Westland American Single Malt

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

Westland American Single Malt Whiskey
46% ABV
$75
Website
westland-american-single-malt
What the Distillery Says:
A flagship malt is the core expression of a distillery’s house style. Westland’s American Oak is a reflection of where it is made and the collective intent of those who made it. When we founded Westland Distillery, we had a vision for an entirely new category of whiskey. Distilled from the rich, flavorful barley of Washington State and matured predominantly in new American oak casks in the steady, cool humidity of our seaside home, this whiskey is a testament to that vision. All of these choices and ingredients conspire to create an approachable, mature and uniquely American single malt that can stand with the best whiskies in the world.

The initial nose provides lemon and orange custard backed by freshly produced waffle cone. Shortly after, a rich creaminess emerges with creme brûlée and chocolate custard while a hint of jasmine hides just beneath the surface. The first sip confirms the creamy and rich fruit custard notes of the nose, adding an element of rainier cherries. After five minutes, melting swiss chocolate is revealed with a hint of almond. Extended tastings brings out bananas and cream with Turkish coffee.

GRAIN BILL:
Washington Select Pale Malt
Munich Malt
Extra Special Malt
Pale Chocolate Malt
Brown Malt

CASK TYPE(S):
Cooper’s Select New American Oak
Cooper’s Reserve New American Oak
First Fill Ex-Bourbon

YEAST STRAIN: Belgian Brewer’s Yeast

FERMENTATION TIME: 144 Hours

What Gary Says:
Nose: Young malt, lemongrass with some floral notes over peach and sea air.
Palate: Slightly creamy mouthfeel with apricot, peach, and honey over gentle spice(like mincemeat pie dialed down by half).
Finish: On the short-side, and wet (but pleasant).
Comments: A well done malt – I find it nicely balanced and approachable. Nothing off-putting about it, although it left me wanting more (as in – this same whiskey but maybe with another couple of years, and a few more points of proof). It is pretty tasty, although a tad on the thin side. For the price, unless you’re a whiskey geek who wants to try and support American Single Malt (a noble cause to be sure!), there are a lot of Scotch single malts that deliver more flavor for less. But that is the price of being an early adopter. This is a finely crafted whiskey, and shows a lot of potential. It isn’t trying to be Scotch-like, but clearly is a single malt. I haven’t tried their other offerings, but this sample definitely has gotten me interested in looking!
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Rich and sweetly floral. There are background notes that are slightly meaty and also brandy like.
Palate: Delicate and well balanced. The sweetness here reminds more more of a cognac than a scotch. Poached stone fruits come to mind.
Finish: A little peppery and slightly hot but a few drops of water smooths that out.
Comments: Yeah, I’m the guy that typically hates American craft whiskey. I find it uninspiring, poorly put together, young, and over priced. That is a broad generalization but I am hard pressed to find exceptions to those descriptors. This however, would be one such exception. This is a delicious whiskey. It’s unique, well balanced, and it doesn’t show its youth at all. That said, you need to approach this on it’s own merits and don’t go looking for a scotch clone. If anything, this reminds me more of a nice brandy rather than a single malt scotch. My only complaint is the price. I know it’s tough for the new guys to sell their product with all that start up cost to recuperate but damn there are a lot of nice $75 bottles of whiskey out there. Hopefully, as Westland gains scale they will be able to target a more reasonable price point.
Rating: Must Try

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Angel’s Envy Cask Strength 2016

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels
2016 Release
62.3% ABV
$179.99
Website
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What the Bottler Says:
Ranked the “Best Spirit in the World” by Spirit Journal, Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Port Barrels is unlike any whiskey you’ve ever tried. Angel’s Envy is releasing fewer than8,000 bottles of our award-winning Cask Strength this year, so don’t miss your chance to pick up a bottle or two of this rare and delicious spirit.

Perfection is a patient man’s game. So we waited until Angel’s Envy reached the perfect level of maturity. We judge only a handful of barrels exceptional enough for our lengthy finishing process. The result? Even at 124.6 proof—our highest ever—every sip is worth savoring.

