Review

Rossville Union 2022 Barrel Proof

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Rossville Union 2022 Barrel Proof
Master Crafted Straight Rye Whiskey, Aged 7 Years

58.6% ABV
$70
Website
Rossville Union Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey 2022 7 Year Old
We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.

What the Distillery Says

Ross & Squibb Distillery releases Rossville Union 2022 Barrel Proof
Annual, limited-release straight rye whiskey, now featuring a 7-year age statement

ST. LOUIS (April 12, 2022) – Lawrenceburg, Indiana-based Ross & Squibb Distillery announced the launch of Rossville Union 2022 Barrel Proof, its annual, limited-release straight-rye whiskey. Set to reach retail shelves across the country starting this month, this limited allocation of 3,000 six-pack cases was bottled at 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV) and has a suggested retail price of $69.99.

Rossville Union 2022 Barrel Proof features a medley of straight-rye mash bills, distilled by one of the largest producers of rye whiskey in America – Ross & Squibb Distillery. The flavor profile includes an aroma of rye spice, vanilla, caramel, oak, and slight chocolate; forward flavors of sweet caramel and vanilla, moving to baking spices and chocolate; and a lingering finish of rye and a hint of sweet mint.

There were 82 barrels selected for this year’s release, which is displayed on each bottle of Rossville Union Barrel Proof. And for the first time, every bottle prominently features a 7-year age statement.

“Rossville Union 2022 Barrel Proof is another example of the great rye-whiskey tradition we’ve carried on at Ross & Squibb Distillery and yet another reason Indiana is the rye capital of the world,” said Ian Stirsman, master distiller at Ross & Squibb distillery. “As the popularity of rye whiskey continues to grow, we’ve selected another exceptional medley of rye mash bills to satisfy even the most discriminating tastes among the ever-growing numbers of rye-whiskey drinkers.”

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rye spice with mint, cinnamon, orange zest, dill, apricot, vanilla, caramel, oak with a hint of cedar.
Palate:  Warm and viscous mouthfeel, chocolate orange, vanilla, spicy with pepper, anise, cinnamon, caramel and a hint of lemon.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with citrus spice.
Comments:  A really nice high-rye rye (which might sound redundant, but it isn’t – more on this shortly!)  Thick mouthfeel, and cracking rye spice which I really enjoy.  I’ve long been a fan of the rye coming out of this distillery, whether it was named LDI, MGP or now Ross & Squibb.  This takes a bit of water really well, bringing out some grapefruit notes on the nose, and amping up the citrus and cinnamon on the palate.  There aren’t a lot of barrel proof, high-rye rye whiskies out there with a 7 year age statement, and if you are a fan of rye, this is one I think you need to try. I really enjoyed this one neat, and look forward to it in some cocktails this summer.

Now – back to high-rye rye 🙂  In bourbon, we think about a ‘wheated’ bourbon versus a ‘high-rye’ bourbon, and I think in the category of rye whiskey, it’s good to think of ‘barely-legal rye’ versus ‘high rye rye’.  They are as different as a wheater vs rye bourbon, and maybe more so.  With less corn in the mix, you get less of the vanilla and caramel sweet notes, and a lot more of that spicy kick.  I did a blind side-by-side with this against Pikesville (which is a barely-legal rye with 51% rye in the mashbill), and they were completely different (and both delicious).

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Blood Oath Pact No. 8

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Blood Oath Pact No. 8 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Finished in Calvados casks

49.3% ABV
$110
Website
Blood Oath Pact 8
We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.

What the Blender Says

Lux Row master distiller John Rempe continues his annual pact with bourbon drinkers with the release of Blood Oath Pact 8 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Calvados casks. A limited supply of 17,000 (3-pack) cases will arrive at retail this April at a suggested price of $119.99 per 750 ml bottle.

