Matt’s Blog

Whisky Fest NY ’09 Recap

/ / Bourbon, Irish Whiskey, Matt's Blog, Other Spirits, Other Whisk(e)ys, Richard's Blog, Scottish Whisky

Last night the Whisk(e)y Apostles re-united at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square for the 12th Annual New York Whisky Fest.  Despite selling fewer tickets this year, it still seemed awfully crowded.  We ran into some friends, saw some from a distance, and I’m sure we missed others entirely.  We had a great time, but we hope you appreciate what hard work an event of this magnitude is for humble whisk(e)y writers such as ourselves.

The night started off with VIP hour.  For the first time, there were published special VIP only pours.  Before we just got to drink for an hour longer than everyone else.  When we saw that The Dalmore was pouring the King Alexander III during the VIP hour, we made a b-line for the table.  The King Alexander III is comprised of whiskies aged in six types of barrels.  The results is a very rich and complex whisky that far out shines the rest of the Dalmore line (more on that later).

Bushmills‘ VIP pour was the 1608, a very fine dram indeed.  However, both of us agreed that the 21yo to be superior (although Matt found it to be a slow opener).  It delivered a complexity of character previously unseen in the Bushmill’s single malts.

Not to buck the established whiskirati, but both of us found the new Wild Turkey Tradition to be superior to the recent American Spirit bottling (but Matt never really took to the American Spirit).

Next up was a lovely pour of Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve.  This was another high point of the VIP hour.  It started with a lovely nose and followed all the way through as an all around great Irish whiskey experience.  Highly recommended by both Apostles.

There were a few disappointments during the VIP hour.  Tullamore Dew’s 10yo single malt, Bunnahabhain’s 25yo, and the Kilbeggan 15yo all were not bad but didn’t grab us as particularly special, although the Kilbeggan’s nose was unlike any Irish we’d ever smelled.

We rounded out the VIP hour with a stop at Pierre Ferrand’s booth.  This was always Richard’s favorite cognac distiller but it was a new experience for Matt.  In addition to their great standard offerings they were pouring their 45yo Abel and 75yo Ancestrale bottlings during the first hour.  Both were magnificent to say the least.  Unfortunately, we fear that Matt is now ruined on cognac with a new affinity for these exceptional and very old Grand Champagne bottlings.  (And you thought all we drank was whisk(e)y!)

At the end of the VIP hour we tried to handled the overwhelming abundance of offerings with strategic planning but even for the experienced attendee Whisky Fest can be overwhelming.  We’ll take you through the high points by group.

Most of our bourbon time was spent with Woodford, Heaven Hill, and Buffalo Trace.  We got a nip of the new Master Distiller’s Seasoned Oak release from Woodford Reserve.  It was unanimous that the Seasoned Oak is far superior to the most recent two releases but still doesn’t hold a candle to Four Grain releases of years past.  Heaven Hill was offering the 27yo and Golden Anniversary bottlings of Parker’s Heritage Collection.  Both are very good but Matt found the Golden Anniversary more complex while Richard thought the 27yo was the better of the two.  Either way you really can’t go wrong.  We ended bourbon for the evening by thoroughly harassing the Buffalo Trace representative. Threats were issued and promises were made.  In the end there is a loose promise that we will see Buffalo Trace in Georgia by the end of next year. Richard finds it a travesty that Georgia is so close to Kentucky but can’t get any of Buffalo Trace’s standard release.  We haven’t formally reviewed it but it is a personal best buy for both Apostles.

Next we move to our neighbor to the north.  Seasoned readers of our site will know that we haven’t spoken too kindly regarding Canadian whiskies in the past.  We were fortunate enough to have a very candid discussion with John Hall of Forty Creek about the current state of the Canadian whisky industry.  He is great guy and always good to talk with.  During the discussion he poured the Double Barrel Reserve release of Forty Creek, which is very nice.  We also found out that there is the potential for a new release of the Port Wood that didn’t make it to the U.S. the last time it was made.  This time, according to Mr. Hall, it will make it to the US market.  We rounded out our Canadian experience by tried the Cask No. 16 from Crown Royal.  What can we say?  It was good!  This is just more proof that Limousin oak can make anything taste great.

