August 2013

Caribou Crossing

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky
40% ABV
$45 to $50
Caribou
What the Distillery Says:
Like the long seasonal journeys taken each year by the majestic Caribou hers of North America, this bottle of Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky has been on a journey of it’s own.

Caribou Crossing Single Barrel has been painstakingly handcrafted by our expert whisky making team which has selected the finest whisky available from our inventory of over 200,000 barrels. The whisky has been patiently aged in oak for many years to give it a rich and complex yet smooth flavor. Each barrel is then bottle individually with expert care and skill under rigorous quality standards.

A new Canadian Whisky as bold and adventurous as the great Caribou who roam the wild. Caribou Crossing is a Canadian Whisky unequaled by any other.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Heavy maple syrup. Cliche given it’s Canadian I know but it’s oozing with the stuff. Stewed cherries and creamy vanilla sweetness.
Palate: Lots of creamy vanilla here too. Less maple syrup and more butterscotch. Lightly woody.
Finish: Pepper, oak, and dry rye spice.
Comments: This is almost enough to change my religion on Canadian whiskey. 😉 Seriously though, this is a great dram. The nose and palate are fantastic. The finish is a little bitter and tannic but that just makes me want to keep more on my palate.
Rating: Must Try

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High West Rendezvous Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

High West Whiskey Rendezvous Rye
Batch 1349, Bottle 109
46% ABV
$45 to $55
Website
Rendezvous Rye
What the Distillery Says:
Rendezvous Rye is a blend of two exotic straight rye whiskies; one old, and one young. It marries the rich aromatic qualities of a 16-year-old rye with the bold spicy properties of 6-year-old rye to create a full flavored, very complex whiskey. The 6-year-old boasts an uncommonly high 95% rye mash bill. Almost every other straight rye whiskey you can buy today is barely legal, with 51-53% rye in the mash bill. Not Rendezvous Rye. It honors the way rye whiskey used to be made, with a high rye content and full, uncompromised flavor. With Rendezvous Rye, you get a taste of authentic rye whiskey. We hope you enjoy it.

What Richard Says:
Nose: That great rye spearmint note comes through first. Sweet stone fruits, fresh cut grass and buttery notes.
Palate: Molasses sweetness, well balanced, with the rye spice on the back end.
Finish: Rye pepper, light wood, and minty finish lingering to mid length.
Comments: This was my first introduction to High West, and while iterations have varied a bit I still find it to be a great all around rye. It is killer in cocktails and a lovely sipping rye. Kudos to Dave Perkins for his blending talents.
Rating: Must Try

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Sea Wynde Rum

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Sea Wynde Pot Still Rum
46% ABV
$35-$45
Sea Wynde
What the Distillery Says:
For centuries, the finest rums, like whiskeys, were made in pot stills. Traditionally, pot still rums from several different origins were married together to produce the most coveted rums, rich and complex with flavor. This costly and time-consuming method of distillation has now all but vanished. Today, most rum brands are the product of a column still or a combination of column still and pot still rums. Furthermore, most rum brands are the product of a single country.

Sea Wynde is a rum unlike any other. Not only is it made using the traditional pot still technique, but it also marries rums from Jamaica and Guyana, creating a rich flavor that could never be reproduced by column stills used today, and also proves that two are better than one. In fact, Sea Wynde is the only rum in the world, to our knowledge, to combine pure pot still rums from these two countries. The individual rums are aged in small oak casks, some in the Carribbean and some in the UK. Once all the individual casks are selected, the rums are vatted together prior to bottling.

Sea Wynde is bottled in small batches and, like a vintage wine, the flavor of each bottling will vary. It is a rum of honeyed richness and subtle complexity which places it in a class of its own, and demonstrates the benefits of sticking with tradition. Sea Wynde Pot Still Rum allows you to experience the invigorating taste of the Caribbean and South America any time of year.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Fruity, creamy, dark fruits, and stewed cherries.
Palate: Much less sweet than the nose would portray. Nutty and fruity.
Finish: Dry, sharp and hot. Later is turns bitter and almost tannic.
Comments: This is a bit of an odd one. It progresses downward from the nose to finish. The nose is lovely, the palate is interesting, the finish is just okay and possibly off putting. It’s definitely an interesting one to try but you need not rush out to buy a bottle.
Rating: Stands Out

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Ron del Barrilito “Three Star”

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Ron del Barrilito “Three Star” Puerto Rican Rum
43% ABV
$25-$35
Ron del Barrilito
What the Distillery Says:
Established in 1880 by Eng. Pedro F. Fernandez in the “Hacienda Santa Ana” at Bayamon, Puerto Rico. For over 100 years, the Fernandez family has manufactured “Ron de Barrilito” at the place of origin, using the same name, formula and aging process. This special rum is a blend of rums aged, each undisturbed, from 6 to 10 years in charred oak barrels. Enjoy its unique, smooth mellow flavor by sipping, in a snifter, or enjoy it straight, with a splash of water, over ice, before or after dinner.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Rich molasses, brown sugar cookies, slightly smokey and organic.
Palate: Chewy with a lovely mouth feel. Creamy, mellow sweetness, in no way cloying. Honey, bananas and nice citrus notes.
Finish: Warm, slightly bitter but not overly so. It’s a lovely counter balance to the sweetness of the palate.
Comments: Lovely Puerto Rican rum. Pass by the more popular Don Q and Bacardi offers and try a nice taste of Bayamon. Despite the PR on the bottle this is actually distilled for Ron del Barrilito by Bacardi but the flavor stands out well against Bacardi’s rums. A lovely, versatile rum that you won’t regret picking up.
Rating: Stands Out

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Thomas H. Handy Rye 2009

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey
2009 Release
64.5% ABV
$70 to $90
Website
thomas_h_handy
What the Distillery Says:
Named after the New Orleans bartender who first used rye whiskey in the Sazerac Cocktail, this uncut and unfiltered Straight Rye Whiskey is bottled directly from the barrel, just as it was over a century ago. Full of rich flavors, this authentic American rye whiskey is a symbol of the timeless history of New Orleans and the legacy of Thomas H. Handy.

TASTING NOTES:
Powerful, lush, and boldly spicy. Flavors of toffee, fig cake, and candied fruit, followed by mint, cinnamon and clove. The finish ultimately reveals subtle notes of allspice, coconut and nutmeg. Long and warm.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Licorice, mint, melons, and brown sugar. There is a ton going on in the nose here. It’s like a symphony that I’m having trouble pulling out the various instruments.
Palate: Rich and sweet with lots of oranges, vanilla, and caramel.
Finish: Fire water out the bottle and with the right amount of water a lovely mint finish develops.
Comments: Yes, I know you’re all super men and wonder women but this is bottled at 64.5% ABV. Please add some water or you won’t be able to taste shit after your first few sips of this. If they weren’t charging so much for a 7 year old rye I’d tell you that you had to buy it but being north of $70 is steep.
Rating:Must Try

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