Other Whisk(e)ys

Nikka Days Blended Whisky

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Nikka Days
Japanese Blended Whisky

40% ABV
$50 – $60
Website
Nikka Days Blended Whisky

What the Distillery Says

Nikka has always been at the crossroads of cultures, between the East and the West, Nature and Human, Tradition and Innovation. Each day is a new journey which continuously learn from previous ones. Nikka Days, the latest creation of the brand, is a shining example of this state of mind.
A subtle blend of grain and malt whiskies. Creamy and smooth, fruity and floral, this whisky will please amateurs and connoisseurs.

COLOR: Light golden hue.
NOSE: Fresh and fruity. White flowers, orange blossoms, pear and citrus.
PALATE: Light and smooth. Cereals, malt, toffee, roasted nuts and vanilla.
FINISH: Dry apricot, malt, vanilla, elusive peat.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Soft and subtle, caramel, toffee with subtle notes of pear and peach.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sweet with grain, malt, a touch of vanilla followed by a slight chili pepper bite, notes of orange near the end.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length with vanilla and grain.
Comments:  Earlier this year as part of my Flaviar membership I selected a tasting box (The Land Of The Rising Whisky) as I have enjoyed drams of Japanese whisky with friends, but have never reviewed nor spent quality time with them. This was the first of three samples from that box. This comes across as pretty young, and just uninspiring. It is ‘bright’, but incredibly subtle. I can appreciate a subtle, nuanced whisk(e)y but this I find is like work to try to coax much from it other than the grain notes.

Rating: Average

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Old Scout American Whiskey

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Old Scout American Whiskey

49.5% ABV
$30-$40
Website
Old Scout American Whiskey

What the Producer Might Say

NOTE: This product has been discontinued; the below information is from multiple other sources
Old Scout American Whiskey includes a blend of 9 year old bourbon (distilled by MGP; their “high rye” mashbill with 36% rye) and a Tennessee whiskey made from a bourbon mash, which was aged for 5 years in re-charred, ex-bourbon barrels. Due to the use of non-virgin oak casks, this is not and can’t be labeled as “bourbon”.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Honey, vanilla cream, caramel corn, soft oak, vitamin notes, a hint of butterscotch.
Palate:  Sweet with honey and cinnamon, a pepper bite with a sharp mineral note before a bit of caramel.
Finish:  Moderate in length, drying with caramel and vitamins.
Comments:  The Tennessee whiskey (almost certainly Dickel) is more prominent on the palate than the nose, but present everywhere. As this isn’t a bourbon due to the used cooperage, it is more muted. Not sure how much of the blend is 5 yr Dickel, but as prominent as it is – one take away for me is that you REALLY need new oak to tamp that vitamin/mineral note down.  Unless you like that sorta thing, in which case this might be right up your alley.

Rating: Average

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10th Street Distiller’s Cut Single Malt American Whisky

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10th Street Distiller’s Cut Single Malt
American Whisky

44% ABV
$65
Website
10th Street Distillers Cut Peated Single Malt
We would like to thank 10th Street Distillery and Feature M for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Distiller’s Cut is a malt lover’s dream. We stick to Old World tradition for our boldest, smokiest whisky using all copper stills, imported Scottish barley, and age it in bourbon barrels. This Scottish American fusion hints of citrus and berry while delivering a woody, earthy, and smoky statement.

TASTING NOTES
Nose: Sour nose with bright citrus, vanilla, and peat; heavy mesquite smoke
Color: Golden
Palate: Sweet high notes of blackberry, brown sugar, honey, and molasses; bran cereal, burning chocolate.
Finish: Smooth and lingering on the sides and back of the tongue

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich and fruity, peat smoke, green oak, broiled meat with sea salt; bit of water brings out more earthiness and mineral notes.
Palate:  Vanilla, caramel, apples, peat, a bit of peanut butter, nutmeg and pepper; bit of water really thickens the mouthfeel nicely.
Finish:  Moderately long with peanut butter, peat and apples.
Comments:  This was a clear step up from the Peated Single Malt in my book. I’ve gotten ‘peanut’ in drams before (Jim Beam’s house style has a peanutty tang to me), but this was different. I think this is probably the best two year old whisky I’ve tried (bottle states “whisky aged at least two years in reused cooperage”). In a blind side by side, this was clearly similar to the Peated Single Malt, but more rich and thick. I do hope that they mature some of this further (and consider bottling at a higher proof). If you’re a whiskey geek and looking to try something unique (and especially if you’re in the San Jose area), I’d definitely look to try this one.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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10th Street Peated Single Malt American Whisky

