Review

Breckenridge Distillers High Proof Blend

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Breckenridge Distillers High Proof Blend Bourbon

52.5% ABV
$56-$60
Website
Breckenridge Distillers High Proof

What the Distillery Says

Breckenridge A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys

Preserving the essence of our raw barrel character by bottling at a gripping 105 proof, our Distiller’s High Proof Blend represents the whiskey as our master blenders experience it (for the true experience sip 20 samples at 8:00 AM, before coffee). Deep burnt umber hue with aromas of rich butter caramel and toasted almond paste. Medium body with a luscious vanilla sugar flavor and a long balanced finish.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Musty oak, salted caramel, cinnamon, vanilla wafers.
Palate:  Warm, sharp sweetness, caramel corn, oak with pepper spice and hints of orange zest.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with caramel and cinnamon.
Comments:  A bit oaky, but not excessive to the point where it is offputting. Appreciate the higher proof, but it doesn’t hold up well to water; thins out very quickly. After making my notes, I tried this side-by-side with Jim Beam’s Distiller’s Cut (100 proof), and I preferred that easily.

Rating: Average

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Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey

43% ABV
$40 – $45
Website

What the Distillery Says

Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey A Blend
Deep honey-amber hue with warm, pronounced aromas of under-ripe banana and brown sugar, with spicy notes of white pepper and toasted sesame. Light body with warm texture and long sweet oak, vanilla finish with a touch of bitterness to balance. Reminiscent of a slice of toasted rye bread with honey drizzled on it.

We mash, ferment and distill a lot of Bourbon in house. Our blend of Bourbon Whiskeys also consists of Barrels selected from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana chosen for their unique qualities, heritage, and ability to marry in our blend, always made from a high-rye mash bill.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Freshly baked and buttered cornbread with honey drizzled atop, vanilla, oak with pine trees.
Palate: Starts sweet, thin mouthfeel of cornflakes, vanilla and honey that sharpens with some oak and spice.
Finish:  Short and fleeting, with drying oak notes.
Comments:  This tastes like young bourbon to me, not that there is anything offputting about it – but nothing that would leave me wanting another pour. After making my notes, I decided to try this blind against Old Forester 86 proof, and it was no contest for me preferring the Old Forester. While not offputting, at this price point I can’t in good conscious consider it even average.

Rating: Probably Pass

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Basil Hayden’s Caribbean Reserve Rye

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Basil Hayden’s Caribbean Reserve Rye

40% ABV
$45
Website
Basil_Haydens_Caribbean_Reserve_Rye
We would like to thank Beam Suntory and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Experience the intriguing blend of rye whiskies with a touch of rum, balancing our signature rye spice with a subtle Caribbean sweetness.

AROMA: Rich caramel and brown sugar complemented by back notes of soft rye and vanilla
TASTE: A balanced blend of sumptuous rye and brown sweets with an ample woody accent
FINISH: A pleasant, long lingering warmth

GET TO KNOW CARIBBEAN RESERVE RYE
Sweet and Spicy
With its trademark spicy finish from a high-rye recipe, Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon has always been known for standing out in the crowd. Inspired by that legacy, Basil Hayden’s is excited to deliver another distinctive whiskey experience with the introduction of its latest limited-edition release – Basil Hayden’s Caribbean Reserve Rye™.

Crafted as an approachable whiskey expression to enjoy during the warm summer months, Basil Hayden’s Caribbean Reserve Rye takes inspiration from the sweet and spicy contrast between rye whiskey and rum. The limited-time offering features a blend of 8-year-old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey and 4-year-old Canadian Rye Whisky, which bring to life layers of flavor, including distinct spice, toasted oak and vanilla notes. The blend is then finished with the addition of Black Strap Rum which ties the rye whiskey pairing together with sweet notes of brown sugar and molasses. The result is a balanced whiskey that remains approachable to discover at 80 proof.

