Average

Ninety 20 Year Old

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Ninety 20 Year Old Canadian Rye Whisky
45% ABV
$35
Website

What the Distillery Says
After 20 years in charred oak barrels, we have drawn and blended from our cherished reserves to present the most discerning of whiskies. Expect a smooth, luxurious depth of flavour rich in oak, spices, and a light fruit sweetness.

What Gary Says
Nose: Sweet, corn, banana nut bread with maple syrup drizzled on top, hint of malted barley and brown sugar.
Palate: Molasses, subtle raisins and baking spices (clove, allspice), a soft/round mouthfeel.
Finish: Fairly short and uninspiring.
Comments: I picked this up while in Ontario based on the label. Some of my favorite rye whisky has been from Canada (such as the earlier batches of Jefferson’s 10 yr Rye), so seeing a 20 year rye for under $40 – it felt like I was stealing! My old man used to tell me “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is” – although in my defense – he was with me and didn’t stop me from pulling the trigger. Having said all that – it is interesting. It is NOT a rye whiskey by the American definition (my understanding is that this is a corn-whiskey mashbill done in the “rye style” – whatever that means). But it has gentle nuance, and isn’t off-putting. It also isn’t something I’d go out of my way to acquire either.
Rating: Average

What Richard Says
Nose: Big creamy vanilla nose with notes of caramel and bananas. Vanilla ice cream topped Bananas Foster anyone?
Palate: Very sweet and creamy. It reminds me of vanilla cream (like in Boston Cream Pie) sandwiched between two oatmeal raisin cookies.
Finish: Surprisingly alcohol forward on the finish.
Comments: Rye? No. Not like we think about it here in the states. This has more in common with an aged grain scotch. No bad but not inspiring either.
Rating: Average

Ninety 20 Year Old Read More »

Corsair Old Punk

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

Corsair Distillery’s Old Punk Pumpkin and Spice Flavored Whiskey
46% ABV
$40
Website

What the Distillery Says
Yeah….basically nothing.

What Gary Says
Nose: Sweet malted barley, bright spice – anise, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, a “pumpkin spice” vibe without much “pumpkin”.
Palate: Sweet and bright, although thin on the mouthfeel, fall spices (cinnamon, allspice) but less intense than the nose; a malty note.
Finish: Short and a bit dry.
Comments: Interesting. I’m not a big fan of flavored whiskey, but tried this in 2012 and thought it was interesting (although it was one in a lineup of 20+ samples – so, there’s that!) Now – I find it less interesting. I do like to use this in my aged egg nog recipe (ok – not “mine” but Alton Brown’s). Nothing off putting about it – the nose is interesting but the palate isn’t as flavorful. It reminds me more of a scotch than a bourbon – more gentle and not heavy handed.
Rating: Average

What Richard Says
Nose: When you see “whiskey” by an American distiller I wouldn’t assume bourbon/rye anymore. This one is more in tune with a mixture of highland scotch, Swedish Glogg (look it up because it is delicious), and a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte.
Palate: Sweet…too sweet…with lots of cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, Malt-o-meal.
Finish: Dry and alcohol forward.
Comments: I appreciate experimentation. Even though I’m a bit of a stodgy whiskey drinker I appreciate experimentation there too. However, I am very much over selling the crappy experiments to unsuspecting whiskey buyers. Try out all the funky crap you want but don’t try to pawn it off on me for $40 or $50 or $100 a bottle. There is a reason that Corsair stopped making this.
Rating: Probably Pass

Corsair Old Punk Read More »

Mellow Corn Bottled in Bond

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

Mellow Corn Straight Corn Whiskey Bottled in Bond
50% ABV
$15
Website

What the Distillery Says
Mellow Corn is authentic American Corn Whiskey, a unique kind of straight whiskey that is rarely seen. As corn whiskey, it must be at least 81% corn grain in the mashbill and can be aged in new uncharred or used charred barrels.
The forerunner and kissing cousin to Bourbon, American Straight Corn Whiskey has a recipe or mashbill that includes the minimum of 81% corn, the rest being malted barley and rye. As world-renowned whiskey writer Jim Murray wrote, “If you are a true student of whiskey, your education is a long way from being complete until you have mastered this particularly charming form.”

