Review

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2017

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2017

48% ABV
$80
Website

What the Distiller Says

The 2017 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon was drawn from 12 year old barrels from different warehouses and floors. A total of 120 barrels; 93 barrels matured together on the 4th floor of G warehouse, yielding an extremely spice forward expression. The remaining 27 barrels matured together on the 5th floor of K warehouse contributing a rounding sweetness to the blend. Several barrels from both lots basked in the sun, highlighting the effects of maturation along an external wall.

Barreled on May 27, 2005 – Old Forester 2017 Birthday Bourbon is offered at 96 and 95.4 Proof.

TASTING NOTES
COLOR: Bright golden honey
AROMA: Sweet toasted oak and black pepper with a heavy suggestion of orange oil and toffee
TASTE: Oak spice and charred black pepper dominate over a subtle core of chocolate custard and kola nut.
FINISH: Spicy perimeter mouthfeel that slowly cascades off revealing floral undertones and cocoa powder.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla, salted caramel, solid dose of oak, brown sugar,  allspice and a hint of raisins; a bit sharp as well.
Palate:  Vanilla, caramel apple, allspice, cinnamon with oaky pepper spice.
Finish:  Short to moderately in length, drying with pepper spice notes.
Comments:  I haven’t bought an Old Forester Birthday Bourbon in many years.  Each year is a bit different; some years have been flat out delicious, where other years have been pretty unremarkable – at least for my palate.  This one sits squarely in that latter camp for me.  Pretty oaky, a bit on the sharp side, and just not well balanced.  When they were $35 a throw, I didn’t mind taking the gamble on what it might be, but at $80 – I expect a consistently great bourbon; because in that price tier – you should.  Maybe others find this hitting right in their wheelhouse consistently; if so – this didn’t strike me as anything particularly off-putting.  Just not particularly special.

Rating: Average

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Four Roses 130th Anniversary Small Batch Limited Edition 2018

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Four Roses 130th Anniversary Small Batch Limited Edition 2018

54.2% ABV
$140
Website

What the Distiller Says

If you’d like to experience some of the best Bourbons we’ve ever put in a bottle, ask about our Limited Edition bottlings at your favorite bar or liquor store. From time to time, our Master Distiller hand selects a few exceptional barrels from our 10 Bourbon recipes for these special releases. Each is non-chill filtered and barrel strength, so you get to savor them exactly as they come out of the barrel. Look for them. Find them. Collect them. Share them. Or not.

TASTING NOTES
Nose: Warm aromas of rich vanilla, mingled with raspberries, crème brûlée and ripe berries.
Palate: Bright apricot flavors greet the palate, then give way to hints of mint, cinnamon, apple and mellow oak.
Finish: Very long, with notes of cinnamon, more fruit and vanilla.

Recipes:
10-year-old OBSV
13-year-old OBSF
14-year-old OESV
16-year-old OESK

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, vanilla, coffee cake, a floral mustiness, nutty butterscotch, allspice and a hint of anise.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sweet entry with caramel, vanilla, honey before sharpening with lovely spices (nutmeg, allspice) and oak (maybe a hint of clove).
Finish:  Moderately long, slightly drying with oak spice and a hint of cinnamon.
Comments:  The bit of butterscotch I get from this reminds me of dusty Old Taylor (which is a huge compliment for those unfamiliar). It isn’t the ‘butterscotch bomb’ that you find there, but if tasting blind – I might have guessed this to be mingled with some dusty Old Taylor. This is flat out delicious, which isn’t a surprise to me. I’ve yet to find a Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition I didn’t think was pretty amazing, and this continues that trend. I lament no longer being able to walk into a store and pick one of these up for $80 (or even the ability to walk in and buy one retail for the current MSRP; locally you’ve got to be in good with a store and get lucky). But if I found myself staring at one in a retail store that wasn’t gouging, this would be an automatic buy for me every time.

Rating: Must Buy

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Parker’s Heritage Bourbon Finished in Orange Curaçao Barrels

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Parker’s Heritage Collection 12th Edition: Bourbon Finished in Orange Curaçao Barrels

55% ABV
$90
Website

What the Distiller Says

Heaven Hill Distillery has announced the 2018 limited-edition release of Parker’s Heritage Collection, which is comprised of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in orange curaçao barrels. This is the 12th edition of the collection and the second time Heaven Hill has partnered with Master Blender Alain Royer to create a barrel-finished offering.

As the second barrel finished edition of the series, this edition continues to pave the way for innovation at Heaven Hill Distillery. This 7 to 8-year-old Bourbon has been aged in the upper floors of Rickhouse Q and finished for four months in barrels that previously aged French orange curaçao liqueur. It is bottled without chill filtration at 110 proof.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Pepper, dried fruit, oak and vanilla
Taste: Spicy citrus, nutmeg, caramel & hints of honey
Finish: Strong, top of mouth, silky, toasted toffee

The past five editions of Parker’s Heritage Collection have raised more than $1 million toward ALS research and patient care.

