Taste Off!!! Isle of Skye 8yr vs. Johnnie Walker Black Label

TASTE OFF!

It's a head-to-head between two Big Blends.

In the challenger's corner, with the beige label, owned by Ian MacLeod Distillers Limited:
ISLE OF SKYE 8 YEAR OLD

Brand: Isle of Skye

Ownership: Ian MacLeod Distillers Ltd

Distilleries:  Talisker and Glenfarclas (or sherried Glenrothes)

Type: Scotch Blended Whisky

Age: minimum 8 years

Alcohol by Volume: 40%
Chill-filtered? Yes
Caramel Coloring? Yes

Produced by the same folks who make Smokehead and Lang's, bottle single malts under the Chieftain's label, and run the great Glengoyne distillery, Isle of Skye 8 year old is a thick, rich blend that weighs in at 47% malt whisky / 53% grain whisky.  With there being only one active distillery on the actual Isle of Skye, the peppery and lightly peated portion of the malt clearly comes from Talisker.  But that element is balanced out by a big sherry-oak pop; either Glenfarclas or Glenrothes depending on the batch.  My whisky senses are telling me my bottle has some significant Glenfarclas in it.

As I continue to look for something to topple Johnnie Walker Black Label from its shelf, I matched the blends up side-by-side, first neatly, then as a whisky & soda.

Neat: 1.0 fluid ounces of whisky in Glencairn glasses.

Whisky & soda: 1.2 fluid ounces whisky, 2.0 fluid ounces club soda, and 7 small ice cubes in a tumbler

I chose this Old-Fashion route as it really puts the blend through the ringer: it's chilled with lots of water in a wide-mouthed glass.

Firstly, the Isle of Skye 8.

NEAT --

Maple syrup in color.  My notes say it has a "bright and cheerful nose".  How do I explain that?  It's full of sugary citrus (think orange zest and juice), tropical fruits, dry sherry, new sneakers, and burlap.  With time there's a hint of the ocean, as well as some maple syrup.  The palate holds a light peat, more vegetal than smoky.  It's buttery, malty, and quite sweet.  Brown sugar and citrus sit in the center, while everything is held in sherry parentheses.  It finishes sweetly as well.  There's a brief bitter moment, but there's mostly tropical fruit, a little peat, and sugar cookies.

WHISKY & SODA --

The malt element holds out well.  It remains buttery and very sweet, with overripe sugary fruits.  A blanket of vanilla sits on top of it all.

---

In the champion's corner, representing Diageo (boo), wearing the black and gold label:

JOHNNIE WALKER BLACK LABEL

Brand: Johnnie Walker

Ownership: Diageo (boo)

Distilleries: 40 in all, including Caol Ila and Talisker

Type: Scotch Blended Whisky

Age: minimum 12 years

Alcohol by Volume: 40%
Chill-filtered? Yes
Caramel Coloring? Yes

My considerable fondness for Black Label has been covered a number of times on this blog.  My gripes with Diageo have also been detailed plenty.  If I'm seriously going to do a Diageo boycott after they kill Green Label, I need to find a replacement for my favorite blend, thus these Taste Offs against other quality blends.

This Taste Off was educational as tasting the Isle of Skye alongside the Black Label really brought out the sherry side of the JWBL.  They both also have the single Skye malt in their makeup, but now I'm thinking there's more Caol Ila in Black Label than Talisker.

NEAT --

The color is golden caramel.  The nose holds sherried overripe tropical fruit, vanilla, toffee, and molasses.  Lots of molasses.  A wee puff of smoke.  The peat in the palate is heavier than the Skye's and smokier, while the texture is a little thinner (perhaps due to less malt?).  There's paper, pepper, espresso, soil, and a bunch of hearty vanilla (courtesy of American oak).  The finish is longer and peatier than Skye's.  Then there's vanilla-infused espresso and vanilla-infused black pepper.  My favorite part.

WHISKY & SODA --

The peat smoke remains as does all the vanilla.  It's drier than its competitor, yet still carries some sweetness.  A bed of fresh grass and hay sits underneath.

---

THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, OPINIONS, ETC...
After the Taste Off, I thought it was a good idea to finish off my Black Label bottle, figuring there was maybe a dram left.  There was more than a dram left.  It was a bad idea.  My first hangover on a work day this year.  :(

More to the point...

The Black Label had been open and less than half full for more than three months, while the Isle of Skye was opened about a month ago.  I think the Walker may have lost a touch of oomph via oxidation in that time, and its texture seemed a little thinner than usual.

The first couple of drinks out of the Skye bottle were packed with sherry to the point that I couldn't find the Talisker.  But over a few weeks and some breathing time, the whisky has revealed its island center.

