Non-chill Filtered | Natural Colour Premium Cask Exclusive To The Whisky Exchange 24 Years Old Cask No. 1996/752 Distilled: 19/07/1996 Bottled: 11/03/2021 Bottle No. X/274 700mL 49.5% Vol Distilled and Matured in Lochranza, Isle of Arran
On the nose there are dusty leather-bound books, dried apples, toffee, oranges and sultanas. The palate is full of toffee popcorn, fruit cake and clotted-cream ice cream drizzled with fudge. The finish is long, with a hint of chilli spice and chimney smoke.
What Gary Says
Nose: Smoked brisket, dark fruit, brown sugar, balsamic, earthy, campfire, sea salt, biscuits, honey, savory herbs, fennel and worn leather. Palate: Oily mouthfeel with sweet peat, honey, bit of chili oil, blackberries, apples, cherries, raisins, and smoke. Finish: Moderately long with peat smoke, dried fruit, agave syrup and sea salt. Comments: The nose on this is delightfully complex! Very layered and nuanced – one of those drams I could just sit and nose the entire evening – as it does continue to open up with time in the glass. The palate is really nice as well, although a tad sharp with a bit of a bite. Some water adds citrus and brings spices forward on the nose, and the mouthfeel transitions from oily to a more creamy feel, as well as tamping the bite but only a bit.
Calumet Farm Single Rack Black 15 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey is the pinnacle of the Calumet Farm Bourbon family. It represents the premium quality our brand is known for, as well as the hard-earned badge of patience. Allowing our bourbon to age slowly in Kentucky-only rick houses is a testament to doing things the right way – the way bourbon should be done. All barrels used to craft these rare batches are aged in a single, center cut rack. This expression of the Calumet Farm Bourbon family is our most aged and highest proof to date. It is Non-Chill Filtered for added depth of character and color.
TASTING NOTES Color: Deep amber throughout with shimmering highlights of copper and sun-yellow Nose Upon Uncorking: Notes of oak and wood char are notable Nose After Breathing: Complex scents of dark fruit and sweet corn Taste: Bold flavors of oak, aged spice and toasted grains are present while toffee and a subtle smoky-sweetness roll across the palate Finish: A lingering finish mellows, leaving sweet tobacco and rye flavors with a slightly dry mouth feel
What Gary Says
Nose: Caramel creams, oak, maple candies, chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg and cherries. Palate: Caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, cherries and clove. Finish: Moderate in length, drying with oak, baking spices and honey. Comments: Compared to the 14 year, the addition proof helps give this a bit more oomph with more cherries, and darker chocolate notes. The oak actually is less tannic than the 14 year which is a nice surprise (again, small batches can lead to more variation). This definitely has a thicker mouthfeel as well, and depending where you shop – is very similarly priced to the 14 year.
Calumet Farm Single Rack Black 14 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey represents both the prestigious nature and hard-earned quality of a premium Kentucky straight bourbon. It is painstakingly crafted from extremely small batches of 19 barrels. All barrels used are aged in a single, center cut rack from the ideal maturation location and conditions inside the rick house. This expression of the Calumet Farm Bourbon family is a true convergence of craftsmanship and flavor. It is Non-Chill Filtered for added depth of character and color.
TASTING NOTES Color: Deep amber throughout with shimmering highlights of copper and sun-yellow Nose: Heavy notes of oak and molasses are rolled back as light scents of fresh corn, wood sugars and hay present Taste: Smooth flavors of oak and char subside to reveal complex sensations of toasted grains, toffee and vanilla Finish: The long finish leaves the palate with a subtle dryness followed by lasting flavors of rye and dark fruit
What Gary Says
Nose: Salted caramel, oak, dark chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, hint of clove and anise. Palate: Caramel, vanilla, chocolate, oak, coffee cake, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Finish: Moderate in length, slightly drying with oak, baking spices and vanilla. Comments: This is a nice, solid bourbon. Slightly tannic, which being the first (and youngest) of three Calumet bourbons I was sitting down with made me a bit worried, although as these are all truly small batches (only 19 barrels) this may not be like last years (or next years) offering.
40% ABV $130 Website We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
To celebrate and honor El Mayor’s 25th anniversary, Master Distiller Rodolfo Gonzalez selected 25 barrels of the distillery’s oldest stock to create a unique, limited-edition tequila: El Mayor Extra Añejo Bourbon Barrel Aged. The ultra-premium tequila is aged for 39 months in American Oak bourbon barrels and distilled from Blue Weber agave from the valley area of Jalisco, Mexico. A limited allocation of approximately 6,000 bottles will be available at a suggested retail price of $129.99 per 750-ml. bottle. Distilled and produced at Destiladora Gonzalez Lux in Arandas, Mexico, the limited-edition tequila will be available nationwide in July 2023.
