May 2020

Compass Box Gold Standard

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Compass Box Gold Standard
Blended Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$140
Website
Compass Box Gold Standard Blended Scotch Whisky

What the Blender Says

In the spirit of artistic collaboration, we had been working with Binny’s Beverage Depot on a whisky for several years, and were delighted to release Gold Standard as part of their 70th anniversary celebrations. The original Binny’s stores, opened in Chicago in 1948, were called Gold Standard. We thought it a fitting name for this collaboration.

NOTE: Compass Box only includes the above brief mention on their web-site; the following details were scraped together from other sources.
Release: April 2018
Availability: Less than 1,000 bottles at Binny’s only
The blend is made up of mainly Clynelish single malt and 28 year old Port Dundas single grain whisky, as well as a small proportion (6%) of teenage Ardbeg and Caol Ila.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich with dark fruits – raisins, plums, baked apples, a tropical note of coconut husk, pipe tobacco, hints of lemon with a subtle earthy/peaty note.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, fruity with raisins, apples, pears; honey, vanilla, bit of caramel, nutmeg, allspice, a hint of peat.
Finish:  Long with vanilla and orchard fruit.
Comments:  A lovely, complex dram.  Exceptionally well balanced.  Unfortunately I’m not anywhere near a Binny’s to pick one up.  I tasted this during the same round as the Compass Box Rogues’ Banquet, and I liked this damn near as well as that – although this  up to $100 less (not that $140 is cheap).  Again, value is completely subjective, but if I had $240 to spend – I’d pick up this and put the rest towards another really nice whisk(e)y.

Rating: Must Try

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Compass Box Rogues’ Banquet

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Compass Box Rogues’ Banquet
Blended Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$220 – $240
Website
Compass Box Rogues Banquet Blended Scotch Whisky

What the Blender Says

When we conceived the idea for Rogues’ Banquet last year, we felt that a collection of our favourite Compass Box personalities and an opulent liquid would be the ideal means by which to begin our 20th anniversary celebrations. We could not have known that, by the time our whisky arrived in the parts of the world that had placed orders for it, all get-togethers would have to be put on hold. For a while – we trust not forever.

Rogues’ Banquet is made for the gourmands and the hedonists who have accompanied us for the last 20 years. The label shows a fantastical depiction of the kind of gatherings we hope to have in the future when we have all overcome these present circumstances.

To create Rogues’ Banquet, we have combined malt whiskies from the Miltonduff, Clynelish and Glen Elgin Distilleries with grain whisky from the North British Distillery. Rogues’ Banquet offers an opulent array of textures as well as flavours, from tropical fruits to stem ginger and toffee.

The whisky has been dispatched; it will start to appear on shelves around the world soon. Whenever the right time to open a bottle of Rogues’ Banquet arrives, to share and enjoy it with suitable exuberance, we will be with you. In the meantime, please support your communities.

FLAVOUR PROFILE
Rogues’ Banquet boasts flavours of softened tropical fruits, stem ginger and pastry cream. Fragrant yet full-bodied, it has a long and satisfying finish.

Not Chill-Filtered
Natural Colour
A limited edition of 5,267 bottles.
February 2020.
Lead Whiskymaker: James Saxon

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, creamy, musky and fruity, a comfortable leather chair in an oak paneled library; apricots, figs, apples, pears, peaches, hint of mango, gentle spices with almonds.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel with apricots and papaya, a nutty spice note with nutmeg, pepper, and orange bitters.
Finish:  Long, slightly drying with cracked pepper, oak and dried fruit.
Comments:  Ok, I’m definitely biased when I read ‘Compass Box’ on the label because much of what they put out there I enjoy either a little or a lot. This is a deliciously complex dram, like so many others they produce. But many others are less expensive. If this was $125-$150, I’d be all over it. Price/value is an individual decision – I can’t say it isn’t worth it; only that there are other whiskies they’ve put out for much less that I liked a lot. This takes water well, but at 46% ABV doesn’t need it.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Joseph Magnus Private Barrel Bourbon Finished in Cognac Casks

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Joseph Magnus Exclusive Private Barrel Bourbon
Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cognac Casks

