Review

Booker’s 2018-04 “Kitchen Table”

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Booker’s “Kitchen Table”
Batch 2018-04

6 Years, 8 Months, 7 Days
64% ABV
$70 – $80
Website

We would like to thank Beam Suntory and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Master Distiller Says:

It’s special for me to name the fourth and final batch of Booker’s Bourbon for 2018 after a place that was so important to Dad and the creation of Booker’s as we know it today.

This batch is made from barrels produced on three different production dates and stored in six different locations.  The breakdown is as follows:

  • 7% came from the 4th floor of 9-story warehouse E
  • 14% came from the 5th floor of 9-story warehouse E
  • 4% came from the 6th floor of 9-story warehouse E
  • 24% came from the 5th floor of 9-story warehouse J
  • 44% came from the 6th floor of 9-story warehouse J
  • 7% came from the 6th floor of 9-story warehouse D

This batch has a beautiful color that is a deep chestnut and has a robust , flavor rich taste profile.  The nose is a rich balance of vanilla and oak that comes from aging in white oak barrels for more than six years.  The finish is balanced and pleasant and does not overpower your taste buds.  In Dad’s honor, I’ve enjoyed this batch with a healthy splash of water, also called “Kentucky Tea” which was one of his signature ways to enjoy his Booker’s.

– Fred Noe, Beam Family’s 7th Generation Master Distiller

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rickhouse oak, chocolate cocoa with caramel and vanilla; subtle smoke and baking spices.
Palate:  Warm, a tad sharp with caramel and dark chocolate, a hint of peanut butter before pepper spice kicks in; some water really brings out the chocolate and softens the edges, peanutty.
Finish:  Moderate to long, with lingering cocoa and pepper spice.
Comments:  Booker’s was the first “high proof” bourbon (or whiskey for that matter) that I cut my teeth on. I don’t recall the batch (this would have been 2011?) but once I got through the burn – it was delicious. Is there variation between batches? Sure, but of the several I’ve tried – I don’t recall any I thought were poor or ‘below expectations’. Some have stood out as better than others, but all in all – Booker’s is pretty consistent.  Even their web-page lists the same tasting notes at the top for all batches (even when you change the year).  That’s not a knock in the least; that’s a testament to having dialed into a flavor profile that they and their fans like.  This batch is no different; a solid high-proof bourbon that takes water rather well. One note that stood out for me (which I don’t always get from Booker’s) is peanut butter, which is strange since I get a peanutty note in a lot of Beam bourbon products (I tend to think of it as their ‘House Style’).

Rating: Stands Out

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Basil Hayden’s 10 Year Old Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Basil Hayden’s 10 Year Old Bourbon

40% ABV
$60
Website

We would like to thank Beam Suntory and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distiller Says

Basil Hayden’s® is excited to release Basil Hayden’s® 10 Year Old Bourbon, a special, extra-aged limited offering just in time for the holiday season. Debuting on shelves in December 2018, Basil Hayden’s 10 Year Old Bourbon will return in limited quantities each holiday season.

Basil Hayden’s 10 Year Old Bourbon features the same high-rye bourbon recipe that Basil Hayden’s fans know and love, amplified by aging the bourbon in American Oak barrels longer to offer an added layer of complexity to an already distinctive flavor profile. Basil Hayden’s trademark spice shines through as the perfect complement to the caramel sweetness and wood flavors, making the whiskey a memorable one for fans and newcomers alike. Basil Hayden’s 10 Year Old Bourbon continues to embody the spirit of the
brand while remaining approachable at 80 proof.

