Must Try

Westland American Single Malt

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

Westland American Single Malt Whiskey
46% ABV
$75
Website
westland-american-single-malt
What the Distillery Says:
A flagship malt is the core expression of a distillery’s house style. Westland’s American Oak is a reflection of where it is made and the collective intent of those who made it. When we founded Westland Distillery, we had a vision for an entirely new category of whiskey. Distilled from the rich, flavorful barley of Washington State and matured predominantly in new American oak casks in the steady, cool humidity of our seaside home, this whiskey is a testament to that vision. All of these choices and ingredients conspire to create an approachable, mature and uniquely American single malt that can stand with the best whiskies in the world.

The initial nose provides lemon and orange custard backed by freshly produced waffle cone. Shortly after, a rich creaminess emerges with creme brûlée and chocolate custard while a hint of jasmine hides just beneath the surface. The first sip confirms the creamy and rich fruit custard notes of the nose, adding an element of rainier cherries. After five minutes, melting swiss chocolate is revealed with a hint of almond. Extended tastings brings out bananas and cream with Turkish coffee.

GRAIN BILL:
Washington Select Pale Malt
Munich Malt
Extra Special Malt
Pale Chocolate Malt
Brown Malt

CASK TYPE(S):
Cooper’s Select New American Oak
Cooper’s Reserve New American Oak
First Fill Ex-Bourbon

YEAST STRAIN: Belgian Brewer’s Yeast

FERMENTATION TIME: 144 Hours

What Gary Says:
Nose: Young malt, lemongrass with some floral notes over peach and sea air.
Palate: Slightly creamy mouthfeel with apricot, peach, and honey over gentle spice(like mincemeat pie dialed down by half).
Finish: On the short-side, and wet (but pleasant).
Comments: A well done malt – I find it nicely balanced and approachable. Nothing off-putting about it, although it left me wanting more (as in – this same whiskey but maybe with another couple of years, and a few more points of proof). It is pretty tasty, although a tad on the thin side. For the price, unless you’re a whiskey geek who wants to try and support American Single Malt (a noble cause to be sure!), there are a lot of Scotch single malts that deliver more flavor for less. But that is the price of being an early adopter. This is a finely crafted whiskey, and shows a lot of potential. It isn’t trying to be Scotch-like, but clearly is a single malt. I haven’t tried their other offerings, but this sample definitely has gotten me interested in looking!
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Rich and sweetly floral. There are background notes that are slightly meaty and also brandy like.
Palate: Delicate and well balanced. The sweetness here reminds more more of a cognac than a scotch. Poached stone fruits come to mind.
Finish: A little peppery and slightly hot but a few drops of water smooths that out.
Comments: Yeah, I’m the guy that typically hates American craft whiskey. I find it uninspiring, poorly put together, young, and over priced. That is a broad generalization but I am hard pressed to find exceptions to those descriptors. This however, would be one such exception. This is a delicious whiskey. It’s unique, well balanced, and it doesn’t show its youth at all. That said, you need to approach this on it’s own merits and don’t go looking for a scotch clone. If anything, this reminds me more of a nice brandy rather than a single malt scotch. My only complaint is the price. I know it’s tough for the new guys to sell their product with all that start up cost to recuperate but damn there are a lot of nice $75 bottles of whiskey out there. Hopefully, as Westland gains scale they will be able to target a more reasonable price point.
Rating: Must Try

