2012

Spicebox

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Spicebox Small Batch Canadian Spiced Whisky
Lot No: 001372
40% ABV/80 Proof
$19.99
Website

What the Distillery Says:
SPICEBOX Spiced Rye Whisky is an incredibly smooth, aromatic spiced blend of Canadian whiskies aged in bourbon barrels for three to six years. Developed by Master Blender Michel Marcil, SPICEBOX is 100% rye with all-natural flavors of pepper, fruit, nutmeg, cinnamon and three types of vanilla beans (New Guinea, Madagascar and Ugandan). The essence of the aroma and flavor of the vanilla and spices is captured through a cold extraction process and then infused into the distilled rye whisky.

Spicebox Whisky offers a flavor profile that bridges straight whiskies and the newer, sweeter flavored entries. “I created the blend so the aroma and the flavor of the spices is evident on the nose and palate. This blend enhances but not overwhelms the whisky,” says Marcil. “Drinkers who are new to the category really like the flavor profile of Spicebox,” he added.

History: SPICEBOX was inspired by an enterprising Canadian who, during Prohibition, would ship contraband cargo in wooden barrels marked “spices.” Instead of calling it what it was – bootlegging – Canadians referred to this style of business as “exporting”. All was going according to plan until a barrel took a spill and their exporting days were over. But that didn’t stop these businessmen from making a living and enjoying their whisky. Whether it was through Moose Jaw or Windsor, Canadian Whisky still made its way to the US. “Rum Row” and “The Funnel” became some of the busiest waterways around!

In the roadhouses, or blind pigs and speakeasies, along the Canadian side of the Detroit River, hiding the whisky cache was a creative pursuit. Blind pigs bore false floors, hideaway cupboards, secret passageways and secret boxes. It is this True Canadian Spirit to which SPICEBOX Whisky pays tribute.

Nose: Aromatic with scents of vanilla and sweet spices; some malty notes.
Palate: Light and sweet with notes of white pepper and fruit, complemented with notes of vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper.
Finish: Short and sweet with light white pepper, oak and more vanilla flavor.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Hello vanilla! There are little butterscotch floating in straight up vanilla extract.
Palate: More vanilla and warm cinnamon spiced milk.
Finish: One last quick sweet vanilla drop before it quickly fades away.
Comments: So if I had a little guilty pleasure this might be it. There are a number of things that they blend into this but you could almost call it vanilla whisky. Very tasty.
Rating: Stands Out

I would like to thank The Baddish Group for sending me samples for review.

Spicebox Read More »

Four Roses 2012 Limited Edition Single Barrel

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition 2012 Release
Barrel Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Warehouse SN, Barrel No. 81-2B, 12 Year Old OESK, 717 of 5178
52.5% ABV/105 Proof
$75 to $85
Website

What the Distillery Says:
For the 2012 Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition Release, we have once again hand-selected an uncut and non-chill filtered Barrel Strength masterpiece. This sophisticated, highly-nuanced 12-year old whiskey features a delicate smokey oak nose, creamy vanilla and caramel flavors, along with a smooth, long finish. Proof will range between 100.6-114.4.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Delicate smokey oak, ripe red cherries, nutmeg and hints of toasted almonds.
Palate: Caramel and vanilla, rich honey, cinnamon and brown sugar.
Finish: Smooth and long with soft undertones of toasted almonds.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Out of the bottle it’s classic Four Roses. Burnt caramel, honeysuckle, butter cookies, and rye spice. Water opens up woody notes and hints of licorice. There is also some mixture of aged tobacco and cedar that reminds me of a walk in humidor.
Palate: Brown sugar and rye spice. This bottle has a tenuous relationship with water. A little mellows it out and makes it really drinkable but it’s easy to put too much. At that point it’s like drinking Yellow Label.
Finish: It’s 52.5% ABV out of the bottle so it’s a little hot. With water it mellows nicely to oak, black pepper, and a little more licorice.
Comments: I wasn’t bowled over by last year’s release. I found it underwhelming and overshadowed by the small batch limited edition. This year’s OESK 12 Year Old really shines. I first got to try this at a lunch with Jim Rutledge several months ago and instantly knew they had something. A lovely expression of one of my favorite Four Roses recipes.
Rating: Must Try

I would like to thank The Baddish Group for sending me a bottle to review.

