Must Try

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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10th Street Distiller’s Cut Single Malt American Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

10th Street Distiller’s Cut Single Malt
American Whisky

44% ABV
$65
Website
10th Street Distillers Cut Peated Single Malt
We would like to thank 10th Street Distillery and Feature M for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Distiller’s Cut is a malt lover’s dream. We stick to Old World tradition for our boldest, smokiest whisky using all copper stills, imported Scottish barley, and age it in bourbon barrels. This Scottish American fusion hints of citrus and berry while delivering a woody, earthy, and smoky statement.

TASTING NOTES
Nose: Sour nose with bright citrus, vanilla, and peat; heavy mesquite smoke
Color: Golden
Palate: Sweet high notes of blackberry, brown sugar, honey, and molasses; bran cereal, burning chocolate.
Finish: Smooth and lingering on the sides and back of the tongue

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich and fruity, peat smoke, green oak, broiled meat with sea salt; bit of water brings out more earthiness and mineral notes.
Palate:  Vanilla, caramel, apples, peat, a bit of peanut butter, nutmeg and pepper; bit of water really thickens the mouthfeel nicely.
Finish:  Moderately long with peanut butter, peat and apples.
Comments:  This was a clear step up from the Peated Single Malt in my book. I’ve gotten ‘peanut’ in drams before (Jim Beam’s house style has a peanutty tang to me), but this was different. I think this is probably the best two year old whisky I’ve tried (bottle states “whisky aged at least two years in reused cooperage”). In a blind side by side, this was clearly similar to the Peated Single Malt, but more rich and thick. I do hope that they mature some of this further (and consider bottling at a higher proof). If you’re a whiskey geek and looking to try something unique (and especially if you’re in the San Jose area), I’d definitely look to try this one.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Compass Box Gold Standard

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Compass Box Gold Standard
Blended Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$140
Website
Compass Box Gold Standard Blended Scotch Whisky

What the Blender Says

In the spirit of artistic collaboration, we had been working with Binny’s Beverage Depot on a whisky for several years, and were delighted to release Gold Standard as part of their 70th anniversary celebrations. The original Binny’s stores, opened in Chicago in 1948, were called Gold Standard. We thought it a fitting name for this collaboration.

NOTE: Compass Box only includes the above brief mention on their web-site; the following details were scraped together from other sources.
Release: April 2018
Availability: Less than 1,000 bottles at Binny’s only
The blend is made up of mainly Clynelish single malt and 28 year old Port Dundas single grain whisky, as well as a small proportion (6%) of teenage Ardbeg and Caol Ila.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich with dark fruits – raisins, plums, baked apples, a tropical note of coconut husk, pipe tobacco, hints of lemon with a subtle earthy/peaty note.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, fruity with raisins, apples, pears; honey, vanilla, bit of caramel, nutmeg, allspice, a hint of peat.
Finish:  Long with vanilla and orchard fruit.
Comments:  A lovely, complex dram.  Exceptionally well balanced.  Unfortunately I’m not anywhere near a Binny’s to pick one up.  I tasted this during the same round as the Compass Box Rogues’ Banquet, and I liked this damn near as well as that – although this  up to $100 less (not that $140 is cheap).  Again, value is completely subjective, but if I had $240 to spend – I’d pick up this and put the rest towards another really nice whisk(e)y.

Rating: Must Try

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Compass Box Rogues’ Banquet

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Compass Box Rogues’ Banquet
Blended Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$220 – $240
Website
Compass Box Rogues Banquet Blended Scotch Whisky

What the Blender Says

When we conceived the idea for Rogues’ Banquet last year, we felt that a collection of our favourite Compass Box personalities and an opulent liquid would be the ideal means by which to begin our 20th anniversary celebrations. We could not have known that, by the time our whisky arrived in the parts of the world that had placed orders for it, all get-togethers would have to be put on hold. For a while – we trust not forever.

Rogues’ Banquet is made for the gourmands and the hedonists who have accompanied us for the last 20 years. The label shows a fantastical depiction of the kind of gatherings we hope to have in the future when we have all overcome these present circumstances.

To create Rogues’ Banquet, we have combined malt whiskies from the Miltonduff, Clynelish and Glen Elgin Distilleries with grain whisky from the North British Distillery. Rogues’ Banquet offers an opulent array of textures as well as flavours, from tropical fruits to stem ginger and toffee.

The whisky has been dispatched; it will start to appear on shelves around the world soon. Whenever the right time to open a bottle of Rogues’ Banquet arrives, to share and enjoy it with suitable exuberance, we will be with you. In the meantime, please support your communities.

FLAVOUR PROFILE
Rogues’ Banquet boasts flavours of softened tropical fruits, stem ginger and pastry cream. Fragrant yet full-bodied, it has a long and satisfying finish.

Not Chill-Filtered
Natural Colour
A limited edition of 5,267 bottles.
February 2020.
Lead Whiskymaker: James Saxon

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, creamy, musky and fruity, a comfortable leather chair in an oak paneled library; apricots, figs, apples, pears, peaches, hint of mango, gentle spices with almonds.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel with apricots and papaya, a nutty spice note with nutmeg, pepper, and orange bitters.
Finish:  Long, slightly drying with cracked pepper, oak and dried fruit.
Comments:  Ok, I’m definitely biased when I read ‘Compass Box’ on the label because much of what they put out there I enjoy either a little or a lot. This is a deliciously complex dram, like so many others they produce. But many others are less expensive. If this was $125-$150, I’d be all over it. Price/value is an individual decision – I can’t say it isn’t worth it; only that there are other whiskies they’ve put out for much less that I liked a lot. This takes water well, but at 46% ABV doesn’t need it.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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