While it is not a Black Label killer, it does beat the living daylights out of Famous Grouse.  It's thicker, maltier, more complex (oh, that word), and tastier.  Seriously, I'll never by the regular Grouse again.

If you're a sherry fan, then you may like this better than JWBL.  It may work well in cocktails too.  It's my second favorite mid-shelf Scotch whisky blend and something I would certainly consider buying a second time.  Their price range is very similar.  JW has the sexier bottle and it's easily found (though that doesn't count towards its ratings).

Ultimately, Black wins.  But it's closer than I had expected.

Did I not hear there's an Isle of Skye 12 year......?

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RATINGS

Johnnie Walker Black Label's rating holds for now...

Availability - Everywhere!

Pricing - $25-$35

Rating - 88

Isle of Skye 8 year old:


Availability - Many liquor specialists

Pricing - $28-$32

Rating - 81 (note: since finishing the bottle, I have downgraded this few points)

Single Malt Report: Glenfarclas 105 (again) and the Bastard's Share

If you ever do a little sample swapping with me, you'll see that I electrical-tape the crap out of my sample bottles.  Whisky has a habit of finding its way out of a bottle, no matter what it takes.  When you hear about low-neck fill levels on dusty whisk(e)y bottles, that's due to the good stuff escaping through the factory-sealed cap over time (or it's due to fakery but that's a whole other post), and being replaced by oxygen.  As oxygen fills the sad empty spaces in the whisky bottle, oxidation begins.  And the whisky character changes.

The Angel's Share is the evaporation loss occurred during the cask maturation process.  The Devil's Cut is the loss caused by the oak absorbing the liquid.  I'm sure there's an official name for whisky loss via a poor bottle seal, but I'm going to call it the Bastard's Share.  Because, screw that bastard.

Case in point, my Glenfarclas minis upon purchase:

Note the slightly lower neck fill on the 105.  Sadly, I didn't notice it at the time (this past April).  What I also didn't notice is that the cap was a little loose.  Perhaps a little tightening along with some electrical tape would have helped.  But, again, I was much too excited about having these minis to study them more closely.

Zip forward to this weekend:

There was 39mL of whisky left out of the original 50mL.  A 22% loss.

Not only is it a whisky loss, but oxidation has slowly occurred since its bottling in May 2010.

So if you ever wonder why I tape up my sample bottles (and even some of my better big bottles) like crazy, this situation is the answer.  You must suffocate that whisky until it's time to drink it.

Now, way back in October 2011 I posted a single malt report on Glenfarclas 105.  It was only my ninth report and the tasting had actually happened before I'd ever considered posting whisky reviews.  I drank it out of a wide mouth tumbler in a loud bar.  Nonetheless, I loved it.

I bought this mini so that I could experience the 105 in a quiet home setting.  I also bought the mini because.  Because.

So let's give this oxidized 105 a try!

Distillery: Glenfarclas
Ownership: J&G Grant Ltd.
Region: Speyside (Central)
Age: 8 to 10 years
Maturation: ex-oloroso (and maybe fino) sherry casks
Alcohol by Volume: 60%
(Mini bottled in May 2010)

NEAT --
This thick viscous whisky's color is mahogany awash with ruby.  Considering its strength, the 105 has a surprising lack of burn on the nose.  Instead there's a whole box of plump raisins, along with dried apricots, baklava, and orange zest.  After a while there are some candy notes, like Skittles and bubble gum.  The heat arrives on the palate.  The sherry is so enormous it enters an entirely different dimension.  It starts with a brown sugar delivery, followed by rich thick swirls of dark chocolate, cloves, and pipe tobacco.  Some sweet maltiness still holds tight through all of that.  The finish holds a dry sandy sherry, dark chocolate, and pipe tobacco.  The sweetness lingers endlessly.

WITH WATER (approx. 44%ABV) --
Goes cloudy the instant water hits it.  Dry sherry on the nose, along with cherry cordials and molasses.  Maybe some citrus and floral notes.  The palate turns sweet like a liqueur.  Some molasses, sherry, and black pepper in there.  It finishes peppery and sweet.  A touch of citrus along with a floral flourish.

I liked it better neat.  But the question is, how much of the normal characteristics were corrupted by oxidation?  I'm not that bitter since I still enjoyed it.  My rating doesn't change.

A final note on price.  You should buy this via a UK retailer.  See below.

Availability - Many liquor specialists
Pricing - $80-$90 (US retailers) or $50-$65 (UK retailers, no VAT, before shipping)
Rating - 90

Single Malt Report: Glenfarclas 15 year old

Oh man.

Nutella.  Just me and a jar and a spoon.  Dinner.

Soooooo, whisky.

