Must Try

Dalmore MacKenzie

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

The Dalmore MacKenzie Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
46% ABV/92 Proof
$150 to $175
Only 200 Bottles in the U.S. at specialty retailers

What the Distillery Says:
Limited to just 200 bottles in the USA, this malt commemorates a moment in time from 1263 when the leader of Clan MacKenzie, later owners of The Dalmore Distillery, saved King Alexander III from a charging wild stag. In gratitude, the King gave the MacKenzies the right to use the stag’s head on their coat of arms and it appears on every bottle to this day. The malt was distilled on December 17, 1992 and rested 12 years in new American Oak before being finished in port wine butts for six years – an unusual maturation for The Dalmore, which is most often finessed in sherry casks. The resulting spirit, encased in historical packaging depicting the moment, is a single malt for all MacKenzies (and a few, other fortunate souls) to remember and savor.

Color: Deep mahagony, highlighted with amber and ruby flashes
Nose: Warming and rich. Top notes of stone fruits and citrus melt into a focused core of plumy, Port compote, with subtle accents of ginger and almond. Enticing as it unfolds.
Taste: Unctuous and rich; envelops the tongue. Smokey, peaty flavors play out against the sweet fruitiness of dry oak and the port finish, leaving a wake of chocolate truffle and marmalade notes in decadent balance.
Finish: Long and warming, with Port flavors prevailing to lend a pleasantly sweet parting kiss to the fire of the malt.

What Richard Says:
Nose: The additional port pipe aging gives it a much richer nose in a family of already rich whiskies. Orchard fruits, ginger, and citrus shine through.
Palate: Oh damn that’s good! Very rich with a smoky palate that isn’t the norm for Dalmore. There are fruity sweet notes and some very nice chocolate in there.
Finish: Smokey, dry, oak, and the lingering note of a fine cigar.
Comments: I really like this one…A LOT. Given it’s price point right around the same as the standard 18 Year Old I’ll tell you to buy this over that every day of the week and twice on Sundays (if you can buy alcohol on Sundays where you live). The bad news is that only 200 bottle of this limited release came to the U.S. Given how much better this is for the same price and that it is a limited release it only underscores my assertion that the standard 18 Year is overpriced. I still have a hard time telling you buy this because it is a bit expensive. If it was $100 a bottle I’d tell you to buy the hell out of it. Regardless of price, this is a great whisky and if you have the opportunity definitely try it.
Rating: Must Try

We would like to thank Laura with The Baddish Group for providing us with review samples.

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Four Roses Mariage 2008

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

Four Roses Mariage Collection 2008 Release Barrel Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
53.9% ABV/107.8 Proof
$70
Collectible

What the Distillery Says:
2008 is the 120th anniversary of the Four Roses name. We’re celebrating with an exquisite limited edition small batch Bourbon – the first release in our Mariage Collection. From time to time, our Master Distiller will select a few exceptional barrels from our 10 Bourbon recipes and marry them by hand. He has married two to honor the day our Founder, Paul Jones, Jr., proposed to a beautiful Southern Belle. She replied that if her answer were “Yes,” she would wear a corsage of roses to the upcoming ball. Paul Jones waited excitedly the night. When she arrived, she wore a corsage of four red roses. He named his Bourbon “Four Roses” as a symbol of his passion for her.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Vanilla, candied apple, and berries
Palate: Sweet and spicy, like dipping a sugar cube in a Szechuan hot pot. The flavor is all spice, candied fruit, and berries.
Finish: Very oaky on the finish and all the heat on the palate dies down on the finish. Impressive for a barrel strength bourbon.
Comments: This particular mariage was a recipe of OBSV aged 13 years and 5 months mixed with a recipe of OESK aged 10 years and 10 months. No, this is no longer in production. There were two iterations of the Mariage release over 2008 and 2009. Beginning in 2010 it is now a “Limited Edition Small Batch” release. That just means they are using more than two recipes per bottling. This one was really very nice and call out saying “this is what small batch bourbon should taste like.” I love it. I’m sad that mine is all gone. Given the opportunity you should try it.
Rating: Must Try

