Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 45% ABV $45 Website What the Distiller Says In 1870 George Garvin Brown created Old Forester on Louisville, KY’s famous whiskey row. In honor of that milestone year in bourbon history, we have crafted a tribute – Old Forester 1870 Original Batch – the first craft expression in the Old Forester Whiskey Row Series.
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch echoes George Garvin Brown’s original 1870 batching process. Back then, Brown batched barrels obtained from three distilleries to create a consistent flavor profile. To emulate that process today, we also select barrels from three warehouses, each barrel originating from a different day of production, with a different entry proof and a different age profile.
The three expressions of Old Forester are then batched together to craft Old Forester 1870 Original Batch. This 90-proof bourbon will be minimally filtered, to honor the processes available to George Garvin Brown at that time.
TASTING NOTES NOSE: Clove notes spice up a medley of citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit, blood orange), all softened with a delicate, sweet, floral honeysuckle character. TASTE: Baking spices (clove, cinnamon, nutmeg) flow into a citrus-fruit mix and shortbread sweetness. FINISH: Soft, with lingering fruit and spice character.
What Gary Says Nose: Soft, vanilla crème brûlée with pecan pralines, subtle musty oak and cherries. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, sweet with pears, honey, and vanilla ice cream, sliced almonds and cinnamon. Finish: Short, wet with vanilla and cinnamon notes. Comments: Some of these Old Forester expressions left me quite underwhelmed. This doesn’t remind me of those at all, and is simply delicious! Less spicy and edgy than your typical Old Forester. While the finish is on the short side, there isn’t anything off putting here for me. Not tremendously complex, but a really nice summer sipper! Rating: Stands Out
Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Triple Grain American Oak 10 Yr Old 41.3% ABV $40 Website What the Blender Says A blend of 3 Grain Whiskies- Wheat, Barley, and Corn- and 2 Malts – from Cardhu and Mortlach. Aged for 10 years in American Oak Casks.
In the early 90’s Jim Beveridge, the master distiller, spent time in Louisville, Kentucky at the Stizel-Weller distillery. He took away a deep appreciation of the flavor possibilities of grain whiskies made from wheat, barley, and corn.
Enjoy this irresistibly mellow Scotch whisky – a blend of iconic malts from Mortlach and Cardhu and grain whiskies from storied distilleries including the now closed Port Dundas.
Each whisky is aged for at least 10 years in American oak casks resulting in a uniquely smooth, sweet Scotch whisky with notes of fresh fruit and gentle, spicy smoke.
Whiskey Advoc Notes: Orange grove before harvest, a rounded candied peel note, plenty of sweet grain, and creamy vanilla, all backed by gentle spice. Luscious and chewy caramel, taffy candy, lavishly rich orange, and glowing spice notes wrap around the tongue.
What Gary Says Nose: Sweet and malty, subtle notes of orange and vanilla ice cream, a hint of smoke and oak. Palate: Bright, sweet vanilla malt, subtle citrus spice with a touch of oak. Finish: Short, drying with a pepper spice at the end. Comments: The American Oak influence is there with vanilla being prominent, although I hesitate to use that word. This is a pleasant enough whisky to sip, but is fairly subdued and muted for my taste. I was hoping the American oak might make it a bit more intense, and while it does make it more interesting, it isn’t any more intense. Granted, Johnnie Walker isn’t known for “intensity” in that regard, so fans of the standard line-up might enjoy the subtle differences here. Rating: Average
Chicken Cock 10-Year-Old Double Barrel Bourbon Batch #3 of 6 52% ABV $250 Website What the Producer Says Charleston, SC (October 2018) Grain & Barrel Spirits (“G&B”), an innovation-driven craft spirits company, brought Chicken Cock Whiskey back to its rightful place as a heritage-driven American Whiskey in 2012, when CEO Matti Anttila discovered the “Famous Old Brand.” Since that time, G&B has fully returned the brand to its ancestral home in Kentucky and continues its quest to resurrect the historic pre-prohibition favorite with the introduction of a limited-edition release of 10-Year-Old Double Barrel Bourbon.
Originally established in 1856, in Paris, Kentucky, (ten years before Jack Daniels), Chicken Cock rose to fame as the house whiskey at the Cotton Club, one of the most legendary speakeasies, during Prohibition. Known as “The Famous Old Brand” and “The Whiskey in a Tin Can,” Chicken Cock was smuggled in sealed tin cans and ceremoniously opened tableside. After prohibition ended, the brand enjoyed a resurgent couple of decades before a distillery fire put it out of business for more than 40 years.
The brand’s latest limited-edition release arrives just in time for the holiday season. Chicken Cock 10-Year-Old Double Barrel Bourbon is the brand’s most unique and special limited release yet. Master Distiller and 40+ year veteran Gregg Snyder selected twelve barrels of 10-year-old bourbon, marrying two barrels at a time to create a perfectly balanced, extremely smooth, small batch bourbon (only 1,980 bottles were produced). Through countless samplings, he determined the “perfect proof” at 104-proof, with a slight amount of pure water to open up the flavors, and non-chill filtered to retain the rich amber colors and exquisite taste profile. Featuring the Pre-prohibition Era Style Bottle with sipping glass cap and a Mash Bill of 70% corn, 21% rye and 9% malted barley, the coveted expression was distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and aged and bottled in Owensboro, Kentucky.
