June 2020

Glenmorangie The Duthac

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Glenmorangie The Duthac
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

43% ABV
$70 – 100 (1 Liter)
Website
Glenmorangie The Duthac

What the Distillery Says

Part Finished in Pedro Ximénez & Virgin Oak Casks
At the centre of the Royal Burgh of Tain, Ross-shire, in the far north of Scotland where the Glenmorangie Distillery has stood proudly since 1843, lies the resting place of St Duthac. During the Middle Ages, the legends of his workings drew travellers from far and wide on pilgrimages to the ancient burgh.

A whisky fit for a King, this expression honours the annual pilgrimage made by King James IV to the shrine of St Duthac in Tain, and is part of Glenmorangie Legends – a collection of single malt whiskies exclusive to Travel Retail, inspired by the legendary lands that have been home to the Glenmorangie Distillery since 1843.

Aroma: Seductive aromas of pear, toffee apple, Brazil nuts in toffee, with an underlying spicy note, some toasty oak. With a splash of water, some creamy vanilla fudge is encountered, along with the classic Sherry cask note of linseed oil.

Taste: Mouth-filling flavours of milk chocolate, toffee, Brazil nuts, leather and some aniseed. The spiciness is definite, but gentle, with hints of ginger and clove.

Finish: The aftertaste once again reminds drinkers that this is a Glenmorangie, with vanilla, apricots in cream and some almond marzipan.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Honey malt with subtle fruit, citrus, raisins, tangerines, milk chocolate, nutty, tad floral with exotic spices.
Palate:  Fruity with spice, citrus, honey, dates, nutmeg, pepper spice.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, slightly drying with a bit of fruit and pepper spice.
Comments:  I received this sample as part of a Flaviar tasting box, and honestly didn’t know much about it (other than it was ‘non-age stated’ and 43%).  Being a travel retail exclusive, something I’m not likely to run across anytime soon.  This is a very nice, pleasant dram, and if I found myself in a Duty Free heading home with room in my bag and nothing else better – I might grab one (although there are a lot I’d grab first, like Laphroaig PX Cask – also a 1 liter bottle for about the same coin).  Nothing offputting mind you – just my personal preference.

Rating: Stands Out

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10th Street Distiller’s Cut Single Malt American Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

10th Street Distiller’s Cut Single Malt
American Whisky

44% ABV
$65
Website
10th Street Distillers Cut Peated Single Malt
We would like to thank 10th Street Distillery and Feature M for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Distiller’s Cut is a malt lover’s dream. We stick to Old World tradition for our boldest, smokiest whisky using all copper stills, imported Scottish barley, and age it in bourbon barrels. This Scottish American fusion hints of citrus and berry while delivering a woody, earthy, and smoky statement.

TASTING NOTES
Nose: Sour nose with bright citrus, vanilla, and peat; heavy mesquite smoke
Color: Golden
Palate: Sweet high notes of blackberry, brown sugar, honey, and molasses; bran cereal, burning chocolate.
Finish: Smooth and lingering on the sides and back of the tongue

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich and fruity, peat smoke, green oak, broiled meat with sea salt; bit of water brings out more earthiness and mineral notes.
Palate:  Vanilla, caramel, apples, peat, a bit of peanut butter, nutmeg and pepper; bit of water really thickens the mouthfeel nicely.
Finish:  Moderately long with peanut butter, peat and apples.
Comments:  This was a clear step up from the Peated Single Malt in my book. I’ve gotten ‘peanut’ in drams before (Jim Beam’s house style has a peanutty tang to me), but this was different. I think this is probably the best two year old whisky I’ve tried (bottle states “whisky aged at least two years in reused cooperage”). In a blind side by side, this was clearly similar to the Peated Single Malt, but more rich and thick. I do hope that they mature some of this further (and consider bottling at a higher proof). If you’re a whiskey geek and looking to try something unique (and especially if you’re in the San Jose area), I’d definitely look to try this one.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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10th Street Peated Single Malt American Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

10th Street Peated Single Malt
American Whisky

46% ABV
$65
Website
10th Street Peated Single Malt
We would like to thank 10th Street Distillery and Feature M for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Our Peated Single Malt has been inspired by classic Scottish production methods and fueled by American innovation. We source peated barley from Scotland, use mineral rich water from Sierra snowmelt, and age in bourbon barrels for a whisky that is smoky, fruity, and well rounded.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Citrus, with a peat smoke essence
Color: Light golden
Palate: Creamy full flavors of vanilla and dark red apple peels, turning into rounded peat flavors. A delicate balance of fruity and smoky notes.
Finish: Full bodied, buttery, with a lingering peaty finish

What Gary Says

Nose:  Peat smoke, hint of green oak, subtle tangerines and apricots.
Palate:  Vanilla, caramel, peat, apple crumble without any cinnamon, slight pepper spice.
Finish:  Moderate in length with peat, apples and pepper.
Comments:  This is a nicely done peated American single malt. Unique and interesting. Again, I’m surprised at it’s youth as the bottle states “whisky stored for one year in reused cooperage” (oddly phrased, but more direct than “at least 1 year”). Another pretty young whisky that surprises me as being worth drinking.