“This limited-edition Extra Añejo tequila is the culmination of 25 years of knowledge, expertise and innovation,” said Graciela Gonzalez, fourth-generation distiller and daughter of Rodolfo Gonzalez. “The result is an extraordinarily smooth, well-balanced tequila with elegant oak hints, baking spices and dried fruit on the nose and palate. It’s a gorgeous expression worthy of marking such a significant milestone.”
The El Mayor 25th Anniversary Extra Añejo Bourbon Barrel Aged bottle features a silver label and embossed detail around the neck. It is packaged in an attractive black box with silver markings that complement the label.
“The tequila category is experiencing a meteoric rise, fueled by award-winning brands like El Mayor,” said Chelsi Hofmeister, brand manager for El Mayor. “This latest 25th Anniversary Extra Añejo tequila is sure to be sought after by those who recognize and appreciate exceptional tequila.”
For recipes and more information about El Mayor and the limited-edition 25th Anniversary Extra Añejo Bourbon Barrel Aged tequila, or to find a retailer, visit elmayor.com or follow the brands @elmayortequila on Facebook and Instagram.
What Gary Says
DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Tequila (so read at your own risk!) Nose: Vanilla, agave, vegetal note, hint of tangerine and nutmeg. Palate: Thick mouthfeel with agave nectar, apples, vanilla, touch of cinnamon and a bit earthy. Finish: Short to moderate in length with honey, dried fruit and pepper. Comments: Not a tequila aficionado by any stretch, but of my limited experience, I found this to be quite nice. As a bourbon fan, you definitely get that influence which I appreciate. And this made a fabulous margarita!
Broken Barrel x Black Hjerte Collaboration Collection
Blended Rye Whiskey Finished With Coffee Liqueur Barrel Staves
53.5% ABV $95 Website 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’s newest release, Black Hjerte, an industry first, showcases a blended Rye Whiskey finished in two types of coffee liqueur barrels from Laurel Canyon Spirits. The result of both masterful blending by the company’s founder, Seth Benhaim, along with his sourcing of Laurel Canyon’s Black Hjerte Barrel-Aged Coffee Liqueur Barrels, is a warm and inviting whiskey that ushers in the winter months unlike any whiskey produced before. The blend features both Kentucky Straight Rye and Kentucky-distilled Light Whiskey, offering a truly exceptional tasting experience. The Oak Bill combines 2/3 of its staves from the standard Black Hjerte Coffee Liqueur, while the remaining 1/3 features staves from a limited-edition Blood Orange Coffee Liqueur barrel.
As soon as the golden amber spirit hits the glass, the aromas conjure an alluring blend of roasted coffee, vanilla, buttercream, and charred oak.
On the palate, the whiskey is a symphony of flavors that begin sweet, with caramelized sugar and orange zest notes, intertwined with rich and mildly bitter coffee notes. The result is a beautifully balanced fusion of coffee liqueur and whiskey, where the spirit’s underlying grain and vanilla tones gracefully share the spotlight with the coffee’s deep, earthy complexity. The finish is velvety and enduring, with a lingering and warming citrus sweetness from the blood orange liqueur staves.
Intended to be sipped neat or used to craft a ultra-premium cocktail, this coffee liqueur finished whiskey barrels guarantees a one-of-a-kind taste profile that is to be expected from Broken Barrel Whiskey, upholding their 2023 Icons of Whiskey – Brand Innovator of the Year title.
Nose: Oak with medium-dark roasted coffee, smoke, cigar paper, a hint of vanilla and toffee. Palate: Caramel, blood orange, coffee liqueur, vanilla, nutmeg and a touch of cinnamon. Finish: Short to moderate in length, drying with coffee, cinnamon, caramel and pepper. Comments: The coffee liqueur influence is nice, and the blood orange shines through on the palate. A bit of water brought out hints of maple and salted caramel on the nose, and brought those forward on the palate as well. I enjoyed sipping on this. I did find the underlying base whiskey to be overpowered. I inquired more into the whiskey and appreciate their disclosing that the rye is 3.5 years old (distilled by Owensboro, a 95% rye mash bill w/ 5% malted barley) and the light whiskey is 6 years old (distilled by Beam, a 99% corn and 1% malted barley mash bill). The mix is right around 50% rye (although somewhere there’s a typo because no ratio of those mash bills result in posted end result; and Owensboro does make a 95/5 rye). In any event, the coffee liqueur is dominant and I don’t pick up any rye whiskey notes (although to be fair, a blend of the two without any finishing staves might come across like a bourbon, and there are some bourbon notes on the palate). Often I criticize when the finish is ‘heavy handed’ – but I think for this brand, the finish IS the point. And like I said, I enjoyed it, which ultimately is what matters most!
