Booze Research – The Best Way To Enjoy Branca Menta

Way back in mid February, I received an email from a NYC PR firm asking if I’d be interested in trying Branca Menta, a mint version of the potent Italian digestif known as Fernet Branca (click here to read this excellent article about Fernet Branca from The Atlantic ). Since I am a fan of the bold, bracing, and ultimately polarizing Fernet Branca, I took them up on their offer, and a bottle arrived on my doorstep shortly thereafter.

I immediately tried the Branca Menta when it arrived, but found it to be way too sweet to drink on its own (Fernet Branca is bottled at 39% ABV while the Branca Menta is bottled at 29% ABV, so I’m guessing the 10% ABV drop off is due to the addition of mint syrup), and decided that I needed to figure out the best way to enjoy this liqueur. In order to narrow down my options, I sent an email to the PR firm for some advice. Before I get to their serving suggestions, let’s talk a bit about the actual tasting session.

Two Saturdays ago, Mrs. G-LO was asked by a friend if she would be available for drinks. Since that friend just happened to be Mrs. Alemonger, it was decided that Mrs. G-LO would go to their house while The Alemonger would come to our house in order to assist with the Branca Menta “research”.

The Alemonger showed up at around 9PM, and we immediately got down to business, i.e. I mixed up the drinks, took some photos, and grabbed a pen and paper for my tasting notes. Since it didn’t take very long to evaluate these drinks, we quickly moved on to a Whisky tasting which included the Chivas Regal 18, Hakushu 12, Bunnahabhain 12, and the Balcones True Blue.

Here are just a few of the topics that came up during this 4+ hour “research” session:

• The glory days of late 70s / early 80s grand slam tennis. In particular, we discussed the excellent HBO documentary about the legendary Borg and McEnroe rivalry.
• Proper management of conversational tangents.
• Giada DeLaurentis
• The Ferrari 458 Italia and other lust worthy modes of transportation.
• My inappropriate use of Christmas lights for booze and beertography.

Before we get to the tasting notes, below are the Branca Menta serving suggestions that I received from the PR firm…

Branca Menta and Sprite

• 1/5 Branca Menta
• 4/5 Sprite Ice

Fill a Collins glass with ice. Pour in the Branca Menta. Top off with Sprite. I used Mexican Sprite which is made with Cane Sugar instead of Corn Syrup.

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Branca Menta the Italian Way

Branca Menta poured over ice and served in an Old Fashioned glass. It doesn’t get any easier than that!

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The Mintonic

• 1/5 Branca Menta
• 4/5 Tonic Water
• Juice from half a Lime
• Smashed Ice
• 1/2 teaspoon of Brown Sugar
• Mint Leaves
• Smashed Ice

In the bottom of a Collins glass, add the Branca Menta, Brown Sugar, Mint, and Brown Sugar. Muddle until the Brown Sugar dissolves. Add ice, then fill with Tonic. Give it a brief stir to mix the ingredients.

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And now for my tasting notes and final ranking…

#3 – Branca Menta and Sprite

This was my least favorite way to enjoy the Branca Menta. I took something that is quite syrupy sweet when sampled on its own, and made it taste even more syrupy sweet with the addition of the Mexican Sprite. Since this drink became flat fairly rapidly, there could have been something wrong with the Mexican Sprite since I have no clue when it was bottled or how long it was sitting on the shelf at the supermarket.

#2 – Branca Menta the Italian Way

Straight up, Branca Menta is way too syrupy sweet for my taste, but pour this over some massive ice cubes and I could really see myself drinking this more often. This is very cool and refreshing, but with that slightly bitter and herbal aftertaste that I enjoy from the standard issue Fernet Branca.

#1 – Mintonic

The Mintonic reminds me of a mellow, yet lightly bitter Mojito. I like how the mint, tonic, and lime play together. Even though it was diluted quite a bit, you still get the astringency of the Fernet coming through in the finish, but with a bit of lime tartness thrown into the mix. I will definitely be making this again!

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So there you have it! Three different ways to enjoy Branca Menta. Stay tuned for The Alemonger’s impressions which I’m sure he will add in the comments below. And while we’re on the subject of comments, if you know of a better way to enjoy this liqueur, feel free to tell us about it. Cheers!

