Average

O.H. Ingram River Aged Straight Rye Whiskey

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

O.H. Ingram River Aged Straight Rye

49% ABV
$80
Website
O.H. Ingram River Aged Straight Rye
We would like to thank Brown Water Spirits LLC for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

The release of O.H. Ingram River Aged Straight Rye follows the highly successful launch in October of the first in the River Aged Series, O.H. Ingram River Aged Straight Whiskey. After a strong launch in Middle Tennessee, O.H. Ingram quickly moved into East Tennessee, including, but not limited to, the Chattanooga, Knoxville and the Tri-Cities markets.

“The response to O.H. Ingram River Aged so far has been beyond what I could’ve possibly imagined,“ said proprietor Hank Ingram. “Since our Straight Whiskey hit shelves in October, whiskey lovers have been able to experience the taste created by our unique aging process, and our Straight Rye will only deepen their connection to the Ingram River Aged Series.”

“Bourbon first became popular in America because it came down the river to New Orleans where it gained popularity and distribution. The goal of our process was to put the river back into American whiskey and see what effect it would have on the whiskey,” Ingram continued. “Even in the midst of the pandemic, we’ve found that people are always ready for a good story and a good drink. With O.H. Ingram River Aged, we offer both.”

The O.H. Ingram River Aged Series is the only whiskey aged inside a first-of-its-kind floating rickhouse moored on the riverbank in Ballard County, KY. Here, it’s exposed to the climate of the Mighty Mississippi River and its rise and fall. These factors combine to provoke a unique interaction between wood and spirit that isn’t possible inside a traditional rickhouse. The constant motion of the river ensures that the whiskey never stops working, creating an extraordinary spirit with a taste mature beyond its years.

O.H. Ingram River Aged is the result of blending entrepreneurship and innovation with traditional aging processes. While all whiskies are products of the environment, only O.H. Ingram River Aged is ‘Mellowed on the Mississippi.’

Hank is the latest in his family to take a great idea to the water. More than 150 years ago, his family began its American success story with two things — oak trees and a rushing river. Now, Hank is adding his chapter to this story by bringing together whiskey and the magic of the river to create O.H. Ingram River Aged Whiskey.

Ingram River Aged is currently available in Middle and East Tennessee with additional markets coming as inventories are available.

Tasting Notes
Appearance: Deep burnished copper
On the Nose: Floral, subtle notes of caramel
Mouthfeel: Soft, butter, presence of rye spice
Palate: Vanilla, graham cracker, cinnamon, hints of hay and nutmeg
Finish: Butterscotch, bubblegum, raspberry preserves, hints of tobacco

What Gary Says

Nose:  Floral and soft with herbal spices, notes of dried mint, cinnamon, lemongrass, touch of vanilla, oak and a faint hint of clove.
Palate:  Vanilla with a spicy bite of cracked pepper and cinnamon, sour oak, nutmeg and caramel sauce.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with a citrus (tangerines?) spice.
Comments:  The history of American whiskey maturing on the river isn’t a marketing ploy.  In fact, the time and interaction with the charred barrels during the trip from Kentucky to New Orleans certainly contributed to the rise in popularity of what came to be known as ‘bourbon whiskey’.  Michael Veach has written on this topic and others (if you’re a fan of history and bourbon and aren’t reading him already, I’d highly recommend it as a trusted source). Now back then, the whiskey wasn’t spending years on the water, so this isn’t an attempt to recreate that – but to create something unique with a nod towards history.  The whiskey itself is nice.  Three year minimum age stated on the bottle, distilled by the fine folks at MGP with a mash bill of 51% rye, 45% corn and 4% malted barley.  I can’t say that I’d have pegged this for a three year old if tasting blind.  The nose is fairly subtle for a rye, but the palate has that sharper bite rye whiskies are known for.  I get more oak on the palate than you’d expect for the age, although this isn’t surprising given the increased interaction of river aging.  While an interesting whiskey, the price point is disappointing

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Old Tub Bottled-in-Bond Unfiltered

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Old Tub Bottled-in-Bond Unfiltered
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50% ABV
$23
Website
Old Tub BIB Unfiltered Bourbon Whiskey

What the Distillery Says

The James B. Beam Distilling Co. announced the re-release of Old Tub®, an unfiltered, 100-proof bonded bourbon inspired by the oldest brand from the Beam family. This limited-edition throwback offering celebrates bourbon’s true, rustic character, will be widely available in late June.

Old Tub is distilled without chill filtration to showcase its unique qualities reminiscent of the world’s oldest bourbons. Just like the original Old Tub recipe, the liquid skips the chill filtration process, which forces the liquid through a dense filter to remove fatty acids during distillation, resulting in a bonded bourbon with a full-bodied authentic flavor.

The limited-edition offering is a nostalgic nod to where it all began for the Beam family over 140 years ago in Bardstown, KY, which is otherwise known as the Bourbon Capital of the World. This unique bourbon has tasting notes that include oak, complemented along with grain and a warm caramel. It has a lingering color of golden citrine gemstone with shades of honey and an aroma that carries initial waves of oak followed by vanilla and grain.

“We’re taking bourbon lovers back in time and making a delicious bourbon true to the way my ancestors intended over 140 years ago, when Old Tub was first crafted,” said Fred Noe, seventh generation master distiller. “I’m excited to share this one-of-a-kind liquid with our fans and provide a bit of authenticity and nostalgia as we head towards another 225 years in the bourbon industry.”

