Gary

Managing apostle and whiskey enthusiast

Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit
(Bottled 5/19/2017, barrel 902, whs H, rick 4; Sherlock’s Selection)
50.5% ABV
$60
Website

What the Distiller Says
Kentucky Spirit is a 101 proof (50.5% alcohol), single-barrel bourbon, with each barrel personally chosen by Master Distiller Jimmy Russell. Known for being fuller bodied, with rich vanilla flavors and a hint of sweetness, it’s the perfect bourbon to enjoy neat. A complex layering of almonds, honey, blackberries, and leather gives way to a long, dark and lingering finish.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Caramel and vanilla mix with rickhouse-oak; subtle cinnamon and allspice; a tad astringent.
Palate:  Burnt salted caramel w/ spiced apple over oak.
Finish:  Moderate in length, with drying pepper spice.
Comments:  Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit is a single barrel Wild Turkey product, and as such there is some variability. The glass bottle itself is lovely – honestly the main reason I bought this particular bottle as I’d heard they might be changing the vessel. As a single barrel product – some are amazing, while others are simply alright (and there’s always a chance one is lousy – although in my experience this is rare). This one is pretty decent, but not amazing (for my taste buddies). It has a fair amount of oak but not too much – and is a bit sharp around the edges; although it takes some water like a champ and really rounds out nicely without losing its rye spice.
Rating: Stands Out

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Knappogue Castle 12 yr – Sherlock’s Private Selection

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review / ,

Knappogue Castle 12 yr (Sherlock’s Private Selection)
46% ABV
$40
Website

What the Bottler Says
BOURBON CASK MATURED
Knappogue Castle 12 year old, our signature expression, is an exceptional single malt made exclusively from malted barley. Triple distilled one batch at a time in traditional, onion-shaped copper pot stills, the whiskey is then aged in bourbon oak casks for twelve years. The delicate distillation process, along with the moist and temperate climate, yields the distinctive flavor of this remarkable Irish single malt.

AROMA: Rich and biscuity with notes of peppery spice.
TASTE: Mellow and well-balanced with a bright, elegant fruitiness and mild spice flavors.
FINISH: Medium, clean, and smooth.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Light, sweet malty cereal notes, sour dough bread with subtle oak.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel, a bit thicker than avg, sea air, sweet dried peach and pear, orange marmalade, sour oak and spicy.
Finish:  Moderately long and wet, with pepper notes.
Comments:  I’ll admit it – Irish isn’t my favorite category of whisky. Most nights, I find it too crisp and clean for my liking. This private barrel pick isn’t, which for me is a big plus (as well as a fine example of where a private selection can stand a cut above the standard label; I’ll share more thoughts on that later this week). I find it has much more character than the retail Knappogue Castle 12 yr. This selection was aged in Four Roses bourbon casks, and is bottled at 46% versus 40% – another positive in my book. It doesn’t state on the label or hang-tag that it is non-chill filtered, but it’s my opinion that this is likely the case based on the mouthfeel. This is a delightful dram, and while one private selection isn’t a guarantee how others will fare, if the others are bottled at this same proof and NCF – I would anticipate them to be similarly delicious.
Rating: Must Try; Great Value

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World Whisky Day – Why?

/ / Gary's Blog

Today is “World Whisky Day“, and as a whisky blogger, I suppose I should be playing the role of educator and cheerleader; encouraging everyone to embrace, participate, and celebrate this latest holiday that’s been around since 2012. I’m not sure that I’m on board with all of that, but first – let’s cover what it is.

Per their web-site (yes, they have a web-site), the paraphrased/gist is:

World Whisky Day invites everyone to try a dram and celebrate the water of life. All you need is a bottle of whisky to share with your friends. World Whisky day celebrates all types of whisky/whiskey and encourages everyone to enjoy whisky responsibly.

As I read that,  my initial thought was “Isn’t that . . . well, every day?” Or at least every day where you have the opportunity? As a whiskey enthusiast, it isn’t like if a friend asks “Want to come over and share a bottle” on May 18th I would look at my calendar and reply “But this isn’t World Whisky Day – can we wait until tomorrow?” If I ever say that (outside of dripping with sarcasm), I hope that friend would stop by, justly slap me across the face with a white (or any available) glove and proclaim that I have injured their sensibilities.

Ok – so whiskey enthusiasts don’t need this holiday; we celebrate the water of life at every given opportunity (and I know some of us go out of our way to create such opportunities!) If this isn’t for us, who is it for? Is this to raise awareness with those non-whiskey enthusiasts?

