Highland Park is truly a product of its environment. The distillery lays just a few degrees outside the bounds of the Arctic Circle on an island devoid of trees and ravaged by wind, yet relatively mild in temperature swings. This unique location coupled with the extra effort of floor malting their own barley on site are some of the components that lead to an awards list a mile long. This list includes many Gold and Double Gold medals for the distillery and its various bottlings. The barley is malted with local peat from Hobbister Moor, dense in heather, and providing an unusually floral characteristic to the smoke. The gale force winds carry the salt sea air through the barrel houses giving the whisky a salty tanginess that is all together different than the iodine characteristics of Islay. Weighing in at 53.1% alcohol and well below the $550 price tag of the 25 year old distillery bottling, this 20 year old Old Particular cask really struts the salt air and delicate floral smoke. Charged from a refill hogshead.
DL 12125 One of 263 bottles Distilled September 1997 Bottled September 2017 No Colouring | No Chill Filtration
What Gary Says
Nose: Tobacco, leather, toffee, peat, hint of dark fruits, bit of creosote, sea air, walnuts and oak. Palate: Honey, toffee, caramel, chocolate, nutty with spiced raisins, nutmeg, allspice and salty peat. Finish: Long, damp with honey, toffee and peat. Comments: Lighter in color than Highland Park’s standard distillery offering, and an interesting perspective without the sherry maturation. Water brings some fruit out and thickens the mouthfeel.
50% ABV $60 Website We would like to thank Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey and The Brand Guild for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
SHELBYVILLE, TENN. (November 10, 2022) — Nearest Green Distillery, makers of the most-awarded American Whiskey or Bourbon of 2019, 2020, and 2021, has announced that it will add three permanent expressions to its national portfolio before the end of 2022: Uncle Nearest Straight Rye Whiskey, Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Black Label and Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Rye. Uncle Nearest Straight Rye, launched today, is the brand’s first new whiskey available to purchase online and at retailers across the country since the 2019 release of its 1884 Small Batch Whiskey.
Uncle Nearest Straight Rye Whiskey furthers the brand’s commitment to honoring its namesake, Nearest Green, by creating the highest quality whiskeys possible. The November 10 release follows the sold-out launch of the distillery exclusive Uncle Nearest Uncut/Unfiltered Rye Whiskey, which has already been met with rave reviews by critics and has received awards from top competitions including being named Best in Class at The Drinks Business & The Spirits Business Autumn Tasting. The 100-proof straight rye, hand-selected by four-time Master Blender of the Year and great-great-granddaughter of Nearest Green, Victoria Eady Butler, features a bold, decadent nose; a palate brimming with light vanilla cream, caramelized sugar, and the unmistakable spice of rye; complimented by a long, rich finish.
“It took us a while to release our 100-proof straight rye whiskey. If we were going to add rye to our lineup, it had to be worthy of all the accolades and awards our other whiskeys receive,” said Master Blender Victoria Eady Butler. “My great-great-grandfather’s legacy of excellence requires us to take our time to do things differently. I’m confident he would have been so proud of this straight rye whiskey.”
Due to the challenges around growing rye in Tennessee, this whiskey originates in Canada – according to the exact American specifications required to be a straight rye whiskey – and is then aged in New York for a minimum of four years before moving down to Tennessee, where it is then rested in used Uncle Nearest barrels for additional maturation. The liquid is then tasted, barrel by barrel, and blended by Victoria.
“When I was doing my research on Nearest Green, I came across a handwritten letter from President William Taft,” said Fawn Weaver, founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest. “The letter was dated May 16, 1911, and was addressed to his U.S. Secretary of War, Jacob M. Dickinson, thanking him for sending his favorite rye whiskey ‘of the Lincoln County variety.’ This letter led me to believe rye whiskeys were being made in this area, so after I found that letter there was no doubt in my mind a straight rye whiskey would one day be added to our portfolio of whiskeys.”
This was a lofty experiment that worked. The results of this 100-percent rye mash bill, matured in used Uncle Nearest barrels before being bottled at 100-proof, keeps with our tradition of creating some of the most awarded whiskeys in the world. This is rye whiskey, elevated, hitting every mark with its rich flavor profile, incredible balance of spices, and extraordinarily smooth finish.
NOSE: Bold and decadent with notes of praline, nutmeg and white pepper. PALATE: Brimming with light vanilla cream, caramelized sugar and the unmistakable spice of rye. FINISH: Long, rich and well-balanced.
