Must Try

Springbank 21 Year

/ / Campbeltown, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Springbank 21 Year
Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$325-600
Website
Springbank 21 Year Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distillery Says

45% Bourbon, 20% Rum, 20% Sherry, 15% Port

With its warm, golden glow, our 21 year old is inviting, creamy and offers unbelievable complexity. The maritime influence uncovered in this single malt will take you on a journey to its Campbeltown home.

Nose: Notes of citrus zest, pineapple upside-down cake and fudge introduce this year’s Springbank 21 year old. There is a savoury element in the notes of baked gam and tomato vine leaves, with subtle peat smoke coming through on the nose.

Palate: A tropical influence comes through on the palate in the notes of ripe mango, dried coconut and papaya, opening up to notes of liquorice, cola syrup, digestive biscuits, honey and a slight earthiness.

Finish: A long finish with notes of orange zest, campfire embers and caramel.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Dark fruits, figs, dates, raisins, blackcurrants, worn leatherbound book, soft oak, hints of spent matches, anise, blood orange and a bit of smoke.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sherried fruits (raisins, dates, figs), honey, building to wood spices with nutmeg, anise and clove.
Finish:  Long, slightly drying with sherry, soft pepper and bit of smoke.
Comments:  Springbank is damned hard to beat, and this is no exception. Just ridiculously delicious, balanced between the fruit and savory notes. Bit of water rounds out the spice and thickens it nicely. This would be a solid ‘Must Buy’ but the pricing has also gotten ridiculous.

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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Calumet Farm Single Rack Black 16 Year Old Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Calumet Farm Single Rack Black 16 Year Old Bourbon
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

53% ABV
$160-75
Website
Calumet Farm Single Rack Black 16 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey

What the Producer Says

Calumet Farm 16 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey is the newest offering from our stables of the Single Rack Black premium bourbon line. Its bold tastes and flavors are matched perfectly well with a balanced finish. As a tribute to one of the greatest thoroughbreds in racing history, this bourbon represents the dedication and patience it takes to create a champion. This expression of the Calumet Farm Bourbon family is our most aged and highest proof to date. It is Non-Chill Filtered for added depth of character and color.

Distilled/Aging Location: Bardstown, Kentucky
Batch Size: 19 Barrels (ea.)
Filtration: Non-Chill Filtered
Mash Bill: 74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% Malted Barley
Bottled By: Three Springs Bottling Company, Bowling Green, KY

TASTING NOTES
Color: Deep mahogany with dark red shadows and golden highlights
Nose Upon Uncorking: Beginning notes of woody-char and smoke subside to reveal softer scents of toasted almonds and fresh-cut summer hay
Nose After Breathing: As the spirit opens up, lighter notes of citrus and orange mix with darker floral and cherry scents to complete the experience
Taste: Notes of saturated-oak and warm rye spice open the palate, allowing flavors of cherries, dark fruits, and baking spice to present fully – Fresh baked bread, toasted toffee, and a light corn meal dryness round out the rich flavors
Finish: Imparting a lighter than expected finish, this spirit’s bold flavors give way to a subtle warmth, notes of toasted grains, and a smokiness that proceed the mellowing of wood sugars and oak

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich salted caramel, raw honey, dark chocolate, oak, bit of raisins, cinnamon, leather and hint of smoke.
Palate:  Thick and chewy mouthfeel, caramel, black cherry, dark chocolate, honey, cinnamon and a bit of root beer.
Finish:  Long, thick with oak, cocoa and honey.
Comments:  This was absolutely my favorite of the three Calumet bourbons I sampled. The mouthfeel on this one is thicker, and the complexity is turned up a notch which you might expect with more age. Again, this one was less oaky/tannic than the 14 yr (and similar to the 15). A really lovely bourbon to sip before the fire on a winter night, which is how I’ll enjoy the remainder of this sample!

Rating: Must Try

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Calumet Farm Single Rack Black 15 Year Old Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Calumet Farm Single Rack Black 15 Year Old Bourbon
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

52.5% ABV
$120-140
Website
Calumet Farm Single Rack Black 15 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey

What the Producer Says

Calumet Farm Single Rack Black 15 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey is the pinnacle of the Calumet Farm Bourbon family. It represents the premium quality our brand is known for, as well as the hard-earned badge of patience. Allowing our bourbon to age slowly in Kentucky-only rick houses is a testament to doing things the right way – the way bourbon should be done. All barrels used to craft these rare batches are aged in a single, center cut rack. This expression of the Calumet Farm Bourbon family is our most aged and highest proof to date. It is Non-Chill Filtered for added depth of character and color.

