Tag: micro-distillers

Greyling Gin

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Greyling ginMaker: Two Birds, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA

Distiller: Yahara Bay Distillers, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

ABV: 41%

Appearance: Clear but leaves big thick legs running down the side of the glass.

Nose: Dry. Big juniper, but complex underneath and never smells like wood cleaner. Meyer lemon, orange peel, grains of paradise, coriander, cumin, angelica.

On the palate: Full-bodied and floral. Juniper, boxwood, some citrus and white pepper.

Finish: Herbal and spicy with a bit of burn. Clean and dry.

Mixed: Makes an excellent dry martini but go very easy on the vermouth. Does well in a Tom Collins and with tonic, but a little wasted in those applications.

Parting words: Greyling is an excellent dry gin. It’s complex but never timid or confused. Juniper takes the lead here and everything else is harmonizing with it. Media coverage of the release of the gin emphasized the use of Michigan-grown lavender in the mix of botanicals, but I didn’t notice any when I was tasting for whatever reason. I would class this as a great martini gin or even for drinking neat. At just over $30 it’s priced reasonably for that sort of product.

Two Birds is not as a distillery yet, if it ever will be, but the distiller is printed clearly on the back label without any sort of weasel words or other obfuscation. That’s a breath of fresh air in a world flooded by micro-bottlers trying to pass themselves off as distillers. And why should they hide anything about this product? It speaks for itself. Greyling Gin is highly recommended.

Death’s Door Gin

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Maker: Death’s Door, Middleton, Wisconsin, USADeath's Door Gin

ABV: 47%

Appearance: Crystal clear.

Nose: Alcohol, juniper, lime peel, thyme. Opens up considerably with water. Aniseed, horehound, angelica, lavender.

On the palate: Full bodied. Sweet, hot. Cinnamon, juniper, fruity hard candy. With water, still full bodied and still sweet. Rock candy, alcohol, not much else.

Finish: Hot, menthol cough drops. More gentle with water, pleasantly sweet. Fades slowly with a hint of candied lemon peel.

Mixed: Makes a sophisticated and well-balanced martini. Also does well with tonic.

Parting words: Death’s Door is an excellent gin, one of the best micro-distilled American gins I’ve had. It’s versatile but interesting and sophisticated.  Neat, the taste isn’t all that great but the nose is fantastic which is what gin is all about if you ask me. At $30 it’s at the upper end of the scale, but it’s worth every penny. Death’s Door Gin is recommended.

Head to Head: Spring Mill Bourbon vs. Beer Barrel Bourbon

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A. Spring MillSpringMillbeer-barrel-bourbon

B. Beer Barrel

Maker

A. Heartland, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

B. New Holland, Holland, Michigan, USA

Distiller: MGPI, Lawrenceburg, Indiana, USA

Age: NAS

Proof

A. 90 (45% ABV)

B. 80 (40% ABV)

Notes

A. Rebarreled in new charred oak barrels

B. Finished in barrels used to finish beer in

Appearance

A. Light copper

B. Burnt orange

Nose

A. Wood shavings, alcohol, chocolate-covered caramels, fennel, leather

B. Dried cherries, roasted malt, corn chips, alcohol

On the palate

A. Sweet and hot. Medium bodied. Brown sugar, sweet tea, vanilla

B. Full bodied. Licorice, stone fruit.

Finish

A. Hot and long lasting with a bit of candy behind the burn.

B. Mellow and fruity. Grape soda, alcohol. Fades quickly.

Mixed

A. Excels in a Manhattan and does well in an old fashioned. Gets a little lost in cola.

B. Adds an interesting fruitiness to the Manhattan, does the same in an old fashioned. Downright tasty in ginger ale.

Parting words

Both of these bourbons are examples of small producers selling bourbon sourced from MGPI, Indiana but putting their own stamp on it. Both are successful in creating something different and probably superior to what they started with. As for Beer Barrel Bourbon (B), the fruity aspects of the stout that previously occupied the barrel come through the most, although a little of the roasted malt character also comes through.  It is a successful experiment but I don’t know if I’d buy another bottle. Mildly recommended.

Spring Mill (A) has more of a classic bourbon flavor. Rebarreling the often lackluster MGPI bourbon has added needed depth and sophistication. One of the proprietors of Heartland was not forthcoming about the nature of the second barrel (char level, size) when I communicated with him on social media, but I suspect it is a slightly smaller barrel with a lighter char, maybe 2 or 3. Whatever the case, it worked very well. The ceramic bottle adds interest (although I’m not quite sure how to recycle it) and the fact that the bottle shares the name of a street on the North Side of Indianapolis near where I grew up is a sentimental bonus for me. Spring Mill is recommended. Looking forward to some of the new barrel strength version of this stuff soon!

