The Grangestone Single Malt Scotch Whisky range offers a selection of some of the finest Single Malts available from the Highlands of Scotland. Each spirit is chosen by our Malt Master for its quality and character to be symbolic of whiskies of this region.
Grangestone truly is a perfect example of a whisky from the Highland region of Scotland.
Character This Grangestone Single Malt has been matured in traditional American oak casks until it has achieved the perfect balance of flavours, green leafy notes play in harmony with its sweet delicate oak flavour.
The whisky is then transferred into casks that have previously held premium Rum to allow for further development.
Aroma: A rich malty aroma with a biscuity sweetness and fresh fruit notes. A delicate leafy character is balanced with vanilla sweetness. Taste: Sweet and rounded with a vanilla oakiness. The malty character carries through into the taste with subtle notes of caramelised fruits. Finish: Mellow and long lasting.
What Gary Says
Nose: Malty, grainy, heather, rum, sugar cane, hint of an earthy note. Palate: Thin, light and sweet with rum, a slightly sour oak note, peppery at the back. Finish: Short and drying with pepper and a fading mineral note. Comments: As a non-age stated whisky, I approached this with low expectations – and it managed to still fall short. On the nose and palate this comes across as quite young. When I think of Highland single malt scotch, this doesn’t reflect or echo any that come to mind. The most positive thing I can say about this is I’m glad that they offer this in a 50mL bottle (which is what I bought).
This is distilled by Heaven Hill, but isn’t mentioned on their web-site – so here’s what the bottle says (beyond the name).
Rare 101 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Charcoal Filtered Bottled in Kentucky by Meadowland Distilling Co. Bardstown, Kentucky An Old-Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon Distilled in the foothills of Kentucky. Charcoal Filtered to give every drop that Olde Mellow flavor. This rare whiskey has been bottled at a full 101 Proof. Rich . . . Robust and Hearty . . . it is American’s finest bourbon.
What Gary Says
Nose: Rich caramel, vanilla, honey, oak and smoke, cut hay, dried cherries, cinnamon with a hint of anise and clove. Palate: Sweet with caramel and vanilla, oak, a bit of brown sugar, cinnamon, clove and pepper. Finish: Moderately long with spices and oak. Comments: This is a pretty limited distribution product (mainly in North Carolina), and until 2019 was age stated at 7 years. For an under $20 bottle, this is a damn solid bourbon. And I really like the bottle & label! It has a nice texture with some of the lettering embossed/raised, that just has that classic bottling feel. I was gifted a sample in either late 2019 or early 2020, but picked up a non-age stated bottle while in Ashville just to be certain (and if the sample was of the age stated version, at least this batch hasn’t changed significantly). I decided to do a blind side-by-side with some Wild Turkey 101 (also non-age stated) which I am a fan of, and this was a bit sweeter by comparison and actually had a bit of a longer finish. If you’re even going through North Carolina (or live there but have avoided this as a ‘bottom shelfer’), I’d definitely give it a try.
50.5% ABV $28-32 Website We would like to thank Wheel Horse Whiskey and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
This sour mash, small batch whiskey is made from 70% corn, 21% rye and 9% malted barley. It’s distilled in copper stills then matured in hand-selected, 53-gallon, charred American oak barrels for between two and four years. We use a #4 char. Like all of our small batch whiskeys, Wheel Horse Bourbon is bottled at 101 proof and without chill filtration.
Wheel Horse is distilled and matured at Owensboro Distilling (formerly O.Z. Tyler) in Owensboro, Kentucky.
Tasting Notes: A rich and spicy Bourbon with notes of maple syrup, cherry, pecan and toasted oak.
What Gary Says
Nose: Vanilla, caramel, corn flakes, charred oak, hint of maple candies. Palate: Rich sweetness, caramel, cherries, vanilla, cinnamon and pepper spice bite with notes of maple syrup. Finish: Short to moderate in length, damp with caramel and pepper spice. Comments: This is a dark bourbon for a mix of 2-4 year old whiskey. Fairly oaky for a young whiskey, so I’d guess this was aged pretty high in the rick house. A tad sharp, although takes water well which brings out a bit of chocolate and more cherry. Appreciate the non-chill filtration, which does give it a nice rich mouthfeel. Makes a solid Old Fashioned if you enjoy that sorta thing.
50.5% ABV $100 Website We would like to thank Limestone Branch and Common Ground PR for sending us samples to review.
What the Producer Says
The 2020 edition of Yellowstone® Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon will be on shelves in September, just in time for National Bourbon Heritage Month. This year’s edition features a seven-year-old straight bourbon finished in French Armagnac barrels. The new release brings a soft leather aroma with hints of honeydew melon, vanilla notes on the palate with hints of burnt orange and dried plum. The finish is toasted coconut with lingering oak making for a well-rounded, deeply satisfying bourbon.
“When I began working on this limited edition, I knew I wanted to finish our bourbon in a cask and I was looking for one that would add complexity and a dimension that expands the flavor profile,” says Steve Beam, master distiller at Limestone Branch Distillery. “Armagnac is a rustic, full-bodied spirit that contributes dark fruit notes, complementing the vanilla notes in the bourbon. Just like a chef adds spices to enhance flavors, I believe cask-finishing should be similar, where it simply enhances the natural flavors in the bourbon.”
