Average

Glen Grant 1997 13 Year

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

Glen Grant 1997 13 Year
Signatory Cask Strength Collection
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

59.3% ABV
$100
Website
Glen Grant 1997 13 Yr Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Bottler Says

AGED: 13 years
DISTILLED ON: March 1997
BOTTLE ON: February 2010
MATURED IN: Hogshead
CASK NO: 38886
BOTTLE NO: of 291

Glen Grant Distillery, built in 1840 by brothers, John and James Grant, is located in the heart of Speyside. The distillery is now the world’s second-largest single malt whiskey brand.

TASTE NOTES
COLOR: Light amber
NOSE: White grapes, a fresh apple tart and ripe pears
TASTE: Similar to the nose, with hints of vanilla, oak and white pepper.
FINISH: Medium, white pepper spice

What Gary Says

Nose:  Buttered yeast roll, honey, malty, pears, apricots, subtle earthiness with heather.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel but tart and sharp, canned pears with fruit salad and freshly cracked pepper.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with pepper spice and pears.
Comments:  This has a sour/tart note to it that reminds me a bit of sour fruit gummy candies. It clouds up nicely with a bit of water, reflecting the non-chill filtration (although it doesn’t state that on the label from what I can tell). I’m not familiar with Glen Grant, but this doesn’t leave me with seeking out more specifically. Any one cask might be just that (a one off), but I think the folks at Signatory do a pretty good job so can’t help but think that this isn’t a fair representation of Glen Grant (albeit at higher proof).

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Elijah Craig Straight Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Elijah Craig Straight Rye
Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

47% ABV
$25
Website
Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey

What the Distillery Says

The first extra-aged Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey to join Elijah Craig’s award-winning family of Bourbons. A unique combination of spicy rye grains and sweet corn, coupled with a steadfast attention to detail, give Elijah Craig Straight Rye the perfect balance of flavor and smoothness.

THE RYE MASHBILL
While the distillation process for Straight Rye is similar to our Small Batch Bourbon, the difference lies in the mashbill. It’s 51% rye grain instead of corn: the legal requirement for this style of American Whiskey.

TASTING NOTES
COLOR: Medium chestnut
AROMA: Dark chocolate with spices and a hint of smoke
TASTE: Rich baking spices and honey backed up with smooth oak influence
FINISH: Long and lingering

What Gary Says

Nose:  Toasted rye bread, mint, vanilla, citrus with hints of tarragon and dill.
Palate:  Soft entry with caramel, honey, a slight pepper bite with mint, cinnamon, chocolate orange and a bit of nutmeg.
Finish:  Moderately long with lingering citrus spice.
Comments:  A tame rye, but rye none the less. I’ve been a rye fan for years, and if I had a “standard house rye”, it would be Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond. Both being Heaven Hill ryes from the same mashbill, of course I needed to do a blind side-by-side! Quite similar, with this being slightly lighter in color, and a bit softer – with a bit less oak. My guess is that this is matured on lower levels than Rittenhouse, and could be older. For my personal preference, I liked the Rittenhouse better each time, although it was close – as the flavor was more intense. The Elijah Craig Rye had a bit longer finish, but other than that – seemed like a softer version. And I’m not looking for softer rye whiskey (but your mileage may vary).

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Opihr Spices of the Orient London Dry Gin

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Opihr Spices of the Orient
London Dry Gin

40% ABV
$30
Website
Opihr Spices of the Orient London Dry Gin

What the Distillery Says

A unique London Dry Gin made using hand-picked botanicals, including spicy cubeb berries from Indonesia, cardamom and Tellicherry black pepper from India and coriander from Morocco.

The heritage of OPIHR Spices of the Orient Gin is firmly rooted in the ancient Spice Route. Traditionally merchants would travel thousands of miles along the route, trading exotic spices and botanicals from distant lands.

OPIHR Spices of the Orient Gin is crafted with a selection of exotic hand-picked botanicals, carefully chosen by OPIHR’s Master Distiller, including spicy Cubeb berries from Indonesia, Black Pepper from India and Coriander from Morocco.

The botanicals in Opihr Gin make the journey to their final destination, the oldest distillery in England, where quality gin has been traditionally distilled, using the same London Dry Gin method, since 1761. Here the botanicals are married with fine English spirit to produce an exotic oriental spiced gin.

Our BOTANICALS
Spanish Orange Peel | Turkish Cumin | Turkish Grapefruit Peel | German Angelica Root | Indian Cardamom | Indian Ginger | Indian Tellicherry Black Pepper | Italian Juniper | Malaysian Cubeb Berries | Moroccan Coriander

This intense, exotic spiced gin exudes the character of the Orient, incorporating hand-picked botanicals from along the Ancient Spice Route.

Aroma: A rich and robust gin with a smooth perfume and sharp bursts of citrus. Key notes of cumin and cardamom provide a warm, earthy background balanced with grapefruit peel.
Taste: Soft camphor, some sweetness and Oriental spices create a warm mouth feel that lingers but does not increase intensity.

