40% ABV $250 Website We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Retailer* Says
Scotland – A rare blend of whiskies aged at least 30 years from Scotland’s most iconic distilleries. Soft aromas of oak and citrus are found on the nose, while the mouthfeel is viscous. This well balanced whisky consists of complex flavor notes like cereal, caramel and fresh fruit.
* Could find no reliable source of information from the blender/producer; above is from the retailer’s description.
What Gary Says
Nose: Vanilla spongecake, floral, orange creamsicle, heather and honey. Palate: Sweet and malty with honey, vanilla, hint of citrus and apples with cinnamon near the back. Finish: Moderate in length with citrus and pepper spice. Comments: With 30 years maturity, I’m looking (nay – expecting) layers and complexity. This disappointed on both fronts, and was more a showcase of subtly. Having said that, there weren’t any notes I found off-putting, and this left me wanting more – like teasing at what a great whisky it might have been, if only . . . (higher ABV? less grain in the blend?) But when you get to this price point, the absence of off notes isn’t the bar.
Straight Rye #1 Released: September 2017 11 YEARS OLD 110.6 PROOF / 55.3% ABV The nose on this rye has elements of sweet pine, honey, nougat, vanilla, cloves and lavender. Oaky undertones, subtle cedar saw dust or fresh split cedar.
What Gary Says
Nose: Herbal spice, anise, cloves, mint, citrus with grilled peaches and a bit of root beer. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, rye spice with cinnamon, orange zest, lime sour candies, cloves, bit of mint and root beer. Finish: Moderately long with citrus tending towards lime, mint and fading spices. Comments: Full disclosure – I’ve never been a fan of this brand. When they came out in 2014 as bourbon was really getting crazy (or so I thought at the time), the lack of transparency and price seemed to me to be designed to just take advantage of the craze over limited editions. I’m sharing all of that because when I saw Richard provided a sample of their rye (which I’d have never bought), I was prepared to find it ridiculously ordinary and overpriced. Can’t say it isn’t overpriced (over $10 a year), but far from ordinary. This is a really nice, strong spice rye. While they don’t disclose the mash bill, nothing ‘barely legal’ here. A bit of water brings out more root beer and cotton candy on the nose, and amps the root beer notes on the palate.
High West The Noble Share Blend of Straight Whiskeys finished in Marques de Casa Noble Añejo Barrels
52% ABV $175 Website We would like to thank High West Whiskey and lippe taylor for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
Continuing the tradition of cross-category innovation, High West Distillery is partnering with Casa Noble Tequila on the release of The Noble Share, a blend of straight rye whiskeys finished in Marques de Casa Noble extra añejo barrels. High West, the Park City-based distillery, is known for its meticulously sourced and thoughtfully blended whiskeys. Casa Noble is a fine tequila built on seven generations of mastery using innovative methods that honor modern Mexican culture. This collaboration is something that will appeal to both whiskey and tequila connoisseurs. The dichotomy of the brands and their respective regions is reflected on the label, mirroring one another yet displaying their vastly different geographies. This is an exciting collaboration for the Spirits community and High West is honored to blend its’ whiskey traditions with Casa Noble’s heritage and offer this new expression to consumers.
This unique and limited edition expression leverages 4- to 10-year-old rye whiskeys and finishes them in Marques de Casa Noble añejo tequila barrels for 6 months. A portion of the blend is finished in Amburana barrels at a char of 3 or medium toast treatments for a small period to elevate the whiskey even further. This whiskey blends the heritage of High West Whiskey with the 7-generation legacy and craftsmanship of Casa Noble to create an exceptional bottle of whiskey that tastes and feels unlike any other. It is the first-ever collaboration between Casa Noble and High West.
Sensory Notes Nose: Ripe mango, ruby grapefruit, spiced apple cider, piloncillo sugar, anise, allspice berries, mesquite wood, sunset walk through an agave field Palate: Baked pear, charred peaches, ginger molasses cookie, freshly fried churro, orange blossom, cinnamon bark, black licorice, oak, leather Finish: Pink peppercorns, dark agave honey on a sopapilla
Mash Bill High West Distillery Rye (80% rye, 20% malted rye) MGP Rye 4-10 years old (95% rye, 5% malted barley)
What Gary Says
Nose: Tropical fruit notes of mango and candied pineapple, agave, floral undertones, tarragon, squeeze of lime, cinnamon, hint of anise and oak spices. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, fruity with pears, apples and peaches, cinnamon pastry, agave and blood orange. Finish: Moderately long and drying with citrus and cinnamon. Comments: This is a really interesting whiskey! The tequila finish shines through but isn’t overpowering and really complements the core rye base. The amburana finish is also deftly managed, bringing that cinnamon roll note to the party. This drinks deliciously neat, but adding just a few drops of water opens up that amburana cinnamon roll with vanilla icing on both the nose and palate. High West has always been innovative and not afraid to try new things (I think back to when they released Campfire, a blend of bourbon, rye and scotch, back in 2012; made it my mission to hunt one down and was glad I did!) This may not be quite as groundbreaking as Campfire was at the time, but a very nice sipping whiskey.
