Gary

Managing apostle and whiskey enthusiast

Martell Blue Swift and Holiday Cocktails

/ / Cocktails, Other Spirits, Review

Whiskey/whisky is our primary focus with nearly 750 whisk(e)y reviews, but the holidays are often a gathering of friends and family, some of whom may enjoy a drink but not particularly whisk(e)y. Even for us fans of the water of life, it is nice to change things up from time to time, and to give folks some thoughts as they consider holiday shopping.

I’ll examine Martell Blue Swift (a spirit drink made of cognac V.S.O.P. that is finished in bourbon barrels) neat and in our traditional review format. Then I’ll try it in some of their recommended cocktail recipes and share my thoughts.  We would like to thank Martell and Ketchum for sending us a sample to review, as well as the cocktail recipes!

Martell Blue Swift

40% ABV
$45-$50
Website
Martell Blue Swift

What the Producer Says

An audacious combination. Martell Blue Swift is made of cognac VSOP then finished in Bourbon Barrels.

The Color: Copper with golden highlights.
The Aroma: Gourmet notes of banana and caramelised pear introduce the subtle sweetness of vanilla, coconut and spices.
The Taste: A sensation of fullness and generosity with notes of ginger and candied fruit, followed by distinctive hints of toasted oak from the Kentucky bourbon casks.

In 1783, Martell was the first Maison to ship cognac to the United States. Today, Martell celebrates this history with another first: Martell Blue Swift, the first-ever spirit drink made of cognac VSOP and finished in bourbon casks.

Through Martell’s signature distillation process, the eaux-de-vie absorbs the rich aromatic tones of the bourbon cask. The result is Martell’s hallmark style – delicate notes of candied fruit and plum – complemented by the subtle sweetness of vanilla and toasted oak from the casks. Exceptionally smooth, with a rounded taste and unique character.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Grapey with raisins, oak, over-ripe bananas, vanilla flan, nutmeg, allspice, anise, and wisps of apple cider and toffee.
Palate:  Sweet and fruity with ginger and pear, vanilla with lovely baking spices of cinnamon, clove and a touch of pepper.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, slightly drying with grapes, dried orchard fruit, and oak.
Comments:  I apologize to cognac conniseurs, as I am absolutely a cognac novice.  While that experience is quite limited, this definitely has more oomph with oak and spice notes than a typical V.S.O.P.  As a fan of bourbon, I appreciate the influence that finishing is bringing to this party.

Rating: Stands Out

Now onto the cocktails! This first one is for the holidays; the second is what was on the packaging of the provided sample of Martell Blue Swift Limited Edition by Ghetto Gastro, which includes a julep cup (so how can you not try a julep!)

Martell Blue Swift Ghetta Gastro gift box

Swift Cider Punch
  • 1 part Martell Blue Swift
  • 2 parts Apple cider
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Apple slices and cinnamon sticks for garnish
  1. Place few ice cubes into the shakers
  2. Pour Blue Swift, apple cider, and bitters
  3. Shake ingredients together and pour into a wine tumbler
  4. Garnish with apple slices and cinnamon sticks

Swift Cider Punch

What Gary Thought: The apple cider definitely gives it a fall vibe, although I found that the apple cider overpowered the Martell Blue Swift.  This was very easy drinking.  My wife who isn’t a big cocktail fan enjoyed it (although thought maybe serving it warm would be better).  I get that cocktails aren’t designed to make the alcohol component the lead, but I tried this at more of an equal ratio of Martell Blue Swift to apple cider and enjoyed that much more.

Martell Julep
  • 2 parts Martell Blue Swift
  • 0.5 part sugar syrup (simple syrup)
  • 10-12 fresh mint leaves
  1. Press the mint leaves in a julep cup with a flat-end bar spoon or a muddler
  2. Add Martell Blue Swift and sugar syrup
  3. Fill with crushed ice
  4. Stir until the cup is well frosted
  5. Garnish with a grated nutmeg and a pine sprig

Martell Julep

What Gary Thought: I skipped the pine sprig and went with mint instead (although did have some whole nutmeg which to grate over the top).  The mint julep is a classic bourbon cocktail, so as a whisk(e)y enthusiast I was excited to try this.  I’ll confess that I took some liberties with the instructions (such as adding the simple syrup with the leaves before muddling, as this is what I’ve always done and seen done when I’ve ordered this drink), but kept the proportions the same.  Compared to a classic mint julep with bourbon, this is a tad sweeter.  I really like the touch of the freshly grated nutmeg (I did just two passes over my glass – image below).

Martell Julep with nutmeg dusting

The provided julep cup worked well, and frosted up nicely.  I think fans of mint juleps would enjoy this as a fresh take, and the nutmeg gives it a bit of a holiday feel.

