The Balvenie Portwood Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 21 Years 43% ABV $180 – $230 Website What the Distillery Says: To create The Balvenie PortWood Aged 21 Years, a marriage of rare Balvenie is transferred to port casks, or pipes, which have held fine port wines. Here it is sampled regularly by The Balvenie Malt Master to ensure that just the right amount of character is imparted by the port casks, enhancing and developing the single malt whilst preserving its original characteristics. In duty free The Balvenie PortWood Aged 21 Years is non chill-filtered and bottled at a higher strength of 47.6% abv.
NOSE: A perfume of fruity and ripe raisin notes, backed by a nutty dryness
TASTE: Refined with remarkable character, it is creamy and silky with fruit, honey and spice notes.
FINISH: Long, gentle, nutty.
What Richard Says: Nose: Granny’s muscadine jelly, honey roasted peanuts, and stewed cherries. Palate: Creamy but not overly viscous. Fruitcake, allspice, and almond shortbread cookies. Finish: Warm smokey wood finish that lingers a bit but doesn’t overstay its welcome. Comments: This is one of my all time favorite whiskeys. Period. Those favorites I always try to keep on hand. Granted, as scotch prices continue to rise that gets harder but I do my best. This is an absolutely terrific dram. I’ve loved it for years and it never disappoints. At nearly two bills it’s hard to tell you that you must buy it but if it is within your means then I can’t recommend it enough. Rating:Must Buy
I would like to thank Kimberly and Sonia over at the Susan Magrino Agency for sending over a sample to review.
The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 9 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 49.3% ABV $250 Website What the Distillery Says: The Balvenie, the most handcrafted single malt Scotch whisky, is proud to introduce its latest expression: Tun 1401, Batch 9. This release has been exclusively created for the U.S. market, and follows the hugely successful ‘Batch 3’ and ‘Batch 6’, which were the only other Tun 1401 expressions released in the United States in 2011 and 2012 respectively.
Available in limited supply beginning this October, this rare batch includes exceptional and precious liquid from a number of casks specially selected by the industry’s longest-serving Malt Master, David Stewart. David’s first batch of Tun 1401 was released in 2010, for sale only at The Balvenie’s Speyside Distillery.
Inspired by and produced in one of the oldest warehouses at The Balvenie Distillery, The Balvenie Tun 1401, Batch 9 is a skillful marriage of some of the rarest treasures from the distillery’s Warehouse 24. This latest batch of Tun 1401 represents an unrepeatable selection of spirits sourced from eleven traditional whisky casks and three sherry butts, whose ages span a number of decades, and which have all been hand-selected by Stewart. The whisky rested for several months in Tun 1401 – one of the distillery’s unique marrying vessels – to create a single malt that is greater than its already precious parts.
“We’ve identified what we believe to be an unprecedented range of liquids to comprise this Tun 1401 batch from the vast library of very rare whisky currently maturing at The Balvenie Distillery,” said David Stewart, Malt Master for The Balvenie. “The end result is a complex and completely unique marriage characterized by dark fruits and marmalade on the nose. Its richness and smoothness is underpinned with dark chocolate sweetness, delicate honey notes and a distinctly long, spicy finish.” The exceptional quality of The Balvenie is attributed to the unique craftsmanship retained by The Balvenie Distillery. Nowhere else will you find a distillery that still grows its own barley, malts in its own traditional floor maltings, employs a team of coopers to tend its casks, a coppersmith to maintain its stills and has in its service the most experienced Malt Master in Scotland.
Hand-bottled at The Balvenie Distillery in Speyside, The Balvenie Tun 1401, Batch 9 is a limited release with an RRP of $250. The Balvenie Tun 1401, Batch 9 has an ABV of 49.3%.
The Balvenie Tun 1401, Batch 9 Tasting Notes according to Malt Master David Stewart: NOSE: “On the Nose, Batch 9 is an intricate blend of elegant oak, dark fruits and marmalade.” TASTE: “This unique whisky tastes of opulent sherried fruitiness and mature oak tannins balanced with hints of honey and dark chocolate.” FINISH: “The finish has a spicy outburst which lingers on the rich, syrupy finish.”
What Richard Says: Nose: Gorgeous fruits on the nose. Dark and rich with layers of sherry, stone fruits, orange marmalade, and pear preserves. Really sexy. Palate: A more tame version of the nose. Creamy and sweet at first. The sherry is really driving the fruit here. Nice play between a slightly bitter tannic fruity wine and a mellow sweetness. Finish: Heavier on the pepper and oak but fruity jams from the nose and tongue stick around a bit too. Comments: Simply lovely. Oh if it wasn’t 2 1/2 bills I’d be out buying a bottle right now. I can’t say enough nice things about how great this is. On an interesting side note, I’m usually not even in the ball park with the “standard” tasting notes for a given dram but David Stewart’s notes are spot on. I don’t get much chocolate but everything else he lists is right there front and center. I guess after doing a couple hundred of these I’m bound to get one right eventually. 😉 Rating: Must Buy
I would like to thank Kimberly and Sonia over at the Susan Magrino Agency for sending over a sample to review.
Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition 2013 Release Barrel Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 60% ABV $85 – $95 Website What the Distillery Says: For the 2013 Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition release, we have once again hand-selected an uncut and non-chill filtered Barrel Strength masterpiece.
The celebration of 125 years of exquisite bourbon making begins with a single sip of this stunning 13-year-old barrel strength Bourbon. Hand selected by our Master Distiller from our 10 distinct Bourbon recipes, this Bourbon draws you in with delicate wisps of fresh honey and brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Light mint and wild berry notes mingle fancifully with the aromas of orange peel and fresh gingerbread. Dark chocolate truffle and spiced cookies lay like velvet on the palate and lead to a long and spicy finish that’s so soft, smooth and mellow, you’ll no doubt want to raise your glass and toast to 125 more.
Tasting Notes Nose: Orange peel and fresh gingerbread. Palate: Dark chocolate truffle and spiced cookies. Finish: Long and spicy, yet soft smooth and mellow.
Recipe OBSK – 13 years
What Richard Says: Nose: Vanilla, spearmint, Granny Smith apples, citrus zest, and pumpkin pie spice. Palate: Viscous with mouth coating layers of gingerbread cookies. Water brings out toffee and dark chocolate. Finish: Cocoa powder and cayenne out of the bottle. With water it lingers with black pepper and oak and leaves a lingering flavor reminding me of a good cigar. Comments: You might be tired of hearing me rhapsodize Four Roses but damn they make some good bourbon. This year’s single barrel limited edition is no exception. I’m pretty late getting my review of this posted but if you can still find one then grab it. Rating: Must Buy
A big thank you to Laura and the rest of The Baddish Group for sending me over a sample to review.
Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Four Grain Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch #1 46.2% ABV $80 then, collectible now What the Distillery Says: Kentucky bourbon distillers traditionally cook, ferment and distill a three-grain mash bill or recipe. Corn is the majority grain as required by bourbon regulation, and malted barley is necessary for natural starch-to-sugar conversion. That leaves the other grain choice to the distiller’s discretion. Rye is the preferred grain for creating a spicy, fruity bourbon character. Wheat delivers a soft, nutty profile. In the Master’s Collection Four Grain bourbon we have combined corn and malted barely with both rye and wheat. This unique combination has created a flavorful bourbon rich in fruity, baking spices and soft cocoa notes. It is a bourbon to sip and savor straight up, or with a single ice cube if you prefer it chilled.
What Richard Says: Nose: There is no nose like a Woodford nose. It’s prevalent in all their bourbons and bourbon experiments. Buttery oak with notes of citrus and a rich nutty character. Palate: A great creamy sweetness. Heath toffee, Rolo caramels, slight acidic citrus. Layers of hazelnuts and vanilla. Finish: Dry and clean with a linger hint of oak. Comments: This was the first of the Master’s Collection from back in 2005. I’m not one for “dusty hunting” or bunkering whiskey away. Anyone who regularly follows Whisk(e)y Apostle knows I’m a drink it if you got it kind of guy. That said, this one has been squirreled away in my cabinet for years. I recently opened it when we had friends over to the house for dinner. Honestly, I was surprised at myself for not opening this sooner which was the driving reason I opened it then. It wasn’t a blind buy. I had a few bottles of batch 2 when it came out and loved it. I really wish this made it into production like Seasoned Oak to Double Oaked did. Rating: Must Buy
Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve Irish Whiskey 46% ABV $250 to $300 Website What the Distillery Says: A triumph of the collaboration between the Jameson Masters, our hand crafted Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve is a true masterpiece. The advanced aged whiskeys in this magnificent reserve are brought together with pot still whiskey that has been matured in hand-picked second fill bourbon casks to create a mellow sweetness in specially commissioned port pipes. The result? Gloriously rich fruit character with an unmistakable barley finish. But don’t take our word for it: this rare blend was voted the world’s best Irish Blended Whiskey at the 2009 World Whiskies Awards.
Tasting Characteristics
Nose: A real full-bodied aroma. Initially sweet with ripe fruit notes of melon, bananas and dark fleshy plums. The unmistakable pot still spicy character combines to give hints of treacle, cinnamon and liquorice.
Taste: A mouthful of flavours. Mellow sweetness and toasted wood are complemented by fruit richness characteristic of the port casks. A touch of creamy dairy fudge and dark chocolate add to the complexity.
Finish: A tantalizingly long finish which covers the spectrum from the sweetness of fruit, through the spices to the unmistakable note of barley, where it all began.
What Richard Says: Nose: Prunes, fried bananas, pepper, and cinnamon. Taste: Rich, oily, woody sweetness, dark chocolate, and vanilla. Finish: The port really shows on the finish. Long, subtle, and cereal notes. Comments: I sat down with this and the 2009 Midleton’s (yes I’m that kind of whiskey geek) and comparatively this is much more rich and luscious. Easily the best Irish blend I’ve every tasted. This is well balanced with layers of flavor opening one after the other. If this is within your budget for any occasion I would suggest it without the slightest reservation. It’s pricing but you can taste damn near every dollar. Rating: Must Buy
