Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / , ,

Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Rye
Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

Comparing Different Barrels

57.5% ABV
$45 – $50
Website
Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Rye

What the Distillery Says

Unblended rye whiskey from a one-of-a-kind barrel chosen by your local retailer based on a sampling of our finest barrels.

Why Compare Two Different Barrels?

First off – it’s fun! But also because I thought it would be interesting to show just how different two barrels can be – and I happened to have both opened at the same time, so why not.

The Barrel Details

Barrel “A”
Barrel “B”
Picked By
Gourmands InternationalDeKalb Bottle House
Barreled On
12/10/20121/28/2014
Bottled On
7/17/20185/9/2019
Age
5 Years, 7 Months5 Years, 3 Months
Warehouse, Floor
Whse F, Floor 9Whse W-E, Floor 4

What Gary Says

Barrel “A”
Barrel “B”
Nose:Herbal, dill, lemongrass, toasted lemon zest, oak; a tad hot and sharp – water brings a maple and honey note with brown sugar.Rich, herbal with dill, thyme, fennel, orange zest, bit of brown sugar; water brings honey, vanilla and more orange.
Palate:Sharp, vanilla, orange, pepper spice, oak; water tamps the edges bringing more caramel and orange marmalade, and thickens the mouthfeel nicely.Thick mouthfeel, vanilla, honey, orange, chocolate, pepper slowly comes in with cinnamon and nutmeg in tow; water brings caramel, more orange, tamps the chocolate a bit and thickens the mouthfeel further.
Finish:Short to moderate in length, with oak and pepper.Moderately long with orange spice, oak and cinnamon
Comments:Rye can be quite good at a young age. This spent its time on the 9th floor, so a lot of heat up there. Not quite over-oaked, but definitely on the oaky end of the spectrum. I’m not a big fan of ‘oak bombs’, and this is nearing that for me. It improves a LOT with water (neat this would be squarely in the ‘Average’ bucket).This was bottled about a year after the other, and while a similar age it spent its time in the middle of the rickhouse. Every barrel is unique, but I think a fair amount of the difference is likely attributed to that location. Just delightful! Of course I know some of the folks involved in picking barrels for DeKalb Bottle House, and they’ve got good taste – so this side by side wasn’t a big surprise to me. A really nice rye at a great price.
Rating:
Average/Stands Out
Stands Out/Must Try

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Belle Meade Bourbon Cask Strength Reserve

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Belle Meade Bourbon Cask Strength Reserve
Batch 20, Bottle 342

56.65% ABV
$55 – $75
Website
Belle Meade Bourbon Cask Strength Reserve

What the Producer Says

Belle Meade Bourbon Cask Strength Reserve is a premium full strength whiskey created to quench the growing demand for well-aged, higher proof bourbon.

We taste every barrel in our inventory and reserve the ones that taste good enough to be a Single Barrel but don’t have a high enough proof to be a Single Barrel. We batch these reserve barrels with others barrels in our inventory that raise the proof of the batch while accentuating the flavors of those reserve barrels. When blended together, these barrels of well-aged bourbon create a product that is greater than the sum of its individual parts.

Each small batch of our Reserve is comprised of just seven of these exceptional barrels.

Belle Meade Bourbon Cask Strength Reserve is a bold bourbon for those who appreciate whiskey straight from the barrel. Try it neat, on the rocks, with a splash of water, or use it to kick the flavor of your favorite cocktail up a few notches.

POINTS OF DIFFERENCE
Bottled at Cask Strength
Small batch: 7 exceptional barrels
Not Chill Filtered to retain maximum flavor
High-rye content

TASTING NOTES
While every batch is slightly different, all Belle Meade Bourbon Cask Strength Reserve is rich and full flavored. Showing vanilla, caramel, spice, and stone fruits.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Oak prominent, slightly burnt caramel with a whiff of barbecue sauce, vanilla, spice, hint of molasses with a bit of burnt popcorn, fall leaves.
Palate:  Rich and spicy with dark chocolate, nutty rye spice with walnuts, vanilla, cinnamon, pepper and oak.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with chocolate and oak.
Comments:  Another really solid bourbon – a tad hot on the nose and a bit more oak than I prefer.  Definitely a step up from Belle Meade Bourbon. Water improves it quite a bit, tamping down the rough edges and bringing some fruity notes. I’d never argue for something to be bottled at a lower proof, but for my tastes – this really shines in the 100 to 105 proof range.

Rating: Stands Out

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Belle Meade Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Belle Meade Bourbon

45.2% ABV
$40 – $50
Website
Belle Meade Bourbon

What the Producer Says

In keeping with the history of the brand and to assure that only the finest quality Bourbon is labeled Belle Meade Bourbon, we painstakingly select barrels sourced from the nation’s finest distillers. To ensure that no other Bourbon in the world tastes like Belle Meade Bourbon, we created a proprietary blend using different high-rye content mash bills and complementary yeast strains. Each batch of our well-aged proprietary blend creates the signature flavor profile that makes Belle Meade Bourbon the award-winning Bourbon of choice for the discerning whiskey drinker.