Chicken Cock Whiskey is now being produced at the Bardstown Bourbon Company (BBCo) in the bourbon capital of the world. Through BBCo’s collaborative distilling program, G&B’s Gregg Snyder will collaborate with Bourbon Hall of Fame Master Distiller Steve Nally and BBCo’s first-class distilling team, to produce its high-quality, small-batch whiskey, bourbon, and rye for many years to come. BBCo and G&B concluded their first distillation of 616 barrels at the end of August.
“From the day I discovered Chicken Cock Whiskey, my goal was to eventually return the brand to its ancestral home,” said Matti Anttila, CEO of Grain & Barrel Spirits. ”The historic brand is now officially 100% back home in Kentucky, a mere 80 miles from Paris, where its story began 162 years ago. The legend of Chicken Cock never died. In fact, we believe that the brand’s best years are still ahead of it.”
Only 330 cases of the 10-Year-Old Double Barrel Bourbon limited-edition release will be available beginning this month in select markets including CO, GA, FL, KY, NY, SC and TN, and online at https://chickencock.passionspirits.com/chicken-cock.html. The suggested retail price for a 750ml bottle is $250, which may vary by market.
Tasting Notes Appearance: Beautiful, Warm Rich Amber Color Aroma: Robust Sweetness, with distinctive Caramel and Vanilla aromas, nicely complimented with the perfect amount of Oak Lactones. Taste: Simply stated: “AWESOME”, full bodied bourbon at the Perfect 104 Proof that highlights a beautiful balance of Sweet Caramel, Vanilla and Toasted Oak, with a hint of Dark Chocolate. Finish: Wonderful, long Rich and Flavorful Finish with a lingering of Sweetness
What Gary Says Nose: Sharp, vanilla crème brûlée with oak, fall leaves and a hint of cocoa. Palate: Biting salted caramel with vanilla, toasted honey, cinnamon, cracked pepper with subtle bitter chocolate. Finish: Moderate in length, drying with a pepper bite. Comments: On the nose this felt higher proof than 104, so this definitely has some bite to it. A fair amount of oak, more than I get in most other 10 yr bourbons. If you’re a fan of sharp/spicy bourbon with a good deal of oak, this might be right in your wheelhouse. The packaging looks well done, and if you’re a fan of collecting for the bottles, or the rarity of a limited release – more power to you. I think this is priced mainly for that market. If you’re just looking for a bourbon to sip and enjoy, and couldn’t care less about the packaging or bottle count, I think you’re likely to find it cost prohibitive. Rating: Average
We would like to thank Grain & Barrel Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.
Chivas Regal Extra 40% ABV $50 Website What the Blender Says EXTRA RICH SHERRY CASK EXTRA COMPANY REQUIRED If you know Chivas Regal Extra, you’ll know this most exceptional of luxury whiskies has been the result of painstaking craft. From the finest, first-fill Spanish Oloroso sherry casks that give our scotch whisky its deep amber colour, to the Scottish brawn that locks in its rich, sweet and spicy flavour. You can’t help but know you’re in for an extra special dram that’s made to be shared generously. Because success is a blend, in life and in scotch.
Chivas Regal Extra is selectively matured in Oloroso sherry casks. The result is a whisky that’s both deep in aroma, rich in fruitiness and generous in sweetness.
Tasting Notes COLOR: Dark in shade with a warm amber glow. NOSE: Fruity sweet with notes of ripe pears and melon, creamy toffee, milk chocolate, cinnamon and a hint of ginger. TASTE: Sweet ripe pears in syrup, vanilla caramel, cinnamon sweets and almonds in the background. FINISH: Incredibly rich, smooth with a long and fulfilling finish.
What Gary Says Nose: Rich sweetness, sultanas, honey on toast, toffee, some subtle earthy notes. Palate: Soft sweetness with a slightly creamy mouthfeel, raisins and pears, a hint of toffee with a subtle oaky/earthy note. Finish: Short to moderate in length, steady without any spice uptick at the end. Comments: Compared to the Chivas Brothers’ Blend, the nose is clearly a step up – richer with more depth. The palate for me was a bit disappointing. Similar in that the nose represents the flavor well, but too muted and subtle. While a step up, the palate was a much shorter step than the nose – although nothing off putting with either. Rating: Average
An ultra smooth and easy drinking whisky, perfect for sharing with friends. This 12-year old blend includes higher proportions of Strathisla and Longmorn Single Malts and was created as a fitting tribute to the famously smooth blending style of John and James Chivas.
Tasting Notes COLOR: Rich amber. NOSE: Bursting with ripe, soft fruit flavours, including peach and pear, and accented with runny honey, marmalade and soft candy. TASTE: Rich taste of fresh soft fruit flavours, echoing the nose, giving way to a fantastic sweet, creamy texture. FINISH: Creamy, round and smooth.
What Gary Says
Nose: Soft, honeysuckle, vanilla, pears, slightly floral with a hint of oak. Palate: Soft but bright sweetness with canned pears, honey, vanilla, and a subtle peppery malt note at the end. Finish: Short to moderate in length, sweet and wet with a slight white pepper note. Comments: A subtle and soft dram all around, where the nose lines up with what the palate delivers. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing special for my tastes either; a think just a bit too soft/subtle for my liking.
