Other Whisk(e)ys

New Releases – February ’11

/ / Bourbon, Other Whisk(e)ys

February came through with some very interesting new additions to the whiskey world. We got some new remarketers, some line extensions, and some really innovative new spins on whiskey. Here’s the February round up.

Jim Beam Devil’s Cut
Timeframe: May 2011
Price: $24
ABV: 45%
This new product from Jim Beam consists of six year old Jim Beam mixed with sweated bourbon. Sweated bourbon comes from watering, heating, rolling, or some such other agitation to get out those last bits of bourbon deep within the wood of empty barrels. The results are a much older flavor.

Bulleit 95 Rye
Timeframe: March 1, 2011
Price: $27.99
ABV: 45%
This is rye coming out from Diageo under the Bulleit brand. It is between 4 and 7 years old and has a mashbill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. Rye is really kicking it up a notch through the whole category and I can’t wait to give this one a go.

E.H. Taylor, Jr. Old Fashioned Sour Mash
Timeframe: Mid 2011
Price: $70
ABV: 50% BIB
This new bottled-in-bond bourbon coming from Buffalo Trace is the first limited edition coming out under the relaunched Taylor brand. This particular bottling is a 9 year old made using naturally soured mashed. Unlike normal bourbon mash, this was held in the drop tub for several days to allow the pH to drop naturally instead of using spent mash to lower the pH like most bourbon. BT is experimenting as usual. Let’s see how this one turns out.

Collingwood Canadian Whisky
Timeframe: Early 2011 in FL, KY, LA, & TX
Price: $26.99
ABV: 40%
We already showed you all the details in the press release earlier in February.

W.H. Harrison Straight Bourbon/Govenor’s Reserve Barrel Proof Bourbon
Timeframe: Now
Price: TBD
ABV: 40%/57%
This is a pair of bourbons coming out from Tipton Spirits. They are remarketing some LDI (Lawrenceburg Distiller’s Indiana) bourbon as Indiana bourbon. LDI is a bulk producer that produces bourbon for a number of brands under private label. No word of when this is rolling out outside of Indiana.

That’s it for February. As always, let me know if I missed anything.

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

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Brown-Forman goes north of the border

/ / Bourbon, Other Whisk(e)ys, Richard's Blog

Brown-Forman, makers of Canadian Mist are coming out with a new Canadian whisky. Collingwood is “mellowed” using maple wood. Here is the press release Brown-Forman sent over:

Brown-Forman Releases Collingwood Canadian Whisky
Introducing the only toasted Maplewood mellowed Canadian whisky

February 14, 2011, Louisville, Ky. – Brown-Forman announces the release of Collingwood, a new premium Canadian whisky which is set to hit shelves in February. Collingwood will be the only Maplewood mellowed Canadian whisky available on the market.

Every batch of Collingwood starts with the finest Canadian grains, pure spring water from Ontario’s Georgian Bay and its very own, hand-crafted, Maplewood mellowing process. The whisky is triple distilled for smoothness and then matured in white oak barrels. In Collingwood’s unique finishing step, the whisky rests with toasted Maplewood to complete its smooth character.

“By now, people have figured out fancy bags and bottles don’t make great whisky, it’s what’s inside that counts,” said Brown-Forman Master Distiller Chris Morris. “With passion and perseverance, we set out to create nothing short of the smoothest Canadian whisky ever made. Collingwood has arrived to set the new standard for smoothness and to revolutionize the Canadian whisky category.”

The gentle Maplewood mellowing process Collingwood undergoes is something unique in the Canadian Whisky category. It has a refined character that can be enjoyed on the rocks or mixed in a whisky cocktail.

Collingwood’s unique over-cap, flask shaped package was created by the media & design group at Brown-Forman based in Louisville, Kentucky.

“The brand objective was to communicate and personify smoothness to the discerning whisky drinker,” said Webb Blevins, Global Creative Director at Brown-Forman. “We believe Collingwood is the smoothest whisky ever made, and because of this, we wanted the package to really show off the liquid inside. We tried to immediately communicate premium without shouting or trying to impress, because Collingwood is for those who have nothing to prove to anyone but themselves.”

Collingwood will launch an ad campaign to coincide with the product’s release in several trade magazines and out of home billboards in launch markets. Available in Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas initially, more markets will be added later in 2011. Each bottle is presented at 80 proof with a suggested retail price of $26.99 for a 750ml bottle.

The good folks at Brown-Forman are sending over review samples of Collingwood and the new Early Times bourbon. I will post reviews as soon as I can.

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

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Amrut Fusion

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Amrut Fusion Single Malt Indian Whisky
50% ABV/100 Proof
$50 to $60
Worldwide Availability

What the Distillery Says:
Tasting Note :
Nose : Fresh oak,hint of vanilla,fruity and sublime peat.
Taste : Intially fruity and transcending to shear delicacy of fruity peaty notes.
Finish : Long and supremacy of peat-fruit combination balance out very well

What Richard Says:
Nose: The nose is very rich with ripe fruits and citrus notes overlaying something distinctively medicinal. Cloroseptic throat spray? Water tones all the other notes down to just a mild earthiness.
Palate: No sweetness out of the bottle. Very hot. Dark chocolate and vanilla. With water sweetness ang grassy notes come out. Despite the hotness, I prefer it without water.
Finish:Hot and spicy like a hot curry until you add water and then it tones down to a light oak.
Comments: Interesting. I like this better than the standard single malt but I’m still not enamored with the Fusion. It’s much more balanced but it just doesn’t stand out to me. If there was some of the cinnamon in the standard expression in the Fusion’s palate it would have a nice Mexican Hot Chocolate flavor. Maybe I’ll try mixing the two myself.
Rating: Average

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Amrut Single Malt Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Amrut Single Malt Indian Whisky
46% ABV/92 Proof
$55 to $65
Worldwide Availability

What the Distillery Says:
Nose : Distinctly confidant liquorice-bourborn notes with near perfect bitter-sweet balance; burnt honeycomb and toffee also abount.
Taste : Outstanding richness and sheen to the enormous barley-oak sweetness; again, but there is a big bourbony cut to the cloth with all the liquorice and molassed sugar normally but the barley adds that extra dimension.
Finish : Long, wonderfully layered oak offering variations of a sweet-dry theme; a touch silky wih some cream toffee at the death;

What Richard Says:
Nose: Dry grass with notes of fruit brandy. Mildly earthy. Water brings out more wood than anything else with a little grass left.
Palate: Mild sweetness with hints of cinnamon. Despite the hotness right out of the bottle this doesn’t hold up well to water. It kind of falls apart.
Finish: Very earthy, woody, and slightly hot. Water leave the finish very dry and clean.
Comments: There were some interesting parts to the nose and palate. The cinnamon was especially surprising. That’s something my palate never finds in whisky. Even still, it doesn’t all come together as well as I’d hope. I don’t think this would be something I would stock in my own bar but if offered I wouldn’t say no.
Rating: Average

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