Laphroaig Cairdeas Fino Cask Finish 51.8% ABV $80 Website What the Distiller Says Each year, Laphroaig Distillery Manager, John Campbell, crafts a limited edition malt to celebrate friendship (“Cairdeas” in Gaelic). Released in limited quantities stateside as one of the most a highly anticipated Laphroaig offerings each year, the 2018 iteration, Cairdeas Fino Cask, features notes of toasted almonds, dried fruit and sea salt, all of which perfectly complement the whisky’s peaty, unmistakably Laphroaig flavor.
Crafted in the spirit of ‘friendship’, the 2018 bottling of this annual release whisky is perfect to share with friends old and new. Laid to rest in Warehouse 8 and 10, Cairdeas Fino Cask showcases an especially unique double maturation process in first-fill bourbon casks, followed by Fino Sherry Casks.
COLOR: Golden amber NOSE: Toasted almonds BODY: Full bodied PALATE: Dried fruit and sea salt FINISH: Laphroaig’s signature peaty flavor
What Gary Says Nose: Sea air, brine, peat, medicinal notes with a touch of citrus sweetness and mixed nuts. Palate: Sweet, peaty with notes of caramel custard, spongecake and almonds underneath. Finish: Moderate in length, damp with hints of stewed fruits as it fades. Comments: I’m a fan of Laphroaig to be sure (so I’m biased like that), but in general I commend them for having a limited edition that isn’t outrageously expensive, and also is true to the core spirit. If you don’t like Laphroaig, you probably won’t like this – because it tastes like Laphroaig, with a subtle twist. I appreciate that they aren’t trying to turn it into something completely different (not to knock innovation of that nature either). I found this to be a delightful and enjoyable pour. Compared to your standard Laphroaig 10yr, I find this to be a tad less medicinal with just a bit more citrus and nutty sweetness. I found a bit of water tamped down those nuances (the peat isn’t subdued that easily), but at 51.8% this didn’t need any water. I don’t know that I loved this as much as last year’s Laphroaig Cairdeas Quarter Cask, as the differences were more subtle and nuanced. But I definitely like it a lot, and wouldn’t turn down anyone offering it! Rating: Stands Out
We would like to thank Laphroaig and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.
Glenturret Single Malt Scotch Whiskey Douglas Laing “Old Particular” 1987 28 Year Old (K&L Wines Exclusive) 49.7% ABV $100 Website What the Retailer Says: It’s rare to see a 25 year old whisky for less than $150 these days, and even when we do see the occasional bottle our first instinct is often to ask: what’s wrong with it? Understanding that natural reaction we had to ask ourselves: how will people respond when we offer them a 28 year old, single barrel, cask strength, Highland single malt for $99.99? We’re hoping you’ll be excited because we’re absolutely thrilled! Glenturret isn’t a household name among whisky drinkers, but for those in the know it’s part of the Edrington portfolio: the group that owns Macallan, Highland Park, and Glenrothes. Glenturret is also considered the oldest distillery in Scotland, having been founded in 1775, and today it’s the home of Famous Grouse: the world-renowned blended whisky in which it plays a large role. This 28 year old expression has reduced naturally down to a perfectly-drinkable 49.7% ABV and has the richness, oiliness, and concentration that only mature whisky can offer. It’s full of brandied fruit, resin, supple caramel, and creamy malted goodness. Despite its old age, the whisky is surprisingly lithe and light on its feet. By no means is this a heavy, full-bodied number, but rather a classic Highland whisky with plenty of barrel-aged complexity. For the price, it’s a no brainer.
