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Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review / ,

Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition

40% ABV
$30
Website
Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition

What the Distillery Says

Irish Whiskey, craft beer barrels.
Like all the best conversations, the one between Jameson’s Head of Whiskey Science and the Head Brewer of a local craft beer brewery, started at the bar. A swapping of whiskey and beer barrels soon after, resulted in Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition – triple-distilled, blended Irish Whiskey that has been patiently finished in Irish craft beer-seasoned barrels.

Nose: An initial aroma of freshly cut hay is complemented by a crisp orchard fruit character – green apples and pears, with a twist of lime zest. Mild pot still spices appear, deepening from green tea to hazelnut and milk chocolate.
Taste: The initial sweet mouth coating typical of the Irish pot still inclusion is quickly complemented by the subtle touch of hops and cocoa beans from the beer cask finish.
Finish: Long and sweet with milk chocolate and butterscotch.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Floral and yeasty notes of cut hay, dry cocoa powder, subtle pears with hints of dried tea.
Palate:  Sweet with a creamy mouthfeel, caramel and honey with bits of cocoa, a touch of stout.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, on the damp side, sweet with notes of stout.
Comments:  Per their original press release, this is a collaboration with local Irish micro-brewery Franciscan Well. Of the three Caskmates I reviewed, this was the lightest in color and the most like Jameson Irish Whiskey.
A much more gentle, nuanced finish compared with the Bale Breaker Topcutter IPA or Revolution Brewing editions. Nosing reminds me a bit of an empty pint of Guinness. Nothing objectionable, but this was the least interesting of the three for me – which is strange as Guinness is one of the only beers I do enjoy.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Dewar’s Caribbean Smooth

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Dewar’s 8 Year Old Caribbean Smooth
Rum Cask Finish Blended Scotch Whisky

40% ABV
$21.99
Website
Dewars Caribbean Smooth 8 Yr
We would like to thank Dewar’s and Nike Communications for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Dewar’s 8 Year Old Caribbean Smooth Rum Cask Finish Blended Scotch Whisky is an exciting new blend and the first in an innovative cask series from the iconic whisky maker. Crafted from 8-year-old blended Scotch whisky – double-aged and finished in casks that previously held Caribbean rum for a pleasantly unexpected Caribbean smooth and tropical flavor – Dewar’s Caribbean Smooth is an invigorating new blend bringing together two seemingly different worlds: Scotland and the Caribbean.

The result is a slightly quirky, yet supremely smooth taste, unlike anything before. More than just great tasting Scotch, Dewar’s Caribbean Smooth brings two cultures together to create something uniquely richer.

Tasting Notes: Apples, caramel, and biscuity cereal that slips into dark brown sugar and tropical fruit.

Method: Single and malt grain whiskies are aged separately for at least 8 years, expertly chosen, then double aged in oak casks for up to 6 months and then finally finished in rum casks for a Caribbean Smooth taste.

Double Ageing: Dewar’s pioneered ‘Double-Ageing’ in 1881 to create ‘extra smooth whisky’. This unique process is designed to allow the whiskies to fuse, ‘marry’ and interact, creating an extra smooth whisky.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Mustiness with malted grain, notes of fruit hovering above a bit of earthy smoke, with a hint of Caribbean rum.
Palate:  Sweet with a round mouthfeel, a bit of caramel, brown sugar, canned fruit salad with slight pepper spice near the end.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, on the wet side with notes of mixed fruit.
Comments:  This is very smooth, and definitely on the sweet side – but not excessively so. The rum cask finish isn’t heavy handed, and I appreciate the 8 yr age statement. Comparing this side by side to Dewar’s White Label, I found this to be brighter with less smoke and herbaceous, earthy notes. If Dewar’s White Label is your go-to for that balance, be prepared for this to tilt towards the sweeter side of things – but you’d expect it to with a Caribbean rum cask finish. The recommended retail price puts it about the same price as the White Label (here in Atlanta at least), and if given a choice, I would tend to pick this as I often prefer things on the sweeter side more often than not.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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The Macallan Fine Oak 12 Years Old

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

The Macallan Fine Oak 12 Years Old
Single Malt Scotch Whisky

40% ABV
$65 – $80
Website
Macallan Fine Oak 12 Year

What the Distillery Says

The Macallan Fine Oak 12 Years Old forms part of the Fine Oak range and is matured for a minimum of twelve years in three exceptional oak cask types. This complex combination of casks delivers a smooth whisky with notes of dried fruit, honey and subtle spice.

