Gary

Managing apostle and whiskey enthusiast

Compass Box Delilah’s XXV

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Compass Box Delilah’s XXV
Blended Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$105-$115
Website
Compass Box Delilahs XXV

What the Blender Says

Happy 25th Anniversary, Delilah’s!
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the legendary Chicago punk rock whisky bar, Delilah’s, we have once again created a limited edition Scotch whisky in collaboration with owner and whisky enthusiast, Mike Miller.

The recipe for our second Compass Box homage to Delilah’s was built around a small parcel of the original Compass Box Delilah’s blend released in 2013 – a luscious, American oak-aged whisky that we aged in cask for a further five years. With this as a base, Mike suggested adding malt whisky aged in Spanish Sherry casks, also made of American oak.

The result is a delicious Scotch whisky with notes of vanilla and spice, and rich Sherry character. It’s another incarnation of the shared vision Mike and I have for whiskies that everyone can appreciate and enjoy!

AVAILABILITY: Limited Edition release of 8,520 bottles worldwide. Bottled April 2018

FLAVOUR DESCRIPTORS: An effusive aroma of dried fruits, baking spices and light Sherry wine character. On the palate it’s soft and rich, with a complex sweetness in the form of vanilla and spice, and a finish of fresh green fruits and cream.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Fruity with pears, figs, tangerines, hints of darker fruits, cereal notes, biscuits with honey, musty oak, a whiff of spent matches, nutty, baking spices and heather.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel to start, fruit salad that slowly sharpens a tad with a spicy, oaky bite before settling in with vanilla, malty cereal notes, honey and cinnamon.
Finish:  Moderately long, damp with honey and oak.
Comments: Just a delicious blend, which Compass Box is known for. Chockfull of fruit notes, but not overly sweet – balanced nicely with oak, spice and a bit of smoke. And as always, appreciate that they bottle without chill-filtration or additional colorant.

Rating: Must Try

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Dewar’s Ilegal Smooth

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Dewar’s 8 Year Old Ilegal Smooth
Mezcal Cask Finish Blended Scotch Whisky

40% ABV
$21.99
Website
Dewars Ilegal Smooth
We would like to thank Dewar’s and Nike Communications for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

DEWAR’S® Scotch Whisky, the world’s most awarded blended Scotch whisky, announces the unprecedented first-to-world launch of DEWAR’S Ilegal Smooth: DEWAR’S 8 year-old double-aged Blended Scotch whisky, finished in Ilegal Mezcal casks for a pleasant and unexpectedly sweet, smooth blend with a wisp of smoke. The second in a new cask-finished series of whiskies, DEWAR’S Ilegal Smooth aims to reflect the Scotch spirit’s progressive new face and invite in new whisky appreciators through partnering with Ilegal, the leading artisanal mezcal in the US. This follows on from the successful debut of DEWAR’S Caribbean Smooth last September and the ethos of bringing together two exciting cultures, this time with Scotland and Mexico.

“DEWAR’S is thrilled to launch this second in a series of double-aged cask finishes, which further pushes the boundaries of the whisky category in line with DEWAR’S commitment to innovation,” says Brian Cox, Vice President, DEWAR’S, North America.

“We’ve been considering experimenting in the mezcal space for a while and are thrilled to partner with Ilegal for this exciting world first. It’s a fortuitous collaboration as there are many parallels between Tommy Dewar, one of the DEWAR’S founders, and John Rexer, founder of Ilegal. They both have grit, wit and passion for creating something new on an ambitious scale – the very best ultra-premium, smooth spirits. DEWAR’S Ilegal Smooth pays homage to both of their successful legacies by dispelling myths about what’s possible between whisky and mezcal and ultimately breaking new ground in both categories. The end product says it all,” added Cox.

DEWAR’S Ilegal Smooth’s 8-year-old mezcal cask finish offers brown spirit drinkers a refreshing alternative. “We’ve blended our signature recipe of up to 40 single malts and grain whiskies that have laid in casks for at least 8 years, double aged the blend to ensure our distinctive extra smooth DEWAR’S profile, and then finished in ex-Ilegal Mezcal casks, sourced from Oaxaca, Mexico, all fulfilled in our ageing warehouses in Glasgow,” says Stephanie Macleod, Master Blender, DEWAR’S. “DEWAR’S Ilegal Smooth’s unique flavor profile features subtle notes of caramel, sliced green pepper and a wisp of smoke – making it an ideal pairing for your next dinner party, or as a spirit to enjoy neat, on the rocks or in highball recipes,” added Macleod.

