Stands Out

Old Grand Dad Bottled-in-Bond

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Old Grand-Dad Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled In Bond
50% ABV/100 Proof
$17 to $20
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
Old Grand-Dad was a distiller named Basil Hayden who made his name by distilling a bourbon whiskey made with a higher percentage of rye. Basil Hayden passed along the art of distilling to his son and then, in turn, to his grandson. It was the third generation distiller, Colonel R.B. Hayden, who honored his grandfather by naming his justly famed
whiskey “Old Grand-Dad.

What Richard Says:
Nose: More oak than the 86 proof version. A little water opens up some peach notes and a hint of maple syrup.
Palate: Robust. The rye kick comes out first and keeps plugging through the whole way. A little water opens up some nice floral notes and a corn syrup sweetness that plays well with the spicy rye.
Finish: Surprisingly mellow at bottle strength. The finish is rye and oak all the way. Water tends to kill the finish.
Comments: Of all the Old Grand Dad versions (including Basil Hayden’s) this my favorite. Part of it is a little sentimentality because of the increasing rarity of bottle in bond bourbon. Mostly, it’s because this is a kick ass version. Old school rye bourbon? Here you go. It’s more flavorful and robust than Basil Hayden’s and the 86 proof version without the alcohol fire of OGD 114. This is plain old bourbon. No fancy aging, finishing, or tinkering. Just good stuff in the bottle. I always try to keep a bottle of this at home right next to my Rittenhouse Bottled In Bond.
Rating: Stands Out

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Isle of Jura Prophecy

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky /

The Isle of Jura Prophecy Single Malt Whisky
46% ABV/92 Proof
$75
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
The latest in Isle of Jura’s range of expressions, Prophecy is a solera-style compendium of casks with varying levels of peating and age. Chill filtration was not used by Isle of Jura in order to preserve the malt’s unique nuances and character. The distinctive bottle features the “third-eye” of a fabled seer who purportedly predicted the end of Clan Campbell some 200 years before it occurred.

Color: Burnished, old gold
Nose: Abundance of peat smoke upfront yields to clean, briny/iodine close, rounded-out with traces of vanilla, orange zest and spices
Taste: Rich, velvety mouth-feel; profound core of smoky peat at attack and carried throughout; the mid-palette offers an intriguing mix of
heather honey sweetness and dried fruits before turning drier with more intense pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon spice.
Finish: Peaty flavors linger, drying back to a long, slow close.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Fresh cut pine and campfire smoke. Slightly briny.
Palate: Oily yet very clean. More wood smoke than peat. Fruit and honey hide behind the first hit of the smoke.
Finish: Very smooth finish with just a hint of smoke.
Comments: This is kind of like Superstition’s more refined older brother. I like this a lot. Oddly enough, it doesn’t really taste like a Jura but that’s not necessarily a bad thing in this case. While but Superstition and Prophecy stand out, I like this one a little more.
Rating: Stands Out

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

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Isle of Jura Superstition

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky /

The Isle of Jura Superstition Single Malt Whisky
45% ABV/90 Proof
$53
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
Jura Superstition – individual yet mysterious. Crafted from a selection of the finest aged Jura single malt whiskies, this spirit has a unique style and character. A reflection of the past, the present and a wonderful Island. A single malt to be sipped and savored with respect.

Color: Deep, intense, rich mahogany with glittering golden highlights.
Nose: Firm and positive, yet forcibly mellow. The long maturation in American White Oak has nurtured this noble spirit although subtle accents of complex phenolic aromas drift attractively in the background.
Taste: These dramatic, complex aromas are carried onto the palate as the warmth of the tongue slowly releases its many mysteries. Spice, honey, pine and peat aromas with a whisper of smoke make a dramatic impact. Thanks to the different ages selected 13 and 21 years old the mystic spirit has been tempered and tamed. Even the driving rain and biting cold winds which are part of the island’s heritage have made their own mark.
Finish: Long, lingering, tantalizing finish.

What Richard Says:
Nose: A little sharper and more aggressive on the nose than regular Jura expressions. Peaty and vegetal.
Palate: Jura meet Caol Ila. The delicate Jura nature is still there but there’s and Islay overlay. More Caol Ila that Laphroaig or Lagavulin. Lightly smokey with a sweet toffee creaminess.
Finish: Pine, smoke, and a little salty spice.
Comments: This no age statement Jura is a mix of whiskies between 13 and 21 years old. It’s clearly not an Islay but the peat kicks this dram above and beyond the standard Jura offerings.
Rating: Stands Out

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

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Headlong White Dog Whiskey

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Headlong White Dog Whiskey
40% ABV/80 Proof
$30
Currently Available in Washington and Oregon

What the Distillery Says:
Good things come to those who wait—and also to craft distillers using the finest equipment available, carefully chosen organic ingredients, and the mentorship of an industry giant. We proudly offer you our un-aged White Dog Whiskey “headlong” out of the still. Smooth, flavorful, unexpected.

Tasting Notes
Aromas of frosted peach pastry, buttercream and raisin bran with a soft, silky dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a super smooth, lingering peppery spice, Brazil nut, and grainy flour accented finish. Great purity and balance.

Made from a true bourbon whiskey mash bill (recipe), this unaged whiskey begins its journey to perfection as 100% organic corn, wheat, and malted barley. Un-aged and slowly distilled with precise cuts and handcrafted quality. Non-chill filtered.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Bananas, warm custard, and pina colada.
Palate: Very clean on the palate with a peppery nuttiness and hints of coconut.
Finish: A little spicy heat but it’s a very short finish so it fades quickly.
Comments: This is our first review of un-aged “whiskey” or “white dog” as we call it in the U.S. I love that these folks are making real bourbon out in Washington of all places. I also like the organic angle. It’s even USDA certified on the bottle! I also love that they are making it themselves instead of bottling someone’s bourbon and calling it their own. What I really have a hard time with is this new white dog sub-category all together. Let’s be fair, white dog “whiskey” is really a fancy name for vodka. As such I can’t in good faith review it against other bourbons. It will fail every time. However, I do think that rating it against vodkas is appropriate and as such Headlong kick’s the crap out of the competition. The folks at Woodinville sent me along some recipes that I will post below. Where I’d really like to try this is in a Chi – Chi. For those that aren’t familiar with that particular cocktail, it’s essentially a Pina Colada with vodka instead of rum.
Rating: Stands Out (as a vodka-type product)

We would like to thank Cameron and the folks at Woodinville Whiskey Company for sending us a bottle to review.

Apple Dog
3-4 oz spice or sparkling apple cider
1.5 oz Headlong
Dash Angostura Bitters
Stir with spoon and fill glass with ice.

Headlong n’ a Splash
2 oz Headlong
Ginger Ale or 7-Up
Fill highball glass with ice. Pour Headlong over ice. Top with Ginger Ale or 7-Up to taste.

The White Wedge
2 oz Headlong
1 wedge of Apple or Orange with peel
1 ice cube

Brown Derby
1.5 oz Headlong
0.5 oz honey syrup (2 parts honey thinned with 1 part water)
1.0 oz Grapefruit Juice
Dash Angostura Bitters
Shake well with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

White Manhattan
2 oz Headlong
1 oz Dolin blanc (sweet) Vermouth
1/4 oz Benedictine
2 dashes Reagan’s Orange Bitters no.6
Mix with ice and strain into Pear Brandy rinsed glass.

Green Trellis
3 slices cucumber and 10-12 mint leaves muddle together

After muddled, add:
1.5 oz Headlong
1.0 oz Apple Cider
0.5 oz Simple Syrup
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass

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Dalmore King Alexander III

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

The Dalmore 1263 King Alexander III Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
40% ABV/80 Proof
$200 to $250
Available in select markets

What the Distillery Says:
Wood finishing is very au courant in single malts today, but Richard Paterson, Master Distiller of The Dalmore was one of the pioneers of the trend as much as 40 years ago.

Back in the 1970’s through the 90’s, Paterson began aging his finest malts in a wide range of wine and spirit casks to add subtle shadings and nuance—not to sell individually, but to vatt together to create a sublime malt whisky far greater than the sum of its parts.

Paterson’s palette of woods include French Cabernet Sauvignon wine barriques; Madeira drums; sherry butts from Jerez de la Frontera; marsala barrels from Sicily; port pipes from the Douro; and sweet bourbon barrels from Kentucky. Once matured to perfection, the aged malts were expertly married by Paterson to create the most noble of all The Dalmore malt whiskies… one truly worthy to commemorate a King of Scotland.

Color: Deep, rich amber flecked with reddish highlights when poured into a crystal snifter.
Nose: A spectrum of complex aromas announces the artistry of Paterson’s visionary concept, all driven by the provenance of the casks—vibrant and exciting aromas; full of barely-restrained passion. Exotic, citric and floral notes upfront give way to dissolving layers of black fruit and burnished oak. Given time, the nose continues to evolve.
Taste: The Dalmore 1263 King Alexander III makes the ultimate case for wood finishing of malts with its six different styles of casks specially selected and meticulously combined by Paterson. Aged Oloroso and Madeira provide a backbone of crushed almonds and rich,
citrus fruit flavors. Port and marsala casks add hints of wild berries and fleshy ripe plums, while the Bourbon barrels come across as vanilla and creamy caramel accents. The Cabernet Sauvignon barriques add just a touch of elegance to complete the blend.
Finish: Although not quite as long as the seven centuries since King Alexander III’s reign, a dram of this noble malt lingers on the
tongue, the nose and the soul for hours.

What Richard Says:
Nose: This one is kind of all over the map. That savory sherry Dalmore quality takes a backseat to an intense bouquet of light oak, berries, and wild flowers with just a hint of lemon and lime zest.
Palate: Fruity and muscular with an almost bourbon like vanilla coming through. The palate isn’t nearly as impressive as the nose.
Finish: Dry with a caramel sweetness
Comments: Never (or hardly ever) has a nose promised so much and the palate so under delivered. The first problem is paying $200+ for a 40% ABV scotch. I don’t know who’s idea that was but they may want to rethink that. I think it really negatively effects the palate and waters it down. The King Alexander was a serious let down for me. Like the 15 Year Old Dalmore, the palate doesn’t live up to the nose and finish. However, because the nose is so good, even if I won’t tell you to definitely try this, you should smell it!
Rating: Stands Out

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

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