Rating: Stands Out

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10th Street STR Single Malt American Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

10th Street STR Single Malt
American Whisky

46% ABV
$65
Website
10th Street American Whiskey Single Malt STR
We would like to thank 10th Street Distillery and Feature M for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

STR Single Malt unpeated whisky is an all-American creation, matured in ex-bourbon casks that have been shaved, toasted, and re-charred (STR) to impart some of the flavors of freshly-charred wood, without being overwhelmed by oak notes from direct immersion in virgin American Oak barrels. Striking a balance between the oak influence from new casks prevalent in American whiskies and used barrels common in traditional Scotch techniques, STR Single Malt is one of the only American single malts to use STR barrels. 10th Street uses domestic two-row malted barley, double distills in all-copper pot stills and, finally, bottles without chill-filtering, to preserve complexity.

“For our first unpeated product, we wanted to create a distinctive single malt whisky that strikes a balance between the influence of the freshly charred American oak, and classic malt notes. Using specially prepared STR barrels allowed us to bring in the caramel, almost candy-like notes from the wood and pair them with the malt coming from our copper pot double-distilling process. The result is a delicate, yet flavorful whisky that is truly unique” says Virag Saksena, CEO, 10th Street Distillery.

TASTING NOTES
Nose: Lightly spicy with overtones of sweet caramel and butterscotch
Color: Light golden
Palate: Complex cherry-like sweetness with notes of vanilla bean, nutmeg, and clove
Finish: Smooth and round, filled with decadent flavors of candied fruits

What Gary Says

Nose:  Malty, toasted oak with vanilla and caramel, butterscotch, honeysuckle, freshly baked yeasty bread, a hint of apricots and green apples.
Palate:  Sweet with a round mouthfeel, cherry with honey and vanilla, gentle pepper and baking spices, hint of green apples.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, slightly drying with spices, dried fruit and a bit of pepper.
Comments:  This is a very unique single malt. American ‘single malt’ isn’t defined like it is in Scotland and other countries, but if trying this blind – it has some resemblance to a single malt scotch while not reminding me of any in particular. The pot still and non-chill filtering lend to a nice mouthfeel even at a pretty young age (the bottle states “whisky aged at least one year in reused cooperage”, so not sure precisely how old, but likely between 1 and 2 years old). There aren’t many whiskies under 2 years old that I thought were worth drinking. This is one of the rare exceptions. If tasting this blind, I wouldn’t have guessed it to be that young.  While the bread notes are something I associate with young whisky, it isn’t predominately cereal in nature.  Don’t get me wrong – it isn’t amazingly complex, but if I was asked to guess the age – I would have put it in the 5 to 8 year range.  Very well done whisky!

Rating: Stands Out

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Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon – Cabernet Sauvignon Finish

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Cabernet Sauvignon Cask Finish

48% ABV
$45
Website
Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon – Cabernet Sauvignon Finish
We would like to thank Lux Row Distillers and Common Ground PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

A nod to the past. A sip of the future.
With a heritage dating back to 1874, Daviess County Distilling Company was one of the first great bourbon distilleries of Kentucky. It also paved the way for more than a dozen other distilleries that opened in Daviess County pre-Prohibition.

Now, in honor of the county’s rich history, we are reintroducing Daviess County Bourbon to the world.

A combination of two bourbon mashbills – a wheated and a ryed – and finished for six months in cabernet barrels for an unforgettable layer of complexity.

The Cabernet Sauvignon Finish has been rested for six months in cabernet sauvignon barrels from the Napa region in California for an additional level of complexity.

“The secondary aging in the cabernet sauvignon and French oak barrels adds a nice extra layer of flavor with a slight sweet fruitiness and oaky caramel undertones,” adds Rempe.

TASTING NOTES
AROMA: Honey, vanilla, and caramel
PALATE: Smoothness from the barrel finish with hints of fruit and oak
FINISH: Long, warm finish with a hint of spice

What Gary Says

Nose:  Fresh hewn oak, toasted vanilla, honey, hint of berries with wine cask and spice notes.
Palate:  Sweet with berries, orange and honey, vanilla, a bit of cinnamon and pepper.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with fruit notes and pepper.
Comments:  This is the third in the lineup I tasted, and is a bigger departure from the non-finished straight bourbon than the French Oak cask finished. Very similar on the nose to both of those, and just a touch less smooth on the palate while also not being as sharp. More fruity for sure, and also a bit more dry. I’m not a big wine drinker, so apologies there – although as there aren’t a ton of cabernet sauvignon cask finished straight bourbons on the market, if you’re a fan of that this might be in your wheelhouse.

Rating: Stands Out

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