Must Buy

Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye 2021

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye 2021
Canadian Rye Whisky

63-67.0% ABV (sample reviewed @ 63.7%)
$75
Website
Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye 2021
We would like to thank Alberta Distillers and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Alberta Distillers, Distillery of the Decade as named by the 2020 Canadian Whisky Awards, proudly announces its 2021 release of Alberta® Premium Cask Strength Rye Whisky into the U.S. market. Hitting shelves this month as a limited time offering, this premium whisky showcases Alberta Distillers’ expertise and skill in crafting true 100% rye whisky, which is a notoriously difficult grain to work with.

Made in Calgary, Alberta, Alberta® Premium Cask Strength Rye is crafted from 100% Canadian prairie rye grains grown by local farmers and nutrient-dense, glacier-fed spring water from the famed Rocky Mountains. The result is a perfectly balanced liquid that reflects the brand’s unique natural surroundings, Canadian heritage, and expert whisky craftsmanship.

“Following the success of Alberta® Premium Cask Strength Rye’s debut in the U.S. last year, we are thrilled to offer stateside whisky drinkers the limited 2021 release of our award-winning whisky,” said George Teichroeb, General Manager of Alberta Distillers. “When Alberta Premium debuted in 1958, we were one of the first distilleries to create a true 100% rye whisky, and this cask strength rye is the culmination of our hard work and dedication to crafting exceptional rye whisky.”

Highly revered by whisky enthusiasts, the 2020 release of Alberta® Premium Cask Strength Rye received numerous prestigious awards including Double Gold at the 2020 and 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competitions, Double Gold at the 2021 SIP Awards, Best All Rye Whisky at the 2021 Canadian Whisky Awards and 1st Place Best Canadian Whisky at the 2021 International Whisky Competition. This special whisky is best enjoyed neat with a drop of water or on the rocks, and features the following characteristics:

Alberta® Premium Cask Strength Rye:
Proof: 63-67%
Taste: Exceptionally smooth with notes of caramel, vanilla and a hint of chocolate balanced with the spiciness of rye and black currant
Finish: Smooth and lingering with the complexity of spice, warm vanilla, and dark fruit
Packaged in an eye-catching, faceted glass bottle, Alberta® Premium Cask Strength Rye will be available in limited quantities in select U.S. markets beginning in October 2021 for an SRP of $74.99 for a 750ml bottle. With demand and popularity gaining for the distillery’s premium spirits in the U.S, whisky fans can rest assured there’s more to come from Alberta® Premium in 2022.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla buttercream frosting, soft oak, cedar, mint, nutmeg, hints of maple and cherries.
Palate:  Caramel and vanilla, milk chocolate, black currants, cinnamon, nutmeg, subtle mint, cracked pepper with a bit of clove.
Finish:  Moderate in length with cedar, mint and lingering baking spices.
Comments:  Another really lovely offering from the folks in Alberta! I tried this side-by-side against a bottle of the original 2020 release, and they were incredibly similar – which is great news for me as I really liked that one!  It also benefits from some time in the glass to let the alcohol vapors dissipate, and thickens up nicely with some water. A few dollars more (which given this environment is more than reasonable) but well priced and more than fair in my opinion. If they maintain the same profile, this would be an annual pick-up for me. Too few cask strength 100% rye whiskies out there. Plus – this lovely bottle has a lovely screwcap closure which I’d rather have on ALL of my bottles!

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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Cutty Sark 25 Year Old Tam O’Shanter

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Cutty Sark 25 Year Old Tam O’Shanter
Blended Scotch Whisky

46.5% ABV
$200-$320 (released in 2012 @ £199)
Cutty Sark 25 Year Old Tam O'Shanter Blended Scotch Whisky

What the Internet* Says

Cutty Sark owner Edrington is celebrating Burns Night 2012 by releasing Cutty Sark 25 Year Old Tam O’Shanter. Tam O’Shanter is the name of the Rabbie Burns poem which introduced the world to the witch Cutty Sark – the namesake of the famous ship, and ultimately the whisky.

