2009

In the Land of Giants

/ / Matt's Blog, Scottish Whisky

This week, I had the opportunity to attend a class at Astor Center, hosted by Ethan Kelley of Brandy Library. The topic of the this class, “In the Land of Giants – An In-depth Look at the Boutique Distilleries of Scotland.” This class is actually part of a series, the first was about peated whiskies, the last will be about distilleries that have been moth-balled.

For this class, Mr. Kelley gave us a whirlwind history as we tasted our way through several small distilleries. Our first dram was the Hazelburn 8yo. Hazelburn is distilled at Cambeltown distillery Springbank. It seems that the owners of Springbank bought all the names from the distilleries that died in Cambeltown. This one is very light in color. There are hints of peat and brine on the nose although I’m not sure if this is actually a peated whisky. The palate is light but complex with only traces of peat. It is triple distilled which gives it a very clean feel and a smooth finish.

Next up, is the Edradour 10yo. Mr. Kelley painted a picture of this distillery that made me put it at the top of my list for what to do next time I visit Scotland. Edradour is a very small operation (3 guys) with a still that is barely big enough to be called legal. This whisky is very interesting. To my sniffer, the nose smelled like peanut butter and caramel. The palate was full bodied, spicy and nutty.

Benromach Traditional was next on the list. Very pale in color, Benromach Traditional smells like a doctor’s office. Very weak elements of peat and a vague sweetness mark the palate, but the alcohol is strong. The finish is so short and the whisky so forgettable that you are not quite sure that you actually drank it. At least five more years in a barrel would do this one some good. Skip it!

The best of the first four was the Tomintoul 16yo. The color on this is golden honey like jewel quality amber (it spent some time in a sherry cask). The nose is floral almost like a ladies perfume. I got the image of laundry drying on a line in a field of lavender when I inhaled deeply. The flavor was robust but balanced with wonderful honey notes. Unfortunately, the distillery has changed hands since this bottling, so who’s to say what the future will hold for Tomintoul. Try to get your hands on a bottle of this ASAP.

This is when things started getting really interesting. The Arran Cognac Cask. You can look for it, but I doubt you will find it. It is a single cask bottling of a distillery with limited distribution in the first place. Light amber with a rose tint, this smelled salty, sweet, and nutty with some Cognac notes. By this time, my notes start getting a little less descriptive. For the palate, I wrote “sweet, floral, and amazing.” Lucky for me, there was an extra place setting in the classroom, so I scored two drams of this one. Cognac casks are really expensive, so don’t expect to see this one (or one like it) any time soon. This was an expensive experiment. It is almost a shame that it turned out so well.

Next was the Bruichladdich Rocks. Jim McEwan of Bruichladdich is probably one of the most innovative and bat-shit crazy distillers in the world. He is constantly being recognized for his lucrative experiments at Bruichladdich. One thing he hasn’t had since leaving Bowmore, is a consistent product. Enter Peat, Rocks, and Waves. These three distinct expressions will be a consistent part of the Bruichladdich line for the foreseeable future. Rocks is an unpeated malt, with a nose like smoked white cheddar cheese. Even without the peat, you get the other great qualities of Islay. This is a rich, robust whisky that is far more balanced that any of it’s peated brethren. Mr. Kelley described this one as Talisker light.

Benriach 10yo ‘Curiositas’ is part of a series of peated Benriach. Strangely, this was not a planned venture into peated whisky, but curious finds from the dark corners of the warehouse. Just as the Rocks was everything you love about Islay without the peat, Curiositas soothes you with everything you love about Speyside with a hefty kick of peat.

The last (and strangest) whisky of the night was Ballechin Madeira (distilled at Edradour). This is a peated whisky aged completely in Madeira casks. That’s right, not a bourbon cask or even sherry. This is one of the most interesting whiskies I have ever had. The nose was quite peaty and the palate was like a peated brandy. This one is expensive and rare, but if you ever have the opportunity to try it, take it.

So, that was my latest adventure in whisky. I really enjoy these guided tastings. I always learn something and have a good time. I really like events like WhiskyFest too, but the free-for-all atmosphere on the main floor can be as tiring as it is exhilirating. If you are interested in the class on dead distilleries, I believe there are still tickets available here.

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How did you find whiskey?

