Gary

Managing apostle and whiskey enthusiast

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2017

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2017

48% ABV
$80
Website

What the Distiller Says

The 2017 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon was drawn from 12 year old barrels from different warehouses and floors. A total of 120 barrels; 93 barrels matured together on the 4th floor of G warehouse, yielding an extremely spice forward expression. The remaining 27 barrels matured together on the 5th floor of K warehouse contributing a rounding sweetness to the blend. Several barrels from both lots basked in the sun, highlighting the effects of maturation along an external wall.

Barreled on May 27, 2005 – Old Forester 2017 Birthday Bourbon is offered at 96 and 95.4 Proof.

TASTING NOTES
COLOR: Bright golden honey
AROMA: Sweet toasted oak and black pepper with a heavy suggestion of orange oil and toffee
TASTE: Oak spice and charred black pepper dominate over a subtle core of chocolate custard and kola nut.
FINISH: Spicy perimeter mouthfeel that slowly cascades off revealing floral undertones and cocoa powder.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla, salted caramel, solid dose of oak, brown sugar,  allspice and a hint of raisins; a bit sharp as well.
Palate:  Vanilla, caramel apple, allspice, cinnamon with oaky pepper spice.
Finish:  Short to moderately in length, drying with pepper spice notes.
Comments:  I haven’t bought an Old Forester Birthday Bourbon in many years.  Each year is a bit different; some years have been flat out delicious, where other years have been pretty unremarkable – at least for my palate.  This one sits squarely in that latter camp for me.  Pretty oaky, a bit on the sharp side, and just not well balanced.  When they were $35 a throw, I didn’t mind taking the gamble on what it might be, but at $80 – I expect a consistently great bourbon; because in that price tier – you should.  Maybe others find this hitting right in their wheelhouse consistently; if so – this didn’t strike me as anything particularly off-putting.  Just not particularly special.

Rating: Average

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Four Roses 130th Anniversary Small Batch Limited Edition 2018

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Four Roses 130th Anniversary Small Batch Limited Edition 2018

54.2% ABV
$140
Website

What the Distiller Says

If you’d like to experience some of the best Bourbons we’ve ever put in a bottle, ask about our Limited Edition bottlings at your favorite bar or liquor store. From time to time, our Master Distiller hand selects a few exceptional barrels from our 10 Bourbon recipes for these special releases. Each is non-chill filtered and barrel strength, so you get to savor them exactly as they come out of the barrel. Look for them. Find them. Collect them. Share them. Or not.

TASTING NOTES
Nose: Warm aromas of rich vanilla, mingled with raspberries, crème brûlée and ripe berries.
Palate: Bright apricot flavors greet the palate, then give way to hints of mint, cinnamon, apple and mellow oak.
Finish: Very long, with notes of cinnamon, more fruit and vanilla.

Recipes:
10-year-old OBSV
13-year-old OBSF
14-year-old OESV
16-year-old OESK

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, vanilla, coffee cake, a floral mustiness, nutty butterscotch, allspice and a hint of anise.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sweet entry with caramel, vanilla, honey before sharpening with lovely spices (nutmeg, allspice) and oak (maybe a hint of clove).
Finish:  Moderately long, slightly drying with oak spice and a hint of cinnamon.
Comments:  The bit of butterscotch I get from this reminds me of dusty Old Taylor (which is a huge compliment for those unfamiliar). It isn’t the ‘butterscotch bomb’ that you find there, but if tasting blind – I might have guessed this to be mingled with some dusty Old Taylor. This is flat out delicious, which isn’t a surprise to me. I’ve yet to find a Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition I didn’t think was pretty amazing, and this continues that trend. I lament no longer being able to walk into a store and pick one of these up for $80 (or even the ability to walk in and buy one retail for the current MSRP; locally you’ve got to be in good with a store and get lucky). But if I found myself staring at one in a retail store that wasn’t gouging, this would be an automatic buy for me every time.

Rating: Must Buy

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Trying Before Buying . . . (a whole bottle)

/ / Gary's Blog

I’ve shared some thoughts on how to guestimate if you might like something that you’ve never tried before, and admitted there that the only foolproof method IS to try it.  But – trying doesn’t means you have to run out and buy an entire bottle.

