March 2023

Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Bourbon
Batch 141c

57.58% ABV
$75-$85
Website
Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Bourbon

What the Producer Says

No water added because none is needed.

We took the same vintage blending philosophy that we used to create Small Batch, except this time the goal was to create high proof bourbon that tasted its best neat. Uncut is so rich and sweet with an unbelievably thick mouth feel, the heat and rye spice finish are a welcome addition. It’s like milk with cookies!

Blending vintages of our high rye mash bill to achieve this flavor profile at 115-116 plus proof was a very rewarding challenge for us. There is a delicate balance between creamy mouthfeel, tannins and sugars that comes into play that makes the end result magical. Older vintages have more evaporation which means a higher concentration of fats and sugars per ounce which gives them a nice creamy mouthfeel as well as caramel and honey goodness. They also have more tannins because alcohol has been in contact with the wood for longer. A lot of what some perceive as alcohol burn is actually a harshness due to tannins. This can counterbalance the benefit gained by the high concentration of lipid esters insulating your pallet from alcohol heat. There needs to be enough of the older bourbon for the oak flavors and mouthfeel, but also some younger ones to cut back on the tannins and bring in some delicate fruit and caramel flavors.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Salted caramel, fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, vanilla, dark chocolate, cherries, hint of black currants.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, vanilla wafers, caramel sauce, dusting of cinnamon and nutmeg, fudge, honey, oak and a hint of ginger snaps.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with caramel, ginger and pepper.
Comments:  Very nice cask strength bourbon. The non-chill filtration stands out with the mouthfeel, which is almost chewy, and also adds to the depth of flavor. I wasn’t impressed with the Smoke Wagon Small Batch bourbon – not finding it bad but just overpriced for what I thought it was. Honestly, I didn’t want to like this one mainly because of all of the hype (not that I don’t like Indiana distilled bourbon), so I went into this one with a skeptical eye (or nose?). But I really liked it every time I tried it. Takes water really well, keeping that viscous mouthfeel.

Rating: Must Try

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Smooth Ambler Founders’ Cask Strength Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Smooth Ambler Founders’ Cask Strength Series
Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Bourbon Mashbill 2
2022 Batch 4
6 Years old

61.4% ABV
$55
Website
Smooth Ambler Founders Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Smooth Ambler and Cork + Knife for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

We love sharing our homemade liquid because we get to let y’all taste what makes our part of the world so perfect for making whiskey. With this Bourbon recipe, we add a modest amount of rye to play well with our casks in the Appalachian climate. It’s a surprising meddling of flavors and geographical super powers that just work effortlessly.

Didn’t know we made a rye-backed Bourbon? Yeah… we didn’t but now we do. You’re welcome. So please enjoy this newly minted convergence of flavors from our home to yours.

SUBTLE SPICE? IT’S NICE
UNIQUE BATCHES? YOU BET
LOW RYE BOURBON? COOL HUH!
CASK STRENGTH? ALWAYS

Graham Cracker, Dark Chocolate, Cherry, Allspice

DISTILLED IN WEST VIRGINIA

71% CORN
21% RYE
8% MALTED BARLEY

What Gary Says

Nose:  Caramel, vanilla, charred oak, fall leaves, dark chocolate, smoke, orange zest, cherries and a hint of root beer.
Palate:  Chewy mouthfeel, caramel, dark chocolate, walnuts, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, orange bitters, cola, graham crackers and a bit of molasses.
Finish:  Moderate in length, drying with nutty caramel and pepper spice.
Comments:  I’ve been a fan of Smooth Ambler since the ‘old days’ (in fact, I still have some of their sourced barrel proof rye stashed), but didn’t love Contradiction (which blends sourced whiskey with their own make). So I was excited for the opportunity to try something that is all their own whiskey. This is a really nice, solid, straight down the middle of the plate bourbon. Well balanced, just a bit of spice and not too much oak. In my opinion, 6 years is a really solid age for bourbon (not that I don’t love a four-year old bottled-in-bond, but I find 6-8 years old to be right in my wheelhouse). Also appreciate the price point given the age and proof. While a smaller distillery (have heard some refer to them as one of the ‘original craft distilleries’), this is doesn’t come across like a small distillery “figuring things out”. This takes water well, bringing out notes of fresh tobacco on the nose and rice putting on the palate.

Rating: Stands Out

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Redbreast 27 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review / ,

Redbreast 27 Year Old
Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Batch B1/19

54.6% ABV
$500
Website
Redbreast 27 Yr Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

What the Distillery Says

The oldest permanent release in the Redbreast family, 27-Year-Old is a Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey comprising exclusively of Pot Still whiskeys which have been triple distilled, matured in the finest bourbon, sherry and ruby port casks for no less than 27 years, and left untouched.

NOSE: A succulent medley of exotic fruits, mango, pineapple, blood orange and ripe red berries are complemented by fresh herbs, aromatic oils and wood spices. Vanilla sweetness and treacle toffee add to the richness, while walnuts and toasted oak acknowledge the contribution from a supreme cask selection.

