Stands Out

High West Bourye

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

High West Bourye
A Blend of Straight Whiskeys
Batch No. 15B09
46% ABV
$79.99
Website
bourye-bottle
What the Blender Says:
THE RETURN OF BOURYE
High West Releases a Limited Run of the Original Bourbon and Rye Blend

PARK CITY, Utah (February 12, 2016) — High West Distillery, Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870, is proud to announce the return of Bourye, the original super premium bourbon and rye blend. Much like the elusive jackalope that graces its label, the limited release Bourye may be hard to find, but a delight when discovered.

Bourye is a unique and very premium blend of rich 9-year-old bourbon and 13-and-17-year-old ryes, making for a premier sipping whiskey and one of High West’s own all-time favorites. “This iteration of Bourye is very similar to the original in age profile and component whiskeys,” said High West Founder David Perkins. “But I personally think this one is better.”

Bourye offers a taste of sweet honey nougat, rich caramel, mulling spices, and candied fruits with a long dry spice finish. “This release brings the flavor profile back to the level of richness that our original release had,” said High West Master Distiller Brendan Coyle. “I’m really excited to share it with whiskey lovers.” It’s available nationally this month at saloons and stores across the country, as well as at the High West Distillery in Park City, Utah, the world’s only ski-in gastro-distillery. It’s priced at $79.99.

Component whiskeys:
• 9-year-old straight bourbon (mash bill: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% barley malt) Source: MGP/LDI/Seagrams, Indiana
• 13-year-old straight rye whiskey (mash bill: 95% rye, 5% barley malt) Source: MGP/LDI/Seagrams, Indiana
• 17-year-old straight rye whiskey (mash bill: 95% rye, 5% barley malt) Source: MGP/LDI/Seagrams, Indiana

What Gary Says:
Nose: Oak, anise, subtle vanilla honey & caramel with a hint of dill and subtle tobacco.
Palate: Soft, fruity spice & oak; rice pudding with pears and figs.
Finish: Slow, nice and peppery.
Comments: Not quite a bourbon, and not quite a rye. Nicely balanced, and dangerously drinkable (goes down like an 80 proofer at first until the spice kicks in). I really enjoy this whiskey, but I honestly am a fan of DIY mingles of bourbon & rye. Some may want more sweetness, some may want more rye spice. And sometimes what I want varies from day to day. For the price point – unless you’ve tried it and know this is hitting you just right – you may be better off playing with different ratios of more affordable whiskies.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Fennel seed, old cigars, and over cooked (not quite burnt) caramel.
Palate: Delicious spicy and sweet candy. Black pepper, polished wood, cinnamon jelly beans, leather, tobacco, spearmint gum, and Mars bars.
Finish: Peppery, minty, woody, and lingering. All in the best way.
Comments: Sadly, I missed the first iteration of Bourye. I wasn’t as firmly on the High West bandwagon at that time. So I can’t compare the two but I can say that this is stellar whiskey. It has all the right parts firing on all the right cylinders.
Rating: Must Try

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High West Yippee Ki-Yay

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

High West Yippee Ki-Yay
A Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys
Batch 1
46% ABV
$65
Website
yippeekiyay_spiritbottle
What the Blender Says:
Available December 5th at High West locations. One day, just for fun, we put some rye whiskey into barrels originally used to age wine. When we mixed the ‘vermouth-ed’ (Vya, Madera, CA) and the ‘syrah-ed’ (Qupé Santa Maria, CA) we discovered an all-natural, not disgustingly sweet whiskey for the rest of us.

How to Enjoy:
Yippee Ki-Yay™ is great as an aperitif on ice, neat with dessert, or on its own. Try it in a Manhattan. This stuff rocks.

The Name:
Where did “Yippee Ki-Yay” come from? Is it a real expression of joy popular with cowboys in the 19th century Western United States? Is it part of the greatest one liner in movie history? Was it influenced by the phrase ‘Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay’ from the 1936 hit song “I’m an Old Cow Hand from the Rio Grande” about a 20th-century cowboy who has little in common with cowpunchers of old and sung by Bing Crosby in the film “Rhythm on the Range” (also sung later by Roy Rogers and Frank Sinatra) and considered one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time? We’re not sure. But we are sure we like how we feel when we say it… and recommend you use it every chance you get.

Back Label Story:
We confess…we didn’t coin the term “Yippee Ki-Yay”. Moreover, we didn’t paint the picture on the front label. It’s an historic poster (Gift of The Coe Foundation and Henry B. Balink) now at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming (centerofthewest.org, you really ought to visit). Furthermore, we didn’t distill the whiskeys in this bottle (it’s our Double Rye!® – sourced whiskey – see highwest.com for details). However, we did come up with a combination that we think will make you say…Yippee Ki-Yay drinkers of horrible tasting cheap flavored uisge beatha! One day, just for fun, we put Double Rye!® into oak barrels that had originally been used to age two different types of wine (see highwest.com for details) and discovered an all-natural, not disgustingly-sweet sipper for the rest of us.High West’s Yippee Ki-YayTM is great as an aperitif on ice, neat with dessert, on its own, or try it in a Manhattan. This stuff rocks.

Not chill filtered marriage of two straight rye whiskies
The 2-year-old: 95% rye, 5% barley malt mashbill (LDI now MGP)
The older rye has a “barely legal” rye mashbill of: 53% rye, 37% corn (Barton Distillery)

Barrel type: Oak barrel that previously held Vermouth Barrel (Vya, Madera, CA), Oak barrel that previously held Qupé Syrah (Qupé Santa maria, CA)
Color: An unusual beautiful ruby red (from the Syrah barrel finish)
Nose: Fresh cinnamon stick, crushed blackberries (cassis) with some herbs (thyme and sage) in the background.
Taste: A big, bold punch of cinnamon spice and blackberries on a foundation of vanilla and caramel, the long finish is dried orange rind and herbs.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Wow – like a funky cocktail! Heavy wine influence & vermouth, which for me overpowers the whiskey
Palate: Warm, odd fermented dark fruit with herbal notes (sage).
Finish: Moderate in length
Comments: First off, I consider myself a big High West fan. I think David Perkins is a class act, and High West has done some marvelous things – and I appreciate the transparency with which they’ve done them! This might be a great gateway whiskey for wine fans, but I didn’t love it – just too much of the wine & vermouth influence for me. Honestly, it could be fermented [fill in the blank]. The whiskey foundation for me was lost. It reminded me a bit of Perique (a tobacco liqueur), which I also like – but it isn’t whiskey. I applaud the innovation, and if you like vermouth and wine – you might absolutely love this. I’m not a big fan of either, and while a big rye fan – this wasn’t in my wheelhouse.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: The wine really lays heavy on the nose with notes of cinnamon, stewed dark fruits, balsamic vinegar, and red wine.
Palate: Mulled wine with cinnamon sticks floating in it and a big spoonful of blackberry jam. It really kind of reminds me of Swedish Glogg a bit.
Finish: Minty and slightly woody.
Comments: Yum! I’m not the biggest vermouth fan but I really like this. It’s more in the vein of A Midwinter Night’s Dram. It reminds of a lovely evening by the fire during the holidays. Maybe it’s the association with Glogg but either way I really enjoy this. It’s like Angel’s Envy Rye in that I like it a lot but the unique flavor is something I would have to be in the mood for and wouldn’t want all the time.
Rating: Stands Out

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Pikesville Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey
55% ABV
$50
Website
pikesBottle
What the Distillery Says:
The long history of Maryland Rye began with the Civil War. From 1861 to 1865, the Civil War brought thousands and thousands of outsiders to Maryland, who, upon war’s end, returned to other parts of the country, preferring the Maryland Rye they enjoyed during their stay. Pioneering Maryland businessmen worked to satiate this thirst for Maryland Rye with the help of improved railway infrastructure and the rise of coast-to-coast brand marketing.

L. Winand & Brothers Distillery was founded in the town of Scott’s Level, Maryland, just Northwest of Baltimore, where they began producing Pikesville Rye in 1895, named after the adjacent town. Historians speculate L. Winand & Brothers named their product Pikesville because “Scott’s Level” would have sounded too much like Scotch.

The passage of the 18th Amendment, which enacted Prohibition, forced the L. Winand & Brothers Distillery to close. Following repeal, businessman Andrew Merle acquired the Pikesville brand in 1936 and contracted Monumental Distillery, owned by Standard Distillers in Baltimore for distillation of the brand.

A collapsing smokestack accident in 1946 at Monumental caused a change of hands and the renaming to Majestic Distilling Corporation. With sales of Maryland Rye dwindling, Majestic ceased distillation in Baltimore in 1972, marking the end of Maryland Rye production and securing Pikesville’s place in history as the last-standing Maryland Rye brand. Even with the distillery in Baltimore closed, the brand survived on existing whiskey stocks until 1982 when it was sold to Heaven Hill. Since then, it has been produced in Kentucky and is now produced at the historic Bernheim Distillery.

Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey refuses to be forgotten. First produced in Maryland in the 1890s, the brand, along with the rest of the once-booming Maryland Rye industry, was shuttered by prohibition. The brand reemerged after prohibition and became the last standing Maryland Rye, as the rest of the industry’s production had ceased. Now produced in Kentucky from extra-aged barrels stored in prime warehouse locations, Heaven Hill keeps this historic Maryland mark alive with this award-winning six year old, 110 proof offering.

