Stands Out

Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Canadian Whisky
40% ABV
$60
Website
forty_creek_double_barrel_reserve_whisky_1
What the Distillery Says:
Notes from John Hall, Whisky Maker
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to purchase some outstanding bourbon barrels from Kentucky. These barrels are excellent for ageing whiskies because they are “seasoned”. This means most of the fresh harsh oak tannins have been removed and what remains is all the good stuff, such as the softer oak tannins, wood vanillas, sugars and the toasty, smokey, spicy aromas, as well as the caramelized flavours from the heavy charring of the inside of the barrel.

After ageing my rye, barley and corn whiskies in their own special barrels, I decided to bring them together as a meritage, and placed the three whiskies into the bourbon barrels. This double barreling allowed the whiskies to hang out together and take on the subtle qualities offered by the bourbon barrels to enhance the finishing of the whisky.

Tasting Notes
Forty Creek Double Barrel has a wonderful golden roasted aroma filled with deep vanilla notes and highlighted with toasted spice, pecan and walnuts. There is a caramelized creaminess to the flavour with a rich spice that lifts it off the tongue. The finish is very smooth, mellow and extra long.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Soft, maple syrup, bit of burning leaves over freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookies, rich with a hint of malt.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, syrupy sweet (but not viscous), maple candies, butterscotch, vanilla ice cream.
Finish: Moderately long and wet.
Comments: I prefer the nose on this over the Forty Creek Confederation Oak (I thought they were similar, but this one was much more rich with a bit more character). On the palate, this one crosses the “too sweet” line for me. Again, nothing off-putting unless you don’t care for sweet whiskey (but if that is the case, you’re likely not a big fan of most Canadian whiskey, eh!) If you like that sorta thing (maybe a big fan of Crown Royal?), this might be right up your alley! It certainly has more complexity, and is quite drinkable.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Slightly burnt caramel creams washed down with a vanilla malted milkshake.
Palate: Rich sweetness reminding me of vanilla fudge and toffee crisps. Cherry syrup, Frangelico, and Kahlua round out the palate.
Finish: A bit spicy with mild wood notes.
Comments: This whiskey is put together like their standard Barrel Select and then finished in ex-bourbon barrels instead of sherry barrels. It’s more of a vanilla forward version of that whiskey. It’s very pleasant and easy to drink. If you like lighter, sweeter whiskies then I would recommend giving this a try.
Rating: Stands Out

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RMW 40 Year Old Blended Malt

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Royal Mile Whiskies 40 Year Old Blended Malt Whisky
Bottle 62 of 337
47.1% ABV
$275
Website
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What the Blender/Bottler Says:
Quite frankly, we are delighted with our latest exclusive Royal Mile Whiskies bottling. Three excellent sherry cask matured single malts from the distilleries of Glenrothes, Macallan and Tamdhu have been gently married together to become probably the best value 40 year old malt whisky available in the world today. We’re confident that in this age where any whisky with forty years of maturation can cost big bucks, this simple but elegant bottle (nice label, no expensive box) of unctuous malt will bring big smiles to the faces of many whisky fans.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Deep rich baked dark fruits, oiled leather arm chairs, and a recently emptied humidor.
Palate: A good bit lighter and more delicate on the palate than you would expect with old sherry monsters like these blended in. Stone fruits, jarred cherries, dark chocolate, sherry, and oak. It’s very tannic forward like an old wine.
Finish: Wood and pepper dominate the finish.
Comments: No doubt that this is a very nice whiskey. The nose on this is stellar even if the palate is a bit underwhelming. By all means, if it is in your price range and you like old sherried malt then grab one if you can find it. However, it’s not a game changing old scotch by any means. The value proposition on this for 40 year old scotch is great. Also it’s nice getting to taste a bit of history. That, and being able to have one of only 337 bottles too I’m sure.
Rating: Stands Out

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Strathclyde Old Particular 1988

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Single Grain /

Strathclyde 1988 28 Year Old “Old Particular” Single Grain Scotch Whisky
(K&L Wines Exclusive)
58.2% ABV
$80
Website
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What the Retailer Says:
If there’s one thing we can help take credit for here at K&L, it’s been helping to remove the undeserved stigma associated with grain whisky in the Scotch industry. Maligned and misunderstood for years, it wasn’t until we started launching a number of 25-50 year old releases at ridiculously reasonable prices that hearts and minds began to change. When Nikka brought their delicious Coffey Still editions to the market and people saw just how fruity and delicious these corn and unmalted barley whiskies could be, we think grain whisky finally got over the hump. Crazily enough, today our single casks of grain whisky are some of the most anticipated by our customers. The 28 year old Strathclyde absolutely soaks up the vanilla from the oak barrel and brings loads of soft caramel along with it. At 58.2% there’s some power behind all that supple richness, which allows you to add ice or a bit of water.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Medicinal alcohol, very subtle floral/herbal notes with a bit of pepper spice; water opens up a bit of sweetness, but it remains fairly subtle and muted.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, sweet corn, molasses, a hint of vanilla and a vegetal note before sharpening; water brings the sweetness around to toffee without ruining the mouthfeel.
Finish: Sharpens, drying while lingering.
Comments: The nose is very understated; and a challenge to get past the alcohol – but improves with some water (which I’d advise at this proof). The palate is nice, and has that hallmark mouthfeel you get with older scotch – but it doesn’t have a lot of complexity. I was underwhelmed with my first taste, but have liked it a little more each time – and when the water is dialed in just right – it is a delightfully simple pour with a really nice mouthfeel. I hadn’t had a lot of single grain scotch, and couldn’t recall having any from this distillery before. If you’re looking for a 28 yr old single malt, this may disappoint – different whisky class for sure. But you’re not likely to find 28 yr old single malt at this price point either! Don’t regret this blind purchase for the experience, but not something I’d stock up on.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Buttercream and nail polish remover.
Palate: A fantastically rich, viscous, almost chewy whiskey with tons of vanilla cream and toffee candies.
Finish: Exceptionally muted. Without water you get a bit of heat and residual alcohol but with a splash it’s almost nonexistent.
Comments: This is a very odd whisky to experience. The taste is great but the nose is a bit off putting. The finish basically doesn’t exist so it’s hard to say that it helps or hurts the overall experience. For $80 though, it’s worth experiencing if you get the chance.
Rating: Stands Out