Blood Oath Pact 8 features a combination of the finest bourbons Rempe could find, including a 14-year ryed bourbon and an 11-year ryed bourbon, as well as an 8-year ryed bourbon finished in Calvados casks. Calvados is an apple or pear brandy from the Normandy region in northwestern France that is distilled from cider and aged for a minimum of two years in oak casks. These casks impart their unique aroma and flavor to make Blood Oath Pact 8 a one-of-a-kind pour.

Like with previous pacts, Rempe promises to make the best bourbon for the bourbon connoisseur, and as usual, he promises to never disclose the origin of the bourbons used to create Blood Oath Pact 8.

“I’ve once again sourced three great bourbons for Blood Oath Pact 8, and I’m particularly excited to include a bourbon finished in Calvados casks,” said Rempe. “The Calvados cask will bring additional tasting notes characterized by slight apple on the nose, with hints of vanilla and cinnamon, as well as flavor notes of ripe apples, juicy pears, butterscotch and even subtle hints of chocolate. Blood Oath Pact 8 is a bourbon I’m proud to share with bourbon lovers, but the recipe is a secret I’ll be keeping to myself.”

Blood Oath Pact 8 features a label similar to its series predecessors, but in a rich green hue to signify apples and pears, which are used to make Calvados brandy. The official launch of Blood Oath Pact 8 will include a total allocation of 51,00 bottles, 1,400 of which will be held for a future Trilogy Pack release. The first Trilogy Pack, featuring Pacts 1, 2 and 3, was released in 2018, and the second Trilogy Pack, featuring Pacts 4, 5 and 6, was released last September in conjunction with National Bourbon Heritage Month.

TASTING NOTES
AROMA: Slight apple on the nose with hints of vanilla and cinnamon.
PALATE: Ripe apples and juicy pears combined with butterscotch and hints of chocolate.
FINISH: Apples, pears, butterscotch, and chocolate.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Salted caramel, musty rickhouse, toasted orange zest, cinnamon, hints of baked apples and pears.
Palate:  Caramel, vanilla, honey, rye zip with cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, hard apple cider and bit of mint.
Finish:  Moderately long, slightly drying with apple cider, caramel and mint.
Comments: Another really well made whiskey. I appreciate that Rempe and team have consistently used a deft hand with finishing in the Blood Oath pacts, so that it truly is a ‘finish’ that adds some subtle complexity to the bourbon without overpowering it. The Calvados influence is detectable, subtle, and delicious.  Lovely addition to the Blood Oath family!

Rating: Stands Out

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Woodford Reserve Bourbon Personal Selection

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Woodford Reserve Bourbon Personal Selection
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Personally Selected By Discount Drinks Etc. #1
Selection Date: 02/19/2020

45.2% ABV
$46
Website
Woodford Reserve Personal Selection Bourbon

What the Distillery Says

WOODFORD RESERVE BOURBON PERSONAL SELECTION
Because each barrel matures at its own rate, they take on a character of their own. So you’ll taste several as you craft your own two barrel batch. Then we’ll bottle your selections, complete with personalized labels. It’s Craft Bourbon, and you’re one of its craftsmen.

Here’s what you’ll receive:

180 1 Liter bottles of your selected bourbon, offered in personalized, individually labeled bottles bearing your name
Personalized barrelhead (upon request)
Personalized barrel (upon request)
A private tour of the distillery and lunch with tasting group
Your name or company name on display at the Distillery

What Gary Says

Nose:  Caramel, charred oak, cigar paper, orange zest, cinnamon, hint of milk chocolate.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sweet caramel, vanilla, allspice, cinnamon, toffee, citrus with a hint of anise.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with cinnamon and toffee.
Comments:  A solid bourbon overall; not too sweet, not too spicy. Woodford Reserve hasn’t been one of my favorites, and not because it is objectionable – but I suppose that it is priced as a premium and doesn’t stand out enough to me. I hadn’t had regular Woodford Reserve in a while, so I picked some up in order to bump this against that in a blind side-by-side, and I couldn’t tell the difference between the two. Note that the ‘Personal Selection’ isn’t a single barrel program, but the next smallest batch size of two barrels – so I had hopes that this might be more different. Maybe if this was higher proof it would stand out more from the standard offering, although again – nothing objectionable with this. Other selections might vary more from the standard depending upon who does the selection.