What Gary Says: Nose: Rich, thick depth of tropical fruit salad, herbal spice, subtly floral with a note of malted milk balls. Palate: Viscous, creamy mouthfeel, crème brluee, fruity (plums, lemon curd) before sharpening to a pepper spice – and then softening up again; a bit of water thins the mouthfeel a bit, but opens up the fruity sweetness further, adding a cereal grain note. Finish: Long, and softly drying. Comments: I’d never had anything from Glenturret, and this was more of an opportunistic purchase than anything (had the chance to pop into one of K&L’s stores, and thought “$100 for 28yr single malt? Why not!”) One of the better $100 blind purchases I’ve made. This is a lovely dram, and while very drinkable at bottled/cask strength – it stands up to water nicely. This was one of three bottles I picked up during my visit, and the only one I sought a back-up of. As a single cask private selection (which was sold out in short order), I don’t expect to have another chance to add a third, but this would be an insta-buy for me if I did. Rating: Must Buy
Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire 40% ABV $150-$199 Website What the Blender Says Introduced in 1927, Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire commemorates the 100th anniversary of the House of Marnier Lapostolle. Cuvée du Centenaire is an exceptional blend of refined XO Cognacs combined with exotic bitter orange liqueur. It is 82% XO Cognac.
It is a superb, fine and complex liqueur, with flavors and aromas from the old Cognacs, including mild tobacco and balsamic. Cuvée du Centenaire has earned multiple awards, including Double Gold at the 2017 San Francisco Spirits Competition, as well as an “Extraordinary” designation and the Chairman’s Trophy at the 2017 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.
TASTING NOTES COLOR: Beautiful medium amber color. AROMA: Superb, rich finesse and complexity of candied orange notes, hints of tobacco and balsamic originating from the cognac. TASTE: Round and velvety notes from the characteristics of older cognac blends with lingering flavors of dried fruit, almonds and honey. FINISH: Lovely lingering finish with nuances of orange essence, dried fruit with powerful notes of cognac.
It is best served neat or on the rocks or enjoyed in a special cocktail like the Centenaire Sidecar.
What Gary Says Nose: Cognac more dominant compared with the Cordon Rouge, with sweet exotic orange spice, floral notes, hints of tea and sandalwood. Palate: Rich, creamy mouthfeel with complex fruit (tangelo, grapes, sultanas), honey, tea, and just a hint of cinnamon. Finish: Long, sweet and satisfying. Comments: That orange sweetness is still there for sure, but in a more subdued fashion. Much better balanced with the sophisticated, older cognac – and a lot of flavor for 40% ABV. If you’re a fan of sipping Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge and looking for something fancy, more complex, and nuanced – I would call this a ‘Must Try’. The higher percentage of cognac (Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge is 51% or more cognac) and upgraded quality of cognac definitely stand out, and make for a much more refined sipper. I did try adding a bit of water to it, and found that it tamped down the cognac’s complexity and subtly far more than the sweetness of the orange liqueur, throwing it out of balance for my liking. I’d recommend enjoying this neat, and if I wanted it chilled – throw a glass in the freezer. Rating: Stands Out/Must Try
I followed their recommendation rather than working this into a whiskey-based cocktail.
1 oz Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire ½ oz VSOP cognac (I used Remy Martin) ½ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice Garish with orange twist
Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Shake and strain into a coupe glass.
Note – they recommend the “Centenaire Sidecar” but don’t list that on their site, so making the assumption it is a simple swap within the recipe posted for the Grand Sidecar.
With a fine spirit like the Cuvée du Centenaire, I followed their recipe exactly (other than the glassware). I also didn’t try to contrast it with a typical sidecar, but did make a Grand Sidecar to better understand how it changes the cocktail.
What Gary Thought: To start, I hadn’t ever had a Sidecar before (or not that I remember), and wasn’t sure what to expect. Based on the ingredients, I expected it would be sour, and boy was it. I found both the Grand Sidecar and Centenaire Sidecar to be incredibly sour – so much so that I couldn’t really tell one from the other (which in my opinion was a crying shame, knowing how lovely the Cuvée du Centenaire is on its own!) It reminds me of a whiskey sour where the “sour” is really the star of the show.
Maybe the lemon I had was a real zinger (I measured pretty precisely to the recipe). I did check some other Sidecar recipes and found several had the same ratio of lemon juice to the other components (1 in 4 parts wasn’t uncommon, although several were 1 in 5, or 1 in 7).
Since I’d only taken a small sip, I decided to improvise and go back to my mixing glass and add another 1oz Cuvée du Centenaire and ½ oz VSOP cognac – effectively cutting the ratio of lemon juice in half. Shook that with some ice and added to the original. Much improved for my liking, although still fairly sour. The complexity of the Cuvée du Centenaire is there, although it is fighting through the lemon juice.