/ / Gary's Blog, Matt's Blog, Richard's Blog

I was thinking the other day about how I ended up as a whiskey enthusiast. From there I started thinking back to the founding moments on my journey toward whiskey. The more I thought about it the more I thought that it would make an interesting topic for my next blog. And since turnabout is fair play I figured I’d rope Matt into chiming in on this one too after his “The Best” blog pulled me in for comments.

Richard’s Story:
For me whiskey began with a series of unfortunate events. The first such event was a long time ago and it didn’t begin well. I think I was around 14 years old when I took a nip of my dad’s bottle of Crown Royal. You have to understand that the old man drank Budweiser and Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill on regular occasions so to him the Crown Royal was a special drink. He used to keep it in the little cabinet above the refrigerator. One evening when no one else was home I thought I’d take a bit a little swig. The taste was absolutely awful and it was everything I could do not to spit it out or gag. It went down like bathwater and fire. You may be a big fan of Crown and I‘m not knocking it but to this day I still don’t drink it. Some memories never fade.

The next two incidents had a similar result. The first was my high school girlfriend and I sneaking some of her mom’s Dewar’s. The second was my junior year of college. I had an older roommate who was a big fan of J&B with water. To this day I still don’t drink J&B but Dewar’s has grown on me.

I finally turned the corner right after I finished college. My friend Matt (yes the W.A. Matt) came down from UGA to see me in Atlanta. We stopped in at the liquor store and he talked me into a bottle of Bushmills White Label. From the first sip I was hooked. Matt headed off to Wales for a semester abroad and I dove headlong into researching whiskeys of all varieties. We conversed back and forth and usually it started something like…”if you come across something called Redbreast, you’ve got to bring me some back” which was prior to it being available in the U.S. of course. By the time Matt got back I was hooked, both from a flavor perspective and intellectually. One of my favorite past times continues to be research and knowledge gathering of all things whiskey related.

Matt’s Story:
I don’t know that my whiskey story is all that interesting (at least the one I can tell in mixed company). The short of it is that I didn’t like beer (I’m over that now). I used to go to parties where beer was about the only option. Feeling the need to be drinking something, but not willing to drink something I don’t enjoy, I started looking for a hard liquor option. The first alcoholic beverage that I enjoyed was Southern Comfort (a whiskey liqueur). From there I moved to three of the “Four Js” (Jameson, Jack Daniels, and Jim Beam). Later, I met a madman from Montana who turned me onto some other Irish whiskeys (namely Bushmills and Tullamore Dew). So I called myself an Irish whiskey drinker for a while. I introduced Richard to my way and went off to the University of Wales to discover how deep the well really was. While on Easter holiday, I took to opportunity to visit several distilleries across the U.K. and spent one long morning tasting whiskies and whiskeys with the owner of Royal Mile Whiskies in Edinburgh (go there if you get the chance). The whole experience was very enlightening and deepened my love and understanding for the water of life. When I came home, Richard and I started developing our philosophy and became whisk(e)y apostles.

Ultimately, I liked the way my body handled whiskey and I liked the ritual of it. There is myth and mystique to whiskey. Things like that have always intrigued me. Of course, I have always liked the taste as well. I’ve never been into shots (if you have to shoot it, you shouldn’t drink it). I like to nurse a beverage. Whiskey can mellow a man or it can give him grand thoughts, thoughts of sitting around a camp fire conversing with the old gods. So join me, Richard, Lugh and Arawn. Raise a glass to your health, to all that is knowable and that which is not.

Gary’s Story:
I’ve never really enjoyed beer, although I would drink it to be social. One day I realized this was silly. I don’t recall where/how/when I first tried Crown Royal, but for many years – that was my drink. A shot of Crown (as I didn’t know you could order whiskey any other way, outside of in Coke), with a Diet Coke back. My Dad brought me a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel that he got from the distillery, and I really enjoyed that. Then one year he brought me a bottle of Buffalo Trace – which I’d never heard of. They had stopped by the distillery on their way to visit us (from Michigan to Georgia), and I was hooked. My grandfather was born in Kentucky, so it felt like there was a family connection to bourbon. I started to try new bourbons, and Elmer T Lee became my favorite (this was in 2009, when almost everyone I met or talked with had never heard of it). I splurged on a bottle of Bookers in 2010, and didn’t like it; was way too hot for me, so I put it in the back of my cabinet (with all of 3-5 bottles). I had tried Scotch somewhere along the way (probably Johnnie Walker Red) and didn’t like it, so had never revisited it.