As with most of these events, Scotch seemed to dominate the floor.  We were eager to try the new Dalmore range and were a little disappointed.  The Dalmore has been an Apostle favorite in the past.  The new line tasted flat.  However, we didn’t make it over there until later in the evening.  There is a great possibility that we were suffering from palate fatigue (not to mention the general distraction involved with these events).  We agreed that it would be best to try these again under calmer circumstances before making any definitive statements.

We had a long chat with John MacDonald of Inver House (distillery manager for Balblair) about great whisky and sexy packaging.  We started with AnCnoc, an interesting dram with the scent of a Speyside and the palate of a Highland.  The 16yo particularly stands out.  John’s baby, Balblair was poured as 1991 and 1997 vintages.  Both were really exceptional and will be in the states January of 2010.  When asked about a vintage model versus the age model, he said it was about quality.  After tasting, we could not argue about the quality.

Other highlights in Scottish whisky included as short visit with at the Balvenie table, where we tried the 17yo Madeira Cask.  This edition of the 17yo is a fine dram, a step up from last year’s Rum Cask, but still not as heavenly as the original Islay Cask.  The Springbank table gave us some very lovely 18yo Springbank and some very promising 5yo “work in progress” Kilkerran.  Ronnie Cox of The Glenrothes poured us some excellent whisky before being mobbed by Orthodox Jews.  To our palates, the Alba Reserve is superior to the Select Reserve and the 1985 vintage is just swell.  Perhaps the most colorful part of the night was the latest Compass Box offerings.  John Glaser has re-introduced The Spice Tree and Orangerie to the line.  The Spice Tree is going to once again be an Apostle favorite, while Mr. Glaser himself described the Orangerie as some “wacky shit.”  We couldn’t agree more.

After hearing all the hype about Amrut whisky (not to mention the weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth involved in getting it to the US), the Apostles were eager to try this Indian single malt.  Matt had been taken in by the hype and was a little disappointed, while Richard’s ardent skepticism provided him with a pleasant surprise.  In general, the entire line is overly sweet and a little unbalanced, it might benefit from a higher proof.  The Fusion expression (a mixture of Indian barley and Scottish peated barley) is the most balanced and enjoyable of the line.

Finally, there were the American microdistillers,  There were more this year than ever before.  Finger Lakes Distilling in upstate New York brought Glen Thunder Corn Whiskey and McKenzie’s Rye.  Glen Thunder can best be described as liquid corn bread in both nose and palate.  McKenzie’s Rye is unlike any other American rye.  The palate is heavy with ginger bread without any of the sticky sweetness of modern ryes.  Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey continues to improve.  It is very much a beer drinker’s dram (very malty).  The much talked about High West Whiskeys brought their entire line.  All were good, but the Rendezvous Rye stands above the rest.  Lastly was Triple Eight Distillery’s Notch whiskey.  We were like “how good can whiskey from Nantucket be?”  The answer:  pretty darn good.  Made using their own bottle ready beer, it reminded us a little of Charbay Whiskey.  However, at $888, it makes Charbay look like a steal.

Whisky Fest was a great event again this year.  This is always a highlight of the U.S. whiskey calendar every year for twelve years running.  We would like to thank everyone involved in making Whisky Fest work.  The food was great and the atmosphere was friendlier than ever before.  Thanks especially to John Hansell and his entire staff at Malt Advocate for organizing this event.  We can’t wait until next year!

-Matt & Richard

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A visit to Tuthilltown Spirits

/ / Bourbon, Distillery Tours, Matt's Blog, Other Spirits, Other Whisk(e)ys
Hudson Baby Bourbon
Hudson Baby Bourbon

I traveled up to the Hudson Valley this weekend to re-energize from the grueling pace of the City.  While I was up there, I decided to head over to Tuthilltown Spirits for a distillery tour, a tasting, and nice chat with Gable Erenzo (Distiller, Brand Ambassador, etc.).  As you know, I am a huge fan of the micro-distillation movement.  So, this was a particular treat for me.