If you’re just starting out on your whiskey journey, the good news is that you can find a lot of brands offered in “mini” bottles (50 mL; the size you get on an airplane).  Some stores have a pretty wide selection, others not so much.  Now you’re paying a premium when buying a smaller size, but I’d much rather spend $4 on a 50 mL of something and discover I don’t like it than spend $25 on a 750 mL of the same with the same results.  The availability varies based on location, so I’ll focus here on bourbon to illustrate.

Between Georgia and Kentucky (the two states where I’ve made the majority of my whiskey purchases), I’ve seen the following offered in 50 mL mini bottles – typically for $4 or less:

Jim Beam white label, Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey 101, Evan Williams black label, Maker’s Mark, Jack Daniel’s (spare me the ‘not a bourbon’ emails please), Buffalo Trace, Larceny, Old Forester, and Bulleit bourbon.

Some larger retailers (especially in Kentucky) carry a selection of some higher-end labels in 50 mL minis, which may run $5-$10, but again – same logic applies.  Examples I’ve seen include:

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Baker’s, Booker’s, Four Roses Single Barrel, Knob Creek, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, and Blanton’s.

Most premium whiskies (which for this definition I’ll say are $90 or more for a 700/750 mL bottle) unfortunately aren’t offered in “mini” bottles.  Hell, most aren’t offered in any size other than the standard bottle (700/750 mL), although sometimes you’re pleasantly surprised.  Switching styles to scotch – there is a Johnnie Walker sampler pack with 4 200 mL bottles, including Johnnie Walker Blue Label (locally, this runs about $100).  I looked for that as I wanted to try Johnnie Walker Blue, but didn’t want to spend on a full price bottle (and while paying a premium, the chance to have several visits across their lineup was a lot of fun, and well worth it).

Now you can also try something at a bar or restaurant (also known as “on-premise”) before buying a whole bottle, but have you done the math for what that premium cost?  It isn’t an exact science (and there are different strategies involved, wholesale pricing, etc) – and this isn’t a complaint about on-premise mark-up either (they’ve got labor costs involved, insurance, etc).  But typically the product component is running 20-30% of the price you pay.  For example – one local bar pours 2 oz of Buffalo Trace for $10 (so $5/oz).  A full bottle (25 oz+) runs around $25 – so the retail cost is about $1/oz.  Now sometimes as the product cost increases, the mark-up decreases since the labor costs are really the same (again, NOT in the on-premise business; understand there are all sorts of strategies, market demand, etc).  I’ve seen Johnnie Walker Blue poured for $50 (and $75).  That’s a lot of coin, but again – if I hadn’t ever tried it, even $75 is a lot less than $200-$250 for a bottle (especially if I’m underwhelmed).  So that’s another option to try something before you buy – although personally I reserve that for the more premium offerings.

While most high-end labels aren’t available in the smaller sizes, I recently came across an exception:  Peerless Rye 24 month.  Now while I enjoyed the whiskey, the price (offered around $125, then discounted to $99, and now in some areas down to $69) I think is absurd.  Yes, it is an interesting whiskey to try if you’re a whiskey geek, but an expensive proposition.  So I was floored when browsing a local retailer and I saw they were offering 200 mL bottles of Peerless Rye 24 month for $28.  If I hadn’t tried that before, I absolutely would have bought one just to satisfy my curiosity.

“Wait . . . $28 for a 200 mL?  Seriously?”

Absolutely.  Hear me out – the premium you pay for a 200 mL size is typically 35% to 75%.  For example – Maker’s Mark goes for $10 for a 200 mL while a 750 mL is $22.50; a 67% premium when you calculate the price per mL.  The Peerless Rye 24 month has been going for $100 for a 750 mL.  At the 200 mL pricing, there is barely any premium (5%).  Even when they drop the price to $70; the premium you’re paying is 50%, which isn’t out of the norm.