October 15th, 2010 was a key date in my whiskey journey. I attended “The Great Whiskey Debate” at the International Food & Wine Festival in Epcot Center. It included Simon Brooking (Laphroaig), Bernie Lubbers (Beam), and Dan Tullio (Canadian Club). They each waxed poetic about why their style of whiskey (Scotch, Bourbon, Canadian) was superior – and we all got to taste some of each. Laphroaig 10 yr was the first scotch I loved. I thought for sure I would pick the Knob Creek since I was a “bourbon guy”, but Laphroaig challenged my notion of what whiskey/whisky was, and what it could be. It was so unlike anything I’d ever tasted before – I was hooked. I bought a bottle when we got home, and couldn’t wait to share it with my Dad. I still loved bourbon, but that opened my mind to try new things. In 2011 my Dad and I spent several days and hit many distilleries in Kentucky (Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Barton, Maker’s Mark, and Heaven Hill). We also not only sampled from the various distilleries, but in Bardstown attended a place where you could taste some premium bourbons like William Larue Weller and George T. Stagg. I couldn’t imagine spending $75 for a bottle of one of these, as I had read about them on-line, but after trying them – I understood.

While at that point I had found whiskey, it was my thirst for knowing more about it that led me to this blog, which I owe for many friendships and great memories.

So that’s a little insight into how your Whisk(e)y Apostles started down this ever burgeoning path to liquid nirvana. We’d love to hear your stories about how your journey began either via email or in the comments section of this blog.

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Hendrick’s Gin

/ / Other Spirits, Review / ,

For this week’s “Taste of” we’re doing something a little different.  In an effort to expand both our horizons and yours, Matt and I are going to review a non-whiskey product.  “Gasp!” you say?  Don’t worry.  We’re still whiskey apostles at heart but it’s good to try new things.  We’ll try to do this about once a month or so.  First up will be a gin.  You can’t get much more different from whiskey than that.  Except for the fact that this particular gin is made by William Grant & Sons.  You may know William Grant & Sons as the makers of Glenfiddich and Balvenie.  Enjoy.

Hendrick’s Gin
44% ABV/88 Proof
Available worldwide for $25 to $35 per bottle

What the distillery says:
This handcrafted gin is distilled for a proprietary recipe which includes traditional botanicals such as juniper, coriander, and citrus peel.  The “unexpected” infusion of cucumber and rose petals results in a most iconoclastic gin.  It is not for everyone.

What Richard says:
Nose: Floral and herbal as you’d expect from gin but almost more so.  It lays out like a well crafted gentleman’s cologne.  When opened up with a little water I find jasmine and lavender with a hint of fresh autumn leaves.
Palate: The palate is very surprising.  It tastes of orange zest in lavender water, more specifically Cara Cara oranges. (If you’ve never had the pleasure I highly recommend them.)  More citrus notes that the average gin.  It’s very pleasant.  It kind of reminds me of Compass Box’s Orangerie aperitif.  Tonic water lends it a sharper more defined flavor well beyond the “alcoholic Sprite” of a lot of gin and tonics.
Finish: Crisp and clean.  It leaves the orange zest in your mouth as the botanicals pass through.
Comments: I’m not really a gin fan but this is a spirit I can truly respect.  And not just because it’s made by William Grant & Sons.  It doesn’t stand out because they turned gin on its head, more likely they pushed gin to its true potential.  Whether a casual gin drinker or a serious connoisseur, I would definitely recommend this.
Rating:  Must Try.

What Matt says:
Nose: Above all this gin smells like it elements.  There are clear notes of juniper, but it’s the coriander and citrus zest that stand out on the nose.  The rose petals and cucumber hang back a little and wait to assert themselves on the palate.
Palate: This is not your average gin.  Richard hit the nail on the head with the Cara Cara orange reference.  The cucumber comes through with a very clean flavor and the rose petals come out just enough to be known.  The coriander and juniper take a back seat to these stronger flavors, but really make the flavor profile dance.  Adding tonic really kicks the cucumber into overdrive (the makers of Hendrick’s suggest garnishing their gin and tonic with a slice of cucumber instead of the traditional lime).  There is a high citrus element, but it is more of a Cara Cara or blood orange citrus than lime like other gins.
Finish: Rose water and orange zest
Comments: I’m an old fashioned kind of guy.  I believe that a gentleman should be drink his martinis with gin and his whisk(e)y neat.  If you are like me and Teddy Roosevelt (or was it FDR?), you’re idea of a martini is a generous pour of gin next to an open bottle of vermouth.  To do this, you must have good gin (you’re drinking it straight after all).  Hendrick’s fits the bill on this one.  I love a good gin and tonic as well and this makes a great one.  This is my very favorite gin.
Rating:  Must Buy.

