Must Try

Tomatin 18 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky / , ,

Tomatin 18 Year
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$90 – $100
Website
Tomatin 18 Year Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distillery Says

The Tomatin 18 Year Old is a truly world class malt. Matured in traditional oak casks and first fill Oloroso Sherry butts, honey and soft oak flavours develop into a hint of dark chocolate with a citrus bite before a sustained sweet and slightly dry finish.
Non-chill Filtered
Aroma: Orchard fruit, cinnamon, vanilla, maple syrup with just a hint of smoky heather.
Palate: Deliciously sweet, citrus and dark chocolate with a slightly oaky edge.
Finish: Long, sweet and slightly dry.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich fruit notes of apricots, figs, caramelized grilled peaches, subtle baking spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, hint of maple syrup, oak, subtle floral notes.
Palate:  Thick and creamy mouthfeel, rich , sweet with blood orange, peaches, plums, dark chocolate, toffee, a touch of cinnamon and oak.
Finish:  Moderately long, slightly drying with cocoa and fruit.
Comments:  This is delicious. Like the 12 yr, this is finished (not fully matured) in sherry which gives it a lovely balance. I appreciate the higher proof and non-chill filtration.
Age isn’t everything, but this is a great value for an 18 yr single malt (and I like as well as others that are 20-30% more expensive).

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try/Great Value

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Old Forester Bonded (Dusty; DSP-KY-414 circa 1980s)

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

Old Forester Bonded
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Dusty; DSP-KY-414 circa 1980s

50% ABV
Market $ varies
Old Forester Bonded Bourbon Whiskey
Note the image above is not from the same bottle sampled, but has the same ‘dimples’ on the side.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Spicy oak, caramel, butterscotch, tapioca, bit of dark fruits, raisins, chocolate, a hint of fennel.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel, sweet caramel, vanilla, nutty milk chocolate, touch of pepper; bit of water brings out the butterscotch and toffee.
Finish:  Moderate in length, wet with caramel and pepper spice.
Comments:  First, this is really dark in the glass. While ‘Bonded’ means it is at least 4 years old (along with a bunch of other requirements), coming from the 1980s this has older bourbon in the batch. I love these dusty Old Foresters – just delicious. Keep in mind this wasn’t a ‘super-premium’ pour back in the day, but also not a bottom shelfer by any stretch. I’ve seen bottles like this go for hundreds of dollars at auction, and while I really like it – I’d never pay that kinda money for it. If you have the chance to drink someone else’s though – I’d absolutely try it. In fact, when it comes to dusty whisk(e)y, I’d rarely turn down a chance to taste some history!

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Longrow 18 Year

/ / Campbeltown, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Longrow 18 Year
Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$180 – $200
Website
Longrow 18 year old

What the Distillery Says

Dark and slightly mysterious, our 18-year-old Longrow has a complex nose that unearths a peaty aroma reminiscent of dunnage warehouses.

Nose: A complex nose: Sweet fruits, citrus, peaches and orange zest at first before a gentle earthy peaty aroma reveals itself.
Palate: Rich and very, very tasty. Well balanced. Dark chocolate, creamy coffee and gingerbread to the fore, followed by rhubarb and vanilla custard.
Finish: Long and sweet, a hint of typical Longrow peat smoke combined with more chocolate and some dried fruits.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Thick, rich sherry, barbecue brisket, subtle peat, plums, poached pears, orange, vanilla, worn leather, oak, pipe tobacco smoke.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel with vanilla cream, grilled peaches, peat, sherry, cocoa, walnuts, pepper and allspice.
Finish:  Long with a nutty note of plums and peat smoke.
Comments:  A really lovely dram! Beautifully balanced with peat, fruit, smoke and a bit of spice. Reading their tasting notes and taking another sip – I do get coffee with a fair dose of cream now. This is a limited bottling, so a price of $200 isn’t unreasonable. Sure, there are some whiskies for less dough that I like as well (maybe even better), but not many. For a single malt, this has the complexity and balance of the better blends (if tasting blind, I would have wondered if maybe this was a Compass Box offering without any Clynelish in the mix). Thanks to Paul for the sample of this really delightful dram!

