Proselytizing the way of the malt
For those like myself who’ve been less than patiently waiting for Suntory to distribute some Hibiki 12 Year Old to Atlanta, the wait is over. I personally saw that Mac’s at 10th and West Peachtree has it in stock for $67 a bottle. I would anticipate most of the other local retailers with notable selections either also have it or will soon.
Happy hunting!
Richard
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
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
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
Recently, I attended a press event for “The Original Moonshine Clear Corn Whiskey” from Stillhouse distillery in Virginia. This is not your typical whiskey company. Founded by a brand developer and an internationally renowned chef (Brad Beckerman & Adam Perry Lang respectively). Original Moonshine is a brand of style and purpose. Notice, I say “brand” and not “whiskey.” While the whiskey itself is important, you never forget that you are being sold on something. To me, its refreshing when a brand chooses to talk about markets and strategy instead of pretending that brand image and marketing are irrelevant. That’s not to say that the product should not take precedent; it’s just nice when everyone in the room knows what’s going on and is not afraid to talk about it.
The whiskey itself was developed for a purpose (a premium mixer good enough to drink neat). To do this, they use a 100% corn mash and distill it four (FOUR!) times to insure a clean and mellow spirit. Just in case it wasn’t mellow enough, they float charcoal in the mash and filter the spirit through more charcoal as well.
The verdict? It’s very clean and smooth with just the barest flavor of sweet corn. This raises the question: Why go through all this trouble to create a whiskey that basically tastes like vodka? Their answer: “The vodka market is saturated. We wanted a product that was different.” Different, but the same from my eye.
Is it good neat? Yes, but its better with ice and a twist of lime. Does it make for a good mixer? Most certainly. Will it be embraced by the Whiskirati? Most certainly not. However, if someone is having a hard time getting into brown liquor, this could be a gateway to new worlds of flavor.
The product is good for what it was designed to do and the packaging is great. I have a feeling this one will catch on in some of the hipper bars. It’s already in a few places in NYC and should be on the shelves sometime in January.
Drink well, drink responsibly.
Matt
Stillhouse “The Original Moonshine Clear Corn Whiskey” Read More »