Did You Know #3: Coming of Age

/ / Bourbon, Irish Whiskey, Other Whisk(e)ys, Richard's Blog, Scottish Whisky

It’s been a while since I did a “Did You Know” piece and it’s long over due. So here’s today’s question..

Did you know that the age statement on your bottle indicates the youngest whiskey in the bottle?

Go ahead, run over to the liquor cabinet and look. Is there an age statement on the bottle? What did you think that number meant? According to Chivas, the vast majority of whiskey drinkers have no idea. Their research has shown that while many people think that number is important, few really understand what it means. For those that aren’t sure, the age statement on a bottle of bourbon, scotch, irish, japanese, etc whisk(e)y reflects the age of the youngest spirit in the bottle. That goes for single malts, blends, small batch, single barrel, etc. That means that in a bottle of 12 year old Macallan there could be a number of whiskies that are much older. Distilleries use older stocks to round out the flavor and consistency of younger bottlings. Maybe the 1997 Macallan vintage didn’t taste quite like the 1996 so they added a little 14 year old to the mix for consistency. Apparently, we human creatures like consistency in what we consume. It’s comforting I guess.

Why am I bringing this up today? Well, Chivas is sending around a notice of a new campaign they are launching to bring awareness to the popular misconceptions about age statements and what they mean. We Whisk(e)y Apostles are always in favor of more consumer education. Here’s a copy of the press release.

THE AGE MATTERS
Chivas Brothers launches global consumer campaign
on the importance of Scotch whisky age statements

The world’s leading producer of luxury Scotch whisky, Chivas Brothers, is launching a global campaign to advocate the importance and value of the age statements to consumers.

According to new research commissioned by Chivas Brothers, 94% of consumers believe the age statement serves as an indicator of quality, 93% believe that older whiskies are better quality and 89% actively look for an age statement when making a decision to purchase.

However, there is a global lack of knowledge about what the age statement actually means: only 10% understand that it refers to the youngest whisky in the bottle, nearly half (48%) believe an age statement refers to the average age and 35% believe it signifies the oldest whisky present. The Scotch Whisky Regulations (2009) make clear what an age statement means – the age of the youngest whisky in the bottle.

Chivas Brothers, Distiller of the Year 2009, is responding with a campaign called The Age Matters, which will manifest itself through stand-alone activity as well as through integration across the company’s aged whisky portfolio, which includes the Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, The Glenlivet, and Royal Salute brands.

The aim of the campaign is to enable consumers to understand fully the age statement and to appreciate the value of the premium product they are purchasing.

One of the greatest influences on the flavour of whisky comes from maturation. Much of the complexity of Scotch whisky comes mainly from its time in oak casks in Scotland; with outstanding spirit and excellent wood management, it follows that the longer the maturation period, the more complex the whisky.

From 1 July 2010, consumers will be encouraged to look for age statements on Scotch whisky, via point-of-sale materials, advertising and public relations. A logo using the language Guaranteed Age Whisky has been created for usage in retail, and will be visible in the environment of Chivas Brothers brands that carry an age statement.

Christian Porta, Chairman and CEO of Chivas Brothers Limited, says: “The revelation that so many existing whisky drinkers do not understand that the age statement refers to youngest age of the whisky, shows that there is an opportunity for us to inform them.

“In an age when consumers of luxury goods increasingly demand transparency and authenticity from brands, it is vital that we empower consumers with knowledge, so that they fully understand the value of what they are buying.”

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

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Sin-sational Father’s Day

/ / Richard's Blog, Scottish Whisky

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned to my buddy Sam that there was going to be a Macallan dinner at New York Prime in Atlanta. I read him the menu, whisky pairings, and cigars included in this event. His response to me was that it “sounded like sin” and he was game if I was. This little event also coincided with Father’s Day and I just happen to be the relatively new father of a beautiful 10 month old little girl. So we decided to go and Sam’s lovely wife Sandra was even kind enough to drive us as she was having dinner out with friends last night too. This is one of those moments where the stars all kind of aligned.

Neither Sam or I had ever been to New York Prime before. I do love and appreciate good steak and I’ve killed a cow or two at most of the steakhouses in Atlanta but for some reason I’d never been to New York Prime. I’ll be honest and say that when we arrived I was not expecting too much. There was a line out the door and it was not moving very fast. There was no direction about what to do if you were there for the event or just dinner. We arrived promptly at 7:00PM and didn’t get up to the front of the line until almost 7:30 PM. By then I was already seeing salads coming out and thought that we might have missed the the first two courses. I was also a little taken aback that they were just sitting people around the restaurant and bar instead of a separate room. However, when we were guided to our seats everything changed for the better.

Despite everyone sitting down at different times your “clock” didn’t start until you sat down. That meant that even though others were getting their steak already Sam and I were greeted by our outstanding server and brought two perfectly cut Ashton cigars and a nice measure of Macallan Fine Oak 15 (a personal favorite). She told us to just let her know when we wanted to move on to salad and that would tell them when to start our steaks. The event was very crowded and (in my opinion) overbooked but our server was great every step of the way. One great scotch and food course led to another one. All the scotches were great but I’d peg the Macallan 18 as my favorite of the bunch and Sam concurred.

From the cigars and scotch to the 22 ounce rib steak and biggest effing piece of cheesecake I’ve ever seen this night was all about decadence and indulgence. This is a “manly” event in the old sense of the word. There were women there but it was mostly men eating big steaks with big scotch in a room full of cigar smoking. This is dinner Sinatra style. This was living!

