Average

Elijah Craig Straight Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Elijah Craig Straight Rye
Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

47% ABV
$25
Website
Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey

What the Distillery Says

The first extra-aged Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey to join Elijah Craig’s award-winning family of Bourbons. A unique combination of spicy rye grains and sweet corn, coupled with a steadfast attention to detail, give Elijah Craig Straight Rye the perfect balance of flavor and smoothness.

THE RYE MASHBILL
While the distillation process for Straight Rye is similar to our Small Batch Bourbon, the difference lies in the mashbill. It’s 51% rye grain instead of corn: the legal requirement for this style of American Whiskey.

TASTING NOTES
COLOR: Medium chestnut
AROMA: Dark chocolate with spices and a hint of smoke
TASTE: Rich baking spices and honey backed up with smooth oak influence
FINISH: Long and lingering

What Gary Says

Nose:  Toasted rye bread, mint, vanilla, citrus with hints of tarragon and dill.
Palate:  Soft entry with caramel, honey, a slight pepper bite with mint, cinnamon, chocolate orange and a bit of nutmeg.
Finish:  Moderately long with lingering citrus spice.
Comments:  A tame rye, but rye none the less. I’ve been a rye fan for years, and if I had a “standard house rye”, it would be Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond. Both being Heaven Hill ryes from the same mashbill, of course I needed to do a blind side-by-side! Quite similar, with this being slightly lighter in color, and a bit softer – with a bit less oak. My guess is that this is matured on lower levels than Rittenhouse, and could be older. For my personal preference, I liked the Rittenhouse better each time, although it was close – as the flavor was more intense. The Elijah Craig Rye had a bit longer finish, but other than that – seemed like a softer version. And I’m not looking for softer rye whiskey (but your mileage may vary).

Rating: Average/Stands Out

Elijah Craig Straight Rye Read More »

Opihr Spices of the Orient London Dry Gin

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Opihr Spices of the Orient
London Dry Gin

40% ABV
$30
Website
Opihr Spices of the Orient London Dry Gin

What the Distillery Says

A unique London Dry Gin made using hand-picked botanicals, including spicy cubeb berries from Indonesia, cardamom and Tellicherry black pepper from India and coriander from Morocco.

The heritage of OPIHR Spices of the Orient Gin is firmly rooted in the ancient Spice Route. Traditionally merchants would travel thousands of miles along the route, trading exotic spices and botanicals from distant lands.

OPIHR Spices of the Orient Gin is crafted with a selection of exotic hand-picked botanicals, carefully chosen by OPIHR’s Master Distiller, including spicy Cubeb berries from Indonesia, Black Pepper from India and Coriander from Morocco.

The botanicals in Opihr Gin make the journey to their final destination, the oldest distillery in England, where quality gin has been traditionally distilled, using the same London Dry Gin method, since 1761. Here the botanicals are married with fine English spirit to produce an exotic oriental spiced gin.

Our BOTANICALS
Spanish Orange Peel | Turkish Cumin | Turkish Grapefruit Peel | German Angelica Root | Indian Cardamom | Indian Ginger | Indian Tellicherry Black Pepper | Italian Juniper | Malaysian Cubeb Berries | Moroccan Coriander

This intense, exotic spiced gin exudes the character of the Orient, incorporating hand-picked botanicals from along the Ancient Spice Route.

Aroma: A rich and robust gin with a smooth perfume and sharp bursts of citrus. Key notes of cumin and cardamom provide a warm, earthy background balanced with grapefruit peel.
Taste: Soft camphor, some sweetness and Oriental spices create a warm mouth feel that lingers but does not increase intensity.

What Gary Says

DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Gin (so read at your own risk!)
Nose:  Coriander, subtle lime, hints of carpet cleaner.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel with citrus zest, pepper.
Finish:  Short with pepper and lemon.
Comments:  The nose on this is really subtle, while the palate has more zip. By comparison with the Cotswolds Dry Gin, this was much less complex (and of the three samples, was my least favorite). Not off putting necessarily, but didn’t excite me in any way.

Rating: Average

Opihr Spices of the Orient London Dry Gin Read More »

Elvis Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Elvis Rye
Straight Rye Whiskey

45% ABV
$50
Website
Elvis Rye
We would like to thank Grain & Barrel Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Grain & Barrel Spirits announced on September 13, 2021 a long-term licensing agreement with Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) to launch a duo of Elvis Presley-themed whiskeys. Both expressions – rye and whiskey – were sourced and blended by an expert team of whiskey experts and bottled in Tennessee, where Elvis began his career and called home.

“Given our expertise within premium whiskey, the Elvis expressions are a natural fit for Grain & Barrel Spirits,” said Matti Anttila, founder of Grain & Barrel Spirits. “Elvis was one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century and continues to inspire his fans today. We look forward to launching the brand, which is sure to be a highly sought after collector’s item.”

Both expressions feature an iconic photo of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” in his prime and pay homage to two of the legendary singer’s most popular nicknames: The King (rye), and Tiger Man (whiskey). The labels, which were created by Alyson Design, LLC, also feature notable references to Presley, including his signature and the letters “TCB” printed on the neck of the bottle, referring to “Taking Care of Business,” a phrase which was the mantra for Elvis and his Memphis Mafia.