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Many thanks to The Baddish Group for this very generous sample!

Whisky Review – Chivas Regal 18

Way back in August of 2011, I took part in the very first WhiskyCast Virtual Tasting. During the recording session, the four panelists that took part in this tasting were given the following three whiskies to sample and score: the AnCnoc 12, the Powers Gold Label 12, and the Chivas Regal 18. While we knew the names of the first two whiskies, the third whisky (the Chivas Regal 18) was essentially tasted blind. This blind tasting proved to be a very important lesson in my whisky education.

Prior to this tasting, I tended to view blended whisky as an inferior product, but after trying the Chivas Regal 18, and preferring it to the other two whiskies that I tried during this Virtual Tasting, I quickly realized that I still had plenty to learn about whisky. I was so humbled by this experience that I soon started digging deeper into the world of blended whiskies via reviews of the Chivas Regal 12, the Johnnie Walker Red and Black, and several different Compass Box expressions.

Since I finally received a full bottle of the Chivas Regal 18 this past Christmas, I thought that I would revisit this whisky to see if I enjoyed it as much the second time around. But before I get into my review of this whisky, here is what Chivas Brothers has to say about their Chivas Regal 18:

Chivas 18 is a uniquely rich and multi-layered blend that includes over twenty of Scotland’s rarest single malt Scotch whiskies. With 85 flavour notes in every drop, each sip is a new discovery.

Let’s find out if my feelings about this whisky have changed…

• Appearance: Molten bronze.
• Aroma: Fruit and spice and everything nice! Brown sugar, dried ginger, ripe bananas, vanilla, cinnamon, dried fruit, and a hint of sweet pipe tobacco.
• Taste: A bit on the watery side with regards to mouthfeel. All of the flavors are on the front half of my tongue. From the beginning to mid-palate, I’m getting brown sugar and cinnamon. Definitely has some spice to it, but not overly so. As we approach the finish, that pipe tobacco sweetness makes an appearance. Medium finish with vanilla, brown sugar, and the slightest hint of sweet smokiness.
• ABV: 40%

As I said at the beginning of this review, the Chivas Regal 18 is the whisky that changed my mind about blended Scotch whisky. While I am definitely enjoying this whisky the second time around, I can’t say that this is my favorite blended Scotch whisky (that honor goes to the Compass Box Spice Tree which I absolutely adore). As is, the Chivas Regal 18 is beautifully balanced and infinitely drinkable, but as I have said in reviews of other whiskies, I am wishing that it was bottled at a slightly higher ABV.

Whiskey Review – Concannon Irish Whiskey

There is no weird or convoluted back story with regards to the acquisition of this bottle of Concannon Irish Whiskey. I received an email from a New York Public Relations firm asking if I’d like to try this whiskey. I immediately said yes, and a few days later, a bottle arrived on my doorstep.

Prior to receiving this email, I had never heard of Concannon Irish Whiskey, so I paid a visit to their website, and here is what I was able to find out:

A refined blend of malt and grain whiskeys, Concannon Irish Whiskey is craft distilled for proper balance of character and purity, then matured in a combination of ex-bourbon barrels and Concannon wine barrels for a minimum of four years.  With a full, clean taste delicately balanced between honey sweet, citrus and malt flavors, and a fresh oak finish, Concannon Irish Whiskey can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a variety of premium cocktails.

Let’s get on with the review…

• Appearance: Golden yellow, but with a very slight pinkish hue.
• Aroma: Quite sweet and fruity on the nose. Freshly pulled taffy, vanilla nougat, grape juice, and perhaps even a hint of fresh berries.
• Taste: A bit on the watery side with regards to the mouthfeel. A surprising burst of alcohol heat when it first hits your tongue given it’s relatively low ABV. Once you get past the alcohol, all of that fruity sweetness starts to come through which is probably due to the time spent in Petite Syrah barrels. Intensifies a bit at mid-palate with a bit of sweet cinnamon heat coming through. The finish is quite dry with a vanilla nougat and mild cinnamon spiced aftertaste that doesn’t last for very long.
• ABV: 40%

I am pleasantly surprised by the Concannon Irish Whiskey. While it lacks the depth and complexity of some of my favorite Irish whiskeys (Redbreast and Yellow Spot immediately come to mind), I found plenty of good things going on in this whiskey to say that I truly enjoyed it. My only real complaint is with the finish which I found to be a bit ho-hum. I’m sure more time spent in the barrel can correct that.