Liquor Barn – Bottle 3 of 135

52.1% ABV
$100-$130 (varies by age/retailer)
Website
Joseph Magnus Bourbon Exclusive Private Barrel

What the Producer Says

Jos. A. Magnus is pleased to offer a limited private barrel selection program. Contact us for more information.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich and fruity, cinnamon with toffee, caramel, notes of balsamic, and a slight mineral note.
Palate:  Butterscotch & toffee soaked in brandy, honey, vanilla with a pepper spice.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying to oak and cinnamon dusted apple chips.
Comments:  As a single barrel program, these will vary from selection to selection, including age (this particular bottle didn’t list any age, but I’ve seen several that do) and finishing cask. This particular offering was a cognac finish, and a bit heavy handed on the finish for my liking. I’ve participated in private selections where the timing from the selection to bottling stretches out many months, so not sure if this was what they had wanted (fans of cognac might love it!) A bit of water improves this one quite a bit, and while the finish is a bit more prominent for my liking, I wouldn’t turn down a pour if offered.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Joseph Magnus Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Joseph Magnus Bourbon
Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Sherry and Cognac Casks

50% ABV
$100
Website
Joseph Magnus Bourbon

What the Producer Says

Rich deep flavors with notes of orange citrus, dried dark fruits, and vanilla
A marriage of straight bourbon whiskey aged in white oak barrels and finished in Oloroso sherry, Pedro Ximénez sherry, and cognac casks.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, cinnamon buns with raisins & cherries, cocoa, vanilla, musty oak with a mineral note.
Palate:  Rich and fruity, raisins, dates, chocolate with cinnamon, clove, a hint of anise.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying, spicy with berries.
Comments:  This is a super dark bourbon, no doubt influenced by the sherry cask finishing. At first nosing, I thought perhaps this was Dickel distillate, as I was getting a mineral note that I get from their whiskey. By all accounts, this is MGP (and while they do source Dickel it isn’t, or wasn’t, used in this product). But I digress – this is a really tasty whiskey. The finishing is a bit on the strong side, but as a fan of sherried single malt – that isn’t a bad thing.

Rating: Stands Out

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The Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 5

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

The Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 5
Single Malt Scotch Whisky

52.6% ABV
$400
Website
The Balvenie Tun 1509 batch 5

What the Distillery Says*

For the 2018 release, The Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 5, David C Stewart MBE carefully selected 29 casks – 10 traditional American oak barrels, 8 sherry butts, 8 sherry hogsheads, and 3 refill American oak hogsheads – from the distillery’s precious aged stocks. All were transferred to Tun 1509, which sits in Warehouse 24, for several months before bottling. Tun is a rare interpretation of the marrying process and allows our most mature casks of various vintages to come together to create a unique expression of The Balvenie that is greater than the sum of its constituent parts.

Tasting Notes – Rich and intensely fruity on the nose. A spicy outburst on the palate, then sweetened with a deep sherry character. Lingering and luscious with dried fruit and elegant oaky notes on the finish.

* Technically, the above is what I gleaned from the bottle itself or other sources. Strangely enough, if you visit The Balvenie’s web-site, it includes a page for every Tun 1509 batch . . . except this one.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich and thick, chocolate, toffee, blood orange, berries, loads of soft spice with ginger, cardamon, figs, dates, honey, leather, pipe tobacco, oak, and an earthiness with loads of complexity.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, treacle with cinnamon icing, cocoa, berries in cream, dark fruits with some orange thrown in, roasted walnuts, oak, hints of ginger and clove.
Finish:  Long with spiced dark fruit, dark chocolate, and drying with spices.
Comments:  This is f@#$king lovely. A truly complex dram, perfect for sipping and pondering. An expensive bottle for sure (and a big thanks to Richard for the generous sample!), and with that the question always comes up as to “Is it worth it?” Nearly impossible to answer, as value and enjoyment are such individual concepts. The price isn’t unreasonable, but I’ll admit that does hold me back from giving this a solid ‘Must Buy’.  I will tell you that tasting this was absolutely an experience. It is well crafted and incredibly nuanced. I haven’t had any of the other batches to compare, but if you’ve got the means and are a fan of The Balvenie’s lineup, I’d definitely seek an opportunity to at least try it for yourself. That’s the only way to determine if it is “worth it”.

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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