Four Roses 2012 Limited Edition Single Barrel Read More »

Distillery Tour: The Old Jameson Distillery

/ / Distillery Tours, Irish Whiskey, Richard's Blog

The Old Jameson Distillery is located in Dublin. If you’ve never been to Dublin then let me tell you that in early May it can be rainy and cold as hell. In all fairness it was only in the upper 40’s when I was there but the drizzling rain and gusting wind made it feel much colder. So with that as my weather back drop my wife and I were looking for things to do inside while we were in Dublin. The Old Jameson Distillery fit the bill quite nicely. Honestly, my wife and I both love Irish whiskey so it wasn’t really a hard sell. The distillery is located in the Smithfield area of Dublin and is open for tours seven days a week. Tours runs every 25 minutes with the last one starting at 5:15 PM. Tickets are 13 Euros per person and that includes a drink of Jameson at the end. Unlike some Scottish distilleries the ticket price cannot be put toward any subsequent purchases in their gift shop.

If you decide to go for a visit you go in and get your tickets and then you wait. And wait. This is one of the top visitor attractions in Dublin. It’s big with the international crowd. You definitely won’t be the only foreigners there. Jameson is enjoyed around the world. You will likely be with other Americans, Germans, French, Russians, Japanese, and a whole host of others. Tours are generally conducted in English unless there is a tour group that makes other arrangements in advance. While you are waiting for your tour to begin you can do some early reconnaissance in the gift shop; have a drink of any of Irish Distillers fine whiskeys, cocktails, or Irish coffee in JJ’s bar; or head upstairs to the 3rd Still Restaurant for an a la carte meal. The restaurant is quite nice and all the staff throughout the distillery are very friendly and helpful.

Now they finally called your tour number. What are you going to see? First, let’s level set expectations a little bit. This used to be a distillery. Now it’s the Jameson Experience. Think of it like an homage to Jameson Whiskey. Spirit hasn’t flowed here since 1971, shortly after to merger in 1966 that created Irish Distillers from John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son, and Cork Distillery Company. The only “real” distillery tour (by bourbon and scotch standards) that you will find in Ireland now is up at Bushmills. Don’t let that dissuade you. It’s still a nice little joint. So with that we go on our tour. You start off with an intro speech from the tour guide and a video extolling the wonder that is Jameson Irish Whiskey. It’s a cute propaganda video that’s not too long and somewhat entertaining. After that you begin the tour proper. You are guided through the facility to different preset stations, each highlighting a different aspect of the whiskey making process. It’s not too exciting and anyone who regularly follows this site or reads up on whiskey probably won’t learn much.

At the end of the tour the guide will select six to eight people from each group to do a special tasting. As you are ushered into the tasting room most people will choose a Jameson beverage immediately to the right. You can get your Jameson straight up, with ginger ale, with cranberry juice, with Sprite, or over ice. Between my wife and me we got it neat and with ginger ale. Those individuals chosen for the special tasting will taste Jameson head to head with Jack Daniels and Johnnie Walker Black. The guide then takes a poll on who likes Jameson the best and presents the participants with a Whiskey Taster Certificate. You get a closing speech from the guide and then conveniently come out near the gift shop.

The gift shop was my favorite part. You can get all the Jameson gear you could want including t-shirts, sweaters, umbrellas, hats, chocolates, and a bunch more. You can also buy just about every whiskey Irish Distillers makes. The Distillery Reserve is an interesting pick as it’s only available at the The Old Jameson Distillery and The Old Midleton Distillery gift shops and you can get a bottle personalized. For everything else you would do better buying it at home or duty free because the prices (taxes) are steep.

That’s it. Is this a Mecca or utopia of Irish whiskey? No, but it’s a fun diversion if you are in Dublin and are inclined to go.

The Old Jameson Distillery
Bow Street, Smithfield, Dublin 7
353 1 807 2355
Open 7 Days a week from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
3rd Still Restaurant open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Distillery Tour: The Old Jameson Distillery Read More »

Innis & Gunn Independence Day 2012

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Innis & Gunn Independence Day 2012 Oak Aged Beer
7% ABV
$12.99/4 Pack
Website

What the Brewer Says:
We are delighted to present this Limited Edition Innis & Gunn beer which has been brewed, matured and bottled to mark American Independence Day, the 4th of July 2012.