Overall Rating:
From the moment you see it on the shelf, you know that Hendrick’s is different.  It’s strangley shaped dark colored bottle and artfully rendered label look more at home on the shelf of Victorian apothecary than a liquor store.  As you investigate, you find that even the distillery claims that this gin “is not for everyone.”  Today, you are in an adventurous mood so you decide to pick up a bottle.  You are greeted with flavors you have never tasted in a gin.  You are not quite sure what to think.  Then, as the gin swirls around your mouth and your nose is filled with rich botanicals, you become enthralled.  There is a reason that the Wall Street Journal voted this the “Best Gin in the World” in 2003.  More and more, I’m seeing Hendrick’s offered in bars (they don’t usually have a slice of cucumber though), right next to the Tanqueray Ten and Bombay Sapphire.  The word is spreading.
Must Try.

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Fad Focus #2: Wood Finishes

/ / Bourbon, Richard's Blog, Scottish Whisky

Today I want to talk about the next part of my multi-part series on the notable fads in whiskey today. I started this series a couple of weeks ago talking about the growing levels of peat used in whiskey production. Today I want to talk about wood finishing.

What is wood finishing you ask? Wood finishing is the process of taking mature whiskey from its aging barrel and putting it into another barrel, hogshead, etc. to impart additional characteristics on the whiskey beyond its normal profile. Barrels that previously held different wines and other spirit are used to varying degrees of success to add some part or character of the barrel’s prior occupant to the new whiskey. Port barrels can add color. Rum barrels can add sweetness. Some of the previously seen variations include Burgundy, Bordeaux, Tokaji, sherry, port, rum, etc.

Glenmorangie was one of the first major pioneers of this technique. They originally came out with a range of 12 year old single malt scotches that included finishes in sherry, port, and burgundy wood among others. Many distilleries, mostly scotch distilleries picked up on this trend as a way to offer new and different varieties of their spirits in a relatively quick amount of time. Remember, for scotch most of their product doesn’t see the light of day for at least 10 years. That’s a long lead time for innovation. Whiskey can be wood finished for any amount of time from around 6 months to 6 years or more. Glenmorangie’s wood finished range spent 10 years as regular Glenmorangie and then spent another two years in wood finishing. Even in their case two years is a lot quicker turn around than ten.

How did all this innovation and creativity turn out? Originally, not too bad. There were and still are a number of products that really did well with wood finishing. One of my personal favorites is the 21 year old Glenfiddich Havana Reserve which was finished in Havana Rum casks. Mmm..tasty stuff. But as with most things, over proliferation leads towards some less than stellar examples. We’ve chided Glenmorangie on their Burgundy Wood finished whiskey and it really was pretty bad. “Was” being the appropriate word because they have since discontinued it. Another humorous example of how far this particular fad went was an attempt a number of years ago to finish scotch in used Tabasco barrels. The resulting product was an undrinkable concoction that was repackaged and sold as condiment called Hot Scotch. Jumping the shark a little? I think so.

So where is wood finishing now? It seems to be on the down swing. There are still a number of products out there, both good and bad that tout wood finishing. There continues to be a few new ones popping up from time to time. However, you may not recognize some of these newer ones. “Wood Finish” has become passé in the scotch industry. The new nomenclature? Glenmorangie, the granddaddy of all wood finishers now refers to their products as “Extra Matured”. My personal favorite is Bruichladdich. They refer to their program by the acronym “A.C.E”, meaning “Additional Cask Enhancement”. Wood finishes aren’t dead yet. This particular fad hasn’t quite played out. What will come in the future? Who knows? One particular bright spot seems to be Buffalo Trace. Bourbon wood finishing? Yep. They have a new line of very limited releases under their Experimental Collection. I have not had the opportunity to try any of these but I hear good things.

