Average

Old Tom Horan Finest Blended Irish Whiskey

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review /

Old Tom Horan
Finest Blended Irish Whiskey

40% ABV
$20
Old Tom Horan Finest Blended Irish Whiskey

What the Blender Says (sort of)

Note that we don’t have a web-site link above, as this isn’t your typical whisk(e)y. We found a great article from the Houston Chronicle though that gives the backstory. While we don’t know the distillery or age, the article explains that the owner of Spec’s (a Texas family-owned liquor chain) had an opportunity to take some bulk whiskey off some Irish distillery, and with that created Old Tom Horan Irish Whiskey. The namesake is a retire public relations maestro who is active in promoting Irish pride and heritage in Houston, TX.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sweet cereal and malt mash, honey, freshly baked and buttered biscuits, a hint of toffee.
Palate:  Smooth and sweet with honey, light brown sugar, toffee, a slightly sour oak note.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length with that sour oak note.
Comments:  Ironically enough, I bought this because of the name. No, I’ve never met “the Tom Horan” for which this was named, but I work with a gentleman named Tom Horan.  This whiskey reminds me of Jameson more than a bit.  It has more grainy notes on the nose, but in a side-by-side, the palates were quite similar.  A couple of bucks less than Jameson, this strikes me as a pretty straight-forward ‘you get what you pay for’ bottle.  If you like ‘smooth Irish whiskey’, for the money this likely won’t disappoint, but also isn’t likely to be too impressive either.

Rating: Average

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Starward Two-Fold Double Grain Australian Whisky

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

Starward Two-Fold
Double Grain Australian Whisky

40% ABV
$33
Website
Starward Two-Fold Double Grain Australian Whisky

What the Distillery Says

When it comes to whisky-making, we’re unapologetically Melburnian. Our aim? To make whisky that’s unpretentious and easy to enjoy, however you like. Enter, Two-Fold.

It started with a question. How would our ideal whisky taste? It’d be easy-drinking, versatile and, most importantly, delicious. We chose two quintessential Aussie grains. First, for depth, malted barley. This new make spirit is the exact same as our Nova. Inspired by the craft beer scene, we ferment our barley with brewers’ yeast for extra fruity characters.

We balance this with a spirit made from aromatic and dry wheat. Then it’s time for each whisky to mature separately in the barrel.

We carefully select barrels from vineyards making great Aussie reds like shiraz, cabernet and pinot noir. These give our new make spirit tasty fruit, caramel and spice notes.

To keep as much of a fresh red wine flavour profile as possible, we source barrels from just a day’s drive away. We either lightly char or quickly blast barrels with steam. Many are still wet with wine when we fill them.

Flavour obsessed as ever, we fill each barrel at a lower alcohol proof than is traditional. This means our whisky draws more lip-smacking red wine fruit characters and tannins.

Then, it’s time for Melbourne’s climate to shine. Or, rather, rain and shine in a wildly unpredictable way. Famed for its ‘four seasons in a day’, Melbourne’s fluctuating climate means Two-Fold extracts more flavour from the barrel in a much shorter time than is traditional. After just three years, both barley and wheat whiskies are ready to be expertly combined.

The next part (the drinking part) is all up to you.

Nose: Bright red berries coated in buttery vanilla spice.
Palate: Imagine a smooth, rich caramel dessert balanced by tropical fruit.
Finish: Delicate and long. A delicious, dry finish from a faded sweetness.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Young, grainy vanilla, tapioca pudding, fruity with barley sugar, hint of milk chocolate, subtle red-wine notes.
Palate:  Fruity with apples, berries, plums, honey, bit of pepper and mixed nuts, a tad thin.
Finish:  Short and slightly drying with honey and berries.
Comments:  For a two year old spirit, this packs a decent amount of flavor – but for experienced whisk(e)y drinkers the age comes across with the grainy sweetness, thin mouthfeel, and shorter finish. This was the first Australian whisky I purchased, and I don’t think it will be the last. This is very easy to drink, and I think they’re successful in what they set out to make in that regard. I think it has potential with age to appeal to more seasoned whisk(e)y drinkers. But also priced as an entry-level spirit which I appreciate (hell, there are folks selling 2 yr old spirits domestically for double, so my hats off to them in that regard!)