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10th Street Peated Single Malt
American Whisky

46% ABV
$65
Website
10th Street Peated Single Malt
We would like to thank 10th Street Distillery and Feature M for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Our Peated Single Malt has been inspired by classic Scottish production methods and fueled by American innovation. We source peated barley from Scotland, use mineral rich water from Sierra snowmelt, and age in bourbon barrels for a whisky that is smoky, fruity, and well rounded.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Citrus, with a peat smoke essence
Color: Light golden
Palate: Creamy full flavors of vanilla and dark red apple peels, turning into rounded peat flavors. A delicate balance of fruity and smoky notes.
Finish: Full bodied, buttery, with a lingering peaty finish

What Gary Says

Nose:  Peat smoke, hint of green oak, subtle tangerines and apricots.
Palate:  Vanilla, caramel, peat, apple crumble without any cinnamon, slight pepper spice.
Finish:  Moderate in length with peat, apples and pepper.
Comments:  This is a nicely done peated American single malt. Unique and interesting. Again, I’m surprised at it’s youth as the bottle states “whisky stored for one year in reused cooperage” (oddly phrased, but more direct than “at least 1 year”). Another pretty young whisky that surprises me as being worth drinking.

Rating: Stands Out

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10th Street STR Single Malt American Whisky

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10th Street STR Single Malt
American Whisky

46% ABV
$65
Website
10th Street American Whiskey Single Malt STR
We would like to thank 10th Street Distillery and Feature M for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

STR Single Malt unpeated whisky is an all-American creation, matured in ex-bourbon casks that have been shaved, toasted, and re-charred (STR) to impart some of the flavors of freshly-charred wood, without being overwhelmed by oak notes from direct immersion in virgin American Oak barrels. Striking a balance between the oak influence from new casks prevalent in American whiskies and used barrels common in traditional Scotch techniques, STR Single Malt is one of the only American single malts to use STR barrels. 10th Street uses domestic two-row malted barley, double distills in all-copper pot stills and, finally, bottles without chill-filtering, to preserve complexity.

“For our first unpeated product, we wanted to create a distinctive single malt whisky that strikes a balance between the influence of the freshly charred American oak, and classic malt notes. Using specially prepared STR barrels allowed us to bring in the caramel, almost candy-like notes from the wood and pair them with the malt coming from our copper pot double-distilling process. The result is a delicate, yet flavorful whisky that is truly unique” says Virag Saksena, CEO, 10th Street Distillery.

TASTING NOTES
Nose: Lightly spicy with overtones of sweet caramel and butterscotch
Color: Light golden
Palate: Complex cherry-like sweetness with notes of vanilla bean, nutmeg, and clove
Finish: Smooth and round, filled with decadent flavors of candied fruits

What Gary Says

Nose:  Malty, toasted oak with vanilla and caramel, butterscotch, honeysuckle, freshly baked yeasty bread, a hint of apricots and green apples.
Palate:  Sweet with a round mouthfeel, cherry with honey and vanilla, gentle pepper and baking spices, hint of green apples.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, slightly drying with spices, dried fruit and a bit of pepper.
Comments:  This is a very unique single malt. American ‘single malt’ isn’t defined like it is in Scotland and other countries, but if trying this blind – it has some resemblance to a single malt scotch while not reminding me of any in particular. The pot still and non-chill filtering lend to a nice mouthfeel even at a pretty young age (the bottle states “whisky aged at least one year in reused cooperage”, so not sure precisely how old, but likely between 1 and 2 years old). There aren’t many whiskies under 2 years old that I thought were worth drinking. This is one of the rare exceptions. If tasting this blind, I wouldn’t have guessed it to be that young.  While the bread notes are something I associate with young whisky, it isn’t predominately cereal in nature.  Don’t get me wrong – it isn’t amazingly complex, but if I was asked to guess the age – I would have put it in the 5 to 8 year range.  Very well done whisky!

Rating: Stands Out

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