Review

I.W. Harper

/ / Bourbon, Review /

I.W. Harper Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
41% ABV
$35
Website
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What the Bottler Says:
Beginning with a subtle nose, I.W. HARPER Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey leaves traces of caramel and vanilla on entry before melting into velvety bursts of wood and spice. The finish is sweet and pleasant with subtle fruit notes.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Light corn, hint of licorice, a bit dry and thin.
Palate: Thin, sweet corn and caramel apple, slight herbal/vegetative note I can’t pin down.
Finish: Finish? Sorry, I must have missed it.
Comments: The distillery’s description includes words like “subtle” and “traces”, which I think is pretty accurate. This whiskey left me wanting something else on pretty much every level. It didn’t have anything that I found objectionable necessarily, but more like the absence of things I look for in a whiskey. At the price point, this is an easy pass for me.
Rating: Probably Pass

What Richard Says:
Nose: Nice and rich with burnt vanilla cream and caramel notes but it clears out quickly so catch it if you can. What remains when it opens up more is candy corns and grain alcohol.
Palate: Seriously light and thin. A little crisp apple sweetness but it’s pretty dry and unimpressive.
Finish: The slightest wood hint, there and gone.
Comments: For those that think Basil Hayden’s is a watered down thin shadow of aged Old Grand Dad this makes it seem like a robust National Distillers Old Grand Dad 114. It’s actually so thin that the flavor can’t stand over the (relatively) minimal proof. It actually tastes more and more like alcohol as it opens up in the glass. At $35 I find this to be borderline offensive.
Rating: Probably Pass

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Blade and Bow

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
45.5% ABV
$50
Website
blade-and-bow
What the Bottler Says:
A homage to the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery, Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey uses a unique Solera System aging process to preserve some of the distillery’s oldest whiskey stocks, including some of the last bourbon produced there before it closed in 1992.

The solera liquid is mingled with other fine whiskies aged and bottled at Stitzel-Weller. Aged in new charred American white oak barrels, this bourbon has a subtle aroma of fresh fruit and a taste that includes hints of dried apricot, ripe pear and a sweet roasted grain. The finish has notes of charred oak and warm winter spices.

Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey received a GOLD MEDAL at the 2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Collect the five distinct keys – some rarer than others – that adorn every bottle.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Subtle butterscotch and vanilla, with a hint of corn bread.
Palate: Floral, nice silky mouthfeel, well balanced with the spice kicking up near the end.
Finish: Medium length and peppery.
Comments: The words “subtle” and “muted” resonate. On the nose, it reminds me of dusty bourbon (which is a compliment; if you haven’t had dusty bourbon – my sympathies), but on the palate it is less impressive. Quite easy to drink, but unless the price fell substantially – I’d pass it at retail.
Rating: Average

What Richard Says:
Nose: A little bland with just an alcohol tinged hint of Werther’s Originals.
Palate: Surprisingly sweet but a little thin. The sweetness is fruity like poached pears with a herbal, grassy, and spiced wood back layer.
Finish: Dry and woody.
Comments: This is a fine serviceable bourbon. My main complaint besides the price (and that is a bit of a them lately) is the marketing affiliation with Stitzel-Weller. I find that disingenuous at best and deceitful at worst.
Rating: Average

We would like to thank Travis and the folks over at Taylor Strategy for sending over a review sample.

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Haig Club

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Single Grain /

Haig Club Single Grain Scotch Whisky
40% ABV
$70
Website
haig-club-whisky-hero-bottle
What the Distiller Says:
Haig Club™ is made at Cameronbridge distillery in Scotland. The liquid has been crafted using a unique process that combines grain whisky from three cask types. This creates a fresh, clean style that showcases butterscotch and toffee for an ultra-smooth taste. Seen by many to be Scotland’s hidden gem, single grain whisky is being predicted by experts as the next trend in whisky.

Working alongside Diageo, David Beckham and Simon Fuller will play an integral role in bringing Haig Club to the world.

