March 2022

Barrell Bourbon Batch 032

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Barrell Bourbon Batch 032

57.67% ABV
$90
Website
Barrell Bourbon Batch 032
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

Batch 032 began with a balance of two sets of barrels: a selection of 5 and 6-year-old barrels with a creamy and tropical profile and a selection of 6, 7 and 10-year-old barrels vatted for their complex, old, woody character. These two sets of barrels were slowly blended over three months. A small group of spice driven 7-year-old barrels with notes of cinnamon toast, coffee bean and chocolate were then carefully added to complete the blend. The result is a decadent and rich bourbon with layers of spice and nuttiness.

  • A blend of straight Bourbon Whiskeys
  • Distilled and aged in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana
  • Selection of 5, 6, 7, and 10-year-old barrels
  • Aged in American white oak barrels
  • Bottled in Kentucky
  • 115.34 proof cask strength bottling

FLAVOR NOTES
Focused squarely on fresh oak and grassy spirit, the aroma calls to mind chopping wood in the yard on a late summer’s morning. The palate is a similarly simple pleasure until a splash of water opens it up to reveal a massively textured whiskey: rich, and oily, it’s a trait that’s often described as “Kentucky chew.”

​Neat
Appearance: Tawny.
Nose: A wildflower meadow showing dandelion, nasturtium, and fennel. The floral qualities are intense and concentrated. Late summer fruits round out the profile, among them Rainier cherry, watermelon, and crushed apple. It all integrates seamlessly with aromas of fresh oak, cedar, and applewood, with just a hint of char. The overall impression is that of splitting wood out in the yard when the trees are laden with fruit and the flowers haven’t yet begun to fade.
Palate: Cinnamon rolls arrive with rich, buttery brioche dough, gooey caramel, and a spicy kick of cinnamon. The spice quickly expands to include wasabi and ginger. It’s underpinned by a savory undertone of boiled peanuts, and French butter.
Finish: Quite crisp, with an initial burst of sea spray and lemonade. These fade to reveal lingering notes of raspberry eau-de-vie and pastis.
With a few drops of spring water
Dilution wedges the concentrated floral notes further apart to reveal a whole new level of complexity. Lavender, lemon verbena, and pawpaw fill out the meadow. The palate transforms, with sugars and oils combining with fine tannin, light astringency, and spicy black peppercorn to create a massive, chewy mouthfeel. The finish, meanwhile, is like walking into an old spice shop with the commingled flavors of bitter orange peel, fennel-seed, and turmeric.

What Gary Says

Nose: Caramel, worn book leather, chocolate, cherries, fresh pancakes with brown sugar and melted butter, soft oak and cedar.
Palate: Thick and viscous mouthfeel, caramel drizzled pancakes, cinnamon, nutty with a hint of clove.
Finish: Moderately long, drying with chocolate, honey, cloves and pepper.
Comments: Another really great blend from the folks at Barrell Craft Spirits. I’ve yet to try one I didn’t like. Intense, complex, beautifully balanced and completely delicious! This thickens up nicely with some water, while maintaining the robust flavors. We usually see complexity with age, but this for me was every bit as complex as some of the prior releases that contained 15 and 16 year old barrels – which is a tribute to the craft of finding barrels that complement each other well.

Rating: Must Try

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Alberta Premium Canadian Rye Whisky

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Alberta Premium Canadian Rye Whisky

40% ABV
$25
Website
Alberta Premium Canadian Rye
We would like to thank Alberta Distillers and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

TORONTO, March 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Alberta Distillers Ltd, one of the first distilleries to create a true 100% rye whisky, are proud to announce the introduction of their signature core expression, Alberta® Premium to the U.S. for the first time. This stateside launch follows the successful relaunch of the highly coveted Alberta® Premium Cask Strength Rye into the U.S. in 2021. The premium 100% Canadian rye whisky currently boasts the title of the No. 1 selling 100% rye whisky in the world, as outlined by IWSR global sales numbers1, and is a true testament to the skill and craftsmanship of Alberta Distillers, which was named Distillery of the Decade by the 2020 Canadian Whisky Awards.

Crafted and distilled in Calgary, Alberta, Alberta Premium is made from 100% Canadian prairie rye grains grown by local farmers. The grains are uniquely nourished by nutrient-dense, glacier-fed spring water from the surrounding Rocky Mountains. The result is a perfectly balanced whisky with unique nuances of flavor that are influenced by the natural climate and environment in which it is made.

