Gary

Managing apostle and whiskey enthusiast

The Macallan Edition No. 2

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

The Macallan Edition No. 2
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

48.2% ABV
$120-$150
Website
The Macallan Edition No. 2 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distillery Says

– The Edition Series –
A unique selection of oak cask styles are combined to yield a new limited edition expression each year. A characterful single malt, Edition No. 2 showcases our extraordinary commitment to sourcing and selecting only the very best oak casks for The Macallan.

Four extraordinary characters, one exceptional single malt.

DEEP AND RICH
A creative collaboration between our Master Whisky Maker and the three Roca brothers – co-founders of world-renowned restaurant, El Celler de Can Roca – Edition No. 2 unites these four masters in one spirit.
The distinctive and dynamic character of Edition No. 2 has been shaped not only by the use of seven exceptional oak cask types from four different bodegas but by the creative spirit of each of the four collaborators; combining flavors to reflect each of their distinctive personalities in the resulting whisky.

THE EXPERIENCE
COLOUR: Golden Syrup
NOSE: Treacle, ginger, toffee apples and rich fruits. Layers of vanilla open into tropical fruits and subtle green wood.
PALATE: Warm with spice as cracked black pepper and cloves join with hints of chocolate, brown sugar, oak and nuts. Finally, liquorice and brandy snaps come through.
FINISH: Full, slow, warm and wonderfully viscous.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Thick sherry, stewed dark fruits, musty spice, oak, sandalwood, fruit cake, dulce de leche, hints of apple and leather.
Palate:  Sweet with sherried fruit, honey, vanilla, clove, cinnamon, cocoa, oak, bit of pepper and anise.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with chocolate, raisins and sherry.
Comments:  A nice dram – fully of sherried fruit but also a fair amount of spice notes. Well balanced overall, and what you’d come to expect from. I tried this along side The Macallan Terra, and found this to be sweeter (but unfortunately didn’t have any more readily available Macallan on hand for a side by side).

Rating: Stands Out

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Oban 18 Year Old Single Malt

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Oban 18 Year Old
West Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskey

43% ABV
$120-$140
Website
Oban 18 Year Old West Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distillery Says

An elegantly matured single malt that balances opulent fruit flavours with rich peat smoke and spicy wood, culminating in a long, smooth, finish.

PALATE: Mouth-filling sweetness tempered with smoked malt dryness.
SCENT: Peat smoke and spicy wood with notes of ripe banana, pear, and plum.
FINISH: Long and sweet. Hints of dark chocolate and salted caramel.
BODY: Medium bodied and rich with good legs.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Fruit salad with poached pears, apples, apricots, nectarines, heather, wisp of earthiness, sandalwood and leather.
Palate:  Sweet entry with fruit notes, honey, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper spice followed by peat and soft oak.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with peat, dried fruit and pepper.
Comments:  A very nice and enjoyable pour! Fruity, balanced with a bit more peat on the palate than on the nose. At $120 locally, a quite reasonably priced aged single malt although not sure I’d spend a lot more than that. Water thickens it a bit and tamps some of the pepper spice edge.

Rating: Stands Out

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Daviess County Double Barrel Bourbon Limited Edition

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Daviess County Double Barrel Bourbon Limited Edition
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Missouri White Oak Barrels

48% ABV
$50
Website
Daviess County Double Barrel
We would like to thank Lux Row Distillers and BYRNE PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

This limited-edition, small-batch bourbon whiskey is finished in fresh Missouri White Oak barrels with a #2 char and toasted heads. The car and toast combination adds rich dark chocolate and caramel notes to the finished product. It was developed in partnership with Ducks Unlimited and, like all Daviess County variants, it is a mix of ryed and wheated bourbons and is 96 proof.

“The double-barrel finishing process that goes into Daviess County Double Barrel Bourbon is a perfect nod to our Ducks Unlimited partnership, and it brings a unique flavor profile to our latest Daviess County offering,” said Lux Row Master Distiller and long-time DU member, John Rempe. “Expect a nose that includes crisp, toasted-oak notes, caramel and vanilla; sweet caramel, honey and toasted-marshmallow flavors on the palate, and a finish of caramelized sugar and lingering dark chocolate compliments of the toasted head finish.”

TASTING NOTES
AROMA: Crisp toasted oak notes, caramel and vanilla
PALATE: Sweet caramel and honey with toasted marshmallow
FINISH: Caramelized sugar and lingering dark chocolate

What Gary Says

Nose:  Toasted oak, salted caramel, vanilla, dusty cocoa and a hint of roasted corn.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel, caramel, vanilla, honey, bit of dark chocolate, oak, nutmeg; a turtle brownie edge piece.
Finish:  Moderately long with brown sugar, oak and cocoa.
Comments:  This latest offering in the Daviess County lineup is thus far my favorite. I enjoyed the other finishes, but the double barrel finish just turns up the ‘bourbon’ notes that I love (caramel, vanilla) while adding some chocolate. Left me thinking of a turtle brownie edge piece (that’s slightly burnt). Previously, the Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon French Oak Cask Finish was my favorite, but I did a blind sbs to check myself and found that while both are quite nice – I liked this one better. I’ve had some double barrel aged bourbons where they went too long in the second barrel and came out an oaky mess, so kudos to the team at Lux Row Distillers for getting this one right (not that I’m surprised!) This one isn’t available everywhere, so if you can get your hands on it, I’d recommend trying it out.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Larceny Barrel Proof