THE EXPERIENCE
COLOUR: Pale straw.
NOSE: Complex, with a hint of fruit and vanilla.
PALATE: Medium, balanced with fruit, oak and spice.
FINISH: Lingering with dried fruits, oak and spice.

NOTE: Reborn as The Macallan Triple Cask Matured 12 Years Old from April 2018, The Macallan Fine Oak 12 Years Old is embodied in a new look range; offering the same extraordinarily smooth, delicate yet complex character with a new name, new bottle and bold new packaging.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Bright malt, honeysuckle, day-old peach cobbler, subtle smoke with floral hints.
Palate:  Sweet and fruity with green apples, honey, oak and just a hint of pepper spice.
Finish:  A tad short, with honey and dried fruit.
Comments:  This is a different take on Macallan – fruity but not the dark fruit you get from the sherry cask matured standard bearer. The finish was fairly short (at least to me) which surprised me. Fans of Macallan wanting to explore the whisky with different wood treatment might be interested in this. While nothing turned me off, nothing really grabbed my attention either.

Rating: Average

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J.T.S. Brown Bottled in Bond

/ / Bourbon, Review /

J.T.S. Brown Bottled in Bond
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50% ABV
$10-$12
Website (ok, not their web-site, but the closest thing, eh)
JTS Brown Bottled in Bond

What the Distillery Says

(No mention of this brand on their web-site, so below is what is on the bottle)
J.T.S. Brown Kentucky’s Finest
Established 1855
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
100 Proof
Distilled and Aged in Kentucky, Bottled by
J.T.S. Brown’s Son Company, Bardstown, Kentucky

Distilled by Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc
D.S.P.-KY-1
Louisville, Kentucky

What Gary Says

Nose:  A tad hot, charred oak and vanilla, hint of caramel with a bit of cinnamon, and a trace of dried mint.
Palate:  Crushed vanilla wafers with a watered-down caramel sauce, bit of oak with a sharp bite of cinnamon candies.
Finish:  On the shorter side, drying with cinnamon.
Comments:  This is definitely a ‘value brand’. No age statement, although as ‘Bottled in Bond’ it is at least four years old (I’d guess it is pretty close to exactly four years old). My Dad would point out that this was the whiskey that ‘Fast Eddie’ Felson (played by Paul Newman) drank in “The Hustler“.  If you like ‘smooth’ bourbon, this ain’t it – although adding a bit of water brings out some corn sweetness and softens the edges a bit – without completely losing them). This drinks a little hotter than 100 proof to me, and is edgy like bourbon aged at the top of the rickhouse. But for $10, it is a pretty serviceable bourbon – and there aren’t many at that price point that meet that bar in my opinion.

Rating: Average

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Four Roses Super Premium

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Four Roses Super Premium

43% ABV
$50 (bottled for the Japanese market)
Website
Four Roses Super Premium

What the Bottle Says

(No mention of this product on Four Roses website, and this is one of the worst labels I’ve seen on a bottle. The gold print is very difficult to read.)
Four Roses Super Premium
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Four Roses Bourbon was born and crafted in the traditions of old Kentucky. From producing a unique sour mash to ageing the Bourbon in hand made, charred oak barrels, the same traditions prevail to produce Four Roses Super Premium, a Bourbon of rare smoothness, richness and strength.

The Four Roses distillery is a Kentucky landmark and the home of one of the world’s premier Bourbons. Age old craftsmanship and the rugged Kentucky climate work a special magic to create this smooth, mellow Bourbon.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Freshly baked vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting, subtle baking spices, buttered popcorn, a hint of oak.
Palate:  Sweet vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce, a hint of corn sweetness.
Finish:  Short, sweet and slightly drying with notes of vanilla.
Comments:  They’re right about ‘smooth’. Its been a bit since I’ve had Four Roses Bourbon (sometimes referred to as “Yellow Label”, but it no longer has a ‘Yellow Label’ and during a tour they made it clear no one should refer to it that way), but this reminds me more of that than any other Four Roses product. From what I recall, that had more spice than this, and more of those floral notes I associate with Four Roses. I’m not sure I would have picked this out of a blind lineup as being a Four Roses bourbon. While nothing offputting, it is a little too smooth and bland for my taste. I definitely wouldn’t go out of my way to seek it out, being a Japanese offering.

Rating: Average

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