Review

Sagamore Spirit Straight Rye Whiskey

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Sagamore Spirit
Straight Rye Whiskey

41.5% ABV
$30
Website
Sagamore Spirit Rye

What the Producer Says

SIGNATURE RYE WHISKEY
Our spirit flows from a spring house, built in 1909, at Maryland’s Sagamore Farm – naturally filtered spring water, fed from a limestone aquifer. The same water that fuels our champion thoroughbreds also cuts the rich spice of our rye, creating a spirit as revolutionary as America’s risk-takers and history-makers. Our story is one of passion, of old meeting new, and crafting a timeless American whiskey.

TASTING NOTES
Aroma: Vanilla, caramel, and baking spices.
Palate: Traditional Maryland-Style Rye Whiskey. Candied dried orange peel with notes of clove and nutmeg. Lingering hints of walnut and brown sugar to finish.
Color: Golden straw.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Crisp vanilla with mint, eucalyptus, lime, baking spices of clove & nutmeg with just a hint of dill.
Palate:  Smooth and sweet entry with a minty lime uptick – but not sharp; a bit of vanilla and citrus notes.
Finish:  On the short side with notes of wintergreen mint.
Comments:  This has less of an edge than most rye whiskies, and only a little bit of dill (in fact I didn’t detect it on my first tasting). I also find more lime notes than orange notes, which is unique. For $30, there are several alternatives I prefer (like Rittenhouse Bottled-In-Bond, or Old Forester Rye), but there isn’t anything objectionable. The bottle is also fairly attractive, as well as hefty.

Rating: Average

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Redbreast Lustau Edition

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review / ,

Redbreast Lustau Edition
Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

46% ABV
$70
Website
Redbreast Lustau Irish Whiskey
What the Distillery Says
A unique collaboration between the Bodegas Lustau and the Midleton Distillery, Redbreast Lustau Edition is made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and then triple distilled in copper pot stills. Having spent its final maturation journey in casks seasoned with the finest Oloroso Sherry in the Bodegas Lustau, the result is the ultimate sherried style of Redbreast.

Nose: Rich infusion of dark fruits, prunes, dates and figs with liquorice, marzipan, toasted oak and aromatic spices.
Taste: Silky smooth Pot Still; assertive spices balanced with richness of the sherry finish and contribution of fresh Spanish Oak.
Finish: Endless. Sweetness and assorted spices endure while Oloroso Sherry and Spanish Oak have the last word.

THE BEST WAY TO ENJOY A GLASS OF REDBREAST IS WITH SOMEONE ELSE. #PassItOn

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich with raisins, cherries, plus, dates, baked goods, a hint of anise, toasted oak, freshly grated nutmeg.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel, smooth entry with raisins, luxardo cherries, ripe peaches with a dusting of cinnamon.
Finish:  Moderately long with lingering fruit sweetness and spices.
Comments:  Redbreast 12 Year Cask Strength was the first Irish whiskey I really loved (and still one of my favorites). I first tried Redbreast 12 Year in 2004 or 2005. I liked sweet (Crown Royal neat was my drink of choice at the time), and a server recommended it. I did enjoy it, but not enough to seek it out at the time. I enjoy this quite a bit – nice mouthfeel and fruit notes. Another shining example of what a higher ABV and non-chill filtering brings to the table. This takes water well, but doesn’t need it. If you’re a fan of Redbreast, I’d consider this a Must Try.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Writers’ Tears Red Head

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review /

Writers’ Tears Red Head
Single Malt Irish Whiskey

46% ABV
$55*
(as of this review, this product isn’t being sold in the United States)
Website
Wrtiers Tears Red Head Single Malt Irish Whiskey

What the Producer Says

This exquisite, triple-distilled single malt is matured only in select handpicked Spanish sherry butts which have previously been seasoned with the finest Oloroso sherry. It is the influence of these scarce butts that give this expression of Writers’ Tears its signature rich, ruby hue and hence the moniker – ‘Red Head’. The expression is distilled without chill filtering as nature intended and at a distinctive 46% ABV.

Colour: Rich Ruby Red
Nose: Orange peel, dried fruits and sherry plums
Taste: Nutty Oloroso, Spicy Raisins and creamy oak
Finish: Long and wonderfully complex with a flourish of orange. An unhurried journey.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Orange blossom, malty cereal/grain, hints of cherry, raisins, oak.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, dark fruit sweetness with cinnamon and pepper spice, just a hint of orange.
Finish:  Moderately long with cinnamon and orange zest with fading pepper spice.
Comments:  The nose screams young whiskey, with the grainy/cereal notes. I do appreciate the ABV and non-chill filtering, which help given the likely young age of the whiskey. The finish is longer than I’d expect as at this age.  I’d love to try some older version of this, but at the end of the day – this is a pretty tasty and dangerously easy to drink whiskey.

Rating: Stands Out

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Old Tom Horan Finest Blended Irish Whiskey

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review /

Old Tom Horan
Finest Blended Irish Whiskey

40% ABV
$20
Old Tom Horan Finest Blended Irish Whiskey

What the Blender Says (sort of)

Note that we don’t have a web-site link above, as this isn’t your typical whisk(e)y. We found a great article from the Houston Chronicle though that gives the backstory. While we don’t know the distillery or age, the article explains that the owner of Spec’s (a Texas family-owned liquor chain) had an opportunity to take some bulk whiskey off some Irish distillery, and with that created Old Tom Horan Irish Whiskey. The namesake is a retire public relations maestro who is active in promoting Irish pride and heritage in Houston, TX.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sweet cereal and malt mash, honey, freshly baked and buttered biscuits, a hint of toffee.
Palate:  Smooth and sweet with honey, light brown sugar, toffee, a slightly sour oak note.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length with that sour oak note.
Comments:  Ironically enough, I bought this because of the name. No, I’ve never met “the Tom Horan” for which this was named, but I work with a gentleman named Tom Horan.  This whiskey reminds me of Jameson more than a bit.  It has more grainy notes on the nose, but in a side-by-side, the palates were quite similar.  A couple of bucks less than Jameson, this strikes me as a pretty straight-forward ‘you get what you pay for’ bottle.  If you like ‘smooth Irish whiskey’, for the money this likely won’t disappoint, but also isn’t likely to be too impressive either.

Rating: Average

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Starward Two-Fold Double Grain Australian Whisky

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

Starward Two-Fold
Double Grain Australian Whisky

40% ABV
$33
Website
Starward Two-Fold Double Grain Australian Whisky

What the Distillery Says

When it comes to whisky-making, we’re unapologetically Melburnian. Our aim? To make whisky that’s unpretentious and easy to enjoy, however you like. Enter, Two-Fold.

It started with a question. How would our ideal whisky taste? It’d be easy-drinking, versatile and, most importantly, delicious. We chose two quintessential Aussie grains. First, for depth, malted barley. This new make spirit is the exact same as our Nova. Inspired by the craft beer scene, we ferment our barley with brewers’ yeast for extra fruity characters.

We balance this with a spirit made from aromatic and dry wheat. Then it’s time for each whisky to mature separately in the barrel.

We carefully select barrels from vineyards making great Aussie reds like shiraz, cabernet and pinot noir. These give our new make spirit tasty fruit, caramel and spice notes.

To keep as much of a fresh red wine flavour profile as possible, we source barrels from just a day’s drive away. We either lightly char or quickly blast barrels with steam. Many are still wet with wine when we fill them.

Flavour obsessed as ever, we fill each barrel at a lower alcohol proof than is traditional. This means our whisky draws more lip-smacking red wine fruit characters and tannins.

Then, it’s time for Melbourne’s climate to shine. Or, rather, rain and shine in a wildly unpredictable way. Famed for its ‘four seasons in a day’, Melbourne’s fluctuating climate means Two-Fold extracts more flavour from the barrel in a much shorter time than is traditional. After just three years, both barley and wheat whiskies are ready to be expertly combined.

The next part (the drinking part) is all up to you.

Nose: Bright red berries coated in buttery vanilla spice.
Palate: Imagine a smooth, rich caramel dessert balanced by tropical fruit.
Finish: Delicate and long. A delicious, dry finish from a faded sweetness.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Young, grainy vanilla, tapioca pudding, fruity with barley sugar, hint of milk chocolate, subtle red-wine notes.
Palate:  Fruity with apples, berries, plums, honey, bit of pepper and mixed nuts, a tad thin.
Finish:  Short and slightly drying with honey and berries.
Comments:  For a two year old spirit, this packs a decent amount of flavor – but for experienced whisk(e)y drinkers the age comes across with the grainy sweetness, thin mouthfeel, and shorter finish. This was the first Australian whisky I purchased, and I don’t think it will be the last. This is very easy to drink, and I think they’re successful in what they set out to make in that regard. I think it has potential with age to appeal to more seasoned whisk(e)y drinkers. But also priced as an entry-level spirit which I appreciate (hell, there are folks selling 2 yr old spirits domestically for double, so my hats off to them in that regard!)

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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