Stands Out

Knob Creek 10 Year Old Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Knob Creek 10 Year Old
Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

50% ABV
$70
Website
Knob Creek 10 Year Old Rye
We would like to thank Beam Suntory and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says:

Knob Creek® is excited to announce the permanent addition of Knob Creek® 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey to its award-winning* portfolio. Made pre-Prohibition style, Knob Creek® 10 Year Old Rye Whiskey is carefully crafted and patiently aged for a decade in deeply charred barrels, bringing fans a full-bodied rye whiskey with distinct notes of spice, vanilla, and oak.

True to Knob Creek’s® unwavering commitment to producing high quality, full-flavored whiskey, this extra-aged rye invites aficionados and newcomers alike to experience its exceptional taste and craftsmanship. It’s best enjoyed neat or on the rocks so fans can experience the depth at its height and drink what tastes right.

TASTING NOTES
Knob Creek® 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey captures the essence of its classic offering, Knob Creek® 7 Year Old Rye
Whiskey, but has deeper flavors imparted by the extra three years spent aging in the barrel. The result is a bold and complex, full-flavored straight rye whiskey that delivers smooth spice with every sip.
PROOF: 100
COLOR: Tawny with waves of copper
AROMA: Rich caramel and vanilla, deep rye spice, and dried apple
TASTE: Black peppercorn, creamy vanilla and caramel, and hints of deep oak and char
FINISH: Smooth, lingering notes of baking spice

THE HISTORY
Knob Creek has set the standard for super-premium whiskey for three decades by crafting extraordinary full-flavored bourbon with a rich taste. Knob Creek bourbons and ryes are patiently aged to perfection in new, maximum charred American Oak barrels to impart the biggest and fullest flavor on their whiskey. No matter the expression, Knob Creek is crafted without shortcuts and embodies the pre-Prohibition style that founding distiller Booker Noe created in 1992. Since then, Knob Creek has lived up to such standards with the introduction of Knob Creek Straight Rye Whiskey in 2012, and later on, Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Rye Whiskey. In recent years, Knob Creek announced the permanent addition of Knob Creek 12 Year Old Bourbon to its portfolio, launched two limited releases, Knob Creek 15 Year Old Bourbon and Knob Creek 18 Year Old Bourbon, and announced the addition of an age statement to its flagship rye whiskey, Knob Creek 7 Year Old Rye Whiskey

RYE WHISKEY
In the early 1900s, rye whiskey was the most popular spirit in America. However, Prohibition forced many whiskey fans to turn toward the sweeter, more robust flavor of bourbon. Now, thanks to the growing interest in high-quality craft spirits and a surge in contemporary cocktail culture brought about by the success of Super-Premium brands such as Knob Creek, bartenders and curious drinkers alike are turning to bourbon’s spicier counterpart, rye whiskey.

What Gary Says

Nose: Salted caramel, oak, vanilla, cinnamon with herbal notes, nutty (walnuts rather than peanuts) with a hint of orange zest.
Palate: Pepper spice with vanilla, caramel, oak, nutty with herbal spices, bit of orange and a hint of mint.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with oak, nutty cocoa, vanilla and grapefruit
Comments: This rye offers an interestingly layered experience. I’m accustomed to more of a peanut note from Beam than walnuts, although that note sometimes disappears in the older whiskies. There’s a strong oak presence for 10 years old, and this has a sharp pepper bite – which you expect some bite in a rye whiskey.  For my tastes, this has a bit more oak than I’d prefer but this isn’t what I’d call an ‘oak bomb’ or ‘over-oaked’. However, a splash of water can mellow the peppery edge, making the whiskey more approachable and highlighting its complex flavor profile.

Rating: Stands Out

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Traverse City Whiskey Co. Old Fashioned Cocktail

/ / Bourbon, Cocktails, Review /

Traverse City Whiskey Co. Old Fashioned Cocktail
Cocktail Made w/ 6 Year Old Bourbon, Simple Syrup, Bitters and Citrus Expression

37% ABV
$30 / 375 mL (8 pours)
Website
Traverse City Whiskey Co. Old Fashioned Cocktail
We would like to thank Traverse City Whiskey Co. and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

READY-TO-SERVE
PREMIUM OLD FASHIONED
Our premium ready-to-serve Old Fashioned is crafted from our double gold winning bourbon and finishes with a tantalizing twist of Seville Orange. Serve chilled or over ice to make any occasion a memorable moment.

“An Old Fashioned is one of the original classic bourbon cocktails,” said Chris Fredrickson, Co-founder, Traverse City Whiskey Co. “Our delicious and convenient ready-to-serve Old Fashioned cocktails are hand crafted and ready to pour. They’re a welcomed addition to our portfolio of whiskey offerings.”

Known as the “Whiskey of the North,” TCWC draws upon its early family roots in the distilled spirits industry dating back to the late 1800’s, sourcing all its grains (corn, rye, and malted barley) from the Midwest. Led by Chris Fredrickson, the distilling team strives to make quality products, inspired by patented distilling techniques invented by Fredrickson’s great grandfather that were approved by the US PTO during the prohibition era.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Orange zest, bitters, bourbon (like, an Old Fashioned!).
Palate:  Thick mouthfeel, syrupy, solid Old Fashioned with a good bourbon base of caramel and vanilla, loads of bitters and orange zest.
Finish:  Moderate in length with bitters lingering.
Comments:  I did my first tasting of this neat and at room temperature, and then chilled. It’s much better chilled, and even over one cube if you’re going to sip on it for a bit. Everyone’s taste vary, but for me it was better over ice as the ratio of bitters is a bit more than I prefer. The orange expression is really well done, maybe the best I’ve seen in a bottled cocktail (comes across like freshly expressed orange zest). A well done Old Fashioned, and like the half-bottle size as easy to make room in the fridge!

Rating: Stands Out

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Penelope Rosé Cask Finish Batch 8

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Penelope Rosé Cask Finish Bourbon Batch 8
Straight Bourbon Whiskey

47% ABV
$50
Website
Penelope Rosé Cask Finish Bourbon
We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.

What the Blender Says

Penelope Rosé Cask Finish is the first installment in our Cooper Series which takes our straight whiskeys on a world tour, pairing Penelope with wine casks from the finest wine making regions. Sweet and delicate, Rosé Cask Finish marries our signature straight bourbon whiskey with hand-selected French Rosé wine casks from the Southern Rhône region, bringing together a truly unique alliance of flavor.

Mash Bill: 76% Corn | 14% Wheat | 7% Rye | 3% Malted Barley
Blend of 3 bourbon mash bills comprised of four grains (Corn, Wheat, Rye, and Malted Barley) finished in French Grenache Rosé Wine Casks from the Southern Rhône region of France.
Proof: 94
Aged 4 – 5 Years
Barrel Char #4 Staves, #2 Heads
Non Chill-Filtered

TASTING NOTES
AROMA: Candied fruit and cream, floral and herbal notes
FORWARD NOTES: Sweet and refreshing hints of vanilla and viscous cream
BODY: Creamy sweetness transitions from the forward notes and into the body, herbal, floral and strawberry cream
FINISH: Rich creamy vanilla with hints of strawberry. Savory finish with lingering notes

What Gary Says

Nose: Vanilla, berries, light caramel, floral with hints of oak and cedar.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, sweet with peaches, strawberries, vanilla and gentle cinnamon spice.
Finish: Short to moderate in length with vanilla and strawberries fading.
Comments: I definitely get the rosé finish for sure, not that it’s heavy handed. Sweeter and more floral with less caramel than an unfinished bourbon of similar mash bill/age. The strawberry notes are new to me in a bourbon (in fact having posted more than 660 whiskey reviews, I’ve only came across that note 3 times – all in Scotch). A bit of water brings out lighter fruit notes, but also thins it out rather quickly; and at 94 proof it doesn’t need more water. A nice summer sipper!

Rating: Stands Out

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Barrell Bourbon Batch 036

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Barrell Bourbon Batch 036

57.2% ABV
$90
Website
Barrell Bourbon Batch 036 Whiskey
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

A multi-mashbill blend was created by combining full-bodied barrels with black cherry notes and oak-forward barrels with a nutty flavor profile. After these mingled, younger barrels with stone fruit and peppery highlights were added to the blend. Lastly, older barrels with notes of milk chocolate, cinnamon and pecans were carefully layered in. The result is an elegant bourbon that is opulent on the finish.

BLEND COMPONENTS:
Indiana: 7.5, 8, & 10 years old
Kentucky: 9 years old
Tennessee: 8 & 15 years old

  • A blend of straight Bourbon Whiskeys
  • Bottled in Kentucky
  • 114.4 proof cask strength bottling

DERIVED MASH BILL:
Corn: 79%
Rye: 16%
Malted Barley: 5%

FLAVOR NOTES
A satisfying nose of honey, fresh citrus, cherry jam, and snickerdoodles fuse with deeper notes of Kuromitsu and cinchona bark. Notes of caramel, chocolate and pecan pie warm up the palate before citrus zest and cherry cordial coalesce with a wave of pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon.