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Jack Daniels Barrel Proof

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Jack Daniels Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey
66.35% ABV
$65
Website
single_barrel_barrel_proof_01
What the Distillery Says:
It’s whiskey as nature intended it—bottled straight from the barrel at its full proof. Intense, smooth, and remarkably varied, Barrel Proof is bottled at anywhere from 125 to 140-proof, taking Jack’s trademark vanilla and toasted oak flavors to bold new levels.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Hot, rich sweetness, honey, cinnamon, hints of banana and sticky toffee pudding.
Palate: Thick mouthfeel, sweet but biting with vanilla, caramel apple, and over-ripe bananas with candied pralines. Water tames the heat, and brings some notes of maple syrup.
Finish: On the short side and drying.
Comments: This won’t be mistaken for your daddy’s Jack Daniels – but at the same time is unmistakably “Jack”. That Lincoln County Process mellowing is there throughout, along with the bananas (which I particularly enjoy) – but there is a lot more going on. When I learned that they were offering a barrel proof Jack Daniels, my whisk(e)y geek neck-hairs stood at attention. I bought the first bottle I saw, and wasn’t disappointed. If you’re a fan of Jack Daniels, I’d definitely recommend this whiskey. If you’re not because you find Jack “too sweet” compared with bourbon, I’d still recommend you try it if you have a chance. It might surprise you.
Rating: Must Try

What Richard Says:
Nose: Fiery and rich. Viscous sweets of melted cinnamon Red Hots, caramel, and banana pudding.
Palate: Even richer and more viscous on the palate than the nose. It’s so oozingly sweet that it delays the heat from the barrel proof alcohol. Praline pecans, toffee crisps, vanilla cream candies.
Finish: Uncomplicated and dominated by the heat of the alcohol. With water it’s more muted and short.
Comments: Wow! This one is hot but delicious. It takes practice to get the water dilution just right but when you do its syrupy sweet and rich as hell. This is everything good about Jack Daniels with none of the bad stuff. A fine dessert whiskey.
Rating: Must Try

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Jack Daniel’s Silver Select

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Jack Daniel’s Silver Select Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey

50% ABV
$55 to $65
Website
Jack Daniels Silver Select TN Whiskey

What the Distillery Says:

Bottled in Bond at 100-proof so you can experience the full depth and intensity of its rich flavor. This smooth, aromatic Tennessee Whiskey is only available in select duty-free airports around the world.

Richard’s aside: It’s worth noting that this is no longer called “Silver Select”. Since I bought my bottle Brown Forman has rebranded this edition in conjunction with their other Jack Daniel’s single barrel offerings (Single Barrel, Barrel Proof Single Barrel, Single Barrel Rye) and this now “Single Barrel 100 Proof” and carries the “Bottled in Bond” distinction. It’s availability in Travel Retail only remains.
s16140

What Gary Says:

Nose: Thick, rich, mellow with raisins, vanilla, caramel honey, and hints of anise, clove (and yes, bananas).
Palate: Rich/sweet fruit (raisins, figs) with a bit of a sharpness, but not as much spice as the nose advertises.
Finish: Short to moderate in length.
Comments: Another that is unmistakably related to its standard bearer, although I thought this several steps up from Old No. 7 (several more so than Jim Beam Bonded is over Jim Beam White Label). Fairly dark whiskey, so at only 100 proof I expect that this either has a few years of extra age on it, or was aged really high up (and maybe both). I think this is my second favorite Jack Daniel’s I’ve ever tried (below the Single Barrel, Barrel Proof). I wish this was more widely available (no mention of it on Jack Daniel’s web-site, and from what I can see on-line, this is a travel retail offer only). If you are a fan of Jack Daniels, I think this is hands-down a “must try” (maybe a “must buy”, but not sure what the true price tag is). I know if I see one for $60 or less, I’m bringing it home.

Rating: Must Try

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Laphroaig PX Cask

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky / , ,

Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Scotch Whiskey PX Cask Triple Matured
48% ABV
$95 (liter bottle)
Website
lrgob.non12
What the Distillery Says:
PX Cask is the first to enjoy maturation in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, widely referred to as “PX” casks. Pedro Ximenez sherry is known to be naturally sweet made from dried Pedro Ximenez grapes.

The three types of barrels used in the maturation each impart a subtly different character, from American oak to Quarter Cask to Pedro Ximenez sherry. The last maturation in the ex-PX Cask provides the rich, sweeter and full bodied notes which perfectly complement the peat-smoke tang of Laphroaig, creating an expression which needs to be appreciated over time to fully explore.

Currently only available in Travel Retail.

