Review

Jim Beam Signature Craft Quarter Cask

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Jim Beam Signature Craft Quarter Cask Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
43% ABV
$35-40
Website
jimbeamsignaturecraftquartercask-compressor
What the Distillery Says:
Introducing Jim Beam Signature Craft Quarter Cask. Base bourbon finished with a variety of fine quarter cask bourbons, all aged at least four years in smaller barrels. Boasting notes of vanilla, oak, and a hint of caramel, this spirit should be enjoyed neat or on the rocks.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Wood is forward while not overpowering; vanilla/caramel, with an odd pencil-eraser note.
Palate: Creamy, sweet, tapioca pudding and vanilla custard.
Finish: Short to medium length, and a tad on the dry side.
Comments: Who knows how much bourbon that was aged in quarter casks is in the mix, but as it seems that the goal of the Signature Craft series is to not venture too far from the Jim Beam path – I think they got it right. The nose was more woody than Jim Beam white label, but I didn’t get as much of that on the palate. It was plenty sweet, and had a nice mouthfeel. An interesting pour, and again – for fans of Jim Beam, probably worth the extra dough to try something you’re likely to enjoy while getting something a little different.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Caramelized bananas, cinnamon icing, sweet cornbread, and vanilla.
Palate: Hello woody. It does have a nice creamy corn pudding going on but that’s not what I look for in my bourbons.
Finish: It finishes hot and corny. It’s very much a young whiskey that absorbed too much oak.
Comments: Smaller barrels do not make better or faster whiskey. Done. Let’s move on. No need for folks to keep trying this. Really. I mean it. If this were $20 I would give it an average but at twice that price it’s an easy pass.
Rating: Probably Pass

Jim Beam Signature Craft Quarter Cask Read More »

Jim Beam Signature Craft 12 Year Old

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Jim Beam Signature Craft 12 Year Old Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
43% ABV
$35-40
Website
297220
What the Distillery Says:
Introducing the Jim Beam Signature Craft 12 Year. Our hand crafted bourbon is made from the finest ingredients available to our master distillers, and carries notes of caramel, deep vanilla and oak. Never compromised, this spirit should be savored neat or on the rocks.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Musty oak with cinnamon and vanilla; a hint of grapefruit; sugar cookies.
Palate: Rich mouthfeel, with hints of barrel char. Caramel and black cherry in vanilla ice cream.
Finish: Medium to long, with a bit of a woody note but nice overall.
Comments: So far this has been my favorite of the Signature Craft Series by Jim Beam. I think 12 yrs old is right about the sweet spot for my palate where the wood isn’t overpowering. I would love to taste this at a higher proof, but that’s just me. Contrast this with other 12 yr old bourbons (like Elijah Craig 12 yr), and the wood influences seems muted by comparison, but I think it is well done.
Rating: Must Try

What Richard Says:
Nose: Cinnamon, stewed cherries, vanilla cream sauce, and tart citrus notes.
Palate: Underflavored? I guess that’s best way to describe it. The nose is very appetizing but in the mouth it’s kind of blah. Caramel and oak predominate.
Finish: Woody but also kind of blah.
Comments: This one is a bit of a downward spiral. The nose has so much promise, the palate less so, and the finish even less. It’s a clear step up from the Jim Beam White and Black labels but still not terribly impressive. At around $40 you might be able to find a bottle of Baker’s (also made by Beam) if you look hard enough. That would be a much better option.
Rating: Average

Jim Beam Signature Craft 12 Year Old Read More »

SIA

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

SIA Blended Scotch Whisky
43% ABV
$49.99
Website
SIA_hp_BOTTLE
What the Blender Says:
SIA (pronounced “SEE-a”) is a new, fresh and exciting Scotch Whisky created specifically to appeal to a modern palate. The striking amber color of clover honey, SIA awakens the nose with citrus and spice and opens the palate with the smoky vanilla crunch of a crème brulée. The finish is long, smooth and refreshing with hints of hazelnut and toffee.

SIA is distilled in Scotland and matured, blended and bottled by third-generation crafters Douglas Laing & Co., Ltd. from a perfectly balanced blend of Speyside, Highlands and Islay malts. SIA is imported by Spirit Imports, Inc. SIA is 43% Alcohol by Volume/86 Proof.

