Category: Bourbon

John E. Fitzgerald Larceny

Josh4 Comments

Maker: Heaven Hill, Bardstown/Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Style: Wheat Bourbon

Age: NAS

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Appearance: Reddish copper. Lazy, clingy robe.

Nose: Alcohol, caramel, cola, oak, leather. A vague, undefinable Heaven Hill-ishness that instantly makes me think of the Bardstown Bourbon Heritage Center.

On the palate: Medium-bodied. Pretty close to the nose. Vanilla Coke, old leather jacket, mango nectar, sweet cinnamon, allspice, oak.

Finish: Sweet and fruity, then spicy cassia, then burn. Fades to a long-running tingle on the lips.

Parting words: Larceny is a brand-spanking new addition to the venerable Old Fitzgerald line of wheated bourbons put out by Heaven Hill. Heaven Hill acquired the line after United Distillers (a corporate ancestor of Diageo) closed the Stitzel-Weller distillery in Shively, Kentucky and divested itself of all its wheated bourbon brands (except for one, but that’s another show). Since the Heaven Hill acquisition, many bourbon lovers have considered Old Fitz a poor relation to the Weller wheated bourbons made by Buffalo Trace. Like the Parker’s Heritage Collection Wheated bourbon release of a couple years ago, Larceny is an attempt to rectify that.

Larceny does not rise to the dizzying heights of the 2010 PHC, but it is definitely an improvement. It stands up to its competition, namely Maker’s Mark, Weller Special Reserve and even the 90 proof Old Rip Van Winkle. It would be a mistake to compare it to something older and more expensive than those. It’s delicately sweet like a wheater should be, with some nice fruit and spice not found in its peers. It lacks the bitter char notes that often crop up in Maker’s and sometimes overpower the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond.  Larceny won’t change your life, but it’s a pleasant weeknight sipper. It also paired nicely with a book I am reading about the theft of saint’s relics in the early middle ages. Larceny is recommended.

Redemption High Rye Bourbon

Josh4 Comments

Maker: Strong Spirits Spirits Inc., Bardstown, Kentucky, USA

Distilled by: LDI, Lawrenceburg, Indiana, USA (MGP)

Age: 2+ yrs.

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Appearance: Shiny new penny. Fleeting, thin legs.

Nose: Alcohol, nail polish, mango, a bit of leather. Like a party at Elton John’s house.

On the palate: Soft and silky mouthfeel. More fruit, black cherry juice, Juicy Fruit gum, then a brutally hot alcohol assault. Burns everywhere, even with water.

Finish: Hot and then hot. Nothing in the way of oak, a little bit of that fruitiness but not much.

Mixed: Works well in an agressively sweetned Old Fashioned. Does ok in a bourbon and Coke, too, but doesn’t particularly distinguish itself.

Parting words: Redemption High-Rye Bourbon isn’t as bad as I remember it being the last time I opened the bottle. If that’s not faint praise I don’t know what is. This has the makings of a good bourbon, but at 2 years and a day, it’s not even close to being there yet.  If you are looking for LDI bourbon in Michigan, you can purchase Traverse City Whiskey Co. Bourbon  for $1 more. It’s  lower proof, but it’s much more rounded and although it is age stated at four years, there seems to be some fairly old whiskey in the mix. W.H. Harrison barrel proof is also better LDI bourbon, but overpriced and hard to find outside of Indiana. If you are just looking for a well-quality bourbon, Evan Williams and Very Old Barton sell for half the price of Redemption. Either way there is no good reason to seek out Redemption, the bourbon anyway. Not recommended.

Evan Williams Single Barrel, 1998 Vintage

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Maker: Heaven Hill, Bardstown/Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Distilled: Early Times, Louisville, Ketucky, USA (Brown-Forman)

Barreled: 9/28/1998

Bottled: 4/2/2008

Age: 9 yrs, 5 mos

Barrel: 374

Proof: 86.6 (43.3% ABV)

Appearance: Auburn with thin clingy legs.

Nose: Oak, pecan, alcohol, raw almonds, hint of cocoa, touch of wild blackberry.

On the palate: Amaretto, caramel, toffee, burn, much less tannic on the palate than in the nose.

Finish: Pretty hot and aggressive, but not unpleasant. Caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate, a kiss of oak. Lasts a very long time.

Parting words: The Evan Williams Single Barrel series has been going on for quite a while now. While all are single barrel (duh), all the barrels picked are very close to each other in flavor profile so there is usually little variation between bottles from the same “vintage”.

This one, the 1998, is one of my favorites. It has a big, woody nose but turns to soft caramel in the mouth, reminiscent of Elijah Craig 12 y/o or some of the Old Forester Birthday Bourbon offerings. There’s a reason for the latter resemblence. In 1996, the old Heaven Hill distillery in Bardstown burnt to the ground in the biggest distillery fire on record in the US. In the spirit of collegiality that Kentucky distillers have for each other, Beam and Brown-Forman helped out Heaven Hill and contract distilled for them while Heaven Hill got its current distillery in Louisville (purchased from Diageo) up to speed. The 1997 vintage was produced by Jim Beam, and the 1998 and 1999 ones were produced by Brown-Forman.