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Willett Pot Still Reserve

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Willett Pot Still Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bottle No 225 of 248 from barrel 1688
47% ABV/94 Proof
$35 to $45
Available in select US markets

What the Distillery Says:
Handmade by master craftsmen using time-honored methods in the art of distilling, handed down from one generation to the next. Made from pure limestone spring water, carefully selected grains, and proprietary strains of yeast. Aged in new white oak casks until fully mature. Bottled by hand at the peak of perfection in taste, quality and aroma.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Very soft and buttery with something (no tobacco) that reminds me of an old humidor.
Palate: Very easy to drink. Smooth and very enjoyable. Typical bourbon notes of vanilla with a woody base and a hint of spice.
Finish: Goes down like velvet.
Comments: This is what bourbons like Basil Hayden’s should aspire to. Very nice all around. This isn’t the world’s greatest bourbon but it is definitely very nice at a great price. I really think bourbon fans should try it.
Rating: Must Try

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Redbreast 15

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review /

Redbreast Single Irish Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey Aged 15 Years
46% ABV
$75
Website

What the Distillery Says:
Unique among Whiskeys, Redbreast is a ‘single’, unblended, Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey which has been Triple Distilled and Matured in Oak Casks for not less than Fifteen Years. The uncompromising dedication to authenticity and Quality gives Redbreast a traditional smooth Mellow Character and a Taste which is Full Flavored and assertive but over Robust.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Malty, grassy, and herbal. It’s a little more muted on the nose than the 12.
Palate: A slight sweetness with balanced wood notes but hotter than the 12.
Finish: A little spicy with a good bit of oak and malty notes.
Comments: Redbreast 12 is a classic. So the 15 should be more so right? Well, it’s a very nice whiskey in the same vein as the 12 but not necessarily an improvement. It’s definitely an Irish you should try if given the chance but I don’t think it’s worth paying up for a bottle of this over the 12 Year Old.
Rating: Must Try

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Jameson 18 Year

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review /

Jameson 18 Year Old Limited Reserve
43% ABV/86 Proof
$85 to $95
Widely available in limited quantities

What the Distillery Says:
A true original, Jameson 18 Year Old Limited Reserve is an exceptionally balanced whiskey and is the elder statesman of the Jameson Family. Its mellow, complex taste and lingering finale of wood, spice and toffee have been deftly created by the Master Blender; his hand-picked selection of no fewer than three exquisitely poised whiskeys serving as the light, shade and foreground used to craft this unique blend.

Dutifully matured for no less than 18 years in a combination of bourbon and oloroso sherry casks, it’s given a final finish in fresh fill American bourbon barrels. Since its debut in 2002, stocks of Jameson 18 Year Old Limited Reserve have been, as its name suggests, limited. So any opportunity to enjoy this connoisseurs’ choice whiskey, in its individually numbered bottles, should be savoured.

Nose – Aromatic oils with a touch of wood, spicy toffee.
Palate – Wonderfully mellow and smooth, a mouthful of complex flavours – fudge, toffee, spice, hints of wood and leather, vanilla and a gentle sherry nuttiness.
Finish – A long, lingering finish carries the theme of the wood, spice and toffee right through to the end.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Honey, fresh grass, and sherry notes. After letting it sit I find it a bit oily with a buttery sweetness.
Palate: Very rich and slightly oily. Spice, vanilla, and delicate oak.
Finish: Slow and soothing. A little spicy with some of that buttery sweetness from the nose.
Comments: Jameson doesn’t monkey around too much with their range from expression to expression. By that I mean it’s easy to connect them and find an overall Jameson profile. That’s comforting and refreshing with the explosion of small runs and new finishes that while good, can sometimes mask the true nature of the whiskey. This particular express is insanely drinkable stuff. You really need to try it.
Rating: Must Try

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