What Gary Says
Nose: Sweet cornbread with vanilla, a hint of honey and oak.
Palate: Corn sweet, vanilla with a bit of a bite.
Finish: Short and dry with a slight peppery edge.
Comments: I’m not a huge corn whiskey fan, but this is the standard bearer in the category. It isn’t something I reach for very often, but if you’re learning about whiskey I think this should be a required core class. As corn is the major component in bourbon, it helps to understand what it brings to the party, versus that of the “flavoring grain” (typically rye, or wheat). Spoiler alert – this won’t be as complex as a 4 year old straight bourbon, but it helps in identifying “corn sweet” from other flavors. And as an inexpensive product, I think it’s a no brainer to give it a try.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says
Nose: A bit hot and alcohol forward before opening up honey drizzled warm cornbread.
Palate: Great viscosity, just nice a oily in the mouth with a delicate vanilla sweetness.
Finish: Hot. Wood that’s been wet and rolled in cracked black pepper.
Comments: Gary pretty much sums it up. Not stellar but required reading for all new bourbon enthusiasts.
Rating: Average

Mellow Corn Bottled in Bond Read More »

Heaven Hill Trybox Series New Make Rye

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

Heaven Hill Trybox Series New Make Rye
62.5% ABV
$25

What Gary Says
Nose: Alcohol, crisp, only a hint of corn; some water brings out a note of anise and tamps down the burn.
Palate: Warm, sweet – with corn and anise followed by a bite; some water really brings out the anise (like liquid licorice) along with a sugary sweetness.
Finish: Peppery on the finish, but unremarkable.
Comments: At this proof, it needs water – otherwise it doesn’t have much going on (not that you expect a lot from white dog). This was my least favorite of the three white dogs I reviewed, although nothing off putting. Not being a fan of white dog, this fit pretty squarely into what I expect, if not a touch less interesting than that.
Rating: Average

Heaven Hill Trybox Series New Make Rye Read More »

Jim Beam Double Oak

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Jim Beam Double Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finish in Oak
43% ABV
$25
Website

What the Distiller Says
TWO CHARRED BARRELS, ONE INTENSE BOURBON. Like all of our bourbons, the new Jim Beam® Double Oak is crafted in charred oak. Its rich flavor comes from being aged a second time in another separate barrel.

TWO CHARRED BARRELS, ONE INTENSE BOURBON.
Jim Beam® Double Oak is first aged in charred American white oak barrels, then we pour it into another freshly charred barrel to mature for a second time. The added interaction with the oak wood results in a liquid intense in flavour, smooth in taste.

What Gary Says
Nose: Beam’s signature peanut-twang, toasted crème brulee, vanilla and oak with a hint of cocoa.
Palate: Tad sharp but sweet tapioca and vanilla, caramel corn, hint of cinnamon and a dash of pepper over oak.
Finish: Short and drying with some pepper spice at the end.
Comments: Full disclosure – I bought this bottle as a joke (sorry Jimmy – thought I’d out-class your White Label at happy hour!) Well the joke was on me, because I really enjoy it! Is it my favorite bourbon I’ve tried in the past 12 months? No. Top 10? Probably not. But I like it a helluva lot more than I expected to. I’m not a big fan of Jim Beam White Label, nor am I a fan of heavy oak – so I had very low expectations going in. But for the price point – this is a very decent bottle of bourbon with better balance than I expected.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says
Nose: I swear that the more time goes by the more that peanut funk from Beam products becomes more pronounced. You either love it or hate it but all I get is that plus a vanilla and oak.
Palate: More sweet corn forward with a big helping of dry wood to the point of being almost bitter.
Finish: Wood. I’m just left with wood.
Comments: Beam is trying some new things. I appreciate that. They don’t charge you an arm and a leg for them either. I really appreciate that. But this whiskey is a bit of a one trick pony. It’s a very woody trick at that.
Rating: Average

Jim Beam Double Oak Read More »