A remarkably complex and unfiltered spirit, we suggest you enjoy it neat or with just a splash of water to release the flavor nuances, and perhaps with a few friends who appreciate outstanding whiskey. Angel’s Envy Cask Strength was worth waiting for, now it’s worth sharing.

Appearance Rich gold with an amber depth
Nose Rose petals, dense fruitcake, fresh strawberries, cracked black peppercorns, clove
Palate Caramel coffee, dried fig, aged tobacco, toasted sourdough bread
Finish Rich and buttery, add water to soothe the burn and let the finish linger

What Gary Says:
Nose: Rich, luscious port sweetness with dark fruit and molasses, hints of aniseed and cigar paper.
Palate: Viscous mouthfeel with port, caramel apples, plums, and a hint of citrus over oak.
Finish: Moderately long and drying.
Comments: I really do enjoy this whiskey, as I have the previous year’s release of cask strength. It is an intensely flavorful whiskey, on the sweet side to be sure, but nicely balanced (not cloyingly sweet). This is where I would normally rant about the price, and how if it were half the price I would be recommending it up one side and down the other. But I honestly can’t explain prices for most whiskies in today’s market – so, whether it is worth it or not is up to you. If you can afford it, I do think this is a delicious whiskey. But I won’t be a buyer at the suggested retail.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: The nose is a bit coy out of the bottle. It comes across a bit woody and musty (and this bourbon isn’t that old) with a bit of caramel candies. With some water the nose opens to more notes of vanilla, melted peanut butter, and cocoa powder.
Palate: A sweets grab back with a heavy does of semisweet chocolate chips, follow by Big Red cinnamon gum, and toffee crisps. Water pulls more of the vanilla and caramel forward.
Finish: This finishes more on the dry side with a wisp of wood. When water is added more lingering notes of cocoa powder remain.
Comments: Price, price, price. Kind of like Gary I’m getting a little tired of harping on the prices of recent releases. I hear the other side of the argument saying how “under valued bourbon was for so long”…blah blah blah…horseshit. Value is an individual’s perception and opinion. It has nothing to do with price. Price is set by supply and demand. Prices are high because demand is high. And producers of bourbon are taking every advantage they can to maximize profits during the boom. Do I blame them? No. Would I do the same thing in their place? Yes. Do I have to like it? Hell no. It still pisses me off.

All that ranting aside, this is a delicious whiskey. It would be hard to find someone who wouldn’t like it. If it’s in your price and value and range them by all means I suggest picking one up if you are inclined to. And if you happened to invite Gary and I over to share that bottle that you paid for then that wouldn’t be too bad either.
Rating: Stands Out

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Jack Daniels Barrel Proof

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Jack Daniels Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey
66.35% ABV
$65
Website
single_barrel_barrel_proof_01
What the Distillery Says:
It’s whiskey as nature intended it—bottled straight from the barrel at its full proof. Intense, smooth, and remarkably varied, Barrel Proof is bottled at anywhere from 125 to 140-proof, taking Jack’s trademark vanilla and toasted oak flavors to bold new levels.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Hot, rich sweetness, honey, cinnamon, hints of banana and sticky toffee pudding.
Palate: Thick mouthfeel, sweet but biting with vanilla, caramel apple, and over-ripe bananas with candied pralines. Water tames the heat, and brings some notes of maple syrup.
Finish: On the short side and drying.
Comments: This won’t be mistaken for your daddy’s Jack Daniels – but at the same time is unmistakably “Jack”. That Lincoln County Process mellowing is there throughout, along with the bananas (which I particularly enjoy) – but there is a lot more going on. When I learned that they were offering a barrel proof Jack Daniels, my whisk(e)y geek neck-hairs stood at attention. I bought the first bottle I saw, and wasn’t disappointed. If you’re a fan of Jack Daniels, I’d definitely recommend this whiskey. If you’re not because you find Jack “too sweet” compared with bourbon, I’d still recommend you try it if you have a chance. It might surprise you.
Rating: Must Try

