February 2022

Broken Barrel Small Batch Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Broken Barrel Small Batch
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Broken Barrel Staves

47.5% ABV
$35
Website
Broken Barrel Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Broken Barrel Bourbon features a unique blend of corn, rye, and barley that makes it perfectly balanced to infuse. We partnered with an incredible world-class Kentucky Bourbon distillery to select the finest bourbon base for our products. The bourbon is aged a minimum of one year (it has to be) to be called a Kentucky Bourbon, which also ensures a specific quality we’re looking for before incorporate our Oak Bill™.

WHAT IS THE OAK BILL?

After a minimum of one year in new charred oak barrels, the bourbon is dumped to steel tanks, where each batch of Broken Barrel is hit with new French oak staves, ex-bourbon barrel staves, and a blend of ex-sherry cask staves.

Rich, complex, layered and beyond beautiful, Broken Barrel boldly goes where other whiskies won’t – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Mash Bill:
70% Corn
21% Rye
9% Malted Barley

Oak Bill™
40% French Oak Staves
40% Ex-Bourbon Cask Staves
20% Sherry Cask Staves

A note about Staves – there is a tremendous amount of surface area when using staves to age and flavor a whiskey – much more than merely using the inside of a barrel. There are several more surfaces making contact with the liquid, each adding its own character and flavor.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla bean, bit of alcohol, corn flakes with a hint of sherry.
Palate:  Sweet with vanilla, caramel, subtle toffee, baking spices with cinnamon, cherries and raisins.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with spice notes and dried fruit.
Comments:  Similar to the Broken Barrel California Oak, this tastes fairly young to me (and is 2-3 years old) – but I like this better. I was surprised with the note of alcohol on the nose at this proof, and that to me speaks to the immaturity of the spirit – even given time in the glass. As I’m not a big wine guy (but do like some sherry matured and finished whisk(e)y!), I definitely preferred this better. I think this use of different barrel staves in various quantities provides some interesting possibilities (similar to Maker’s Mark use of finishing staves, but used within a barrel); just wish they would use more mature spirits.

Rating: Average

Broken Barrel Small Batch Bourbon Read More »

Broken Barrel California Oak

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Broken Barrel California Oak
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Broken Barrel Staves

44% ABV
$35
Website
Broken Barrel California Oak Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

TWO WORLDS COLLIDE

Born in Northern California, raised in Southern California, our founder Seth has California running through his blood. Enamored with Kentucky, and loyal to home, he combined his two favorite states into one award-winning bottle of whiskey. Distilled in Owensboro Kentucky – this Straight Bourbon whiskey is finished with 80% Central Coast Cabernet barrel staves, and 20% French Oak staves. The charred virgin French oak gives a common character found in the wine, while also rounding the sweet dark fruit flavors bleeding from the freshly dumped wine barrels. The marshmallow forward, cherry center, and oak-heavy finish lingers, while remaining balanced and approachable. As our Founder says:

“California Oak was created as a bourbon that could seamlessly bring the wine drinker into the world of whiskey. This is a step into our world and a every day sipping whiskey made to be drank neat, and often.”​

Mash Bill:
70% Corn
21% Rye
9% Malted Barley

Oak Bill™
20% French Oak Staves
80% Central Coast Cabernet Wine Barrel Staves
​
Broken Barrel California Oak Bourbon was awarded the Gold Medal in 2020 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for finished bourbon.

Batch 001 | Launched March 2020

What Gary Says

Nose:  Soft oak, red wine cask, corn bread, dark fruit notes with subtle cherry.
Palate:  Sweet with vanilla, light caramel, nutmeg, subtle baking spices with red wine notes.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, damp with spice notes and tannic oak.
Comments:  This tastes like fairly young whiskey to me. That’s distinctly different than what I would call ‘small barrel craft’, as there isn’t anything objectionable, but it also isn’t very exciting. Very easy to drink, and not priced outrageously.  When ‘straight bourbon whiskey’ is on a label of a bottle of whiskey without an age statement, that should mean it is 4 years old.  I reached out and was informed that this product (and the other bourbons to be reviewed here forthcoming) are registered with the TTB as Distilled Spirits Specialty (DSS), and because it is stave finished versus barrel finished, it is not allowed to have any further age statement beyond “Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey”.  If that is how the TTB handles this, put me squarely in the camp of believing they are doing a disservice to consumers, as this only leads to confusion. But I digress – this is younger than 4 years old (2-3 years old, and I’d guess closer to the 2 year mark).  As there are more and more bourbons with cask finishes (which this isn’t exactly that, being finished with staves rather than IN various casks), this doesn’t stand out like it might have 5 years ago. The immaturity of the spirit may disappoint whiskey enthusiasts expecting something resembling a four year old bourbon.

Rating: Average

Broken Barrel California Oak Read More »

Aberlour A’bunadh Single Malt Scotch Whisky

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

Aberlour A’bunadh Batch 50
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

59.6% ABV
$90-$100
Website
Aberlour A’bunadh Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distillery Says

Sherried & Intense
Meaning ‘the original’ in Gaelic, A’bunadh is made in homage to Aberlour’s founder, James Fleming. A’bunadh is a whisky hand-made from start to finish with each batch being created to ensure a rich and complex flavour of moist raisin, and homemade fruit cake. It is bottled at cask strength resulting in a robust and deeply intense, sherried whisky.