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Old Charter Proprietor’s Reserve

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

Old Charter Proprietor’s Reserve 13 Year Old
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (slope shoulder bottling)
45% ABV
$25 originally/highly collectible now
OCPR
What Gary Says:
Nose: Rich, vanilla crème brulee, toffee, soft oak, subtle anise and a hint of sherry; very nice balance.
Palate: Creamy/silky mouthfeel, rich vanilla, raisins, oak, subtle sherry, slight rye spice that builds up with hint of cinnamon.
Finish: Moderately long, nice and lingering.
Comments: This is a dusty bourbon, part of the Bourbon Heritage Collection released in the mid-1990s. I found this bottle in 2014, and paid $30 for it (when initially released, it was a few bucks cheaper – probably part of the reason it sat on the shelf where I picked it up for so long). Likely not to find again (unless you want to spend around $250), but if I saw it on a shelf – it would be a no brainer pick up for me. This is a delicious bourbon. I’m not a fan of Old Charter’s other products necessarily, but this is probably in my Top 10 of favorite pours. More often than not with a 90 proof bourbon, I think “If only this was at a higher proof”, but I think this is perfect the way it is.
Rating: Must Buy (at retail . . . )

What Richard Says:
Nose: This one starts off with a bit of a musty nose that makes me think of bourbons much older than 13 years like some of the Orphan Barrel releases. As it opens up a bit it comes through more as apple danishes, Boston Cream filling, and candied ginger but there is still quite a lot of wood and tobacco driven “oldness” to it.
Palate: Rich and delicate don’t often go together but they really jam here. Creamy, syrupy vanilla that rolls out seriously dry.
Finish: This finishes very dry and heavy on the wood.
Comments: Two of my best drinking buddy’s really love this bourbon. I really value their opinions (yes Gary is one of them) but this isn’t necessarily in my wheelhouse. This comes across too old and dry. It’s also one dimensional too. Intense in that dimension but one dimensional all the same. I find this interesting as a study in bourbon history and at the price that Gary found this one I would recommend picking it up but I wouldn’t pay collector prices for it.
Rating: Stands Out

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Colonel Taylor Barrel Proof

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey
67.7% ABV
$75
Website
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What the Distillery Says:
Crafted from hand-selected barrels, this bourbon is bottled directly from the barrel; uncut and unfiltered at more than 125 proof. It reflects the way whiskey was produced in the days before Prohibition, when Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. was the owner of Buffalo Trace Distillery. Drawn from barrels aged in warehouses constructed over a century ago under Taylor’s watchful eye, the taste is smooth, yet powerful and uncompromising, just like its namesake.

TASTING NOTES: The aroma of cooked berries meets the nose, followed by a rich caramel and slightly floral smell. The taste is bold and full of spice that fills the mouth with a distinct flavor of toasty vanilla, dried oak and pepper. The finish is long and satisfying with a powerful rye character and lingering hints of fruit.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Hot but rich, dark chocolate over oak, vanilla, allspice, with subtle notes of anise and mincemeat pie (and a hint of BBQ sauce?).
Palate: Warm and intense, caramel apple with candied pecans, oak, honey, cinnamon and pepper spice.
Finish: Moderately long and drying.
Comments: I bought the first batch of this label, and wasn’t that impressed and hadn’t sought it out since. I wish I had some of that left for a side by side, as I really like this one. Not as sharp on the palate as I would have expected based on the heat from the nose. It takes water well, with the nose losing some of the heat without the chocolate, and the palate opens up further.
Rating: Stands Out / Must Try

What Richard Says:
Nose: Hot caramel over vanilla pudding and apricot jam.
Palate: Vanilla cookies, cracked black pepper, mint, and more fruity back notes.
Finish: Slightly bitter, cigar tobacco, wood forward…number 2 pencils?
Comments: For those that keep up with such things, this is Batch #2 for the barrel proof Taylor. This is a very robust and tasty bottle. However, I don’t know that I like it anymore than Stagg Jr (another Buffalo Trace barrel proofer in a similar age range) for the extra $20+ that this one costs.
Rating: Stands Out

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