Out of curiousity, Sam and I did a rough estimate of what the food, scotch, and cigars would run you retail and it was well over $150. That made the $59.99 price tag almost criminally low. Kudos to New York Prime for these great events. That said, there were a few things off putting. I think they really needed make the event smaller. Given the space constraints it was way too crowded. Going hand-in-hand with that they need to work check in and seating better. This is also not a led tasting of scotches. The atmosphere and cigar smoke make that very difficult. It’s more a great dinner event with scotch. There is a brand ambassador there who comes around but given the size of the event it was difficult to really spend much time talking to him. There were also a number of very pretty young ladies in very tight and very very short black dresses talking to everyone. I’m not sure if they were employeed by the restaurant or Macallan but they didn’t seem to serve any purpose other than eye candy. They weren’t even Pour Bunnies.

I’ll also say that New York Prime is not a quiet dinner for two kind of place. It’s loud, boistrous, and very heavy on cigar smoke. Basically, the ultimate place for a serious guys night out. All in all, we had a terrific time and I’ll be anxiously awaiting their next dinner. I started the day with a wonderful Father’s Day gift of two great bottles of whisk(e)y and finished with this great evening. I must be living right. I hope to see some of you at the next one.

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

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Woodford Reserve

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
45.2% ABV/90.4 Proof
$25 to $30
Widely Available

What the distillery says:
It all comes down to a small team guided by one man – our Master Distiller. Applying years of experience and knowledge, he selects only barrels whose whiskey shows superior maturation qualities. These barrels are set aside, then moved to the 100-year-old stone warehouses at The Woodford Reserve Distillery to finish their maturation.

The heat of summer and the cold of the Kentucky winter are key when you want a fine whiskey to mature properly. That’s why our barrels see every season. When the whiskey in these special barrels reaches its peak, it becomes Woodford Reserve

What Richard Says:
Nose: Buttery with hints of oak. A good bit of citrusy sweetness and the slightest hint of nuttiness. Water mutes the butter and wood and then smacks you in the face with citrus.
Palate: Very sweet initially. As you move it around the mouth the sweetness takes a back seat to ripe fruit and mild oakiness.
Finish: The finish is actually sweet and mildly oaky but very hot. This one leaves the lips and back of the throat tingling. A little waters dowses the fire and give you a finish that plays well between sweetness and wood with flowery under notes.
Comments: I’m always a little conflicted on single whiskey distillers. I don’t mean to insinuate that more expressions means better product but I respect the continuing strive for innovation and self improvement. The recent special releases have been varied in quality but always respected for the willingness to think outside the norm. I fear however, that they are overshadowing the standard expression a little. It is really a stand out bourbon at a reasonable price point. I’m glad I got reaquainted. Keep up the good work guys!
Rating: Stands Out.

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Seagram’s 7 Crown American Whiskey

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

I’ve been sitting on this review for a while going back to our Gateway Series of reviews. I was waiting to see if Matt would try this one too but he’s on vacation so I’m going to publish it anyway.

In all seriousness, it was a post on about American Blended Whiskey that reminded of this old review so here it goes…

Seagram’s 7 Crown American Whiskey
40% ABV/80 Proof
$10 to $15
Available Everywhere

What the Distillery Says:

I actually couldn’t find anything.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Honey and ripe fruit. Oranges and nuts. Not an altogether unpleasant nose.
Palate: Candied rubber? Very antiseptic and spicy. Not something to drink neat.
Finish: Very hot and rough finish. Not smooth in the least.
Comments: Okay, Seagram’s isn’t exactly suggesting this be drunk straight like a fine bourbon. It’s a cheap mixer and tastes as such. It’s a very odd bastard child of something bourbon-like and something Canadian.
Rating: I’ll Pass (so bad that I’m adding another rating to our system)

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Four Roses Yellow Label

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
40% ABV
Available in Asia, Europe, & USA
$20

What The Distillery Says:
A worldwide favorite, especially when creating mixed drinks with a sophisticated, contemporary flair. Hints of pear and apple compliment floral aromas and mix with a taste of honey and spice. Smooth and mellow with a unique, long and soft finish.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Vanilla caramel sweetness overlaying rich oak.
Palate: Less sweet on the palate but very mellow. There’s a slight kick at the end of the palate. Hints of orchard fruit and oak dominate the flavor profile.
Finish: Very smooth and short. A little spice is left at the tongue and middle warmth fills the stomach.
Comments: It’s not Buffalo Trace but it’s a solid inexpensive bourbon. Versatile enough to work well in cocktails but I could still drink it neat.
Rating: Average (or slightly above)

What Matt Says:
Nose: Honeysuckle, orange shellac, dry grain and cherry lollipops
Palate: Cherry caramels and toasted oak, round and full bodied without being oily
Finish: Very smooth with just a slight burn that hits the tip of the tongue like a love bite.  Leaves the tongue with a taste of cherry lollipops and an oaky fuzziness.
Comments: The palate of this reminds me of Cheerwine, a cherry flavored cola sold in the Deep South.  I’m glad they started selling Four Roses in the US again.  I have several friends who cut their teeth on this while growing up in Europe.  Yellow Label is a solid entry level bourbon that will give you a much better taste profile than say, Old Crow, Rebel Yell, or Jim Beam.  Richard and I agree that Buffalo Trace is a bit better.  Still, there are places where you can only get one or the other.  Either way, you’ll have any enjoyable and affordable dram.
Rating:  Average

Overall Rating:  Average
In the grand scheme of all bourbon, Yellow Label falls squarely in the “average” range.  If you just put it up against other whiskeys in this price range, it surely stands out.

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