October 2011

Thankfully I’m Not a Horse

I’ve gone lame. I haven’t started drinking Pappy Van Winkle with Dr. Pepper or using Highland Park 18 in whiskey sours. I’ve got a bad ankle on my right foot. It’s a reoccurring ligament injury that goes back at least as far as college. There’s even some argument that it goes all the way back to elementary school. This last go around I finally tore it in half (the ligament, not my ankle). So surgery is the only course of action at this point. Friday is the day.

Why am I telling you all this? I’ll be out of commission for a couple weeks while the pain subsides and the ankle starts to heal. While I’m on the DL I’ll be on heavy medication. Apparently, you’re not supposed to drink with said medication. I’ll also be pretty loopy too. I try not to blog under the influence of heavy narcotics. I know it’s hard to believe coming from a whiskey blogger but I like to be lucid when I write this stuff.

I’ve got several reviews queued up for the rest of the month and if I can kick this damn head cold I’ll get in a couple of bourbon reviews and my review of The Mackinlay before I go under the knife. I may not be too responsive for the next couple of weeks but hopefully I’ll be extra responsive after that. It’s my right ankle so I can’t drive or really go anywhere for the next couple of months. That should leave me with a lot of time for whiskey reviews, blogging, email, etc.

Hey, at least I’m not a thoroughbred. If I was I might be off to the glue factory!

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

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Red Stag

Red Stag Kentucky Straight Bourbon Infused with Natural Flavors
40% ABV/80 Proof
$15 to $18
Available across the U.S.

What the Distillery Says:
Red Stag contains all the pride of the Beam Family’s 200 year history. Originated by Jaco Beam in 1795, Beam Bourbons are the product of seven generations of pioneering distillers. Like all Jim Beam products, Red Stag Black Cherry is made from the highest quality ingredients. And because it is made with Jim Beam, the world’s finest bourbon, it has a delicious taste and is rich with American heritage.

What Richard Says:
Nose: It smells like saltwater taffy floating in generic cherry Nyquil.
Palate: Luden’s cough drops (you know the ones in the white box that all get stuck together) with a Jim Beam chaser.
Finish: It’s like cherry generic Nyquil on the finish.
Comments: Do I hate it? No. It’s not as appalling as the popular nickname “Reg Gag” would imply but i’m not going to buy a bottle. I’m also not the target market for this product. I think among flavored/infused whiskeys this is one of the better ones. I’m going to pass on this but if you’re inclined to give it a try then by all means.
Rating: Probably Pass

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It will be a sweet October…

I don’t know about you folks but October always makes me think of Halloween. Candy, candy, candy! I’m a sugar addict of the highest degree. That said neither Matt nor I spend too much time with liqueurs. I don’t often mix sugar with my whiskey. I don’t even really prefer sweeter whiskeys. Well, in the spirit of Halloween I thought we’d give some whiskey liqueurs a little attention this month. On tap for October are Red Stag, Evan Williams Cherry Reserve, Wild Turkey American Honey, and that old standby…Southern Comfort. If any other liqueurs pop across my desk I’ll take a stab at those too. Oh, and I’ve got a Parker’s Heritage 2010 and George T. Stagg review coming that are holdovers from September. Stay tuned!

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New U.S. Releases – September 2011

I’m a little late again this month but I have good reason. I reinjured my right ankle and as a result I’ve been medicated and hobbling around. It’s an old injury that actually goes all the way back to fourth grade. My MRI results are pending and it hurts. It is what it is. This is just an excuse on my part. There’s really no good reason why I couldn’t have posted this on time so here goes.

Bruichladdich 10 Year Old
Timeframe: TBD
ABV: 46%
Price: TBD
Bruichladdich is back. Well, they’ve been back. Now they are back with their own 10 Year Old from entirely new production stock.

2011 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection
Timeframe: October 2011
ABV: Varied
Price: $70
The whole gang is back again. All five releases are coming back this year. George T. Stagg, Sazerac 18, Eagle Rare 17, William Larue Weller, and Thomas Handy will be available in October.

