Probably Pass

Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey

46% ABV
$45 (375mL)
Website
Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey

What the Distillery Says

Pot-Distilled From Rye Grain
Stored in New Oak Less Than Four Years
Hand Crafted and Bottled By:
Tuthilltown Spirits, Gardiner, New York

Our rye whiskey is known for its spiciness; its rich and shifting flavor and aroma. The spirit’s peppery start transitions to a honey-cinnamon depth. Note the butteriness that lingers after each sip. Needless to say, this spirit makes an incredible Manhattan.

What Gary Says

Nose: Young malted rye, oak, hints of a Manhattan cocktail with a bit of cinnamon and orange zest.
Palate:  Young rye, subtle cinnamon with hints of cocoa.
Finish:  Short and drying with a malted rye note.
Comments:  At first when I tasted this (which was from Drinks by the Dram, who listed this as “Hudson Manhattan Rye Spirit” – didn’t include the word ‘whiskey’ on their label), I thought it wasn’t just whiskey and might contain some vermouth – as it does come across very ‘Manhattan-like’. That said, I wouldn’t use this in a Manhattan as I think it would get lost, and it doesn’t bring that strong rye-character to the party. This tastes like young rye, and malted rye (reminds me more of young American single malt I’ve tried than young rye whiskey).  It also does have that ‘small barrel aged’ taste – but to a lesser degree (am guessing that some is aged in smaller barrels, but probably not all).  Normally I’d say that there isn’t anything objectionable, but I find the price to be just that – and hence my rating of ‘Probably Pass’ versus just ‘Average’. If I was going to walk into a store and spend $45 on a bottle of rye – this wouldn’t be it. Also, one of my pet peeves are poorly maintained web-sites. Theirs mentions to try the ‘Hudson Manhattan’ recipe listed in the recipes section on their website. Two issues here: first, there isn’t a ‘recipes’ section (but most will figure out the ‘Cocktails’ section is what they meant); second – there is no ‘Hudson Manhattan recipe! You can filter by this whiskey, and there are three cocktails – two of which are Manhattans (The Jazz Manhattan & The Perfect Manhattan).

Rating: Probably Pass

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Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey

43% ABV
$40 – $45
Website

What the Distillery Says

Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey A Blend
Deep honey-amber hue with warm, pronounced aromas of under-ripe banana and brown sugar, with spicy notes of white pepper and toasted sesame. Light body with warm texture and long sweet oak, vanilla finish with a touch of bitterness to balance. Reminiscent of a slice of toasted rye bread with honey drizzled on it.

We mash, ferment and distill a lot of Bourbon in house. Our blend of Bourbon Whiskeys also consists of Barrels selected from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana chosen for their unique qualities, heritage, and ability to marry in our blend, always made from a high-rye mash bill.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Freshly baked and buttered cornbread with honey drizzled atop, vanilla, oak with pine trees.
Palate: Starts sweet, thin mouthfeel of cornflakes, vanilla and honey that sharpens with some oak and spice.
Finish:  Short and fleeting, with drying oak notes.
Comments:  This tastes like young bourbon to me, not that there is anything offputting about it – but nothing that would leave me wanting another pour. After making my notes, I decided to try this blind against Old Forester 86 proof, and it was no contest for me preferring the Old Forester. While not offputting, at this price point I can’t in good conscious consider it even average.

Rating: Probably Pass

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Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whisky

46% ABV
$40
Website

What the Distillery Says

A TRUE ORIGINAL
The first Texas whisky on the market since Prohibition, Baby Blue is crafted from roasted heirloom blue corn. This rich and oily maize adds new sophistication to the corn whisky tradition while keeping the freshness and verve of classic American distilling. Intentionally youthful, Baby Blue captures the essence of this prized corn with a round nuttiness, roasted overtones and refined complexity. The mouthfeel is viscous with a soft finish. A true Texas original that we are delighted to share with the world.