This series is easily collectable and very drinkable, especially in the summer time. Not all vintages are particularly interesting, but always good. One of the few drawbacks to them is the low proof. In keeping with other Evan Williams expressions, the single barrel edition is 86 proof (and some change), pretty low for a product like this. Despite the low proof, this vintage still shines as one of the best. Evan Williams Single Barrel, 1998 Vintage is a very good whiskey and is highly recommended.

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2011

Josh4 Comments

Maker: Four Roses, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, USA

Age: 11 y/o (mean age 12.25 y/o)

Recipes: OBSK, OESK, OESV, OESQ

Proof: 110.2 (55.1% ABV)

Appearance: Coppery auburn

Nose: Oak, alcohol, caramel, butterscotch, raw almonds, antique roses.

On the palate: Full-bodied and hot. With water, cassia, caramel, vanilla toffees, oak, amaretto.

Finish: Hot, rosewater, roasted almonds, oak and christmas spice at the end. Tingles all over for an obscenely long time.

Parting words: As always, Four Roses delivered a remarkable bourbon for its Ltd Ed Small Batch in 2011. The 2010 was an agressive, brash, punk rock sort of whiskey. 2011 is much more Classical, as in Haydn, Mozart and early Beethoven. It’s a leather armchair, sipping bourbon.

2011 is beautiful and has its complexity, but it’s not the breathtaking masterpiece that Mariage (the predecessor to Ltd Ed Small Batch) 2009 was. It’s Hayn’s 100th Symphony, not Beethoven’s ninth. But that doesn’t mean it’s not great in its own right. It is. It is one of the best bourbons I’ve had. It is probably the second best bourbon in this Ltd Ed Small Batch/Mariage series. Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2011 is highly recommended.

Evan Williams

Josh3 Comments

Maker: Heaven Hill, Bardstown/Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Age: NAS

Proof: 86 (43% ABV)

Appearance: Bright copper.

Nose: Corn syrup, mint, eucalyptus, butterscotch.

On the palate: Medium-bodied and sweet. Corn, butterscotch, vanilla, caramel, something slightly floral.

Finish: Minty, sweet. Vanilla toffee, mint julep.

Parting words: Evan Williams is the second best-selling brand of bourbon whiskey in the world. I have trouble figuring out why. Why it doesn’t outsell Jim & and Jack, that is.

Evan Williams is Heaven Hill’s flagship bourbon. It’s a distillery known for value bourbons, and Evan Williams is no exception. For a bourbon of this youth and price, one should expect a lot less. It’s not particularly subtle, but it is much more complex than Jack Daniels and more pleasant than Jim Beam. It straddles the line between the minty (yeast-related, IMO) and caramel characteristics of Heaven Hill bourbons, exhibiting a balance rare on its shelf. Evan Williams (black label) is recommended.

Jim Beam (White Label)

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Maker: Jim Beam, Clermont/Boston, Kentucky, USA (Beam)

Age: 4 y/o

Proof: 80

Appearance: Medium gold.

Nose: Corn syrup, alcohol, caramel, semi-rancid walnuts.

On the palate: Light-bodied and mild. Burn caramel, pecans.

Finish: Some caramel candy flavors, some bitterness, no discernible oak.

Parting words: Jim Beam is the best-selling brand of bourbon whiskey in the world. I have trouble figuring out why.

White label Jim Beam is the first bourbon I ever tried back when I was 21. If memory serves, it tasted better than this, but memory is a tricky thing. I do remember thinking that I liked it better than Jack Daniels back then. Jack lacked the character of Jim. I still think that’s the case. While Beam isn’t very good, it has more going on than Jack Daniels. That’s something. It’s cheaper, which is also something. I cannot recommend Jim Beam white label, but Beam does have better products just a little farther up the shelf. Beam Black label, Distiller’s Series, Baker’s, Knob Creek and Booker’s are all good, though not always good bargains.

Wild Turkey American Spirit

Josh2 Comments

Maker: Wild Turkey, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, USA (Campari)

Age: 15 y/o

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Notes: Bottled-in-Bond

Appearance: Auburn with thick, viscous legs.

Nose: Alcohol, peanut butter, leather, citrus blossom. A little grassy with water.

On the palate: Full-bodied and velvety. Alcohol, black walnut, oak, papaya. Water brings out fruity notes. Kiwi, cherry, apricot.

Finish: Warm, woody, some char. Burns in the mouth for a long time.

