Must Buy

Compass Box Spice Tree Extravaganza

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Compass Box Spice Tree Extravaganza
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$130
Website
Compass Box Spice Tree Extravaganza

What the Blender Says

As the name suggests, the liquid draws its inspiration from our Signature Range classic, The Spice Tree, but reinterprets it through the use of older components and a significant portion of sherry-cask aged malt whisky. The Spice Tree’s trademark spice character is retained but set within a richer, more elegant frame with a new depth of flavour and complexity.

Decadent and playful on the nose, you will find notes of sherry wine, dark berries and the fragrant sweetness of traditional sweet shops.

On the palate there is juicy red fruit, a dark brown sugar richness, the trademark Spice Tree ginger and clove spice character and an endlessly long, spicy, substantial finish.

32.6% First Fill Sherry Butt aged malt from Glen Ord
17.2% First Fill Sherry Butt aged malt from Benrinnes
2.6% Refill American Standard Barrel aged malt from Allt-a-Bhainne
27.7% Light/Medium Toast Hybrid Cask aged blended Malt scotch composed of 60% Clynelish, 20% Dailuaine, and 20% Teaninich
4.3$ Refill Hybrid Cask aged blended Malt scotch composed of 60% Clynelish, 20% Dailuaine, and 20% Teaninich
15.6% Heavy Toast Hybrid Cask aged blended Malt scotch composed of 60% Clynelish, 20% Dailuaine, and 20% Teaninich

FLAVOUR DESCRIPTORS
Decadent and playful on the nose, you will find notes of sherry wine, dark berries and the fragrant sweetness of traditional sweet shops. On the palate there is juicy red fruit, a dark brown sugar richness, the trademark SPICE TREE ginger and clove spice character and an endlessly long, spicy, substantial finish.

AVAILABILITY
Limited Edition release of 12,240 bottles worldwide. Bottled August 2016.

BOTTLING DETAILS
Bottled at 46% | Not chill-filtered | Natural colour | LEAD BLENDER: John Glaser

What Richard Says:

Nose: Grassy, slightly bitter, stewed fruits and a bit of a sherry backing.
Palate: Cherry tarts with chocolate sauce, crisp apples, candied ginger, berries, and brown sugar cookies.
Finish: The finish is where the name shines. Loads of black pepper and baking spices.
Comments: Extravaganza for sure. This is an incredibly delicious whisky that oozes rich fruits layer with spices. It’s much more sherry flavor forward than regular Spice Tree but both fans of Spice Tree and neophytes will enjoy it. Grab the bottle if you see it.

Rating: Must Buy

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich butterscotch, buttercream frosted vanilla sponge cake, peach cobbler light on cinnamon, apricot and subtle dark fruits with a bit of clove.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sweet peaches, vanilla, pears, honey, waxy with clove, cinnamon, cherries and a hint of banana.
Finish:  Long, slightly drying with butterscotch and baking spices.
Comments:  Absolutely lovely and dangerously drinkable. Thickens with a bit of water, bringing out some nectarines (although it doesn’t need any water). While a limited edition, I’ve seen this on the shelves years after its release, and for the price – think this is a no brainer, especially if you’re a fan of Compass Box.

Rating: Must Buy

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1792 Full Proof

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
(Georgia Bourbon Society private selection)
62.5% ABV
$38
Website
1792-Full-Proof-Bottle
What the Distillery Says:
Bourbon insiders have long acknowledged that full proof bourbon has a distinctively rich flavor. This bourbon underwent a distinct filtering process, forgoing the typical chill filtration, and only passing through a plate and frame filter. This allowed the bourbon to maintain a robust proof for bottling, as well as a full rich and bold flavor. Bottled at its original 125 barrel entry proof, just as it was years ago when the barrels were first filled, 1792 Full Proof Bourbon is exceptionally distinct.