COLOUR: Antique Gold
NOSE: From the bottle there is a nice sherry aroma of sweet sultanas and raisins with a hint of sweet liquorice and only the slightest tang of peat. Adding a little water brings out the marzipan and almond aroma with a counterpoint of creamy nuts and lots of ripe fruits but again there’s only the slightest tang of peat smoke.
BODY: An intense and profound deepness
PALATE: Without water a massive explosion of peat fills the mouth with huge amounts of oakiness only just moderated by the sweeter heavy sherry flavour. Adding a touch of water only slightly moderates the massive peat reek which very slowly fades and just allows a little of the sweeter sherried flavours to come through although there is always that burst of peat smoke that dries the mouth.
FINISH: Concentrated peat and thick sherried oak with a deep dryness

What Gary Says:
Nose: Sherry, seaweed, peat, smoke, subtle medicinal notes, rich.
Palate: Silky mouthfeel, sherry sweet w/ trademark Laphroaig peat & sea-air saltiness, subtle spice with smoke.
Finish: Moderate, peppery and drying.
Comments: The sherry finishing really tamps down the medicinal band-aid notes typically found with Laphroaig’s standard bearer 10yr. It isn’t the beast of peat that I do enjoy, but if you are a fan of Laphroaig and also a fan of Scotch aged in sherry, I would consider this a “Must Try”. I really enjoy this intersection, and only wish it was more widely accessible.
Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

What Richard Says:
Nose: Stewed stone fruits, Band Aids, bits of anise, and the smell of a campfire the morning after a light rain.
Palate: A nice inviting sweetness greets you before smacking you hard in the mouth with peat smoke, black pepper, and a dry woody flavor.
Finish: All peat, pepper, and wood on the finish. I’m a little surprised at the woody nature given the relative young age.
Comments: I like my Laphroaig like I like my coffee. No finishing, flavored syrups, extra foam, or funkiness. I find the 10 year old cask strength to be the epitome of the distillery. The more they “do” to that wonderful liquid the more that I move away. Quarter Cask is nice, Triple Wood is pushing it, Select is kind of nasty. This PX falls somewhere between the Quarter Cask and Triple Wood on my scale. Why would I move over there when the Cask Strength 10 year old is so damn good?
Rating: Average

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Talisker 10 Year

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 10 Years
45.8% ABV
$60
Website
talob.10yo
What the Distillery Says:
APPEARANCE Brilliant gold
NOSE Powerful peat-smoke with just a hint of sea-water saltiness, fresh oysters, and a citrus sweetness.
BODY Full.
PALATE A rich dried-fruit sweetness with clouds of smoke and strong barley-malt flavours, warming and intense. Peppery at the back of the mouth.
FINISH Huge, long, warming and peppery in the finish with an appetising sweetness.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Bright sweetness, stewed peaches and pears, subtle peat smoke with musty oak, sea air, cereal maltiness.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, honeyed sweetness with a hint of pears before a savory/ subtle pepper spice, pleasant earthiness, peat smoke.
Finish: Moderately long.
Comments: Very pleasant dram. Nicely balanced between sweet, smoke, earthy. Reminds me of the sea and the mountains, which I guess ultimately reminds me of Scotland. This dram has a bit of all that terroir (I’d say a bit of everything I love about Scotch, but the lack of sherry would make that an outright lie!) As I know smoke and peat might not appeal to everyone, I’m hesitant to say “Must Try”, but if you don’t really have a stance on that, or are just starting out with single malts – I would definitely encourage you give it a go!
Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

What Richard Says:
Nose: Rich, earthy, and smokey with a lovely sweetness in the background.
Palate: Smokey and slightly salty with a toffee like sweetness and malty backbone.
Finish: Pepper and brine linger as the other notes fade.
Comments: It sounds a bit pretentious but as the years progress I find it harder to find enjoyment in younger single malts. At 10 years old there are very few single malt scotches that I still enjoy. Talisker is one of those few. This is a delicious and robust malt that demands attention and offers layers of depth in return. As the price continues to climb in recent years it makes it harder to buy at 10 years but it is still very enjoyable.
Rating: Must Try

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