When Tuthilltown opened around six years ago, they were the first whiskey distillery in New York State since prohibition.  They are no longer the only (Finger Lakes Distilling started producing whiskey this year), but they are still the first and there are a few other things that make them special.  Every whiskey produced at Tuthilltown is double distilled.  They have a “large” 400 gallon combination pot and column still that uses a steam jacket to heat the mash (which includes the solids from fermentation for a more flavorful product).  There is another smaller still for the second distillation.

As with many of the microdistillers, Tuthilltown uses a variety of small barrels for maturation.  Smaller barrel size allows for greater surface area contact between wood and spirit, thus speeding up the maturation process.  Since the whiskey only matures 6-10 months, the spirit does not experience the environmental changes that a 3-6 year old bourbon from one of the Kentucky behemoths feel.  In an attempt to rectify this situation, the warehouse walls are lined with baseboard heaters.  The heaters are powered with hot waste-water from the stills.  So, when the stills are running, the warehouse gets very warm, but the warehouse can get very cold (in the winter at least) when the stills are dormant for the night.  Additionally, there are bass speakers placed all over the warehouse that play very deep bass each night.  Gable calls this “sonic aging”.  The bass vibrates the barrels, agitating the spirit and creating micro expansions and contractions in the barrels themselves.  If you visit Tuthilltown, you will notice another oddity.  They store their barrels on end.  When I asked Gable if he noticed a difference in the end product.  He said they’ve always done it that way, so he’s never been able to compare   They regularly rotate the barrels though.

What is really striking about Tuthilltown is their commitment to the environment.  Except for the oak in the barrels and the malted barley in their single malt and four grain whiskies, all of their whiskey ingredients are grown within 10 miles of the distillery.  The waste water from distillation is used to heat the warehouse and is then circulated through a reed pond to be absorbed by the reeds.  They currently burn the waste alcohols for fuel and the ultimate goal is to be completely off grid.

While whiskey is job #1 at Tuthilltown, Gable and his father Ralph (along with business partner Brian Lee and a small staff of workers) also supply the Hudson Valley, New York City and select other markets with rum and vodka.  The vodka is made from cider produced at a farm down the road and they offer both a double distilled (Heart Of The Hudson) and a triple distilled variety (Spirit Of The Hudson).  My wife and I both prefer the Heart of the Hudson Vodka.  Triple distillation is overkill and makes it just another vodka.  The double distilled spirit smells strongly of fresh apples and carries a hint of the flavor.

Due to the nature of their license, the tasting room can only pour spirits made from local products.  So you won’t find the single malt or the rum in the tasting room.  I’m a fan of their whiskeys in general and you can read our review of the Four Grain Bourbon here.  The Manhattan Rye is one of my favorite ryes (although the one they bottled for Park Avenue Liquors is even better than the standard).  They offer a Baby Bourbon (100% corn bourbon aged in tiny casks for about 6 months) and un-aged corn whiskey (which is surprisingly smooth and flavorful).  Richard and I will be posting a formal review of the latest bottling of New York Whiskey this week.  The New York Whiskey line is Tuthilltown’s experimental collection.  This bottling is 100% wheat.  It’s smooth and lovely.

So what is on the horizon for Tuthilltown?  Well, they have already laid down some whiskey in second use barrels for bourbon style whiskey.  They won’t be able to call it “bourbon” because of the second use barrels, but I’m sure it will be well received.  Whiskey enthusiasts and cocktail crafters alike love Tuthilltown whiskeys but some complain about the price point.  It’s around $45 for 375ml of their main whiskey line.  The second use matured whiskeys will be available under another label at a lower price point.  Gable is also growing some hops on the property for a hop infused whiskey.  I really enjoyed Charbay’s hop infused whiskey, I can’t wait to see Tuthilltown’s offering.

If you want more information about Tuthilltown or for a tour, check out the website.

Drink well, drink responsibly.
-Matt

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News From Compass Box

/ / Matt's Blog, Scottish Whisky

We’ve recently mentioned the re-release of The Spice Tree from Compass Box Whisky.  This is more than exciting to me, as this was one of my favorites when it was first released.  You can read our review of the first release here.  We will let you know about the new one as soon as possible.

