Average

Ardbeg Wee Beastie

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Ardbeg Wee Beastie
5 Years Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

47.4% ABV
$50
Website
Ardbeg Wee Beastie

What the Distillery Says

IT’S A MONSTER OF A DRAM
Ardbeg Wee Beastie is the latest permanent expression to join the Distillery’s Ultimate Range. At just five years old, Wee Beastie is a feisty young creature with a formidable taste.

SOMETHING BIG AND SMOKY…
Our whisky creators set out to make the rawest, smokiest Ardbeg ever. The result is Ardbeg Wee Beastie and this tongue-tingling, beautifully smoky dram is the youngest Ardbeg we’ve ever made.

On the snout, intense aromas of cracked blacked pepper mingle with sappy pine resin and a sharp tang of smoke. Suddenly, an explosive mouthfeel bursts forth with chocolate, creosote and tar. Savoury meats sink into the palate before the long salty mouthcoating finish slinks away… revealing the inner beast of this Islay icon.

Young and intensely smoky, this is a dram untamed by age. Matured in ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, Wee Beastie is perfect for enjoying neat or as the mouth-watering main ingredient in a powerfully smoky cocktail.

Non chill-filtered at 47.4%.

TASTING NOTES
COLOUR: A glint of bright Gold (Auric)
AROMA: The first sniff alerts you to a nearby presence… heightened senses are filled with very bright, fresh herbal notes, with creeping hints of vanilla and pear. Rich Turkish coffee mingles with sappy pine resin, with honey-glazed ham lurking in the background. With water, more herbal top notes like vetiver and fennel captivate and pull you in, while beguiling scents of aniseed, green apple and leather cause you to drop your guard. Out of nowhere, a sharp tang of smoke and a crack of fresh black pepper fire warning shots across the senses.
TASTE: Suddenly, a rich, explosive mouthfeel bursts forth with chocolate, creosote and tar. A powerful blast of eucalyptus thrashes about with antiseptic lozenges and aniseed. The raw, smoky intensity gathers pace, before smoked bacon and savoury meats sink into the palate.
FINISH: The long, salty mouthcoating finish retreats, with hints of cocoa and fudge slinking slowly away.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Peat, creosote, fresh pine, seaweed, smoked pork butt, dried fruit, earthy, mineral notes with a bit of sulfur and hint of coffee.
Palate:  Sweet, grainy with honey, salty peat, creosote, bit of chocolate, earthy notes with pepper spice.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with lingering spices and peat.
Comments:  I like Ardbeg, and am also a sherry fan – so maybe I had unreasonable hopes for this (given its age). Don’t get me wrong – there isn’t anything off putting with this, but the youth is apparent, and the sherry influence is fairly subtle (maybe too subtle). Not bad, but not special either – and given the price point, can’t imagine reaching for this over the standard bearer 10 yr old.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Old Scout American Whiskey

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Old Scout American Whiskey

49.5% ABV
$30-$40
Website
Old Scout American Whiskey

What the Producer Might Say

NOTE: This product has been discontinued; the below information is from multiple other sources
Old Scout American Whiskey includes a blend of 9 year old bourbon (distilled by MGP; their “high rye” mashbill with 36% rye) and a Tennessee whiskey made from a bourbon mash, which was aged for 5 years in re-charred, ex-bourbon barrels. Due to the use of non-virgin oak casks, this is not and can’t be labeled as “bourbon”.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Honey, vanilla cream, caramel corn, soft oak, vitamin notes, a hint of butterscotch.
Palate:  Sweet with honey and cinnamon, a pepper bite with a sharp mineral note before a bit of caramel.
Finish:  Moderate in length, drying with caramel and vitamins.
Comments:  The Tennessee whiskey (almost certainly Dickel) is more prominent on the palate than the nose, but present everywhere. As this isn’t a bourbon due to the used cooperage, it is more muted. Not sure how much of the blend is 5 yr Dickel, but as prominent as it is – one take away for me is that you REALLY need new oak to tamp that vitamin/mineral note down.  Unless you like that sorta thing, in which case this might be right up your alley.