As many people have inquired, the name SIA means “six” in Scottish Gaelic, which happens to be the founder’s favorite number.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Creamy fruity notes come out right as you open the bottle. Let the whisky sit a bit and a more heather and herbal note comes out.
Palate: There is a nice nuttty caramel sweetness that opens and develops into a pleasant vanilla creaminess mixed with malty cereal notes.
Finish: Malted milk (the powder, not the candy) and crushed nuts.
Comments: Kickstarter funded scotch. What will they think of next? It really is an interesting story. I’m not going to recount the whole thing here. You can go to their website to read it. In short its a Kickstarter funded scotch blend recently launched by a scotch enthusiast named Carin Luna-Ostaseski. The blend is pleasant enough. There is nothing off putting about the dram at all. It’s easy to drink and well balanced. However, it seems to be more about drinkability than any single or multiple inspiring components. I’m not left wanting to grab another dram. And even though scotch prices continue to rise, $50 a bottle is a bit rich for this one in my opinion.
Rating: Stands Out

I would like to thank Lauren Mayer with Spirit Imports, Inc. for sending over a review sample.

SIA Read More »

Ardbeg Galileo

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Ardbeg Galileo Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
49% ABV
$95
Website
abgob.1999v1
What the Distillery Says:
Ardbeg has always been right up there, having been voted Best Scotch Whisky in the World three times on the bounce. But in October 2011 Ardbeg-crafted molecules went one giant leap further…out of this world and into orbit. On Earth we created Ardbeg Galileo – a celebration of Ardbeg’s first ever experiment in space.

Nose Cone: Spicy toffee, tropical fruits and a puff of soot.
Taste: Salty, yet sweet with cream and a burst of smoking apricots.
Finish: Long, lingering and serene.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Pleasant. It’s a little more floral and herbal than other Ardbegs. There are nice bits of vanilla and fruit playing in the background with the sooty bits.
Palate: The Marsala and bourbon casks used for this give it a nice sweetness that plays with the maltiness and some pleasant fruity notes.
Finish: Chloroseptic throat spray. Yuck!
Comments: Oh my god this finishes bad. Others have said it’s the interplay of peat and fortified wine casks but whatever it is it’s nasty. With this being around $100 at the time of release and well over that now I would definitely try before you buy. You might even want to just avoid it all together.
Rating: Average

Ardbeg Galileo Read More »

Ardbog

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Ardbog Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
52.1% ABV
$100
Website
aa1.jpeg
What the Distillery Says:
The name Ardbog was chosen to highlight the peat bogs of Ardbeg’s island home Islay and the part they play in the whisky making process. The unique peat bogs contain highly aromatic plants that when used to dry malted barley gives Ardbeg whiskies their distinctive smoky flavour.

Ardbog has deep, enticing waves of pecan nuts, salty toffee & caramels, fudge, leather and a distinct whiff of herbs, lavender and violets. The smoke is soft and aromatic, and is interwoven with savoury notes, like Iberico ham (de bellota) and olives.

Tasting Notes:
Colour: Deep ochre
Aroma: Deep, enticing waves of pecan nuts, salty toffee & caramels combine with fudge, leather and with a distinct whiff of herbs, lavender and violets. The smoke is soft and aromatic and is interwoven with salty, savoury notes, such as berico ham and olives. The addition of water brings forth herbal, perfumed notes, smoked rhubarb, aged balsamic vinegar and some salty, ‘graphite’ notes reminding you of the Manzanilla cask element.

Taste/Texture: A full, oily/tingly mouth feel leads into a powerful, salty, savoury burst of flavours including salted cashews and peanuts, clove, aniseed flavoured toffee, green olives and a curious hint of anchovy. A long, lingering aftertaste, in which the classic Ardbeg sweetness (like a hint of maple syrup) is kept in check by oak tannins, clove and coffee grounds.

What Richard Says:
Nose: The peat weaves through but there is a sweetness that takes center stage. It’s kind of a nut-cream sweetness playing with the smoke and salt. There is also a menthol like effervescence that reminds me or Proraso.
Palate: The way this is bottled is the first thing that stands out to me. The flavors are a little reserved at first but the mouthfeel says this isn’t chill filtered and bottled well above the “standard” 40/43 of most malts. There is a nice rich oiliness to it that I really like. The flavor is an interesting interplay of savory and sweet. Fried salt pork with a dark chocolate mole maybe. There is also a weird minty and herbal thing going on. It’s like a Ricola cough drop and a wintergreen breath mint had a baby.
Finish: Minty, smokey and salty. It’s got a bit of hang time but I wouldn’t call this a long finish.
Comments: This is one of those whiskeys that I have a hard time reviewing because while I respect what’s been done it also not really my cup of tea. I in no way think that I have the market cornered on good taste in whiskey. Ardbog doesn’t do it for me but there are a lot of parts here that I can see would appeal to a lot of people.
Rating: Stands Out

Ardbog Read More »