7 Years, 9 Months, 19 Days 62.9% ABV $100 Website We would like to thank Beam Suntory and SAVONA COMMUNICATIONS for sending us a sample to review.
What the Distillery Says:
The fourth release of the Booker’s® Bourbon 2024 Collection is Booker’s Batch 2024-04 “Jimmy’s Batch.” This batch is named in honor of Master Distiller Jimmy Russell, living legend for bourbon lovers everywhere, and one of my dad’s dearest peers, competitors, and most importantly friends. Jimmy was like a second father to me after dad passed away, and I’ve learned a hell of a lot from him over the years. There are many life lessons to thank him for, but here are a few that stand out to me.
Once at a bourbon festival, Jimmy came up to Dad and me and poured out three glasses of a whiskey he wanted us to taste. It was some real nice stuff, and when Dad asked what it was, Jimmy said it was something new he was working on, something special. I thought it was pretty cool to bring a new product to a competitor and ask what they think. It showed me the importance of trust and camaraderie, and just how much those old timers respected each other.
The other big thing Jimmy taught me was to treat everybody like I wanted to be treated. When we went to events at bars or liquor stores, he always stayed late to make sure everyone got their picture taken and their bottle signed. It’s easy to take for granted that we get to do what we do because of the people that stand in line for our whiskey, but Jimmy never did.
Just like Dad, there are few things Jimmy loves more than a damn good bottle of bourbon. So, cheers to him and the mentorship he’s given me through thick and thin all these years. I hope you get to share a glass with company as good and true as Jimmy. — FRED NOE, BEAM FAMILY 7TH GENERATION MASTER DISTILLER
MASTER DISTILLER’S NOTES The fourth and final batch of Booker’s Bourbon for 2024 is a tribute to a cherished friend of the Noe family, Jimmy Russel. A close friend to my dad and a second father figure to me since my dad’s passing in 2004. The breakdown of this batch is as follows: • 12% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse Z • 20% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse 1 • 46% came from the 3rd floor of 7-story warehouse 3 • 22% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse Q
This batch was made up of 3 production dates stored in 4 different warehouses. It stands at 125.8 proof and the age is 7 years, 9 months, and 19 days. It boasts a rich amber color shaped by the charred white oak barrels it aged in until the barrels were dumped. I first tasted this batch at my kitchen table, and its aroma filled the whole room. That first sip is sweet and smooth, and the way the vanilla notes mixes with the brown spice notes is just right- inviting you in for another taste. The finish is very pleasant and relaxing in taste.
I am really proud to put this batch together for Jimmy, and I know my dad would have loved seeing a batch of his namesake bourbon dedicated to his great friend.
TASTING NOTES Color: Deep Amber Taste: Sweet and Smooth Aroma: Vanilla, Brown Spices Finish: Pleasant and Relaxing
What Gary Says
Nose: Salted caramel, vanilla, oak, brown sugar and a hint of peanut brittle. Palate: Caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, bit of dark chocolate followed by pepper. Finish: Moderately long with oak, cocoa and pepper spice. Comments: This is a solid Booker’s batch, squarely in the brand profile. The cinnamon note seems to be turned up more than usual, although that certainly could be more me than the whiskey (don’t get me wrong – this isn’t “off brand” by any means). The relationship that Jimmy and Booker had (and that Jimmy and Fred have, and many of the other great master distillers in Kentucky) truly does set this industry apart from most. From many of them helping Heaven Hill following that tragic fire in 1996 to countless other stories; I’ve witnessed the comradery first hand at many a Bourbon Festival and in the stories they generously share of growing up knowing one another.
Celebrating Modern Day Whiskey. Honoring The History. It’s been 100 years or so since the Jack Daniel Distillery released a whiskey of 10 years of age or greater. Evolving Jack Daniel’s past aged-stated whiskey process, these Tennessee Whiskey barrels have been aging in the Buzzard’s Roost of our barrelhouse, and methodically relocated to the lower floors of different barrel houses to extend the aging process for the last 10 summers. The extreme weather variation at different locations in the barrel houses along with longevity in our handmade oak barrels creates an intense, unique character of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey.
Discover Jack Daniel’s 10 Year Old Tennessee Whiskey for yourself. We think you’ll agree, it’s well worth the wait.
Aged 10 Years Notes of warm butterscotch and soft fruit Incredibly long finish with sweet tobacco and spice
What Gary Says
Nose: Salted caramel, crème brûlée, banana nut bread and cinnamon. Palate: Rich and thick, bread pudding, caramel, honey, chocolate and nutty. Finish: Moderate in length, syrupy with caramel, chocolate and fading baking spices. Comments: This is just a delightful dram! Rich with robust flavor. Those baking spices with bananas and nuts are just a lovely combination. My only wish would be to have this at cask strength (or I’d settle for 107 proof).