If you’re a fan of the Sidecar, this might be just absolutely delicious – although I cannot in good faith recommend using this lovely spirit in that cocktail. To my palate, the difference in using Grand Marnier Cordon Rogue vs this is so incredibly minor, it is borderline criminal. I’d guess that the vast majority of folks wouldn’t find a difference if given both blind – or if they found a difference, could tell which one was “better”. Don’t get me wrong – I love a good whiskey sour from time to time, but I don’t use my top shelf bourbon in that for the same reason. Then again – I also don’t tell people what to do with their whiskey, or spirits. If you pick up a bottle of the Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire, however you enjoy it is up to you. Personally, I’d sip and savor every last drop neat, or if I pour a larger pour maybe with an ice cube.
Cheers! Gary
We would like to thank HL Group for sending us a sample to review and play with!
While here at Whisk(e)y Apostle we’re focused on whiskey/whisky, that isn’t the only thing we drink. Sure, all but 30 of the 650+ reviews on our site are whiskey, or cocktails which include whiskey. But from time to time it serves the palate well to appreciate other well crafted spirits.
Grand Marnier is a liqueur which includes cognac with orange essence, but the label “liqueur” could be misleading. Most liqueurs are 15-30% ABV, so coming in at 40% ABV already sets Grand Marnier apart from that pack. They also have quite an upscale line-up in the Grande Cuvée Collection which use some really exceptional cognacs (as well as a higher percentage of cognac; we’ll examine one of these more closely shortly – check back!)
I’ll examine Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge by itself in our traditional review format, and then have a go at some of their recommended cocktail recipes which include whiskey and share my thoughts and recommendations!
Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge
40% ABV $28-$30 Website We would like to thank HL Group for sending us a sample to review and play with!
What the Blender Says
THE BLEND Created in 1880 by founder Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle, Grand Marnier® Cordon Rouge is a premium blend of cognacs with wild tropical oranges from the Caribbean. Louis-Alexandre’s vision of blending the essence of wild tropical oranges with cognac from France was unconventional and truly the earliest form of spirits innovation of its time. Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge is a versatile spirit that can be enjoyed on the rocks or neat, yet exceptionally delicious in cocktails.
TASTING NOTES COLOR: Brilliant topaz tones with amber hues. AROMA: Pleasant orange notes with hints of candied peel, light aroma of vanilla fragrance from the cognac. TASTE: Fragrant orange flavors enhanced by the cognac with nuances of orange essence and hazelnuts. FINISH: Lingering and harmonious finish.
Enjoy neat, on the rocks or in cocktails.
What Gary Says
Nose: Orange (but not just ‘orange’, a toasted orange zest), honey with a hint of exotic flora. Palate: Orange creamsicle with a sharp allspice note on entry before syrupy honey and orange sweetness take over. Finish: Moderately long, soft and sweet. Comments: Full disclosure, this may have been the first time I sat down and thoughtfully sipped Grand Marnier. I’ve had it on hand for years for cocktails, but never examined it neat before now. I enjoyed it more than I would have expected! If you’re a whiskey fan looking for this to taste like whiskey – it doesn’t. It is most definitely a sweet liqueur, but if you haven’t tried sipping it like a whiskey – and approach it with an open mind, you may be surprised!
Rating: Stands Out
Now – let’s look at some cocktails! They list several recipes on their website, so I decided to try two that are whiskey-based classics.
½ oz Grand Marnier 1 oz Wild Turkey Bourbon 1 dash aromatic bitters
Combine the above in a rocks glass, add some ice and stir. Press an orange peel across the top/edges of the rocks glass, and garnish with an orange peel and a brandied cherry.
I followed their recipe above . . .almost exactly. I expounded a bit and used Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit (shamefully because I’m fresh out of the standard-bearer Wild Turkey 101!) I also skipped the garnishes – but did rub an orange peel around the glass rim.
I wanted to contrast this with a “traditional Old Fashioned”. I know there are different recipes, so this is what I used:
2 oz Wild Turkey Bourbon (same Kentucky Spirit I used above) 3 dashes of Angostura bitters (same I used above) 1 tsp of simple syrup
Same process – combine in a rocks glass with a few cubes, stir, and rub an orange peel around the rim.