What Richard Says:
Nose: Fiery and rich. Viscous sweets of melted cinnamon Red Hots, caramel, and banana pudding.
Palate: Even richer and more viscous on the palate than the nose. It’s so oozingly sweet that it delays the heat from the barrel proof alcohol. Praline pecans, toffee crisps, vanilla cream candies.
Finish: Uncomplicated and dominated by the heat of the alcohol. With water it’s more muted and short.
Comments: Wow! This one is hot but delicious. It takes practice to get the water dilution just right but when you do its syrupy sweet and rich as hell. This is everything good about Jack Daniels with none of the bad stuff. A fine dessert whiskey.
Rating: Must Try

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Jack Daniel’s Silver Select

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Jack Daniel’s Silver Select Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey

50% ABV
$55 to $65
Website
Jack Daniels Silver Select TN Whiskey

What the Distillery Says:

Bottled in Bond at 100-proof so you can experience the full depth and intensity of its rich flavor. This smooth, aromatic Tennessee Whiskey is only available in select duty-free airports around the world.

Richard’s aside: It’s worth noting that this is no longer called “Silver Select”. Since I bought my bottle Brown Forman has rebranded this edition in conjunction with their other Jack Daniel’s single barrel offerings (Single Barrel, Barrel Proof Single Barrel, Single Barrel Rye) and this now “Single Barrel 100 Proof” and carries the “Bottled in Bond” distinction. It’s availability in Travel Retail only remains.
s16140

What Gary Says:

Nose: Thick, rich, mellow with raisins, vanilla, caramel honey, and hints of anise, clove (and yes, bananas).
Palate: Rich/sweet fruit (raisins, figs) with a bit of a sharpness, but not as much spice as the nose advertises.
Finish: Short to moderate in length.
Comments: Another that is unmistakably related to its standard bearer, although I thought this several steps up from Old No. 7 (several more so than Jim Beam Bonded is over Jim Beam White Label). Fairly dark whiskey, so at only 100 proof I expect that this either has a few years of extra age on it, or was aged really high up (and maybe both). I think this is my second favorite Jack Daniel’s I’ve ever tried (below the Single Barrel, Barrel Proof). I wish this was more widely available (no mention of it on Jack Daniel’s web-site, and from what I can see on-line, this is a travel retail offer only). If you are a fan of Jack Daniels, I think this is hands-down a “must try” (maybe a “must buy”, but not sure what the true price tag is). I know if I see one for $60 or less, I’m bringing it home.

Rating: Must Try

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Jim Beam Bonded

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Jim Beam Bonded Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
50% ABV
$20
Website
jb_bonded_750ml_0
What the Distillery Says:
Our bonded bourbon is created from the highest quality ingredients and adheres to the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897. Enjoy a taste of history today.

Our bonded bourbon follows the letter of the law: the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897. It’s bottled at 100 proof, aged at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse and produced in a single distillery season at a single distillery.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Unmistakably “Beam”; subtle vanilla, cornbread, and a tangy hint of citrus.
Palate: Decent balance of sweetness and oak; sweet up front with vanilla and honey, light spice kicks in; notes of pine.
Finish: Moderately spicy and drying.
Comments: Always glad to see another “bonded” product on the market. In full disclosure, I’m not a fan of the mainstay Jim Beam white label (although I do enjoy Knob Creek, Baker’s, and Booker’s), and there is no escaping the familial resemblance here. But this adds a bit of depth and character, and for only a couple more dollars. For $5 more, I don’t know that I would recommend, but there isn’t a lot at the $20 price point that I like more these days.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: The peanut and cornmeal Beam signature “funk” ever present.
Palate: Corn pudding, vanilla beans, burnt sugar, and kettle corn.
Finish: Dry and lightly peppery with remnants of corn and wet toothpicks.
Comments: Beam throws one up to the discerning value buyer. This is a bit of a missing link bourbon. For less than $20 you should seek this one out instead of regular Jim Beam. It answers the question of how Beam gets from Jim Beam White to Baker’s. The bonded version shows as the little brother to the Baker’s and if you are a Baker’s fan then I think you will really like the less complex and younger iteration.
Rating: Stands Out

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