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Many thanks to The Baddish Group for sending us this very generous sample!

Whisky Review – Old Pulteney 21 Year Old

Back in early December, Limpd received an email from Master of Malt announcing their 2012 Whisky Advent Calendar. Since Limpd’s Pappy is a fan of the brown spirits, he decided to purchase the Whisky Advent Calendar as an early Christmas present for him.

While Limpd’s Pappy is a fan of most brown spirits, he has been known to turn his nose up at a dram if it has even the slightest whiff of smoke. Since this sample of the Old Pulteney 21 Year Old eventually found its way to one of my whisky hiding places (along with several other wee drams), I can only assume that Limpd’s Pappy found the aromas in this whisky to be not to his liking.

We will soon find out if this whisky is to my liking, but first, here is what the Old Pulteneny Distillery (located in Wick, Scotland) has to say about their 21 year old expression:

Old Pulteney 21 Year Old has been voted 2012 World Whisky of the Year by the prestigious “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.”

Scoring a record-equalling 97.5 points out of 100, it is only the third time that a single malt has ever won the prestigious award, and we are just the second Scottish distillery to do so.

As with the 17-year-old, with this expression we marry together Old Pulteney matured in ex-bourbon wood with spirit from ex-sherry wood casks. The crucial difference, however, is that the ex-sherry wood in this case is made from American Oak (mostly Fino sherries). This adds yet another layer of complexity, depth and character to this truly superb malt whisky.

And now for my impressions of this whisky…

• Appearance: Pale copper color
• Aroma: If there’s such as a thing as Salt Water Caramel, then this would definitely be it. The maritime influence is readily apparent, but with a definite caramel backbone. Also getting some ginger, cardamon, fresh fennel, and just a hint of pipe tobacco.
• Taste: Lightly oily mouthfeel. Cinnamon and white pepper heat at the onset with a touch of that saltiness coming through. At mid-palate, that caramel sweetness makes an appearance. It all comes together at the finish, i.e. sweet and spice, and everything nice! Warm, medium finish that lingers for a minute or two with some of that sweet pipe tobacco showing up in the aftertaste.
• ABV: 46% and Non-chill Filtered

Once again, the trouble with reviewing whisky samples rears its ugly head! I really enjoyed the Old Pulteney 21, but alas, I only had enough for just one dram. I suppose it could have been worse. I could have not tried it at all. I will definitely be on the look out for more from Old Pulteney.

Rye Whiskey Review Showdown – Dickel vs Bulleit vs High West Rendezvous Rye

First we had the Mexican Beer Trifecta where we reviewed three different Mexican beers. Now we have the Rye Whiskey Review Showdown where we’re reviewing three different Rye whiskies (Dickel Rye, Bulleit Rye, and High West Rendezvous Rye to be more precise). So what’s with all this number three business? Perhaps this video will shed some light on the significance of the number three…

Now that I’ve got that bit of silliness out of the way, let’s find out a bit more about these whiskies and get on with my tasting notes…

Dickel Rye

I couldn’t find much information about this whisky on the interwebz, but I was able to get some information from Whisky Advocate’s John Hansell on his blog:

All the whiskey in this new bottling is at least 5 years old, and for this reason alone I am enjoying it more than Jack Daniel’s Unaged Rye. It’s made from 95% rye, like many other rye whiskeys on the market, including the another Diageo-owned bourbon label, Bulleit Rye.