While not scientific, I did a straw poll around my office – folks that I hadn’t ever talked to about whiskey – to see how many of them were familiar with World Whisky Day. This is where I was hoping to report “Not a single damn one” – but full transparency – one person (just one) had heard of it. I was surprised, but asked them how they heard about it, and if they had plans to celebrate it. They explained that they recalled seeing a tweet on it, but didn’t know when it was (this poll was taken yesterday – the day before) or what it was. They tried to act like they wanted to know more about it – but I think this was just to be polite since they may know of my fondness/obsession for whiskey.

I think what bugs me about this is that not a week goes by without there being some newly declared “holiday” or “special day” that we’re all supposed to pay attention to. For example – did you know that today also “National Devil’s Food Cake Day” and “National Learn to Swim Day”? And yesterday was “National Pizza Party Day”? If there was something else I love almost as much as whiskey – it’d be pizza . . . and apparently I failed in spectacular fashion to respect National Pizza Party Day.

My point is simply this: Life is short. Every day you have a chance to share whiskey with friends, do just that. Share it, enjoy it, and each other’s company. Celebrate those moments and memories, because they’re fleeting – and one day those opportunities may not present themselves.

Now excuse me while I engage in hypocrisy of the highest order by attending a “World Whisky Day” party with some friends, which will have whisky from all over the world.

Cheers!
Gary

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Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut
50% ABV
$23
Website

What the Distiller Says
Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey aged five to six years that features a medium body and combines caramel sweetness with charred oak, enriched with light fruit notes. The premium expression offers a smooth and complex mouthfeel with a warm, lightly charred oak finish – the perfect gift for a bourbon lover looking to try something different this holiday season. It has a dark amber color with aromas of soft charred oak, sweet caramel, vanilla and hints of dried fruit.
After aging, bourbon typically goes through a chill filtration process, which involves forcing the liquid through a dense filter to remove fatty acids formed during distillation. Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut skips this step, which results in a fuller taste and palate feel. This can also cause the liquid to look cloudier compared to filtered bourbons, especially on the rocks.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Rich, rickhouse oak with dark cocoa and that signature Beam peanut note; vanilla with a hint of cinnamon and anise.
Palate:  Nice mouthfeel – creamy and viscous; sweet vanilla caramel with cinnamon spice that creeps up but maintains a solid balance. Peppery as it fades.
Finish:  Moderately long and dry.
Comments:  This reminds me of a younger Knob Creek. I really love that this is non-chill filtered; the mouthfeel shines. This is a limited edition, although I hope they plan to release this same type of bourbon every year. It’s just flat out delicious, and a great value (which is hard to come by these days). I know some folks don’t care for the signature Beam-peanut twang, and I’m honestly not a huge fan of that. But it plays well here. I just can’t imagine anyone buying this and for the money feeling like they made a mistake.
Rating: Must Buy

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Jura 18 Year Single Malt

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Jura 18 Year Single Malt
44% ABV
$125
Website

What the Distiller Says
A timeless 18 Year Old malt whisky finished in red wine casks, guaranteed to complete any collection
They say time and tide wait for no man. On Jura, by contrast, time is stretched by the changing seasons and tempered by its unique microclimate, with each passing year bringing its own riches. Matured for eighteen long years in American White Oak ex-bourbon barrels and enriched by superior Premier Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux barrels, a unique spirit is created that has truly come of age.

COLOR: Rosewood gold
NOSE: Aromas of toffee, tropical fruits and cinnamon
TASTE: Flavours of rich black forest fruit, cocoa and coffee

What Gary Says
Nose:  Rich, thick musty sherry with raisins and currants; hint of cinnamon and brown sugar (like a freshly baked pastry) with a bit of smoke.
Palate:  Creamy viscous mouthfeel; sweet dark fruits with chocolate over orange and citrus notes before moving into some baking spices and pepper spice on the back.
Finish:  Moderately long and slowly drying.
Comments:  This is definitely a single malt matured in sherry, but not a sherry bomb. Some lovely chocolate notes and with the sherry still being prevalent but not overwhelming – it allows other flavors to shine. At 18 years old, the sherry can easily become too much, and they’ve done a nice job of keeping it in check. Appreciate the 44% ABV bottling too, and am elated to see higher proofs starting to become more common. This has a lovely balance, and it wears its age well – the sweet, chocolate spicy notes are the star with the oak being subtle to where I don’t really notice it (which is in my wheelhouse).
Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

We would like to thank Jura and The 5th Column PR for sending us a sample to review.

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