Average

Amrut Single Malt Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Amrut Single Malt Indian Whisky
46% ABV/92 Proof
$55 to $65
Worldwide Availability

What the Distillery Says:
Nose : Distinctly confidant liquorice-bourborn notes with near perfect bitter-sweet balance; burnt honeycomb and toffee also abount.
Taste : Outstanding richness and sheen to the enormous barley-oak sweetness; again, but there is a big bourbony cut to the cloth with all the liquorice and molassed sugar normally but the barley adds that extra dimension.
Finish : Long, wonderfully layered oak offering variations of a sweet-dry theme; a touch silky wih some cream toffee at the death;

What Richard Says:
Nose: Dry grass with notes of fruit brandy. Mildly earthy. Water brings out more wood than anything else with a little grass left.
Palate: Mild sweetness with hints of cinnamon. Despite the hotness right out of the bottle this doesn’t hold up well to water. It kind of falls apart.
Finish: Very earthy, woody, and slightly hot. Water leave the finish very dry and clean.
Comments: There were some interesting parts to the nose and palate. The cinnamon was especially surprising. That’s something my palate never finds in whisky. Even still, it doesn’t all come together as well as I’d hope. I don’t think this would be something I would stock in my own bar but if offered I wouldn’t say no.
Rating: Average

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Ancient Age

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Ancient Age Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
40% ABV/ 80 Proof
$8
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
You’ve known us a long time, and you could always count on us for quality. But even more than that, you’ve known us to make great bourbon. Well, we just got better. We’ve begun using a chill filtration system for our bourbon, which improves our color, flavor, and all around taste experience.

We’ve always taken great pride in what we put in our bottles. Now even more so.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Orange blossoms, cloves, and hints of baked cherries.
Palate: Orange bitters developing to orange zest. There’s a lot more citrus than I expected. There’s just a hint of sweetness poking around the corners.
Finish: The finish is smooth yet bitter.
Comments: The first time I became aware of Ancient Age was years ago through Stephen King’s novella Apt Pupil. Kurt Dussander, the Nazi war criminal in hiding drank bottle after bottle of Ancient Age. He described it as “cheap and good.” It’s definitely cheap. The good is subjective. I find this to be an average bourbon but it is the “orangiest” bourbon I’ve ever tried. Maybe something for the mixologists to take note of.
Rating: Average

What Matt Says:
Nose: Tart plums, dry dusty wood, burnt sugar and vanilla.  Water brings out some tart apple (almost like a Wine Sap)
Palate: Sharp and alcoholic on the sides of the tongue.  Walnut husks, cinnamon bubble gum (Big Red to be exact), an almost berry sweetness and rock candy.
Finish: The burn lingers and warms the throat.  The finish is dominated by dusty walnut husks with a sweet/sour combination that hovers just above the tongue
Comments: A smoker’s whiskey.  The finish slowly fades to a taste that is something very similar to cigarette ash.  It’s cheap.  I’ll give it that.  Perhaps one of the better whiskeys at this price point.  It certainly stands out against drams like Ten High and Rebel Yell.  If I ever become a hobo, riding the rails and hustling for my next meal, this will probably be my whiskey of choice.  Until then, I’ll stick to my Buffalo Trace and Four Roses Yellow Label for affordable bourbon.
Rating:  Probably Pass

Overall Rating:  Average

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Four Roses Yellow Label

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
40% ABV
Available in Asia, Europe, & USA
$20

What The Distillery Says:
A worldwide favorite, especially when creating mixed drinks with a sophisticated, contemporary flair. Hints of pear and apple compliment floral aromas and mix with a taste of honey and spice. Smooth and mellow with a unique, long and soft finish.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Vanilla caramel sweetness overlaying rich oak.
Palate: Less sweet on the palate but very mellow. There’s a slight kick at the end of the palate. Hints of orchard fruit and oak dominate the flavor profile.
Finish: Very smooth and short. A little spice is left at the tongue and middle warmth fills the stomach.
Comments: It’s not Buffalo Trace but it’s a solid inexpensive bourbon. Versatile enough to work well in cocktails but I could still drink it neat.
Rating: Average (or slightly above)

What Matt Says:
Nose: Honeysuckle, orange shellac, dry grain and cherry lollipops
Palate: Cherry caramels and toasted oak, round and full bodied without being oily
Finish: Very smooth with just a slight burn that hits the tip of the tongue like a love bite.  Leaves the tongue with a taste of cherry lollipops and an oaky fuzziness.
Comments: The palate of this reminds me of Cheerwine, a cherry flavored cola sold in the Deep South.  I’m glad they started selling Four Roses in the US again.  I have several friends who cut their teeth on this while growing up in Europe.  Yellow Label is a solid entry level bourbon that will give you a much better taste profile than say, Old Crow, Rebel Yell, or Jim Beam.  Richard and I agree that Buffalo Trace is a bit better.  Still, there are places where you can only get one or the other.  Either way, you’ll have any enjoyable and affordable dram.
Rating:  Average

Overall Rating:  Average
In the grand scheme of all bourbon, Yellow Label falls squarely in the “average” range.  If you just put it up against other whiskeys in this price range, it surely stands out.

