Blanton's, as the neck label on the bottle tells you, is "The Original Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey." More than marketing, this statement is true - Blanton's pre-dated Beam's Small Batch Collection. Blanton's also enjoys the reputation of being one of the best whiskies around. I heard about its reputation before having tasted it, and due to my tendency to eschew popular sentiment towards drinks, I discounted Blanton's supposed high rank among other brands. That was a mistake.
Blanton's is pale amber, caramel, in color. A few sniffs reveals grainy spiciness, caramel-ly sweetness, some pepper notes around the edges, and a soft, full warmth of well worn oiled leather. The balanced complexity of the nose advertises its many tasty splendors. Mouthfeel is warm, smooth, and thick enough to coat you mouth without being syrupy. It is bottled at 93 proof, as well.
Tasting Blanton's is an event; it is thought provoking, important, and memorable, like a Whistler painting, or a van der Rohe building. It's something that stays with you, something to which you compare other whiskies. At first, Blanton's warmly, sweetly permeates your palate. After the toffee-esque sweetness subsides, a blunted spiciness comes though with the faintest of yeasty sourness way in the background. Everything works together in concert. Blanton's finish is actually an substantial element of its taste: after swallowing, a dry corn note flares up, but it's joined by heat on the tongue and a fleeting honey richness in the throat.
In all, Blanton's is complex, with each constituent part working for each other's benefit. It is a complex, balanced, and smooth bourbon that is simply outstanding. It will surprise you in new ways after every sip, and after each new bottle.
October 2, 2010
July 23, 2010
Hudson Whiskey: Four Grain Bourbon
Tuthilltown Spirits is one of the several boutique/micro distilleries popping up around the country. The distillery is in New York, and produces whiskies, rums, and vodkas. Regarding bourbon, Tuthilltown makes their Baby Bourbon in addition to the Four Grain.
As the name explains, Four Grain is distilled with four grains: corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley. The vast majority of bourbon use only three, foregoing the wheat. However, an even smaller sliver of bourbon makers use wheat instead of rye (e.g., Maker's Mark, Old Fitzgerald). Another uniqueness is its bottling, as it is sold in stout 375 ml bottles. The wax seal on the bottle also makes opening either a frustrating challenge or an exercise in calm anticipation, depending on your perspective...
Hudson Four Grain has a deep reddish amber color, like cherry wood. It's bottled at 92 proof. A few sniffs reveals a thick sweetness, candied citrus, with some peppery notes in the periphery. The smell is strong but not harsh, not sharp. Mouthfeel is cool and crisp despite the moderately high proof.
Four Grain tastes, well, grainy. It's hot and spicy, but the wheat smoothes the edges, and a sweetness pulls it all together. There's an earthy richness to it, like a Romeo y Julieta cigar. The drink finishes with an astringency, dry grass, and the candied citrus returns subtlely.
This whiskey is worth trying because it is a quality liquor in its own right, and also provides a unique basis of comparison to to other bourbon taste profiles.
As the name explains, Four Grain is distilled with four grains: corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley. The vast majority of bourbon use only three, foregoing the wheat. However, an even smaller sliver of bourbon makers use wheat instead of rye (e.g., Maker's Mark, Old Fitzgerald). Another uniqueness is its bottling, as it is sold in stout 375 ml bottles. The wax seal on the bottle also makes opening either a frustrating challenge or an exercise in calm anticipation, depending on your perspective...
Hudson Four Grain has a deep reddish amber color, like cherry wood. It's bottled at 92 proof. A few sniffs reveals a thick sweetness, candied citrus, with some peppery notes in the periphery. The smell is strong but not harsh, not sharp. Mouthfeel is cool and crisp despite the moderately high proof.
Four Grain tastes, well, grainy. It's hot and spicy, but the wheat smoothes the edges, and a sweetness pulls it all together. There's an earthy richness to it, like a Romeo y Julieta cigar. The drink finishes with an astringency, dry grass, and the candied citrus returns subtlely.
This whiskey is worth trying because it is a quality liquor in its own right, and also provides a unique basis of comparison to to other bourbon taste profiles.
