Review

Sazerac 18 Year 2009 Release

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey, The Collector's Cabinet /

Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, 18 Year Old
Bottled Fall 2009
45% ABV/90 Proof
Collectible (Originally $70 to $80)
Website

What the Distillery Says:
Amber chestnut color. Huge, spicy aroma. Very mature, with notes of oak, leather, and molasses. Enormous in every respect, from its thick, chewy texture to its unbelievably spicy and very powerful flavors. The long, warm finish is preceded by notes of mint, eucalyptus, cinnamon, vanilla, molasses, oak, leather, and lingering pepper.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Rich sweet orange marmalade, lots of vanilla and toffee, with notes of buttered bread.
Palate: A delicious aged rye with the refined complexity of a great cognac. This is very sweet for a rye. Some people may not like that but I really dig it. Toffee, caramel, vanilla, and dark chocolate play on the palate.
Finish: Old oak furniture, antique leather bound tomes, and a crisp minty note.
Comments: My tasting notes may romanticize this one a little but it deserves it. This is an amazing dram of whiskey. On the scale of rye alone it’s off the charts. This is easily one of my most sought after purchases each year. It’s my favorite of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection and while it changes year to year, I’ve never had a bad one. It only comes out each October in limited quantities so mark your calendars now.
Rating: Must Buy

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Jefferson’s 10 Year Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Jefferson’s Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 10 Years
47% ABV/94 Proof
$35 to $40
Website

What the Distillery Says:
Jefferson’s Straight Rye Whiskey is the latest addition to the Jefferson’s Presidential Collection. Bottled at 94 proof, this 10-year-old whiskey offers a perfect combination of age, purity and strength. Distilled from 100% North American rye, it is rich, spicy and exceptionally smooth. A true classic.

Nose: Bright compelling, fruity/bakery aromas of baked banana bread, baked pears and apple cobbler make for delightful early-on sniffing; further air contact time of seven minutes encourages the ripe fruit aspect to deepen as gentle spice notes, especially pepper and allspice, round out an exceptional bouquet experience.

Taste: Moderately oily, delicately spiced and even a touch honeyed; midpalate features the spice element in spades, making for zesty, tangy sipping.

Finish: Aftertaste focuses squarely on the fruit component again along with the last minute hit of rye bread.

What Richard Says:
Nose: The nose is very rich and creamy to me. I get very herbaceous notes and candied nuts.
Palate: This one is very sweet. It’s much sweeter than I would expect from a rye. Vanilla, caramel, and spearmint come through.
Finish: It reminds me of Ben & Jerry’s Coffee Heath Bar Ice Cream served on a barrel stave.
Comments: Many parallels have been drawn between this expression and WhistlePig which goes for almost twice the price. I haven’t tried the other but for $35 this is a nice aged rye. Easy to sip and easy to mix. What more can you really ask for?
Rating: Stands Out

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High West Double Rye Whiskey

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

High West Double Rye Whiskey
Batch no. 4 Bottle No. 510
46% ABV/92 Proof
$30 to $40
Website

What the Bottler/Blender Says:
Marriage of two straight rye whiskies that combines the feisty properties of a high rye 2-year-old and the saddle smooth richness of a 16-year-old. The 2-year-old has a 95% rye 5% barley malt mashbill. The older rye has a “barely legal” rye mashbill of 53% rye and 37% corn. The extra age and corn provides some extra sweetness to calm the “bite” of the younger rye for a relationship that works.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Pine needles, orange zest, licorice, and herbal tea.
Palate: Mellow in the mouth with notes of orange blossom honey and vanilla.
Finish: The finish is dry with lots of oak and black peppercorns. It’s not a very long finish but it’s forceful.
Comments: This is one of my favorites from High West. It’s very drinkable and the young and old ryes play off each other in very interesting way. This is must try for rye drinkers and something even non-rye drinkers should try not to pass up.
Rating: Must Try

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Michter’s Single Barrel Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Michter’s US*1 Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey
Barrel No. H135-62
42.4% ABV/84.8 Proof
$35 to $40
Website

What the Distillery Says:

Renowned for rye, America’s first whiskey, since our founding in 1753, we take production of every barrel of Michter’s Rye very seriously. Our US*1 Rye is made from select American rye grain that is sheared to enable the saturation of more flavor during fermentation. It is then aged in a heated warehouse. This premium rye has hints of light spice, black pepper, marmalade and plum, spicy grain and light caramel.

Production: Single barrel. Limited quantities.
Bottling Strength: 84.8 Proof (42.4% Alcohol by Volume)
Cooperage: Fire-charred, new American white oak barrels.

What Richard Says:
Nose: This is very sweet on the nose. I get burnt caramel, vanilla latte, and a peach & plum fruitiness.
Palate: This one is fun to roll around in the mouth. Surprisingly creamy for a young-ish rye. Sweet and spicy. Caramel and white pepper.
Finish: Oak and pepper. It’s a little hot on the finish. Surprisingly so given how smooth the palate is.
Comments: The folks at Chatham sent over their entry level trio. Of the three this is by far my favorite. It’s tasty, easy to drink, and makes a mean cocktail. My only real complaint is the price point. That’s really a general complaint for the entry range. This is a solid rye but there are others in the sub-$30 range that give you just as much with more bang for you buck.
Rating: Stands Out

I would like to thank Emily with Chatham Imports for sending over a bottle for review.

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Midleton Very Rare

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review /

Midleton Very Rare Irish Whiskey
Bottle No. 013881, Bottled in 2009
40% ABV/80 Proof
$125 to $140
No current website

What the Distillery Says:
Nothing really. For a brand that’s been around for 25+ years you’d think they would have a web presence or include a little promotional information in their packaging. From the best of my recollection they only release about 50 cask of this special blend each year. It’s a mixture of Bourbon and Sherry casks in the range of 12 to 25 years old. Master Distiller Barry Crockett strives for consistency but there may be some variance year to year.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Major floral notes, honey and canned pears.
Palate: Easily one of the smoothest things I’ve ever drank. Fresh cream, buttery toffee, and amaretto.
Finish: Light, creamy, and moderately long.
Comments: I first heard about Midleton’s long before I was a drinker of Irish whiskey. It came on my radar as the bottle of whiskey Bono brought Frank Sinatra back in 1993 while recording Duets. I thought it was cool at the time but it didn’t really register. Fast forward 10 years and I got my first sip at The Vortex in Atlanta. I was hooked from then on. This is a great Irish blend that is sinfully drinkable. I’d put it in my stable with Macallan 18 Year Old as something I try to always have. It ain’t cheap but it’s mighty tasty.
Rating: Must Try

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