Cheers!
Gary

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Blanton’s Gold

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Blanton’s Gold

51.5% ABV
$70-$90
Website
Blanton's Gold

What the Distillery Says

Blanton’s Gold Edition was created for discerning bourbon aficionados who appreciate exceptional smoothness and complexity in their bourbon whiskey. The nose is first marked by spicy rye and tobacco notes. Caramel and honey follow soon after, mingled with dark fruit and citrus notes. The palate emulates the same complex nose with rye, tobacco, and honey at the forefront. Round and bold notes of charred oak and vanilla carry you through to an extremely long and harmonious finish. This bourbon consistently delivers on balance and character, on par with the world’s finest whiskey. Best served neat or with a splash of water. Bottled at 51.5% alcohol by volume.

*Not available in the United States. Only available in select international markets.

What Gary Says

Nose: Rich sweetness, brown sugar, oak, toffee, vanilla, cinnamon, dark chocolate, hints of dark cherries.
Palate:  Sweet and thick, salted caramel, vanilla, notes of chocolate with cinnamon and a hint of . . . root beer?
Finish:  Moderately long with trailing notes of chocolate, root beer, and pepper.
Comments:  Delicious bourbon, wish this was available here in the United States. Takes water well, bringing out a little blood orange. The ‘root beer’ notes were a pleasant surprise (don’t get that often!) As a single barrel, maybe this one was really unique – I don’t know. While it is delicious, it isn’t always easy to get in those international markets where it is offered (so I might buy it on-sight just because you might not get another chance). A cut above Blantons, although not sure it is the cut that the price (and scarcity) would have you believe.

Rating: Must Try

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Canadian Club Chronicles 42 Year Old

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Canadian Club Chronicles 42 Year Old
Issue No. 2: The Dock Man

45% ABV
$300
Website
Canadian Club Chronicles 42 Yrs Old
We would like to thank Canadian Club and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Canadian Club®, an iconic whisky that has propelled the Canadian whisky category to fame for more than 150 years, is proud to announce the second release within the CC Chronicles™/MC premium release series: Canadian Club® 42 Year Old. The limited-edition expression, also known as Issue No. 2: The Dock Man, celebrates the dock worker of years past who consistently delivered quality whisky to bar owners and drinkers when counterfeit whisky ran rampant during the Prohibition era.

Batched and barreled more than four decades ago, Canadian Club 42 Year Old is masterfully blended to showcase robust rye spice, delicate notes of brown sugar and baking spices to create an exceptionally rich, smooth taste. As a result, this exquisite marque leaves fans with the complex, yet rich flavor profile Canadian Club is best known for.

“At Canadian Club, we pride ourselves on our commitment to consistently crafting superior Canadian whisky,” Global Whisky Ambassador Tish Harcus said. “For more than 150 years, we’ve consistently delivered quality expressions to whisky drinkers, and the release of Canadian Club 42 Year Old continues this tradition. Following the success of our first CC Chronicles release last year, we’re excited to unveil another premium, distinctive whisky that endures the test of time.”

Launched in 2018, CC Chronicles is a series of premium, limited-edition expressions created to celebrate the brand’s rich history and commitment to producing authentic whisky. Each issue within the Chronicles will represent an iconic moment in Canadian Club’s rich history. The series launched with the release of Canadian Club® 41 Year Old, celebrating the Water of Windsor, which was named Canadian Whisky of the Year in the 2019 Jim Murray Whisky Bible. Canadian Club 42 Year Old marks the second release within the series.

Canadian Club 42 Year Old delivers a perfect balance of smooth and intense flavor characteristics to deliver optimal taste:

Aroma: Robust rye spice, caramel, and oak with a hint of char
Palette: Pleasantly warm and slightly sweet with delicate notes of brown sugar and baking spices balanced with oak and rye spiciness
Finish: Lingering taste of toffee and a subtle tartness of the palate

Canadian Club 42 Year Old will be available across the U.S. in very limited quantities with a suggested retail price of $299.95 for a 750ml bottle.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Caramel cream candies, soft baking spices, nutmeg with a gentle citrus note (maybe lemon cream pie>), a wisp of oak over a slightly floral note.
Palate:  Sweet with caramel, brown sugar, a touch of maple candies with a hint of lemon, gentle cinnamon and pepper spice.
Finish:  Moderately long with notes of caramel and pepper spice.
Comments:  This is a soft and gentle dram, squarely in the Canadian Club family style. While soft, it packs a lot of flavor for 45% ABV, and is very well balanced with complexity but not as much oak as you might expect with 42 years. I can’t imagine fans of Canadian Club looking for a super-premium dram being disappointed in this. Is it worth $300? That’s for you to decide. There aren’t many (any?) 40+ year old Canadian whiskies on the market to compare against, and there are folks who would pay $300 for a 6 yr barrel proof rye in the US. I’m not one of them, but my point is value is in the eye of the buyer. I do think this stands out as markedly more complex than any other Canadian Club offering I’ve tried.