Well, Compass Box is also bringing back Orangerie, an “infusion of fresh, hand-zested organic orange zest, cassia and clove in 10 year-old Scotch whisky.”

Look for these two drams this fall and something extra special closer to winter time.  Compass Box is releasing a very limited, one time release of old vatted malt inspired by the “Lucky Blend.”  The new whisky will be called Lady Luck and I can’t wait to try it.

For more information about these whiskies, hit up the Compass Box website.

Drink well, drink responsibly.
-Matt

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Beauty and the Beist

/ / Matt's Blog, Scottish Whisky

I just got back from brunch with Dr. Bill Lumsden, Master Distiller of Glenmorangie and Arbeg, at the Brandy Library.  The food was great, the whisky was better and a great time was had by all. Dr. Bill promised to bore us to death and then give us great whisky.  I told him that talk of whisky was never boring.  “You’ve never heard me talk before,” says he.  Needless to say, I was not bored.

One of the things I learned today:  Glemorangie has the tallest pot still in Scotland (16′-10 1/4″).  Dr. Bill also took us through the long journey that the Astar barrels take before holding Glenmorangie (ask me about it or ask Dr. Bill, it’s a long journey).  And we learned how to “release the serpent” in whisky (add water).

The whiskies on the menu were Glenmorangie Original, Astar, Lasanta, Sonnalta PX, Ardbeg Supernova and Corryvrecken.  I was also allowed to sample some Glenmorangie new make spirit.  Smelling and tasting of banana peels, coconut and rum, the new make would make a great cocktail mixer.  Too bad it’s not for sale.

We’ve reviewed both the Original and the Astar (Dr. Bill’s favorite) quite recently, so I won’t rehash those.  Notice there are no age statements…

Glenmorangie Lasanta
46% ABV, 92 Proof, Non-Chill Filtered
Nose: Sherry, cinnamon, ginger, raisins, toffee
Palate: Oily, sticky, sweet, spicy, hazelnut, blood orange
Finish: Oily, long, spiced orange and dark fruits
Comments: Lasanta is finished in Dry Oloroso Sherry casks for two years.  Otherwise, it is basically the same whisky as the Original.  I like what they are trying to do here.  Dr. Bill is one of the engineers of the extra-maturation movement afterall(remember all those old Glenmorangies?).  You still get some of the Glenmorangie character, but with an extra zing.  I like it, but I like the Original better.

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX
46% ABV, 92 Proof, Non-Chill Filtered
Nose: Everything you find in the Lasanta but bolder, dark chocolate, berries
Palate: Again, like Lasanta on steroids.  Bold, rich sherry flavors with black pepper, tobacco and spice.
Finish: Long and oily, but sharp
Comments: Similar to the Lasanta, but using Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks.  The extra richness of the PX really comes out in the whisky.  This is a great addition to the extra-matured world.  Plus, although this whisky is currently only available at Travel Retail, they will be releasing the Sonnalta PX domestically (in the US) soon due to popular demand.  Whose says the consumer has no control in the whisky world?  (It’s not like Glenmorangie is a Diageo company!)*

Glenmorangie Signet
46% ABV, 92 Proof, Non-Chill Filtered
Nose: Sherry, chocolate, dark berries, coffee, pecan pie,
Palate: Rich, chocolate, oak, spice, blood orange, vanilla, crème brulee, coffee, leather
Finish: Velvety
Comments: I knew that Glenmorangie was using ‘chocolate’ malt in the distilling process for the Signet.  What I did not realize was that the malting process for ‘chocolate’ malt more closely resembles tumble-roasting (like coffee) than traditional floor malting (hand or machine turning on the malting floor).  This is a wicked dram with one of the most complex recipes I’ve ever heard for a single malt.  Just to give you an idea, the Signet contains whisky from ‘chocolate’ malt, first and second fill bourbon cask whiskies (using the special oak of the Astar barrels), sherried whiskies, virgin oak whiskies, and whiskies of various ages (some over 30 years old).  There is no other whisky like this on the market.  It goes really well with dark chocolate and cigars, but you could drink it neat with no food and still be happy.

