Stagg Jr.

WOTD 12: Stagg Jr.

So this is Batch 3 of Stagg Jr. There was Batch 1, at 134.4 proof and Batch 2 at 128.7 proof. Batch 3 weighs is in at 132.1 proof (66.05%). I've never tried the other 2 and judging by most reviews I apparently wasn't missing much. However, with this batch, it makes me wonder about the previous reviews and whether it's just me, or if it's the reviews.

To begin, lets discuss the nose: It smells amazing. Cherries, plums, maple, vanilla and oak, Mind you, you'll get a lot of alcohol if you don't let it sit for a few minutes, but after that, it's just beautiful.

How 132.1 can be this smooth, I'm not even sure I completely understand. Even though some of it seems to vanish on the tongue, the flavor is intense. Some prefer watering it down some but I like it neat in a chilled glass. The tastes of cinnamon, sweet caramel and maple again, with vanilla and a little spice. Did I mention it's smooth... like, very smooth?

My feelings about this? This is the best whiskey of my reviews so far. If you can find it, get it. If not for you, get it for me!

97/100

Cost: $55.99

Four Roses Small Batch

WOTD 11: Four Roses Small Batch

Four Roses Small Batch contains a mixture of four of their signature blends (I'll be doing a separate blog post about Four Roses methods). The Single Barrel contains only one blend, obviously, and Yellow Label is a mixture of all ten. Four Roses is an all around good bourbon. All of their blends contain good quality and consistency. If your fortunate enough to snag one of the Four Roses Limited Editions (Small Batch or Single Barrel) you'll find a truly superb whiskey. Today though, I'm going to review the standard Small Batch.

Nose: Spice, brown sugar, cherries and fruits, hint of oak and caramel

Taste: Spicy with some sweetness, oak, caramel, black pepper.

Finish: Smooth and of decent length

I like Four Roses Small Batch quite well, but to be honest, neat or on the rocks, it doesn't have a flavor that captures me. At 45% ABV, you can still add water with out weakening it too much but, honestly I think this still makes a better high grade mixer then straight up drinker. For the price though, you are getting a really good whiskey.

Price $30~

Rating: 86/100

Upcoming Reviews

Just wanted to update everyone and let them know some reviews of whiskeys coming up:

Stagg Jr.
E H Taylor Single Barrel
Hibiki 12
Blanton's

Feel free to make a request as well!

El Dorado 12 Year

WOTD 10: Whisk... Rum of the Day? El Dorado 12 Year

So for my 10th review I've deviated from the course a tad. I wanted to review something a bit different just to keep things fresh. That said, I decided to review El Dorado 12 Year Rhum. The H is on purpose.

Let's talk about Age Statements! (Oh joy...) There are two types of Age Statements when it comes to Rums. In the Spanish speaking countries, a Rum's age statement is based on the oldest Rum in the mix. This means that invariably the Rum itself is no where near the age on the bottle, but does contain some of the highest year in it, just fractionally. So for instance, the Ron Zacapa 23 is an average age of 6 - 8 years (5 being the minimum age before blending into older barrels and 23 being the high end). While this is totally acceptable, it can be a little deceiving, intentionally or not. On the other hand, in English speaking countries, Rums follow the rule of Scotch, which is, the year on the bottle is the age of the youngest batch and also can, and usually does, contain batches much older. El Dorado, while being based in Guyana, follows these same rules. El Dorado 12 is, at the minimum, comprised of 12 year old rums with possibly older rums blended in to uniform the taste. If you want to know more about the distilling process of the 12, 15, 21 and 23, it's possible I'll be putting a post on my blog about it. Regardless the 12 is slightly sweeter than the 15, 15 than the 21, etc.

The reason I bring up Age Statements in Rums is that you, the consumer, want to know what you are getting. Slapping a 23 year statement on a bottle of rum sure makes most people think it's 23 years old... the entire contents of the bottle. This is just not the case in most situations. Whether that actually matters to you, well now you know, like it or not.

Tasting Notes!

Nose: Tropical Fruits, dark brown sugar and honey

Taste: Smooth and easy, little to no burn. Full of flavor. Fruits and Spice, honey and sugars.

Finish: Medium to long, with flavors of pineapple, coconut and honey.

You can treat a good rum just like a good whiskey. Nose it. Sip it. Taste it. Pick out the flavors you like and enjoy!

Cost: $45
Rating: 92/100

Angel's Envy Rye

WOTD 9: Lincoln Henderson's Angel's Envy Rye

Oh boy, a contentious one here. There's no two ways about it. True rye whiskey lovers are polarized on this and this review will hopefully explain why and IF you want to try this whiskey out yourself.

First, some back story. The name: As bourbon ages, for each year of maturation, 5% of the barrel’s bourbon is lost to evaporation. For generations, this precious lost bourbon has been called the Angel’s Share. After tasting his creation, Lincoln joked that the angels might have wanted a bigger cut. Thus Angel’s Envy was born.

