Other Whisk(e)ys

Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whisky

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Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whisky

46% ABV
$40
Website

What the Distillery Says

A TRUE ORIGINAL
The first Texas whisky on the market since Prohibition, Baby Blue is crafted from roasted heirloom blue corn. This rich and oily maize adds new sophistication to the corn whisky tradition while keeping the freshness and verve of classic American distilling. Intentionally youthful, Baby Blue captures the essence of this prized corn with a round nuttiness, roasted overtones and refined complexity. The mouthfeel is viscous with a soft finish. A true Texas original that we are delighted to share with the world.

NOSE: melted butter, kettle corn, vanilla, toffee, cinnamon and nutmeg, fresh bread and honey, fresh ground coffee, baking chocolate
TASTE: tropical fruit, slight apricot, brown sugar, cotton candy, sweet tea with lemon, smoked chilis
FINISH: medium long warming, late cinnamon/leather spice, mint and green peppercorns

What Gary Says

Nose:  Warm, fresh corn tortillas, corn bread with loads of butter, buttered popcorn with some oak and smoke throughout; a bit on the sharp side.
Palate:  Thin mouthfeel, creamed corn with sugar and a subtle honey note.
Finish:  Short with notes of buttered popcorn.
Comments: The nose is interesting, not super ‘sweet’ like some other corn whiskies, but a more savory corn nuance. The palate is pretty unremarkable for me; my initial thought is that it is fairly ‘doggy’ (if you’re familiar with white dog). This is aged “at least 6 months”, and while the nose is intriguing, its youth is very apparent on the palate. I get that the heat in Texas might make this way too oaky given the age we typically see in a more northern climate. But then maybe the warehouses need to have some level of climate control to prevent that? Or ‘Texas’ whiskey will have that heavy oak influence as a characteristic? I’ll admit – I’m not a huge corn whiskey fan. But when you can get a bottled-in-bond corn whiskey for $15 or so, I can’t imagine where I’d spend $40 on a 6 month old bottle.

Rating: Probably Pass

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Crown Royal Noble Collection 13 year old Blenders’ Mash

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Crown Royal Noble Collection 13 year old Blenders’ Mash

45% ABV
$50 – $60
Website

What the Distillery Says

Crown Royal 13-Year-Old Blenders’ Mash, the third expression in the Noble Collection, is a rare stock of our Canadian Whisky made with a mash bill of 60% corn, 36% rye and 4% barley malt. It is one of the five unique whiskies that comprise our signature blends. Carefully aged in new, charred American white oak barrels for no less than 13 years. The complexity of the liquid intensifies with the aging process, bringing out richer and deeper notes of caramel and fruit. This remarkably smooth and layered whisky is hand selected from our reserve stock, revealing its noble roots with every sip.

The Crown Royal Noble Collection is a series of limited annual releases that celebrates the skilled craftsmanship of our distillers and blenders – and their dedication to the art of creating extraordinary whiskies.

APPEARANCE: Amber
NOSE: Crown Royal 13-Year-Old Blenders’ Mash begins with a nose of orchid fruits, butterscotch with a hint of toasted oak.
TASTE: Crown Royal 13-Year-Old Blenders’ Mash encompasses the taste of rich caramel, vanilla and toffee notes.

Note: The above content was provided after requesting information directly from Crown Royal; not sure why they aren’t bragging about this on their own web-site but do appreciate them providing these details!

What Gary Says

Nose:  Soft oak with rich vanilla, cocoa powder, bits of nutmeg amongst other baking spices, hints of dark fruit in maple syrup.
Palate:  Sweet caramel cremes with vanilla ice cream; a dusting of cinnamon and nutmeg with maple candies.
Finish:  Moderately long, with notes of maple as it fades.
Comments:  If nosing/tasting blind, I absolutely would peg this as a bourbon. It has all of the hallmarks (vanilla, caramel sweetness with some oak) but is unique to be sure. The northern climate this was aged in makes a big difference – as there isn’t nearly as much oak as you’d get in a bourbon aged for 13 years. There also isn’t much of a spice edge. If you like a sweeter bourbon, this is probably right up your alley. If you’re more into an edgy, spicier dram – this wouldn’t be that. For what it is, I think it is delicious, and probably my favorite pour from north of the border in a while.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Amrut Peated Indian Single Malt Cask Strength Whisky

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Amrut Peated Indian Single Malt Cask Strength Whisky

62.8% ABV
$100
Website

What the Distiller Says

According to Indian mythology, when the Gods and Rakshasas – the demons – churned the oceans using the mountain Meru, a golden pot sprang out of the oceans containing the “elixir of life”. This was called the “Amrut”.  The great founders of our distillery aptly named it Amrut Distilleries.

Amrut Single Malt Whisky Peated is a product of many years of research and development with an aim to produce world class whiskies. This whisky is made from the finest imported Scottish peated barley.