And now for my impressions of this whiskey…

• Appearance: Clear amber color.
• Aroma: Cinnamon sticks, wintergreen mint, a hint of vanilla, allspice, and maple syrup.
• Taste: The mouthfeel is a bit thin and watery. Little to no alcohol burn. Soothing cinnamon and mint at the onset. The cinnamon spice intensifies at mid-palate with a bit of vanilla and brown sugar sweetness lurking in the background. Soothing medium finish with a pleasant, sweet/spicy aftertaste.
• ABV: 45%

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Bulleit Rye

Once again, there isn’t much on the official Bulleit website, but I did find this tidbit of information about the Bulleit Rye on John Hansell’s blog:

No age statement, but it includes 4 to 7 year old whiskeys. The mashbill is 95% rye — much higher than most standard rye whiskeys out there.

And now for my impressions of this whiskey…

• Appearance: Looks exactly like the Dickel, i.e. more of that lovely amber color.
• Aroma: Very similar aromas going on here. The cinnamon scent is more pronounced. Also getting peppermint and brown sugar.
• Taste: Though the mouthfeel is very similar to the Dickel Rye, the actual taste is where the Bulleit has a slight edge over the Dickel. The cinnamon spice is much more intense, and there’s also a stronger herbal/minty backbone with hints of vanilla and brown sugar thrown into the mix as well. Warm, medium finish with a cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar aftertaste.
• ABV: 45%

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High West Rendezvous Rye

Finally! Some information from the actual distillery. Here is what High West Distillery has to say about their Rendezvous Rye:

Rendezvous Rye is a blend of two exotic straight rye whiskies; one old, and one young. It marries the rich aromatic qualities of a 16-year-old rye with the bold spicy properties of 6-year-old rye to create a full flavored, very complex whiskey. The 6-year-old boasts an uncommonly high 95% rye mash bill. Almost every other straight rye whiskey you can buy today is barely legal, with 51-53% rye in the mash bill. Not Rendezvous Rye. It honors the way rye whiskey used to be made, with a high rye content and full, uncompromised flavor. With Rendezvous Rye, you get a taste of authentic rye whiskey. We hope you enjoy it.

And now for my impressions of this whiskey…

• Appearance: Here we go again! It looks a lot like the Dickel and Bulleit. This time I’ll call it maple syrup in a glass.
• Aroma: Much sweeter smelling than the other two. Definite cinnamon notes coming through, but this time with a brown sugar sweetness to it. Less herbal than the Dickel and Bulleit. Also getting fresh mint, vanilla, and ginger.
• Taste: Still rather thin, but with a touch of oiliness. Similar cinnamon/vanilla/minty flavors, but a bit more well rounded and cohesive this time around. Not as hot on the palate, but definitely lots of sweet cinnamon from start to finish. Lingering, soothing finish with a Big Red gum aftertaste. Also a bit more astringent than the other two. This is probably due to the 16 year old Rye that is a big part of this whisky.
• ABV: 46%

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The Verdict

Talk about a humbling experience! While I have never taken part in a professional whisky tasting panel, after reading a recent blog post by Johanne McInnis about her experience as one of the judges for the 2012 Canadian Whisky Awards where she had to nose, taste, and rate 60 different whiskies in 30 days, nosing, tasting, and rating just three whiskies in one sitting should have been a walk in the park. While my tasting notes might suggest that there are big differences between the three Rye whiskies that I sampled for this post, the truth is that the differences are quite small, and it took me a couple of hours to figure it all out. The biggest difference that my amateur nose and palate could detect lies in the intensity of the flavors…

• The Dickel was easily the most mellow of the three. It was smooth and easy drinking for sure, but I can’t help to think that the charcoal filtering took some of the edge off (just a theory).
• The Bulleit was a bit more intense, but only by a slight margin, and I found that the overall flavors came together better which resulted in a more well rounded flavor profile.
• The High West was a definite step up in flavor, especially with regards to the finish which was much more rich and long lasting than what I experienced with the Dickel and the Bulleit. As I said in my tasting notes, this probably has a great deal to do with the addition of the 16 year old Rye.

Overall, I truly enjoyed all three whiskies and think that they are very good to drink as-is, i.e. no ice or water needed. At $25 per bottle, the Dickel is a great value, but if you don’t mind spending a bit more, then you will definitely get a good bit more flavor for your money if you step up to the Bulleit (about $33/bottle) or the High West Rendezous Rye (about $45/bottle).