Colorado Straight Bourbon

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Maker: Peach Street Distillers, Palisade, Colorado, USAPeach Street CSB

Batch: 20

Age: 2 y/o

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Thanks: to the Rhoades for splitting this bottle with me.

Note: Apologies for the short review. This review was originally intended to be half of a head to head review, but I thought it would work better as a stand alone.

Appearance: Shiny new penny.

Nose: Corn syrup, bubble gum, nail polish.

On the palate: Full bodied and soft. Sweet and a little fruity. Grape bubble gum with a sharp hit of Serrano chili at the end.

Finish: Sweet and corny like a beloved uncle. The sweetness coats the mouth and lingers for a long time mingled with a little burn.

Parting words: The Colorado Straight Bourbon from Peach Street Distillers is VERY young, at just over two years old. It tastes like it too. The heavy body, corniness and fruit are all typical characteristics of young bourbons but it does show a lot of potential for long aging. Sweet, fruity stuff like this usually ages very well.

In its current state, it is high quality young bourbon. It goes down easy, as long as you don’t choke on the price. Expect to pay well over $50 per 750 ml bottle. Still, it’s good and I can’t say it isn’t. Colorado Straight Bourbon is mildly recommended.

Head to Head: Virginia Lightning vs Glen Thunder Corn Whiskeys

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1) Virginia Lightning

2) Glen Thunder

Maker

1) Belmont Farms of Virginia, Culpepper, Virginia, USA (product no longer made)

2) Finger Lakes Distilling, Burdett, New York, USA

Age

1) NAS (unaged)

2) Less than 30 days

Proof

1) 100 (50% ABV, taken down to 90 proof for tasting)

2) 90 (45% ABV)

Appearance

1) Clear

2) Clear

Nose

1) Raw spirit, lavender, corn syrup, dried flowers, nail polish.

2) Spirit, corn tortillas, rose water, varnish.

On the palate

1) Full bodied and velvety. Sweet. Grape juice, mango.

2) Medium bodied. Milder than the nose would indicate. Drier and delicate.

Finish

1) Long, soft and fruity. Alcohol, starlight mints.

2)Corn husks, sweet cornbread, a bit of an alcoholic tingle

Parting words: These are two of my favorite unaged corn whiskeys. They are both good in their own way. Virginia Lightning is mild and fruity. It’s easy drinking for an unaged corn. Glen Thunder has more of an edge, but much more in the way of corn character. I have heard rumors that Belmont Farms, when they made this product, added sugar to their mash to achieve its relative smoothness. Both perform well mixed with sweet soft drinks or even on the rocks with a wedge of lime or a maraschino cherry (a summer favorite of mine) Virginia Lightning is no longer made now that Belmont Farms is under new management. If you can find it, it is worth buying. Glen Thunder is still made, but may be hard to find. It has the strong corn character of a traditional corn whiskey, but is accessible enough to work its way into the rotation of whiskey lovers who enjoy this sort of thing. Both are recommended.

Prohibition Gin

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Maker: Heartland, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

ABV: 40%

Appearance: Clear with long thin legs.

Nose: Neutral spirit sweetness, faint notes of juniper, cinnamon, pumelo, orange peel and lime peel.

On the palate: Medium bodied and soft. Sweet, with some bitter citrus peel and juniper notes.

Finish: Pleasantly citrusy without being sour. Some sweetness, but fades quickly.

Mixed: Works in G & Ts and Tom Collins but doesn’t distinguish itself. Makes for an interesting dry martini. The mild spice complements a mild vermouth very nicely.

Parting words: After having it in G & Ts for a month, I was pleasantly surprised when I finally got around to trying Prohibition Gin in a dry martini and neat. Those applications are where it really excels. The bottle claims that it is from a nineteenth century recipe. I don’t know how accurate that is, but this gin is a departure from the sharp, spicy  mainstream gins popular currently. I don’t know if it officially qualifies as an Old Tom Gin, either but it is close to that style. Sweet and subtle. For a micro-distilled product, it’s not too expensive either. Prohibition Gin is recommended.

Freshwater Rum: Huron White

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Maker: New Holland, Holland, Michigan, USA

Style: White (unaged) rum.

ABV: 40%

Appearance: Clear with long sinewy legs.

Nose: Raw spirit, lavender, dried wildflowers.

On the palate: Medium bodied and sweet. Simple syrup, anise.

Mixed: Performs well in all applications tested: Rum & Coke, Cuba Libre, Mojito.