“We were thrilled by the response to our re-introduction of cask strength rye whisky to the U.S. last year, and this year we wanted to offer U.S. fans the opportunity to get their hands on the liquid we’re best known for,” remarked George Teichroeb, General Manager of Alberta Distillers. “Alberta Premium showcases exactly what true Canadian rye whisky can be, and we’re proud to continue the tradition of producing the gold standard for Canadian spirits and using 100% rye grains to craft this distinguished liquid.”

You can taste the great quality in every bottle of this distinctive and award-winning whisky*, which has earned high accolades such as Gold at the 2021 International Spirits Challenge, Platinum at the 2021 SIP Awards, and Excellent/Highly Recommended at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge in 2019. Best enjoyed neat with a drop of water, on the rocks, or in a classic cocktail, such as an Old Fashioned, this coveted whisky is packaged in an eye-catching, faceted glass bottle and features the following characteristics:

Alberta Premium will begin to hit shelves this month with a SRP of $24.99 for a 750ml bottle. This winning whisky continues to set the standard for premium rye whiskies, and as demand grows for Alberta Premium products, U.S. whisky fans can rest assured there’s more to come from Alberta Distillers in the months to come. For more information and to keep up to date on the latest news, follow Alberta Premium on Instagram and Facebook, or visit our websites at www.albertadistillers.com and adl75.ca, and visit us on social media at our Instagram and Facebook.

An explosive taste that is bold with its own unique earthy character, made with 100% Canadian Prairie Rye and aged for a minimum of 5 years, Alberta Premium is the original 100% rye.

Tasting Notes
An authentic prairie rye, this whisky has a rich gold colour, and aromas of banana, toffee and light spice. Expect the flavour to be mellow and smoky, with a finish of vanilla and spice.

What Gary Says

Nose: Cedar, vanilla cotton candy, grassy note with a hint of caramel.
Palate: Sweet with vanilla, maple candies, light caramel, nutmeg, honey and a hint of green apple cider.
Finish: Short to moderate in length with vanilla, green apples and gentle spice.
Comments: Compared to American rye (whether barely legal 51% rye mashbill or higher), this is quite a bit different – and is more gentle and mellow. I loved the Cask Strength Limited Editions (2020 & 2021). I wish this was a higher ABV than 40%, as this is a bit more mild than I prefer in a rye, but it is tasty and gives a different perspective on the grain – which is always welcomed. This has a longer finish than I expected as well.

Rating: Stands Out

1 IWSR 2013-2020; 2020 Case volumes: 336k 9-liter cases; June 30, 2021

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Wild Turkey Distiller’s Reserve 13 Year Old Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Wild Turkey Distiller’s Reserve 13 Year Old
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

45.5% ABV
$50-$70 (Japanese market)
Website
Wild Turkey Distillers Reserve 13 Year Bourbon

What the Distillery Says

(I think*)
The highest peak of Kentucky Straight Bourbon by a world-famous parent-child distiller.

There are parents and children who devote their lives and passions to making bourbon. Jimmy Russell and Eddie Russell continue to adhere to the traditional recipes of their predecessors and never compromise. After 13 years of aging while being nurtured by its sincere attitude and the rich nature of Kentucky, it is finished in a premium bourbon with a dignified style and a special taste suitable for Wild Turkey.

* The above is what Google Translate showed that Wild Turkey’s Japanese web-site (which I needed to VPN into Japan to get to) says about this product.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla, oak and rickhouse must, leather, baking spices with toasted orange zest.
Palate:  Soft caramel, vanilla, oak, cinnamon, nutmeg, faint sour citrus note with a bit of pepper.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with oak, caramel and soft pepper.
Comments:  For Wild Turkey fans, I’m guessing this is a miss more than a hit. It has that mature oak note (with the oak heavier on the nose than on the palate) but this lacks the spice kick I look for (and frankly expect) in Wild Turkey – and for the age, it isn’t as complex as I had hoped. The nose has more complexity for me than the palate. I was really looking forward to trying this, but was disappointed. I have fond memories of some dusty Wild Turkey 12 yr old bourbon, which this bears no resemblance to, but that probably wasn’t a fair expectation.  Maybe if this was a higher proof it would have delivered.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Smoke Wagon Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Smoke Wagon Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

50% ABV
$45-60
Website
Smoke Wagon Small Batch Bourbon

What the Producer Says

Our high rye content bourbon is aged in the heart of a century-old brick warehouse. To ensure a unique and consistent flavor, barrels are hand selected to create a perfect blend that is smooth and at the same time bold and intense.