Parting words: This is the first entry in my occasional series of reviews of so-called dusty whiskeys. American Spirit was a limited edition offering that was discontinued a few years ago (can’t find exact dates). There still should be some in the wild, but they originally sold for around $100. I got mine on sale as a neighboring state was closing the brand out a couple years ago.

Packaging wise, American Spirit teeters on the edge of gaudiness. The pine box the bottles comes in resembles a coffin and the label is a little cheesy with all the gold and script, not to mention the faux tax strip and pompous paragraph on the inside of the coffin lid. The bottle itself is elegant with a smart wooden stopper.

In the grand scheme of things, this is a very good bourbon. It’s very dry and very much in the Wild Turkey house style. It’s not as sought after as Wild Turkey Tribute or the old split label 12 y/o editions, and there’s a reason for that beyond scarcity. Next to those, American Spirit doesn’t hold up well. But on its own terms it’s very good and worth a recommendation although the high price keeps it from entering highly recommended territory. If you haven’t had many of the old Wild Turkey special releases, it’s worth getting.

Col. E.H. Taylor Old Fashioned Sour Mash, Bottled in Bond (1st edition)

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Maker: Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, Kentucky, USA (Sazerac)

Age: 9 y/o

Style: High Corn Bourbon

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Appearance: Copper with thick lumbering legs

Nose: Slightly yeasty, but not unpleasant. Hint of tobacco, spearmint.

On the palate: Medium bodied, bit of caramel, spearmint, and tarragon. Sweeter with a splash of water. Homemade marshmallows, Alpine Mints.

Finish: Fairly short, some caramel, vanilla. Longer and mintier with water. Leaves behind a nice tingle in the lips.

Parting Words: First, I should mention the bottle and the canister this came in. Both are beautiful. They’re similar in design, busy and slightly campy, but very well designed. I know I’m a sap, but I got a little choked up to see the Old Taylor “Castle” Distillery gone from the right side of the label, replaced by a vintage picture of the O.F.C. Distillery (nka Buffalo Trace).

The Old Taylor castle is one of the greatest (if not the greatest) derelict distilleries in Kentucky. If you are visiting Woodford Reserve distillery, turn left out of the parking lot and keep driving down McCracken Pike through the woods and horse farms. You’ll think you’re lost, until a massive castle-like distillery looms up on your left side. Right next door is the Old Crow distillery. Park on the right side of the road, look around and take a lot of pictures. Trespassing is, of course, illegal.

At any rate, this new Old Taylor, made at E.H. Taylor’s first distillery, is the first in the series of high-end bottlings under that name from Buffalo Trace, who acquired the brand from Beam in 2010 (I think). Buffalo Trace representatives have said they want this line to be for rye-recipe bourbons what Van Winkle has become for wheaters. They have a long way to go.

This first edition was made using an older method of creating a sour mash. Instead of adjusting the ph in the mash tub, the mash was allowed to sit in the holding area before going into the still for a few days until proper sourness was achieved. This shows up in some of the sourdough notes I picked up. The second release was single barrel, the current release is the “Tornado Survivor” edition, which I hope to acquire and review in a few weeks.

At any rate, Taylor Old Fashioned Sour Mash is not bad, pretty good, actually. The problem is the price. I’ve had Binny’s  selected bottles of Buffalo Trace bourbon that were as good or better than this, but at half the price. I don’t think it’s fair to give this a non-recommendation since I did enjoy it, but I can’t bring myself to be enthusiastic either. Col. E.H. Taylor Old Fashioned Sour Mash gets a mild recommendation.

 

Thanks to John Burlowski for helping me acquire this bottle.

Pappy Van Winkle’s Reserve Bourbon Liqueur

Josh5 Comments

I received this letter a few weeks ago, but I can finally post it here.
Dear Lover of Fine Bourbon,
As one of our most valued, elite friends in the media, we wanted you to be one of the first to try an exciting new product we have created. Allow us to introduce you to Pappy Van Winkle’s  Reserve Bourbon Liqueur. As you probably know, this is the first bourbon liqueur we have ever created, but it is firmly in Van Winkle tradition. It is bottled at 87 proof, made with 15 year old wheat-recipe bourbon from the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery, Jefferson County Kentucky honey produced just feet from Stitzel-Weller and the finest herbs and spices. The whiskey liqueur segment has been growing by leaps and bounds in recent years, and the success of products like Drambuie 15 year oldhave shown that there is a large market for premium liqueurs. We think Pappy would be very proud. Please accept this sample with our compliments. All we askis that you keep this exciting new product to yourself until April. Thanks for your support!
Sincerely,
Julian Van Winkle III

 
Some tasting notes on the sample I received:

Appearance: Dark copper,thick sticky legs.
Nose: Bit of oak, honey, thyme, grass.
On the palate: Sweet, thick,wildflower honey, oak, orange peel, anise.
Finish: sweet with a hint of oak. Leaves my mouth all sticky.

Not bad as liqueurs go.