Bourbon

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Old Rip Van Winkle Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Aged 10 Years
Spring 2011 Release
45% ABV/90 Proof
$45
Website

What the Distillery Says:
They really don’t say much. Like most Buffalo Trace whiskeys they refer to review PR.

This fine whiskey has as pleasant a taste as any around. The 10 full years of aging combine nicely with its 90 proof. A hint of caramel flavor is enjoyed when one tastes this fine hand-crafted bourbon. This bourbon has a “rich, plush texture” (Tastings.com).

What Richard Says:
Nose: This nose takes a little time to open up. When it does it reminds me of dark fruit drizzled with sweet rum moving towards vanilla. As the glass begins to clear it kicks out huge notes of cinnamon.
Palate: Rich and mouth encompassing. There is a lovely caramel and vanilla sweetness.
Finish: Toasted oak and a nice spiciness.
Comments: Let me caveat what I’m about say by starting with the fact that I like this bourbon. I really do. That said, the Van Winkle hype machine has unfortunately infected every product in their line. This 10 year old bottled at 90 proof (often referred to as the “ORVW 10/90”) is a nice bourbon but not worth fighting or scrounging over. For those of you out there that don’t know, Buffalo Trace uses the same recipe for ORVW 10/90 that they do for their Weller line. In the 5-7 year range there’s Weller Special Reserve at 90 Proof that can be had for as little as $9.99. Weller 12 Year is in the $25 range. But for some reason this is almost twice as much at two years younger just because the Van Winkle name is on it. Is it a nice bourbon? Yes. At $25 or even $30 it would be hard to beat as an everyday pour. However, at this price I’d say try it if you can but don’t think this is any kind of must have bourbon. Kudos to Julian and Preston Van Winkle for their PR machine but you can get just as good of bourbon for a lot less coin.
Rating: Stands Out

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New Releases – March thru May 2012

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

It seems like this move to Columbia is taking up a lot more of my time than I thought it would. I’m so far behind on Whisk(e)y Apostle content that it’s kind of sad. Well, I’m three months delinquent on new release updates so this will be covering everything I’ve heard about in March, April, and May.

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength
Timeframe: Q4 2012
ABV: 122% to 123%
Price: TBD
This new release from Louisville Distilling will be finished in port pipes just like regular Angel’s Envy but it will be finished for a good bit longer. Typically Angel’s Envy is 3 to 6 months of finishing but the Cask Strength will be soaking up that port goodness for around 22 months. It will be 6 to 8 years old after finishing.

Black Ridge Small Batch
Timeframe: TBD
ABV: 45%
Price: TBD
No details on this one. It was found to be a pending Buffalo Trace release from the COLA online database.

Dalmore Castle Leod
Timeframe: Now
ABV: 46%
Price: $135
This limited edition bottling celebrates the ancient and historic seat of Clan Mackenzie and is the second in a series crafted by Master Distiller Richard Paterson in homage to Clan Mackenzie. The Vintage 1995 expression was matured initially in American white oak and Spanish sherry wood, before being transferred for a final 18 months to barriques from a 1st cru classe Bordeaux chateau.

E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof
Timeframe: June
ABV: 67.25%
Price: $69.99
This barrel proof, uncut, unfiltered rye recipe bourbon was aged for seven years on the sixth floor of Buffalo Trace’s Warehouse C, built by Colonel Taylor in 1881. This release is fourth in the line of E. H. Taylor, Jr. collection of whiskeys.

Elijah Craig 12 Year Old Cask Strength
Timeframe: Now
ABV: 66%
Price: $75
This will be a distillery only bottling.

Elijah Craig 20 Year Old Single Barrel
Timeframe: Late May/Early June
ABV: 45%
Price: $130
This release will be replacing the standard 18 Year Old for a limited time. Apparently Heaven Hill has just too darn much 20 year old bourbon. More likely they had a good portion of the existing 18 that was actually close to 20 years old and they decided they could make a lot more money if they showed the real age on the bottle. Trolling the COLA online database also uncovered labels for 21, 22, and 23 year old one off bottlings that may be in the pipeline.

Glenmorangie Artein
Timeframe: Now
ABV: 46%
Price: $75
This is the newest in the series of Private Editions from Glenmorangie. This one is finished in Sassicaia wine barrels.

High West Campfire
Timeframe: TBD
ABV: TBD
Price: TBD
This is the new release from Dave Perkins at High West mixing bourbon, rye, and single malt scotch!

Jeffers Creek Bourbon
Timeframe: TBD
ABV: 40%
Price:TBD
6 year old release coming out from Buffalo Trace. This one also came out of the COLA online database.

Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve and Platinum
Timeframe: Summer 2012
ABV: TBD
Two in. Two out. Diageo is pulling Green label and Gold label and replacing them with these two priced around the same.

Jura 1976
Timeframe: TBD
ABV: 46%
Price: TBD
New release coming stateside but light on the details.

Mitcher’s 20 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon
Timeframe: TBD
ABV: 55.4%
Price: TBD
Another COLA find.

Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Timeframe: TBD
ABV: 55%
Price: TBD
No official word. This is another product of COLA trolling.

Southern Comfort Bold Black Cherry
Timeframe: June 2012
ABV: 35%
Price: $16.99
The name kind of says it all. SoCo keeps expanding their stable of flavors to compete in the Red Stag environment.

Two Stars Bourbon
Timeframe: TBD
ABV: 45%
Price: TBD
Another pending Buffalo Trace release. This one is coming out under the Clear Springs Distilling Co. label which is a label that they use for wholesale releases like Costco, etc.

Wild Turkey 81 Rye
Timeframe: Now
ABV: 40.5%
Price: $20
Wild Turkey rolled this out earlier this year. It’s in the same vein as the previous 81 bourbon.

That sums it up. As always, if I missed anything please let me know. I’ll also try to get caught up with all the stuff I want to share the whiskey apostles out there.

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

New Releases – March thru May 2012 Read More »

Old Weller Antique

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Old Weller Antique Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
53.5% ABV/107 Proof
$22 to $25
Website

What the Distillery Says:
[Quoted from Wine Enthusiast Magazine on their website]
A medium amber bourbon, bearing a sweetish note with some unusual floral notes and a string dash of vanilla. The body is big and the palate is very well balanced, flirting between sweet honeyed fruit notes, a strong vanilla undertone and some sharp spicy tones; the finish is long and spicy.

A very well crafted whiskey. Sip it at room temperature with a little spring water or over ice.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Vanilla, honey, maple syrup, and an astringent alcohol note. Yes it can be watered down but then you’d just have Weller Special Reserve!
Palate: Chewy, fruity sweet, lots of vanilla, and it trails out with a spicy smack more from the alcohol than the mashbill.
Finish: Caramel covered oak bars sprinkled with black peppercorns.
Comments: I don’t want to start bitching about the loss of age statements. If you want that then jump over to StraightBourbon.com. However, I do find it a vexing state of affairs where the products we love are becoming more popular, leading to thinner stocks, leading to the removal of more and more age statements. Like Weller Special Reserve (WSR) this used to be a 7 year old. It’s tastes about the same as it did before the age statement dropped off but that’s just me. It’s more important that the bourbon tastes good right? Well this one does. This is the same as WSR just at higher proof. I like this one better. The extra alcohol is good for this particular bourbon. The price has been creeping up a little lately but it’s still a great buy and kicks the shit out of Maker’s for an inexpensive wheated bourbon. After all, with more age on it this stuff ultimately ends up as Pappy Van Winkle after all. 😉
Rating: Stands Out, Great Value

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Weller Special Reserve

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

W.L. Weller Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Aged 7 Years
45% ABV/90 Proof
$10 – $20
Website
Weller Special Reserve 7 Yr
What the Distillery Says:
The Original “Wheated” Bourbon Whiskey
Replacing the rye grain in our recipe with wheat provides for an exceptionally smooth taste. And at 7 years of age and “Kentucky proof”– 90 proof, W. L. Weller is a truly outstanding buy.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Weller always comes across with honeysuckle sweetness, crisp apples, and black peppercorns.
Palate: Bourbony? 🙂 It’s not very sweet but it’s nicely balanced with oak, caramel, vanilla, and a peppery spice at the end of the palate that runs into the finish.
Finish: Crisp and a little spicy. The spice hangs around through the end of the finish.
Comments: Confession time, I’ve had a really hard time coming up with review notes for this one. It’s not that Weller Special Reserve isn’t distinctive. Rather, I use this specific bourbon in a lot of the cooking I do. As a result, most of the notes I originally came up with are reminiscent of my bourbon meatballs, pecan pie, or bourbon cream cheese frosted red velvet cake. I use is so much because it’s a mellow and pleasing bourbon that works well with food. Think about this alternative the next time you’re in the store and you’re reaching for a bottle of Maker’s Mark. Plus, if you look hard enough you may find it for almost half the price. 😉
Rating: Stands Out, Great Value

Weller Special Reserve Read More »

New U.S. Releases – February 2012

/ / Bourbon, Other Spirits

Did you hear that? That was the sound of a pin dropping. That’s how quiet it was for new releases in February. We did hear about a couple but they barely sneaked under the wire before month end.

Old Bushmills Honey
Timeframe – TBD
ABV – TBD
Price – TBD
This is a new Bushmills based honey liqueur designed exclusively for the U.S. market. I first heard rumblings from Chuck Cowdery over on Straightbourbon and additional details are scarce at the moment.

Temperance Trader Bourbon
Timeframe – March 2012
ABV – 43%
Price – $29.95
This release is another high rye bourbon sourced and bottled by a craft distiller. Bull Run Distilling Company out of Portland, Oregon is the aforementioned distiller bottling this one. Initial distribution is only Oregon, Illinois, and Tennessee at the moment.

And that’s all folks! Maybe March will hold more whiskey goodness for us.

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

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