Mash Bill*
95% Rye | 5% Malted Barley

Tasting Notes
Aroma: Sweet Rye grassiness, followed by hints of citrus and spice
Flavor: Toasted oak, butterscotch, vanilla wafers and a hint of pepper
Finish: Beautiful, sweet, complex finish with a velvety mouthfeel

* Distilled by MGP

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rye spice with mint, dill, citrus zest, thyme and a bit of cedar.
Palate:  Caramel with tangerines, honey, mint, dried dill, hint of cinnamon and pepper.
Finish:  Short and drying with mint and pepper spice.
Comments:  First off, let me applaud the transparency in acknowledging that the distillate is coming from MGP. I know thanks to non-disclosure agreements some folks can’t share sources, but I always appreciate that they do when they can. If given an option to drink any form of whiskey at 2 years old, my pick would be rye every time (not that I wouldn’t prefer it with more age!) In particular this high-rye mash bill from MGP does well, with bright spice notes and more flavor than I get from a bourbon or other whiskey at the same age. I definitely enjoyed this more than the Elvis Whiskey, although the price point would similarly make it a collectible over a drinker for me.

Rating: Average

Elvis Rye Read More »

Elvis Whiskey

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Elvis Whiskey
Straight Tennessee Whiskey

45% ABV
$50
Website
Elvis Whiskey
We would like to thank Grain & Barrel Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Grain & Barrel Spirits announced on September 13, 2021 a long-term licensing agreement with Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) to launch a duo of Elvis Presley-themed whiskeys. Both expressions – rye and whiskey – were sourced and blended by an expert team of whiskey experts and bottled in Tennessee, where Elvis began his career and called home.

“Given our expertise within premium whiskey, the Elvis expressions are a natural fit for Grain & Barrel Spirits,” said Matti Anttila, founder of Grain & Barrel Spirits. “Elvis was one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century and continues to inspire his fans today. We look forward to launching the brand, which is sure to be a highly sought after collector’s item.”

Both expressions feature an iconic photo of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” in his prime and pay homage to two of the legendary singer’s most popular nicknames: The King (rye), and Tiger Man (whiskey). The labels, which were created by Alyson Design, LLC, also feature notable references to Presley, including his signature and the letters “TCB” printed on the neck of the bottle, referring to “Taking Care of Business,” a phrase which was the mantra for Elvis and his Memphis Mafia.

Mash Bill
80% Corn | 10% Rye | 10% Malted Barley

Tasting Notes
Aroma: Toasted oak notes, sweet corn forward, hint of citrus and apple
Flavor: Sweet-toasted Maple, roasted Crème Brûlée, with subtle notes of a Granny Apple and Caramel
Finish: A balanced, long, soft, sweet and genuine, great finish

What Gary Says

Nose:  Subtle vanilla, raw honey, oak and buttered popcorn.
Palate:  Corn sweetness, honey, vanilla, light caramel sauce with a malty note and a bit of pepper.
Finish:  Short in length with vanilla, creamed corn and cracked pepper.
Comments:  This reminds me a bit of a young malt whiskey (10% malted barely isn’t unusually high, so could just be me). Quite light in color, although you expect that with a 2 year old whiskey. A bit of water brings out a note of cedar. Nothing off-putting (which IS more than I can say for many 2 year old whiskies!), although for the price – I think this is more for the Elvis fan to collect than to drink.

Rating: Average

Elvis Whiskey Read More »

Chattanooga Whiskey Tawny Port Cask Finish

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Chattanooga Whiskey Tawny Port Cask Finish
Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Tawny Port Casks

47.5% ABV
$45
Website
Chattanooga Whiskey Port Finished

What the Distillery Says

Barrel Finishing Series
Proof: 95 (47.5% ABV)
Mash Bill: B001, B005, SB055, R18025, R18106 & R17113
Cooperage: 53 gal, toasted & charred oak barrels
Filtration: Non-chill
Finish: Tawny Port Barrels
Finishing Time: Greater than 6 months
Age: Greater than 3 years
Batch Size: 6-7 barrels
Tasting Notes: Fig jam, blackberries, chocolate syrup, toasted oak, raisin. Full-bodied, with a layered, sweet wine finish.

Our limited edition finishing series celebrates the union of Tennessee High Malt into a variety of classic finishing casks. Crafted from a combination of unique bourbon mash bills, each containing over 25% specialty malt, each batch is made to complement the flavor characteristics of the finishing barrel.

For our first finish, our distillers sought out one of the most famous fortified wines of Portugal, Tawny Port. Our finishing casks come from the eastern most edge of the famous Douro valley bordering Spain, known as Duoro Superior. This region yields some of the highest quality Tawny Ports of the region, noted for their rich, caramel-sweet, fruit-forward characteristics.

To highlight and enhance the qualities of these finishing barrels, our distillers brought together a custom blend of 6 Tennessee High Malt mash bills, selected together for their fruity wine-line flavors and aromas. Aged for over 3 years, including 6 months in the Tawny Port casks, the result is a celebration of one of the world’s most iconic wine styles alongside our very own Tennessee High Malt.

Featured Mash Bills:
B001 – Dried Fruit, Spice
B005 – Butterscotch, Pastry
SB055 – Chocolate, Brown Sugar
R18025 – Caramel, Honey, Citrus
R18016 – Toasted Oak, Red Fruit
R17113 – Dried Fruit, Jam

What Gary Says

Nose:  Port wine with fruit notes, raisins, caramel, oak.
Palate:  Sweet, port forward with caramel, vanilla, subtle mineral note with pepper spice.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with port, oak and pepper.
Comments:  I do like port finished whiskey, but this felt a bit heavy handed for me. I tried this next to Isaac Bowman Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels, which I enjoyed. I found that to be better balanced with the port influence being clearly present, but not overdone. That said, if you like a heavier finish influence, this might be right up your alley, although if I had $50 and was looking for a port finished bourbon – I’d go with the Bowman. I did enjoy the Chattanooga Whiskey 1816 Cask Unfiltered Barrel Proof Bourbon, so I’ll try more of their stuff and look forward to future releases.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

Chattanooga Whiskey Tawny Port Cask Finish Read More »