Must Try

Ledaig Signatory 9 Year

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Ledaig 9 yr Cask Strength
(Signatory, 1st fill sherry butt, cask no 900146)
56.8% ABV
$90
Website

What the Seller Says
A nine-year-old Ledaig from Signatory as part of the Cask Strength Collection. Distilled in 2005, this peated whisky was aged in a first-fill sherry butt, a combination that has produced superb indie bottlings.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Thick sherry with dark fruit, peat, smoke and sea air.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel, sweet peat, sherried stewed fruit, molasses with a sharp pepper bite.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with some pepper spice.
Comments:  I bought this on a recommendation that I seek out young Ledaig in sherry. I’m glad I listened, as this is delicious! While this doesn’t need water, it holds up well to it – maintaining the rich mouthfeel – and it subdues the pepper edge a bit. If you like smoke, peat, and sherry – I’d absolutely look for this or something similar.
Rating: Must Try

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The GlenDronach 8 Year Old The Hielan’

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

The GlenDronach 8 Year Old The Hielan’
46% ABV
$40-45
Website
(Important note for those in the United States:  On the site’s landing page, select United Kingdom as the country or it will auto-direct by location, and you won’t see the content; I couldn’t find a way around that!  If it auto-selects United States, you may have to clear cookies/cache to be prompted)

What the Distiller Says
This single malt has been matured and married in a combination of the finest bourbon and sherry casks for at least 8 years. Non-chill filtered, of natural colour and bottled at 46%, The Hielan’ encompasses a unique combination of sweet, buttery aromas with spicy, sherry overtones. The Hielan’ is a tribute to the dialect spoken in the distillery’s surrounding area in the Scottish Highlands.

TASTING NOTES
APPEARANCE: Amber with a burnished copper glow.
NOSE: Rounded waves of orange blossom and a citrus twist flow over buttery, golden sultanas, sundried raisins and ripe yellow plums; all dusted with a touch of vanilla.
PALATE: Crisp, vibrant oak spices warm soaked sultanas, apricot jam and gingerbread; all rounded by delicate hints of butterscotch, cocoa and toasted almonds.
CONCLUSION: Classic sherry overtones with a contrasting crisp dimension demonstrate the complexity of the traditional Highland character.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Bright, sweet malt with orange, tangerine and hints of mango.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, orange creamsicle with hints of nutty spice.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, sweet with lingering spice notes.
Comments:  Damn, this is delicious!  8 years is on the young side for a single malt, and this one is lighter in color than the other 8 year Octarine – so I didn’t have high expectations going in.  Boy did I underestimate it.  Just a lovely pour; more on the sweet side but not overly so.  Dangerously drinkable (drinks to me like 40%), although cursing that I don’t see it available locally.  Not being full-on sherry, I think this allows the spirit to stand on its own a bit more, and it really does shine.
Rating: Must Try

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Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye 2018

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye (2018)
59.8% ABV
$60 – $70
Website

What the Distiller DOESN’T Say . . .
Anything. Seriously – I couldn’t find any mention of this new, exciting product on their website (Beam-Suntory or Knob Creek), their facebook page, etc. I’m baffled as to why – other than they expect this will sell out without the need to publish so much as a press release on it. So, sorry to report dear reader that I can’t share what they’d say about it.

What Gary Says
Nose: Sweet caramel drizzled tiramisu with toasted orange zest and subtle chocolate notes over fall leaves; a tad hot.
Palate:  Rich, warm sweetness with caramel and chocolate that skips a few gears and explodes into an orange spice zip with drying pepper spice.
Finish:  Long and drying w/ burnt pepper notes trailing off.
Comments:  The nose advertises a nice, semi-tame rye – which the palate starts to deliver before quickly erupting with a strong rye spice explosion. This isn’t age stated (the bottle says it was barreled in 2009, so assuming it was dumped late last year or early this year – it is in the 8-9 year range), and the label also doesn’t mention it is a “straight” rye whiskey – but sources indicate that it is despite not being labeled as such. Regardless of the precise age – this is a damn tasty whiskey. Rye with much age and proof is harder to come by today, and this makes me yearn for the days when I could walk in and pick up a 7 or 8 yr cask strength rye whiskey for $50 or $60. I was fortunate to pick this up for under $60, but even at $70, I would be pretty happy with it. I’m hoping this becomes an annual (or more frequent) release – and at the same price point!
Rating: Must Try

