Hand Picked from Extraordinary Barrels Sour Mash | Charcoal Mellowed Distilled and Aged in Kentucky for Lux Row Distillers Bardstown, Kentucky * The producer doesn’t mention this product on their web-site, so pulling what details I can from the bottle!
What Gary Says
Nose: Crack of rye spice, dried mint, lemon zest, vanilla, grassy, oak, nutmeg and a hint of clove. Palate: Vanilla, oak, salted caramel, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, bit of tangerine. Finish: Short side with vanilla, mint and pepper. Comments: Another not complicated bourbon, but solid higher proof high rye bourbon. Takes water well, bringing out some notes of popcorn on the palate.
Hand Picked from Extraordinary Barrels Wheated | Defiantly Smooth Distilled and Aged in Kentucky for Lux Row Distillers Bardstown, Kentucky * The producer doesn’t mention this product on their web-site, so pulling what details I can from the bottle!
What Gary Says
Nose: Caramel corn, charred oak, coffee cake with vanilla icing and a hint of anise. Palate: Caramel with chocolate, cinnamon, anise, vanilla, honey, nutty notes of almonds and hazelnuts. Finish: Bit short with slightly burned snickerdoodles and oak. Comments: Not old or complex, which isn’t what you’d expect on a 5 yr old near-barrel proof bourbon, but a solid high proof wheater. I tried this side by side against a recent Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, and by comparison this was similar with a bit more corn and a bit less spice. Takes water really well, with more chocolate coming in. If not for the short finish, this would be a solid ‘Must Try’. As a single barrel product, I’d expect some variability, but priced fair enough that taking a flyer is probably worth it.
TWO REDS ARE BETTER THAN ONE. INTRODUCING THE 2020 CÀIRDEAS – AN INSTANT CLASSIC CRAFTED WITH RUBY PORT BARRIQUES AND RED WINE CASKS Our 2020 annual release of Laphroaig Càirdeas, Port & Wine Casks, continues our long history of innovation. A unique marriage of our classic Laphroaig whisky rested in second-fill Ruby Port ‘barriques’ along with whisky double matured in ex-Bourbon barrels followed by ex-red wine casks. Soft, round and warming, it’s an incredible ‘friendship’ that charts continents, styles and flavours.
Aromas of dark chocolate and menthol with pink peppercorns open up to an extraordinarily complex flavour. Toasted peaches, charred marshmallows and a hint of plum jam intertwine with Laphroaig’s iodine rich peat smoke to create a limited edition that lingers long on the palate and the memory.
FRIENDS ONLY On Islay there is a saying; We don’t make friends easily but the ones we do are for life. Launched in 1994, Friends of Laphroaig are fans, friends and followers of our distillery from all over the world. Never short of an opinion or two they help Laphroaig explore new expressions, attend tastings and sometimes even visit the distillery at Laphroaig’s home on Islay. To reward the loyalty of its following, each year we launch exclusive bottlings within the Càirdeas series.
Càirdeas means ‘friendship’ in Gaelic and, each year, a limited-edition bottling is crafted by distillery manager and fifth generation Islay native, John Campbell, available exclusively to Friends of Laphroaig.
TASTING NOTES COLOUR: Rose Gold NOSE: Dark chocolate and menthol with pink peppercorns. Toasted peaches and charred marshmallows and hint of plum jam, all intertwined with Iodine rich peat smoke. BODY: Full bodied. PALATE: Honey Sweet with medicinal smoke. FINISH: Mouth Warming and mouth coating with a lingering finish and slat on the lips
What Gary Says
Nose: Port wine, berries, iodine, sea air, earthy with chocolate and a hint of barbecue pork with honey glaze. Palate: Sweet entry, fruity with strawberries, peaches and plums, peat, cinnamon, clove and port. Finish: Moderately long, damp with tart fruit preserves and peat. Comments: I’m a fan of Laphroaig, and like some finishes of it (PX Cask is one of my favorites), so I had higher hopes for this one. I expected to like this, and I do – but I can’t say I love it. Not sure I’d go for this over the 10 year cask strength. It is squarely Laphroaig with that peaty medicinal theme, but it feels out of balance. At first sniff I get some fruitiness, but then it is dominated by this earthy mineral note smothered in peat (which I don’t mind).