Bunnahabhain Vintage
Timeframe: 2012
ABV: 43%
Price: TBD
Starting next year Bunnahabhain will be replacing their 18 Year old with a vintage release. For fans of the 18 Year Old you better pick it up while you can!

Elijah Craig 20 Year Old
Timeframe: Now
ABV: 45%
Price: $275
The rub on this one, aside from the price (EC 18 is about $60), is that it’s only available at the Bourbon Heritage Center in Kentucky.

Glen Garioch 1994
Timeframe: Fall 2011
ABV: TBD
Price: $109.99
This vintage release is supposed to showcase a slightly smokier side of Glen Garioch.

Glenrothes 1995
Timeframe: Fall 2011
ABV: TBD
Price: $TBD
This is the newest edition to Glenrothes ongoing vintage releases.

Glenrothes Editors Cask
Timeframe: Winter 2011
ABV: 55.8%
Price: $250
This new limited edition will see only 130 bottlings coming to the U.S. later this year. This one comes from a Spanish hogshead and is cask number 9973.

High West OMG Rye
Timeframe: Fall 2011
ABV: 49.3%
Price: TBD
This is a new un-aged rye from High West. It’s 100% rye, 20% malted. High West has caused some controversy in the past but I like their stuff and look forward to giving this a try.

Johnnie Walker Double Black
Timeframe: October 2011
ABV: 40%
Price: No price yet but it’s expected to retail for 15% to 20% above standard JW Black.
Think of this a more heavily peated version of JW Black. Interested? I am. This one was available in travel retail only for a while. I’m glad it’s making to release.

Macallan 60 Year Old Lalique
Timeframe: Fall 2011
ABV: TBD
Price: $20,000
This is the fourth release in the Macallan Lalique series. Realistically for most of the us a $20,000 bottle of scotch is a pipe dream. However, it comes in a really pretty bottle. 😉

The Mackinlay
Timeframe: Fall 2011
ABV: 47.3%
Price: $162
This is the recreation Whyte and Mackay did of the whiskey found in the Antarctic that was all over the news a while back. It should be interesting. I’m supposed to have a review sample on its way. I’ll keep you posted.

Oban 18 Year Old
Timeframe: Fall 2011
ABV: 43%
Price: TBD
I like Oban but I feel that it tends to be overshadowed by its stable mates. Well, Diageo seems to be giving it a little more attention with the line expansion of adding the 18 Year Old as a permanent addition.

Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength
Timeframe: 2012
ABV: TBD
Price: TBD
Okay Redbreast fans, the hits just keep on coming. First we got a 15 year release and now we’ll see the original 12 year old coming out in a cask strength version. I’ll definitely be picking some up.

Red Stag Honey & Red Stag Spiced
Timeframe: Early 2012
ABV: 40%
Price: $15
Apparently Red Stag was so popular that Jim Beam decided we need more. Two new flavors are coming to the market next year.

R&R Reserve Canadian Whiskey
Timeframe: Fall 2011
ABV: 40%
Price: $14.99
R&R stands for rich and rare. This new value release comes to us from Sazerac. Building on the previously release Royal Canadian and Caribou Crossing Sazerac continues to expand their Canadian offerings.

Temptation Bourbon
Timeframe: Fall 2011
ABV: 41%
Price: $22
This new bottling comes from Dynamic Beverages. They are the same folks bringing you Redemption Bourbon and Rye. This is another rebottling of bourbon produced by LDI. This one is from their mashed bill that uses a higher percentage of corn. It’s bottled at about two years old.

Woodford Master Cask Rye
Timeframe: Fall 2011
ABV: TBD
Price: $45 per 375ml bottle
There are actually two releases in this year’s Woodford release. Both are 100% rye triple pot distiller whiskeys. This is a first from Woodford. One is aged in new oak barrels and the other is aged in used oak barrels. This should be pretty interesting.

Glenfarclas Family Casks
Timeframe: TBD
ABV: TBD
Price: TBD
Not much news here. The Glenfarclas Family Casks have been available abroad for some time. They are finally going to make it stateside late this year or early next year. No word yet on which bottlings or prices.

That is all for September.

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

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