April 18, 2010
W.L. Weller Special Reserve Review
W.L. Weller Special Reserve is aged for 7 years, is bottled at 90 proof, and is a pleasing burnt orange in color. What makes WLW different is its mash bill: it's a wheater. The label lets you know this, touting the whiskey as "The Original Wheated Bourbon."
Only a small majority of bourbons are wheaters. As mentioned, wheaters differ from other bourbons in their mash bill - wheat takes the place of rye as the flavor grain during production (Corn, wheat, and malt instead of corn, rye, and malt). The wheat imparts a softer characteristic to the drink, and is a bit smoother because the rye spiciness is absent. If you've never tried a wheated bourbon, do so. Other wheated bourbons include Maker's Mark, other W.L. Weller bottlings, Old Fitzgerald, and several of the Van Winkles.
W.L. Weller Special Reserve's nose is sweet and grainy, like fresh sawdust. There's some caramel as well. Mouthfeel is thick and coating and warm; the wheat component imparts a politeness to its presence in your mouth. The taste confirms the sweet nose, with notes of honey, butterscotch, and a soft woodiness. The lack of rye spice is apparent, and it's smooth and delicate, and calm. WLW finishes with a quick sting of astringency that is blunted by a sweet honeysuckle flair.
Weller is an unabashed wheated bourbon. It is assertive, but not brash; confident but not overwhelming. It's a great choice for the Spring season, and a perfect alternative to its comparitively heavy-handed cousins. Any bourbon collection is incomplete without at least one wheater in attendance. W.L. Weller Special Reserve is a worthwhile candidate for the job.
Only a small majority of bourbons are wheaters. As mentioned, wheaters differ from other bourbons in their mash bill - wheat takes the place of rye as the flavor grain during production (Corn, wheat, and malt instead of corn, rye, and malt). The wheat imparts a softer characteristic to the drink, and is a bit smoother because the rye spiciness is absent. If you've never tried a wheated bourbon, do so. Other wheated bourbons include Maker's Mark, other W.L. Weller bottlings, Old Fitzgerald, and several of the Van Winkles.
W.L. Weller Special Reserve's nose is sweet and grainy, like fresh sawdust. There's some caramel as well. Mouthfeel is thick and coating and warm; the wheat component imparts a politeness to its presence in your mouth. The taste confirms the sweet nose, with notes of honey, butterscotch, and a soft woodiness. The lack of rye spice is apparent, and it's smooth and delicate, and calm. WLW finishes with a quick sting of astringency that is blunted by a sweet honeysuckle flair.
Weller is an unabashed wheated bourbon. It is assertive, but not brash; confident but not overwhelming. It's a great choice for the Spring season, and a perfect alternative to its comparitively heavy-handed cousins. Any bourbon collection is incomplete without at least one wheater in attendance. W.L. Weller Special Reserve is a worthwhile candidate for the job.
February 20, 2010
Buffalo Trace Review
I discussed the Buffalo Trace distillery and its history here. Now, I'll review one of the several products it makes.
Buffalo Trace bourbon, taking its name from its mother distillery, is a dull orangy brown like a well used copper pot. Not too dark. Its nose is robust; layers of oiled leather and sweet vanilla mix together while notes of anise and citrus creep up at the edges. It smells both heavy and crisp. Mouthfeel is cool and coating, but more watery than syrupy until you swish it around your palate, when it finds some body. Taste reveals an astringency with a core of sweet caramel. The slight astringency is the only sharpness, and the bourbon keeps a strong presence. Hidden behind that is very subtle dankness that is rounded out a dry, grassy oakiness. Buffalo Trace finishes dry, so dry in fact that it seems to chase away most the flavors. But, the flavor that's left after a moment is surprising: ripe plums.
Buffalo Trace is a bourbon I come back to time and time again. While it may not be a bourbon that is always stocked in my liquor cabinet, it's always exciting welcoming it back.
