Gary

Managing apostle and whiskey enthusiast

Basil Hayden’s Caribbean Reserve Rye

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Basil Hayden’s Caribbean Reserve Rye

40% ABV
$45
Website
Basil_Haydens_Caribbean_Reserve_Rye
We would like to thank Beam Suntory and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Experience the intriguing blend of rye whiskies with a touch of rum, balancing our signature rye spice with a subtle Caribbean sweetness.

AROMA: Rich caramel and brown sugar complemented by back notes of soft rye and vanilla
TASTE: A balanced blend of sumptuous rye and brown sweets with an ample woody accent
FINISH: A pleasant, long lingering warmth

GET TO KNOW CARIBBEAN RESERVE RYE
Sweet and Spicy
With its trademark spicy finish from a high-rye recipe, Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon has always been known for standing out in the crowd. Inspired by that legacy, Basil Hayden’s is excited to deliver another distinctive whiskey experience with the introduction of its latest limited-edition release – Basil Hayden’s Caribbean Reserve Rye™.

Crafted as an approachable whiskey expression to enjoy during the warm summer months, Basil Hayden’s Caribbean Reserve Rye takes inspiration from the sweet and spicy contrast between rye whiskey and rum. The limited-time offering features a blend of 8-year-old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey and 4-year-old Canadian Rye Whisky, which bring to life layers of flavor, including distinct spice, toasted oak and vanilla notes. The blend is then finished with the addition of Black Strap Rum which ties the rye whiskey pairing together with sweet notes of brown sugar and molasses. The result is a balanced whiskey that remains approachable to discover at 80 proof.

Basil Hayden’s Caribbean Reserve Rye is the latest in a series of successful rye whiskey innovations from the brand, each of which push the limits of category convention to bring something unexpected to whiskey fans.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Molasses, brown sugar, burnt caramel, a twang of bbq sauce, little Worcestershire sauce, hints of pine, thyme and citrus spice.
Palate:  Sweet entry, bright rye spice notes, bit of orange, molasses sugar cookies with extra vanilla extract, subtle oak.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, with savory spice notes (not quite pepper) popping up.
Comments:  This is a fairly dark dram; dark brown – lacking the red hues often seen in older bourbons/ryes, no doubt due to the addition of the Black Strap Rum. Important to note that technically this is not a whisk(e)y; it is a spirit which includes a blend of whiskies along with rum – so don’t approach it expecting it to be a rye or bourbon whisk(e)y. The nose at first came across as heavy with the rum influence, but as it sat in the glass it came into a better balance. The palate started off more integrated from the first sip. Nothing off putting to me with this. It is on the sweet side as you’d expect, but not cloyingly so. If you’re a fan of dark rum, this could be right in your wheelhouse.

Rating: Stands Out

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Armorik Double Maturation Breton Single Malt

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

Armorik Double Maturation
Whisky Breton Single Malt

46% ABV
$60
Website
Armorik Double Maturation French Single Malt

What the Distillery Says

Whisky Breton Single Malt

Genuine symbol of the Distillery’s values, this Armorik highlights both the quality of its know-how and its attachment to the Breton land. In partnership with a local cooper, the Distillery designed unique Brittany oak casks. Armorik Double Maturation remains in them for many long years before being transferred into Oloroso sherry casks for a second maturation. Reduced to 46% and non-chill filtered, it pleases through its richness and elegance.

Nose: Fruity and elegant, it has wonderful citrus and apple notes, highlighted by salted butter caramel fragrance.
Palate: Fine woody notes rapidly changed on to cereal ones, all with an unsuspected fullness.
Finish: Touches of heather honey perfume, the finish in the mouth is sustained by the cereals and pleasant marine notes.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Soft malt, fresh cut hay, apricots, over-ripe pears, subtle vanilla, apple pie (without cinnamon), hints of oak and leather with floral perfume.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, rich fruity sweetness up front with apples, pears, peaches and honey; sharpens in the mid-palate with vanilla, pepper and citrus spice.
Finish:  Moderate to long in length, wet with honey and citrus notes lingering with some freshly ground pepper.
Comments:  I think this is the first French single malt I’ve tried, and it is quite lovely – and priced fairly. Sweet but balanced, rich and well executed. No age statement, but this doesn’t strike me as being young. If you’re a serious whiskey geek and hadn’t ever tried any whisk(e)y from France, I’d put this in the ‘Must Try’ category. If you don’t really care about provenance, and are looking purely at the enjoyment for the buck – this is a solid single malt.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Wolfburn Northland Single Malt

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Wolfburn Northland Single Malt

46% ABV
$60 – $65
Website

What the Distillery Says

The smooth and warming flavours present in Northland come from the unhurried way in which the spirit is made, and from the maturation, which takes place in American oak quarter casks. Matured and bottled on site, Northland represents the first chapter in the history of Wolfburn.
Non chill-filtered @ 46% ABV.

