Joseph Magnus Exclusive Private Barrel Bourbon Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Sherry Casks
51% ABV $100-$130 (varies by age/retailer) Website
What the Producer Says
Jos. A. Magnus is pleased to offer a limited private barrel selection program. Contact us for more information. NOTE: This bottle was selected for/by Tower Beer, Win & Spirits
What Gary Says
Nose: Dark fruit, vanilla wafers, salted caramel, raisins, smoke, leather and oak. Palate: Rich mouthfeel, cherry vanilla cola, orange zest with a bit of grapefruit, cinnamon and chili spice. Finish: Moderately long, drying with black cherry cough syrup and smoke. Comments: I’m a fan of sherried whiskey, and this is a nice representation of that. Cherry cola isn’t a note I get often, and ironically I don’t like cherry cola, but I do dig that note in my whiskey! A bit of water brings some rickhouse must out on the nose, and the fruit notes start bending towards citrus. This would be a nice cigar smoking bourbon.
57.76% ABV $90 Website We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Blender Says
Casks made from rare Mizunara hardwood are a true work of art. The wood is meticulously cut, and the barrels carefully raised due to the wood’s characteristics. Mizunara finishing imparts subtle notes of sandalwood, herbal spice, and coconut to bourbon, and precision is required to craft a harmonious blend. This cask finished bourbon was expertly blended using bourbons distilled from multiple mash bills and finished in Mizunara casks for one and a half years.
BLEND COMPONENTS: Indiana: 6, 7, & 9 years old Kentucky: 8 years old Tennessee: 8 & 14 years old
FLAVOR NOTES An Invigorating nose of fresh strawberry and white peach interweaves with sugar cookies and toasted corn. Vibrant notes of lemongrass and peppermint hit the palate first, then transform to a deep sweetness of Medjool dates followed by an enthralling citrus and woodsy earthiness.
Neat Appearance: Amber honey. Nose: Starts with a burst of strawberry, golden raisin, amontillado sherry, and a touch of sawdust. Then sweeter notes of honey, vanilla, sugar cookie, and white peach appear, followed by cocoa, cherry, oiled leather, toasted corn, and palo santo. Palate: The palate is viscous with herbaceous notes of lemongrass, star anise, and peppermint striking first. Honey, sweet cornbread, and dates appear followed by galangal and a woodsy note. Finish: Spearmint, palo santo, lime zest, and ginger. With a splash of spring water An eruption of sandalwood, palo santo, vanilla, and cherry on the nose. The palate brightens with notes of lemon curd, fresh honey, sweet peppermint, and vanilla ice cream and finishes with ginger and lime zest.
What Gary Says
Nose: Sandalwood, berries, raisins, black cherry, ginger snaps, leather, undertones of caramel and vanilla with a hint of minerality. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, honey, caramel, bright citrus notes leaning from orange or lemon, peppermint, clove and cinnamon. Finish: Long, warm and slightly drying with peppermint, citrus spice and honey. Comments: This is a really nice addition to the Cask Finish Series! Love the spiciness on this one, which drinks closer to a rye to me despite the high corn content. The Mizunara wood brings a lovely earth spiciness to the party, and as has been my experience more often than not – the BCS blending team does a superb job of balancing the finishing to not overshadow the main spirit. A bit of water amps up the sandalwood, brings out notes of cherry cola on the nose.
High n’ Wicked No. 7 Foursquare 2007 Single Grain Irish Whiskey
50% ABV $80 Website We would like to thank Altamar Brands, LLC and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
High n’ Wicked, the importer and specialty bottler of exceptional whiskeys, today launched its latest singular limited release: a collaboration with Foursquare Rum Distillery. The new expression, a Single Grain Irish Whiskey, originally distilled in County Cork, Ireland, features a mash bill of 95% French maize (corn) and 5% malted barley. The whiskey was first matured in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished for six months in casks which previously held the award-winning “Mark X 2007” Barbados Rum from Foursquare Rum Distillery in Barbados.
This rare and distinctive expression was created by merging the skills of two of the most respected and admired producers of spirits in the world: Richard Seale of the legendary Foursquare Rum Distillery, and Noel Sweeney, former Master Distiller/Master Blender of Cooley who selected, finished, and blended this special whiskey.
“We got the Dream Team for this one,” said Lyons Brown, Founder and CEO of High n’ Wicked. “Foursquare has risen to the pinnacle of the rum world and is quickly becoming a global icon in spirits. We expect to work with Richard on additional releases in the future.”
Bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV), the new expression is available for purchase in select U.S. markets and online via highnwicked.com for the suggested retail price of $79.99 per 750ml bottle. It offers aromas of coconut, treacle, lemon peel, almond, nougat, fig, and vanilla, which give way to subtle tropical notes of clove and cinnamon followed by rich caramel and candied hazelnuts. The liquid lingers gently and finishes soft with a hint of custard.