Alipús Mezcal is a gift born from the soul of our land. It captivates us with its various presentations, each one a unique expression connecting us to the families that create their particular elixir for the delightful enjoyment of the world. Alipús Mezcal is an open invitation to Mexico as your second home.
Founded in 1999, Alipús started out as an alternative project supported by Los Danzantes Distillery. The idea was to create a map of Oaxacan mezcals showing how the conditions where each is produced differentiates the final product, with distinct soils, waters and climates having a singular influence on the land where each mezcal is grown.
Alipús seeks to promote and develop awareness about traditional mezcal producers in Oaxaca – in particular about their knowledge and high-quality products. Current distribution and branding efforts have resulted in superlative reviews and increased economic development for traditional mezcal farmers where before there was very little.
100% maguey Espadín (Agave angustifolia Haw.) Roasting: Stone-lined pit at ground level. Milling: Millstone pulled by horse. Fermentation: 2,500-liter pine vats. Distillation: Discontinuous double distillation in copper stills.
TECHNICAL DETAILS Master mezcaleros: Joel, René, Abelio Antonio Juan and Rodolfo Juan Juárez. Soil: San Juan del Rio, Tlacolula, Oaxaca. Tierras blancas, poor in organic material, with stony, silt texture. Palenque elevation: 1,125 MASL. Altitude at which the maguey is planted: 1,250 to 1,700 MASL
TASTING NOTES: Color: Clear. Aroma: Caramel, roasted maguey, citrus, spices and herbs. Palate: Herbal and mineral notes. Light, rugged flavors. Fresh acidity with medium lingering flavor. Pairing: Enchiladas mineras, scrambled eggs, aged cheese, garnachas istmeñas (meat pies).
What Gary Says
DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Mezcal (so read at your own risk!) Nose: Earthy smokiness, edging on peaty, more vegetal with agave and grilled poblano peppers. Palate: Thick and viscous mouthfeel, sweet, earthy with a smokey bit of lime, tangerine and orange, pepper, subtle corn. Finish: Short in length, really dry with tobacco and roasted lime. Comments: My third and last of the three samples from the Flaviar Mezcal tasting box, and the most different of the three. More smoke and earthiness, less corn, more lime. Hard to pick if I liked this more than the Rey Campero Espadin Mezcal; this reminds me more of a peaty Scotch than a corn-distillate white dog. I really liked it. Really thick and viscous, like a nice non-chill filtered single malt. Last reminder – given my inexperience in this category, I’m not comfortable assigning any different rating for these three. I enjoyed this one the most, but can’t really inform if it was a good, average, great example of the category – so will leave it as Stands Out. If anyone finds I’m short-changing any, that’s the reason why.
Each of our unique mezcals is naturally made in a traditional palenque with no additives. On the front label of each of our bottles, all the information is there about who made it, what pueblo, what agave, details in the process, size of batch and more.
This is connoisseur mezcal. We aim to empower both the master craftsmen with a celebration of his art, and also the consumer by giving them the knowledge they need to find a great mezcal. All of our mezcals are joven (young) and clear, exactly as our mezcaleros have been crafting them for generations. NOTE: My sample from Flaviar only states the ABV at 49.7%, and not the other details unfortunately.
What Gary Says
DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Mezcal (so read at your own risk!) Nose: Roasted corn, vegetal, subtle tropical fruitiness, cut hay, smoke with a touch of menthol. Palate: Cast iron corn bread, fresh cracked pepper, subtle fruit, bit of lime. Finish: Short to moderate in length, smokey and drying with lime zest. Comments: My second of the three samples from the Flaviar Mezcal tasting box, and very similar to the Rey Campero Espadin Mezcal – just a bit more smoke, less fruity, bit more of an edge. A bit of water didn’t thicken this one up like the Rey Campero either, so while neat they were fairly similar – if I was picking a favorite of the two I would go with that one. Nothing objectionable here – another enjoyable pour. and the fruit leaning towards lime – with a bit of a pepper bite . As a reminder, given my inexperience in this category, I’m not comfortable assigning any different rating for these three. I enjoyed this one, and despite liking the other more, can’t really inform if it was a good, average, great example of the category – so will leave it as Stands Out. If anyone finds I’m short-changing any, that’s the reason why.