Rating: Average

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Balcones Texas Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Balcones Texas Rye
Pot Distilled 100% Rye Whiskey

50% ABV
$40 – $50
Website
Balcones Texas Rye Whiskey

What the Distillery Says

We wanted to work with a style we love while bringing some new subtlety and perspective to our approach. Our 100% rye mashbill began with Elbon Rye from northwest Texas accompanied by some Crystal, Chocolate & roasted rye that give us a rich, sweet mid-palate.

NOSE: Soft charred oak, black tea and cracked pepper open up to fruit and chocolate covered cherries
TASTE: Creamy buttery toffee, building to peppery spice notes with hints of coffee and nuts
FINISH: Palate fades into dark chocolate and peanut butter, which builds on the moderately lengthy finish

What Gary Says

Nose:  Malted rye, young, herbal funk, milk chocolate, hints of plums, ginger, and tangerines.
Palate:  Thick mouthfeel, cocoa, light citrus fruit, cinnamon and pepper with a bit of ginger.
Finish:  Short, drying with oak and cocoa.
Comments:  Rye is one of the few whiskies I find tolerable around 2 yrs, so the 15 month age statement didn’t scare me off. Texas heat is going to definitely change how the spirit ages (12 months in Texas is quite different than 12 months in Kentucky), but . . . there’s just something that time does to the spirit in the cask. This comes across as young, and has this funky note that I often simply associate as ‘craft’. Not sure what size barrel this was aged in, but tastes like a small cask to me. For the price point, there are a lot of rye whiskies I’d prefer over this. I am happy that they offer this in 50 mL bottles (which is how I tried it), and I’d definitely recommend that route if you’re so inclined.

Rating: Probably Pass/Average

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Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse Select Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse Select
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50% ABV
$46
Website
Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse Select

What the Distillery Says

Extra-Aged Non-Chill Filtered For Richer, Full-Bodied Taste
Only available at the Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse located in Louisville, Kentucky

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla, hint of maple, musty oak, a note of peanut brittle.
Palate:  Vanilla, caramel, oak, an odd herbal note, cinnamon and pepper.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length with oak.
Comments:  I bought this during a visit to the Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse in Louisville, KY. Unfortunately it was the last stop on a pretty busy afternoon so we didn’t have as much time as I would have liked to spend – but I did want to pick up on of these bottles as it can only be bought there on-site. I was disappointed. For the price, this is highly ordinary. Thought the non-chill filtration would give it some improved mouthfeel, but that didn’t come across. A bit of water improves it a bit, but for $46 there are a LOT of other bourbons I’d prefer (like Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut at roughly half the price, is a much better pour). If you visit the Urban Stillhouse, I’d highly recommend trying it on-site before buying a bottle (maybe the bottle I got was just a dud, as others I’ve spoken to enjoyed theirs). I approached this several times over the course of a year just in case I was having an off day or three, but no dice. Nothing exactly ‘bad’ about it, but again – highly ordinary for the price.

Rating: Average

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Tomatin 15 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Tomatin 15 Year
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

43% ABV
$50 – $60*
Website
Tomatin 15 Year Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distillery Says

Soft and delicate but with a significant influence from the North American oak.

Aroma: Light and fresh. Citrus fruits, vanilla, fruit cake. Oak prominent throughout.
Taste: Good balance. Smooth, medium body, delicate honey and mild orange.
Finish: Quite long; lingers on the palate.

Cask: Matured in refill American Oak casks.
* NOTE: This expression was discontinued in 2014; price reflects retail.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Light and fruity with peaches, candied orange, vanilla, toasted oak, a hint of heather.
Palate:  Sweet and creamy with honey, vanilla, mandarin oranges, peaches, mangoes, very gentle pepper spice.
Finish:  Moderate in length with honey and oak.
Comments:  This is lighter in color than the Tomatin 12 yr, which isn’t surprising given the cask maturation. This has a nice mouthfeel, and is a pleasant enough whisky – but a bit light for my liking. I preferred the Tomatin 12 yr. This is discontinued, and replaced with a 14 yr port finished version. My sample of this was part of a three-pack, 50 mL set I bought back in 2014 prior to the product change. Having never tried the new offering, but based on the 12 yr, I’m optimistic the new version is better.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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