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Displaying 55 through 72
Rye Whiskey | $43.00
Dark, hot brown sugar, sweet peppermint candy. A hot rye burner, but moderate on the palate: the heat's here, but the flavors come through clearly, in waves of mint, sugar, oily clove, and a brittle, sweet finish. This is no lapdog, but neither is it a clumsy, huge puppy; there's real rye character, the rough spots smoothed off by wood. A good young rye.
Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2011)
Single Malt American Whiskey | $39
Young malt whisky. A rich but jumbled nose: cocoa, ripe grape, oak, and vanilla tumble and fight for your attention. A nicely rounded lighter whiskey in the mouth, though, and the cocoa cradles malt sweetness quite nicely...until the oak tears up the finish with a blast of hot spice. You almost want to keep sipping continuously to keep the finish from cutting in. Price is per 375ml.
Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2011)
Bourbon/Tennessee | $35.00
Sharpish nose, hot corn, peppermint, a bit of grape, and underlying cocoa. Sweet mouthful of vanilla and corn, the cocoa's here, and some oakspice. Finish is a bit rough and hot, but not unpleasant. This works better than the sherry-assisted takeoff of their rye whiskey. Could be more rounded, but it's well-constructed and solid.
Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2011)
Bourbon/Tennessee | $34
Thin corn sweetness, nice splash of mint and cinnamon. The whiskey's warm, but not hot, and it's exceptionally smooth. There's a slice of rye spice, and oaky vanilla, and the finish is clean and sweet. But it's almost too smooth, and not gutsy enough; if Stagg is bourbon turned up to eleven, this is at about six and a half. Cedar Ridge has a great start here; now show me more.
Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2011)
Single Malt Scotch | $157.00
Master of Malt is an online whisky retailer, branching out with its own bottlings. This, from an unnamed distillery, is lightly honeyed with some quince, apricot, and yellow plum, while there’s a mix of vanillin and dry bracken/grass behind. Light, clean, and balanced, the palate is refined and relaxed with Demerara-like sweetness and a finish of honey-coated nuts. I wanted more oomph on the palate, which might have come at 43% or 46%. £100
Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Winter 2011)
Canadian | $14.00
Sweet Canadian whisky nose, taffy, some vanilla. Taste is fairly rich, with notes of port and light cocoa, leading to a clean finish with a good grip. Not a tremendously deep whisky, but approachable and free of flaws.
Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2011)
Single Malt Scotch | $93.00
Light straw. Initially this is quite hot and a little dumb, with whiffs of Indian spice — think turmeric and curry leaf — along with mint sauce (but no lamb) and a tickle of peat. The palate is quite intense and hot, with powdered almond, a grassy edge, and concentrated sweetness that starts in the center and builds toward the back palate. Subtle, but can’t help wishing there was just a little more say from the cask. £59
Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Winter 2011)
Swiss | $84.00
If you're looking for a radically different tasting malt whisky to anything else you know, start here. This is all Christmas church incense, burnt treacle toffee, charcoal, and overdone barbecued meat. Weird? Multiply by five and you're getting there. But I took this to a two-day music festival for 25-35 year olds, and of the 20 world whiskies on show, this was one of the most requested. €62
Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Winter 2011)
Single Malt American Whiskey | $61.00
Woodstone’s using a local brewer’s beer as the basis for this one. Intriguing nose: grainy, sweet, but also a bit green/herbaceous. That's quite tasty! The malt comes through broad and sweet, the herbal character floats over the top and perks up the taste buds, almost like a digestif. The finish is tinged with honey and herbs, but dries up nicely. Smooth for the proof, too.
Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2011)
French Whisky | $51.00
Armorik has been making whisky for more than twelve years; it's growing in confidence, and the quality is improving. There's peat in the malt here, and it gives the whisky a feisty and earthy quality. The spirit is matured first in Armorik oak barrels and then transferred to sherry. Sherry and peat is a tough trick to pull off and this just about gets away with it, with coastal brine and lemon rubbing up against wood smoke, barley, and honey. €38
Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Winter 2011)
Swiss | $61.00
Why is it that so many great beer-producing European nations, many of them with Germanic roots, didn't progress to whisky making? Appenzeller brewery makes this malt using old beer casks, and they have softened the edges of the malt and given it a liquid honey frame around which woody-earthy notes and unripe dates create an intriguing mix. A long, long way from the Alps to the Scottish Highlands, but a lofty malt nevertheless. €45
Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Winter 2011)
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky | $55.00
The least assertive of the Wemyss 12 year old range, and the most flighty. There's nothing wrong here, and the whisky's well-made and won't disappoint, but when you compare the spice hit here with what's on offer with other malts, this isn't shouting loudly enough. £35
Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Winter 2011)
Rye Whiskey | $39.00
Distilled from 100% organic rye. Very fresh, oily rye nose, bursts with rye spice fireworks. Tastes like a textbook example of 'what rye does in distillation.' Spicy, oily, hints of mint, with just a bit of vanilla from a month and a half in wood...which is where it fades, needing that barrel complexity. Catoctin Creek is making some nice, clean whiskey, a great start, and I do hope they're tucking some away for the long haul.
Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2011)
Rye Whiskey | $33
Barely aged white whiskey. Huge new-make nose, soaked grain and green apple, then rye-driven mint and spice. Bursting spice and mint in the mouth, quick hot fireworks, long gripping finish; somewhat drying. Hot, but holds your attention. Lower distillation proof (134) leaves more room for flavor on this one, and some water makes it enjoyable...if I could just get past that new-make nose I can't help thinking of as “too young.”
Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2011)
French Whisky | $27.00
There are big similarities with this whisky and those being produced at nearby Glann ar Mor. The dominant flavors are soft and sweet, and there's a distinctly soft and feminine side to this single malt, which skips across the palate. There are floral and green fruit notes here, traces of oak, barley, and sweet spice, all very ordered. Not complicated maybe, but very well made indeed. €20
Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Winter 2011)
Bourbon/Tennessee | $25.00
Hot corn, vanilla, mint, and just a touch of oak spice; this one's been in the barrel under 12 months. Whoo, it's hot, even for 100 proof. All the right parts are here: corn, vanilla, wood, even some mint, and no serious off-flavors, but it's a rough road. Definitely needs some more time in the barrel, but that should do it some good. Gutsy stuff. Price is per 375ml.
Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2011)
Single Malt Scotch | $220.00
A similar story to the 30 year old. Despite a truly excellent nose, this time more sherry influences dominate: think of polished wood, damsons, and a little menthol/camphor and resinous oak. Once again, the palate seems to be slightly dumber than I’d want from a venerable whisky that should be about elegant, complex expression. It’s balanced, just a little faded. Again, maybe higher strength might have done the trick. £140
Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Winter 2011)
Single Malt Scotch | $160
Think of sponge fingers soaked in cream and you’re not far off the initial aroma. Add in light macadamia-like nuttiness, a drift of mint, and Glenlivet’s signature apple — core, not green. As it opens, it becomes woodier, like a brush pile. The palate has sweet, pure, pear-like fruit that initially keeps the oak in balance. It seems to need water, but when it’s added the oak takes over. Good, but a little tired. £102
Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Winter 2011)