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / , ,

Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Rye
Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

Comparing Different Barrels

57.5% ABV
$45 – $50
Website
Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Rye

What the Distillery Says

Unblended rye whiskey from a one-of-a-kind barrel chosen by your local retailer based on a sampling of our finest barrels.

Why Compare Two Different Barrels?

First off – it’s fun! But also because I thought it would be interesting to show just how different two barrels can be – and I happened to have both opened at the same time, so why not.

The Barrel Details

Barrel “A”
Barrel “B”
Picked By
Gourmands InternationalDeKalb Bottle House
Barreled On
12/10/20121/28/2014
Bottled On
7/17/20185/9/2019
Age
5 Years, 7 Months5 Years, 3 Months
Warehouse, Floor
Whse F, Floor 9Whse W-E, Floor 4

What Gary Says

Barrel “A”
Barrel “B”
Nose:Herbal, dill, lemongrass, toasted lemon zest, oak; a tad hot and sharp – water brings a maple and honey note with brown sugar.Rich, herbal with dill, thyme, fennel, orange zest, bit of brown sugar; water brings honey, vanilla and more orange.
Palate:Sharp, vanilla, orange, pepper spice, oak; water tamps the edges bringing more caramel and orange marmalade, and thickens the mouthfeel nicely.Thick mouthfeel, vanilla, honey, orange, chocolate, pepper slowly comes in with cinnamon and nutmeg in tow; water brings caramel, more orange, tamps the chocolate a bit and thickens the mouthfeel further.
Finish:Short to moderate in length, with oak and pepper.Moderately long with orange spice, oak and cinnamon
Comments:Rye can be quite good at a young age. This spent its time on the 9th floor, so a lot of heat up there. Not quite over-oaked, but definitely on the oaky end of the spectrum. I’m not a big fan of ‘oak bombs’, and this is nearing that for me. It improves a LOT with water (neat this would be squarely in the ‘Average’ bucket).This was bottled about a year after the other, and while a similar age it spent its time in the middle of the rickhouse. Every barrel is unique, but I think a fair amount of the difference is likely attributed to that location. Just delightful! Of course I know some of the folks involved in picking barrels for DeKalb Bottle House, and they’ve got good taste – so this side by side wasn’t a big surprise to me. A really nice rye at a great price.
Rating:
Average/Stands Out
Stands Out/Must Try

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Glenmorangie Signet

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Glenmorangie Signet
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$175 – $250
Website
Glenmorangie Signet

What the Distillery Says

A fusion of unique and rare elements, and clouded in secrecy, Signet is the culmination of a lifetime’s experience. A blend of our oldest whisky and spirit matured in a selection of the world’s finest casks, this undoubtedly is the richest whisky in our range.

Of course, whilst the exact secrets of its production are known only to our whisky creators, we can tell you that Signet’s melting sweetness and explosive spiciness is, at least in part, caused by our unique roasted ‘chocolate’ barley malt and the ‘designer casks’ made bespoke for Glenmorangie from American white oak. Non chill-filtered

Aroma: A strong Aruba espresso fused with a treacly plum pudding, rich with sherry, and candied orange peel.
Taste: A contrast of rich sweetness with an explosive crackle of sizzling spices and bitter mocha.
Finish: A fresh spring-like breeze of mint with a bright citrus lemony-green quality.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich and oaky, plums, black cherry, raisins, figs, blood orange, dark roast coffee, honey, fruitcake, hint of anise and a slight touch of balsamic.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sweet with oranges and peaches, chocolate, allspice, pepper, a touch of cinnamon and cocktail bitters.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with a slight citrus note over herbal undertones.
Comments:  While Glenmorangie isn’t my favorite distillery, this is pretty delicious.  More spicy than your standard Glenmorangie for sure, which I enjoy.  Easily one of my favorites from this distillery, although wow – they sure are proud of it.  I think that their Quinta Ruban (either 12 yr or 14 yr version) is pretty tasty, and a really solid value.  While I definitely like this better – I guess I’m too cheap (no news flash to those who know me!)

Rating: Must Try

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