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Larceny Barrel Proof
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Batch A120

61.6% ABV
$50
Website
Larceny Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

What the Distillery Says

Larceny Barrel Proof offers a new opportunity to experience our acclaimed wheated Bourbon mashbill in its purest form: non-chill filtered and bottled at full barrel proof. Released three times per year in January, May, and September, each offering is a bold yet balanced special Small Batch Bourbon rich with depth and distinction. Much like Larceny Small Batch and Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond, Larceny Barrel Proof is a welcome reminder of just how good wheated Bourbons can be.
Proof: Varies by Release
Age: 6-8 Years Old
Mashbill: 68% Corn | 20% Wheat | 12% Malted Barley

Wheated Bourbon In Its Purest Form
Larceny Barrel Proof offers Bourbon fans an exciting opportunity to experience Heaven Hill’s Wheated Bourbon mashbill in much the same way as our Master Distiller and expert tasting team sample it in the rickhouse. Bottled at full barrel strength, it showcases a truly bold character, richness, and depth of flavor from the years of interaction with the barrel’s charred and caramelized oak sugars.

Wheated Bourbons have gained popularity among connoisseurs in recent years. Heaven Hill’s proprietary mashbill has twice as much wheat as other distilleries, producing even more of those soft
and round flavors beloved in the style. The higher percentage of wheat is apparent in Whisky Advocate’s “Whisky of the Year” review, which notes “it begins with a flurry of sweet bakery aromas: honey bun, angel food cake, and apple pie à la mode.”

Tasting Notes
Color: Dark sepia
Aroma: Toasted bread, with maple and cinnamon
Taste: Rich molasses coats the tongue, with notes of fig and hazelnut
Finish: Nuanced flavor fades into lingering warmth

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, caramel sauce, brown sugar, cinnamon, toffee, hint of butterscotch and oak.
Palate:  Rich and thick mouthfeel, warm chocolate, vanilla, walnuts, toffee, oak and pepper spice.
Finish:  Moderately long, thick but drying with oak, cinnamon, caramel and pepper.
Comments:  This was the inaugural batch of Larceny Barrel Proof, and the only one I’ve tried – but wow, really nice! I’ll admit – Larceny underwhelmed me (nothing wrong with it, just wasn’t right in my wheelhouse). I found this to be really intense and rich, and a bit of water brings more toffee and butterscotch out while tamping the pepper edge a bit. A really nice high proof wheater (which shouldn’t have surprised me since Heaven Hill does whiskey really well). And there aren’t a lot of these out there (although certainly hope that changes!)

Rating: Must Try

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Maker’s Mark 101 Proof

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Maker’s Mark 101 Proof
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

50.5% ABV
$50 (1 liter)
Website
Maker's Mark 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

What the Distillery* Says

Maker’s Mark® 101 is a bolder interpretation of our classic wheated whisky, bottled at 50.5% abv. This unfiltered expression exhibits a rich and creamy mouthfeel, with a mellow, lingering midpalate finish that combines the smoothness of classic Maker’s Mark, with enhanced natural notes of caramel and spicy fruit. Maker’s Mark 101 will launch nationally this holiday season for a limited time.

Maker’s says, “It’s fully matured Maker’s Mark bottled at 101 proof, which is the way Bill Samuels, Sr. would serve his personal guests at the distillery, showing off his signature bourbon in a bit bolder presentation than the 90 proof of regular Maker’s Mark. Fans will notice a sweet spicy nose and a palate of spicy fruit and caramel, complimented by Maker’s Mark 101’s rich and creamy mouthfeel, and its mellow, lingering midpalate finish.”

* The above is from various press releases and other public statements from Beam-Suntory; this expression was originally released as a travel retail exclusive in 2018. There is no mention of the product on their website.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla bean, canned fruit salad, subtle oak, light caramel, grassy with a hint of anise.
Palate:  Caramel with vanilla, nutmeg, soft cinnamon, a bit of pepper over fruit, shortbread cookies and toffee.
Finish:  Moderately wet with caramel, fruit and cinnamon.
Comments:  This is a pretty nice proof for Maker’s Mark – although if you can find Maker’s Mark Cask Strength for $40 for a 750 mL, you can bring that down to 50.5% ABV for slightly less (or – don’t). That said, fans of Maker’s Mark I’m sure will find this to be a delicious bottle, and the extra 250 mL over the standard might at least delay a trip to the store a bit. No idea how it fares with water, as I didn’t add any – really nice right from the bottle.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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