t think those few proof points made the difference.

I’m curious if the bourbon used in this was ONLY 7 or 8 year old stock, or if they took some 7 & 8 year old bourbon, finished it, and then blended in some younger stock (which technically could be any age since legally this isn’t a ‘whiskey’ but rather filed with the TTB as “WHISKY OLD FASHIONED (48 PROOF UP)”). Or if the whiskey selected was deemed sub-par for bottling in something else, so was used for this? Or if they just threw too much stuff in it? I’m not sure where this went wrong – but even when just sipping by itself (not in a blind side-by-side), I just didn’t enjoy it.

Rating: Probably Pass

Bartender’s Handshake Old Fashioned Read More »