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Many thanks to Joseph Clarkson of Taylor Strategy for the Dickel Rye sample and Limpd for the Bulleit Rye sample. The High West Rendezvous Rye was paid for by yours truly!

Whisky Review – Bunnahabhain 12

While Limpd is not the biggest fan of the classic Islay whiskies (the intensely smoky ones), he has found his way to Islay on numerous occasions thanks to the Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain distilleries. I’m pretty sure that at one point he had a bottle of the Bunnahabhain 12 in the rotation, but I can’t say that I spent all that much time with it. I know that I definitely liked it, so when it came time to pick up a new whisky, I decided to pick up a bottle of my very own.

Here is what Bunnahabhain has to sat about their 12 year old expression:

Bunnahabhain 12 year old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky has been re-introduced as an un-chillfiltered spirit, a move which has excited whisky lovers and experts from across the world. With the move to un-chillfiltered, the packaging has been revised to complement the new expression. Smoked oak glass has replaced the traditional emerald green of the 12 year old bottle, with dual labelling conveying an overall sense of speciality, subtlety, confidence and luxury, reinforcing the premium quality and heritage of the brand. A revised neck label has been developed displaying the product’s age. 

The nose offers a fresh and aromatic experience with a subtle whiff of smoke floating through the air. The taste starts with a light fruit and nut appeal that leads to a spectacular malty sweetness, finishing into a beautifully rich full-bodied, lingering experience.

And now for my impressions of this whisky…

• Appearance: The color of 100% Maple Syrup, i.e. dark amber.
• Aroma: Very rich smelling with oodles of sea spray, brown sugar, allspice, caramel, and, cinnamon. And there’s one more thing. This past week at work, someone has been toasting up some blueberry bread as a snack, and since my office sits about 12 feet from the toaster oven, I’ve had to smell it all week long (you’d think they would have offered me a slice!). That being said, there is a definite fruitiness coming through on this whisky, and since I can’t get this blueberry smell out of my head, I’m going to say that there is a hint of fresh baked blueberry bread in there too.
• Taste: Medium mouthfeel with just a bit of an oily texture. All of that sweetness in the nose is right there in the beginning with lots of brown sugar and vanilla. The baking spices kick in at mid-palate with prominent cinnamon, clove, and ginger spiced heat. It all comes together at the finish which is when you really get the Sherry influence on this whisky via lots of dried fruit and spice along with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
• ABV: 46.3%

I first opened up this bottle of the Bunnahabhain 12 back in mid-January. While there are some whiskies that take a bit of time to get used to, this is definitely not one of them. I enjoyed this whisky immediately thanks to its smooth, rich flavors and high drinkability (in moderation of course!). Although I don’t usually make repeat purchases, there are a few whiskies out there that I would (a) buy on more than one occasion, and (b) recommend to others or give to someone as a gift. The Bunnahabhain 12 is one of those whiskies. Great stuff and highly recommended.

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For a brief history of the Bunnahabhain distillery and yet another review of their 12 YO expression, check out the Chemistry of the Cocktail blog.

St. Patrick’s Day #FlashMobBlog Whiskey Review – Bushmills Black Bush

On January 20th of this year, Josh Zollweg of joshZie’s Whisky Review created a group on Facebook called Whisky Bloggers. As of this writing, the Whisky Bloggers group consists of 99 members with incredibly diverse backgrounds. While there are several members that I consider professionals in the whisky industry (i.e. whisky-centric journalists and published authors, whisky retailers, whisky importers, brand ambassadors, etc.), the majority of the members blog about whisky in their spare time. Though our backgrounds may be diverse, we all share a love of this wonderful spirit and a willingness to share our whisky drinking and whisky blogging experiences with each other and the global whisky community.

One of the most active members in this group is Johanne McInnis of The Perfect Whisky Match blog. As I have learned through our numerous interactions on Twitter and Facebook, Johanne is one of the most enthusiastic whisky lovers on the planet. Much like Joshua Feldman of The Coopered Tot blog, Johanne has perfected the art of weaving the #WhiskyFabric. While there may be some exclusive whiskies out there that few of us will ever get to sample, thanks to people like Josh and Johanne, the whisky blogging community is incredibly inclusive and I am extremely grateful to be a part of it.

