Stands Out

Broken Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Broken Barrel Cask Strength
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Broken Barrel Staves

57.5% ABV
$45
Website
Broken Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Broken Barrel Bourbon features a unique blend of corn, rye, and barley that makes it perfectly balanced to infuse. We partnered with an incredible world-class Kentucky Bourbon distillery to select the finest bourbon base for our products. The bourbon is aged a minimum of one year (it has to be) to be called a Kentucky Bourbon, which also ensures a specific quality we’re looking for before incorporate our Oak Bill™.

WHAT IS THE OAK BILL?

After a minimum of one year in new charred oak barrels, the bourbon is dumped to steel tanks, where each batch of Broken Barrel is hit with new French oak staves, ex-bourbon barrel staves, and a blend of ex-sherry cask staves.

Rich, complex, layered and beyond beautiful, Broken Barrel boldly goes where other whiskies won’t – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Mash Bill:
70% Corn
21% Rye
9% Malted Barley

Oak Bill™
40% French Oak Staves
40% Ex-Bourbon Cask Staves
20% Sherry Cask Staves

A note about Staves – there is a tremendous amount of surface area when using staves to age and flavor a whiskey – much more than merely using the inside of a barrel. There are several more surfaces making contact with the liquid, each adding its own character and flavor.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Salted caramel, candy corn, vanilla, bit of oak and subtle dark fruits.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel with caramel and toffee, sharpens with pepper spice and cinnamon, dark fruit notes of black cherry and raisins.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with pepper, oak and dried fruits.
Comments:  Very similar to the Small Batch – guessing it is the same spirit just bottled at a higher proof.  Bit tannic/sharp, although some water tamps that a bit. Similarly young, although I found dialing this in around 105 proof or so definitely brings it up a notch over the Small Batch.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Ledaig Cadenhead 19 Year

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Ledaig 19 Year Cadenhead Small Batch
Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky

53.7% ABV
$200
Website
Ledaig 19 Year Cadenhead

What the Bottle/Tag Says

Ledaig Distillery
Region: Island
Founded: 1798
Water: Mishnish Loch

The original distillery founded in 1798 was known as Tobermory. The distillery was closed in 1930 and was reopened as Ledaig in 1972. Today Ledaig is the name used for the peated version of Tobermory.

The whisky in this bottle has not been treated to change its colour. It is free from additives and has not been subjected to chill filtration.

Tasting Note:
Nose: Oily, with a hint of sea breeze. Fennel, rosemary and some lemon thyme along with flashes of wet smoke.
Palate: Very oily and then some grassy notes, some wet smoke and hints of aniseed.
Finish: Soft smoke lingers with wet grass and some mineral notes.

Distilled: 1997
Bottled: 2016
Age: 19
Strength: 53.7%
Cask: 1 x Bourbon Hogshead
No. bottles: 240

What Gary Says

Nose:  Oily and medicinal with peat smoke, savory herbs of rosemary, oregano, tarragon and thyme, creosote, sea air, heather and wisps of smoked fish.
Palate:  Oily mouthfeel, peat, minerality, smoke, vanilla, raw honey, pepper spice and a hint of anise.
Finish:  Long and thick with smoke, peat and vegetal notes.
Comments: Compared to the 14 year, this is lighter in color and is absent the lovely fruit notes (both due to the bourbon cask rather than the sherry). This is much more of a peat beast, which I enjoy a really peat-focused dram on occasion. A bit of water thickens this up really nicely, bringing out more sweetness with vanilla, subtle caramel and a bit of white chocolate (and I love how it clouds up with some water – thank you non-chill filtration!) I’d recommend letting this sit in the glass for a bit, as it helps take some of the edge off.  A very different dram than the 14 year, and really highlights the influence of the cask itself.  While Laphroaig was my first true love in the world of Scotch, over the years I’ve found I definitely reach for more sherry and port matured whisky – but variety is the spice of life.

Rating: Stands Out

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Longmorn 2002 17 Year

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

Longmorn 2002 17 Year
Signatory Vintage The Un-chillfiltered Collection
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Bottled Exclusively for The Whisky Exchange

56.2% ABV
$160
Website
Longmorn 2002 17 Year Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Bottle Says

AGED: 17 years
DISTILLED ON: September 17, 2002
BOTTLE ON: May 5, 2020|
MATURED IN: a Bourbon Barrel
CASK NO: 800638
BOTTLE NO: x of 229

Cask Strength | Natural Colour

What Gary Says

Nose:  Bright fruit notes of peaches, green apples, kiwi, coconut and cotton candy with fresh walnuts.
Palate:  Sweet with fruit salad, cherries, nutmeg, vanilla with a bit of toffee and nutmeg before pepper spice builds.
Finish:  Moderately long with fruit notes, vanilla and cracked white pepper.
Comments:  This is a really bright and fruity dram, with orchard and tropical fruits. I’ve tried a few Longmorns, and liked every single one (although I don’t recall the others being this fruity). The Whisky Exchange points out that they “… love Longmorn, and this bourbon-barrel-matured single-cask bottling showcases the fruitiness that so often gets lost in drams from the distillery.” I think they nailed it.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Barrell Craft Spirits Gray Label Seagrass 1st Release

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Barrell Craft Spirits Gray Label Seagrass
1st Release, 16 Yrs

Rye Whiskey Finished in Martinique Rum,
Madeira & Apricot Brandy Barrels

65.41% ABV
$250
Website
Barrell Craft Spirits Gray Label Whiskey 2021
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

  • Matured for 16 years
  • Distilled in Canada
  • Rye whiskey finished in Martinique rhum, Madeira, and apricot brandy casks
  • Aged in the US and Canada
  • Crafted and bottled in Kentucky
  • 130.82 proof cask strength bottling

The foundation of BCS Gray Label Seagrass began with two groups of 16-year-old 100% Canadian Rye barrels – one with bright citrus and crisp green apple notes and the other with earthy spearmint notes. A portion of the first group was finished in Apricot Brandy casks, a portion of the second group was finished in Martinique rhum barrels, and a blend of the first and second groups was finished in Malmsey Madeira barrels. When each set of secondary maturation flavors peaked, those casks were pulled and slowly married into the final blend.
This deeply mature and rye whiskey has a classic, grassy aroma reinforced by the equally iconic, fresh notes of aged Rhum Agricole. On the palate, the oily rye is complemented by the oxidative, nutty madeira character that also balances that richness with exuberant acidity. Apricot brandy casks splash bright, sometimes tropical fruit over the finish before it fades to reveal the maritime minerality that lends this whiskey its name.
Appearance: Rich, golden straw.
Nose: The savory side of rye is showcased by an array of exotic spices and seeds–caraway, fenugreek, dill, and mustard. Rye toast, grilled cornbread, and roasted taro root give it a bready depth. The Rhum Agricole barrels bolster the spirit’s innate grassy notes of cucumber peel, black olive, and bark mulch. Beyond the cask’s prior contents, the oak itself is expressed by cigar tobacco, coffee, and cinnamon.
Palate: Extremely oily, displaying notes of peanut-, coconut-, and tea tree–oils. As it’s held in the mouth it grows creamier with soy milk and cocoa butter. A bright lemonade note buoys nutty sunflower seed in a nod toward the madeira barrels. That madeira influence expands into notes of grapefruit peel, verjus, and gravel.
Finish: The apricot brandy casks pick up where the madeira left off, bursting forth with passionfruit, mirabelle plum, and banana peel. Now the collective minerality of the rye and its respective finishes wash over the palate with notes of chalk dust, flint, paraffin, and cedar smoke.
With a splash of spring water: The maritime scent of fresh costal breeze is dialed up. Maraschino liqueur, cloudberry, and green apple herald a fresh fruitiness. Meanwhile marmalade, burnt marshmallows, and roasted chestnut sweeten the palate considerably. It gets a bit woodsier too, with balsam, wild mint, and raspberry leaf.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rye toast with caraway seeds, caramel, oak, dill, heather, cinnamon, tobacco, dried mint and lemongrass.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel with citrus notes, oranges and kiwi that sharpen to a sour grapefruit note, pepper, cinnamon and dried mint with notes of apricots.
Finish:  Long and drying with apricot, citrus zest and pepper.
Comments:  The nose on this is really complex – more so than the palate for me, which is on the sharp side. This definitely is more on the savory side of things, which I do enjoy. A bit of water brings out more mint on the nose, and maybe a note of mango on the palate along with more grapefruit. This is one where personally I prefer the standard Seagrass over this, but mainly because I am not a fan of grapefruit (and I wouldn’t say it is overbearing, but definitely prominent). If you are a fan of grapefruit, this might be fantastic – as that isn’t a note I get often in whisk(e)y, so this is definitely unique.

Rating: Stands Out

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Knob Creek 15 Year Old Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Knob Creek 15 Year Old
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50% ABV
$100
Website
Knob Creek 15 Year Bourbon
We would like to thank Beam Suntory & Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Knob Creek® Bourbon is excited to announce the return of its award-winning limited edition Knob Creek 15 Year Old. Originally released in 2020, this liquid further elevates Booker Noe’s vision to recreate the fullest flavors characteristic of pre-prohibition style bourbon. Knob Creek has boldly expanded with this extra aged Knob Creek® 15 Year Old Bourbon, their most mature age statement to-date.

To deliver such an extraordinary product that is bottled at 100 proof, barrels were pulled from prime locations within Knob Creek’s Kentucky warehouses that cater to advanced aging, which is essential to the decade and a half maturation process.

This extended journey over fifteen years allows for the bourbon to mature in such a way that truly highlights the flavors of smooth caramel and toffee, perfectly paired with toasted oak and light leather, all while maintaining the unmistakable full flavor of Knob Creek. Its flavor is rich and hearty, reflecting the true maturity of the liquid, that can only come with age.

TASTING NOTES
Knob Creek 15 Year Old is a full-bodied bourbon that is perfect sipped straight, cooled slightly with an ice cube or used in your favorite food or cocktail recipe.
COLOR: Rich gold and bronze
AROMA: Strong caramelized oak followed by hints of sweet vanilla, ripened fruit and baking spices
TASTE: Smooth caramel and toffee paired with toasted oak and light leather
FINISH: Warming spices with a touch of floral and cherry

What Gary Says

Nose:  Oak with worn leather, roasted caramel, subtle baking spices, boiled peanuts, cherries, hint of citrus zest with rickhouse must.
Palate:  Oaky with dark chocolate, toffee, caramel, cinnamon, peanut brittle and honey.
Finish:  Moderate in length, dry with oak, vanilla and pepper.
Comments:  This is one where time in the glass really helps it out a lot – when I first poured, it came across a tad hot but stepping away for 10+ minutes really opened it up. To be honest, 15 years is usually past my sweet spot when it comes to bourbon, as the nature of the spirit just has more oak than I particularly like. Some water tames that a bit, but only a bit. I didn’t have any of the Knob Creek 12 year to sample next to, but I’m certain I prefer that one over this (and honestly, not sure if I don’t personally prefer the 9 yr over this). Now if you prefer more oak in your bourbon, and like Knob Creek – than this might be right in your wheelhouse (it isn’t what I’d call over-oaked given its age).

Rating: Stands Out

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