Where are the Apostles?

/ / Richard's Blog

Wow, I just realized the last post was almost two weeks ago. What have we been doing? Well, Matt and I developed Whisk(e)yApostle as a labor of love and unfortunately we don’t get paid to do it. We have day jobs that are a lot less exciting than the world of whiskey we write about. However, Matt’s day job is more exciting than mine. We also buy most of our whiskey that we review so that takes some outside financing too. It’s been a hectic couple of weeks for both of us and I’m gearing up to fly to NYC to meet Matt for WhiskyFest New York on November 10th. We’ll try to post a few more updates before then and hopefully a couple of reviews too. We should be wrapping up the Gateway Series after a couple more reviews. We will definitely have a lot to talk about after WhiskyFest. Hopefully we will see a bunch of you there too.

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

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News From Compass Box

/ / Matt's Blog, Scottish Whisky

We’ve recently mentioned the re-release of The Spice Tree from Compass Box Whisky.  This is more than exciting to me, as this was one of my favorites when it was first released.  You can read our review of the first release here.  We will let you know about the new one as soon as possible.

Well, Compass Box is also bringing back Orangerie, an “infusion of fresh, hand-zested organic orange zest, cassia and clove in 10 year-old Scotch whisky.”

Look for these two drams this fall and something extra special closer to winter time.  Compass Box is releasing a very limited, one time release of old vatted malt inspired by the “Lucky Blend.”  The new whisky will be called Lady Luck and I can’t wait to try it.

For more information about these whiskies, hit up the Compass Box website.

Drink well, drink responsibly.
-Matt

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Gateway Series #12: Canadian Round-Up

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

After Crown Royal, we decided that providing two negative reviews for the remaining Canadian whiskies was a bit overkill.  So Richard took one for the team and reviewed two of the other three on our list.  I think I got off pretty easy (the Canadian Mist was my contribution).

Canadian Club Blended Canadian Whisky
40% ABV/80 Proof
Nose: Citrus, vanilla, and burnt tire.  This smells pretty awful.
Palate: I would say that the only good thing about the palate on this is that it got the taste of Seagram’s 7 and Black Velvet out of my mouth from the same tasting but that’s not an improvement.  This is like industrial drain cleaner.
Finish: The finish is actually the best part.  It is rather smooth but the after taste is too reminiscent of the palate.
Comments: Wow, this was not a pleasant experience at all.  I know we pledged to review the often over looked entry level stuff as part of the Gateway Series but I can only hope that if you’re reading our site then you’re drinking better than Canadian Club.  Please tell me you are.
Rating: Possibly the worst whisk(e)y I’ve ever drank.

Black Velvet Canadian Whisky
40% ABV/80 Proof
Nose: Juvenile oranges and rubbing alcohol with notes of sweet vanilla.  Agitation make the nose almost industrial.
Palate: On the palate this tastes like unaged grain alcohol.  Very little flavor and very rough.
Finish: It actually finishes rather smooth on the throat but it leaves a hornet’s nest in your mouth.
Comments: Every time I see this somewhere I think of that Alana Miles song about Elvis.  Unfortunately this doesn’t resemble the King in any way, shape, or form. Don’t bother.
Rating: I’ll Pass (so bad that I’m adding another rating to our system)

Canadian Mist Blended Canadian Whisky
40% ABV/80 Proof
Nose: Really nice right after the pour, like high-rye bourbon.  Sweet, toffee, and caramel.  When agitated, the nose becomes antiseptic (rubbing alcohol).
Palate: Not much to it.  It tastes more like a honeyed Lowland Scotch than anything from North America.  The flavor is very delicate.  What little flavor is present, is honeyed and cereal with an oily mouth feel.
Comments: This seems like it would be a good mixer.  It stands out among the other gateway Canadians in that it is not retched.  That being said, it is like whisky light.  This could be a true gateway whisky for folks unaccustomed to drinking alcohol with flavor.
Rating:  Average

So, there you have it.  The Canadian round-up.  You may think that we are being unfair to our Northern cousins, but we cannot help our tastes.

We still have a few more gateway reviews on the way, so stay tuned.

Slainte
Matt & Richard

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New U.S. Releases – September ‘09

/ / Bourbon, Irish Whiskey, Other Whisk(e)ys, Scottish Whisky

Here’s our monthly round up of new releases. There should be something for everyone this month. We’ve got prices from $23 to $15,000.

High West Bourye
Timeframe: This fall
ABV: 46%
Price: TBD
This is a new product from High West that is a blending of a 12 year old straight rye whiskey and a 10 year old bourbon. A post-aging mashbill? I can’t wait to try some.

Dearstalker 18 Year
Timeframe: This fall
ABV: 46%
Price: TBD
This is malt distilled at the Balmenach Distillery that hasn’t been available before. More expressions are scheduled for U.S. release next year.