In addition to weaving the #WhiskyFabric, Johanne is chock full of whisky-centric ideas. Below is her #FlashMobBlog idea which is the subject of today’s post:

ST PATRICK’S DAY BUSHMILLS BLACK BUSH BLOGGING! 4:00 PM Greenwich Mean Time. 

The point is to have as many whisky writers/bloggers/vloggers post on St. Patrick’s Day (concurrently if we can arrange it) about an affordable and easily accessible whiskey. Would be awesome to see how many different countries/people take place. Post whatever you like, just POST!!!

The point of a FLASH MOB is to take people by surprise and storm! So, let’s create the largest joint blogging/writing review/story about a whisky.

This has never been done before so let’s do it and have some fun! For those who may not be interested in actually posting, any help to spread the word would be FANTASTIC!

Thanks all,

Johanne

As of this writing, there were 24 confirmed participants in this whisky blogging experiment. Links to each of their blogs will be included at the end of this post.

Now that you know what this #FlashMobBlog business is all about, let’s get on with our review…

Limpd’s Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Light golden-yellow with nice legs.
• Aroma: Soft with hints of vanilla, menthol and astringent.
• Taste: A little thinner than the legs would suggest. Sweet with a peppery, then cinnamon spice (not quite a Big Red) followed by a slight warming heat with the customary flavors of a meadow and a faint hint of ash.
• ABV: 40%

Conclusion: I am a big fan of Irish whiskies as I love the sweet hits of sugar, honey and vanilla and look forward to the notes of heather and mint. I usually go for Jameson, Red Breast or Midleton so the Bushmills was a nice change of pace. I was a little surprised by the spice and heat as the ABV would have suggested a more muted flavor profile and the nose gave no indication of the heat. If this were bottled at a higher ABV, it might bring it into the Red Breast category. As it is currently bottled, I would put it on a par with the special Jameson bottlings (the Gold or the Crested Ten).

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G-LO’s Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Pale copper copper with lots of thick, slow moving legs.
• Aroma: Quite muted on the nose when I first poured it into my glass. Letting it rest and open up definitely helps to bring out all of the aromas. The Sherry cask influence is readily apparent. Fruity at the onset with hints of raisins and ripe bananas. Also getting some cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla.
• Taste: Medium mouthfeel with just a touch of oiliness. Much more heat than I was expecting. The sweetness in the nose carries through to the palate and brings a healthy dose of cinnamon spice to warm the front third of my tongue. The heat intensifies at mid palate and leads you to a soothing and lightly spiced finish. There’s a a bit of a cigar tobacco aftertaste that fades after about a minute.
• ABV: 40%

Conclusion: When the Whisky Bloggers group picked the Bushmills Black Bush as the subject of Johanne’s #FlashMobBlog experiment, I was a bit disappointed. While I definitely enjoy Irish Whiskey (the Redbreast 12 and 15 are my favorites by a country mile), I have always found them to be on the gentler side of the whiskey spectrum since it’s no secret that I prefer a more robust spirit.

About two weeks ago, Limpd was kind enough to let me sample several of his Irish whiskeys alongside the Bushmills Black Bush. I am happy to report that the Bushmills Black Bush stacked up quite nicely against the competition. Although I preferred the Redbreast and Jameson 12 year old expressions, I would say that this whiskey was just as good as the Jameson Crested Ten, and several notches above the standard issue Jameson. My only complaint with the Bushmills Black Bush is that I wish it was bottled at a higher ABV since this would definitely help to intensify the finish.

