Month: November 2014

Whisky #275 – Tuthilltown Spirits Hudson Four Grain Bourbon

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IMG_3909Tuthilltown Spirits Hudson Four Grain Bourbon. Gardiner, New York State, United States. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at Varnish on King, $37.50.

Colour: Like a freshly varnished timber bar top at a bar called Varnish.

Nose: Caramel. Lots of it. Reminds me a little of some of the drier sherried Speyside or Highlands malts.

Palate: Ok, definitely a bourbon. Drier than I was expecting upon entry.

Finish: Aniseed aftertaste. Prickly ash, salty flavours.

Comments: Very dry, very rye. Definitely not a patch on the Hudson Baby Bourbon, which I think is their best offering that I’ve tried.

Whisky #274 – Zuidam Dutch Rye 5 Year Old Whisky

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IMG_3906Zuidam Dutch Rye 5 Year Old Whisky. The Netherlands. ABV: 40.0%. Tasted at Varnish on King, $27.

Colour: Candied Dutch orange.

Nose: Very rye indeed. Woody too.

Palate: Quite mild and sweet for a rye, not as spicy as some. The rye flavours dominate above all else though.

Finish: Medium length, dry mouthfeel. Grassy rye flavours linger.

Comments: The Zuidam is a potstill distilled rye. The overwhelming description is “dry rye”…not bad, but not a stand-out. I was curious to try a Dutch whisky, certainly a first for me.

Whisky #273 – George Dickel No.12 Tennessee Whiskey

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Hmmmm, bacon and whiskey *drool*

Hmmmm, bacon and whiskey *drool*

George Dickel No.12 Tennessee Whiskey. Tennessee, United States. ABV: 45.00%. Tasted at Varnish on King as part of their bacon flight (4 whiskies matched with 4 types of bacon).

Colour: This little piggy went to the gold market.

Nose: Bacon. No wait, I’ve just ordered a bacon flight. It’s been paired with some speck. Creamy grassy notes from the whiskey.

Palate: Lemon and black pepper dominate. Fairly oaky too.

Finish: Aniseed and saltiness in the fade, although to be fair that could be the speck.

Comments: A little overpowered by the salty meatiness of the speck to be honest, but still delicious. Who can knock bacon…absolutely genius idea from the guys at Varnish to do bacon flights matched with whiskey. To paraphrase Homer Simpson, it’s like bourbon wrapped in bacon…*drool*

Whisky #272 – The Macallan 12 Year Old Gran Reserva Single Malt

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IMG_3892The Macallan 12 Year Old Gran Reserva Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 45.6%. Tasted at home, $0 – Dram Full sample.

Colour: Deep burnt toffee.

Nose: Sticky syrupy sherry. Lots of it. Soft varnish notes too.

Palate: Luscious intense spice and dried fruits, not overly sweet though – which is a good thing.

Finish: Buttery oak and caramel, lots of spice. Medium to long finish.

Comments: Perfectly balanced; sweetness and spice, rich full flavours. Absolutely fantastic.

Whisky #271 – Amrut Fusion Single Malt Indian Whisky

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IMG_3874

Xander from Varnish with his happy face on. Must be because I’m drinking all his whisk(e)y.

Amrut Fusion Single Malt Indian Whisky. Bangalore, India. ABV: 50%. Tasted at Varnish on King, $21.50.

Colour: light copper.

Nose: a little caramel when you pull away, quite oaky.

Palate: very dry and oaky.

Finish: Spicey and peppery. Need to try again.

Comments: How the fuck did I make those notes. Let me explain – I tried this whisky on a Friday night, I didn’t even remember going to Varnish, let alone tasting the Amrut. The next day I discovered the photos on my phone & also my tasting notes…needless to say I was a little dubious at how accurate they might be, so I went back to Varnish a couple of days later to re-taste in a slightly more sober state. I was amazed to find that my drunken notes were surprisingly accurate! Wonders never cease.