TASTING NOTES: Strong and full of flavor, this bold bourbon boasts an incredible deep and smoky taste, superbly balanced with sweet vanilla and notes of caramel.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Hot, musty sour oak with rich sweetness (burnt caramel, toffee, cinnamon). Water tamps down the heat, and opens it up nicely (bringing a subtle citrus note).
Palate: Warm and sweet, caramel creams, vanilla, oak; spice is a tad sour with cinnamon, cocoa, clove, and a hint of burnt popcorn. Water softens the rough edges, and improves the mouthfeel and emphasizes the caramel sweetness (but still keeps a spice kick).
Finish: Moderate in length and drying (although water extends it nicely).
Comments: This particular barrel was aged way up there (top rick of the rickhouse) for 8 yrs and 5 months (no age statement on the bottle, but we know when it was dumped and when it was filled – and when sober can do math). It is a bit oak heavy for the age, but a bit of water really brings it into balance. While I’m a big fan of barrel proof bourbon, this is a fine example where some water can really improve a pour (at least for my palate). The non-chill filtering really shines as it doesn’t lose that viscous mouthfeel when gently diluted. And while I’m biased, I continue to think those Georgia Bourbon Society guys (and gals) do a fine job selecting whiskey.
Rating: Must Try

What Richard Says:
Nose: Caramel, toffee, poached apricots, and golden raisins.
Palate: There is heat there but not as much as you would expect for a 60+ ABV bourbon. more caramel and vanilla sweetness comes forward against a oak forward back.
Finish: It finishes with a side coating of red pepper flakes dusted with cocoa powder and lingering notes of Big Red chewing gum.
Comments: A full, robust bourbon that you can find under $50? Yeah, a unicorn right. Well this is some damn good bourbon and as much as I like 1792, the Full Proof really kicks it up in flavor even more than the proof.
Rating: Must Buy

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Smooth Ambler Old Scout Single Barrel Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Smooth Ambler Old Scout Single Barrel Bourbon
$40 to $70
Website
SAOS-SB375
What the Distillery Says:
Old Scout Single Barrel Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey is just what it says; a single barrel that has been bottled at cask strength, usually between 109 and 118 proof. We pick barrels that are different from our stock selection to create unique experiences with each purchase.
Mashbill: 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malt – a ‘high rye’ bourbon

What Gary Says:
(Dekalb Bottle Shop, Barrel # 666, 8 yrs old – bottled at 53.9% ABV)
Nose: Salted caramel, charred oak with cinnamon, vanilla, allspice, and subtle hints of raisins.
Palate: Delicious, sweet caramel, chocolate covered pralines, toffee, vanilla waffle cone, subtle spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice), wood not hiding (but not dominant either – not bitter); mouthfeel starts on the creamy side and then sharpens.
Finish: Moderately long and drying, with a bit of pepper spice at the end.
Comments: Any single barrel program like this is going to have a lot of variety – which I’m a big fan of – but it comes at a price. I’ve had some that were highly ordinary (I can’t recall a Smooth Ambler that I thought was sub-standard), and some that were really delicious. This is one of those – a lovely low proof bourbon – right in my sweet spot at 8 yrs old. Doesn’t need any water, but it stands up well to a bit of it (and I get more brown sugar on the nose with a few drops). If I were trying this blind, I’d have guessed this was Wild Turkey (don’t believe it is, but if that helps!) , although it lacks the characteristic “bite” you get from Turkey. Unfortunately I picked only one of these up at the time. Honestly, I bought it because a friend highly recommended it (thanks Bruce!), and also I thought the barrel # was cool (like you haven’t done that before). I had a lot of bottles open at the time, and my only regret is waiting a few months to open and try it – as I would have bought several more if I had the chance.
Rating: Must Try

What Richard Says:
(Dekalb Bottle House, Barrel # 3510, 10 yrs old – bottled at 59.6% ABV)
Nose: Big and aggressive with cinnamon, vanilla extract, and polished wood.
Palate: Viscous and mouth coating in an almost chewy way. The proof leaves this one a bit hot but a few drops of water tame it nicely. Heavy wood notes poured over with caramel and french vanilla coffee beans. Dutch cocoa powder is sprinkled all throughout the taste profile.
Finish: Black pepper, more cocoa powder, a well aged oak heavy finish.
Comments: So I know the guys that picked this and I know that they have pretty damn good taste. This is a stellar bourbon. As a single barrel this particular one is long gone but Smooth Ambler has put out some very nice barrels. If you see one of these locally and you have the chance to taste it first definitely go for it. If you don’t get to try before you buy then I think it would be a fairly safe buy in the sub $70 price range.
Rating: Must Buy

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Old Charter Proprietor’s Reserve