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As promised, below are links to all of the whisky bloggers that participated (my apologies in advance to any that I may have missed!) in this #FlashMobBlog experiment:

• The Perfect Whisky Match
• The Coopered Tot
• Malt Imposter
• The Casks
• A Wardrobe of Whisky
• What Tastes Good
• joshZie’s Whisky Review
• Whisky Discovery
• A Measure Of Whisky
• Miss Whisky
• Whisky Wednesday
• Whisky Plus
• Freaky Whisky
• GJR’s Whisky Blog
• Malt Fascination
• The Toshan Man
• Tom’s Whisky Reviews
• A Dram Good Time
• Dramming
• Whisky Bros

Whiskey Review – Jameson Crested Ten

Last Fall, I was lucky enough to travel to the old sod over Jersey Week. A part of my spoils was a bottle of Jameson’s Crested Ten. This is sort of tweener, somewhere between the original Jameson and the more refined 12 but at a price point that is a lot closer to the original Jameson than it is to the 12. After I had made my selections at the Duty Free Shop in Dublin, the clerk commented on what a value the Crested Ten was. A quick look at the Celtic Whiskey shop reveals that the” brand was launched in 1963 and is Jameson’s oldest bottled brand. Not 10 years old as the name suggests, it is a fuller, richer, spicy, sherried version of the regular Jameson with the majority of the blend being 7-8 years with approximately 60% of the blend being pot still and 40% grain. Full-bodied with soft, delicate sherry undertones, toasted wood, perfectly balanced with fruit, spices and chocolate.” They go a step further and include a quote from Jim Murray’s A Taste of Irish Whiskey:

A whiskey of great finesse which is balanced beautifully between sweet and dry, light notes and heavy ones. Like all great Irish whiskeys, for the most satisfying results, this should not be sipped but taken by the mouthful and swallowed slowly.

I found the Crested Ten to be:

• Appearance: Golden honey with good legs
• Aroma: Toffee, heather and faint hint of mint tea.
• Taste: Spicy on the tongue (peppery) with a nice balance of sweetness (toffee, vanilla and mint) and a velvety smooth, warming finish.
• ABV: 40%

Lately, I have found that bottles at 40% ABV have become almost too soft and lack that oomph that is clearly discernible from something bottled at 43% – 46%. My complaint has been that what the spirit may have developed in smoothness it lost in an almost watered down quality. This was certainly not the case with the Crested Ten. Truth be told, I am a huge fan of all things Jameson; from the Original, to the Gold, to the 12 and the 18 to Red Breast and Midleton; just put it through their quality checks and put John’s signature on the bottle and I am sold. And, the Crested Ten did not disappoint. My only gripe, the bottle was only a 700ml. So, now I must savor what is left and keep it from the fellows. This will not make an appearance at Dregs Night.

Whiskey Review – Bulleit 10 Year Old Bourbon

It’s not often that we get to try a whiskey within just a few months of its release, so whenever the opportunity arises to get our hands on a sample, we jump on it! The beauty of trying a newly released whiskey is that there are very few reviews on the interwebz (I read many reviews on a regular basis), and we can therefore approach it with little or no preconceived notions as to the quality of the product.

One of these rare tasting opportunities came up at the beginning of this calendar year, when Bulleit Bourbon launched their latest expression, the Bulleit 10. Here is what Bulleit Bourbon had to say about their 10 year old expression in a recent press release:

Aged in charred American white oak, a select number of Bulleit® Bourbon barrels were set aside to age for ten years to see how the already award-winning bourbon would develop. Bulleit distillers were thrilled to find that the additional years resulted in a special expression of Bulleit® Bourbon that provides a rich, deep, incredibly smooth sipping experience that maintains the inherent character and high rye content for which the Bulleit brand is best known.

And now for our impressions of this new Bulleit expression…

Whisky Review – Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask No. 48.26 and Cask No. 125.51

As I start most of these posts, a couple of weeks ago, G-LO received the following four whisky samples from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America:

• Cask No. 3.184 aka “Arabesques of ash and high kicks of coal”
• Cask No. 48.26 aka “In a wild garden, late summer”
• Cask No. 125.51 aka “Perfumed sweetness and zesty fruits”
• Cask No. G9.1 aka “Sweet and sour mélange”

With this shipment (the December Outturn), G-LO chose Cask No. 3.184 and Cask No. G9.1 (you can see his review here). That left me with Cask No. 48.26 and Cask No. 125.51.  Truth be told, I knew from past experience that the 125.51 was from Glenmorangie. As I really do enjoy the distiller, I began with Cask No. 155.51. But first, the tasting notes from the Society for Cask No. 125.51: