Stands Out

Spirit of America Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Spirit of America Handcrafted Bourbon
43% ABV
$35
SoA Bourbon
What the Distillery Says:
Our Father, Mike Roberts, had three true passions in life: family, entrepreneurship, and baseball. He also had a vision and a keen sense of seeing winners long before they ever became successful. After getting out of the service, he started his career in the spirits industry working for two industry legends: his cousin, Jules Berman, the original importer of Kahlua into America and his father, Joe Roberts, who ran the entire East Coast for Jules and later started his own creative marketing consulting company. After Kahlua, Mike worked for Glenmore Distillers in New York before relocating to South Florida in 1977 and taking a position with Florida Beverage Corporation. Mike was recruited by Southern Wine & Spirits in 1985. After 15 years with them, he took early retirement and began one of his true passions, entrepreneurship.

In 2013, we found the perfect team and launched our own Distillery in America’s Heartland in Downtown Indianapolis. In April 2014, we formed Hobson & Roberts Distilling Company. From this distillery, we are proud to bring you a line of fantastic tasting Whiskies and Bourbons that are 100% produced and bottled in the USA, and one Dad would be proud to call a winner.

In his spare time from 1990 – 2012, he ran one of the most respected 18u travel baseball programs in the country, The Florida Pokers. He was responsible for sending over 300 players to college to earn a degree and another three dozen into the Major Leagues. Coaching baseball and mentoring the youth of America is something he took great pride in.

During his time in the liquor industry and coaching baseball he tinkered with taking a risk on a brand he trademarked and briefly launched in 1980. Knowing this country needed to get back to its roots, back to creating jobs in the USA, and regaining a passion for being American; he knew this was the right time for “Spirit of America™”. Unfortunately he never found the right product, partner, and time to launch it.

Dad passed away Dec 27, 2012, never having the opportunity to see this one through. As a tribute to a man that did so much for so many, who Served His Country and lived his life by the true Spirit of America: Honor, Pride, Integrity & Hard Work, we went searching for that partner.

In 2013, we found those partners in Jake Ireland and Master Distiller, Stuart Hobson and launched our own Distillery in America’s Heartland in Downtown Indianapolis. In April 2014, we formed Hobson & Roberts Distilling Company. From this distillery, we are proud to bring you a line of fantastic tasting Whiskies and Bourbons that are 100% produced and bottled in the USA, and one Dad would be proud to call a winner.

In honor of the Spirit of America and for the men and women who defend our country, we are donating $1 from every bottle sold to Hope for the Warriors®. Please raise a glass with us to toast not only our Father, but to the true SPIRIT OF AMERICA.
Love You Dad!!

Spirit of America™ Bourbon is a unique, wheated, American Bourbon born in the Heartland of the USA and handcrafted to be the greatest American Whiskey in the world.
Proof: 86
Mash Bill: 51% Corn, 45% Wheat, 4% Malted Barley
Tasting notes: Warm smell of Vanilla, toasted oak, spice and sweet caramel
Finish: Sweet and Smooth

Our partner, MGP selects only the finest Midwestern wheat and Indiana provides a home to the perfect year round climate for this crop. Distilling from wheat is easier to use and matures at a much faster rate. This allows a younger bourbon to provide an amazingly mellow tasting experience every bit as good, if not better, than older aged rye and corn bourbons. Our master distiller selects small batches of Spirit of America™ to blend and bottle in our own classic house style, leaving you with a long lasting, satisfying finish that stands up to any palate. SOA is a bourbon lovers dream; Truly a World Class Bourbon.

What Richard Says:
Nose: I took this to a gathering to see what others thought and one comment that kind of stuck was the similarity to Maker’s Mark on the nose. Light and slightly sweet, nutty with a wisp of vanilla and bit of licorice..
Palate: Sweet…like REALLY sweet. It almost borders on liqueur sweet. Vanilla cream filling and caramel chews.
Finish: Light and fleeting.
Comments: As far as I know, this is the first commercially released bottling of MGP’s new wheated mashbill bourbon that they started distilling in 2013. For that alone the curiosity might make me buy this. Add to it the unusually high wheat percentage mashbill and I can feel the whiskey acquisition disorder kicking in. However, the two years of age kind of works the other way. After tasting it I can say it is much better than I expected. This new mashbill has serious promise. At two years this is easily drinkable. It’s really more of a mixer but it’s not bad on it’s own either.
Rating: Stands Out

Our thanks to Simply the Best PR for sending over a bottle for review.

