Richard

Founding Apostle

Knob Creek is back!

/ / Bourbon, Richard's Blog

As some of you may or may not know, there was a shortage of Knob Creek bourbon. Recently, Beam Global was so successful at marketing and selling Knob Creek that they ran out this summer! This particular bourbon is a nine years old so they couldn’t just whip up a few more barrels. It’s not an exact science in predicting what demand for a product will be nine years out.

Today I got word that Knob Creek flows again. They are bottling more as we speak and it should be shipping out soon to a retailer near you.

Personally, I like Knob Creek. We haven’t formally reviewed Jim Beam’s Small Batch Collection yet but I find this one to be most in the spirit of traditional Jim Beam. If you don’t care for it then the news of it’s return won’t affect you unless everyone’s been buying your favorite bourbond during the drought. If you’ve never heard of Knob Creek then grab a bottle the next time you see it. It’s a solid bourbon in the traditional style.

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

Knob Creek is back! Read More »

Where are the Apostles?

/ / Richard's Blog

Wow, I just realized the last post was almost two weeks ago. What have we been doing? Well, Matt and I developed Whisk(e)yApostle as a labor of love and unfortunately we don’t get paid to do it. We have day jobs that are a lot less exciting than the world of whiskey we write about. However, Matt’s day job is more exciting than mine. We also buy most of our whiskey that we review so that takes some outside financing too. It’s been a hectic couple of weeks for both of us and I’m gearing up to fly to NYC to meet Matt for WhiskyFest New York on November 10th. We’ll try to post a few more updates before then and hopefully a couple of reviews too. We should be wrapping up the Gateway Series after a couple more reviews. We will definitely have a lot to talk about after WhiskyFest. Hopefully we will see a bunch of you there too.

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

Where are the Apostles? Read More »

New U.S. Releases – September ‘09

/ / Bourbon, Irish Whiskey, Other Whisk(e)ys, Scottish Whisky

Here’s our monthly round up of new releases. There should be something for everyone this month. We’ve got prices from $23 to $15,000.

High West Bourye
Timeframe: This fall
ABV: 46%
Price: TBD
This is a new product from High West that is a blending of a 12 year old straight rye whiskey and a 10 year old bourbon. A post-aging mashbill? I can’t wait to try some.

Dearstalker 18 Year
Timeframe: This fall
ABV: 46%
Price: TBD
This is malt distilled at the Balmenach Distillery that hasn’t been available before. More expressions are scheduled for U.S. release next year.

Benromach 10 Year
Timeframe: This Fall
ABV: TBD
Price: TBD
A new addition to the Benromach line up. I’m sure Matt’s already got a bottle on hold.

The Spice Tree
Timeframe: This fall
ABV: TBD
Price: TBD
A great whisky makes its return! We loved the original incarnation and now that John Glaser has found a way around the SWA’s rules I can’t wait to taste the new expression.

Gold Bowmore
Timeframe: This Fall
ABV: 42.4%
Price: $6,250
This comes from the famed 1964 vintage that gave us Black Bowmore and White Bowmore. With those kind of siblings it’s hard to go wrong.

Slane Castle Irish Whiskey
Timeframe: July 2009
ABV: 40%
Price: $23
This one apparently slipped under our radar. Thankfully, more Irish Whiskey is never a bad thing.

The Macallan Lalique 57 Year Old
Timeframe: This fall
ABV: 48.5%
Price: $15,000
Wow! Fifteen grand for a bottle of whisky. Out of my price range but let us know what you think if you get the opportunity to try some.

Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Birthday Edition
Timeframe: Now
ABV: 45%
Price: $29
The standard bottling is great and I can’t wait to toast Mr. Lee with a bottle of his special edition.

There’s also a bunch more that we didn’t get many details on. The annual release of the Buffalo Trace Antique collection will be out in October with the same line up as last year. Glen Garioch and Conemmara are both coming out with new bottlings.

Diageo also announced their 2009 Classic Malt limited editions. Here’s what I’ve got on those so far:
•Talisker 25-Year-Old ($199.99)
•Brora 30-Year-Old ($399.99)
•Caol Ila Unpeated 10-Year-Old ($59.99)
•Lagavulin 12-Year-Old ($74.99)
•Port Ellen 30-Year Old ($369.99)
•Royal Lochnagar Selected Reserve ($209.99)
•Talisker The Distillers Edition ($79.99)
•Oban The Distillers Edition ($99.99)
•Lagavulin The Distillers Edition ($109.99)
•Caol Ila The Distillers Edition ($79.99)
•Dalwhinnie The Distillers Edition ($74.99)

That’s it for September. If that’s not enough for you then we’ll have to wait and see what October brings!

