Whisky a Day

Whisky #162 – Tuthilltown Spirits Hudson Baby Bourbon

July 19, 2014 by Whisky a Day 3 Comments

Tuthilltown Spirits Hudson Baby Bourbon. Gardiner, New York State, United States.
ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at Old Faithful Bar & BBQ, $26 (45mL serve).

Colour: Bright copper.

Nose: Kind of smokey & meaty. Oh wait, the chef just opened the door to the slow cooked smoker here at Old Faithful…after having a closer nosing, the whiskey gives off subtle oak & roasted corn aromas.

Palate: Smooth, very smooth. Vanilla oaky flavours, quite intense.

Finish: Smooth corn aftertastes, along with some oak & mixed spice.

Comments: I like it a lot, it’s much smoother than some other bourbons I’ve tried, no alcohol burn on the palate, great flavour complexity too. The Hudson Baby Bourbon is produced from 100% corn, whereas the other Hudson whiskies (which I have yet to try) are produced from other grains. I really like the bottle design for some reason – I’ve never really mentioned bottle design in my reviews before, but the packaging on this one is really sharp.

The other curious bit of trivia I learnt about Hudson is that they have an unusual “acoustic maturation” method. To speed up the maturation they use very small barrels (which itself is not unusual) to increase the amount of contact the whisky has with the wood. But to really give the maturation a shot in the arm, they also hauled in a heap of bass speakers and played some heavy music (apparently they experimented with some dubstep and A Tribe Called Quest) to use the acoustic waves to agitate the barrels. “Barkeep, give me a Hudson Baby Bourbon straight up, plenty of dubstep, hold the treble.”

Whisky #161 – Michel Couvreur Clearach 3 Year Old Single Malt

July 18, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Michel Couvreur Clearach 3 Year Old Single Malt. Burgundy, France. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at Lafayette, $18.

Colour: Cloudy apple.

Nose: Not the most pleasant nose, a little like cachaça. A little like a strong hard cheese.

Palate: A couple of grassy notes; definitely a young whisky. Not a lot of depth of flavour, bit more alcohol heat but not a burn – it’s just not a smooth whisky to drink.

Finish: Short on flavour, long on tang.

Comments: Some strange flavours and particularly scents on the nose, would not have picked that it had spent its 3 years maturing in Pedro Ximenez casks. I didn’t really enjoy this one that much, quite disappointed actually given my expectations had been set high by how much I enjoyed the Michel Couvreur Overaged Single Malt.

Whisky #160 – Jim Beam Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

July 18, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Jim Beam Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey. Kentucky, United States. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Varnish, $10.50.

Colour: A striking deep cognac or port colour. Amazing.

Nose: Corn, some subtle sweet smokey notes too. Again, not a strong nose; you can really get the snozz right into the glass.

Palate: Very smooth for a bourbon, though the flavours are not too original.

Finish: Quite a long, smooth & also a subtle sweet finish. My mate Joel got the lingering port influences, have to agree with with him.

Comments: Interesting to learn that it was extra matured in ex-port barrels, I don’t recall having come across too many bourbons that have played around with extra maturation like this.

Whisky #159 – Rowan’s Creek Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

July 18, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Rowan’s Creek Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey. Kentucky, United States. ABV: 50.05%. Tasted at Varnish, $17.

Colour: Standard bourbon colour. Amber.

Nose: Not too strong, although it is a little hard to detect as there is the strong smell of bacon in the bar from Varnish’s bacon flights that accompany a selection of matched whiskies…*drool*.

Palate: Rye & subtle aniseed.

Finish: Medium length, bit of heat at the front half of the mouth, quite a bit of tingle on the lips. Could be because with the advent of winter my lips are starting to become a little dry, but like kissing a cute girl you’ve just met on a night out after a few drinks – you can’t tear yourself away.

Comments: Remarkably similar to the Eagle Rare 10 year old if my recollection serves me correctly.

Whisky #158 – Oban Distiller’s Edition Single Malt

July 18, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Oban Distiller’s Edition Single Malt (distilled 1998, bottled 2013). Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at home, $120.

Colour: Burnt amber. Much like its Diageo Distiller’s Edition stablemates, this Oban has spent time extra maturing in some addition casks, in this case it’s Montilla Fino casks which have imparted the darker colour.

Nose: Oaky, briny.

Palate: Salty notes dominate. Quite woody, some dry vanilla too.

Finish: Sweet subtle smoke, quite dry.

Comments: I had never even heard of Montilla Fino before, apparently it’s a sweet fortified wine similar to sherry produced in the southern part of Córdoba in Spain. It’s a little drier than I’d prefer, not a bad offering but not a whisky I would spend all night drinking.

I was hoping the Distiller’s Edition whiskies might be something quite special, as if the master distillers had selected a few special barrels and produced a nice limited edition whisky. And while they’ve been quite ok, they’ve certainly fallen a little short of expectations.

Whisky #157 – Dalwhinnie Distillers Edition Single Malt

July 17, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Dalwhinnie Distillers Edition Single Malt (distilled 1997, bottled 2013). Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at home, $116 (bottle).