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Glenfiddich Bourbon Reserve

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whiskey Bourbon Barrel Reserve Aged 14 Years
43% ABV
$49.99
Website
glenfiddich-14-mybottleshop-1
What the Distillery Says:
In a class of its own, the Glenfiddich Bourbon Barrel Reserve 14 Year Old uniquely delivers a bourbon heart with the soul of single malt.

Our Malt Master, Brian Kinsman patiently waits for 14 years as the whisky matures in ex-bourbon American Oak casks, and then finishes the whisky in deep charred new American Oak barrels supplied by The Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville, Kentucky.

The result: a rich, sweet and vibrant single malt. Its a whisky that delivers beautifully complex flavours of woody spices combined with ripe summer fruit, resulting from the spirit’s interaction with the casks.

COLOUR: Copper Oak
NOSE: Deep vibrant vanilla notes with hints of citrus, caramalised brown sugar and cinnamon. Baked apple and ripe summer fruits and balanced with the rich oaky aromas.
TASTE: Beautifully rich and sweet with layers of creamy toffee, woody spices, candied orange peel and fresh toasted oak.
FINISH: Long lasting with lingering sweetness.

What Richard Says:
Nose: This explodes on the nose with the smell of fried apple pies. Baked apples seasoned with cinnamon and brown sugar and drizzled with vanilla glaze. The single most “it smells exactly like this…” nose I’ve come across. No “hints” of this or that. As soon as I stuck my nose in the glass I smell the bakery at Mercier Orchards in north Georgia.
Palate: The mouthfeel benefits from the the six more proof points over their 12 and 15. It gives it a bit more richness and depth. The palate flavors don’t jump out as much as the nose. There is a very mellow sweetness playing with the wood. Not the most dynamic palate.
Finish: Dry and chewy. It reminds me of chewing on a toothpick too long.
Comments: This U.S. exclusive release is something rare…a new single malt from an established distiller hitting the market age stated and at or below $50. Well, Glenfiddich has the capacity and stocks to do silly things like give people something they deserve instead of what marketing comes up with as an answer to poor forecasting. Is this some crazy new dynamic from Glenfiddich? No, it’s just a solid malt for a decent price. Really, the flavor profile and finish are a tad too bland for me but damn if I couldn’t smell this all autumn.
Rating: Stands Out

Our thanks to William Grant & Sons USA for providing us with a sample to review.

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Hibiki Japanese Harmony

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Hibiki Japanese Harmony Suntory Whisky
43% ABV
$65
Website
img_hibiki01
What the Distillery Says:
Hibiki was created to be the paragon of the Suntory blend. The name Hibiki literally means “resonance” in Japaneses, and reflects the Suntory Corporate philosophy to “live in harmony iwht people and nature.” Hibiki celebrates Japanese nature and the subtleties found in the 24 seasons of teh traditional calendar, reflected in the 24 facets of its bottle design. Hibiki is a harmonious blend of innumerous malt and grain whiskies from Suntory’s distilleries, which are meticulously blended to create a full orchestra of flavors and aromas. The Hibiki Japanese Harmony is the epitome of the Hibiki blend. Subtle, noble and harmonious, Hibiki Japanese harmony is a perfect introduction to Japanese Whisky and the award winning House of Suntory Whisky.

Luminous. Delicate. A transparency that unveils complexity.

Color: amber
Nose: rose, lychee, hint of rosemary, mature woodiness, sandalwood
Palate: honeylike sweetness, candied orange peel, white chocolate
Finish: subtle, tender long finish, with hint of Mizunara (Japanese oak)

What Richard Says:
Nose: This one needs a lot of time for the nose to open up. Initially it smells great from across the table but not much when you nose it directly. Give it time and it shows rose oil and honey while walking in the woods right after it rains. Plum pudding and cloves.
Palate: Delicate, almost effervescent sweetness. Poached pears dusted in cocoa powder.
Finish: Drawn out with a light spiciness playing off the oak.
Comments: This is fine whiskey but it doesn’t really stand up to the 12 year old. The pricing on the two is very close and I think you would do yourself a favor to just go ahead and get the aged stated Hibiki.
Rating: Stands Out

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Ardbeg Supernova

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Ardbeg Supernova Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
(2015 release)
54.3% ABV
$180
Website
supernova-bottle-the-conclusion
What the Distillery Says:
Ardbeg Supernova is one of the peatiest whiskies on Earth. Yet it is also intensely spicy and unfathomably sweet. Truly a mystery of the universe.