TASTING NOTES

COLOR: Pale copper
AROMA: Dusty cocoa notes with oaky smoke underneath
TASTE: Dry and spicy, with honeyed rye and cloves
FINISH: Soft vanilla and baking spices

What Gary Says:
Nose: Rich, orange zest & a hint of dark chocolate under rye spice.
Palate: Bright pepper spice w/ warm cinnamon rolls & clove; intense with citrus undertones.
Finish: Medium & peppery.
Comments: I’m a big rye fan – and I really like this whiskey. I’d have it in my cabinet . . . if it were less expensive. I think Rittenhouse BIB (also by Heaven Hill) is one of the best rye-buys on the market. This is basically that same distillate with a couple more years of age and at a higher proof. Age and proof aren’t the whole story (not sure where these are aged vs Rittenhouse), but to charge more than twice what I can pick up Rittenhouse BIB for seems a bit much for me. If this were more like $35-$40 – I would call it a “Must Try” (and honestly, if you consider yourself a rye fan – I really would look for an opportunity to try it . . . ideally without having to buy a whole bottle first).
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Melted chocolate oranges with mint tea by the smoker out in the backyard.
Palate: Aggressive and muscular. Cinnamon, brown sugar, cloves, allspice berries, crushed mint, and vanilla pods cured together in old, seasoned oak barrels.
Finish: Dry oak and slightly bitter with a dusting of cocoa powder.
Comments: A delicious and aggressive rye that, like it’s younger brother Rittenhouse, plays well in nearly all situations from cocktails to slow sippers and everything in between. Like Gary, my only complaint is the price. I realize that a number of ridiculously overpriced non-distilling producer bottled ryes of similar age are pushing up the market price. It really is a shame. Even still, I think this would be stellar in the $35 to $40 but at $50+ its a bit steep.
Rating: Stands Out

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Lord Lieutenant Kinahan’s 10 Year Old

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review /

Lord Lieutenant Kinahan’s Single Malt Irish Whiskey Aged 10 Years
Bottle Number: 080583, Batch 1
46% ABV
$60 to $70
Website
kinahan_s-10-year-old-single-malt-irish-whiskey-1
What the Bottler Says:
Kinahan’s was founded in 1779 on Trinity Street, Dublin. In 1807 Kinahan’s attracted the attention of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, so much so that he ordered for the whiskey to be kept exclusively for himself. This resulted in each cask being marked ‘L.L.’ (Lord Lieutenant).

In 1863 the Court of Dublin awarded Kinahan’s L.L. whiskey with legal protection against other Irish producers who were trying to invade the brand. This event is recorded in the Dublin archives, precedenting the first protection of a whiskey trademark in history.

By the mid 19th Century Kinahan’s L.L. whiskey came to the attention of many American connoisseurs, including Jerry Thomas, “the father of American mixology”. Kinahan’s L.L. is known to have been the whiskey of choice for Jerry Thomas since 1862.

Our Single Malt Irish Whiskey has been matured exclusively in ex-bourbon barrels for at least 10 years. Our Malt Master carefully samples the aged whiskey, cask by cask. He will only select single malt which overlays the original mellow, rich and full flavoured character that is unique to a forgotten Irish Whiskey of ‘L.L.’ flavour.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Richer, fuller, more well rounded and robust on the nose. Dark fruits and oatmeal raisin cookies.
Palate: Pleasant creamy sweetness with just a touch of light saltiness. Oranges, cherry pie, and cocoa powder come forward with a peppery woody back palate.
Finish: The finish is slightly dry and a little bland.
Comments: I saw this and thought “ugh, another bland sourced Irish Malt” but this is really a nice and enjoyable dram. It’s more flavorful and attention grabbing than I expected. I can’t say it’s a $70 malt but if it was under $50 I would recommend it highly.

Rating: Stands Out

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Teeling Single Malt

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review /

Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey
46% ABV
$50 to $55
Website
smallmalt_big
What the Distillery Says:
Third release in the Premium range of Teeling expressions completing our full range of non aged Irish whiskeys. Made from 100% Malted Barley from a range of different ages including Malt whiskey distilled in 1991. Aim to produce the most flavoursome NA Irish Single Malt based on our innovative maturation/finishing techniques while retaining the distinctive Irish smoothness. Consists of a vatting of 5 different wine cask (Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon) finished Irish Malt whiskeys. Like all the Teeling whiskeys it is bottled at 46% with no chill filtration allowing for all the natural flavours of the whiskey to be retained.

Nose Vibrant with notes of melon, figs, toffee and lemon
Taste A balance mix of dry fruits, citrus, vanilla, spice and cloves
Finish Long with sweetness in harmony with dry tannins from the wood

What Richard Says:
Nose: Crisp, fresh, fruity sweet, and slightly tannic. Apple peels, lemon bars, white chocolate shavings, and toffee crisps.
Palate: Vanilla cream on Christmas cakes followed by a snort of Port with a root beer chaser. As it opens up, more of the white chocolate from the nose starts coming out in the palate too.
Finish: Mildly wood, slightly tannic, and a spice grinder full of spices (not “spicy”).
Comments: I would say that there is a lot going on here but with a vatting of five different wine casks how could you not expect that. Surprisingly, the blending is superb and everything coalesces quite nicely. I’m having a hard time deciding whether I like this better or the Small Batch. But then again, if you don’t have to choose why would you.
Rating: Stands Out

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