Tasting notes
ON THE NOSE: Initially sweet with notes of fruit and fresh sea air. In the background you’ll find citrus freshness and hints of cereal, and just a trace of peat smoke.
ON THE PALATE: Sweet, nutty tones come to the fore, with hints of grapes and honey in the background. Floral flavours abound, enhanced with just a hint of dried fruit and spice.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Gentle sweet malt, smoke and subtle peat with ripe pears, cherries, and canned fruit undertones, freshly cut hay.
Palate:  Sweet barley sugar with honey and pears that sharpens with a touch of peat.
Finish:  Short to moderately long with an earthy, smokey note and a bit of pepper spice.
Comments:  A fairly ordinary single malt. Little peat and smoke (which I enjoy), nicely balanced, and I appreciate the non-chill filtering. It stands out when I throw a few drops of water in, tamping down the sharp edges and thickening the mouthfeel a bit.

Rating: Stands Out

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Noble Oak Double Oak Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Noble Oak Double Oak Bourbon
Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Sherry Oak Staves

45% ABV
$30-$37
Website
Noble Oak Double Oak Bourbon

What the Producer Says

A GREAT BOURBON WITH A NOBLE HEART.
NOBLE OAK is a unique award winning bourbon with a worthy purpose. We at Noble Oak are fanatics about wood. That’s because 70% of a bourbon’s flavor comes from the wood. With Noble Oak, we elegantly marry two of the world’s most coveted types of oak used in whiskey making: American White Oak and Spanish Sherry Oak. We use time honored methods and our patented Compression Finishing™ process to create an unrivaled bourbon with body, deep color, and richness of flavor from some of the finest sherry oak staves. The result is a Great Bourbon with a Noble Heart.

FIRST, we traditionally rest our bourbon in Charred New American White Oak barrels for a minimum of one year, developing sweet vanilla notes and a deep caramel tone.

THEN, through our patented Compression Finishing™ process, we add complexity and flavor using Spanish Sherry Oak Staves, the same wood used to craft the world’s finest and rarest whiskies. This process uses cycles of heat and pressure to maximize the interaction of wood and spirit. The resulting whiskey is full of richness and flavor with notes of dried fruit, cherry, vanilla and spice.

THE RESULT is Noble Oak: a Great Bourbon with a Noble Heart.
A Bourbon with a Purpose
In partnership with onetreeplanted.org, we help save our planet and restore our forests by replanting trees in deforested areas.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Heavy oak, vanilla flan with freshly grated nutmeg and toasted orange zest; notes of raisins with corn syrup.
Palate:  Soft oaky vanilla with caramel corn, raisins, and a touch of pepper spice.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length with oak and dried fruit notes.
Comments:  While nothing offputting, it is a bit on the oaky side and clearly a young bourbon. I’m not a big fan of many ‘double-oak’ products, and this is no exception. The sherry stave finishing is well done – not too heavy handed, which I appreciate. I don’t care to pay this much for young bourbon, but considering their noble cause (and unique offering, not a lot of sherry-stave finished bourbons out there), it isn’t outrageous.

Rating: Stands Out

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Glenfarclas Highland Single Malt 40 Years Old

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfarclas Highland Single Malt 40 Years Old

46% ABV
$500 (when released; current 43% retails for $900+)
Website
Glenfarclas 40 Yr

What the Distillery Says

Tasting Notes
Colour: Autumn Gold.
Nose: The Glenfarclas 40 Years Old, now at 43%, has a fresh sweetness and fruity Turkish delight aroma on the nose. Its freshness and power is similar to the first time you open a bag of freshly ground java coffee beans.
Flavour: Sweet taste, followed by a peppering of caramel and chocolate explosions. Sherry power creeping its way to the back of your mouth releasing dark chocolate, raisins and sultanas.
Finish: It ends with a sweet, crisp, dry & lingering finish.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, thick, intense fruitcake and mincemeat pie full of raisins, figs, stewed apples, pears, plums in an old English library; old leather furniture, pipe tobacco and musty smoke.
Palate:  Rich sherried fruit, coffee cake, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, oak, dark chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Finish:  Moderately long with lingering raisins, clove and oak.
Comments:  Damn this pour is dark! This is one of those drams where I actually prefer nosing it over drinking it. Don’t get me wrong – nothing offputting on the palate (for 40 yrs old, the oak isn’t as prominent as I’d expect – which I appreciate!) The nose is probably in my top 5 favorites with such depth, complexity and balance. The palate is very nice, but not in my top 5 – and or even top 10. Don’t get me wrong – it is really good, but less complex than the nose led me to expect. This sample was from the higher-proof version (this was first released at 46%, not sure when they brought it down to 43%), and from what I’ve read this was initially a bargain at around $500 (currently much more). That’s a lotta cheddar for a bottle of whiskey – although thankfully since I like smelling it more than drinking it, I’m gonna stretch this sample out for a while..

Rating: Stands Out

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