​Neat
Appearance: Tawny.
Nose: The aroma starts with honey, lime, tangerine, and apricot, then evolves into cherry jam, Marcona almonds and buttermilk pancakes. Notes of Snickerdoodle cookies, Kuromitsu, chocolate mint, and a touch of cinchona bark emerge followed by subtle notes of fresh citrus.
Palate: The palate starts out rich with notes of caramel, cherry cola, pecan pie and chocolate torte, followed by citrus zest and cherry cordial. Hints of pepper and cardamom flicker throughout the mid and back palate followed by a dusting of cacao, Saigon cinnamon and oranges.
Finish: Cinnamon, white pepper, citrus zest, and cherry.
With a splash of spring water
The aroma expands to Hufsie spiced tea loaf, mead, brown butter cookies, and cinnamon doughnuts. The palate becomes more decadent with notes of salted caramel latte, baklava, and streusel. The finish coats your mouth with notes of cinnamon orange coffee cake and a touch of oak.

What Gary Says

Nose: Baked goods, caramel, cinnamon, mixed raw nuts, cherry, and a hint of cocoa and oak.
Palate: Thick mouthfeel with honey, caramel, toffee, milk chocolate, cherries with cinnamon, and an orange zest zip.
Finish: Long and thick with cherry cola, cinnamon, and honey.
Comments: I continue to be amazed at how both major distilleries and blending houses achieve consistency over large periods with innumerable variables. That said, I’ve got mad admiration for what the folks at Barrell Craft Spirits do working with some of the same major distilleries (and smaller ones) to create unique batches. Some I like more than others, although I can’t recall any that I didn’t care for. This is in the ‘more than others’ camp. A fine bourbon to sit back and sip on neat during a summer evening, or over a cube. This opens up nicely if you’re patient and give it some time in the glass – which I know isn’t always easy. And while I enjoyed what they’ve put inside the bottle – also worth noting is a change to their label design which makes the batch number more prominent. As my eyes aren’t getting any younger, I really like that update! I also found this to make a superb Old Fashioned.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Penelope Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 18

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Penelope Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 18
Straight Bourbon Whiskey

57% ABV
$65
Website
Penelope Bourbon Barrel Strength Batch 18
We would like to thank Luxco for sending us samples to review.

What the Blender Says

Penelope Barrel Strength is bourbon in its purest form. Completely uncut and non-chill filtered, our barrel strength bourbon is just as delicious and even more powerful than our signature Four Grain blend.
Each batch of our Barrel Strength is blended from three bourbon mash bills and aged in hand-selected new American oak barrels, imparting notes of caramel syrup and subtle barrel char and pushing the boundaries of our Four Grain’s balanced flavor profile.

Mash Bill: 80% Corn | 8% Rye | 9% Wheat | 3% Malted Barley
Blend of three straight bourbon mash bills distilled in Indiana
Proof: 114
Aged 4 – 6 Years
Uncut & Non Chill-Filtered | Aged 4 – 6 Years

TASTING NOTES
AROMA: Mandarin orange, with hints of vanilla
BODY: Brown sugar, cherry, and sweetened apricot
FINISH: Long finish with soft cinnamon powder and slight spice

What Gary Says

Nose: Blood orange, vanilla, honey, nutty with dark chocolate (and an aroma I can only describe as the Boston Baked Beans candy).
Palate: Chocolate-covered cherries, cinnamon, salted caramel, orange marmalade, nutmeg, and pepper.
Finish: Moderately long, syrupy with cinnamon, honey, and pepper spice.
Comments: For a barrel-strength bourbon, this is very light in color (lighter than the Penelope Toasted Series Batch 24-301). I really dig the Boston Baked Beans note on the nose (and if you’ve never had that candy, I’m sorry someone wronged you in your childhood by failing to introduce you) which is the first time I’ve gotten that note from any whisk(e)y. While it’s a nice enough pour, I was hoping for more. The low proof for barrel strength (as well as lightness in color) leads me to believe this was matured on a lower-level rickhouse where it didn’t get as much action from the barrel. It’s gentle for a barrel-strength bourbon.

Rating: Stands Out

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