Angel's Envy Rye is Finished in Caribbean Rum Casks. The casks start as cognac, then are used to age Plantation XO Rum. Angel's Envy is then finished for additional 18 months (adding to what appears to be a young whiskey of maybe 6 years). It uses an MPG Rye whiskey with a 95/5 Rye to Malted Barley ratio. This is either the same or similar mashbill to Bulleit's Rye and George Dickel's Rye. Right away, the rum idea divides whiskey drinkers like Red Sox and Yankees fans. To some the mere idea of doing this is an abomination, much less an actual "finished" product. But as ol' Friday used to say: "Just the facts, ma'am."

By facts I really mean my opinion... so here we go!

Nose: This stuff smells amazing. Maple and Brown Sugar. Tropical scents like coconut and pineapple, the rum casks definitely making their mark on this Rye to the extent that it doesn't quite smell like whiskey but like rum (think Pyrat). I love it, but is probably too sweet for most Rye lovers.

Taste: First of all, its smooth, very smooth. Maple Syrup, toffee, the tropical flavors are there but light. The spiciness of the rye comes in but not strong. Very drinkable even at 100 proof. Adding water mellows the burn but doesn't reduce the flavors. Really great taste!

Finish: Pretty long, still tasting the Maple Syrup and spice a few minutes afterwards.

I liked this a lot. But I like Rum. And I like Whiskey. So this is like an amalgamation from my greatest whiskey dreams.

Rating: 97/100

Col. E.H. Taylor Small Batch

WOTD 8: Col. E.H. Taylor Small Batch

So this is the Colonel we all know and love. No jokes about KFC please. This is a great whiskey from Buffalo Trace Distillery that comes in some different expressions like Single Barrel and Barrel Proof. But today we're looking at Small Batch. This is Bottled in Bond, meaning the whiskey is distilled from one plant during one season and aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least four years. It has less then 10% rye in it's mashbill.

Nose: Apples, vanilla and caramel. Fruits with a bit of the wood of the barrel.

Palate: Caramel and vanilla, hint of the apple.

Finish: Cinnamon for sure. Add a little water to help with the burn, but still tasty neat.

These are rather hard to come by, although I did come across a few in Montgomery, AL, most places I have only see the Rye (and at $70 I'm not surprised the Rye is hanging on the shelves). If you can find it in stores, you're looking at between $35 and $40.

Rating: 93/100

*Photobomb courtesy of Creepy Fox*

Update Frequency

Just a short note:

While I do call these posts The Whisk(e)y of the Day, it doesn't necessarily mean that I will be posting them daily. Even though that does seem to infer this, I'm really just using it as a tagline. That said, please do keep following my reviews and, as I have the opportunity to, I will add more reviews as frequently as possible.

Thanks everyone!!!

Willett Pot Still Reserve

WOTD 7: Willett Pot Still Reserve

Willett is a well known and much respected name. From their 2 year, youthful Rye, to their 20+ year aged Ryes, to their new XCF (Experimental Cask Finish) Rye Whiskey, Willett is to some a pinnacle of good, if not great whiskey. So my review of this is going to get me in trouble. I can already tell.

I was thoroughly disappointed with this whiskey and I am not quite sure what I am missing. As I have tasted this whiskey on multiple occasions and have continued to read glowing reviews for it, I am baffled by the unenjoyable experience I have with it. So, first I'll run down what I taste and then ask for some opinions from anyone who cares to share as to what makes either my bottle of this whiskey a lemon, or if I am indeed just not a Willett fan.

The nose is the best part of this whiskey to me. Vanilla and Caramel at first, giving way to light oak and leather. Very appealing. The taste however is extremely strong with nail polish/high proof alcohol (which this is not). It's hard for me to get past the initial sting, even though I do taste a bit of dried fruits its heavily overshadowed by the awful chemical flavor. For the finish I'm basically just trying to get the numbing out of my mouth.

So, what happened?!? How can all the reviews (minus 1 guy I saw) say this is great stuff and mine be so bad. This is my only experience with Willett and it makes me very nervous to step out on a limb and buy more. I'm open to suggestions though, thoughts anyone?

Rating: 74/100 (while I don't care for it, its not shoe polish nasty, and the nose is quite amazing)

*Photobomb courtesy of Kuma the Shiba*

Belle Meade Sherry Cask Finished Bourbon

WOTD 6: Belle Meade Sherry Cask Finished Bourbon

Nelson's Green Brier Distillery had its grand reopening yesterday, and we were fortunate enough to be there for the tour and tastings. They had their unaged White Tennessee Whiskey, there already popular Belle Meade Bourbon and special bottling, 9 year Belle Meade Sherry Cask Finished Bourbon. I picked up a bottle that was signed by both Andy and Charlie and have decided to pop the cork on it, literally.

After letting it decant, the nose on it brings out the sherry almost instantly. The flavors of the whiskey are almost identical to it's predecessor except for a few things. The sherry finish takes the edge off of the bourbon and maturating 9 years as opposed to 6 - 8 of the original surely plays a parts as well. The sherry finish also lends a nice, dark color to the bourbon.