Ardbeg Corryvreckan
57.1% ABV, 114.2 Proof, Non-Chill Filtered
Nose: PEAT.  I don’t get a lot of anything else.  It’s peat smoke and a lot of it.
Palate: Sweet, rich, spice, tar, nutty, medicinal, creamy, smoky, fresh shellfish and hot black top asphalt.  Incredibly complex.
Finish: Long, earthy and creamy
Comment: This will replace the Airigh Nam Beist, which is being discontinued despite being Dr. Bill’s personal favorite among the Ardbeg range.  I can’t say that I mind.  This is my very favorite Ardbeg to date.  Love it.

Ardbeg Supernova
58.9% ABV, 117.8 Proof, Non-Chill Filtered
Nose: The high proof puts the alcohol at the forefront of the nose.  The peat is surprisingly coy.  Sweet, lime juice and band-aids
Palate: Whoa!  Like chewing on a lump of peat covered in dark chocolate and burnt sugar.  Smoke, spice, lime and band-aids
Finish: I could still taste the peat, chocolate and sweetness after an hour on the subway.  So, yeah, “long finish.”
Comments: The “lime juice and band-aids” comment comes directly from Dr. Bill Lumsden, but he is right on with the description.  I’m not sure that is the best way to sell people on your whisky though.  For being Ardbeg’s peatiest whisky and one of the peatiest on the market, the Supernova is surprisingly approachable.  I like it, but give me more of that Corryvreckan.

Thanks to the Dr. Bill Lumsden, David Blackmore of Moet Hennessy and Ethan Kelly of Brandy Library for putting this together.  I always love a chance to meet a Master Distiller.  It only sweetens the deal that it was Dr. Bill (Glenmorangie is my ‘go-to’ whisky).

*The Glenmorangie and Arbeg are owned by LVMH.

Drink well, drink responsibly.
-Matt

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Whisky On The Hudson ‘09

/ / Bourbon, Irish Whiskey, Matt's Blog, Other Whisk(e)ys, Scottish Whisky

If you’ve been following me on Twitter, you already know that Thursday night was the Whisky Guild’s annual Whisky On The Hudson booze cruise.  You also know that I forgot my ticket and had to wrangle a new one (which makes this the most expensive tasting event I’ve ever attended.  Not the Guild’s fault, but there it is). Despite my ineptitude, Thursday turned out to be a really great night.  I schmoozed with industry insiders, helped turn other attendees on to new things, and most importantly I learned a lot.  I was even surprised a couple of times.

The boat was bigger this year, but the number of presenters was about the same, which made for a more comfortable socializing experience.  The down side was that things looked a little sparse for a while.  I decided to get the lay of the land first and to seek out some friends.  First I headed to a part of the boat where Glenmorangie had set up a little jazz club, where you could taste the whole line (including many Ardbeg’s) and relax a bit.  Of course, there was a mob around the Signet.  Even though I love Glenmorangie, I was on a mission (I grabbed some of the new Ardbeg Supernova on the way out though).  I didn’t want to be sidetracked.  However, I am easily sidetracked.

I found a boat map to help look for the William Grant & Sons tables.  I know I will find there.  On my way, I get turned around and end up talking Rick Wasmund of Copper Fox Distillery in Virginia.  Wasmund’s Single Malt Whisky (hmm, he leaves out the ‘e’ even though it is an American Single Malt) is a pot stilled whisky that uses barley malted over apple and cherry wood.  I tried it last year and was not impressed, but a trusted source said that they have improved the product, so I was willing to give it a try.  I was pleasantly surprised.  You can taste the influence of the fruit woods, but it does not come off as overly fruity.  It’s bold, round and balanced.  To sweeten the deal, Rick was also pouring an aged rye (containing both rye and his proprietary malted barley) and white dog* of both whiskies.  I’ve tried a lot of white dog in the past couple of months (it seems to be the it whisk(e)y these days).  I have to say, these were my favorites.  The malting process really smoothes out the rough edges commonly associated with white whisky.  The most interesting thing Rick has to offer is a box set that contains two bottles of the white whisky and a miniature charred oak barrel.  You can age your own whisky!  He had a second fill barrel there with five month old whisky.  It was different from the bottled stuff.  The wood was really bold.  This is a must have for any whisky nerd (like myself).  Here’s the rub.  Wasmund’s is only available in the D.C. area right now.  They are working on getting New York distribution, but the rest of the country is still without fruit wood malted single malt.