Colour: Deep amber; much darker than the Dalwhinnie 15 year old. It’s not a huge surprise as for the Distillers Edition Dalwhinnie have finished it in some Oloroso Sherry casks, giving it the darker hue.

Nose: Not a strong nose, a little woody.

Palate: A little briny, very oaky too.

Finish: Leathery notes; a slight tingle at the front of the palate as the flavours subside. Very dry, almost a faint touch of smoke.

Comments: I was actually expecting there to be a lot more sweetness given the extra maturation it’s had in sherry casks. If I hadn’t known, I would probably not have guessed it for a sherry dram. I certainly prefer it to the Dalwhinnie 15 year old as it’s got a lot more depth of flavour, but overall I’m not hugely impressed. Certainly very drinkable though. I’d prefer to have one of these to start and then move onto another whisky that has a bit more complexity to offer.

Whisky #156 – Glenmorangie Astar Single Malt

July 16, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Glenmorangie Astar Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 57.10%. Tasted at The Aviary.

Colour: Pale gold, straw.

Nose: Slight oak, but very subtle. Not the sweetness of other Glenmorangie drams.

Palate: Salty apricot. Brett remarks that it’s a lot smoother than he first anticipated, yet it has a bit on his tongue. I’m not sure whether he’s talking about the whisky or the…

Finish: Quite dry, Dry dusty finish. A bit of spice and fire in the aftertaste, not as smooth as other Glenmorangies that I’ve come to love.

Comments: Bottled at the cask strength of 57.10%. Unmistakable Glenmorangie qualities, full flavoured and loads of spice.

Whisky #155 – Kilchoman Machir Bay Single Malt

July 16, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Kilchoman Machir Bay Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at Print Hall.

Colour: Pale straw.

Nose: Sweet peat. Not a sexy alluring kind of peat, but there are some sweet notes.

Palate: Smooth entry, but has neither the peatiness nor the meatiness of the really great Islay malts.

Finish: Heat & peat linger, but nothing too exceptional to report.

Comments: Tastes like a sweeter Ardbeg 10. Not bad, but wouldn’t rush out to buy a bottle. Kilchoman is a very young distillery having been founded only in 2005, so we shouldn’t be too harsh on them. I’m excited by what I’ve tried so far (see also the Kilchoman Loch Gorm & Kilchoman Single Bourbon Cask 5 year old), but feel that perhaps they’re releasing their malts a little too soon so as to begin to see a return on their investment, rather than waiting a few extra years that might see the whisky’s flavours develop a little more.

Whisky #154 – Old Hobart Distillery Overeem Port Cask Matured Single Malt

July 15, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Old Hobart Distillery Overeem Port Cask Matured Single Malt (cask number OHD-068). Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at Helvetica, $19.

Colour: Pale rosey amber-copper.

Nose: A gorgeous nose. Dried muscatels, sultanas, other dried fruits. Sweet, woody, some chocolate and golden syrup notes. A hint of smoke.

Palate: Is that some thyme or fennel? No, that’s just the taste of the breadstick I stupidly just took a bite of without thinking. After cleansing the palate, I’m getting some mixed spices, sultanas and buttery almonds.

Finish: A bit of a peppery, salty-sweet (think salted caramel but not quite as sweet), oaky notes to fade. Medium-long finish for the flavours, medium warmth but it lingers long (primarily at the front part of the palate) after the flavours subside.

Comments: I loving the flavour complexity of the Tasmanian whiskies I’ve tasted, they really are quite special. All the more remarkable that Overeem is produced in a suburban garage of the Overeem family. I thought the wonderful nose was let down a bit by the palate. My mate Brett thought it was overrated – Overeem, overrated – overall, I think we’re over it!

Whisky #153 – Old Overholt 4 Year Old Rye Whiskey

July 12, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Old Overholt 4 Year Old Rye Whiskey. Frankfort, Kentucky, United States. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Varnish on King, $21.

Colour: Bright gold.

Nose: Quite soft, definitely not an olfactory assault by any means. Smells like a run of the mill rye.

Palate: Bam – huge rye flavours here that bely the subtle nose.

Finish: Oily mouthfeel, not much heat, medium finish. Sweet aniseed & almonds in the fade.

Comments: If you were looking for a smooth, drinkable contender to start exploring rye whiskey, you could definitely do worse than grabbing some of this. Nothing out of the box, but very solid. At this price point though I don’t think it’s tremendous value though, so maybe buy a bottle of it for around $70 and try it at home.

Whisky #152 – SMWS 44.52 The Artist, the Brewer and the Baker

July 12, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

SMWS 44.52 The Artist, the Brewer and the Baker. 22 year old single cask from Craigellachie Distillery, Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 52.1%. Tasted at home, 100mL tasting bottle as part of SMWS new members’ welcome pack.

Colour: Brilliant light yellow gold; like a fresh glass of clear apple juice.

Nose: Like walking into a wood workshop where craftsmen have been working on timber furniture; rich sawdust, oils and a hint of varnish.