“Many of the barrels utilized in aging mezcal are used whisky barrels. It’s a nice shift to have our used Ilegal Mezcal barrels crossing borders to age whisky in Scotland. The finished product is delicious,” says Founder of Ilegal Mezcal, John Rexer. Ilegal Mezcal is made in Oaxaca, Mexico by Oaxaqueños. The company is composed of Mexicans, Guatemalans, Mexican Americans, an El Salvadoran American, Venezuelans, an Ecuadorian, New Yorkers, Californians and a Philadelphian … people from an array of ethnicities and cultures. We live, work, and play across borders. This partnership between Ilegal and DEWAR’S is about sharing cultures and creating an opportunity for education around the mezcal category,” added Rexer.

Tasting notes: Subtle notes of caramel, sliced green pepper and a wisp of smoke

What Gary Says

Nose:  Malt with a vegetal nose of boiled cabbage, subtle smoke, heather, agave syrup and hints of floral notes.
Palate:  Sweet entry of honey with vegetal notes of green pepper and cabbage, a slight bit of pepper spice.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, with a lingering spice – almost a chili spice note.
Comments: This one is definitely on the vegetal side of things. More savory than sweet by comparison with Dewar’s White Label. Definitely interesting and unique.  Not what you’d call a complex pour, but not presenting itself as such either.  I haven’t tried Ilegal Mezcal so can’t say how close any resemblance there might be. I like that Dewar’s price point on these new offerings is such that if you’re curious, giving it a try isn’t going to really set you back.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Sagamore Spirit Calvados Finish

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Sagamore Spirit Calvados Finish
A Blend of Straight Rye Whiskies

50.6% ABV
$69
Website
Sagamore Rye Calvados Finish
We would like to thank Sagamore Spirit and 360PR.plus for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Baltimore, MD – Feb. 25, 2020 – For those who crave a brown spirit that’s perfect before, during and after dinner, Sagamore Spirit today announced a new limited release rye whiskey that threads the needle: Sagamore Spirit Calvados Finish. Straight rye whiskies consistent with Sagamore Spirit’s two distinct, signature mash bills are finished in Calvados barrels for over 11 months to imbue silky soft notes of baked apples, cinnamon and honey from the storied French apple brandy casks.

Calvados Finish follows on the heels of the distiller’s Double Gold win at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The finish ideally complements the approachability of Sagamore Spirit’s Maryland-style rye, creating a whiskey that’s undeniably smooth yet complex, at a substantial 101.2-proof. It joins the brand’s much-lauded core expressions, which have been bringing the Maryland-style rye revival to back bars and retail shelves across the country: Signature 83-proof, Double Oak at 98.6-proof and a bold Cask Strength.

“Calvados Finish is a prime example of our distilling team’s passion for experimentation and excellence,” said Brian Treacy, Sagamore Spirit’s president. “One of our distillers has a personal penchant for Calvados and wanted to see what it might bring out in our rye whiskey. That’s where it began, and from there, the team caught the fever and was all-in too. They gave it the time it needed in the barrel to create one of our most special releases so far.”

Sagamore Spirit rye whiskey spends at least 11 months finishing in Calvados barrels before being blended and aged for another 9 months in low-rye American oak barrels. The result is an incredible whiskey that marries the spice of rye with the sweetness of apples, nearly six years in the making.

Notes of baked apples, cinnamon, and honey from French apple brandy casks combine with our smooth rye profile to create a whiskey that is both luscious and daring. Enjoy lingering hints of cloves and walnuts as you sip, savour, and share.

A French-Maryland Connection

Just as local spring-fed water is essential in creating the balance that’s distinctive to Sagamore Spirit’s Maryland-style rye, Calvados shares a similar regionality that gives it a unique taste profile. Unlike other regions of France that are ideal for growing wine, Normandy, where Calvados is made, is cool and damp, making it better suited for rich brandies made from pears and apples.

To make Calvados, apples are fermented into a cider and distilled before aging in oak barrels for at least two years. The result is a liquid expression of the apples that is delightfully rustic compared to other French spirits and liqueurs.