Beam also notes that the French brandy, which uses several different grape varietals each with their own flavors and characteristics, creates a rich flavor and packs a bit more punch than cognacs.
The 2020 Yellowstone Limited Edition also boasts a stunning new bottle, which feels timeless and vintage, similar to Yellowstone Bourbon, which has been around since 1872. The new premium bottle, designed by David Cole, also highlights the year more prominently for collectors.
Approximately 5,000 cases of this bourbon are being produced at Limestone Branch Distillery, bottled at 101 proof in 750ml bottles. The suggested retail price is $99.99.
What Gary Says
Nose: Caramel, leather, oak, fudge, subtle notes of cinnamon baked apples, floral with a hint of brandy. Palate: Vanilla, honey, orange zest, slight pepper bite, nutmeg and apricot. Finish: Moderately long with oak, cinnamon and vanilla fudge trailing. Comments: The Armagnac finish is subtle on the nose, a bit more pronounced on the palate, but balanced nicely throughout. It definitely adds a nice fruity layer of complexity. The packaging change is also a nice touch for this limited edition. A bit of water tamps the edge on the palate and brings out the fruit notes more. I’ve had the privilege to try samples for the past three Yellowstone Limited Editions, and this might be my favorite (don’t have any left to compare against – I also really liked the 2018). The more of these finishes that are done well (which in my opinion means they’re not too aggressive, and don’t overwhelm the base bourbon), the more I like what they bring to the bourbon party.
Kamiki Maltage Whisky Blended Malt Whisky Finished in Cedar Casks
48% ABV $79 Website We would like to thank Kamiki Whisky for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
KAMIKI WHISKY | Perfectly balanced with heather honey, sweet caramel, Japanese plum, balanced oak, peat and toffee with hints of sandalwood and green tea. Non chill-filtered at 48% alcohol to keep its natural flavors at maximum. Blended at its peak flavor, rather than a predetermined ratio. As a result, each batch is unique and limited with stocks.
OUR WHISKY | We wanted to celebrate the timeless alcohol tradition of the region by blending a Japanese style whisky that harmonizes Japanese nature and artisanship.
OUR BLEND | We choose rare Japanese malt whiskies, finest malt whiskies from the rest of the world and fuse this unique blend with the highest quality pure spring water from Japan.
OUR UNIQUE SECOND MATURATION | Yoshino Sugi, most commonly known in English as the “Japanese Cedar” is indigenous to Japan. For centuries it is being used to make temples. Japanese Cedar is also known for its pleasant fragrance and soft texture that help calm the mind and the body.
OUR CITY | Our story takes place in a truly ancient land, one of spiritual and carnal harmony, in the temples of Nara in Japan. The ancient capital of Japan, Nara holds many temples from the 8th century that imperturbably give the holy capital its power.
OUR SHRINE | Ōmiwa Shrine in Nara is one of Japan’s oldest extant Shinto shrines. It is a tutelary shrine of the Japanese alcohol producers. Most well-known alcohol producer families are in Nara and these families have a centuries-old tradition of producing alcohol for Ōmiwa. The alcohol produced by these families is served as blessings at Shinto temples.
OUR NAME | The Ōmiwa Shrine lies at the foot of Mount Miwa, a holy mountain guarded by the shrine. Mount Miwa has many legends, and has been worshiped from ancient times as a sacred Mountain of the God. Inspired by beautiful breezes coming from the Mountain of the God, we named our whisky KAMIKI whereby “KAMI” means “GOD” and “IKI” means “BREATH”.
KAMIKI IS THE “THE FIRST WHISKY BRAND IN THE WORLD WITH JAPANESE CEDAR CASK FINISH” | Yoshino Sugi is considered to be the best wood for making local drink casks because of its scented refreshing flavor and wooden aroma. Our blend is rested for a second time in Yoshino Sugi casks to capture a perfectly smooth taste, a scent of sandalwood on the nose and a zest of green tea in the finish. This second maturation makes our whisky unique.
What Gary Says
Nose: Green tea, cedar, buttered yeast rolls, honey, sandalwood and heather. Palate: Sweet and thick, plum, green tea, nutty toffee, a hint of banana nut bread. Finish: Moderately long, slightly drying with pepper and green tea. Comments: The palate on this reminds me a bit of plum wine (not that they’d be confused for one another, but definitely a similar sweetness). Another first for me – cedar casks, which definitely lent some lovely aromatics and complexity. This sample was from Batch No 002 (2019.05), and the label indicates it contains caramel color and is non-chill filtered. I’m not a fan of artificial coloring in whisk(e)y, but appreciate that it is called out on the label. Of the 5 Japanese whiskies I reviewed this season, this was by far my favorite – and I’d consider it a Must Try for enthusiasts looking for unique and different experiences. Again, appreciate the higher ABV and non-chill filtration. One package offering includes a masu cup and eye mask, which they recommend you to pour Kamiki in the cup (which to someone not familiar looks like a small wooden box), cover your eyes with the mask, breath deeply and imagine yourself in a cedar forest in Japan before you taste the whisky slowly and mindfully. I tried this, and the masu cup had a significant impact on the nosing experience – and really did bring out the cedar and other forest aromas. Sipping from the square cup wasn’t as nice (you need to point a corner towards your mouth, or learn as I did that your mouth may not be as wide as the opening!) More importantly, I didn’t get a lot of difference on the palate, but the nosing experience was night and day.