TASTING NOTES
Playing on the same great flavors that Basil Hayden’s Bourbon fans know and love, this limited-edition release offers the following characteristics:
Proof: 80
Color: Golden Amber
Aroma: Big oak, hints of char, vanilla and rye
Taste: Oak balanced by caramel sweetness and rye spice
Finish: Lightly smoky with a subtle hint of char
Sipping Suggestions: Best enjoyed sipped neat or on the rocks

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, chocolate orange, oak, vanilla w/ anise and a hint of clove.
Palate:  Soft and creamy mouthfeel, sweet  with vanilla, citrus spice, salted caramel and a note of mint.
Finish:  Moderately long, damp with trailing citrus notes and oak.
Comments:  In a world where lately the big limited editions are high proof, Basil Hayden stays true to its brand with an 80 proof pour that delivers a lot of flavor – while maintaining the subtle/nuance that the brand is known for.  Basil Hayden was 8 year age stated originally, having lost that a few years back – but this shows how lovely the whiskey can be with a few extra years in the barrel.  It is Basil Hayden with the volume turned up (not ‘cranked up, break the knob off’, but definitely a step or two up).  The citrus notes (very ‘rye-like’, which isn’t a surprise given the high-rye mashbill) are familiar, but the chocolate was a nice touch that I don’t usually get with Basil Hayden.  I can’t find anything here which would leave fans of Basil Hayden disappointed, and a fair amount that I think they’re really enjoy.

Rating: Stands Out

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Loch Lomond 12 Yr Old Single Malt

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Loch Lomond 12 Yr Old Single Malt
46% ABV
$35
Website

What the Distiller Says
THIS EXQUISITE 12 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT HAS A DEEP FRUITY CHARACTER OF PEACH AND PEAR
LAYERED WITH A VANILLA SWEETNESS AND THE CHARACTERISTIC HINTS OF PEAT AND SMOKE FOUND
IN LOCH LOMOND WHISKIES. AGED IN THREE TYPES OF CASK – BOURBON, REFILL AND RE-CHARGED –
THESE WHISKIES ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER DELIVERING A PERFECTLY BALANCED SINGLE MALT
UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF MICHAEL HENRY OUR MASTER DISTILLER.

NOSE: Crisp green apple, ripe pear and refreshing citrus lemon with background notes of golden cereal.
TASTE: Orchard fruits and lemon meringue. The deep fruity character of pear lead into citrus lemon, vanilla meringue and light biscuit sweetness.
FINISH: Medium length with gentle wood smoke and a lingering peaty tang.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Sweet malt, apricots, not-quite-ripe/tart peaches with orange marmalade on toast; dried cut-grass with a hint of peat.
Palate:  Sweet entry of peach and pear with raisin bread; sharpens into a pepper spice note over peat and a hint of something vegetal.
Finish:  Short, wet with a bit of spice at the end.
Comments:  I hadn’t seen this in Georgia yet, and for the price felt it was worth taking a chance. Glad I did – this is a satisfying, tasty dram – not too complicated, but a sit back, relax and enjoy kind of pour. At $35 a bottle (where I found it in Pennsylvania), a great value too! I’d had tried Loch Lomond Original while in Scotland a few years back, and rather enjoyed it – so hoping they will start showing up with more regularity here in the states.
Rating: Stands Out; Great Value

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The Ileach Peaty Islay Single Malt

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

The Ileach Peaty Islay Single Malt
40% ABV
$35
Website

What the Bottler Says
For centuries the stormy waters of the Atlantic Ocean has not only shaped the character of the people of Islay but also the character of their famous whiskies. In many ways this fine malt mirrors the character of Islay people – strong yet gentle, warm yet mellow, but with a maturity beyond its years. Robust peaty, with that unmistakable breath of the seashore, The Ileach is “a true man from Islay”

Tasting Notes:
Nose: Earthy smoky peat and salty ocean Breeze
Palate: Pungent peat smoke, chewy sweet malt, pepper, tar and a touch of iodine
Finish: Long and warming. Smoky ashes of the peat fire

What Gary Says
Nose:  Bright peat, medicinal, seaweed, earthy, subtly sweet, charred oak, notes of rubber.
Palate:  Sweet, young malt, honey, hint of vanilla, bit of pepper with earthy oak notes, thin.
Finish:  Short and drying.
Comments:  This is a mystery single malt – allegedly from the same source throughout (the reason I used the 50 mL picture is because this is what the bottle I bought looked like; in case anyone knows of variations based on labels). It has a pretty nice nose for a young malt, and by the nose I thought maybe Laphroaig. The palate was a bit of a step back though – thin and not as nice as the nose. I bought this mini as I’d never heard of/seen the label before, and it was inexpensive. For the price, there are other single malt bottlers I’ve tried and enjoyed more for less.
Rating: Average