Old Tub is best enjoyed neat or in classic cocktails like an Old Fashioned or a Brown Derby, which includes bourbon, grapefruit juice and honey syrup. It will be available for a limited time at select retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of $22.99 for 750mL.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Cast iron skillet cornbread, vanilla, caramel, peanut brittle, oak, a bit of nutmeg.
Palate:  Caramel, buttered corn, vanilla, cinnamon, roasted walnuts, oak.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, nutty with corn notes.
Comments:  I’m a fan of non-chill filtered and even unfiltered whisk(e)y (bit of barrel char in the bottom of a bottle don’t bother me), so I had higher hopes for this one. Namely I had hoped for a thicker mouthfeel than I found, although with a bit of water it does improve there. The peanut brittle notes on the nose leave this squarely in the Beam family, and it isn’t a complex dram for sure. Nothing objectionable about it, but it comes across as four year old bourbon. Age isn’t everything, but I can get bourbon I just enjoy drinking neat for less – although I’m hedging as the non-chill filtering if you add a bit of water pushes it over what I would otherwise consider pretty average.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Redemption High Rye Bourbon (2020)

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Redemption High Rye Bourbon

46% ABV
$30
Website
Redemption High Rye Bourbon
We would like to thank Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits and R\West for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

When we say “High Rye” we mean it. Redemption High Rye Bourbon has 36% rye content, significantly higher than comparable bourbons. The result is a unique combination of flavors led by the subtle sweetness of classic bourbon and punctuated by robust notes of rye spice. Light hits of vanilla and caramel round out its ‘rye-forward’ flavor and help make it ideal for sipping or creating a classic cocktail. If you’re looking for a bold bourbon, you’ve found it.

Nose: Light vanilla, red berry fruitiness and a light hint of oak.
Palate: Spicy, woody, and minty notes. Fennel-like notes of light licorice and black pepper from the Rye.
Finish: Long and smooth with a nice spice from the high Rye content.

TECH DATA
Mash Bill: 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
Min age of 2 years old (average age of 2.5 years)

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla, roasted corn, herbal spices of fennel and mint, toasted oak.
Palate:  Cherries with cinnamon and nutmeg, light caramel and vanilla, a bit of anise and pepper.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with caramel, cherry and a spice kick.
Comments:  I’m a fan of rye whiskey, and high-rye mash bills.  They’re right that 36% is significantly higher rye than most bourbons (Beam’s high rye is allegedly less than 30%; the high rye mash at Four Roses is 35%), and I appreciate the transparency on the recipe. For my tastes, this was a step up from Redemption Bourbon, albeit a small step.  I do appreciate the higher ABV, and while the corn isn’t as prominent – this came across as young.  I think with more age on it, this has some nice potential.  I don’t have a bottle of the previous versions of Redemption High-Rye Bourbon (which Richard reviewed back in 2013) to compare against. The mash bill is slightly different, and the packaging is more so.  I do like the new packaging for reasons I can’t really articulate (just looks more like ‘classic bourbon’ to me, where the former bottle looked like it was designed for vodka).

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Redemption Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Redemption Bourbon

42% ABV
$30
Website
Redemption Bourbon
We would like to thank Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits and R\West for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

A truly easy-drinking whiskey distinguished by its subtle ‘rye forward’ flavor. Handcrafted in the mold of classic American bourbons, it has a well-balanced sweetness highlighted by notes of vanilla and caramel. We’ve also pushed the Rye content up to 21% giving it a light, but distinct hint of spice. You’d be quite happy enjoying it on the rocks, but it also mixes easily, making it a great cocktail bourbon.

Nose: Caramel with just a touch of spice and hints of over-ripe bananas.
Palate: Dusty wood, toffee, cola nut, and baking spice dominate with nuanced anise and black pepper.
Finish: Smooth with a sweet and spicy balance between corn and cracked pepper.

TECH DATA
Mash Bill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
Min age of 2 years old (average age of 2.5 years)

What Gary Says

Nose:  Caramel, buttered sweet corn, vanilla, slight note of oak.
Palate:  Sweet caramel, vanilla, bit of toffee, corn, cola and baking spices.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, slightly drying with corn and subtle pepper spice.
Comments:  Very easy to drink. The cola note is interesting, and not one I recall getting before (or maybe I did but didn’t identify it). Nicely balanced bourbon. Nothing objectionable, although clearly a young bourbon. I do appreciate their providing the mash bill.

Rating: Average

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Kurayoshi 12 Yr Pure Malt Whisky

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

The Kurayoshi Malt Whisky Aged 12 Years
Japanese Matsui Whisky

46% ABV
$100 – $110
Website
Kurayoshi 12 yr Malt Whisky

What the Distillery Says

Matsui pure malt whisky [Kurayoshi 12 Years]
The aroma of nuts and almonds is followed by a rich malty texture, with hints of vanilla and raisins, accompanied by a faint smoky flavor in perfect balance with the sweetness, bitterness and acidity of this vintage.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Subtle dark fruits with kiwi and pears, almond cookies, caramel, honey, a hint of peat, smoke, and minerals.
Palate:  Nutty caramel with vanilla, a sharp pepper bite followed by an earthy, herbal, mineral note with light fruit.
Finish:  Moderate in length with a mineral, peppery note and roasted nuts.
Comments:  This is the 2nd sample from our Flaviar tasting box. Again, very subtle – although this has a sharpness on the palate that was a bit of a surprise (although not necessarily in a good way). A bit of water tamps that a bit, but didn’t really open it up or add anything. While it isn’t objectionable, if I’d paid retail, I would be very disappointed..

Rating: Probably Pass/Average

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