Woodford Reserve Four Grain

/ / Bourbon, Review, The Collector's Cabinet /

Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Four Grain Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Batch #1
46.2% ABV
$80 then, collectible now
Woodford Reserve Four Grain
What the Distillery Says:
Kentucky bourbon distillers traditionally cook, ferment and distill a three-grain mash bill or recipe. Corn is the majority grain as required by bourbon regulation, and malted barley is necessary for natural starch-to-sugar conversion. That leaves the other grain choice to the distiller’s discretion. Rye is the preferred grain for creating a spicy, fruity bourbon character. Wheat delivers a soft, nutty profile. In the Master’s Collection Four Grain bourbon we have combined corn and malted barely with both rye and wheat. This unique combination has created a flavorful bourbon rich in fruity, baking spices and soft cocoa notes. It is a bourbon to sip and savor straight up, or with a single ice cube if you prefer it chilled.

What Richard Says:
Nose: There is no nose like a Woodford nose. It’s prevalent in all their bourbons and bourbon experiments. Buttery oak with notes of citrus and a rich nutty character.
Palate: A great creamy sweetness. Heath toffee, Rolo caramels, slight acidic citrus. Layers of hazelnuts and vanilla.
Finish: Dry and clean with a linger hint of oak.
Comments: This was the first of the Master’s Collection from back in 2005. I’m not one for “dusty hunting” or bunkering whiskey away. Anyone who regularly follows Whisk(e)y Apostle knows I’m a drink it if you got it kind of guy. That said, this one has been squirreled away in my cabinet for years. I recently opened it when we had friends over to the house for dinner. Honestly, I was surprised at myself for not opening this sooner which was the driving reason I opened it then. It wasn’t a blind buy. I had a few bottles of batch 2 when it came out and loved it. I really wish this made it into production like Seasoned Oak to Double Oaked did.
Rating: Must Buy

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Black Maple Hill 16 Year Old Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Black Maple Hill Premium Small Batch Bourbon Aged Sixteen Years

47.5% ABV
$125-$150
Website
black-maple-hill

What the Distillery Says:

Nothing really. If you want some great background on Black Maple Hill check out this by Chuck Cowdery.

What Richard Says:

Nose: Fresh out of the bottle this is a raw hairy beast breaking out of the cage. Very rough. Let it sit in the glass a bit and breath and you get toffee, vanilla, broken cigarette tobacco, and old broken finished pine. Think of a old pine dresser that split in a move.
Palate: Heavy on the wood and then a big smack of black pepper and rye. This did not age like a Buffalo Trace (George T. Stagg) or Stitzel Weller (Pappy Van Winkle) bourbon. The wood clearly dominates. It’s not bad but there’s not balance here.
Finish: Very tannic and dry. It’s like the driest Cabernet Sauvignon you’ve ever tried.
Comments: I saw, I coveted, I bought. It cost me $130 plus tax. Don’t make the same mistake. It’s not awful but at or below the price point there are SO MANY better tasting bourbons out there. I know there are devoted followers at the pantheon of Black Maple Hill but the bourbons I drank ten years ago are not the ones being bottled now. Some folks like Dave Driscoll over at K&L still sing the praise. I don’t really see what they see in it but that’s one of the great things about taste. It’s personal so drink what you like. However, at $130 a bottle I would suggest you try before you buy. This is not a white whale you need to hunt.

Rating: Average

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Germain-Robin Shareholders’ Reserve

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Germain-Robin Shareholders’ Reserve Alambic Brandy
40% ABV
$65-$75
Website
GR_Shareholders_300
What the Distillery Says:
Hubert Germain-Robin was the first distiller to use wines from world-class varietal grapes. He created one of the world’s greatest spirits. When the family cognac firm Jules Robin (1782) was bought by giant Martell, Hubert looked for a way to go back to the hand methods that had made cognac great. Following a chance 1981 meeting, Hubert took an antique still from an abandoned distillery near Cognac and brought it to Ansley Coale’s Mendocino County ranch, where the two men built a modest distillery.

Hubert’s first brandies outscored famous cognacs in blind tastings. By the late 1990s, when Hubert’s cellar had matured, his brandies began to be reviewed as among the world’s finest spirits: elegant, complex,
and rich.

227 cases of a blend created for our founding investors, the first to reveal the true depth and richness of brandy hand-distilled from premium Mendocino wine grapes.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Rich and sweet with back notes of botanicals and paint (yeah…I know).
Palate: A rich riesling mixed with candied apricots.
Finish: Dry, short, and mildly woody.
Comments: I actually don’t find as much depth in this as the standard alambic brandy. It’s very tasty but I’m can’t say for you to pay the extra $20+ for a bottle of the Shareholders’ Reserve over the standard expression.
Rating: Stands Out

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Glenlivet Nadurra Triumph

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside, The Collector's Cabinet /

The Glenlivet Nadurra Triumph Single Malt Scotch Whiskey
Distilled 1991, Bottle 08/09, Batch 0809A
48% ABV
Website
glenlivet-1991-nadurra-triumph-main_image-250
What the Distillery Says:
Matured in a mixture of American and European oak casks, Nàdurra Triumph 1991 is a limited release bottled at 48% and is the first Nàdurra expression based on a vintage statement.

This new expression has been selected from stocks that were distilled in 1991 using Triumph, a variety of the barley that is no longer used in the production of The Glenlivet. Keeping in line with the Nàdurra range, the Nàdurra Triumph 1991 is non-chill filtered, which better retains its natural flavours with an additional richness and a creamy mouth feel.

The additional resting time and a broader selection of casks provide a layer of complexity, and results in a whisky that is more fruitful and has a mildly sweeter flavour; sure to be appreciated by whisky lovers everywhere.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Hints of licorice, fresh grain, and citrus notes.
Palate: Sweeter than regular Nadurra or regular 18 year old Glenlivet. Creme brulee, peaches, poached pears, buttery and delicious. The Triumph barley adds additional complexity and depth to the malt.
Finish Surprisingly dry and slightly tannic. Unexpected given how juicy the palate was.
Comments: I’m am so sad this was a one off. It takes classic Glenlivet and really turns it up. It’s vibrant, fresh, well balanced, and soothing. I’m even sadder that I waited so long to review it because my bottle is almost empty.
Rating: Must Try

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Redemption High-Rye Bourbon (2013)

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Redemption High-Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey

(From 2013; note mash bill & packaging has since changed)
Batch 047, Bottle 2051
46% ABV
$22-$26
Website
High Rye Front better cropped
What the Bottler Says:
We think you can never have too much rye, so our High-Rye Bourbon mash-bill approaches the upper limit of allowable rye grain in a bourbon mash-bill. Bottled at 92 proof the dry spiciness of the rye balances the sweetness of the corn for a really wonderful sipping experience on its own or in classic cocktail recipes.

38.2% Premium Rye
1.8% Barley Malt
60% Corn

What Richard Says:
Nose: Creme brulee, white and black pepper, and a surprising amount of alcohol. I chalk it up to the youth of the bourbon but the nose has the alcohol notes of something bottle with another 10%-15% alcohol by volume.
Palate: Sweetened corn pudding with lots of rye pepper spice.
Finish: Heavy on the pepper and wood.
Comments: Not much of a drinker this one. I can’t say I especially enjoy it as a sipping bourbon. It’s not off putting but just not something I would gravitate toward in the home bar. However, the high rye recipe practically screams to be used in cocktails. We had round after round of sours and Ward 8’s to send off my last bottle.
Rating: Average

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