What Gary Says
Nose: Thick with fresh donuts with maple frosting, cedar, vanilla, bit of citrus and cinnamon. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, sweet with caramel, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, orange marmalade, mint and a bit of clove. Finish: Moderately long and damp with caramel, orange, chocolate and a mineral spice note. Comments: For fans of Canadian rye, this is a classic rendition of that – with a twist. That additional ‘maturation’ (which I’d refer to as ‘finishing’ if it were me – oh, and this is!) in used Uncle Nearest bourbon casks gives it a little something different. Not that Canadian rye has a lot of bite, but it tamps the edges a bit more and brings more caramel to the party. Adding a bit of water brings notes of toffee as well as a nuttiness I really enjoyed, although it is a lovely dram neat as well. This is similar to the recently released cask strength Uncle Nearest Uncut/Unfiltered Straight Rye. I did a side-by-side comparison (diluting that to 50% ABV), and they are quite similar – but not identical.
7 Years, 4 Months, 14 Days 63.25% ABV $90 Website We would like to thank Beam Suntory and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.
What the Distillery Says:
This batch is named after Booker Noe’s signature drink, which he fondly referred to as Kentucky Tea. As one could imagine, Booker loved the flavor of bourbon, especially his namesake brand, Booker’s Bourbon. Since the flavor still pulls through when mixed with water, Booker would add one part bourbon to four parts water and enjoy his Kentucky Tea with dinner.
One night, when a reporter was at Booker’s house for supper, he asked why he drank Kentucky Tea. Booker shared that there was no reason to flavor his water with tea leaves when he could flavor his water with bourbon. It was that simple – Kentucky Tea was his drink. He would drink it with a country ham or fish dinner and would talk about how the flavor notes of the Kentucky Tea was a perfect complement to the food.
TASTING NOTES Like all batches of Booker’s Bourbon, Booker’s “Kentucky Tea Batch” was selected by Seventh Generation Master Distiller Fred Noe to ensure it upholds the qualities and standards that his dad set for Booker’s Bourbon more than 30 years ago. Uncut and unfiltered, this batch has the following characteristics: PROOF: 126.5 AGE: 7 years, 4 months and 14 days BATCH NOTES: Booker’s “Kentucky Tea Batch” has a golden amber color and a dark, sweet vanilla aroma. It has a rich sweet vanilla taste with a lingering finish. SIPPING SUGGESTIONS: Booker’s “Kentucky Tea” is best enjoyed neat.
What Gary Says
Nose: Rich with caramel, vanilla, oak, peanut brittle, cocoa, cinnamon, bit of clove and brown sugar. Palate: Thick mouthfeel with burnt brownie corners, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, peanut brittle, bit of citrus. Finish: Moderately long with oak, caramel and pepper spice notes. Comments: Another truly classic Booker’s, and the streak continues with it being many years since I’ve had a batch I didn’t care much for. I’m really encouraged to see the age creeping up, although age isn’t everything. I don’t have prior batches to do a true blind side-by-side with, but there were some that were a bit younger in the last couple of years I personally enjoyed better – which isn’t to throw shade at this batch. If you have had Booker’s before and enjoyed it, this won’t disappoint. I’m not afraid to throw a little water at a bourbon; many benefit from at least a few drops – and some more than that. Others can fall apart. Honestly, I expected to really not like ‘Kentucky Tea’ with 4x water than bourbon, but it surprised me. It gives that hint of bourbon flavor, and if you make a tall glass (like 8oz water, 2 oz bourbon), I could see that being dangerous. You definitely lose the complexity and nuance, so not sure I’d personally use Booker’s for this recipe, but I’m glad I tried it.
Remus Gatsby Reserve 2022 15 Years Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey
48.9% ABV $200 Website We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.
What the Producer Says
LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. (Sept. 29, 2022) – Ross & Squibb Distillery announced the latest member of the Remus Bourbon family: Remus Gatsby Reserve. Released to celebrate F. Scott Fitzgerald’s legendary novel, “The Great Gatsby”, a century ago – from its events in 1922 to its publication in 1925 – Remus Gatsby Reserve is bottled at 97.8 proof (48.9 ABV) and offered in ultra-limited quantities at a minimum suggested retail price of $199.99 per 750-ml bottle.