Rating: Stands Out

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KOVAL Susan for President Barreled Peach Brandy

/ / Other Spirits, Review / ,

KOVAL Susan for President Barreled Peach Brandy

43% ABV
$45
Website
KOVAL Susan for President Barreled Peach Brandy

What the Distillery Says

Ethereal and delicate, the nose has surprising hints of white tea, wild flower, and bergamot. Whiskey dringers will appreciate the subtle, peppery entry resulting from the barrel-aging process, while the soft essence of peach will appeal to those with sweeter tastes. The meticulous attention to detail employed to distill Susan for President Peach Brandy pays off in the warm, round and fuzzy mouthfeel that mimics biting into a fresh peach — surprising and alluring

Susan for President commemorates the creative legacy of KOVAL co-founder and president Sonat Birnecker Hart’s Aunt Susan – an artist, sculptor, and connoisseur of finer things. As part of her artistic approach to life, she casually campaigned for President of the World, passing out calling cards adorned with humorous, often risqué illustrations and slogans. In memory of Susan, this line of specialty spirits is a posthumous way for her to continue the campaign, for as she used to say, “the beat goes on,” and there is still much beauty in this world to celebrate.

What Gary Says

DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Brandy (so read at your own risk!)
Nose:  Peach, honey, notes of tea, allspice, nutmeg, citrus notes with bergamot.
Palate:  Peaches, vanilla, honey, subtle spearmint with a hint of cinnamon.
Finish:  Short and drying with peaches and cinnamon.
Comments:  Again – NOT a brandy connoisseur, and similar to the Santa Fe Spirits Apple Brand – a bit of a one-trick pony. But this did have more complexity than that, and a bit less one dimensional. Just not enough to make me ever think of converting from whisk(e)y.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Santa Fe Apple Brandy

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Santa Fe Apple Brandy

40% ABV
$45
Website
Santa Fe Apple Brandy

What the Distillery Says

Northern New Mexico with its centuries-old fruit orchards of apple, peach, pear, and cherry has been producing top-quality brandies for years. What better way to preserve one’s crop of fruit than to ferment it into wine and distill it into brandy? The end product is like taking the mountain air, water, and earth, ripening these elements into a sweet nectar, and then distilling that nectar down to its bare essences. The finished brandy stores for years, refining its inherent complexity with age. Traditionally, it is coveted for its quality and only shared with family; it has never been publicly available.

But Colin Keegan has been looking forward to sharing the fruits of his apple orchard in Tesuque with the general public for years. Originally homesteaded by Archbishop Lamy’s groundskeeper (who is rumored to have resorted to water theft in order to keep his high-desert oasis in Tesuque thriving) the Keegans’ orchard produces apples that express the singular uniqueness of the lush, green, riparian valley at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains where they struggle to grow.

By blending his own apples with the fruit of neighboring New Mexico orchards, Colin has finally achieved his goal of producing Santa Fe Apple Brandy for the general public. Overtones of apple peel, vanilla, fruit, and cinnamon yield to hints of granitic earth, sweet water, and dry air. Each bottle is truly a treasure: a gift from the Keegan family for your enjoyment.

What Gary Says

DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Brandy (so read at your own risk!)
Nose:  Green apple, toasted oak with cinnamon and honey, slight grassy note.
Palate:  Vanilla, honey, apple cider cut with apple juice.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, damp with apples and cinnamon.
Comments:  Again – NOT a brandy connoisseur, but for me this was pretty one dimensional. If you really like apples (insert Goodwill Hunting joke here), this might be right up your alley. I do like Apples, but personally would prefer a lower ABV and sweeter apple wine over this.

Rating: Average

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