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Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year

53.5% ABV
$60
Website

What the Distiller Says

This wonderful bourbon is bottled as close to barrel proof as possible. We add just a splash of our Kentucky limestone well-water when we empty the barrels for bottling. Thus, this whiskey is as smooth as any you will find.

Tasting notes
See a rich, copper color. Smell enticingly sweet, spicy, caramel-nut-fudge aromas. Enjoy a fruity, medium-to full-bodied palate with intense dried fruit and toasted nuts notes. Each sip finishes with a very long, bold wave of peppery brown spices, floral honey and charred barrel flavors that balance the weight of the alcohol. It’s a big, bold, aged bourbon that has great balance for its high proof and flavor.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Dark chocolate, caramel, brown sugar, oak, allspice with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, slight musty smoke note; bit of water tamps down the sweet a bit, bringing more of the oak out.
Palate:  Warm, sweet with vanilla, caramel, cocoa before turning sharp with allspice and oak; some water tamps down the edge and brings out the caramel with a hint of raisins.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with a bit of pepper bite kicking in.
Comments:  For a wheated bourbon, this has more edge to it than I remembered. While I do like a couple of drops of water in almost anything, this drinks better for me closer to 90 proof than the 107 from the bottle. This used to be one of my favorite bottles out of Buffalo Trace – when I could pick it up for less than $40. At the MSRP of $60, I’m less of a fan (and unfortunately it is often sold much higher than that – both at retail and elsewhere). Price aside, there aren’t many wheaters at this age and proof, so if you’re a fan of wheaters, I’d definitely make sure you try this (although I’d seek it out at a bar first). Even if you prefer rye-recipe bourbons, this has more spice/edge than most wheaters and is probably something you’d enjoy.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Knappogue Castle 12 yr – Sherlock’s Private Selection

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review / ,

Knappogue Castle 12 yr (Sherlock’s Private Selection)
46% ABV
$40
Website

What the Bottler Says
BOURBON CASK MATURED
Knappogue Castle 12 year old, our signature expression, is an exceptional single malt made exclusively from malted barley. Triple distilled one batch at a time in traditional, onion-shaped copper pot stills, the whiskey is then aged in bourbon oak casks for twelve years. The delicate distillation process, along with the moist and temperate climate, yields the distinctive flavor of this remarkable Irish single malt.

AROMA: Rich and biscuity with notes of peppery spice.
TASTE: Mellow and well-balanced with a bright, elegant fruitiness and mild spice flavors.
FINISH: Medium, clean, and smooth.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Light, sweet malty cereal notes, sour dough bread with subtle oak.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel, a bit thicker than avg, sea air, sweet dried peach and pear, orange marmalade, sour oak and spicy.
Finish:  Moderately long and wet, with pepper notes.
Comments:  I’ll admit it – Irish isn’t my favorite category of whisky. Most nights, I find it too crisp and clean for my liking. This private barrel pick isn’t, which for me is a big plus (as well as a fine example of where a private selection can stand a cut above the standard label; I’ll share more thoughts on that later this week). I find it has much more character than the retail Knappogue Castle 12 yr. This selection was aged in Four Roses bourbon casks, and is bottled at 46% versus 40% – another positive in my book. It doesn’t state on the label or hang-tag that it is non-chill filtered, but it’s my opinion that this is likely the case based on the mouthfeel. This is a delightful dram, and while one private selection isn’t a guarantee how others will fare, if the others are bottled at this same proof and NCF – I would anticipate them to be similarly delicious.
Rating: Must Try; Great Value

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