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Girvan 24 Yr Single Grain Scotch Whisky

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Single Grain / ,

Girvan 24 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Whisky
Sovereign K&L Exclusive Single Cask

50.3% ABV
$100
Website
Girvan 24 Yr Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky

What the Reseller Says

Our grain whiskies from the Sovereign label have been some of the most beloved in our store’s history, which is why we’re back with another fabulous Girvan; the William Grant Lowland distillery located in the South Ayrshire (where Ladyburn distillery was once located). Remember that grain whiskies are not single malts, but rather column-distilled whiskies usually made from corn (like Bourbon). The Girvan 24 year is full of soft vanilla right off the bat, almost like an older version of the Nikka Coffey expression, but with more pop due to the higher proof. The vanilla turns into caramel on the mid-palate and it finishes with more soft sweetness before the alcohol comes roaring in. With grain prices as low as they are, expect more outstanding values like this in the near future.

From the bottle:
Distilled 1990, Bottled September 2014
A robust, sweet nose is slightly peppery with toffee apples.
Buttery on the palate with vanilla and chocolate,
followed by a long, nutty finish
Cask Ref: HL10574

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sweet, subtle honey with musty oak, hints of vanilla and baked apples.
Palate:  Sweet start with a viscous, buttery mouthfeel, vanilla and almonds before pepper spice.
Finish:  Long, nutty and peppery, drying as it goes.
Comments:  Full disclosure – single grain isn’t my favorite category of whisky. There isn’t anything objectionable about this dram, but also nothing really stood out for me compared to other similarly aged single grain Scotch whiskies. For my palate, single grain is a very gentle, subtle, nuanced pour – typically on the sweet side with a buttery mouthfeel. Very drinkable, and while there’s pepper spice it is somehow softer than you might expect (not a ‘sharp bite’). Hard to find a 20+ yr old anything in this price range.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Cascadia Rye Whiskey

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Cascadia Rye Whiskey

43.5% ABV
$49 – $57
Website
Cadee Distillery Cascadia Rye Whiskey
We would like to thank Cadée Distillery for sending us a sample to review (and for making the time for a call to answer questions!)

What the Producer Says

Handmade in small batches. Well balanced, mellow rye with a rich malt edge. Deep color with a good nose offering malt sweetness and dried fruit. An aroma rich in port, cocoa, dark cherries, toffee, chocolate and mature oak on the palate. Aged for an average of four years in new American Oak, then finished for an average of 12 months in imported 20-year-old French Oak Ruby Port barrels. Rye spice sparkles throughout yielding to a long finish with hints of vanilla, tobacco and light wood notes. Cascadia gently rolls over the tongue like waves to the shore.

Cascadia Rye Whiskey is one of America’s finest whiskeys. We aren’t saying that, these are the gold medals and double gold medals speaking.

Try it out to experience its spicy flavor with malt sweetness and dried fruits. One marked and delicious characteristic of this whiskey is its lingering aroma rich in port, tobacco and light wood notes. This amber-hued whiskey provides an aroma of spicy rye with rich notes of dark chocolate along with overripe fruit, the concentration of flavors is completely inimitable.

Made from 51% rye, first matured in new American Oak barrels and then double barrel finished in French oak casks previously used for maturing rich, 20 year old port in Portugal. The casks were transferred to the distillery’s No.I vault, the Isle of Whidbey’s oldest maturation warehouse. Located at sea level on the shores of Port Clinton, the spirit was left to mature under nature’s care. The straight Rye developed into one of the most incredible whiskies we have produced.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Bright with mint, eucalyptus, orange zest, a touch of ginger, some herbal notes and birch wood.
Palate:  Quite smooth for rye, with gentle spices of mint, black pepper and allspice amongst chocolate covered cherries and hints of orange.
Finish:  Short in length with notes of mint and citrus spice.
Comments:  I find that rye whiskey fares better at a young age than bourbon does (not that I prefer young rye over older rye!), so I was looking forward to this.  Like Deceptivus Bourbon Whiskey, its age is clear on the nose, although I didn’t get as much of the port finish by comparison.  What I did get reminded me of some type of beer cask finish (not being a beer drinker, I apologize for the lack of specificity).  In fact, the nose reminds me a bit of Jameson Caskmates Revolution Brewing Limited Edition, which ironically reminded me of rye whiskey. This is very soft, gentle, and smooth for a rye whiskey.  If you’re looking for that sharp rye bite – you won’t find it here (maybe a ‘gateway rye’ for folks who have thought rye was too harsh in the past?) but you still get those spice notes and herbaceous qualities.  Very easy drinking, and again nothing off-putting.  Cadée Distillery’s founder Colin Campbell explained that they use malted barley as well in this mashbill, and with all of their whiskies they use water drawn from Whidbey Island when bringing the whiskey down to bottling proof – which provides a unique character.  While this may not be released any older, I do hope they’ll consider perhaps a higher proof offering.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Deceptivus Bourbon Whiskey