“The House of Haig has a rich history and I’m proud to be working at the heart of a home-grown brand which has built an incredible heritage over 400 years. Working closely with Diageo, we look forward to collaborating on Haig Club™, valuing and treasuring the Haig traditions while reinventing this whisky for years to come.”
– David Beckham

What Richard Says:
Nose: Bananas, apricots, lemon/lime Gatorade, crushed winter mint, and fresh cut grass.
Palate: Light, mildly creamy, and insanely easy to drink. Citrus sweetness weaves throughout.
Finish: Light with just a touch of white pepper and wood.
Comments: Blue cologne looking bottle pimped by David Beckham. One of an extremely rare few distiller bottlings of single grain scotch whisky. These two facts left me diametrically opposed on whether or not to buy a bottle. However, my innate WAD (whiskey acquisition disorder) was the tie breaker. It’s kind of like Pokemon…”gotta catch ’em all.” Seriously though, if this was under $50 it would be easy to recommend based on great drinkability. However, north of $70 I’m left feeling that the price is more driven by Beckham than what is in the bottle. I’ll enjoy this one but I won’t be buying a second.
Rating: Stands Out

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WhistlePig Single Barrel 10 yr

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Whistlepig 10 Year Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey
Selection by World Beverage, Duluth GA
Barrel 15-52

57.45% ABV
$80
Website
Whistlepig 10 year Single Barrel Rye

What the Producer Says

WhistlePig produces a 100-proof, straight rye whiskey, aged for at least ten years through a unique double-barrel process. WhistlePig was released in the summer of 2010 to great critical acclaim, earning 96 points from Wine Enthusiast, their highest rating ever for a rye whiskey, a “highest recommendation” from Spirits Journal, as well as accolades from The Wall Street Journal, GQ, Forbes, Maxim, Imbibe Magazine, and many others. As Master Distiller Dave Pickerell notes, these extraordinary honors both “humble and set a high bar” for the company.
WhistlePig embodies the perfect combination of proof, purity, and age — hitting “the sweet spot” in all three categories. In short: more rye, all the proof, and the perfect age. All in. Full stop.

What Gary Says

Nose: Musty sour oak, herbal, apricots, subdued dried orange zest.
Palate: Warm, bright citrus spice balanced nicely with the oak, peppery into the finish
Finish: Medium, wet with the pepper kicking up
Comments: This was a private selection of Whistlepig 10yr, bottled at cask strength. I’ve thought Whistlepig 10yr at 100 proof was always a bit pricey for my taste, and even at a great price – was a bit apprehensive on pulling the trigger on this one. I am SO glad I got over that! This is a lovely rye, that takes a bit of water really well (but doesn’t require it). A few drops knocked some of the oak off the nose and palate, while not dampening the fruitiness.

Rating: Must Try

What Richard Says

Nose: Big rich hit of strong rye spice and minty comes jumping out. Citrus with notes of gingerbread cookies, licorice, honeysuckle, wisteria, and jasmine. Surprisingly little heat on the nose for the amount of alcohol.
Palate: Lime and blood orange zest floating over old leather, burnt caramel, white pepper, and polished oak.
Finish: The oak predominates but not in an overpowering way.
Comments: This is really a great rye. I’ve tried WhistlePig a few times and enjoyed it each time but I never bought a bottle until this one. The price is (in my opinion) still relatively high to comparable ryes but I can’t say I regret a penny of this purchase. A cracking whiskey for sure!

Rating: Must Try

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Evan Williams Single Barrel 2005 Vintage

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Single Barrel Vintage 2005
Barrel No 455
Barreled 2-17-2005
Bottled 2-18-2015
43% ABV
$25
Website
EVSB2005
What the Distillery Says:
Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbon is a five-time Whiskey of the Year award winner. Each year our Master Distillers Parker and Craig Beam select barrels that meet their exacting standards. It’s a bourbon that is vintage dated, meaning each bottle is marked with the vintage date it was put into oak and the year it was bottled.

Single Barrel tasting notes
Color: Delicate amber gold
Nose: Dark caramel, sweet oak & charred wood
Taste: Lush & spicey; oak with honey, apple & orange notes
Finish: Long, graceful and relaxed

What Gary Says:
Nose: Sweet oak followed by caramel, with hints of clove; bread baking.
Palate: Smooth, honey, lovely clean/crisp sweetness, a hint of orange sherry with a bit of spice on the back-end. The mouthfeel is a bit thin, but not distractingly so.
Finish: Moderate in length with a pleasant.
Comments: Very “Heaven-Hill-esq”, which is probably not helpful if you’ve not sampled a lot of whiskey from Heaven Hill.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Sweet, rich, and malty vanilla. Clove cigarettes, under cooked caramel, and chocolate orange candies.
Palate: Orange blossom honey with a slightly bland woodiness. It’s very light and kind of thin.
Finish: Heavier on the black pepper spice and oak.
Comments: This is still a nice dram and at a great price point but it seems to be thinning out a bit more and more in recent vintages. This 2005 is probably my least favorite in last five years or so but it’s still a stand out whiskey.
Rating: Stands Out

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