Now I haven’t gone searching for Peerless Rye at local bars, but if I found it there, and their pricing is based on the new reduced rate of $70, depending upon how they set their price (which is a whole other thing; I get it) I can reasonably expect to pay $20-$25 for a 2 oz pour.  If I’m going to spend $20-$25 for 2 oz (just shut of 60 mL), why wouldn’t I spend $28 and get more than three times that amount?  Not only is it a better price, but with 200 mL I can revisit it multiple times, and better control my tasting environment.  Hell, I could test it in several cocktails, neat, etc.

The Peerless Rye example is an exception to be sure, but a great example of where buying small can save you some money – especially when you’re trying to figure out what you like or don’t like.  I made the mistake when starting out of buying a lot of bottles, only to discover I wasn’t crazy about some – and was stuck with 90% of a bottle.  Yeah, you can mix it in cocktails or cook with it – but life’s too short to have to find ways to get rid of whiskey you just don’t enjoy.

Some other alternatives to consider based on your situation:

    1. Find a whiskey society/club in your area!  These vary greatly in terms of how they work, what they do and don’t do.  I’ve attended function for one where you pay a reasonable fee for some snacks (sometimes a meal) and a tasting of 4-6 various pours (typically a 1/3 oz, but again – this can vary).  I belong to one where it is quite informal, and fellow enthusiasts gather together and share what they care to.  The generosity of this type of group can be (and still is to this day) humbling, and some of the most fun you can have legally and dressed.
    2. Split a bottle with friends!  Maybe you don’t have a club or society, but if you’ve got a couple of friends who are just as keenly interested as you are, but everyone is gun shy about buying a whole bottle “just to find out” – figure out some arrangement to split the cost.  Hell – a $120 bottle split three ways is only $40 for 8 oz (which is likely what you’d pay for a shot in a bar – so splurge and have the opportunity to try it in various settings, neat or on the rocks, in a cocktail, etc.)
    3. Amazon wish-list.  Ok – I’ll admit I’ve done this before when there was something I was interested in, but too cheap to spring for.  Granted – most of my family would rather not buy me another bottle of whiskey for a birthday or Christmas present, so I’d put this at the bottom of my list – but it has worked (although keep in mind pricing expectations and effort; don’t put something down that isn’t fairly easily attainable, and is in whatever price range you’d spend on them!)

Cheers!
Gary

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Parker’s Heritage Bourbon Finished in Orange Curaçao Barrels

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Parker’s Heritage Collection 12th Edition: Bourbon Finished in Orange Curaçao Barrels

55% ABV
$90
Website

What the Distiller Says

Heaven Hill Distillery has announced the 2018 limited-edition release of Parker’s Heritage Collection, which is comprised of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in orange curaçao barrels. This is the 12th edition of the collection and the second time Heaven Hill has partnered with Master Blender Alain Royer to create a barrel-finished offering.

As the second barrel finished edition of the series, this edition continues to pave the way for innovation at Heaven Hill Distillery. This 7 to 8-year-old Bourbon has been aged in the upper floors of Rickhouse Q and finished for four months in barrels that previously aged French orange curaçao liqueur. It is bottled without chill filtration at 110 proof.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Pepper, dried fruit, oak and vanilla
Taste: Spicy citrus, nutmeg, caramel & hints of honey
Finish: Strong, top of mouth, silky, toasted toffee

The past five editions of Parker’s Heritage Collection have raised more than $1 million toward ALS research and patient care.

Heaven Hill will continue this legacy and contribute a portion of proceeds from each bottle sold of this year’s release to the ALS Association.

With every past edition of Parker’s Heritage Collection quickly selling out, the company expects to generate a significant amount of money for ALS research in Parker’s memory.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Orange gummy candies, oak, bright vanilla and honey.
Palate:  Vanilla and orange cream, sharpening with a pepper spice , oak and orange bitters note
Finish:  Moderate in length, drying with fading orange bitters.
Comments:  To start with, I’m not “anti-finish” when it comes to bourbon.  I get the view from purists that the definition of bourbon means no adding flavor, which certainly happens when you finish in a cask that held some other spirit.  But as long as someone is transparent around “This is bourbon that we’re finishing in something else” – I think it is great for the category and opens up a lot of innovative possibilities.  All that said, this particular offering struck me as ‘over-finished’.  When I initially nosed it, I wouldn’t have called it out as bourbon necessarily.  On the palate, it is more nuanced, and while you can’t miss the orange, it isn’t as overpowering.  But on the nose it really dominated for me, which was disappointing.  All that said, it isn’t off-putting in any way, and I enjoyed sipping it.  I found it drinks incredibly easily for 110 proof (I’d have guessed this to be under 100 proof).