NOSE: melted butter, kettle corn, vanilla, toffee, cinnamon and nutmeg, fresh bread and honey, fresh ground coffee, baking chocolate
TASTE: tropical fruit, slight apricot, brown sugar, cotton candy, sweet tea with lemon, smoked chilis
FINISH: medium long warming, late cinnamon/leather spice, mint and green peppercorns

What Gary Says

Nose:  Warm, fresh corn tortillas, corn bread with loads of butter, buttered popcorn with some oak and smoke throughout; a bit on the sharp side.
Palate:  Thin mouthfeel, creamed corn with sugar and a subtle honey note.
Finish:  Short with notes of buttered popcorn.
Comments: The nose is interesting, not super ‘sweet’ like some other corn whiskies, but a more savory corn nuance. The palate is pretty unremarkable for me; my initial thought is that it is fairly ‘doggy’ (if you’re familiar with white dog). This is aged “at least 6 months”, and while the nose is intriguing, its youth is very apparent on the palate. I get that the heat in Texas might make this way too oaky given the age we typically see in a more northern climate. But then maybe the warehouses need to have some level of climate control to prevent that? Or ‘Texas’ whiskey will have that heavy oak influence as a characteristic? I’ll admit – I’m not a huge corn whiskey fan. But when you can get a bottled-in-bond corn whiskey for $15 or so, I can’t imagine where I’d spend $40 on a 6 month old bottle.

Rating: Probably Pass

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Winchester Extra Smooth Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Winchester Extra Smooth Bourbon

45% ABV
$20
Website

What the ??? Says

[Other than this is made by Terressentia and is available at Total Wine (presumably exclusively there), nothing. Really. We tried to find more info on their web-site with no success.]

What Gary Says

Nose:  Candy corn, young, corn syrup.
Palate:  Corn, a touch of honey and vanilla with a hint of oak.
Finish:  Short and forgettable.
Comments:  Full disclosure – I bought a 50 mL bottle of this with very low expectations; mainly because someone whose opinion I respect was rather impressed (although I think that was with the Winchester Straight Bourbon) with it. I don’t know that our tastes line up that closely, which just goes to show you different strokes for different folks. This is aged for 6 months per the label, and it tastes like it was aged for about that long; barely any color and closer to a white dog than a bourbon. Don’t get me wrong – corn whisky is a fine product, but I’d go out and buy a bottle of Mellow Corn if I was in the mood for that (plus, it would be cheaper, is aged 4 yrs, is 50% ABV . . . need I go on?)

Rating: Probably Pass

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Clan Macgregor Scotch Whisky

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Clan Macgregor Scotch Whisky

40% ABV
$11
Website

What the Blender Says

The Taste
Fifteen of Scotland’s finest malt and select grain whiskies from the Scottish highlands, lowlands and the heart of Speyside have been skillfully blended to create the smooth and mellow, award winning flavour of Clan MacGregor. The result is a high quality, light and fragrant whisky with a well-balanced, smooth, mellow taste that resonates with whisky drinkers across the world.
Explore the flavours and aromas from one of the finest blended Scotch whiskies.
COLOUR: Straw gold
NOSE: Distinctive sweetness, vanilla, malted, drying, hints of smoke
TASTE: Rich, grainy sweetness, hints of dry smoke, baked apple, biscuity, smooth, malty, lingering
FINISH: Long, clean, delicate sweetness

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sweet malted grain, slightly sour vegetal grain note with sea weed/salted sea air brine; hint of alcohol.
Palate:  Thin mouthfeel; young, sweet malty grain.
Finish:  Short and forgetful.
Comments:  I’m a big believer in thoroughness, including exploring the bottom shelf/value brands – at least once if only to appreciate the difference (and sometimes re-visiting later is helpful). I hadn’t ever explored this area in Scotch, so figured it was about time. Sometimes that journey is a pleasant surprise that finds something you really enjoy, and value above the already inexpensive price tag. This wasn’t one of those. This fit squarely in my expectations. Nothing objectionable, but nothing that left me wanting more.

Rating: Probably Pass

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