“Foursquare’s ‘Mark X 2007’ was a highly expressive and complex Barbados rum and these casks married beautifully with the nuanced and subtle characters of this exquisite Single Grain Irish Whiskey,” said Richard Seale, Master Distiller/Master Blender, Foursquare Rums. “Seeing this collaboration come together from such a long-standing partner in our Exceptional Cask Selections importer, Altamar Brands, and through High n’ Wicked, has been a genuine pleasure.”
High n’ Wicked launches singular limited releases several times per year which are specialty bottlings of some of the finest domestic and global whiskeys. These “treasures” feature single barrels and expert double wood finishes that add layers of complexity to already superb distillates. To date, the brand has issued eight distinct American and Irish whiskey releases which include American Bourbon, Single Malt Irish whiskey, and Single Grain Irish Whiskey. High n’ Wicked also produces an award-winning flagship straight bourbon whiskey and straight rye whiskey which are regularly available.
Aroma: Coconut, Treacle, Lemon Peel, Almond, Nougat, Fig and Vanilla – giving way to subtle tropical fruit notes of mango and candied pineapple. Palate: Rich and sweet on the open, highlighting baking spice notes of clove and cinnamon, immediately followed by rich caramel and candied hazelnuts. It lingers gently and finishes soft with a hint of custard
What Gary Says
Nose: Lemon curd, cornmeal, coconut, hints of pineapple and molasses. Palate: Rich mouthfeel, sweet with caramel, honey, lemon spongecake, subtle baking spices including nutmeg and a hint of cinnamon with vanilla. Finish: Moderately long, syrupy with lemon pudding and caramel. Comments: Single grain whiskey tends to be very light and delicate, and this is absolutely all of that – but the corn sweetness shines through and is complemented really well by the tropical notes. I really like the mouthfeel on this, which drinks lovely neat but also holds up with a bit of water without losing that viscous feel.
Bulleit Rye is an award-winning, straight rye whiskey with a character of unparalleled spice and complexity. Released in 2011, it continues to enjoy recognition as one of the highest quality ryes available. BULLEIT RYE WHISKEY TASTING NOTES Russet in color, with rich oaky aromas. The taste is exceptionally smooth, with hints of vanilla, honey, and spice. Finish is crisp and clean, with long, lingering flavors.
What Gary Says
Nose: Fresh mint, dill, eucalyptus, menthol, lime zest, subtle vanilla and rye toast. Palate: Crisp citrus spice with tangerines and lime, mint, thyme, caramel, honey and pepper spice. Finish: Short to moderate in length with fading rye spices. Comments: Wait . . . we hadn’t reviewed this before? This is a solid high-rye (not to be confused with a ‘barely-legal’) rye whiskey. I’ll admit that I wasn’t a fan in the early days, mostly due to the lack of transparency with the brand (which is still a fair critique). Setting that aside, the whiskey itself is solid for what it is. There are folks who don’t care for the ‘dill pickle’ but I find the strong lean into the spicy rye grain delivers nicely.
49.5% ABV $35 Website We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Distiller Says
ST. LOUIS (April 9, 2024) – Lux Row Distillers announced the latest addition to the Ezra Brooks brand family: Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish. Finished in port casks from Portugal for six months, Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish delivers the great spicy ryed bourbon taste and smooth finish Ezra Brooks is known for in its already bold 99 proof bourbon, with additional flavor notes. The new variant will start shipping to retailers later this month at a suggested retail price of $34.99 per 750 ml bottle.
With a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malt, Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish is distilled using the highest quality ingredients, aged the old-fashioned way and bottled at 99 proof (49.5% ABV). Distinctive packaging features prominent callouts and a special label color highlighting the port cask finish.
“We created Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish for bourbon fans looking for an elevated taste profile and unique flavor option,” said Eric Winter, Ezra Brooks brand manager. “Lux Row Master Distiller John Rempe was intrigued by the juxtaposition of ryed bourbon’s spicy flavor profile and the sweeter, dark fruit notes often found in port wines.”
“This special finish brings notes of vanilla, tobacco and leather together on the nose, and sweet fruitiness and dark chocolate on the palate,” said Rempe. “We’re excited to share this special new variety with consumers as the first in a planned series of annual finishes for the Ezra Brooks 99 family.”
What Gary Says
Nose: Charred oak, port wine notes of berries, raisins, caramel, vanilla, pipe tobacco and leather. Palate: Round mouthfeel with caramel, dark chocolate, raspberry jam, honey, apricots and cinnamon. Finish: Moderate in length, syrupy with spicy fruit notes and chocolate. Comments: Nice edition to the Ezra Brooks family! The bourbon isn’t lost and overpowered by the finish, which I appreciate (frequent readers know a heavy-handed finish is one of my pet peeves). This is nicely balanced, highlighting the lovely fruit notes from the port cask finish while retaining the spicy sweetness of the bourbon. Drinks really well neat, as well as in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned.