Sagamore Spirit Calvados Finish is the award-winning distillery’s first new expression of the year, following the successful releases of Port Finish and Cognac Finish in 2019. It will be available nationwide in March at a suggested retail price of $69 per bottle. To find a bottle near you visit sagamorespirit.com/find-rye.

Notes of baked apples, cinnamon

What Gary Says

Nose:  Baked apple pie with cinnamon, dried mint, thyme, hint of clove with a wisp of lime zest.
Palate:  Apple slices dripping with honey that sharpens with pepper spice, cloves, roasted nuts, citrus notes of tangerine.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with oak and applesauce.
Comments:  I tried this side-by-side with Sagamore Spirit Straight Rye Whiskey, and I definitely preferred this. The Calvados finish is prominent, but not over-done – with notes of apple throughout. This has more edge than the Sagamore Spirit standard bearer, and I appreciate the higher ABV. A bit of water tamps the apple notes a bit and takes the edge off the pepper spice.

Rating: Stands Out

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Sagamore Spirit Straight Rye Whiskey

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Sagamore Spirit
Straight Rye Whiskey

41.5% ABV
$30
Website
Sagamore Spirit Rye

What the Producer Says

SIGNATURE RYE WHISKEY
Our spirit flows from a spring house, built in 1909, at Maryland’s Sagamore Farm – naturally filtered spring water, fed from a limestone aquifer. The same water that fuels our champion thoroughbreds also cuts the rich spice of our rye, creating a spirit as revolutionary as America’s risk-takers and history-makers. Our story is one of passion, of old meeting new, and crafting a timeless American whiskey.

TASTING NOTES
Aroma: Vanilla, caramel, and baking spices.
Palate: Traditional Maryland-Style Rye Whiskey. Candied dried orange peel with notes of clove and nutmeg. Lingering hints of walnut and brown sugar to finish.
Color: Golden straw.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Crisp vanilla with mint, eucalyptus, lime, baking spices of clove & nutmeg with just a hint of dill.
Palate:  Smooth and sweet entry with a minty lime uptick – but not sharp; a bit of vanilla and citrus notes.
Finish:  On the short side with notes of wintergreen mint.
Comments:  This has less of an edge than most rye whiskies, and only a little bit of dill (in fact I didn’t detect it on my first tasting). I also find more lime notes than orange notes, which is unique. For $30, there are several alternatives I prefer (like Rittenhouse Bottled-In-Bond, or Old Forester Rye), but there isn’t anything objectionable. The bottle is also fairly attractive, as well as hefty.

Rating: Average

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Redbreast Lustau Edition

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review / ,

Redbreast Lustau Edition
Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

46% ABV
$70
Website
Redbreast Lustau Irish Whiskey
What the Distillery Says
A unique collaboration between the Bodegas Lustau and the Midleton Distillery, Redbreast Lustau Edition is made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and then triple distilled in copper pot stills. Having spent its final maturation journey in casks seasoned with the finest Oloroso Sherry in the Bodegas Lustau, the result is the ultimate sherried style of Redbreast.

Nose: Rich infusion of dark fruits, prunes, dates and figs with liquorice, marzipan, toasted oak and aromatic spices.
Taste: Silky smooth Pot Still; assertive spices balanced with richness of the sherry finish and contribution of fresh Spanish Oak.
Finish: Endless. Sweetness and assorted spices endure while Oloroso Sherry and Spanish Oak have the last word.

THE BEST WAY TO ENJOY A GLASS OF REDBREAST IS WITH SOMEONE ELSE. #PassItOn

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich with raisins, cherries, plus, dates, baked goods, a hint of anise, toasted oak, freshly grated nutmeg.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel, smooth entry with raisins, luxardo cherries, ripe peaches with a dusting of cinnamon.
Finish:  Moderately long with lingering fruit sweetness and spices.
Comments:  Redbreast 12 Year Cask Strength was the first Irish whiskey I really loved (and still one of my favorites). I first tried Redbreast 12 Year in 2004 or 2005. I liked sweet (Crown Royal neat was my drink of choice at the time), and a server recommended it. I did enjoy it, but not enough to seek it out at the time. I enjoy this quite a bit – nice mouthfeel and fruit notes. Another shining example of what a higher ABV and non-chill filtering brings to the table. This takes water well, but doesn’t need it. If you’re a fan of Redbreast, I’d consider this a Must Try.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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