The high-rye blend of Belle Meade was designed to make it a versatile Bourbon. It shines whether served neat, with a splash, or on the rocks but it’s also outstanding in a well-made cocktail. The high rye content and 90.4 bottling proof helps Belle Meade Bourbon to stand up to mixers that often mask other Bourbons, thus making it the perfect Bourbon for your favorite classic or craft cocktail creation.

Whoever said everything old is new again was dead on. So don’t drink like your Dad. Drink like your Great Great GREAT Granddad. Drink Belle Meade Bourbon.

POINTS OF DIFFERENCE
High-rye Content (30% rye)
90.4 proof is the ideal sweet spot for depth of character
Small Batches
A proprietary blend of differing mash bills and yeast strains
Never chill-filtered to retain maximum flavor

TASTING NOTES
Nose: Maple syrup and caramel with floral fragrances and a citrus zest.
Palate: Caramel and vanilla with bold rye spice and hints of apricot.
Finish: Long, smooth finish with mellow cherry and plum notes accented by cinnamon, all without the burn found in other 90 proof bourbons.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich vanilla with salted caramel and oak, maple syrup, allspice, cinnamon, orange zest, a note of cigar paper.
Palate:  Caramel and vanilla with cinnamon, pepper spice and oak, a touch of honey and chocolate.
Finish:  Short and drying with honey, vanilla and cinnamon.
Comments:  This is a solid, atypical bourbon – high rye mash bill for sure and takes water well. While I like it, not sure I like it at $40. It comes off a tad hot on the nose considering the proof. Had a chance to participate in a virtual Q&A with Charles Nelson of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery this May, who produces Belle Meade Bourbon (and now have products starting to hit the market from their own distillate). They’ve been very transparent that Belle Meade is sourced whiskey, and primarily from MGP. They’ve also had some whiskey distilled by Bardstown Bourbon Company (BBC) as contract distilling rather than sourcing – which means they provide the specifics of the mash bill and how they want the whiskey made rather than buying stocks. In fact, Charles stated that they were BBC’s first client. He shared that their plan was to source to start and eventually evolve into distilling 100% on their own, but they’ll evaluate as they go. It may be a blend of their own distillate and contract or sourced distillate in the future. Given the current environment with the global pandemic, business plans for many companies are up in the air.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Laphroaig An Cuan Mòr

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Laphroaig An Cuan Mòr
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

48% ABV
$100
Website
Laphroaig An Cuan Mòr

What the Distillery Says

Inspired by the Atlanta upon which the Laphroaig distillery sits, An Cuan Mòr (“Big Ocean”) is composed from a selection of many casks – each batch hand-selected for its exceptional flavour by our Master Distiller.

All have been matured in first fill ex-bourbon barrels in Warehouse No. 1 – just a stone’s throw from breaking waves. This whisky is then carefully re-casked and left to sleep in the finest European Oak. The result is an extraordinary fusion of flavours, from the unmistakable peat of our spirits, to the soft and spicy caramel tones of the American wood, to the big, rich “burnt apricot and raisin” notes that European oak is so famous for. Any cloudiness when mixed with water is normal for a whisky that hasn’t been chill-filtered.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Peat smoke, medicinal, iodine, smoked brisket brushed barbecue sauce and a healthy dose of sea salt, bit of baked goods – a yeasty bread.
Palate:  Sweet, peat with fruit notes, pears, apples, touch of honey before a peaty pepper bite kicks in.
Finish:  Moderately long with peat smoke and subtle fruit.
Comments:  Laphroaig always stands out for me. This has a nice, golden color with a touch of copper – and I like the meaty notes on the nose. Another travel retail exclusive that doesn’t appear to be available currently.  Nothing off putting, but not my favorite from Laphroaig.

Rating: Stands Out

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Aberlour Casg Annamh

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

Aberlour Casg Annamh
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

48% ABV
$60 – $70
Website
Aberlour Casg Annamh

What the Distillery Says

Translating as ‘Rare Cask’ in Gaelic, Casg Annamh is created from a limited number of carefully selected casks. These Spanish oak Oloroso Sherry casks/butts have a significant influence on the non-chill filtered liquid and perfectly complement Aberlour’s distillate flavour, bringing sweet and rich notes. Casg Annamh is a distinctively rich Single Malt providing adventurous malt lovers with the ideal introduction to Sherry cask matured whiskies.

Nose: Rich and sweet with fruity notes of tangy orange, glazed cherries, raisins and a hint of ginger.
Palate: Sweet and fruity flavours of apple and cinnamon crumble and ripe peaches balanced with spicy notes of liquorice and cloves.
Finish: Long and rich. Fruity with a touch of dry spice.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Oak, dark fruit, dates, cherries, caramel, spice, hint of dark chocolate, smokey, subtle sulfur note.
Palate:  Rich and sweet before sharpening with spice, caramel, honey over dark fruit, black cherries, bit of orange.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with oak and spice.
Comments:  A tad dry for my liking, and something about the sulfur notes I get with Aberlour just don’t land in my wheelhouse. If you’re a fan of Aberlour, this is probably right up your alley, but for me was closer to middle of the road.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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