Colour: Auburn gold
Nose: Aromas of mixed spices, praline and spiced orange harmonising with rich, deep notes of Oloroso Sherry
Palate: Orange, black cherries, dried fruit and ginger spiked with dark bitter chocolate and enriched with Sherry and Oak. Full bodied and creamy
Finish: Robust and intense with bitter-sweet notes of exotic spices, dark chocolate and oak

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, dark fruits with raisins, dates, stewed prunes, earthy Portobello mushrooms and wood polish, cocoa, caramel, grilled peaches, anise, smoked brisket and a hint of spent matches.
Palate:  Rich and intense with a thick mouthfeel, fruit explosion with prunes, raisins, pears, cherries, cinnamon red hots, anise, molasses and pepper.
Finish:  Long, syrupy thick with a cherry cough syrup note (but in a good way).
Comments:  Wow – Aberlour isn’t one of my favorite distilleries to be honest, as I usually get more than a hint of sulfur and spent matchsticks (which just aren’t my thing, but your mileage may vary). But this one is fantastic! Here that sulfur note is subtle, although some water brings it out a bit more, as well as amping up the anise (if I close my eyes, definitely get a black licorice vibe). This is a super dark dram. Do I wish it were age-stated? Yes – if only for the transparency; but based on what is in the bottle, this is delicious. I could give two sh!ts if they threw a splash of 3 year old in the batch (not suggesting they did!) Based on the intensity and complexity of flavors, and balance between the sweet and spicy notes, this is a damn nice pour!  So nice that in fact the first A’bunadh I ran across after trying this (a batch 64) I grabbed.  Also delicious, and pretty similar (just a tad lighter in color, and a bit less anise; I really like both although thought the nose on this one might be a tad more complex – but really splitting hairs).

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

Aberlour A’bunadh Single Malt Scotch Whisky Read More »

Ledaig Cadenhead 19 Year

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Ledaig 19 Year Cadenhead Small Batch
Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky

53.7% ABV
$200
Website
Ledaig 19 Year Cadenhead

What the Bottle/Tag Says

Ledaig Distillery
Region: Island
Founded: 1798
Water: Mishnish Loch

The original distillery founded in 1798 was known as Tobermory. The distillery was closed in 1930 and was reopened as Ledaig in 1972. Today Ledaig is the name used for the peated version of Tobermory.

The whisky in this bottle has not been treated to change its colour. It is free from additives and has not been subjected to chill filtration.

Tasting Note:
Nose: Oily, with a hint of sea breeze. Fennel, rosemary and some lemon thyme along with flashes of wet smoke.
Palate: Very oily and then some grassy notes, some wet smoke and hints of aniseed.
Finish: Soft smoke lingers with wet grass and some mineral notes.

Distilled: 1997
Bottled: 2016
Age: 19
Strength: 53.7%
Cask: 1 x Bourbon Hogshead
No. bottles: 240

What Gary Says

Nose:  Oily and medicinal with peat smoke, savory herbs of rosemary, oregano, tarragon and thyme, creosote, sea air, heather and wisps of smoked fish.
Palate:  Oily mouthfeel, peat, minerality, smoke, vanilla, raw honey, pepper spice and a hint of anise.
Finish:  Long and thick with smoke, peat and vegetal notes.
Comments: Compared to the 14 year, this is lighter in color and is absent the lovely fruit notes (both due to the bourbon cask rather than the sherry). This is much more of a peat beast, which I enjoy a really peat-focused dram on occasion. A bit of water thickens this up really nicely, bringing out more sweetness with vanilla, subtle caramel and a bit of white chocolate (and I love how it clouds up with some water – thank you non-chill filtration!) I’d recommend letting this sit in the glass for a bit, as it helps take some of the edge off.  A very different dram than the 14 year, and really highlights the influence of the cask itself.  While Laphroaig was my first true love in the world of Scotch, over the years I’ve found I definitely reach for more sherry and port matured whisky – but variety is the spice of life.

Rating: Stands Out

Ledaig Cadenhead 19 Year Read More »

Ledaig Gordon & MacPhail 14 Year

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Ledaig 14 Year Gordon & MacPhail
Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky

57.5% ABV
$140
Website
Ledaig 14 Year Gordon & MacPhail

What the Bottle Says

Cask Strength
LEDAIG
From Tobermory Distillery
DISTILLED: 21/09/2000
CASK: Refill Sherry Hogshead
BOTTLED: 20/01/2015
REGION: Island
Aged 14 Years In Oak Cask
Natural Colour | Non-Chill Filtered

Each expression in our Cask Strength range is unique. A small selection of casks is carefully chosen and the contents bottled – always at natural strength and colour, with no chill filtering.

LEDAIG FROM TOBERMORY DISTILLERY 2000, 57.5% ALC/VOL
Smoked cured meat aromas with hints of leather and orange. The palate is sweet with fruit flavors, complemented by hints of bonfire embers.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich fruit and peat, leather, pipe smoke, kiwi, nectarines, medicinal, tobacco, smoked pork roast and ashy.
Palate:  Thick and viscous mouthfeel, oily, fruitcake with a healthy dose of peat smoke, blood oranges, raisins, pepper spice, honey, walnuts, savory spice notes including tarragon.
Finish:  Long and syrupy sweet with dark fruits, pepper, peat and smoked meats.
Comments:  This is my 2nd Ledaig and is lovely! The non-chill filtration is much appreciated, and really adds so much to the mouthfeel and palate. Just thick and syrupy throughout. I love the balance between the sweet and savory. A bit of water thickens this up even more, and brings the fruit forward along with baked pastries. I picked this up at a local package store during the pandemic (February 2021). I am a fan of independent bottlings, although rarely do I buy a second bottle (figuring I’d rather have a new experience and try something else). This was an exception to that, and I’m glad I picked up a second bottle. I liked it so much, that while grabbing that second bottle (in January 2022), I picked up another independent bottling of Ledaig (this one a 19 year from Cadenhead).

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

Ledaig Gordon & MacPhail 14 Year Read More »