Once again, I was off to find Dr. Whisky.  He’s always good for a laugh and some quality information.  In route, I caught a glimpse of a Jefferson’s Reserve bottle.  “I wonder if they brought the Presidential Select,” I think to myself.  It’s not on the table.  I ask and they deliver.  Trey Zoeller, V.P. of Bourbon Operations for Castle Brands, comes over and we start talking about this whisky from the now defunct Stitzel-Weller distillery.  This is one of Malt Advocate’s “Must Buy” bourbons (but you already knew that).  It’s every thing John Hansell says it is (we’ll have a formal review someday).  As Trey and I reminisce about dead distilleries (we agree that the Hirsch <Michter’s> 16yo is superior to the 20yo), he tells me that he has another batch of this Stitzel-Weller bourbon that he plans to release next year as Jefferson’s Presidential Select 18yo.  I can’t wait.

Finally, I make it back to the Balvenie table where I find a bearded(!) Dr. Whisky pouring the entire Balvenie line.  We have a chat and I try the new 17yo (Madeira cask).  This is a good one folks.  I was a little disappointed with the Rum cask 17yo from last year.  The palate did not deliver on what the nose promised.  The Madeira 17yo is just the opposite.  The nose is a little weak and uninteresting, but it really delivers on flavor.  Later, I came back and tried the 21yo.  A very fine dram indeed.

Much of the remainder of the night was a flurry of schmoozing and tasting (I even ran into Mark Gillespie of WhiskyCast).  I reacquainted myself with the Glenlivet 15yo (aged in virgin charred Limousin oak).  Limousin oak is used in Cognac barrels and is tricky to work with but it makes a damn fine whisky.  The 15yo is the only Glenlivet to use Limousin oak casks.  This specialty oak gives the whisky a richness and boldness that round out and compliment the sharp, fruity qualities common to Glenlivet.  This is smoother and richer than the standard expression.

I had the opportunity to try the PC6 and PC7 (both distilled at Bruichladdich).  These are both good drams with a fair amount of peat.  I prefer the PC6.

Dave Conroy of International Beverage Company, Inc., took me through his whiskies from Mull and Islay.  I don’t remember ever trying Bunnahabhain before and I think I would remember an unpeated Islay.  I liked it at every age.  There is a sweetness and complexity that I associate more with the mainland.  This is very approachable whisky.  Dave also introduced me to Tobermory and Ledaig (both from the Isle of Mull).  Really good stuff, the Ledaig especially is a must try for any peat lovers out there.

Other things that stood out for me that night were the Knappogue Castle 1995 Irish whisky, the Hibiki 12yo Blended Japanese whisky, Deanston 30yo, and Tuthilltown’s New York Whiskey.  However, the topper had to be the tasting lab led by Master Ambassador for Laphroaig, Simon Brooking.  We tasted peated barley, he lit a peat brick on fire, and each dram was accompanied by a song (or a joke) and a toast.  Simon is a real showman.  We tasted Ardmore 30yo (loved it), Laphroaig 10yo, Quarter Cask, 15yo, 18yo, and 25yo.  I really like the Quarter Cask (and the 25yo of course).  The 18yo is a new addition that will be replacing the 15yo.  They are very different whiskies, so if you are a fan of the 15yo, stock up.  Personally, I prefer the 15yo, but I seem to be among the minority in the critics’ circles.  Maybe I’ll have to give it another go in a less overwhelming setting.

So, that was my Whisky on the Hudson experience.  I’m already looking forward to next year.  The Whisky Guild does several of these events around the country each year.  You should check it out.

* “White dog” is a common term for whisky straight from the still (non-matured, no water added).  I’m not sure if Wasmund’s non-matured whisky is unwatered or not, but it is pretty high proof.

Drink well.  Drink responsibly.

-Matt

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