Rating: Stands Out

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On This Date 10 Years Ago . . .

/ / Gary's Blog, Matt's Blog, Richard's Blog

On Saturday, January 24th 2009, Whisk(e)y Apostle began with our first post. Ten years ago. Wow.

Time can be a funny thing. On the one hand, ten years seems like a LONG time ago (the days before everyone had ‘smartphones’ as we know them today; Android’s first phone had only been out a few months, and if you wanted an iPhone – you had better be on AT&T). On the other hand, not so much (Jack Daniel’s was $19.99 for a 750 mL – same as today). A lot has changed in those ten years. I have a hard enough time remembering what I had for lunch 3 days ago, let alone what I was doing ten years ago. A scan of the headlines quickly brought me back.

Within the couple weeks surrounding our launch, some of the news of the day (here in the US at least) included:

  • The “Miracle on the Hudson” (US Airways Flight 1549), which happened 9 days earlier.
  • Barack Obama’s first inauguration as President of the United States, which was the Tuesday prior to our first post.
  • The United States was still in the throes of the Great Recession of 2008. The $787 billion stimulus package hadn’t yet been passed, and the Dow hadn’t yet his it’s recession low (which would happen in March 2009).
  • Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was in the midst of his impeachment trial.

While not ‘front page headlines’ in the mainstream media, some big news was taking place in American whiskey. That same month, Constellation Brands sold Barton (along with 40 other brands) to Sazerac, effectively exiting the American whiskey market (well, at least until 2016 when they purchased High West, and shortly after a minority stake in Bardstown Bourbon Co). In April 2009, Pernod Ricard sold Wild Turkey to Gruppo Campari (and just a couple years later, would invest in doubling their production capacity).

The ‘bourbon boom’ as we know it today hadn’t really gotten into gear. And I’d venture a guess that many of our readers weren’t yet “really into whiskey” yet (by my own admission – I wasn’t!)

We’ve shared how we each ‘found whiskey’ before, but that’s just the beginning of the journey.  After more than 650 collective whisk(e)y reviews, and hundreds of other posts, I thought it would be fun to check in with each of the apostles on their thoughts of what Whisk(e)y Apostle and the last ten years have meant to them.

Matt

Ten years seems like an eternity ago and yet seems too short a time. The way I remember it, Richard and I started planning for the site sitting on a picnic table in Bloomington, IL while I was in graduate school, so the idea is closer to 15 or 16 years old. We had to go to a local park to find a cigar friendly environment. So we smoked, drank whisky, and philosophized as we laid the ground work for what eventually became Whisk(e)y Apostle. We even coined the term Whisk(e)y Apostle and came up with our slogan at that cracked and faded table along the edge of the Constitution Trail. It would be several years before we circled back to the idea. If I could offer advice to anyone, it would be to not try to launch a time-consuming enterprise while in graduate school or while planning a wedding, and definitely not while doing both. I’d be lying if I said the site became everything we envisioned on that picnic table way back when, but I can’t say I’m disappointed.

Ten years is no small feat and, thanks to Gary, it’s got legs beyond Richard and I. I’m grateful to Richard for taking the reins when I had to step away due to some personal difficulties. I always intended to come back (in more than the ghostly role I play these days), but there was a I time when I spent 6-10 hours a week reading blogs, whiskey enthusiast publications, and press briefings, and another 4-8 hours tasting, writing, and attending events. I just don’t have that kind of time these days. If I’m honest, I don’t have the interest either. When we started this, Richard and I had a Pokemon approach (gotta try ‘em all). I’ve found what I like and I’m comfortable in that. I’ll try pretty much anything, but I don’t have that desire to try everything anymore. I’ll still talk/argue/pontificate about whisk(e)y with anyone who cares to listen, but I don’t search it out (the Georgia Bourbon Society and our yearly trips to Bardstown, KY pretty much fill my needs there). If you’re a long-time reader (thanks to both of you), you’ll be happy to know I still hate marketing double-speak, liars (but I like a good story), and most Canadian Whisky. I’ve softened my stance on cocktails, peat, and ice in whisky. I still love the ritual of whiskey and sharing it with friends, both old and new. Thanks for the ride.