A limited release of 5,000 bottles, this is the first whisky blend created by master blender Kirsteen Campbell.

The release is presented in a substantial wooden box, containing a 134 page book with with over 50 illustrated scenes by the late Alexander Goudie who is considered one of Scotland’s finest figurative painters. The box is also decorated in Goudie’s style.

* As this was released in 2012, there is nothing on Cutty Sark’s web-site about it, but this was gleaned from 2012 reports on its release as well as reputable auction sites.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sherry bomb; rich and thick with raisins, rancio, roasted walnuts, ponzu sauce glazed brisket, worn leather with faint pipe tobacco smoke.
Palate:  Rich and intense, fruitcake with a sherry reduction drizzle, honey, nutmeg, clove, note of balsamic, bit of peat with pepper.
Finish:  Long with dark fruit, spices and fading pepper.
Comments:  Wow – this is a really dark dram! Oh – and f’ing magnificent! A truly complex, luscious pour that is everything I hope for in older scotch. I’ll admit – if someone had told me “Hey, I’ve got this Cutty Sark blend that might crack your top 10 all time pours”, I’d have been willing to bet cash they were wrong. Released back in 2012, finding one on a shelf isn’t likely, although if you do – I can’t recommend it enough. In fact, already past the half-way point in 2021 and this is the first whisky this year I’ve put as a 100% ‘Must Buy’. It is THAT good.

Rating: Must Buy

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Glenrothes 19 Year Speyside Single Malt Scotch

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

Chieftain’s Glenrothes 19 Year
Speyside Single Malt Scotch

53.2% ABV
$165
Website
Chieftains Glenrothes 19 Yr Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Bottle Says

Distillation Date: January 1997
Bottling Date: September 2016
Wood Type: Pedro Ximenez Finish
Cask Number: 91822
Number of Bottles: 437
Unchill-Filtered
Natural Colour

What Gary Says

Nose:  Honey suckle, barley malt, heather, vanilla, hint of spent matches, coffee cake, ginger, dark fruits, bit of anise, smoked pork, figs, pipe tobacco and nutmeg.
Palate:  Rich and thick mouthfeel, warm with honey, stewed fruits over coffee cake, cinnamon, pepper, clove, nutmeg and molasses.
Finish:  Long and wet, honey dripping with raisins and a bit of sulfur.
Comments:  Wow – a really nice, robust, intense dram – balanced with sweetness and a bit of savory smoky notes. A bit of water brightens it up without thinning. I liked this quite a bit more than Glenrothes 18 yr I tried, and I’m pretty sure it is the Pedro Ximenez finish (which I do like). This is also one of those drams where I actually prefer the nose over the palate, which isn’t to short-change the palate. This is a winner on all fronts, but the nose is really enchanting!

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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Stellum Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Stellum Bourbon
Cask Strength Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies

57.49% ABV
$55
Website
Stellum Bourbon
We would like to thank Stellum Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

Stellum Spirits is a new national brand created and produced by Barrell Craft Spirits® (BCS). Please see this release for additional details!

Stellum Spirits, a new national brand created to celebrate the modern-day whiskey drinker, today officially launched its inaugural flagship offerings, including bourbon (blue label), rye (green label), and single barrels, which are all bottled at cask strength. By embracing the vitality of American whiskey today, Stellum is focused on creating the next generation of classic whiskeys that include all facets of the American story in its vision.

Stellum Bourbon finds its flavor in the tension of three Indiana Bourbon mash bills, two of which are high-rye, with the third being almost exclusively corn. Older barrels from both Kentucky and Tennessee are folded in slowly, through a multi-step blending process. This brings added layers of depth and complexity, ultimately allowing us to round out a uniquely Stellum flavor profile.