It is carefully mashed and distilled in small batches to preserve the natural aromas and matured in oak barrels in unique tropical conditions at an altitude of 3,000 feet above sea level at Bangalore, the “garden city” of India. To retain the natural characteristics of this oak aged Indian Single Malt Whisky we do not chill filter and it is bottled straight from the barrel in its natural color.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Gristy smoked barley, kippers with a salted butter, peppered bite
Taste: The delivery is youthful and barely reaching puberty then suddenly an intensely malty ascendancy followed by a healthy dose of drier oaks
Finish: A sublime finale for its sheer delicacy and elegance; the peat no more than oozes, there are cups galaore of sugarless medium roast Mysore and finally, as a bourbony trail is discovered, soft liquorice and molassed sugar – easily the highlight of the experience: one of the best finishes of the year

What Gary Says

Nose: Plenty of peat, some exotic wood, musty incense, and tahini candy.
Palate: Thick, earthy with some dark fruit sweetness, plums, dates, molasses, and some spice underlying; bit of water turns up the sweetness a bit more without losing the thick mouthfeel.
Finish: Short to moderate in length, on the damp side.
Comments: On the nose, this is the non-cask strength version simply turned up.  On the palate, the extra proof is bringing more to the party; another great example of why I prefer higher proof drams.  For me, the extra proof brings more complexity and depth, even with some water added.  The peat isn’t as overwhelming on the palate here (still heavy handed on the nose though).  At the price point though, while I like it more it still isn’t something that I’d rush out and buy a bottle of (not without trying first!)

Rating: Stands Out

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Amrut Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

Amrut Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV
$80
Website

What the Distiller Says

According to Indian mythology, when the Gods and Rakshasas – the demons – churned the oceans using the mountain Meru, a golden pot sprang out of the oceans containing the “elixir of life”. This was called the “Amrut”.  The great founders of our distillery aptly named it Amrut Distilleries.

Amrut Single Malt Whisky Peated is a product of many years of research and development with an aim to produce world class whiskies. This whisky is made from the finest imported Scottish peated barley.

It is carefully mashed and distilled in small batches to preserve the natural aromas and matured in oak barrels in unique tropical conditions at an altitude of 3,000 feet above sea level at Bangalore, the “garden city” of India. To retain the natural characteristics of this oak aged Indian Single Malt Whisky we do not chill filter and it is bottled straight from the barrel in its natural color.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Unusually dry peat; not dissimilar to peat reek absorbed by an old leather armchair; a hint of citrus, too
Taste: Despite the nose, the immediate sensation is one of being caressed by molassed sugar and then a ratching up of the peat notes. As they get more forceful, so the experience becomes that little bit drier and spicier, though not without the molasses refusing to give way
Finish: You can tell the quality of the distillate and the barrels it has been matured in by the crystalline depth to the finish. Everything is clear on the palate and the butterscotch vanillas wrap the phenols for a comfortable and clean finale

What Gary Says

Nose: Peat! Seriously, loads of peat, with some exotic wood, incense, and mustiness in the background.
Palate: Sweet Earthy malt, some hints of fruit with vegetal notes.
Finish: Short to moderate in length, on the damp side.
Comments: Nothing off putting, but a bit one-dimensional for me. The nose is heavy on the peat, and on the palate it is sweet and earthy, but all of the exotic subtly I get from Amrut Single Malt is lost in this offering. Definitely unique though, and I applaud them for trying, but not something that I’d rush out and buy a bottle of (not without trying first!)

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Amrut Indian Single Malt Cask Strength Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Amrut Indian Single Malt Cask Strength Whisky

61.8% ABV
$80-$90
Website

What the Distiller Says

According to Indian mythology, when the Gods and Rakshasas – the demons – churned the oceans using the mountain Meru, a golden pot sprang out of the oceans containing the “elixir of life”. This was called the “Amrut”.  The great founders of our distillery aptly named it Amrut Distilleries.

Amrut Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky is a product of many years of research and development with an aim to produce world class whiskies. This whisky is made from select Indian barley, grown at the foot of the Himalayas, nurtured by the waters flowing there and cultivated by traditional agricultural practices.

It is carefully mashed and distilled in small batches to preserve the natural aromas and matured in oak barrels in unique tropical conditions at an altitude of 3,000 feet above sea level at Bangalore, the “garden city” of India. To retain the natural characteristics of this oak aged Indian Single Malt Whisky we do not chill filter and it is bottled straight from the barrel in its natural color.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Classic house style with glorious bourbon notes fused with the richest of barley statements; not entirely unlike caramelised biscuit dunked in coffee; oh, and a bit of spicy attitude, too
Taste: There we go with that unique bitter-sweet overture where the oaks and barley appear joined at the hip; lovely soft oils and then a sharp jolt of blood orange citrus, which is removed by something more buttery and delicate
Finish: Long, elegant with the most intricate of fades with the oaks showing various bourbon then buttery characteristics; there is a trace of dark sugar and cocoa to help it along its way

What Gary Says

Nose: Musty, exotic wood, vegetal (celery perhaps?), rubber, worn leather, fresh tobacco, a bit of smoke and toasted orange zest.
Palate: Thick mouthfeel, warm, twangy sweet – dark fruits with an exotic citrus note, almost sherry-like – building to a sharp spice with allspice and pepper.
Finish: Short to moderate in length with a drying, musty spice note coasting in smoke.
Comments: I’ll admit that subconsciously, when I see the term “single malt whisky”, my mind (and apparently nose/palate) go to single malt Scotch. To me, the primary theme that came across with this lovely pour was ‘exotic’, which according to Merriam-Webster can mean “strikingly, excitingly, or mysteriously different or unusual”. This absolutely is how this whisky hit me. This is the first Amrut offering I’ve studied carefully, and I really enjoyed it. It brings a sweetness that reminds me a little of a lightly sherried single malt Scotch, but still a bit different. It takes water well, lessening the degree that it sharpens but not knocking the spice out of the picture.

Rating: Stands Out

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