Buffalo Trace bourbon, taking its name from its mother distillery, is a dull orangy brown like a well used copper pot. Not too dark. Its nose is robust; layers of oiled leather and sweet vanilla mix together while notes of anise and citrus creep up at the edges. It smells both heavy and crisp. Mouthfeel is cool and coating, but more watery than syrupy until you swish it around your palate, when it finds some body. Taste reveals an astringency with a core of sweet caramel. The slight astringency is the only sharpness, and the bourbon keeps a strong presence. Hidden behind that is very subtle dankness that is rounded out a dry, grassy oakiness. Buffalo Trace finishes dry, so dry in fact that it seems to chase away most the flavors. But, the flavor that's left after a moment is surprising: ripe plums.
Buffalo Trace is a bourbon I come back to time and time again. While it may not be a bourbon that is always stocked in my liquor cabinet, it's always exciting welcoming it back.
December 12, 2009
Elijah Craig 12 Year Review
Elijah Craig is distilled by Heaven Hill, in Louisville, KY. It's 94 proof, and aged for 12 years. It's age is what make Elijah Craig unique - 12 years is a long time for bourbon to spend in a barrel, and if not aged correctly, the result could be acrid, undrinkable bourbon. Of course, that's not the case with Elijah Craig 12 year (nor for its older brother, Elijah Craig 18 year).
EC 12 is deep amber in color, with a healthy reddish tint taken from the charred wood during its time in the rackhouse. The nose is sweet and sooty. Behind the sootiness is a lushness, a ripeness, like juicy dark fruit. It's robust, not dry. It reminds me of a waterlogged forest floor - not because it smells like one - but because it's gives off such a thick moistness.
Mouthfeel isn't watery or oily, but rather viscous. The taste is complex. You definitely get the charred sootiness from the barrel, but is tempered with a fatty sweetness. Next to the sweetness is the dark, ripe fruit suggested in the nose and a smooth oak note that, again, makes the barrel aging obvious. The sootiness and sweetness and fruitiness are Elijah Craig's heavy characteristics, and they are woven together by some subtle flavors of hay and fresh crispness. It finishes with a dry, tannic burn, completing the range of the bourbon's flavor.
Elijah Craig 12 year is complex and thought provoking. At the center of it's fatty richness is a crisp lightness like a dry white wine. It proves its age without making you pay the price for it, and surprises your mouth with its intricacies. Elijah Craig 12 year is a stand-out, and will teach you a thing or two about how bourbon is more that just whiskey.
EC 12 is deep amber in color, with a healthy reddish tint taken from the charred wood during its time in the rackhouse. The nose is sweet and sooty. Behind the sootiness is a lushness, a ripeness, like juicy dark fruit. It's robust, not dry. It reminds me of a waterlogged forest floor - not because it smells like one - but because it's gives off such a thick moistness.
Mouthfeel isn't watery or oily, but rather viscous. The taste is complex. You definitely get the charred sootiness from the barrel, but is tempered with a fatty sweetness. Next to the sweetness is the dark, ripe fruit suggested in the nose and a smooth oak note that, again, makes the barrel aging obvious. The sootiness and sweetness and fruitiness are Elijah Craig's heavy characteristics, and they are woven together by some subtle flavors of hay and fresh crispness. It finishes with a dry, tannic burn, completing the range of the bourbon's flavor.
Elijah Craig 12 year is complex and thought provoking. At the center of it's fatty richness is a crisp lightness like a dry white wine. It proves its age without making you pay the price for it, and surprises your mouth with its intricacies. Elijah Craig 12 year is a stand-out, and will teach you a thing or two about how bourbon is more that just whiskey.
October 31, 2009
Old Grand Dad 100 Proof Review
Old Grand Dad, owned by Jim Beam, is sold in three expressions: 86 proof, 100 proof bottled-in-bond, and 114 proof. There all made from the same formula, and all have a high rye percentage in the mash bill. Old Grand Dad 86 was previously reviewed here, and now I'll turn to the BIB.
The bottling of OGD BIB, like OGD 86, features a bright orange label which plays nicely with the amber glow of the bourbon. Its nose is flowerly-fragrant, backed with oak, with some spicy notes from the rye. An organic dampness lingers as well. There is no overbearing heat, despite the higher proof. Mouthfeel is dry, not oily, and dense. Old Grand Dad 100 proof's taste is peppery and spicy from the high rye, and even though its made from a completely different mash bill and yeast strain from Jim Beam, it still somehow has that unique Jim Beam vegetal nuance. It's not sweet, which is a refreshing attribute, but is nutty - almost almondy. The finish is hot and astingent, as the proof suggests it should be, but it complements the flavor instead of burning it away. After swallowing, the taste and the fire create a whole new flavor.