This final, fleeting Committee bottling of Ardbeg Supernova heralds the culmination of Ardbeg’s experiment in space. Its release coincides with the publication of Dr Bill Lumsden’s highly anticipated White Paper on the mysteries of zero gravity maturation.

TASTING NOTES

A big bang of peat… then heavenly sweet… with a lingering trail of smoke.

Colour: Shimmering pale gold
Nose: A shower of peppery, aromatic herbs shoots through the air, scattering particles of effervescent perfume. In its wake, smoked fruits, briny seaweed and fennel. The sensation comes full circle with the earthy, grounding aroma of vetiver root. Add a few drops of water and luscious linseed oil comes to the surface, sending wafts of sweet smoked toffee, brazil nuts and soot into the atmosphere.
Taste: At 100ppm, the peat is firing on all cylinders, with blasts of spice, salted caramel and billowing smoke. And then it’s back to the laboratory, where antiseptic lozenges, medicinal notes and zingy aniseed intermingle with dark tar and intense chilli-spice.
Finish: Prepare for a long, lingering, peppery aftertaste that goes on and on and on…

What Richard Says:
Nose: You know I find it easier to distinguish between different Islay distilleries by nose than any other small clustered whisky making area. Clearly this is an Ardbeg. A richer, nutty, earthier peat.
Palate: Crisp sweetness like salted caramel candies with a sooty, peppery medicinal quality that is more appealing than it sounds.
Finish: Antiseptic and dry. Evaporated Chloraseptic spray.
Comments: So this year’s release is to commemorate the completion of Dr. Bill Lumsden experiment on the impact of outer space on the maturation of whisky. If you’re really geeky then you can try to find his white paper (which we had previously linked to, but Ardbeg no longer hosts the file – boo!) Personally, I’m a bit more interested in the whisky. 😉 And interesting this one really is. I find Ardbeg to be a more polarizing malt than most. For those that like Ardbeg I think you will really enjoy this. For the rest of you it’s an almost $200 chance you might not want to take.
Rating: Stands Out

We would like to thank The Narrative Group for sending us a sample for review.

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Hakushu 12 Year

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky Aged 12 Years
43% ABV
$65
Website
img_hakushu02
What the Distillery Says:
HAKUSHU: THE VARDANT JAPANESE WHISKY

From Suntory’s mountain forest distillery, nestled deep in Mt. Kaikomagatake, Hakushu is the fresh and gently smoky single malt whisky with herbal notes that is the revelation of Japanese single malts.

Straight from the untouched forests, mountains and pure waters of the Southern Japanese Alps, it is no wonder that Hakushu is a “green and fresh” whisky, praised by the most curious whisky connoisseurs and lovers of gastronomy.Its crisp and vibrant feel, unique in a single malt, enlivens and liberates your senses.

Green with herbal notes.

Color: champagne gold
Nose: basil, pine needle, green apple
Palate: sweet pear, mint, kiwi
Finish:green tea, subtle smoke

What Richard Says:
Nose: “Green” comes to mind. Green grass, green herbs, green fruits, green conifers. At the very back is just the smallest bit of peat poking around. As it opens I get orange blossom honey.
Palate: Lovely fruity sweetness with again that wisp of smoke. Sweetened lime juice, honeysuckle, and herbal tea.
Finish: Long and warm with a nutty spice.
Comments: Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever had my opinion change so much on a whiskey before. When I first had this a couple of years ago I really didn’t like it. I tried it a few times and it never took. Revisiting it recently from like stock and this one is really hitting my sweet spot. It’s a fresh and vibrate whisky with an approachable sweetness that carries just a hint of smoke. Damn, I’ve overlooked this one too long.
Rating: Stands Out

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