Must Try

SMWSA Cask No. 3.182

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, SMWSA Whiskies /

SMWSA Cask No. 3.182
Islay, Loch Indaal
46.4% ABV
Distilled August 1990
$145
US Allocation: 60 Bottles
Early August 2012 Outturn Release

What the SMWSA Says:
We found quite a bit of fruit on the nose – tinned pears, passion fruit and ‘someone peeling tangerines in the a recently painted hospital’ – in addition we enjoyed lavender, orange blossoms, patchouli, burnt paper, smoky bacon and well-kept stables – quite complex all in all. The palate had Elastoplasts and gauze bandages, star anise, walnut fudge, honeysuckle, nutty tobacco and baklava. Water brought freesias and parma violets, creosote and peat fires to the nose, while the palate became sweeter, developing slightly burnt treacle tart, sugar cane and dark chocolate coated marzipan with some coconut to finish. The distillery was built in 1779.

Drinking tip: A good barbeque or camp fire dram.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Ooooh creamy smokey yummy. Smoked bacon and ripe orchard fruits. I don’t like what water does to the nose on this one. It makes it a little too vegetal.
Palate: Sweet and spicy at first. Lots of honey. The spice is driving me nuts. I know I’ve had it before. It’s hot and peppery like some kind of southwestern Mex-fusion. Water makes it much more floral and peaty.
Finish: The finish plays out slow to a medium length. That honey sweetness lingers and slowly fades into the ember smoke of a camp fire the morning after.
Comments: After seeing the depth of notes the SMWSA puts out I’m a little intimidated. Well, we’ll see how it goes. 😉 [cough]Bowmore[cough] Honestly, assuming I’m correct about the distillery, this is one of the best glasses of malt from there that I’ve ever had. Very nice. This is a busy whisky with lots going on but you don’t get lost in the mix. It all plays very nicely together. Easily a must try dram.
Rating: Must Try

Review sample provided courtesy of the SMWSA and is available to society members through their website or 800.990.1991.

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Four Roses 2012 Limited Edition Single Barrel

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition 2012 Release
Barrel Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Warehouse SN, Barrel No. 81-2B, 12 Year Old OESK, 717 of 5178
52.5% ABV/105 Proof
$75 to $85
Website

What the Distillery Says:
For the 2012 Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition Release, we have once again hand-selected an uncut and non-chill filtered Barrel Strength masterpiece. This sophisticated, highly-nuanced 12-year old whiskey features a delicate smokey oak nose, creamy vanilla and caramel flavors, along with a smooth, long finish. Proof will range between 100.6-114.4.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Delicate smokey oak, ripe red cherries, nutmeg and hints of toasted almonds.
Palate: Caramel and vanilla, rich honey, cinnamon and brown sugar.
Finish: Smooth and long with soft undertones of toasted almonds.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Out of the bottle it’s classic Four Roses. Burnt caramel, honeysuckle, butter cookies, and rye spice. Water opens up woody notes and hints of licorice. There is also some mixture of aged tobacco and cedar that reminds me of a walk in humidor.
Palate: Brown sugar and rye spice. This bottle has a tenuous relationship with water. A little mellows it out and makes it really drinkable but it’s easy to put too much. At that point it’s like drinking Yellow Label.
Finish: It’s 52.5% ABV out of the bottle so it’s a little hot. With water it mellows nicely to oak, black pepper, and a little more licorice.
Comments: I wasn’t bowled over by last year’s release. I found it underwhelming and overshadowed by the small batch limited edition. This year’s OESK 12 Year Old really shines. I first got to try this at a lunch with Jim Rutledge several months ago and instantly knew they had something. A lovely expression of one of my favorite Four Roses recipes.
Rating: Must Try

I would like to thank The Baddish Group for sending me a bottle to review.

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Innis & Gunn Independence Day 2012

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Innis & Gunn Independence Day 2012 Oak Aged Beer
7% ABV
$12.99/4 Pack
Website

What the Brewer Says:
We are delighted to present this Limited Edition Innis & Gunn beer which has been brewed, matured and bottled to mark American Independence Day, the 4th of July 2012.

Scottish and American culture has been celebrated throughout the centuries, and has helped to shape the modern world. From the Declaration of Independence, which was influenced by our nations’ shared dedication to liberty and freedom, to modern day musicians, explorers and pioneers.

One of America’s National Symbols, ‘Uncle Sam’ is a real man of Scots decent. Samuel Wilson’s parents sailed to America from Greenock, Scotland. Samuel supplied the army with meat in barrels during the War of 1812-15. The barrels were prominently labelled “U.S.” for the United States, but the soldiers joked that the letters stood for “Uncle Sam.”

This beer, then, celebrates the Heritage, the Spirit and the Character of the people of America and the people of Scotland. It is a great collaboration of full-flavoured Scottish malted barley and mouth-watering, zesty American hops, all slowly matured in our brewery in Scotland.

Above all though, it celebrates our shared love of great beer!

