Review

Four Roses Mariage 2008

/ / Bourbon, Review, The Collector's Cabinet /

Four Roses Mariage Collection 2008 Release Barrel Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
53.9% ABV/107.8 Proof
$70
Collectible

What the Distillery Says:
2008 is the 120th anniversary of the Four Roses name. We’re celebrating with an exquisite limited edition small batch Bourbon – the first release in our Mariage Collection. From time to time, our Master Distiller will select a few exceptional barrels from our 10 Bourbon recipes and marry them by hand. He has married two to honor the day our Founder, Paul Jones, Jr., proposed to a beautiful Southern Belle. She replied that if her answer were “Yes,” she would wear a corsage of roses to the upcoming ball. Paul Jones waited excitedly the night. When she arrived, she wore a corsage of four red roses. He named his Bourbon “Four Roses” as a symbol of his passion for her.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Vanilla, candied apple, and berries
Palate: Sweet and spicy, like dipping a sugar cube in a Szechuan hot pot. The flavor is all spice, candied fruit, and berries.
Finish: Very oaky on the finish and all the heat on the palate dies down on the finish. Impressive for a barrel strength bourbon.
Comments: This particular mariage was a recipe of OBSV aged 13 years and 5 months mixed with a recipe of OESK aged 10 years and 10 months. No, this is no longer in production. There were two iterations of the Mariage release over 2008 and 2009. Beginning in 2010 it is now a “Limited Edition Small Batch” release. That just means they are using more than two recipes per bottling. This one was really very nice and call out saying “this is what small batch bourbon should taste like.” I love it. I’m sad that mine is all gone. Given the opportunity you should try it.
Rating: Must Try

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Willett Pot Still Reserve

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Willett Pot Still Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bottle No 225 of 248 from barrel 1688
47% ABV/94 Proof
$35 to $45
Available in select US markets

What the Distillery Says:
Handmade by master craftsmen using time-honored methods in the art of distilling, handed down from one generation to the next. Made from pure limestone spring water, carefully selected grains, and proprietary strains of yeast. Aged in new white oak casks until fully mature. Bottled by hand at the peak of perfection in taste, quality and aroma.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Very soft and buttery with something (no tobacco) that reminds me of an old humidor.
Palate: Very easy to drink. Smooth and very enjoyable. Typical bourbon notes of vanilla with a woody base and a hint of spice.
Finish: Goes down like velvet.
Comments: This is what bourbons like Basil Hayden’s should aspire to. Very nice all around. This isn’t the world’s greatest bourbon but it is definitely very nice at a great price. I really think bourbon fans should try it.
Rating: Must Try

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Greenore 18 Year Old

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review /

Greenore 18 Year Old Single Grain Irish Whiskey
46% ABV/92 Proof
$100 to $120
Available in select markets
What the Distillery Says:
The Greenore 18 Year Old is the oldest bottling of an Irish single grain whiskey in the world. It follows on from the highly successful Greenore 15 Year Old which was voted the World’s Best Single Grain at the IWSC in 2009 and 2010.

This small batch bottling has been limited to just 4000 bottles; it has no chill filtration and is bottled at 46% alcohol by volume.

By using modern distilling techniques, Ireland’s only independent Irish whiskey distillery has created a whole new expression of Irish whiskey. With the smoothest, sweetest taste of an style of Irish whiskey, we feel this will make it accessible to a whole new generation of Irish whiskey consumers.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Fresh cut hay and honeysuckle. With water it leans toward roasted oats and a hint of cinnamon and bananas. There is also something floral like cherry blossoms but not quite as sweet.
Palate: Citrus notes and an antiseptic quality. With water is opens up nicely to a more buttery, creamy, and sweeter palate.
Finish: Crisp, dry and short by itself. If you add water it actually intensifies the antiseptic quality on the finish but also makes it hang around for a while.
Comments: I’m always rooting for grain whiskey in the same way I do for blends. I feel they aren’t appreciated and maybe not understood as fully as they should be. Greenore 18 leaves me in a quandary. It has a lovely nose all around but the palate blossoms with water and finish shines more without water. I’m sure there’s a perfect ratio of water out there somewhere but I just haven’t found it. I think it stands out but with a caveat. Among grain whiskeys it is a standout and being Irish it’s also something of a curiosity. However, I do think it is a slightly unbalanced drinking experience that would move it more toward average on the spectrum of all whiskeys. That said, it is worth a try if you’re will to understand and appreciate it for what it is.
Rating: Stands Out

We want to thank Cooley for providing us with review samples.

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Dalmore Gran Reserva

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

The Dalmore Gran Reserva Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
40% ABV/80 Proof
$64.99
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
The Gran Reserva offers a lively, youthful expression of malt whisky derived from the combination of 60 percent sherry wood and 40 percent American white oak-aged malts ranging from 10 to 15 years of age. The sherry cask proportion is increased to around 60 percent, delivering an intense citrus and spicy
experience with balancing sweet, vanilla finish.

Color: Mahogany, trending toward soft gold hues, rather than amber.
Nose: Firm; spirituous. Pleasing citric notes dominate the forceful bouquet, which is balanced by soft shadings of sherry and vanillin oak.
Taste: Distinctive malt flavors predominate at first, before yielding to sweet marmalade and spice cake. Hints of roasted coffee and dark chocolate complete an almost classic, single malt expression characteristic of The Dalmore.
Finish: Ripe oranges and lemon peel provide the zesty, top notes to a moderate finish with a kiss of peat.

What Richard Says:
Nose: A fine steakhouse dinner with orange zest. A heavy cabernet or malbec with perfectly broiled New York strip. There’s a meaty character that plays well with the sherry.
Palate: Sweet and zesty initially. It settles well in the mouth and reminds me of espresso and cocoa powder.
Finish: The finish is smooth with a little of that citrus zest. That meaty/sherry playfulness from the nose lingers in the throat.
Comments: A few years ago Dalmore went through a rebranding. Bottles were changes, expressions were rotated, bottling proofs moved a little. The Gran Reserva is the spiritual successor to the old Cigar Malt. I miss the Cigar Malt. It was a personal favorite. However, it was a bit sweeter than the Gran Reserva. As my appreciation for fine cigars has grown I realize the Gran Reserva is actually a better accompaniment. It flows in nicely next to the cigar rather that vying for attention.
Rating: Stands Out

Our thanks to Laura with The Baddish Group for providing us with review samples.

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Van Winkle 12 Year Old Lot “B”

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Years Old Lot “B” Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
45.2% ABV/90.4 Proof
$50 to $60
Available in the U.S.

What the Distillery Says:
Van Winkle Special Reserve is the perfect combination of age and proof. This sweet, full bodied whiskey has been described by some as “nectar.” We agree! The 12 years of aging and medium proof of 45.2 ABV (90.4 proof) seem to be just right in creating a very pleasant drink of whiskey. This fine whiskey can compete with any excellent cognac as an after dinner drink. The overall impression is rich and deep.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Very rich with lots of honey and a distilled fruit spirit note similar to cognac.
Palate: Creamy with a lot of oak comes through first. It’s very soft yet big. It is an interesting contrast. I get a few of those cognac notes from the nose too. This could be cognac’s big burly Appalachian cousin.
Finish: Very dry with just a touch of lingering wood.
Comments: I really enjoy this bourbon. It’s one of my favorites of the Van Winkle line. That said, the oak and dryness may not appeal to everyone. I think it definitely stands out and personally it is a must try. However, I can’t put it as a must try to the masses.
Rating: Stands Out

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