Distilled/Aging Location: Bardstown, Kentucky
Batch Size: 19 Barrels (ea.)
Filtration: Non-Chill Filtered
Mash Bill: 74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% Malted Barley
Bottled By: Three Springs Bottling Company, Bowling Green, KY

TASTING NOTES
Color: Deep amber throughout with shimmering highlights of copper and sun-yellow
Nose Upon Uncorking: Notes of oak and wood char are notable
Nose After Breathing: Complex scents of dark fruit and sweet corn
Taste: Bold flavors of oak, aged spice and toasted grains are present while toffee and a subtle smoky-sweetness roll across the palate
Finish: A lingering finish mellows, leaving sweet tobacco and rye flavors with a slightly dry mouth feel

What Gary Says

Nose:  Caramel creams, oak, maple candies, chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg and cherries.
Palate:  Caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, cherries and clove.
Finish:  Moderate in length, drying with oak, baking spices and honey.
Comments:  Compared to the 14 year, the addition proof helps give this a bit more oomph with more cherries, and darker chocolate notes. The oak actually is less tannic than the 14 year which is a nice surprise (again, small batches can lead to more variation). This definitely has a thicker mouthfeel as well, and depending where you shop – is very similarly priced to the 14 year.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Lock Stock & Barrel 16 Year Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Lock Stock & Barrel 16 Year
Straight Rye Whiskey

53.5% ABV
$160
Website
Lock Stock & Barrel 16 Year Straight Rye Whiskey

What the Producer Says

Lock Stock & Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey is double distilled from a rare mash bill of 100 percent rye grain. A “robust cut” is selected by master distillers, then the unfiltered spirit is aged in new charred American Oak barrels in cold weather. Lock Stock & Barrel 16-year is a tightly woven fabric of aromatics, with notes that suggest roasted acorns, sour grass, wild cherries, stewed blackberry, dried pear and sassafras.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Christmas spice, cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, hints of clove and anise, sour oak, subtle orange zest, honey, bit of brown sugar and cocoa.
Palate:  Chewy and warm mouthfeel, chocolate orange, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, mint, pepper and oak.
Finish:  Long and damp with citrus, white pepper and honey.
Comments:  This is a really nice spicy rye! The oak is there as you’d expect with 16 years, but it isn’t overoaked. A bit of water brings out some eggnog on the nose, and orange bitters on the palate. While I miss the days of 7 year cask strength rye for $50 or less, in this market coming in at $10 a year for high proof rye with age is reasonable.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Dewar’s 12 Year vs Dewar’s 12 Year

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky / , ,

Dewar’s 12-Year-Old (older vs newer)
Blended Scotch Whisky

40% ABV
$25-30
Website

Comparing Older vs Newer Bottling

If the older one isn’t being made anymore, why bother? Well, when I posted a review in 2022 of the newer version, someone commented that they tried it and didn’t like it – preferring the older version. I hadn’t had Dewar’s 12 in ages, so I sought to find an older bottling in case this helps fans of the label with how they are different.  This comparison is from a couple of blind side-by-side comparisons, and is focused on the differences.

The Differences

 

Older
Newer
Package
Colored Glass Bottle

Dewar's 12 Year Blended Scotch older bottle

Clear Glass Bottle

Dewars 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky

What Gary Found Different

Older
Newer
Nose:Subtle with apples, vanilla, floral notes and malt.Richer with honey suckle, apples, pears, vanilla, peaches, subtle soft smoke with an earthy mineral note.
Palate:Creamy with a round mouthfeel, vanilla, malt, pears, apples, honey and a subtle earthy note.Creamy mouthfeel with more flavor intensity, fruity with peaches, kiwi, pears, apples and a bit of nutmeg.
Finish:Moderate in length, damp with honey and dried fruit.Moderate in length with vanilla, honey and fruit notes (pretty similar here).
Comments:Nothing off-putting here to me, but also nothing that really stands out. This reminds me of what I had thought ‘blended scotch’ was before I had experienced some truly remarkable blends (thanks Compass Box for opening my eyes there!)When I was sent a sample of this to review last year, I was really surprised by how much I liked it.  6 months after that review was posted, a reader remarked on it that he much preferred the old, so I sought a bottle of the older version out for just this tasting.  Glad I did, as I’ll sleep well knowing I don’t need to go and dusty hunt for them!  This is absolutely a step up in my opinion; more flavor depth and complexity for the same price?  Thank you Dewars!
Rating:
Average
Stands Out/Must Try

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