After the Laphroaigs, we go to the other side of the spectrum: the rich sherried Glenfarclas(es).

Glenfarclas is one my favorite whisky producers.  Owned by the Grant family since 1865, they specialize in ex-sherry European oak-matured whiskys and have a wide spectrum of releases: 10, 12, 15, 17, 21, 25, 30, 40, 50, three high-strength 105 bottlings, and their vast single Family Casks.  Their regular range is well-priced in the UK compared to other companies' sherry bombs.  They have a large capacity that turns out best-selling product, yet have never sold their shop to a multinational corporation.

Some quick official history:
Robert Hay officially opened the distillery in 1836.  Upon Hay's death, father and son, John and George Grant, bought the distillery in 1865 and began renting it out to John Smith (of Glenlivet fame).  When Smith left to open up Cragganmore in 1870, John and George founded J&G Grant Ltd. and began to run Glenfarclas on their own.

Here's the family ownership tree since then:
John → (son) George → (sons) John & George → (sons) George Scott & John Peter → (son) John L S → (son) George S.

That's consistency.

Though I'm not the biggest fan of first-fill sherry-oak whisky, I do adore Glenfarclas 105  And when I've sampled a couple other 'farclases, I found the oak, wine, and malt very well integrated.  It was never like sipping a glass of 86 proof sherry; there was whisky in there.  Whenever Macallan decides to gut their 12yr in the States, I'd like to have a sherried replacement.  I've tried Glendronach, now let us go 'Farclas.

Distillery: Glenfarclas
Ownership: J&G Grant Ltd.
Region: Speyside (Central)
Age: at least 15 years
Maturation: ex-oloroso (and maybe fino) sherry casks
Alcohol by Volume: 46%
(Mini bottled in July 2010)

NEAT:
The color is dark amber.  The nose starts with sour fruit (apple?), stewed raisins, and rum raisin ice cream.  There's some balsamic vinegar in there too, along with carob and brandied cherries.  The palate is very fudgy.  The sherry is present but not overwhelming.  Prunes, cherry liqueur, a touch of salt, and whipped cream show up promptly.  The medium-length finish carries mellow sherry.  There's some salt, a little bit of chalk, brief bitterness, but also a fresh floral fragrance.

WITH WATER:
Water dries the nose right out, so it's mostly cardboard and sherry.  Some oranges follow, old sweat, and a slight metallic moment.  The palate is also mostly sherry with the malt stripped back.  A little fudge remains, along with caramel sauce.  The finish is mild with that metallic note, but mostly sherry again.

SIPPED ALONG WITH A SPOONFUL OF NUTELLA:
Do this.  For your own sake.

(Source)

A bit of Nutella washed down with Glenfarclas 15yr.  Mmmm.  They mmmmmmerge into a BIG hit of hazelnuts and even a swoop of peanuts too.  I was standing in the kitchen upon the first try.  I had to sit down to fully process it.

Without Nutella, water seems to squelch most of the malt, so I recommend drinking this one neat.  Especially alongside Nutella.

Of course, I'm a total a**hole because the fifteen year isn't sold in the US.  But it is priced right if you're ever doing a UK order.  If you like sherried whisky, I'd recommend giving any Glenfarclas a try.  If you're on the fence about first-fill sherry casks, 'Farclas does a good job letting their malt live in the whisky, so perhaps you can give one a sip...

Availability - UK liquor specialists
Pricing - $55-$65 before shipping
Rating - 85

Laphroaig like there's no tomorrow

So this happened:

Photo courtesy of the great Bino Gopal

Last Sunday at Beckham Grill with the LA Scotch Club, we embraced the Laphroaig Vertical.

Laphroaig 10 year
Laphroaig 10 year Cask Strength Batch 003
Laphroaig Quarter Cask
Laphroaig Triple Wood
Laphroaig PX Cask (Duty Free only)
Laphroaig 15 year
Laphroaig Cairdeas Origin
Laphroaig 18 year
Laphroaig 21 year Cask Strength
Laphroaig 25 year Cask Strength
Laphroaig 30 year
Laphroaig 40 year

Dios mio, that list looks even crazier in hindsight.  I took my samples of the 30 and 40 home for a quiet private tasting.  Plus I secured samples of my three new favorites from the above list so that I might provide full reporting.

In the meantime, in honor of Repeal Day, I will present my recap in corrupted haiku form:

Thanks Brandon Bartlett
Ye Protector of the Peat
(I won some glassware!)