Benromach 10 Year
Timeframe: This Fall
ABV: TBD
Price: TBD
A new addition to the Benromach line up. I’m sure Matt’s already got a bottle on hold.

The Spice Tree
Timeframe: This fall
ABV: TBD
Price: TBD
A great whisky makes its return! We loved the original incarnation and now that John Glaser has found a way around the SWA’s rules I can’t wait to taste the new expression.

Gold Bowmore
Timeframe: This Fall
ABV: 42.4%
Price: $6,250
This comes from the famed 1964 vintage that gave us Black Bowmore and White Bowmore. With those kind of siblings it’s hard to go wrong.

Slane Castle Irish Whiskey
Timeframe: July 2009
ABV: 40%
Price: $23
This one apparently slipped under our radar. Thankfully, more Irish Whiskey is never a bad thing.

The Macallan Lalique 57 Year Old
Timeframe: This fall
ABV: 48.5%
Price: $15,000
Wow! Fifteen grand for a bottle of whisky. Out of my price range but let us know what you think if you get the opportunity to try some.

Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Birthday Edition
Timeframe: Now
ABV: 45%
Price: $29
The standard bottling is great and I can’t wait to toast Mr. Lee with a bottle of his special edition.

There’s also a bunch more that we didn’t get many details on. The annual release of the Buffalo Trace Antique collection will be out in October with the same line up as last year. Glen Garioch and Conemmara are both coming out with new bottlings.

Diageo also announced their 2009 Classic Malt limited editions. Here’s what I’ve got on those so far:
•Talisker 25-Year-Old ($199.99)
•Brora 30-Year-Old ($399.99)
•Caol Ila Unpeated 10-Year-Old ($59.99)
•Lagavulin 12-Year-Old ($74.99)
•Port Ellen 30-Year Old ($369.99)
•Royal Lochnagar Selected Reserve ($209.99)
•Talisker The Distillers Edition ($79.99)
•Oban The Distillers Edition ($99.99)
•Lagavulin The Distillers Edition ($109.99)
•Caol Ila The Distillers Edition ($79.99)
•Dalwhinnie The Distillers Edition ($74.99)

That’s it for September. If that’s not enough for you then we’ll have to wait and see what October brings!

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Gateway Series #11: Crown Royal

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Crown Royal Fine De Luxe Blended Canadian Whisky
40% ABV, 80 Proof
Around $25, Widely Available

What The Distiller Says:
The distinct blend of 50 full-bodied whiskies has captivated senses for 70 years and continues to be a staple of our portfolio. Though created in 1939 to celebrate the visit to Canada of King George VI and his Queen Elizabeth, Crown Royal remains approachable and unpretentious to the everyday drinker.

What Matt Says:
Nose: Caramel, hazelnuts, vanilla, and mint. There is also something sour lingering in the background (smells like stomach acid). Water opens up the rye notes (mint and spice) to create something quite lovely.
Palate: Not bad upfront, with toffee sweetness, but turns woody and bitter. Although Richard Paterson suggests holding whiskies “long in the mouth,” I would not suggest doing that with this particular dram. It becomes thoroughly unpleasant, not unlike chewing the shrapnel from a barrel explosion. While water helps the nose, it kills the flavor (which may be a good thing).
Finish: Smooth and oak-y with a hint of mint. Water kills the mint.
Comments: Supplying Redneck high school girls with low cost purses for 70 years, Crown Royal is probably as known for it’s purple velvet bag as for the whisky inside. It is a shame really, Crown Royal is actually capable of producing good whiskies. The standard expression is not one of them though. It is not the worst whisky in the Gateway Series, but I cannot recommend it.
Rating: Probably Pass

What Richard Says:
Nose: The nose seems surprisingly alcoholic for an 80 proof whisky. I get fruitiness on the nose reminiscent of fruit brandies. There is also just a hint of nuttiness that I can’t quite place.
Palate: Peppered oak lollypops? Seriously. Sickly candy sweetness on the front of the palate. As the drink settles into the palate it turns to peppery oak. Not in a good way. The longer you hold it on the palate, the worse it gets. Definitely drink it quickly.
Finish: The finish starts out not too bad but the burn kicks in and punches above it’s 40% ABV. The after taste is rough, woody, and unpleasant.
Comments: My early experiences with Crown Royal really turned me off to the drink altogether. That said, I tried to give Crown the benefit of the double. For my trouble I found all the things that originally turned me off of Canadian Whisky. The only way I’ve found that I can tolerate Crown Royal is in a Red Snapper.
Rating: Probably Pass

Overall Rating: Probably Pass

Crown Royal is really our first major departures from one of the whiskey writers we both most identify with, John Hansell. He gives standard Crown an 88/100. I can’t fathom how. It just goes to show you that everyone’s palate is as individual as their fingerprints.

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