The price point may seem a bit high, but when you factor in Willett's Rye's that sell for much more and come from similar origins, No knock to Willett, just something to factor in when looking at cost.

This a really smooth and nice sipping whiskey and, as shown in the picture, easy enough for even Relakkuma to enjoy. It's ok, shes old enough.

Rating: 96/100

Bulleit Rye Whiskey

WOTD 5: Bulleit Rye Whiskey

Coming back to the rye's: Bulleit is an excellent rye whiskey. 95% rye and 5% barley mashbill means we are talking about some serious rye flavour.

Tasting notes!
Nose: Big heaps of cherries and vanilla, with subtle notes of leather and tobacco.

Palate: Spices at first, followed by peaches, more cherries and a little bit of orange zest.

Finish: A smoky finish, carried by cinnamon, allspice and a hint of sweeties.

So as much as I like it neat you'll notice my picture is not neat. This, my friends, is the Frisco Sour. Bulleit, Benedictine, Lemon juice. Talk about awesome, this is it. Bulleit is the only rye I've tasted that lends itself to this drink in such an amazing way. Equal parts spicy, sour and sweet. Anyone wanting the recipe can Google it or ask me for my own recipe. Thanks Bulleit! This is some seriously good whiskey!

Rating: 95/100

Gentleman Jack

WOTD 4: Gentleman Jack

Now wait just a second. I know what you're thinking. Jack Daniels?!? (or maybe you're not thinking that) But hear me out. This, my friends, is Gentleman Jack. Think of it as a dapper man. What you'd see a rich aristocrat drinking... and then imagine yourself drinking it instead, because who invited him and WHO said he could have any?

Anyways, Gentleman Jack differs from Jack Daniels Old No. 7 in one way only. Whereas Old No. 7 is charcoal mellowed through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal, aged and then bottled, Gentleman Jack goes through another 2 - 3 feet of sugar maple charcoal after aging and before bottling (obviously). That extra mellowing makes it the only double charcoal mellowed whiskey in the world and gives it one of the smoothest tastes around.

Taste profile: Fruits and spices and a finish that is smooth and silky.

Now, I think this is great neat, but if you are a Jack and Coke (or Ginger) kinda person, then watch out, because after you do a GJ with Coke (or Ginger) there's no going back. And at the price difference, why would you go back?

Rating: 96/100

Belle Meade Bourbon

WOTD 3: Belle Meade Bourbon

Out of Nashville, TN and Nelson's Green Brier Distillery comes Belle Meade Bourbon (not pictured here is the 9 year, finished in Sherry Casks version... one day soon though). Head over to greebrierdistillery.com to read about Andy and Charlie Nelson's history. Good stuff! On to the bourbon!

Belle Meade's got a lot of bang for the buck. Sweet to the nose, maple syrup, maybe a little citrus as well. Their taste is vanilla and caramel but not as sweet as the nose would lead you to believe. Has a nice rye spice to it as well. Best served neat! Some awesome stuff especially in $30 - $40 price range.

As previously mentioned, looking forward to trying some of the 9 year Sherry Casked Finished Bourbon.

Rating: 94/100

Congratulations to Andy and Charlie on their upcoming Grand Opening.

Sazerac Rye 6 Year

WOTD (Whiskey of the Day) 2 :

When it's cold and rainy outside, like right now, nothing warms you up quite like Sazerac Rye Whiskey. Sazerac is a New Orleans Original. Rye Whiskey that dates back to the 1800’s, around the time when saloons, veiled as Coffee Houses, began lining the streets of New Orleans. It was at the Sazerac Coffee House on Royal Street where local patrons were served toddies made with Rye Whiskey and Peychaud’s Bitters. The libation became known as the “Sazerac” and America’s first branded cocktail was born.

Tasting notes: Aromas of clove, vanilla, anise and pepper. Subtle notes of candies spices and citrus. The big finish is smooth with hints of licorice.

This is one of my favorites. Great in classic drinks like a Manhattan, Sazerac (duh) and even in an Old Fashioned. Or better yet, neat, with a few whiskey stones.

Rating: 94/100

The Balvenie 12 Year Single Barrel

Here's something new I'm gonna try! WOTD: Whisky of the day (no 'e' since this is a Scotch)

Today we have The Balvenie 12 Year Single Barrel Scotch. These are limited edition bottlings, with each bottle being one of no more than 300 drawn from a single cask. Each is also hand-numbered and labelled with the cask reference number. The one pictured is 1699.

Nose: Toasted, sweet nose with all kinds of charred oak and spice. Hints of maple syrup and allspice, a little vanilla and sweet coffee.

Palate: A complex palate with allspice and toffee apples, cooked fruit and baking spices, hints of sponge cake and creamy caramels.

Finish: Long finish with lingering sweetness and spice.

Overall: An intense whisky with lots of influence from the cask. Great value for money too.

Rating: 89/100

Keep posted for more WOTD!