Palate: Smooth entry onto the tongue, flattens out to a salty taste overall. And then the esters really open up and some amazingly complex flavours fill the mouth. Lots of woody notes again, also a slight suggestion of some dried fruits, like grabbing a handful of some mixed dried fruits like apricots, cranberries and sultanas.

Finish: Oily, warming mouthfeel that lingers predominantly at the front of the mouth. Slow fade of flavours and the tingling sensation.

Comments: I’m a big fan of this one. It’s certainly more interesting than some of the SMWS bottlings I tried at their recent tasting event. Maybe because I got to pour myself a larger serve than they could at the tasting event, giving me the chance to get to know the whisky a little better. More of a long lunch kind of affair rather than speed dating. I’d definitely give this one another chance at a later date.

Whisky #151 – The Macallan Ruby Single Malt

July 11, 2014 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

The Macallan Ruby Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at Helvetica, $32.

Colour: Yes it is ruby-ish

Nose: Dusty sherry notes.

Palate: Tart raspberries. Tastes better than my mate Brett’s stomach, which is how how he got the nickname “Raspberry”. I still can’t believe he revealed this to us.

Finish: After consuming our fifth whisky for the evening, the novelty we are getting out of calling Brett “Raspberry” and seeing him get progressively more agitated has certainly distracted us from the important business of whisky tasting.

Comments: In the cold morning light, I actually can’t remember exactly how Brett got his nickname “Raspberry”. But it sure seemed to push his buttons, so I’ll be sure to use it again next time we catch up! I think I’ll have to subtly use it when I’m trying to describe the whisky’s colour…”What do you think Brett, is this dram a dark raspberry colour or a light raspberry?”

Whisky #150 – McDonald’s Traditional Ben Nevis

July 11, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

McDonald’s Traditional Ben Nevis. Highlands, Scotland. Tasted at Helvetica, $26.

Colour: Bright copper.

Nose: Quite gentle. Soft smoke, hint of cherries.

Palate: Hint of peat smoke; orange peel, maybe a hint of cocoa – like the aftertaste of a really good high cocoa dark chocolate.

Finish: Medium finish; neither dry nor sweet – about midway on the spectrum.

Comments: Maccas has never tasted so good. I’m lovin’ it! (TM).

Seriously though, one thing I am really loving as part of the Whisky a Day project is exploring a lot of these independent bottlings. I’ve never tried a Ben Nevis whisky before (the distillery is actually owned by Nikka these days), but on the basis of trying this McDonald’s bottling I’m inclined to track some down and give it a taste, really quite liked this one.

Whisky #149 – Longrow Burgundy Wood 14 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt

July 11, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Longrow Burgundy Wood 14 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 56.10%. Tasted at Helvetica, $27.

Colour: Rich Amber. It’s been a good night on the stripper’s pole for the old girl.

Nose: Oak is the first thing that hits you, followed by some sweet smokey bacon notes.

Palate: Smoother than I was expecting for one so strong. Tastes more like a sherry matured dram.

Finish: Sweet sherry flavours.

Comments: My mate Charles the Frenchman can’t find any burgundy in it. Sacré bleu!

Whisky #148 – Ardbeg Auriverdes Limited Edition Single Malt

July 11, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Ardbeg Auriverdes Limited Edition Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 49.90%. Tasted at Helvetica, $29.

Colour: Golden.

Nose: Not as peaty as I was expecting for an Ardbeg! Still plenty of smoke, but also leather and some surprising sweet notes. Some typical Ardbeg notes in there though, but much more subtle than say the 10 year.

Palate: ‘Cool smoke’ is how I’d describe it. It doesn’t have the heat of other Ardbegs, plus that very subtle sweetness pokes its head through.

Finish: Quite similar to the 10 year in terms of the finish flavours, but the Auriverdes is definitely a lot softer.

Comments: It’s great to see Arbeg mixing things up a bit with the Auriverdes release for World Ardbeg Day. Too many expressions in the Ardbeg stable are overly similar – sure there’s some subtle differences but in many cases I find the distinction too subtle, especially for such a big peaty, flavoursome whisky.

The Auriverdes has some unmistakable Ardbeg qualities, but for me it’s just not that special, particularly when you consider a bottle of it will set you back $200 AUD. It’s ok, but a little disappointing given this is intended to be a special release to commemorate Ardbeg Day.

Whisky #147: Suntory Hibiki 12 Year Old Blended Japanese Whisky

July 11, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Suntory Hibiki 12 Year Old Blended Japanese Whisky. Osaka, Japan. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at Old Faithful Bar & BBQ, $15.

Colour: Honied gold.

Nose: Not an overly powerful nose, perhaps unsurprising for a 12 year old blend. Subtle oak, honey & vanilla.

Palate: Smooth entry, mild flavour intensity. Subtle oak & sweetness again.

Finish: Short-medium.

Comments: It’s quite mild, a little too mild for my liking. It’s very drinkable, but just doesn’t have the depth or flavour complexity that I really like in a whisky. I prefer the Hibiki 17 year old which has more going for it flavour-wise, but even that’s a little too smooth and thin for me. If you’re after a good Japanese blend, I would recommend you try the Nikka From the Barrel instead, top drop.