August 2011

Baker’s

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Baker’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
53.5% ABV/107 Proof
$44 to $50
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
Named after Baker Beam, grand nephew of the legendary Jim Beam, Baker’s® Bourbon is seven-years-old and hand-bottled at 107 proof. Embracing over six generations of distilling experience, Baker’s Bourbon utilizes a special strain of jug yeast that has been in the family for over 60 years. This time tested yeast provides Baker’s with a silky smooth texture and consistent taste from batch to batch.

The mix of grains, yeast, and seven soothing years in new oak combine to give this bourbon a deeply mellow, richly flavorful, medium-bodied taste with a delicious aroma full of fruit and vanilla. Baker’s is best served in a snifter with a splash of spring water.

Tasting Notes
Age: 7 years
Proof: 107
Color: Warm amber, tawny, nut brown
Aroma: Fruit, vanilla, caramel
Taste: Toasted nuts, fruit, vanilla, silky texture
Finish: Sweet, smooth, medium-long

What Richard Says:
Nose: This nose definitely needs water. I get a lot of cedar with a layer of mint.
Palate: Toasted pine nuts, a huge amount of vanilla, and a little dark fruit sweetness. It’s very chocolaty too.
Finish: Shorter than expected and surprisingly smooth even at bottling strength.
Comments: Baker’s I always find interesting because it’s surprisingly different from both standard 7 to 8 year old Beam and Knob Creek. It’s surprisingly smooth with tons of chocolate and vanilla. It also has less of that cherry character I tend to find throughout Beam bourbons. Easily, this is my favorite of the bunch.
Rating: Must Try

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Knob Creek

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
50% ABV/100 Proof
$28 to $30
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
Knob Creek Bourbon was named after a little creek that runs just south of the distillery, the same creek that ran by Abraham Lincoln’s childhood home. Booker Noe, 6th generation Beam and master distiller emeritus created Knob Creek to reflect the strength, flavor, care, and patience that defined pre-prohibition bourbon. The bottle embodies the handmade look and feel of the turn-of-the century bourbon as well. It is reminiscent of a bootlegger’s flask with newspaper scrawled on the label, harkening back to the decade’s old custom of wrapping bottles in newspaper at the distillery.

Knob Creek bourbon was created in the style of turn of the century bourbon. Knob Creek embodies the bold flavor that has made Kentucky famous for bourbon. Aged the longest of the Small Batch Bourbons – 9 years – in charred American white oak, it strikes the senses with a maple sugar aroma, distinctive sweetness and rich, full-bodied flavor. Knob Creek is perfect straight or cooled slightly with one or two ice cubes.

Tasting Notes
Age: 9 years
Proof: 100
Color: Copper to medium amber
Aroma: Toasted nuts, grain oak
Taste: Rich, sweet, woody, full-bodied, almost fruity
Finish: Long, rich and glowing

What Richard Says:
Nose: Oaky and hot. Just the slightest hint of cherry syrup.
Palate: Cherry cough syrup, polished oak, peppery, and slightly tannic.
Finish: Warm, oaky, and long. Very dry.
Comments: I think of Knob Creek as the small batch progression from the standard Jim Beam line. I get a lot of the classic Jim Beam flavors but it is drier, a little spicier, and shows a lot more wood. It’s very enjoyable. Like all the bourbons we’re tasting this month, it’s made from the same mashbill as standard Jim Beam. The tasting of all these different styles is an interesting exercise in seeing what aging and warehouse location can do when the wood, water, and recipe are the same.
Rating: Stands Out

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Jim Beam 7 Year

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Premium Aged Seven Years Old
40% ABV/80 Proof
$15 to $20
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
Jim Beam 7 Year Old has been aged and extra 3 years in new charred white oak barrels. Extra time in the barrel gives the bourbon a unique and mellow taste worth the wait. For over 200 years, the Beam family has continued to use the highest quality ingredients in making the world’s finest bourbon.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Cherries, caramel, vanilla.
Palate: Sweeter and smoother than standard JB. All that cherry and vanilla continue on the palate. It’s almost like Red Stag light, but not in a bad way.
Finish: The finish is very short and muted.
Comments: This is a sneaky little booger. It looks almost exactly like it’s 4 year old white label younger brother except for a red cap. Personally, I like this better than both the White and Black Label Jim Beam. You could make an argument that this is watered down Bakers given the same age and formula but they aren’t really the same. I think this is a great value buy.
Rating: Stands Out, Great Value

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Jim Beam in August

/ / Bourbon, Richard's Blog

We did a slew of Old Grand Dad reviews in June and then took a little Highland Park break in July. This was mostly because I had some HP stuff I couldn’t wait to get into. Well, now that August is here we’re going to finish going through Jim Beam’s bourbon family with these guys:

1. Jim Beam 7 Year Old
2. Baker’s
3. Booker’s
4. Knob Creek

I also have some Costco private label Beam juice to review. That should do it for August unless I can find some of the ever elusive Beam’s Choice or break down and buy some Old Crow.

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

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Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
44% ABV/88 Proof
$125
Available in select specialty retailers

What the Distillery Says:
Matured for the majority of its life in bespoke Oloroso Matusalem sherry butts and bottled at 44% alcohol by volume, the body and character of this extraordinary expression is the perfect complement to a fine cigar. The sherry cask proportion is 70
percent and 30 percent American white oak.

Color: Deep amber gold in colour with glittering highlights.
Nose: Aromas of orange marmalade, honey and citrus fruits abound in sensual profusion.
Taste: The long years spent in the finest Oloroso sherry wood deliver intense notes of crushed almonds, cinnamon and spice to complete the nose of this remarkable expression.
Finish: On the palate creamy vanilla, toffee and sweet pineapples open, followed by rich mango, crushed pear and kiwi fruits. An aftertaste of unsurpassed elegance.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Sherry, orange, and a consistent savory note that I find in a lot of Dalmore.
Palate: Sweet, nutty, and a little spicy on the back end of the palate.
Finish: That nuttiness from the palate really lingers. Vanilla and spicy oak through end of a long slow finish. I don’t really get any of the fruit but still a very nice finish.
Comments: Apparently, ever since the refresh of the Dalmore portfolio Richard Paterson keeps getting questions about what happened to the old Cigar Malt. Well, this isn’t it but it is very nice. It’s not quite Dalmore at the top of it’s game like The MacKenzie but it’s still a stand out dram. I’ll have to take some more time with this and pair it up with a few cigars.
Rating: Stands Out

We would like to thank Laura with The Baddish Group for providing us a sample for review.

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