What Gary Says

DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Gin (so read at your own risk!)
Nose:  Coriander, subtle lime, hints of carpet cleaner.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel with citrus zest, pepper.
Finish:  Short with pepper and lemon.
Comments:  The nose on this is really subtle, while the palate has more zip. By comparison with the Cotswolds Dry Gin, this was much less complex (and of the three samples, was my least favorite). Not off putting necessarily, but didn’t excite me in any way.

Rating: Average

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Elvis Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Elvis Rye
Straight Rye Whiskey

45% ABV
$50
Website
Elvis Rye
We would like to thank Grain & Barrel Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Grain & Barrel Spirits announced on September 13, 2021 a long-term licensing agreement with Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) to launch a duo of Elvis Presley-themed whiskeys. Both expressions – rye and whiskey – were sourced and blended by an expert team of whiskey experts and bottled in Tennessee, where Elvis began his career and called home.

“Given our expertise within premium whiskey, the Elvis expressions are a natural fit for Grain & Barrel Spirits,” said Matti Anttila, founder of Grain & Barrel Spirits. “Elvis was one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century and continues to inspire his fans today. We look forward to launching the brand, which is sure to be a highly sought after collector’s item.”

Both expressions feature an iconic photo of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” in his prime and pay homage to two of the legendary singer’s most popular nicknames: The King (rye), and Tiger Man (whiskey). The labels, which were created by Alyson Design, LLC, also feature notable references to Presley, including his signature and the letters “TCB” printed on the neck of the bottle, referring to “Taking Care of Business,” a phrase which was the mantra for Elvis and his Memphis Mafia.

Mash Bill*
95% Rye | 5% Malted Barley

Tasting Notes
Aroma: Sweet Rye grassiness, followed by hints of citrus and spice
Flavor: Toasted oak, butterscotch, vanilla wafers and a hint of pepper
Finish: Beautiful, sweet, complex finish with a velvety mouthfeel

* Distilled by MGP

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rye spice with mint, dill, citrus zest, thyme and a bit of cedar.
Palate:  Caramel with tangerines, honey, mint, dried dill, hint of cinnamon and pepper.
Finish:  Short and drying with mint and pepper spice.
Comments:  First off, let me applaud the transparency in acknowledging that the distillate is coming from MGP. I know thanks to non-disclosure agreements some folks can’t share sources, but I always appreciate that they do when they can. If given an option to drink any form of whiskey at 2 years old, my pick would be rye every time (not that I wouldn’t prefer it with more age!) In particular this high-rye mash bill from MGP does well, with bright spice notes and more flavor than I get from a bourbon or other whiskey at the same age. I definitely enjoyed this more than the Elvis Whiskey, although the price point would similarly make it a collectible over a drinker for me.

Rating: Average

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Elvis Whiskey

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Elvis Whiskey
Straight Tennessee Whiskey

45% ABV
$50
Website
Elvis Whiskey
We would like to thank Grain & Barrel Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Grain & Barrel Spirits announced on September 13, 2021 a long-term licensing agreement with Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) to launch a duo of Elvis Presley-themed whiskeys. Both expressions – rye and whiskey – were sourced and blended by an expert team of whiskey experts and bottled in Tennessee, where Elvis began his career and called home.

“Given our expertise within premium whiskey, the Elvis expressions are a natural fit for Grain & Barrel Spirits,” said Matti Anttila, founder of Grain & Barrel Spirits. “Elvis was one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century and continues to inspire his fans today. We look forward to launching the brand, which is sure to be a highly sought after collector’s item.”

Both expressions feature an iconic photo of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” in his prime and pay homage to two of the legendary singer’s most popular nicknames: The King (rye), and Tiger Man (whiskey). The labels, which were created by Alyson Design, LLC, also feature notable references to Presley, including his signature and the letters “TCB” printed on the neck of the bottle, referring to “Taking Care of Business,” a phrase which was the mantra for Elvis and his Memphis Mafia.

Mash Bill
80% Corn | 10% Rye | 10% Malted Barley

Tasting Notes
Aroma: Toasted oak notes, sweet corn forward, hint of citrus and apple
Flavor: Sweet-toasted Maple, roasted Crème Brûlée, with subtle notes of a Granny Apple and Caramel
Finish: A balanced, long, soft, sweet and genuine, great finish

What Gary Says

Nose:  Subtle vanilla, raw honey, oak and buttered popcorn.
Palate:  Corn sweetness, honey, vanilla, light caramel sauce with a malty note and a bit of pepper.
Finish:  Short in length with vanilla, creamed corn and cracked pepper.
Comments:  This reminds me a bit of a young malt whiskey (10% malted barely isn’t unusually high, so could just be me). Quite light in color, although you expect that with a 2 year old whiskey. A bit of water brings out a note of cedar. Nothing off-putting (which IS more than I can say for many 2 year old whiskies!), although for the price – I think this is more for the Elvis fan to collect than to drink.

Rating: Average

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