Review

Old Scout Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Old Scout Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Batch 1
49.5% ABV/99 Proof
$32 to $35
Website

What this Distillery Says:
Check out the information provided over here.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Water opens the nose up to orange zest, cinnamon, vanilla, and a little honey.
Palate: You can definitely taste the spicy high rye content in the mashbill. It starts off mildly sweet and kicks in with a woody rye wallop. Water tames it down a little giving me crisp apples and vanilla.
Finish: Straight out of the bottle it’s all fiery rye and oak barrel. With a little water you still get the spicy rye but it’s more tame and leaves you with a mildly sweet, peppery, and dry finish.
Comments: Drinking strength is a personal thing. When I review whiskeys I do them straight out of the bottle and with varying degrees of water. It allows me to pick up different things that may be hidden by the alcohol. When I’m just enjoying a drink I typically have an ideal alcohol level for regular enjoyment. For Irish whiskey it’s about 43%. For Scotch it’s between 43% and 46%. For Bourbon or Rye it’s usually around 50% ABV. Old Scout seems to be an exception to the rule. This one can be a little overwhelming right out of the bottle. With a little water this is a nice, enjoyable dram that is better than a lot of other things you’ll find on the shelves in the $30 to $35 range. Of course, how you water (or don’t water) your bourbon is completely up to you. I think I’d like to see this same bourbon at 8 years rather than the 5-6 years it’s bottled at now. I think it might help tame it just a little more. Even still, it’s a stand out whiskey.
Rating: Stands Out

I would like to thank John Little at Smooth Ambler for providing me a bottle to review.

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Old Pulteney 21 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 21 Years
46% ABV/92 Proof
$110 to $130
Website

What the Distillery Says:
As with the 17-year-old, with this expression we marry together Old Pulteney matured in ex-bourbon wood with spirit from ex-sherry wood casks. The crucial difference, however, is that the ex-sherry wood in this case is made from American Oak (mostly Fino sherries). This adds yet another layer of complexity, depth and character to this truly superb malt whisky.

Colour: Golden amber with straw highlights.

Nose: Full bodied with traces of fruits (apples and pears); slightly fragrant with spicy overtones.

Palate: Sweet to start with a light fruitiness; hints of honey and vanilla followed by a dry finish.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Smoked oysters, granny smith apples, bailed hay.
Palate: Very dry with notes of oranges and grains.
Finish: Pleasantly smoky with a hint brine laying over a base of polished wood. Long after the glass is empty there’s a aftertaste that reminds me of sashimi, iceberg lettuce, and smoked salmon.
Comments: I’ve never made Old Pulteney a consistent personal dram. I’ve had various expressions over the years and some I liked, others not. Of all the ones I’ve had this expression is my least favorite. I’m a little sorry I started Old Pulteney reviews with this one but it was the sample I was sent. In the $100 plus range of scotch there are a lot of great drams. Unfortunately, this isn’t one of them.
Rating: Average

I would like to thank Lucas with Alembic Communications Ltd for providing a sample for review.

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Germain-Robin Brandy

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Germain-Robin Fine Alambic Brandy Lot 25
40% ABV/80 Proof
$40 to $50
Website

What the Distillery Says:
Hand-distilled on an antique cognac still by Hubert Germain-Robin, master cognac distiller, in Mendocino County, California.

Wonderful Californian fruit overtones, with appealing floral aromas and a sensuous viscosity in the mouth. Much better than VSOP cognacs.

What Richard Says:
Nose: This one is fruitier and a little less floral that typical cognac. Fall leaves, fresh cut grass, lemons, and fresh grated ginger stand out. It’s also a little more alcoholic on the nose than you would expect at 80 proof.
Palate: Light, delicate, grassy, not overly sweet. It’s very refreshing. No a typical cognac-type palate.
Finish: The finish is a little musty, not too woody, dry, and rather clean. There are are more hints of cognac-type flavors on the finish than either the nose or palate.
Comments: I had a little fun with Matt a few years back. We were exchanging whiskey samples and one of the samples I gave him had no label. I told him just to try it and tell me what he thought. I got a lot of guesses for various whiskeys but the end result was that he really liked the sample and wanted to know what I’d given him. Well, it was a generous sample from my first bottle of Germain-Robin. It’s been around for over 20 years but I only discovered it about five years ago. I’ve bought several bottles since then. I was, and still am blown away by the quality of this American brandy. The makers have a great story and a really great product. I really think this is a stand out product for cognac, brandy, and whiskey fans alike.
Rating: Stands Out

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Pierre Ferrand Reserve

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Pierre Ferrand Reserve Grande Champagne Cognac
40% ABV/80 Proof
$65 to $70
Website

What the Distillery Says:
The Reserve has depth and density. The fresh roses have transitioned to dried roses, and the bright citrus has softened and mellowed into something richer and more diffuse. A distinct note of honey pervades the nose, and the texture is dense, soft, and silky.

All Ferrand cognacs are derived from vineyards in the heart of the chalk-rich and mineral-laden soils of the Grande Champagne region.

What Richard Says:
Nose: The nose is very sweet and floral. It’s floral in the same vein as the Ambre. Ferrand says roses, I can’t quite be sure that’s it. I also get a citrus sweetness with cinnamon and cloves. It also kind of reminds me of the smell of brand new dress shoes.
Palate: The flavors are a little more muted and coy than the Ambre and it was already muted. Honey sweetness and lots of orchard fruit present if you roll it around for a while.
Finish: The finish is incredibly sweet. It’s almost like the finish on a liqueur. It’s a little woody but it’s a big improvement over the Ambre.
Comments: I’m really liking the influence of the extra 10 years. The 20 year old Reserve is a more reserved and polish older brother to the 10 year old Ambre. At $65 I also think it’s a pretty good buy. If you’re apt to try brandy then go for this one. However, if you don’t like brandy or cognac in general I don’t think this will change your religion on the subject.
Rating: Must Try

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Pierre Ferrand Ambre

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Pierre Ferrand Ambre Grande Champagne Cognac
40% ABV/80 Proof
$40
Website

What the Distillery Says:
The Ambre is pure warm comfort. Mellow, rounded, richly aromatic, redolent of prunes and apricots and peaches, it had surprisingly little wood evident. Instead there was light spicy cinnamon and a whisper of vanilla. There’s a distinct floral note of roses as well, and a wonderful whiff of fresh fruit pastries baking in the oven, with a wisp of almond past or marzipan. All Ferrand cognacs are derived from vineyards in the heart of the chalk-rich and mineral-laden soils of the Grand Champagne region.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Almond cookies, roses, and fruit blossoms. It’s like being in a orchard during the first spring blooms.
Palate: The palate is a little more muted than I expected. It’s very mellow with cinnamon and stone fruits.
Finish: The finish is not my favorite. It’s a little tart and acidic. However, a good cigar mellows the finish out nicely.
Comments: I don’t know about all the “wisps” and “whispers” the maker touts but this a very enjoyable brandy. Pierre Ferrand was my first foray into Grande Champagne cognacs and I still keep it close at hand in some form or another. Pierre Ferrand as a range and the Ambre itself stand out among cognacs. If you are a regular brandy drinker I recommend giving it a try. If you’re a hard core whiskey drinker who has never indulged in cognac or brandy I think it might be time to be a little adventurous.
Rating: Stands Out

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