Average

Traverse City Whiskey Co. Cherry Old Fashioned Cocktail

/ / Cocktails, Other Spirits, Review /

Traverse City Whiskey Co. Cherry Old Fashioned Cocktail
Cocktail Made w/ Bourbon, Bitters, Cherries, Simple Syrup and Citrus Expression

27% ABV
$20 / 375 mL (8 pours)
Website
Traverse City Whiskey Co. Cherry Old Fashioned Cocktail
We would like to thank Traverse City Whiskey Co. and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

READY-TO-SERVE
CHERRY OLD FASHIONED
It starts with our best-selling cherry whiskey, which is perfectly balanced by homemade bitters and a twist of Seville Orange. Whether you serve it chilled or over ice, it makes the perfect cherry on top of your next celebration.

“An Old Fashioned is one of the original classic bourbon cocktails,” said Chris Fredrickson, Co-founder, Traverse City Whiskey Co. “Our delicious and convenient ready-to-serve Old Fashioned cocktails are hand crafted and ready to pour. They’re a welcomed addition to our portfolio of whiskey offerings.”

Known as the “Whiskey of the North,” TCWC draws upon its early family roots in the distilled spirits industry dating back to the late 1800’s, sourcing all its grains (corn, rye, and malted barley) from the Midwest. Led by Chris Fredrickson, the distilling team strives to make quality products, inspired by patented distilling techniques invented by Fredrickson’s great grandfather that were approved by the US PTO during the prohibition era.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Cherry cough lozenges, hint of floral notes.
Palate: Cherry forward, with bitters, bit of orange; like an Old Fashioned w/ a splash of cherry juice.
Finish:  Moderate in length with cherries.
Comments: Poured in the glass, this is a bit cloudy and less brown than the TCWC Old Fashioned; looks almost like a Rose wine. This is definitely cherry through and through. Full disclosure – I’m not a fan of TCWC’s American Cherry. They sent us a sample back in 2017, and I mainly got cherry cough syrup. This is made using that base spirit, although I like this better than that. If you’ve had and enjoyed their American Cherry, than this might be right in your wheelhouse. I love the bottle, both size and color (easy to fit in the fridge, and the white just looks kinda cool). Like the other, I tried this first neat and then chilled and over ice – but unlike the Old Fashioned Cocktail, I preferred this just chilled without ice. For my palate, I found that ice on the lower ABV just thinned it out too quickly.

Rating: Average

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Glenturret 25 Year Old

/ / Highland, Review /

Glenturret 25 Year Old
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

40% ABV
$???
Glenturret 25 year Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Website

What the Distillery Says

Nothing . . . at least about this one. Let me explain.

Glenturret began releasing a 25 Year Old at different ABVs, beginning in 2020.
Researching their website from 10 years back, they list a 26 year old product. But at some point prior to (or in) 2015, they offered THIS version of the 25 year old, which is bottled at 40% ABV. Richard bought a bottle for Matt for a special occasion, as Matt is a big fan of Glenturret. Despite my best efforts, I could turn up no additional information – sorry!

What Gary Says

Nose: Bright and fruity, nectarines, grapes, cherries with floral notes.
Palate: Round mouthfeel, sweet and fruity, citrusy with nectarines, tangelos, apples and pears with a bit of vanilla and honey.
Finish: Moderate in length, damp with pears and peaches.
Comments: This is very light in color, and while not objectionable – not very special. I’ve only had one Glenturrent before (a 28 yr old from K&L) that was just marvelous. At $100, it was extraordinary. This didn’t remind me of that in any way/shape/form, which was a disappointment. This actually reminded me more of a cognac with the floral notes on the nose. Not sure what the cask type was (likely bourbon casks) but was not a fan. Sorry Matt. Hope you enjoyed it more than I did!

Rating: Average

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Rebel 100 6 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Rebel 100 6 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50% ABV
$60
Website
Rebel 100 6 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

ST. LOUIS (March 7, 2024) – Lux Row Distillers announced the introduction of Rebel 100 6-Year Bourbon, handcrafted according to the original, time-honored wheated recipe since 1849. The new addition will be available nationwide later this month at a suggested retail price of $59.99 per 750 ml bottle.

Rebel 100 6-Year Bourbon champions authenticity while defying uniformity. Bottled at six years and 100 proof (50% ABV), the golden amber bourbon features an aroma containing rich scents of vanilla and honey; a palate of dark fruits followed by citrus and oak; and a velvety smooth finish with just a hint of
spice.

“Rebel 100 6-Year demonstrates that age is never a bad thing,” said Lux Row Distillers Master Distiller John Rempe. “The combination of spotlighting our original recipe and aging it for six years resulted in a rich and rebellious, full flavor bourbon that I think will resonate with consumers. Six years is a long time to wait, but the wait was worth it.”

What Gary Says

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, freshly hewn oak, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Palate: Vanilla, caramel, sour oak, bit of cinnamon, orange zest and cloves.
Finish:  Moderate in length, drying with oak, citrus spice and honey.
Comments: I’m not sure if it’s the particular mash bill, but for whatever reason the wheated Rebel bourbons just haven’t hit right in my wheelhouse. This one is ok, although not special – and while prices aren’t what they were 10 years ago, at this price point I’d be disappointed. There’s a bit of a sour oak note which I don’t mind, but some might not be a fan of. I’ll admit that while I appreciate wheated bourbon, I probably lean more towards a rye mash bill more often than not.

Rating: Average

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Luminar Mezcal Añejo

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Luminar Mezcal Añejo

40% ABV
$45
Website
Luminar Mezcal Anejo

What the Bottle Says

100% Agave | Aged In Oak For One Year
PROTECTED APPELLATION OF ORIGIN
MADE IN MEXICO

Origin: Zacatecas. Agave tequilana

What Gary Says

DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Mezcal (so read at your own risk!)
Nose:  Sweet, subtle with vanilla, honey and oak.
Palate:  Sweet with vanilla and honey, just a hint of oak.
Finish:  Short and drying with vanilla and a bit of pepper.
Comments: This is similar to the Luminar Mezcal Reposado, except the additional months in oak seem to rob it of its character, leaving it mellow but flat. I expected to like this the most, but in fact this was my least favorite of the three. This could have been a mashbill of almost anything, which was disappointing.

Rating: Average

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Luminar Mezcal Reposado

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Luminar Mezcal Reposado

40% ABV
$33
Website
Luminar Mezcal Reposado

What the Bottle Says

100% Agave | Aged In Oak For Three Months
PROTECTED APPELLATION OF ORIGIN
MADE IN MEXICO

Origin: Zacatecas. Agave tequilana

What Gary Says

DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Mezcal (so read at your own risk!)
Nose:  Sweet, vegetal with green pepper, touch of vanilla and honey, only a hint of cigar smoke and a bit of detergent.
Palate:  Viscous, sweet with vanilla, a touch of corn and honey.
Finish:  Short and drying, sweet with honey, vanilla and roasted corn.
Comments: Very similar to the Luminar Mezcal Joven, except with bits of vanilla and honey. In color, this has just a subtle, golden hue. Also similar is the noticeable absence of smoke. While I liked this better than the Joven, that’s not a ringing endorsement.

Rating: Average

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