What Gary Thought:
The Grand Old Fashioned clearly had a lot of orange influence, and it was more sweet than the standard Old Fashioned. If you’re a fan of Grand Marnier more so than whiskey, but wanting to test the waters with a whiskey cocktail, the recipe as written might be right up your alley. If you’re a whiskey fan looking to change up your Old Fashioned, but not make it too sweet – I’d offer the following tweak to their recipe: ½ oz Grand Marnier 1½ oz Wild Turkey Bourbon (+½ oz from original) 2 dashes aromatic bitters (+1 dash from original)
I tried this variation, and found it a better balance between the bitters, bourbon and Grand Marnier. For me, this was closer to a typical Old Fashioned with a little more orange complexity. I liked it quite a bit!
½ oz Grand Marnier ¾ oz Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon ¼ oz Cinzano (a sweet vermouth) 2-3 dashes aromatic bitters
Mix bitters, vermouth, bourbon, and Grand Marnier in a glass. Add ice, stir, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry.
Again – I followed their recipe above . . .almost exactly. I went back to the Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit and used the sweet vermouth I had on hand (Martini & Rossi). I used 2 dashes of bitters since the volume (1½ oz) was less than my typical recipe.
To contrast this with a “traditional Manhattan”, I had to make one concession. I prefer rye whiskey in a Manhattan (and some recipes call for either or, which to many whiskey enthusiasts is a form of blasphemy; you wouldn’t substitute Coke for Root Beer). But, I wanted to compare with something similar, so this is what I used:
2 oz Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit 1 oz sweet vermouth 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Same process – combine in a mixing glass, add ice, stir and strain.
What Gary Thought:
The Grand Manhattan was much spicier, which didn’t surprise me due to the ratio of bitters to alcohol. While spicy (which a Manhattan should be, hence my preference for rye whiskey), the Grand Marnier presence isn’t lost. Again, fans of Grand Marnier more so than whiskey, this could be great – although I would guess it might be a bit too spicy. If you’re a whiskey fan wanting a new twist on your Manhattan, I’d offer the following tweak to their recipe: ¾ oz Grand Marnier (+¼ oz from original) 1½ oz Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon (+¾ oz from original) ¼ oz Cinzano (a sweet vermouth) 3 dashes aromatic bitters (make it a solid 3)
Not rocket science, but basically doubled the bourbon, increased the Grand Marnier by half, left the vermouth alone, and with the additional volume (moving up from 1½ oz alcohol to 2½ oz; still less than the 3 oz in my standard) settled on 3 dashes. This was my Goldilocks; not too spicy, not too sweet, juuuuust right. I don’t consider myself a mixologist in any way/shape/form, but I was pretty impressed with this bit of handiwork. Solid balance between the spice and bourbon, and keeps the Grand Marnier shining through.
If you have any different takes on these, or other recipes you’ve found with Grand Marnier and whiskey, please share in the comments below!
Wild Turkey 101 – 8 Years Old (Dusty, 1984 Decanter) 50.5% ABV $80 NOTE: This was a decanter I purchased in 2014 in Georgia with an exceptional fill level and decanted. What Gary Says Nose: Rich salted caramel, oak, allspice, brown sugar, dark chocolate, vanilla, a hint of cinnamon and smokey fall leaves. Palate: Sweet but sharp, deep caramel bomb with honey, vanilla, some bitter chocolate notes, cinnamon, nutmeg, a hint of clove and pepper. Finish: Moderately long and drying with cracked pepper spice. Comments: I love older Wild Turkey, and this decanter was not an exception. Buying a sealed decanter is a gamble – it is difficult to tell how full it is, or if the contents will be drinkable. I’ve seen a few that were fairly full but clearly contaminated (looking dark like coffee and smelling “off”). I was very fortunate; this had less than 5% loss in the 30 years it spent in the decanter, and its color was a lovely dark copper. The risk of a low fill or contaminated contents is the only reason I wouldn’t rate this a ‘Must Buy’, since there is absolutely some risk you have to accept. But when you get lucky – it is well worth it! Rating: Must Try