Released in 2016, our goal was to create a unique great tasting high rye content bourbon. The problem is that rye ages much faster than corn. So while our younger vintages had a big rye spice flavor (which we love) the mouth feel was too thin and it lacked the sweet, delicate complexity of a well aged spirit. Our older vintages had the smoothness and sweet notes that can only be achieved by moving in and out of #4 char and caramelized oak for many, many years, but the nice rye spice had been aged out!

So what to do? Find the perfect blend.

We combined the two. The younger vintages maintain the bold spiciness of the rye, cut down on the tannins and keep it fruit forward. The older vintage brings in a creamy mouth feel with sweet aromas and taste notes that only appear over time from aging in a barrel. We hope you enjoy drinking it as much as we enjoy making it.

Nose: Balanced oak nose with hints of fruit and dried apricots.
Taste: Initial sweet notes on the front of the tongue. Well balanced mouth feel with spicy notes including white pepper on the middle and back of the tongue from the younger vintage and high rye mash bill. Good balance of sweet and oak flavors including hints of caramel (from the #4 charred barrels, caramelized wood sugar), fruit flavor and rye spice. Finishes smooth with no alcohol burn even at 100 proof.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla, oak, salted caramel, musty, cocoa, brown sugar and baked glazed cinnamon buns.
Palate:  Vanilla, caramel cream candies, cinnamon, oak, rye spice, pepper and subtle clove.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with caramel, pepper and oak.
Comments:  Spicy – not objectionable, but for $45 (or more) there are plenty of options for a spicy rye bourbon at nearly half the price that I like as well. Bit of water thickens it up a bit, and tamps the oak edges slightly.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Bushmills 25 Year Old Marsala Cask

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review / ,

Bushmills 25 Year Old Marsala Cask
Irish Single Malt Whiskey

Flaviar’s Bushmills “Rare Cask Series” Tasting Box
Sample ‘B’

50% ABV
Bushmills Potential Rare Cask Bottle
We would like to thank Flaviar and Bushmills  for the opportunity to try these rare whiskies!
NOTE: The samples were provided as part of a lottery through my personal Flaviar membership, and not provided directly for purposes of a review.

Wait – What is This?

In the summer/fall of 2020, Flaviar offered an opportunity to members to enter a lottery, the winners of which would have the opportunity to sample some rare Bushmills and vote on what would be the next ‘Rare Cask’. I was fortunate enough to be picked to participate, and received a 5 sample kit from Flaviar which included:

  • Bushmills 10 yr Single Malt
  • Bushmills 16 yr Single Malt
  • Sample A (Bushmills 28 Year Old PX Sherry Cask, 1992)
  • Sample B (Bushmills 25 Year Old Marsala Cask, 1995)
  • Sample C (Bushmills 23 Year Old Crystal Malt, 1997)

Flaviar stated that they would announce the winner with Bushmills. If that happened, I missed it (and as of Feburary 2022, Bushmill’s website only lists the initial Rare Cask release – although I saw some stores that had labels for ‘Rare Case 02’, so not sure if they released it quietly, or if they planned to but then changed course, or what happened). Regardless, I was waiting for such an announcement before posting these reviews – but as that may never happen – here they are!

The details below were compiled from what was provided by Flaviar with the samples, and the NightCap Live streaming event they hosted – which included the Bushmills brand ambassador Jack Ferris who provided additional details about the whiskies.

Includes whiskey first matured in bourbon casks for 10 years and Oloroso sherry casks for 10 years, combined and finished in Marsala casks for 14-15 years. Has notes of dried fruits, bit of anise, and more viscous sweetness.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, Marsala wine, honey, figs, dates, roasted walnuts, oak, tapioca, nutmeg, subtle cinnamon.
Palate:  Thick and rich mouthfeel, honey with spices, nutty, slight pepper bite, brown sugar, bit of tobacco, orange, apricots.
Finish:  Long with honeyed ginger and tobacco.
Comments:  An amazing dram (if you like Marsala, which I do – in fact this is only the 2nd whisk(e)y I’ve had with a Marsala cask maturation)! Compared to Sample A (28 yr PX Sherry Cask), this was more spicy, which I like. Love the high ABV and non-chill filtering, which is evident in the mouthfeel. This is the sample I voted for the next Bushmills Rare Cask offering, as I think we need more Marsala maturation offerings, and it is really delicious.

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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