Average

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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BenRiach 10 Years Old Single Malt

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

BenRiach 10 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

43% ABV
$55-$65
Website
BenRiach 10 Yr Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distillery Says

Bottled at 43% vol, the BenRiach 10 Years Old is Classic Speyside in character. The cask formula focuses on ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks – exactly the types of wood we favour at BenRiach. This fresh, lively, fruit-laden single malt captures WARM OAK SPICES, GREEN APPLE, DRIED APRICOTS, PEACH and BANANA with subtle touches of ANISEED, LEMON ZEST and BARLEY.

TASTING NOTES
COLOUR: Crisp summer gold.
NOSE: A fresh and lively combination of crisp, green orchard fruits, stem ginger and hints of tangerine mellows to creamy vanilla with a delicate note of mint and a gentle twist of citrus, all held together with a sweet barley back note.
TASTE: Warm toasted oak spices flood through green apple skins and dried apricots, ripening to hints of peach and soft banana. Subtle touches of aniseed and lemon zest create a contrasting edge to the fruit and add an intriguing character to the long, crisp barley finish.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Floral and cereal with honeysuckle, apples, pears, peaches, vanilla with a hint of lemon and cinnamon.
Palate:  Cereal sweetness with vanilla, honeyed-malt, a hint of spice (nutmeg).
Finish:  On the short side, drying with a bit of spice.
Comments:  Not objectionable, but a bit uninspiring. I prefer the nose over the palate by a fair margin. While it definitely fits into the Speyside character, it is on the thin end of that spectrum.  For the money, I’d go for a Balvenie 12 yr Double Wood or Macallan 12 yr, both of which are within $5 of the same price here in Atlanta –  but obviously different strokes for different folks.

Rating: Average

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Jim Beam Straight Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

40% ABV
$20
Website
Jim Beam Rye

What the Distillery Says

(This is a discontinued label, replaced with the Jim Beam Pre-Prohibition Rye in early 2015 which is bottled at 45%)

What Gary Says

Nose:  Soft rye spice with mint, eucalyptus, vanilla, honey, charred oak and a hint of cherry and lemon zest.
Palate:  Thin mouthfeel with vanilla and cinnamon, a sour oak note and just a touch of citrus pepper spice.
Finish:  Short with oak and pepper.
Comments:  This is the older version, and as a straight whiskey with no age statement, safe to assume it is just over 4 yrs old. The new version is similarly non-age stated, although bottled at 45% ABV. The nose is rye, but light – and the palate reminds me more of a young bourbon than rye. Nothing objectionable, but not very good either.

Rating: Average

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Black Bull 21 Year Old

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Black Bull 21 Year Old
Blended Scotch Whisky

50% ABV
$135
Website
Duncan Taylor Black Bull 21 Yr Blended Scotch Whisky

What the Blender Says

Stoically independent and without compromise. Black Bull was first released to discerning drinkers in 1864, and has since grown to become a renowned whisky of quality, offering a powerful sensory experience, and delivering indulgent, uncompromised depth.

Black Bull is still blended to the same formula today as was used in the very beginning, using a large percentage of quality Speyside and Highland malts, matured in sherry and bourbon casks, blended to a high malt to grain ratio, and finally bottled at a robust 50% abv.

Black Bull 21 is unfettered by chill filtration, allowing the character of each carefully selected 21 year old whisky to shine through to its full potential, resulting in a unique blend that is outstanding in its field.

TASTING NOTES
COLOUR: Bright gold.
NOSE: Citrus, red apples, tangerines with a touch of caramel.
TASTE: Very lively and fresh with zesty notes. Nutmeg and cloves with sweetness of vanilla and barley sugars emerging. An excellent balance.
FINISH: Warming pepper, gentle nutty notes and toasted marshmallows to finish. A fantastic expression, reminds us of Christmas.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Lovely stewed fruits – apples, pears, apricots and figs, with nutmeg, clove, leather, oak and a faint hint of balsamic.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel with honey, malt, subtle pears, bit of nutmeg, fresh cracked pepper and a hint of peat.
Finish:  Moderately long drying with oak, earthy pepper and a hint of fruit.
Comments:  The nose on this is really nice, but the palate was disappointing. Just less complex and intense – and one of those rare drams where I enjoyed it less with each sitting. Just a fairly mediocre dram that isn’t in my wheelhouse. Nothing off putting about it – like a funk or anything like that, and the nose is nice – but the palate tops out at highly ordinary for me.

Rating: Average

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