Heaven Hill will continue this legacy and contribute a portion of proceeds from each bottle sold of this year’s release to the ALS Association.

With every past edition of Parker’s Heritage Collection quickly selling out, the company expects to generate a significant amount of money for ALS research in Parker’s memory.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Orange gummy candies, oak, bright vanilla and honey.
Palate:  Vanilla and orange cream, sharpening with a pepper spice , oak and orange bitters note
Finish:  Moderate in length, drying with fading orange bitters.
Comments:  To start with, I’m not “anti-finish” when it comes to bourbon.  I get the view from purists that the definition of bourbon means no adding flavor, which certainly happens when you finish in a cask that held some other spirit.  But as long as someone is transparent around “This is bourbon that we’re finishing in something else” – I think it is great for the category and opens up a lot of innovative possibilities.  All that said, this particular offering struck me as ‘over-finished’.  When I initially nosed it, I wouldn’t have called it out as bourbon necessarily.  On the palate, it is more nuanced, and while you can’t miss the orange, it isn’t as overpowering.  But on the nose it really dominated for me, which was disappointing.  All that said, it isn’t off-putting in any way, and I enjoyed sipping it.  I found it drinks incredibly easily for 110 proof (I’d have guessed this to be under 100 proof).

Rating: Stands Out

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Glenfiddich Age of Discovery – Red Wine Cask Finish

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfiddich Age of Discovery – Red Wine Cask Finish
19 yrs old

40% ABV
$165-$180
Website
NOTE: If the link above takes you to their homepage, scroll down and select “United Kingdom” as the country.

What the Distiller Says

We created the third expression in our Age of Discovery Collection to commemorate the 1831 voyage of the HMS Beagle. The Beagle travelled around the globe and landed on the east coast of South America, allowing Charles Darwin to collect fossils that would lead to the development of his famous theory of evolution.

Aged 19 years, this edition is finished in oak casks that were once used to produce the complex, velvety wines of South America. The result is an extraordinarily rich single malt with exceptional smoothness, complemented by warm, spicy notes.

Celebrating the spirit of discovery, this expression can be found exclusively in selected Travel Retail outlets.

Tasting Notes
COLOUR: Rich gold with a hint of ruby.
NOSE: Toasted marshmallow with red berry and vanilla oak tannin. Ripe fruits and a hint of woody spice.
TASTE: Spicy notes on first taste, deep and smooth with a velvety sweetness. Rich oak notes and berry sweetness.
FINISH: Sweet with a long, lingering tannin.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Dried fruit, specifically berries and grapes, toffee, leather and subtle smoke.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sweet, grapes, cherries and dark fruit, bits of chocolate, vanilla, pecans, and a hint of ginger.
Finish:  Moderately long, a tad drying but still on the sweet side.
Comments: This was the biggest departure of the three, with more influence from the cask finish standing out. Quite nice with the fruit notes prominent, and easy to drink. If you’re not wanting to explore the subtle differences of the three, and are just looking for one that is more unique – this would be the one I’d pick; although the price tag is a little steep for me.

Rating: Stands Out

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Glenfiddich Age of Discovery – Madeira Cask Finish

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfiddich Age of Discovery – Madeira Cask Finish
19 yrs old

40% ABV
$165-$180
Website

What the Distiller Says

In homage to the intrepid Portuguese voyagers who went on to change our understanding of the new world, we created Glenfiddich’s first ever 19 Year Old single malt Scotch whisky.

Finished in fine, aged Madeira wine casks from an independent island winery dating back to 1850 we named this expression, Glenfiddich Age of Discovery.

An earthy, bright whisky with a warmth that fades to long sweetness. The first time we’ve used Madeira casks for incredible, rich depth.

Tasting Notes
COLOUR: Antique gold.
NOSE: Deep earthy aromas of sweet ripe fig and orange marmalade create a backdrop to bright notes –fresh gooseberry and grapes ripening on the vine.
TASTE: Rich, spicy cinnamon and crushed black pepper rest on a deep earthy base. Caramelised fruits, crystallised ginger, raisins and hints of dry oak unravel. A satisfying, silky smooth, almost oily texture.
FINISH: Dry with warmth that fades into sweet marmalade notes.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sweet, dark fruit (apricots, raisins, dates, figs), caramel and a sharper spice note; hints of clove and cinnamon over oak.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sweet and fruity, cherries with apricots, dusted with cinnamon and clove, spice notes kicking in stronger at the back.
Finish:  Moderately long, peaches and honey with white pepper.
Comments: Compared with the Glenfiddich Age of Discovery – Bourbon Cask Reserve, this is also quite nice, but a fairly subtle difference. The finish here isn’t heavy handed, which in one respect I appreciate, but on the other hand – you hope for something a bit more “different”. If you’re a big Glenfiddich fan, and a whiskey geek to boot, this box set with the 200 mL might be worthwhile to appreciate the subtle differences. But if you’re hoping for a big change, you may be disappointed.

Rating: Stands Out

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