Crafted by master distiller Ian Stirsman and his team at Ross & Squibb Distillery, Remus Gatsby Reserve is made with the 175-year-old Lawrenceburg, Indiana, distillery’s finest 15-year-old reserves of straight bourbon whiskey and is offered at cask strength. Hitting shelves this October, Remus Gatsby Reserve leads with rich aromas of dried candied fruit, caramelized pecans, charred oak and tobacco, and the taste profile is characterized by flavors of candied fruit, syrup, leather, and cherry, while the finish lingers with notes of cinnamon, char, and oak.
“The Remus Bourbon brand has provided our team an opportunity to showcase the great bourbon whiskey produced at Ross & Squibb,” said Stirsman. “Like the Remus Repeal Reserve series, Remus Gatsby Reserve gave us a chance to showcase some of the best bourbons we have – in this case, some of the finest 15-year-old bourbons in our reserves. Remus Gatsby Reserve is certain to be a highly sought-after member of the Remus Bourbon family, particularly given its limited production.”
“The Remus Bourbon brand is inspired by the finest bourbon of the Prohibition era, and ‘The Great Gatsby’ offers arguably the most well-known depiction of those times,” said Shanae Randolph, brand manager for Remus Bourbon. “With its Art-Deco-inspired design, Remus Gatsby Reserve will serve as yet another authentic way for the Remus brand to transport bourbon fans back to the excitement of the Roaring 20s.”
What Gary Says
Nose: Mature oak, worn leather, salted caramel, tobacco, dried orchard fruits with apple, pear and cherry, nutty with pecans and walnuts, brown sugar and vanilla. Palate: Thick mouthfeel with caramel, cinnamon dusted apples and pears, nutmeg, bit of cherry and citrus, chocolate and a hint of ginger. Finish: Long, syrupy and damp with oak, spices and caramel. Comments: A very nice mature bourbon! Lot of complexity on both the nose and palate, and nicely balanced where the oak isn’t excessive (in fact, for 15 years the oak is on the mild side, which I prefer). This is really low proof for a cask strength bourbon, and speaks to how it was aged – almost certainly on a lower floor or in a temperature controlled environment – assuming that it went into the barrel at the typical 62.5% ABV. That is pretty unique, but the few really low proof cask strength bourbons I’ve had all seemed to punch above their weight when it came to flavor intensity. It doesn’t need any water, but a few drops doesn’t hurt it – and brings notes of chocolate chip cookies. From start to finish, this is a lovely pour!
Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye 2022 Canadian Rye Whisky
63.5% ABV $80 Website We would like to thank Alberta Distillers and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.
What the Distillery Says
Alberta Distillers Ltd, makers of Alberta Premium, the No. 1 selling 100% rye whisky in the world*, is proud to share the 2022 release of its limited edition Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye.
Originally released in 2020, this year marks the third release of this anticipated limited edition liquid. Crafted and distilled in Calgary, Alberta, this 100% rye whisky is influenced by the surrounding environment in which it is made, and uses pure 100% prairie rye mash bills and glacier-fed spring water from the famed Rocky Mountains. This results in a very sippable whisky, best enjoyed neat with a drop of water or on the rocks.
TASTING NOTES Packaged in an eye-catching, faceted glass bottle, Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye features the below characteristics: Proof: 127 Taste: Exceptionally smooth with notes of caramel, vanilla and a hint of chocolate balanced with the spiciness of rye and black currant Finish: Smooth and lingering with the complexity of spice, warm vanilla and dark fruit Drink Recommendations: Neat with a drop of water or on the rocks
* According to the 2021 IWSR Drinks Market Analysis
What Gary Says
Nose: Vanilla buttercream frosting, maple candies, cedar shavings, nutmeg, oak and freshly baked donuts. Palate: Warm and chewy, caramel, vanilla, chocolate, baking spices of cinnamon and nutmeg with a bit of orange. Finish: Moderately long and drying with mint, baking spices and a bit of citrus. Comments: This is incredibly similar to the 2020 edition (which was incredibly similar to the 2021 offering!) In fact I did a three way blind tasting (with two glasses containing the 2020 and one containing the 2022), and I couldn’t pick out which was different. In looking back, I had picked up more mint last year but that’s probably just me. This is a fantastic rye, and one of the few 100% rye cask strength options on the market. Maturing in Canada gives it a unique profile from American 100% rye. If I didn’t have one and saw this on the shelf – it would be an automatic buy for me (since I’ve tried it!)