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Deceptivus Bourbon Whiskey

42.5% ABV
$45 – $57
Website
Cadée Distillery Deceptivus Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Cadée Distillery for sending us a sample to review (and for making the time for a call to answer questions!)

What the Producer Says

Handmade in small batches. Deceptivus Straight Bourbon is finished in imported Portuguese Port wine casks for an award-winning spirit. We guide each batch’s conditioning, blending our handcrafted bourbon in a single barrel at a time. It’s typically aged for at least four years in American Oak Barrels, then finished for an average of 12-18 months in imported, French Oak ruby port wine casks from Portugal. While we lose about 20% of the spirit to absorption and evaporation, or “the Angel’s Share,” this adds subtly distinct flavor nuances that enhance the whiskey without challenging it. This creates a whiskey of unprecedented smoothness, sweetness and balance.

Bourbon’s origin is varied and often disputed, a wealth of legend and myth. But beyond these tall tales lies a process which makes this among the most loved alcoholic beverages by spirit connoisseurs.

A bourbon made for US consumption must be produced in the United States. Made from a grain mixture at least 51% corn, aged in new, charred oak containers, distilled to no more than 160 U.S proof, and bottled at 80 proof or more.

Bourbon whiskey is made in the USA having a ‘fatter’ and sweeter flavor profile, relying on the new charred oak barrels for much of its character, mixability and versatility, making it America’s native spirit.

Cadée’s Deceptivus bourbon is an exceptional maritime whiskey. Created by experienced whiskey producers, with centuries of distilling and blending experience, our bourbon is aged for at least four years in American Oak Barrels, and then double-barrel finished for an average of 12-18 months in imported Portuguese Port wine casks. This award-winning spirit provides an unforgettable tasting experience.

Taste and savor this great whiskey. You will love the whiskey for its unprecedented smoothness, sweetness, and balance. Cadée’s Deceptivus Bourbon is rich, smooth and its easily approachable taste is to be enjoyed by experienced and casual drinkers alike.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sweetened corn flakes with cherries, port wine, pears and roasted peaches, hints of vanilla and subtle oak.
Palate:  Fruity with cherries and pears in a port wine reduction, soft pepper with a touch of cinnamon in the back.
Finish:  Short with a slightly drying fruit note and a hint of cinnamon.
Comments:  On the nose this whiskey shows its age with more notes of corn coming through than one might expect.  The port cask finishing is well executed – with the influence clearly present but not heavy handed which I appreciate it. It is pleasant, soft, and quite smooth – very easy to drink with no off-putting characteristics. I thought that the characteristics I associate with younger whiskey might be driven by the more temperate climate of the Pacific Northwest, where the temperature variation is closer to Scotland than it is to Kentucky.  In speaking with Cadée Distillery’s founder Colin Campbell, he explained that the location of Whidbey Island, which is in Puget Sound just north of Seattle, sits between the Olympic and Cascade Mountains.  This leads to the barometric pressure changing frequently – which has an impact on the maturation of the spirits.  He shared that the 20% evaporation loss is after the first three years (where for example – Heaven Hill’s website shares that they lose 6% in year 1 and 3% each year after – for 12% loss after 3 years).  He also mentioned that barrel heads become convex and concave after just a few years – again something that you see less frequently in similarly aged barrels in Kentucky.  All of this and more leads to a bourbon that isn’t going to taste like your typical bourbon.  They’re looking to continue aging some stock for older products, although another impact of the climate is that the proof in the barrel is dropping – again similar to Scotland (although some bourbon barrels will also decrease in proof based on where they are aged).  I hope that with more age, the sea air will work its magic.  I also hope that they consider bottling at a higher proof, but that’s just my preference.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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