Richard

10 years come and gone. I wasn’t a father ten years ago. I had just brought home the puppy I would name Aberlour and now she sits looking at me write with a gray face and the calm tolerance of a senior dog. Youth, family members gone, energy….it’s easy to measure time in things lost. But as I look back on those ten years and what Whisk(e)y Apostle* meant to me I keep thinking about what I gained.

As Gary pointed out, I gained many great friendships with other whiskey enthusiasts from around the world. I’ve gone from sharing drams at the Quaich Bar in Scotland to drinking freshly thieved snorts of bourbon straight from the barrel offered to me by names like Jim Rutledge and Eddie Russell. This site has brought me people, opportunities, and experiences that I never would have imagined when Matt and I were sitting on that damn splinter ridden picnic table so many years ago. I drink better now, no doubt. I smoke much better too (I can’t believe we ever smoked those infused cigars). In general, I think my life is much richer and more fulfilling in many ways because of the water of life and the site we dedicated to it.

I’ve definitely found my groove when it comes to whiskey. I know my sandbox and where I like to play. That doesn’t mean that it still doesn’t excite me. All you need to do is happen upon me talking to some poor soul who only wanted to ask a couple of questions and you will see by the dissertation I’m delivering that I am actively still “proselytizing the way of malt.” But life changes and we change. With a career, two daughters, and many commitments it became increasingly difficult to give Whisk(e)y Apostle the time it deserved. I can’t fully express my gratitude to Matt for convincing me to start this journey and to Gary for keeping the dream alive. The site has brought so many wonderful experiences and people into my life. I couldn’t imagine the last ten years without it.

And the drams were pretty damn good too!

* We never really addressed this here but the damn parentheses were Matt’s idea. In the early days we were sending all our thoughts back and forth for post, etc. He kept telling me to use the parentheses because that’s “part of our brand”. It seemed a little silly then and it does now too but ten years in there is no going back.

Gary

As the whole of my whiskey journey has really been in the last 10 years, I think what stands out to me are how many friends I’ve made thanks to the water of life.  I’ve mentioned before how much this blog meant to my personal whiskey journey, which I know can sound like some made-up cornball story despite being 100% true.  In June of 2012, I emailed Richard to ask about this ‘Georgia Bourbon Society’ he had mentioned in a post the year prior (having recently started attending Metro Atlanta Scotch Club gatherings, and looking to expand my horizons).  The next month I attended my first official meeting of the ‘Georgia Bourbon Society’ (GBS), and after enduring a hazing involving a goat and some truly nasty dusty bourbon, I was welcomed into the group (or at least not immediately told to leave and forget the address).  I can link back dozens of friendships back to that single point, with folks from around the world.  I can’t count how many amazing evenings I’ve shared with them, trying new (and old) whiskies, learning more about the spirit we all share a love of, and being reminded that at the end of the day – a good fart joke is just as funny in your 30s and 40s as it was when you were 7.

Beyond the friendships and camaraderie I’ve enjoyed through whiskey, some other highlights for me also revolve around this blog.  I was super excited in late summer 2014 when Richard asked if I was interested in taking a stab at doing some whiskey reviews.  And I was honored when last year he asked if I’d be interested in taking on the managing editor responsibilities here at Whisk(e)y Apostle.  I learned it’s more work than I originally thought, but is absolutely a labor of love.

Thanks for still reading (if you’ve got this far), and indulging us in our short trip down memory lane.  Looking forward to continuing to bring you whiskey reviews, ponderings, and other nonsense!

Cheers!
Gary (and Matt & Richard)

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