Scottish and American culture has been celebrated throughout the centuries, and has helped to shape the modern world. From the Declaration of Independence, which was influenced by our nations’ shared dedication to liberty and freedom, to modern day musicians, explorers and pioneers.

One of America’s National Symbols, ‘Uncle Sam’ is a real man of Scots decent. Samuel Wilson’s parents sailed to America from Greenock, Scotland. Samuel supplied the army with meat in barrels during the War of 1812-15. The barrels were prominently labelled “U.S.” for the United States, but the soldiers joked that the letters stood for “Uncle Sam.”

This beer, then, celebrates the Heritage, the Spirit and the Character of the people of America and the people of Scotland. It is a great collaboration of full-flavoured Scottish malted barley and mouth-watering, zesty American hops, all slowly matured in our brewery in Scotland.

Above all though, it celebrates our shared love of great beer!

Nose: Apple
Colour: Golden
Palate: Big hits of biscuit malt and citrus hops. Vanilla and oak come through, and become more pronounced as the beer warms.
Finish: An unusual balance of refreshment and complexity. Malty sweet with lingering fruit and oak.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Malty and fruity. It has some of that classic oak aged smell.
Palate: A round creamy vanilla sweetness jumps in first and then is chased out by a savory beef broth woody note.
Finish: A little fruity sweetness balances with oak but it’s surprisingly clean and short on the finish.
Comments: Admittedly, I’m not much of a beer guy. Most of my focus is in the realm of distilled spirits. That said, I really like this beer. I’m most pissed that it’s a limited edition. If I could find it regularly I’d be having these year round.
Rating: Must Try

I would like to thank Shannon Fischer with Handcrafted PR for sending a few of these beauties over for review. I’ll also be passing some along to our designated Whisk(e)y Apostle Beer Guru Sam the next time I’m in Atlanta. When I hear back from Sam I will post his thoughts too.

Innis & Gunn Independence Day 2012 Read More »

Jameson Select Reserve

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review /

Jameson Select Reserve Single Distillery Irish Whiskey
Small Batch (International)/Black Barrel (U.S.)
40% ABV/80 Proof
$40
Website

What the Distillery Says:
Whiskeys like Jameson Black Barrel don’t just happen by chance. Years of experience and skill go into the precise selection of whiskeys used in this intense and intriguing addition to the Jameson family.

The Jameson Masters carefully select a high proportion of single Irish pot still whiskey and a rare small batch grain whiskey, all matured in flame-charred bourbon barrels and toasted sherry casks.

The trademark Jameson notes of toasted wood and spice develop while the rich pot still whiskey matures in the dark, aromatic warehouses of our single distillery. The rare, sweet grain whiskey – not found in any other Jameson Whiskey – is triple distilled in small batch quantities on just one occasion each year.

This bold combination of charred barrels, deepened spices and exotic fruits, results in a dark and full-bodied taste experience that is completely unique and unmistakably Jameson. It took 232 years to get here, but we think you will agree that Jameson Black Barrel was worth the wait.
Tasting characteristics

NOSE – Rich and full, developing into the succulent sweetness of exotic fruits like nectarines, apricot and papaya.

TASTE – A burst of flavours combine to produce a creamy, luscious taste experience. The special fruity sweetness from the grain remains consistent, while the waves of vanilla, toasted wood and spices roll through from the pot still whiskey and flame charred barrels.

FINISH – An incredibly long finish with fruit and wood spices lingering in perfect proportion, delivering an extremely rich and luxurious taste experience.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Creamy and lightly sherried with lots of dried straw.
Palate: A richer mouth feel than regular Jameson. A little sweet at first and then you can see the pot still character shining through. I get stone fruit during the transition into the finish. Apricots for sure but others too. I just can’t pick them out.
Finish: Hot and woody at first. Bits of mint and a little nutty as the finish lingers.
Comments: Jameson with more pot still component? Yes please! Jameson only better would be the best description. For some reason this is “Small Batch” everywhere but the U.S. and “Black Barrel” here. I’m guessing it has to do with bottle labeling regulations put in place via bourbon but I don’t really know. I bought mine overseas and it says small batch but they are both the “Select Reserve.” I don’t know that it’s quite worth twice as much as regular Jameson but it’s worth trying if you’re a fan.
Rating: Stands Out

Jameson Select Reserve Read More »