Nose: Apple
Colour: Golden
Palate: Big hits of biscuit malt and citrus hops. Vanilla and oak come through, and become more pronounced as the beer warms.
Finish: An unusual balance of refreshment and complexity. Malty sweet with lingering fruit and oak.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Malty and fruity. It has some of that classic oak aged smell.
Palate: A round creamy vanilla sweetness jumps in first and then is chased out by a savory beef broth woody note.
Finish: A little fruity sweetness balances with oak but it’s surprisingly clean and short on the finish.
Comments: Admittedly, I’m not much of a beer guy. Most of my focus is in the realm of distilled spirits. That said, I really like this beer. I’m most pissed that it’s a limited edition. If I could find it regularly I’d be having these year round.
Rating: Must Try

I would like to thank Shannon Fischer with Handcrafted PR for sending a few of these beauties over for review. I’ll also be passing some along to our designated Whisk(e)y Apostle Beer Guru Sam the next time I’m in Atlanta. When I hear back from Sam I will post his thoughts too.

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Innis & Gunn Irish Cask

/ / Review /

Innis & Gunn Irish Whiskey Cask Oak Aged Beer
Scottish Stout Matured in Irish Whiskey Barrels
7.4% ABV
$12.99/4 pack

Website

I was contacted before St. Patrick’s Day about reviewing a new beer from Innis & Gunn. We don’t really do beer reviews here but when I hear it was a Scottish stout aged in Irish whiskey barrels my interest was piqued. For those of you not familiar with Innis & Gunn they make oak barrel aged beers. The founder, Master Brewer Dougal Sharp started quite by accident with a contract to season oak barrels with beer for a whisky producer. Somewhere along the way they tasted the “seasoning beer” and found it to be uniquely exceptional. Since then they’ve played around with a number of different casks and this is their latest.

Admittedly, I have nowhere near the experience with beer that I do with whisky. So in all fairness to the brewer I’m bringing in a pinch hitter on this one. My friend Sam is a mathematics and statistics guru, photographer, foodie, and more importantly a beer enthusiast with decades of experience. I’ve been dragging him down the slippery slope of whisky for a few years now but he still loves a tasty brew. He kindly agreed to help me out with this review.

What the Brewer Says:
Introduction
This special bottling of Innis & Gunn has been matured in rare oak barrels from a famous distillery in Ireland. These barrels had previously been used to mature one of the great triple distilled Irish whiskeys. The result of this unique maturation is a big, full flavoured, complex beer with a delightful warming finish.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Vanilla, Oak, Chocolate, Treacle
Colour: Black
Palate: Rich and intense dark chocolate
Finish: Complex and satisfying, with a lingering oaky sweetness.

Food Matches: Haggis, smoked venison and chocolate cake.

What Sam Says:
This has the consistency of a Lager (I’m thinking of the Guinness “Black” Lager because of its dark/black color) … it’s called a “Stout” but it’s not what I think of when I think Stout relative to the “thick” consistency… maybe the Scots do it differently?

My first impression is chocolate and it had me wondering if it would go well with some dark chocolate. I didn’t have any but I did have some lamb chops with a rather sweet olive tapenade. This beer complimented the food very well. Irish Whiskey Cask? The first thing I was looking for was the strong hints of whiskey, but I didn’t find it (and through my continuing education about whiskey, I did suspect that it might not be as evident as say a beer aged in a bourbon cask). Oddly enough, I was about half-way through the glass, and it was like “there it is!” So I drank some more. The effect of the Irish Whiskey Casks is faint, but I think that’s a good thing. There are some beers aged in whiskey casks that might as well have been a shot poured into the glass. This one complimented the beer and seemed to stay behind the curtain until it was ready to be introduced.

I would recommend this beer to my beer-loving brethren with confidence while knowing that Innis & Gunn is one of those polarizing brews (some love it … some hate it). My favorite Innis & Gunn is still the Rum Cask, but the Irish Cask is a solid #2 in their lineup.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Rich, malty, a little nutty
Palate: Chocolate sweetness like a dark chocolate of moderate cacao. Nutty with a little bite too it I don’t find in a lot of stouts. Over ripe apples that have gone a little mealy. Golden delicious or granny smith maybe.
Finish: Fresh warm rye bread, the aftertaste of fine aged English cheddar, and a berry fruitiness.
Comments: I don’t have the experience with Innis & Gunn that Sam does but I’ve also heard their beer can be a little polarizing. This is great stuff. Their cask aging gives the stout a sharpness and a layer of flavors that I haven’t seen much in other stouts. This one is a real winner.
Rating: Must Try
I would like to thank the folks at Handcrafted PR for sending over bottles for review.

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High West Double Rye Whiskey

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

High West Double Rye Whiskey
Batch no. 4 Bottle No. 510
46% ABV/92 Proof
$30 to $40
Website

What the Bottler/Blender Says:
Marriage of two straight rye whiskies that combines the feisty properties of a high rye 2-year-old and the saddle smooth richness of a 16-year-old. The 2-year-old has a 95% rye 5% barley malt mashbill. The older rye has a “barely legal” rye mashbill of 53% rye and 37% corn. The extra age and corn provides some extra sweetness to calm the “bite” of the younger rye for a relationship that works.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Pine needles, orange zest, licorice, and herbal tea.
Palate: Mellow in the mouth with notes of orange blossom honey and vanilla.
Finish: The finish is dry with lots of oak and black peppercorns. It’s not a very long finish but it’s forceful.
Comments: This is one of my favorites from High West. It’s very drinkable and the young and old ryes play off each other in very interesting way. This is must try for rye drinkers and something even non-rye drinkers should try not to pass up.
Rating: Must Try

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