TASTE: Incredibly rich in texture with a luxuriously fruity introduction. Ripe red fleshed plums, black cherries and summer berries are balanced by the prickle of a hint of chili oil. The taste evolves as cherry menthol introduces vanilla and cinnamon sweet spices combined with red pepper, nutmeg and toasted oak for an intriguing complexity.

FINISH: A satisfyingly long balance of ripe fruit and wood spices, worthy of a journey of nearly three decades.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich fruitcake with a tropical fruit twist, candied pineapple, mango, kiwi, apricots, hints of port and marsala wine, peaches, nutmeg, honey and floral notes.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, intense fruit with plums, blackcurrants, raisins, peaches, black cherries, pears, vanilla, honey, dark chocolate and toffee.
Finish:  Long with dark fruit and a slow build in spices.
Comments:  This is just a magnificent whiskey. The nose is complex and layered, and benefits from some time in the glass (it waited 27 years to be bottled; pour it and give it a half hour and you’ll be glad you did!) Bit of water brings out some salted caramel on the nose, and brings the spice notes forward more on the palate, although this drinks lovely neat. The only reason this isn’t a solid ‘Must Buy’ from me is the price (I’m thankful that Richard shared a sample, and I am enjoying every last drop!)

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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Redbreast Pedro Ximénez Edition

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review / ,

Redbreast Pedro Ximénez Edition
Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Finished in PX Sherry Hogsheads

46% ABV
$105-$130
Website

Redbreast PX Edition Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

What the Bottle* Says

UNIQUE among the family, Redbreast Pedro Ximénez edition is a SINGLE POT STILL WHISKEY, tripled distilled, initially matured in BOURBON AND OLOROSO SHERRY CASKS before being re-casked in delectable PEDRO XIMÉNEZ HOGSHEADS for a sweet finish.

Mixed FRUIT compote with a squeeze of ORANGE ZEST combined with LIQUORICE and WOOD SPICES.

* No mention of this offering on Redbreast’s website, so above details are from the bottle/packaging itself.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich fruit with blood orange, cranberry, honey, raisins, nutmeg, cloves, caramel, dates, cinnamon and a hint of balsamic.
Palate:  Thick and syrupy, sweet fruitcake with plums, candied orange, caramel and nutmeg.
Finish:  Moderately long with dark fruit jam and spices.
Comments:  I’m a fan of Redbreast and PX finished (or matured) whiskey, but this is borderline ‘too sweet’ for me. It doesn’t cross the line, but it inches right up to it (and I’ve been told I like sweet whiskey; so if you find things ‘too sweet’ that your friends think is fine – this may be much for you). A bit of water opens it up nicely. I think back to the days when Redbreast 12 Year Cask Strength were on the shelves for $60 and think this is probably overpriced – then remember those days are long gone. I really enjoyed this, but it isn’t as complex as others (no age statement, so not sure how old).

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Lost Irish Whiskey

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review /

Lost Irish
Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey

Finished in casks from all corners of the world

40% ABV
$37-$45
Website
Lost Irish Whiskey
We would like to thank Lost Irish and Cork + Knife for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Lost Irish is an adventurous Irish Whiskey made from six worlds in three styles to embody the wandering Irish spirit.

SIX WORLDS
Our casks, collected from six continents, reflect Ireland’s true home: the world. Over 70 Million Irish are dispersed throughout the same continents we source our casks from. This global influence makes our Whiskey more interesting and richer.

AFRICA: South African Brandy Casks
ASIA: Japanese Mizunara Oak
EUROPE: Sherry Casks
NORTH AMERICA: U.S. Bourbon Casks, Caribbean Rum Casks
OCEANIA: Australian Tawny Casks
SOUTH AMERICA: Colombian Rum Casks

THREE STYLES

Our drive for the best led us to experiment with all three styles of Irish Whiskey at once. This combination balances flavour and complexity: grain lends sweetness, malt adds fruitiness, and pot still contributes spice and cream.

GRAIN FOR SWEETNESS
MALT FOR FRUITINESS
POT STILL FOR CREAMINESS + SPICE

TRIPLE DISTILLED
While our adventurous spirit brings creativity and originality, there are some traditions just too good to lose. Lost Irish celebrates Irish tradition with triple distillation for a renowned smoothness unlike other whiskeys.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla buttercream frosting, fruity with peaches and banana, grassy, sandalwood, shortbread, subtle wood spices.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, vanilla, orange blossom honey, peaches, shortbread cookies, cinnamon, cereal notes and a hint of caramel.
Finish:  Short with honey and porridge.
Comments:  The nose has a lot going on, perhaps too much for some (although I like trying to pick the various pieces out). The palate is more direct, and reflects a younger whiskey.  A nice mouthfeel, and an easy sipper with no objectionable notes. Wish this was bottled at a higher ABV, and with more age this could be something really special.

Rating: Stands Out

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