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Eagle Rare 10 Year Old

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
45% ABV
Widely available
$25 to $30

What The Distillery Says:
Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has a sweet, oaky nose and full, complex body. Reminiscent of a fine port wine, this rare whiskey is best served neat, or over ice. Of Course, feel free to drink Eagle Rare in such classic cocktails as the Manhattan or Whiskey Sour.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Straight from the bottle the nose seems a little more dominated by alcohol than I would expect at this strength. Water opens up a lot of ripe citrus and hints of chocolate.
Palate: The palate dances between pepper and mild oak. With water the palate mellows showing oranges and honeysuckle sweetness.
Finish: Very spicy on the finish. It doesn’t burn but it leaves you with heat and oak. With water it goes down like silk.
Comments: I wanted to like this bourbon more than I do. I think it’s very muscular bourbon and it stands out in the category as a whole, especially at a sub-$30 price point. That said, up against other single barrel bourbons in the 10 year range it seem s a little lacking.
Rating: Stands out

What Matt Says:
Nose: Orange shellac, bubblegum, juicy fruit fluoride treatment, corn syrup and oak resin.
Palate: A little hot (alcoholic) with notes of cinnamon, mint, toasted oak and burnt sugar.
Finish: Cinnamon and oak
Comments: This one is hotter than I remember.  Maybe I’m thinking of the older expression.  I like each elemental aspect but I want a little more roundness.  This is an angular dram that unfolds more like a steel trap than a flower in bloom.  Overall, I tend to agree with Richard’s assessment except I’m going to give it an average rating.
Rating:  Average

Overall Rating:  Average

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Penderyn Welsh Whisky

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

Penderyn Aur Cymru Single Malt Welsh Whisky (March 09)
46% ABV/92 Proof
Around $65
Available in select markets

What the Distillery Says:
At premium strength (46%) Penderyn has an exceptionally balanced taste with an aroma of cream toffee and fleetingly of fresh new leather. Then, as the initial sensations fade, the finishing notes of tropical fruits, raisins and vanilla emerge strongly and are long lasting.

Like Welsh Gold (Aur Cymru) this malt whisky is rare and precious. Handcrafted and Madeira Finished.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Ripe fruits, floral sweetness, aged and polished wooden furniture, and well worn leather. Very brandy-like. Cognac in the 10 to 20 Year Old range more than anything else.
Palate: Macerated orchard fruit but not citrus. It’s more like peaches and apricot but not sweet at all. Vegetal under currents. A good bit of heat and spice that seems to be coming from the youth of the whisky and alcohol more than the inherent flavor profile.
Finish: It leaves the lips numb. More woody on the finish. Those vegetal notes show up more pronounced on the finish than the palate.
Comments: This is definitely an interesting whisky. The nose alone makes it stand out. I love the nose. The palate is pleasant and should develop with some more years on it.
Rating: Stands Out

What Matt Says:
Nose: At the back there is a distinct “whisky-ness” about it (an echo of smoke, caramel and crème brulee that reminds me of Springbank). The predominant scents are more akin to sour fruit candies. When I was in the UK, I got addicted to these Starburst Jellybeans. They were a lot better than the ones we get over here (actual fruit juice and different flavors). The two flavors that really grabbed me were the pink grapefruit and black currant flavors. This smells exactly like those tasted.
Palate: Cantaloupe, barley malt, green wood and sap. More oak than the nose suggests.
Finish: Slight burn with lingering oak.
Comments: This is a very nice dram. Its easy to drink. Its not all that complex, so you can drink a lot of it. It easily holds it’s own with other entry-level drams from the rest of the UK. However, for the price point, I want a little more complexity. I love Wales and there is nothing else like this out there, so I would buy a bottle of it for the novelty. I would drink it all and not necessarily buy another bottle based on this bottling. I’ve enjoyed past bottlings much more and look forward to future bottlings.
Rating: Average

Overall Rating: Average

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