So what does all this mean? A wider variety of whiskey to enjoy. That’s never a bad thing. However, as with all whiskeys it is a good idea to try before you buy. Just because you love Glenmorangie’s Original 10 year old doesn’t mean the Burgundy Wood should be a staple of your home bar.

Drink wisely my friends.
– Richard

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Taste of… The Collector’s Cabinet

/ / Matt's Blog, Review, Richard's Blog, Scottish Whisky, The Collector's Cabinet /

Matt and I have discussed, at length the merits of offering reviews on whiskeys that are no longer available.  The argument against it is that if we review a dram that is out of this world then it would offer nothing to our readers but frustration at not being able to procure such a fine spirit.  This was our stance from the outset of Whisk(e)y Apostle.

As time went by we started thinking about this idea in a different light.  We realized that there is something to offer our readers by reviewing the occasional rare whiskey.  From a collector’s standpoint there are other resources available offering assistance in how collectable or valuable certain whiskeys are but rarely anything on taste. (As a general rule, we here at Whisk(e)y Apostle do not advocate the collecting of whiskey.  It is made to drink after all!)

So if you find a rare bottle of whiskey, how are you to know if it’s worth purchasing for the purpose of consumption?  That’s where we hope to offer what little assistance we can.  Matt and I aren’t exactly rolling in dough so this will not be a regular part of our reviews but we’ll do it whenever we get the opportunity.

To kick us off we thought we talk a wonderful whisky from Compass Box called The Spice Tree.  There is an unfortunate story behind why this great whisky is no longer in production.  I’m not going to reproduce the sad tale here but if you are interested further information can be found on the interwebs (used to be on Compass Box’s website but they’ve revamped it).

The Spice Tree
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Formerly produced by Compass Box Whisky Company
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky46% ABV/92 Proof
Discontinued

What the distillery says:
A natural, deep, gold-brown color and a rich nose with spices such as clove and nutmeg, and sweet stewed fruits. Palate is soft, sweet, deep and rich with a malt whisky fruitiness embellished by rich spice. Very long.

What Richard says:
Nose: Scotch rolled in a warm bourbon blanket?  If I didn’t know what this was it would really keep me guessing.  Water opens up the nose to honey and floral sweetness.  Quite lovely.
Palate: The wood is the first and last thing you taste but not in the way you might think.  It’s not the tired over wooded flavor of an over aged whiskey.  It’s more like carrying your dram on a walk through the forest.  It’s a fresher wood taste.  There is a minor honeyed sweetness that almost hides from you.  The spice there but much more understated than the name suggests.  There are a lot of nutty flavors and at the very end of the palate I swear I get a hint of spearmint.
Finish: Much smoother than I expected but that really is par for John Glasser’s work.  Spice, nut, and wood remain after the palate is emptied.  It’s almost like peppered walnut bark.
Comments: As unfortunate as it is, this is a discontinued product. If you happen across a bottle at a reasonable price I would highly recommend picking it up.  I can’t give it a “Must Buy” because of the scarcity but it really deserves top honors.
Rating: Must Try

What Matt says:
Nose: Fox glove honey, caramel, wildflowers, and cardamom.
Palate: Like drinking a nice cup of mulled cider by a fresh cut Christmas tree.  Wood, evergreen, mulling spices, cooked fruit (apples and apricots).  The ultimate ‘comfort’ whisky.  Complex without being uppity.
Finish: Oak, white pepper, and pecan husks linger with a touch of caramel sweetness.  This whisky is incredibly smooth with very little burn on the tongue or in the throat.
Comments: My official rating for this will be a “Must Try” for the reasons that Richard states above.  However, if you see a bottle of this, buy it.  If you see two, let me know.  I will buy the other one.  I love this whisky and lament it’s passing.  When the last drop falls from my bottle, I will shed a tear.
Rating: Must Try

Overall Rating:   Must Try

Closing Comments: A lot of discontinued whiskeys are phased out due unpleasant factors (Glenmorangie Burgundy Wood Finish) or diminished stocks (Ardbeg 17 Year) but the Spice Tree is the unfortunate victim of politics.  There is little lacking in this quality dram.  If you are fortunate enough to come across a bottle or dram, by all means drink up.

Slainte!

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