Rating: Stands Out

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Heaven Hill Select Stock Bourbon SB.com Pick 2

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Heaven Hill Select Stock Bourbon
StraightBourbon.com Second Barrel Pick

62.3% ABV
$75
Website
Heaven Hill Select Stock

What the Bottle Says

(Why the bottle? Well, this isn’t mentioned on Heaven Hill’s web-site. The “Select Stock” label is something they’ve used for some one-off barrels (like these) or for limited gift shop releases. This is the 2nd private pick by Straightbourbon.com under this label)
Barrel Serial No: 00004828
Lot ID: 03I24A
Rickhouse/Floor: J-6 | Rack/Tier: 0-0
Special Characteristics: 8 year old Wheated Bourbon Finished in Cognac barrels for 27 months
Bottle 176 of 426
Distillation Date: 9/24/2003
Bottled Date: 5/2/2014

Hand Selected for StraightBourbon.com to raise funds for the Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund and fight against ALS.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Damn near the same as the first barrel pick, heavy vanilla, caramel, nice oak with a bit more of the dark cherries, a slight floral note along with some chocolate orange in the back.
Palate:  Very similar, warm, thick and sweet, a bit more velvety mouthfeel, caramel fudge with loads of vanilla, black cherry with a little more cinnamon and nutmeg (maybe a hint of clove), freshly cracked pepper.
Finish:  Long, slightly drying with cinnamon more prominent.
Comments:  Tasting this side by side with the first barrel pick, they are incredibly similar.  I had already opened my bottle from the first barrel when the opportunity for this one came around, and I signed up for basically as many as I could get.  Spending an extra 8 months in the cognac barrel – I thought there was a chance that it might be more heavy handed.  Not the case, at least for my palate.  The differences are very subtle and nuanced.  Again – not likely you’ll ever see this, but if you do – highly recommend trying it!

Rating: Must Buy

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Heaven Hill Select Stock Bourbon SB.com Pick 1

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Heaven Hill Select Stock Bourbon
StraightBourbon.com First Barrel Pick

63.8% ABV
$75
Website
Heaven Hill Select Stock

What the Bottle Says

(Why the bottle? Well, this isn’t mentioned on Heaven Hill’s web-site. The “Select Stock” label is something they’ve used for some one-off barrels (like these) or for limited gift shop releases. In fact this may have been the first release under the label, but I’m not positive. It is definitely one of the first!)
Barrel Serial No: 00004826
Lot ID: 03I24A
Rickhouse/Floor: J-6 | Rack/Tier: 0-0
Special Characteristics: 8 year old Wheated Bourbon Finished in Cognac barrels for 19 months
Bottle 249 of 366
Distillation Date: 9/24/2003
Bottled Date: 9/19/2013

Hand Selected for StraightBourbon.com to raise funds for the Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund and fight against ALS.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich vanilla bean, salted caramel, summer rickhouse oak with nutmeg, cinnamon, dark cherries, chocolate, a hint of clove and a faint hint of black tea.
Palate:  Warm, thick sweet caramel/vanilla fudge, black cherry ice cream with cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg, a bit of freshly cracked pepper.
Finish:  Long, slightly drying with floral vanilla and cinnamon notes.
Comments:  On the nose this is a tad sharp, but at 63.8% that’s understandable. When this was offered to a select number of active community members on Straightbourbon.com, I was honored to be included – but also a bit nervous. At that time, $75 was a LOT of money for me to spend on a bottle of whiskey. I had tried the Parker’s Heritage Collection 5th edition, which was a rye-mashbill bourbon finished in cognac barrels, and I wasn’t overwhelmed. But, the proceeds were going to a good cause, so I definitely wanted to participate, and I only asked to purchase two of these. DOH! I wish I had gotten more. The cognac finish is subtle, giving it a little bit of black cherry notes, but not overpowering the bourbon. Unfortunately with only 366 bottles (and all going to members of that community, who each pledged NOT to sell them – although a couple have been), your odds of ever seeing this are close to nill. But if you ever happen upon an open bottle at some gathering, I’d make sure I got a taste!  As I prepare for Thanksgiving tomorrow, giving thanks for having had the opportunity to be part of the amazing Straightbourbon.com community.

Rating: Must Buy

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