July 2015

Forged Oak

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Forged Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 15 Years
45.25% ABV
$80
Website
forged oak
What the Distillery Says:
A pillar of strength rooted in time and wisdom, Forged Oak was found while foraging through the historic Stitzel-Weller rickhouses. This Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey spent 15 contemplative years in charred American white oak barrels.

Forged Oak is a statuesque whiskey with aromas of cedar, maple and vanilla bean that give way to seasoned woody notes of cocoa and young berries, ultimately leading to a long, dry finish of black pepper.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Oak, burnt sugar, raisins, caramel toffee, cinnamon undertones with hints of leather.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, sweet oak that transitions to pepper spice.
Finish: Quite nice – long and lingering.
Comments: When I first sampled this, I was underwhelmed – so I know I had a slight negative bias when approaching this one again. It somewhat surprised me this time around; I like it more than I expected! The finish is one of the longer ones I can recall. While I enjoy the palate, for the age (and price point), I was hoping for more. It has a nice mouthfeel, but seems a bit more muted. If I stumbled upon it on a shelf, I’d have to think about it; not an automatic buy for me, but worth considering.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Pleasantly woody with copious amounts of toffee and cinnamon raisin toast.
Palate: Rich and almost chewy. This is a really nice caramel sweetness. Easily one of the better sweet notes I’ve come across in bourbon. Not cloying in the least and not too faint. Just right. It’s backed by a nice integration of vanilla, more cinnamon, and a little crushed mint.
Finish: Oak, black pepper, and cocoa powder.
Comments: I haven’t exactly been bowled over by the earlier Orphan Barrel releases but this one came out quite nice. This is a cracking glass of fine aged and well integrated bourbon. I think if this was release by the current owners of the Bernheim distillery (Heaven Hill) where this was made instead of all the hoopla Diageo attributed to the Orphan Barrel range then it would be received as the exceptional bourbon it is.
Rating: Must Try

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I.W. Harper

/ / Bourbon, Review /

I.W. Harper Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
41% ABV
$35
Website
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What the Bottler Says:
Beginning with a subtle nose, I.W. HARPER Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey leaves traces of caramel and vanilla on entry before melting into velvety bursts of wood and spice. The finish is sweet and pleasant with subtle fruit notes.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Light corn, hint of licorice, a bit dry and thin.
Palate: Thin, sweet corn and caramel apple, slight herbal/vegetative note I can’t pin down.
Finish: Finish? Sorry, I must have missed it.
Comments: The distillery’s description includes words like “subtle” and “traces”, which I think is pretty accurate. This whiskey left me wanting something else on pretty much every level. It didn’t have anything that I found objectionable necessarily, but more like the absence of things I look for in a whiskey. At the price point, this is an easy pass for me.
Rating: Probably Pass

What Richard Says:
Nose: Nice and rich with burnt vanilla cream and caramel notes but it clears out quickly so catch it if you can. What remains when it opens up more is candy corns and grain alcohol.
Palate: Seriously light and thin. A little crisp apple sweetness but it’s pretty dry and unimpressive.
Finish: The slightest wood hint, there and gone.
Comments: For those that think Basil Hayden’s is a watered down thin shadow of aged Old Grand Dad this makes it seem like a robust National Distillers Old Grand Dad 114. It’s actually so thin that the flavor can’t stand over the (relatively) minimal proof. It actually tastes more and more like alcohol as it opens up in the glass. At $35 I find this to be borderline offensive.
Rating: Probably Pass

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Blade and Bow

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
45.5% ABV
$50
Website
blade-and-bow
What the Bottler Says:
A homage to the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery, Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey uses a unique Solera System aging process to preserve some of the distillery’s oldest whiskey stocks, including some of the last bourbon produced there before it closed in 1992.

The solera liquid is mingled with other fine whiskies aged and bottled at Stitzel-Weller. Aged in new charred American white oak barrels, this bourbon has a subtle aroma of fresh fruit and a taste that includes hints of dried apricot, ripe pear and a sweet roasted grain. The finish has notes of charred oak and warm winter spices.

Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey received a GOLD MEDAL at the 2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Collect the five distinct keys – some rarer than others – that adorn every bottle.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Subtle butterscotch and vanilla, with a hint of corn bread.
Palate: Floral, nice silky mouthfeel, well balanced with the spice kicking up near the end.
Finish: Medium length and peppery.
Comments: The words “subtle” and “muted” resonate. On the nose, it reminds me of dusty bourbon (which is a compliment; if you haven’t had dusty bourbon – my sympathies), but on the palate it is less impressive. Quite easy to drink, but unless the price fell substantially – I’d pass it at retail.
Rating: Average

What Richard Says:
Nose: A little bland with just an alcohol tinged hint of Werther’s Originals.
Palate: Surprisingly sweet but a little thin. The sweetness is fruity like poached pears with a herbal, grassy, and spiced wood back layer.
Finish: Dry and woody.
Comments: This is a fine serviceable bourbon. My main complaint besides the price (and that is a bit of a them lately) is the marketing affiliation with Stitzel-Weller. I find that disingenuous at best and deceitful at worst.
Rating: Average

We would like to thank Travis and the folks over at Taylor Strategy for sending over a review sample.

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Haig Club

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Single Grain /

Haig Club Single Grain Scotch Whisky
40% ABV
$70
Website
haig-club-whisky-hero-bottle
What the Distiller Says:
Haig Club™ is made at Cameronbridge distillery in Scotland. The liquid has been crafted using a unique process that combines grain whisky from three cask types. This creates a fresh, clean style that showcases butterscotch and toffee for an ultra-smooth taste. Seen by many to be Scotland’s hidden gem, single grain whisky is being predicted by experts as the next trend in whisky.

Working alongside Diageo, David Beckham and Simon Fuller will play an integral role in bringing Haig Club to the world.

“The House of Haig has a rich history and I’m proud to be working at the heart of a home-grown brand which has built an incredible heritage over 400 years. Working closely with Diageo, we look forward to collaborating on Haig Club™, valuing and treasuring the Haig traditions while reinventing this whisky for years to come.”
– David Beckham

What Richard Says:
Nose: Bananas, apricots, lemon/lime Gatorade, crushed winter mint, and fresh cut grass.
Palate: Light, mildly creamy, and insanely easy to drink. Citrus sweetness weaves throughout.
Finish: Light with just a touch of white pepper and wood.
Comments: Blue cologne looking bottle pimped by David Beckham. One of an extremely rare few distiller bottlings of single grain scotch whisky. These two facts left me diametrically opposed on whether or not to buy a bottle. However, my innate WAD (whiskey acquisition disorder) was the tie breaker. It’s kind of like Pokemon…”gotta catch ’em all.” Seriously though, if this was under $50 it would be easy to recommend based on great drinkability. However, north of $70 I’m left feeling that the price is more driven by Beckham than what is in the bottle. I’ll enjoy this one but I won’t be buying a second.
Rating: Stands Out

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