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Maker’s Mark Private Select – Tower Wine & Spirits 2018

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Maker’s Mark Private Select

Exclusive Oak Stave Selection – Tower Wine & Spirits
55.25% ABV
$70
Website

What the Distiller Says

At Maker’s Mark, our wood-finishing series was created to explore new, unique expressions of our signature whisky. Beginning as fully matured Maker’s Mark® at cask strength, Private Select is created by adding 10 custom wood finishing staves to each barrel. It’s then aged in our limestone cellar to extract a unique, flavorful taste profile. Participants in this special barrel program get their say in the selection of these wooden staves. The finishing staves can be any combination of five flavor profiles chosen especially for this program. With 1,001 possible stave combinations, each expression of Private Select has a customized finish and taste profile that is unique, yet undeniably Maker’s®. Maker’s Mark Private Select® is available in select markets and also at our distillery.

Below are the notes on the different staves
The Maker’s 46® stave: The one that started this whole experiment. It delivers notes of dried fruit, vanilla and spice that you may be familiar with if you’ve tried Maker’s 46.
The Baked American Pure stave: Baked American Pure is American oak that’s slowly toasted. It adds notes of brown sugar, vanilla, caramel and spice.
The Seared French Cuvée stave: Seared French Cuvée is a French oak stave that’s cooked with infrared heat. It imparts toasty notes of oak and caramel.
The Roasted French Mocha stave: Roasted French Mocha is French oak cooked on high in a convection oven. It adds pleasant traces of char, maple and cacao.
The Toasted French Spice stave: Toasted French Spice is a French oak stave, cooked at both high and low temperatures in a convection oven. This stave has a flavor profile of smoke, coumarin and spice.

The finishing with the additional staves is typically 9 weeks.

This specific barrel’s stave selections were:
Baked American Pure 2: 3
Seared French Cuvée: 1
Maker’s 46: 1
Roasted French Mocha: 4
Toasted French Spice: 1

What Gary Says

Nose:  On the sharp side, nutty caramel corn with cocoa, cinnamon and vanilla; subtle wood and leather notes; bit of water brings out more spice notes (reminds me more of a rye mashbill bourbon in terms of spice pop).
Palate:  Bright/sharp and sweet, vanilla wafers with caramel drizzled, shaved chocolate and toffee with a dusting of cinnamon; bit of water actually thickens the mouthfeel, tones down the sharp edges, amplifying the caramel and bringing subtle fruity notes.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying, with just a hint of pepper spice.
Comments:  This particular bottling has more of an edge and kick than standard Maker’s Mark – which you might expect with the higher proof alone. The finishing staves do add a really nice spicy character that I don’t pull out of Maker’s Mark typically. For the longest time, Maker’s Mark was a one label producer, which was the exception. But since coming out with Maker’s 46 just a few years back, they’ve stepped up their game with not only the cask strength, but these private selections. Most distilleries have a private barrel program, and while true that each barrel is unique – if you pull a barrel of say Buffalo Trace (for illustrative purposes only, not to single them out)- that barrel was destined to be part of a batch of Buffalo Trace, so in many cases it isn’t going to be too far from that brand profile. The 1,001 stave combinations really provides purchasers the chance to get something even more unique than the typical private barrel selection. While I applaud this innovation, I do wish they offered some aging “tiers”. I get logistically they need to have some predictability, but I can’t help but think what the same stave combination would do with say 12 weeks versus 9. I dunno – maybe they experimented and found too fewer than 9 and you’re not really getting much, and much over there it changes the profile from being “Maker’s Mark finished with” to something entirely different. Either way, if you’re a fan of Maker’s Mark, I wouldn’t shy away from trying one if you have the chance.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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