Basil Hayden’s Caribbean Reserve Rye is the latest in a series of successful rye whiskey innovations from the brand, each of which push the limits of category convention to bring something unexpected to whiskey fans.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Molasses, brown sugar, burnt caramel, a twang of bbq sauce, little Worcestershire sauce, hints of pine, thyme and citrus spice.
Palate:  Sweet entry, bright rye spice notes, bit of orange, molasses sugar cookies with extra vanilla extract, subtle oak.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, with savory spice notes (not quite pepper) popping up.
Comments:  This is a fairly dark dram; dark brown – lacking the red hues often seen in older bourbons/ryes, no doubt due to the addition of the Black Strap Rum. Important to note that technically this is not a whisk(e)y; it is a spirit which includes a blend of whiskies along with rum – so don’t approach it expecting it to be a rye or bourbon whisk(e)y. The nose at first came across as heavy with the rum influence, but as it sat in the glass it came into a better balance. The palate started off more integrated from the first sip. Nothing off putting to me with this. It is on the sweet side as you’d expect, but not cloyingly so. If you’re a fan of dark rum, this could be right in your wheelhouse.

Rating: Stands Out

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Armorik Double Maturation Breton Single Malt

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

Armorik Double Maturation
Whisky Breton Single Malt

46% ABV
$60
Website
Armorik Double Maturation French Single Malt

What the Distillery Says

Whisky Breton Single Malt

Genuine symbol of the Distillery’s values, this Armorik highlights both the quality of its know-how and its attachment to the Breton land. In partnership with a local cooper, the Distillery designed unique Brittany oak casks. Armorik Double Maturation remains in them for many long years before being transferred into Oloroso sherry casks for a second maturation. Reduced to 46% and non-chill filtered, it pleases through its richness and elegance.

Nose: Fruity and elegant, it has wonderful citrus and apple notes, highlighted by salted butter caramel fragrance.
Palate: Fine woody notes rapidly changed on to cereal ones, all with an unsuspected fullness.
Finish: Touches of heather honey perfume, the finish in the mouth is sustained by the cereals and pleasant marine notes.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Soft malt, fresh cut hay, apricots, over-ripe pears, subtle vanilla, apple pie (without cinnamon), hints of oak and leather with floral perfume.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, rich fruity sweetness up front with apples, pears, peaches and honey; sharpens in the mid-palate with vanilla, pepper and citrus spice.
Finish:  Moderate to long in length, wet with honey and citrus notes lingering with some freshly ground pepper.
Comments:  I think this is the first French single malt I’ve tried, and it is quite lovely – and priced fairly. Sweet but balanced, rich and well executed. No age statement, but this doesn’t strike me as being young. If you’re a serious whiskey geek and hadn’t ever tried any whisk(e)y from France, I’d put this in the ‘Must Try’ category. If you don’t really care about provenance, and are looking purely at the enjoyment for the buck – this is a solid single malt.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Wolfburn Northland Single Malt

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Wolfburn Northland Single Malt

46% ABV
$60 – $65
Website

What the Distillery Says

The smooth and warming flavours present in Northland come from the unhurried way in which the spirit is made, and from the maturation, which takes place in American oak quarter casks. Matured and bottled on site, Northland represents the first chapter in the history of Wolfburn.
Non chill-filtered @ 46% ABV.

Tasting notes
ON THE NOSE: Initially sweet with notes of fruit and fresh sea air. In the background you’ll find citrus freshness and hints of cereal, and just a trace of peat smoke.
ON THE PALATE: Sweet, nutty tones come to the fore, with hints of grapes and honey in the background. Floral flavours abound, enhanced with just a hint of dried fruit and spice.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Gentle sweet malt, smoke and subtle peat with ripe pears, cherries, and canned fruit undertones, freshly cut hay.
Palate:  Sweet barley sugar with honey and pears that sharpens with a touch of peat.
Finish:  Short to moderately long with an earthy, smokey note and a bit of pepper spice.
Comments:  A fairly ordinary single malt. Little peat and smoke (which I enjoy), nicely balanced, and I appreciate the non-chill filtering. It stands out when I throw a few drops of water in, tamping down the sharp edges and thickening the mouthfeel a bit.

Rating: Stands Out

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