TASTING NOTES
Appearance: Amber gold.
Nose: Intense clove and allspice immediately jump out of the glass, supported by creamy macadamia nuts and light tobacco. As the whiskey opens up, sweet aromas of honeysuckle, green apple, and nectarine begin to show, rounded off by toasted rye and oak.
Palate: The tip of your tongue is met with a hint of vanilla, marshmallow, and cotton candy. The whiskey quickly transforms as it spreads across your tongue, revealing spicy notes of black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon baked apples. The spice is supported by tart underripe blackberry and apricot that contrasts perfectly against the initial sweetness.
Finish: The spiciness of the palate carries over into the finish with candied ginger and more black pepper before slowly fading into a syrupy sweet honey.

With the Addition of Water: The strong pepper notes are more subdued, allowing for sweet cinnamon streusel and stewed apples to come to the forefront of the palate.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Caramel, oak, orange zest, vitamins, cinnamon and clove.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel, vanilla, bit of milk chocolate, baking spices including clove, nutmeg and cinnamon followed by cracked black pepper and tart berries.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with berries and pepper with honey.
Comments:  Wow! The nose on this was nice, but was a bit deceptive in that I wasn’t expecting the intensity and richness that the palate delivered. Having tried several products from the folks at Barrell Craft Spirits who are behind Stellum Spirits, I shouldn’t have been surprised. The Dickel notes are present but not prominent on the nose, and I found the palate on this to be comparable to some of their Barrell Bourbon releases. A bit of water brings out some caramel corn on the nose, and tamps the edges of the palate – although it doesn’t need water in my opinion. Given the trend in prices of premium brands and labels in recent years, I found this priced incredibly reasonably. I hope that they’re able to keep this profile fairly consistent – although if so they’ll probably struggle to keep up with demand!

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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Compass Box Flaming Heart 2018

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Compass Box Flaming Heart 2018
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

48.9% ABV
$130
Website
Compass Box Flaming Heart 2018

What the Blender Says

This is our sixth edition of Flaming Heart, a whisky born of oak, smoke and fire.

First released in 2006, Flaming Heart was the first whisky to combine the rich, complex spice of Scotch aged in new French oak with the evocative peat-red smoke of Islay malt.

It created a genre-defying style that was smouldering, spicy, complex – and so popular that we’ve re-released it five more times in the years that followed.

In this 2018 edition, we have reintroduced a subtle sherry-cask influence that adds an additional layer of complexity and richness. A medium smoky-peaty base is enriched by a sweet maltiness and notes of baking spices and dried fruit.

It’s a whisky to enjoy late into the night, perfect served neat or paired with rich cheeses.

FLAVOUR PROFILE: A medium smoky-peaty base is enriched by a sweet maltiness and notes of baking spices and dried fruit. Full on the palate and very long on the finish.
SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS: This is a whisky to enjoy late into the night. Drink it neat or with water, or try pairing it with rich cheeses.
TECHNICAL DETAILS: Bottled at 48.9%. Natural colour. Not chill filtered. A limited edition of 15,050 standard bottles and 800 magnums. June 2018.
LEAD WHISKYMAKER: Jill Boyd, 2018.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Smoke and peat with sherried fruit nuts under a fog of sea air, smoked meats and a touch of iodine.
Palate:  Thick and creamy mouthfeel with peat smoke, stewed fruits – berries, plums, peaches – exotic spice notes with honey and a hint of anise along with a touch of sea salt.
Finish:  Long and smokey with an ashy earthiness and hints of fruit.
Comments:  Flaming Heart is one of my favorite offerings from Compass Box, and probably the brand I’ve bought more bottles of than anything else in terms of Scotch whisky. When I first discovered it in 2015 (although ironically finding a 2012 release!), I bought it based solely on a review I read (this one!) and my experienced lined up with Richard’s.  I probably picked up a half-dozen bottles of the 2015 release over the course of 2 years (never bought more than 1 at a time!), so I did compared my sample of this 2018 edition (thanks Rich!) to that.  Very similar for sure – this has maybe a touch more ash/smoke, and the 2015 has maybe a touch more fruit.  When I did a blind side-by-side, I wasn’t sure I could tell any difference.  If you like smokey, peaty whisky that has a nice balance of fruit and spice – I can’t see how this would disappoint.

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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