/ / Bourbon, Review, The Collector's Cabinet / ,

Old Charter Proprietor’s Reserve 13 Year Old
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (slope shoulder bottling)
45% ABV
$25 originally/highly collectible now
OCPR
What Gary Says:
Nose: Rich, vanilla crème brulee, toffee, soft oak, subtle anise and a hint of sherry; very nice balance.
Palate: Creamy/silky mouthfeel, rich vanilla, raisins, oak, subtle sherry, slight rye spice that builds up with hint of cinnamon.
Finish: Moderately long, nice and lingering.
Comments: This is a dusty bourbon, part of the Bourbon Heritage Collection released in the mid-1990s. I found this bottle in 2014, and paid $30 for it (when initially released, it was a few bucks cheaper – probably part of the reason it sat on the shelf where I picked it up for so long). Likely not to find again (unless you want to spend around $250), but if I saw it on a shelf – it would be a no brainer pick up for me. This is a delicious bourbon. I’m not a fan of Old Charter’s other products necessarily, but this is probably in my Top 10 of favorite pours. More often than not with a 90 proof bourbon, I think “If only this was at a higher proof”, but I think this is perfect the way it is.
Rating: Must Buy (at retail . . . )

What Richard Says:
Nose: This one starts off with a bit of a musty nose that makes me think of bourbons much older than 13 years like some of the Orphan Barrel releases. As it opens up a bit it comes through more as apple danishes, Boston Cream filling, and candied ginger but there is still quite a lot of wood and tobacco driven “oldness” to it.
Palate: Rich and delicate don’t often go together but they really jam here. Creamy, syrupy vanilla that rolls out seriously dry.
Finish: This finishes very dry and heavy on the wood.
Comments: Two of my best drinking buddy’s really love this bourbon. I really value their opinions (yes Gary is one of them) but this isn’t necessarily in my wheelhouse. This comes across too old and dry. It’s also one dimensional too. Intense in that dimension but one dimensional all the same. I find this interesting as a study in bourbon history and at the price that Gary found this one I would recommend picking it up but I wouldn’t pay collector prices for it.
Rating: Stands Out

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Compass Box Eleuthera

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Compass Box Eleuthera
Vatted Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$60
Website
aw00382-compass-box-eleuthera-vatted-malt-scotch-whisky_8

What the Blender Says:

Originally available in all our markets, “Eleuthera” was our very first vatted malt. Typically it combined 15 year-old malt whisky from the village of Brora, aged in re-charred hogsheads, with 12 year-old malt from the village of Port Askaig. Jim Murray said of our first release: “Quite simply, one of the most complex and truly magnificent vatted malts of all time. A collector’s piece.” Sadly, when the 15 year-old malt we needed was no longer available aged in re-charred casks, we decided to retire “Eleuthera” rather than overhaul the recipe.

What Gary Says:

Nose: Smokey sea mist with peat, earthy floral notes along with citrus and vanilla.
Palate: Rich/silky mouthfeel, fruity with subtle spice notes (nutmeg) along with peat.
Finish: Moderately long and pleasantly lingering.
Comments: Damn John Glasser and the folks at Compass Box for making such a delicious whisky, and then stopping. Ok – maybe it’s my fault for only discovering this gem 10 yrs after they stopped producing it. And I must say that I do respect their choice to not mess with the recipe when they couldn’t get the components. I’ll count my blessings that I did find a bottle so long after. In case it isn’t clear, I really love this whisky. This reminds me of Scotland – the sea air, wisps of floral, peaty earthiness. The first time I nosed this whisky, it transported me to the motherland. I’m a big fan of Compass Box Flaming Heart, and this reminds me a lot of that – a more subdued/tamed version, but with a truly masterful balance of smoke/sweet/peat/spice. This is the kind of whisky I could pour and ponder in any season. If I had a Delorean . . . ok, I guess I’d fill it up with whisky from either further back than 2005 – but I’d definitely make a pitstop there to pick some of these up!

Rating: Must Buy

 

What Richard Says:

Nose: Heavy notes of grass and campfire ash. Benton’s smoked bacon with a citrus zest.
Palate: Rich and fruity sweet with a well rounded peaty backbone. Sea salt sprinkled vanilla cream.
Finish: The finish is heavier on the than the rest. It is incredibly balanced and lingers for a while.
Comments: Damn I miss this whisky. I was fortunate enough to drink my share way back when. I think this was the second bottle of Compass Box that I ever owned after Hedonism. It is really good and I’m glad that I got to revisit it thanks to Gary finding a dusty bottle in Florida. This hasn’t been made for 12 years so if you see one then definitely buy it. If you don’t like then invite us over and we will help you finish it. But I have a hard time thinking that you won’t like it.

Rating: Must Buy

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