I do prefer other 100 proofs (or near 100 pro0f) bourbon over OGD BIB. That's not to say that I don't enjoy each occassion I drink it, though. While not a regular on my bar shelf, Old Grand Dad 100 proof is always a welcomed guest.
The bottling of OGD BIB, like OGD 86, features a bright orange label which plays nicely with the amber glow of the bourbon. Its nose is flowerly-fragrant, backed with oak, with some spicy notes from the rye. An organic dampness lingers as well. There is no overbearing heat, despite the higher proof. Mouthfeel is dry, not oily, and dense. Old Grand Dad 100 proof's taste is peppery and spicy from the high rye, and even though its made from a completely different mash bill and yeast strain from Jim Beam, it still somehow has that unique Jim Beam vegetal nuance. It's not sweet, which is a refreshing attribute, but is nutty - almost almondy. The finish is hot and astingent, as the proof suggests it should be, but it complements the flavor instead of burning it away. After swallowing, the taste and the fire create a whole new flavor.
I do prefer other 100 proofs (or near 100 pro0f) bourbon over OGD BIB. That's not to say that I don't enjoy each occassion I drink it, though. While not a regular on my bar shelf, Old Grand Dad 100 proof is always a welcomed guest.
September 25, 2009
Old Forester 100 Proof Review
I reviewed the 86 proof Old Forester here, and that review may be useful to compare the 86 and 100 proof expressions. The 100 proof bourbon is made from the same, somewhat standard, mashbill of 72 % corn, 18 % rye, and 10 % malted barley. The difference, of course, is that the 86 proof is cut with more water to achieve the lower alcohol content.
Old Forester 100 proof is dull orange in color. The nose is a combo of buttery spice and caramel. It is not overpowering with astringency, as other higher-proof bourbons are. Its aroma encourages a taste. Mouthfeel is clean, and not viscous. Tasting reveals a few readily discernable levels: A syrupy sweetness one the roof of the mouth, a rye spiciness on the tongue, and a permeating dry oakiness that seems to fill the palate like smoke. The taste showcases, for sure, the higher proof, but does so without sacrificing smoothness. It finishes with a warm, lingering tingle, not a burn, and with some of the oak barrel.
Old Forester 100 proof is a great bourbon, and falls in the category of cheaper bourbons that successfully compete with the higher-priced premium whiskies. It is a balance of sweetness and spiciness, and of high proof and smoothness. It is brash enough to satisfy your bourbon tastes, but nuanced enough to evoke thoughtful sipping.
Like the Old Forester 86 proof, I had not tasted the 100 proof before this review. Unlike some bourbons that are forgettable, the 100 proof OF immediately reserved a spot in my liquor cabinet, and may very well become a staple in the rotation.
Old Forester 100 proof is dull orange in color. The nose is a combo of buttery spice and caramel. It is not overpowering with astringency, as other higher-proof bourbons are. Its aroma encourages a taste. Mouthfeel is clean, and not viscous. Tasting reveals a few readily discernable levels: A syrupy sweetness one the roof of the mouth, a rye spiciness on the tongue, and a permeating dry oakiness that seems to fill the palate like smoke. The taste showcases, for sure, the higher proof, but does so without sacrificing smoothness. It finishes with a warm, lingering tingle, not a burn, and with some of the oak barrel.
Old Forester 100 proof is a great bourbon, and falls in the category of cheaper bourbons that successfully compete with the higher-priced premium whiskies. It is a balance of sweetness and spiciness, and of high proof and smoothness. It is brash enough to satisfy your bourbon tastes, but nuanced enough to evoke thoughtful sipping.
Like the Old Forester 86 proof, I had not tasted the 100 proof before this review. Unlike some bourbons that are forgettable, the 100 proof OF immediately reserved a spot in my liquor cabinet, and may very well become a staple in the rotation.
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