New U.S. Releases – September ‘09 Read More »

Gateway Series #11: Crown Royal

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Crown Royal Fine De Luxe Blended Canadian Whisky
40% ABV, 80 Proof
Around $25, Widely Available

What The Distiller Says:
The distinct blend of 50 full-bodied whiskies has captivated senses for 70 years and continues to be a staple of our portfolio. Though created in 1939 to celebrate the visit to Canada of King George VI and his Queen Elizabeth, Crown Royal remains approachable and unpretentious to the everyday drinker.

What Matt Says:
Nose: Caramel, hazelnuts, vanilla, and mint. There is also something sour lingering in the background (smells like stomach acid). Water opens up the rye notes (mint and spice) to create something quite lovely.
Palate: Not bad upfront, with toffee sweetness, but turns woody and bitter. Although Richard Paterson suggests holding whiskies “long in the mouth,” I would not suggest doing that with this particular dram. It becomes thoroughly unpleasant, not unlike chewing the shrapnel from a barrel explosion. While water helps the nose, it kills the flavor (which may be a good thing).
Finish: Smooth and oak-y with a hint of mint. Water kills the mint.
Comments: Supplying Redneck high school girls with low cost purses for 70 years, Crown Royal is probably as known for it’s purple velvet bag as for the whisky inside. It is a shame really, Crown Royal is actually capable of producing good whiskies. The standard expression is not one of them though. It is not the worst whisky in the Gateway Series, but I cannot recommend it.
Rating: Probably Pass

What Richard Says:
Nose: The nose seems surprisingly alcoholic for an 80 proof whisky. I get fruitiness on the nose reminiscent of fruit brandies. There is also just a hint of nuttiness that I can’t quite place.
Palate: Peppered oak lollypops? Seriously. Sickly candy sweetness on the front of the palate. As the drink settles into the palate it turns to peppery oak. Not in a good way. The longer you hold it on the palate, the worse it gets. Definitely drink it quickly.
Finish: The finish starts out not too bad but the burn kicks in and punches above it’s 40% ABV. The after taste is rough, woody, and unpleasant.
Comments: My early experiences with Crown Royal really turned me off to the drink altogether. That said, I tried to give Crown the benefit of the double. For my trouble I found all the things that originally turned me off of Canadian Whisky. The only way I’ve found that I can tolerate Crown Royal is in a Red Snapper.
Rating: Probably Pass

Overall Rating: Probably Pass

Crown Royal is really our first major departures from one of the whiskey writers we both most identify with, John Hansell. He gives standard Crown an 88/100. I can’t fathom how. It just goes to show you that everyone’s palate is as individual as their fingerprints.

Gateway Series #11: Crown Royal Read More »

New U.S. Releases – August ’09 Part 2

/ / Bourbon, Other Whisk(e)ys, Scottish Whisky

Well, when I posted the latest information I had on new releases announced in August a couple of weeks ago I had no idea that they month was just getting started. Here’s the lowdown on the rest of the new releases announced during the month of August:

Rittenhouse Rye Single Barrel 25 Year Old

Timeframe: November/December

ABV:50%

Price:$190

This comes from the same batch as the previously released 21 Yr and 23 Yr. It’s supposed to be the best so far.

The Glenlivet Nadurra Triumph 1991

Timeframe: November

ABV: 48%

Price: $85

A new limited edition of The Glenlivet Nadurra made exclusively with Triumph barley. It should be interesting.

Jefferson’s Presidential Select (Batch #1), 1991 Vintage

Timeframe: Now

ABV: 47%

Price: $90

This is a wheated bourbon from one of the last production years of the old Stitzel-Weller distillery. It’s one of John Hansell’s top rated new products this year. If you can find it grab a bottle. Just don’t grab mine.

Bruichladdich Infinity 3

Timeframe: This fall

ABV: 50%

Price: ?

I haven’t had any of the Infinity releases so I can’t offer much commentary beyond saying that if it’s a Laddie it will definitely be interesting.

Old Forester 2009 Birthday Bourbon

Timeframe: now

ABV: 48.5%

Price: $39.99

It’s that time of year again for the new annual release from Old Forester.

Ardbeg Corryvreckan

Timeframe: September

ABV: 57.1%

Price: $85

This is the new release replacing the Airigh Nam Beist or “Beast” bottling. It is the same formulation, just one year older of last year’s Ardbeg Committee release of the same name.

Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection 2009

Timeframe: November

ABV: ?

Price: $89.99

This is the annual release from Woodford’s Master’s Collection. Past releases have run the gamut from spectacular (Four Grain) to not so spectacular. This year’s release is finished in casks that were made from wood allowed to dry and age naturally for several years before being toasted (not charred).

That’s it for the month of August. There are already a few more announcements for September from Buffalo Trace. I’ll get those posted soon.

– Richard

New U.S. Releases – August ’09 Part 2 Read More »