Parting words: This is a simple spirit, so it’s getting a simple review. Does everything a white rum is supposed to do, and does it well. The price is high, compared to the mainstream competition ($25) but if you don’t mind shelling out a few extra shekels for a micro-distilled product you won’t be disappointed. Just consider it a contribution to New Holland’s future endeavors. Huron White is recommended.

Rogue Spirits Pink Spruce Gin

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Maker: Rogue, Newport, Oregon, USA

ABV: 45%

Notes: “Seasoned In Oregon Pinot Barrels” [sic]

Thanks to: Amy for the sample.

Appearance: Pale, pinkish gold.

Nose: Coniferous. Spruce, juniper, cedar, ginger, orange peel.

On the palate: Full-bodied. rainier cherries, plum, cedar, oak, ginger, juniper, spruce.

Finish: Lightly sweet then some spruce and then burn slowly fading to sweetness again

Parting words: Weird but good. I was only able to taste it in a dry martini and not in a G & T. According to my friend, it didn’t do too well in that application. At any rate, I enjoyed it. Its odd coniferousness sets it apart from the competition, and the Pinot (Noir, I’m assuming) finish takes the edge off the woodsy notes. Not a go-to, but good for a change of pace. The only criticism I would have is the rather high price, $35 at one of my local haunts. Nevertheless, Rogue Spirits Pink Spruce Gin is recommended.

Ransom Old Tom Gin

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Maker: Ransom, Sheridan, Oregon, USA

Style: Barrel-aged Old Tom

Batch: 25 (different batch pictured)

Age: 3-6 mos.

ABV: 44%

Appearance: Dark straw. Thick legs and robe.

Nose: Light juniper, cardamom, coriander, a touch of citrus and a little malt.

On the palate (neat): Medium bodied and spicy. Cardamom really comes to the fore, only slightly restrained by the citrus notes. Gets sweeter with a splash of water, but still very spicy.

Finish: Even spicier with what tastes like a big hit of ginger (Angelica maybe?). Tingly for a long time.

Mixed: Makes an interesting Martini. A dirty or a Gibson helps to cut the spice with more aggressive saltiness than a dry. A perfect also balances out the spice from the sweet side. My go-to gin for a Negroni. Makes for a screwy Tom Collins or Gin & Tonic.

Parting words: The folks at Ransom were generous enough to put the ingredients  right on the front of the label of this product. They are: Malted two row* barley, corn (maize), juniper berries, orange & lemon peel, coriander seed, cardamon (sic) pods and angelica root. To my tongue, the cardamom takes center stage here.

My friend Gary, a self-made expert vatter of all things spirituous, handed me one of his projects when I was in Kentucky last spring. It was a recreation of what, based on his research, 19th century Old Tom gin would have been like. Old Tom was sort of a bridge between Dutch genever and London dry gin in terms of sweetness. Gary’s take is quite sweet. The citrus, particularly orange, is in the driver’s seat. The focus is much more on that than on the spice. Gary’s is more drinkable neat, but Ransom’s is probably more interesting over all.

At any rate, Ransom’s Old Tom gin is a not something I drink a lot of, but it has it’s place and is definately worth trying as an example of a nearly extinct species of gin. Ransom’s Old Tom Gin is recommended.

 

*Two-row barleys are low-protein, older strains of barley used in the making of English ale (among other things). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barley#Two-row_and_six-row_barley

Triple Smoke American Malt Whiskey

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Maker: Corsair, Bowling Green, Kentucky/Nashville, Tennesee, USA

Style: Smoked American Malt

Age: NAS

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Appearance: Copper with slow legs.

Nose: Young, sharp, small barrel, woodsy notes with a little bit of hardwood smoke and sweetness.

On the palate: Medium-bodied and sweet. With a bit of water, the sweet smokey wood flavors come through. A little cassia and nutmeg lurking somewhere in the background too.

Finish: This finish is where the smoking process pays off. The beech and cherry wood smoke give Triple Smoke a sensual, dare I say hedonistic finish. The peat, which only shows up in the finish, provides a pleasant, floral counterpoint to the other woods. The smoke lingers in the mouth for a very long time, taking on some tobacco notes before gently fading.

Parting Words: This is a very well-executed whiskey. The chocolate nougat notes of a typical American Malt are there, but they’re the O-line to the QB/TE/WR combo of the beech, cherry and peat smoke. Yes, I’ve been watching a lot of football recently.

My only disappointment with Triple Smoke is the nose, which has a definite case of Small Barrel Syndrome. It’s sharp and unappealing, but the taste and finish more than make up for it. Triple Smoke is not widely available, so next time you’re in Chicago, Kentucky or Tennesee, pick one up. I thought about trying it in some cocktails but it’s so tasty neat I couldn’t bear to. This is exceptional American malt in every sense of the word. Highly recommended.