Maker's Mark barrels
Big smoke on the malting floor
Beam's Islay spirit

Laphroaig 10 year
Old wet cigarettes
Molasses and salty peat
Meet my new old friend

Laphroaig 10 year Cask Strength Batch 003
Cherries peat and brine
Early morning bakery
Brown sugar and cream

Tremendous finish
Acres of Port Ellen smoke
Needs time, serve it neat

Laphroaig Quarter Cask
My bottle's open
But I'll always embrace more
Sweet and bitter this

Long lingering, bright
Anise, brown-sugar-wrapped peat smoke
A grand autumn malt

Laphroaig Triple Wood
Dried fruits and ripe fruits
Loads of peat and tobacco
Bitter in the mouth

Laphroaig PX Cask
Find anise and tar
Wrap it in salty sherry
Sell it duty free

Laphroaig 15 year
Young Ardbeg at best
Dare I ask, Who will miss you?
Stay in the barrel

Laphroaig Cairdeas Origin
Keer-dass or Kar-chiss?
Either way, a lovely thing
Cairdeas means friendship

Vanilla choc'late
Salty nutty peaty moss
Handshake and a hug

Laphroaig 18 year
Least peated of all
Or so my palate tells me
Cantaloupe mint brine

Wood smoke, still has zip
Molasses-ed lengthy finish
Not loved, don't mind it

Laphroaig 21 year Cask Strength
Single Malt Report?
This is fucking delicious.
You want to know more?

Think peated cognac
Coconut, candied white fruit
Vanillins in love

Laphroaig 25 year Cask Strength
Dry with light flowers
Coffee grounds, slightly sour
Leathery lovely

Laphroaig 30 year and 40 year
Who knows what awaits?
What have the angels stolen?
Time and oak, we wait

Single Malt Report: Kilkerran Work in Progress 2 (2010)

Over a year ago I enjoyed my introduction to the miracle makers of Springbank.  I lined up a tremendous Taste Off of Hazelburn 8yr, Springbank 10yr 100 proof (UK version), and Longrow CV.  Since then I always spring for a Springbank if I see a bottle at a bar.  And there's always one (or more) of their whiskys in my cabinet, usually a Longrow.

As an introduction to that Taste Off, I posted a little piece about the history of Springbank and Campbeltown in general.

Kintyre Peninsula, Scotland's bait and tackle,
twig and berries, meat and potatoes, rod and reel.
*WINK*
Get it?
It's a peninsula joke.

In the late 1800s, thirty to forty distilleries packed into a little town, Campbeltown at Kintyre's tip.  Campbeltown was then the center of the whisky world.  But overproduction, logistics, and economics changed the whisky power structure in Scotland.  By the mid-twentieth century there were only two distilleries left in Campbeltown, Springbank and Glen Scotia.

In 2000, Springbank's ownership acquired one of the defunct (but mostly intact) distilleries, Glengyle, and began production -- using modified stills from the closed Ben Wyvis distillery -- four years later.  Loch Lomond Distillers owns the rights to the Glengyle name, so the new whisky's name was chosen, as per their website:

Kilkerran is derived from the Gaelic 'Ceann Loch Cille Chiarain' which is the name of the original settlement where Saint Kerran had his religious cell and where Campbeltown now stands.

In 2009 the distillery started releasing their young whisky as a sort of public archiving of the whisky's development (and I'm sure it doesn't hurt to get some revenue out of it too), labeling it "Work in Progress".  So, Work in Progress 1 was five years old, 2 is six, 3 is seven, and this year's 4 is eight, each limited to 12000-15000 bottles.  Once it hits 12 years in 2016 they will expand it to a full release.

Like Springbank, Kilkerran is lightly peated, but distilled twice.  They use Springbank's malt, but with much differently structured stills and fermentation times.  As a result a different whisky is born.

At the end of that post on Springbank last December, I wrote: "Kilkerran is still a baby, but they have released a malt that I will beg, borrow, and steal for before 2012 has finished. "

Done and done.

Distillery: Glengyle

Owner: Mitchell's Glengyle Limited

Brand: Kilkerran

Age: 6 years (2004 - June 2010)

Maturation: ex-bourbon American Oak barrels

Region: Campbeltown

Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Limited release: 15000

Please note: This one took a while to wake up, especially the nose.  The palate showed up first, but after 10-15 minutes in the glass the whisky switch was thrown and the nose appeared.

NEAT
The color is a pale amber.  The nose immediately starts with new shoes, leather jacket, and a touch of peat. There's a hint of acetone at its edges which is the only element that belies the malt's youth.  There's some hay and tree bark in there too.  While there's some very subtle vanilla in the background, the main descriptor that I apply to the nose is: Outdoorsy.  The palate holds some surprising peat (both in vegetal form and resultant smoke).  Vanilla, cereal grains, more toffee than molasses, and some white fruit juice.  There's a little bitterness, but its very palatable, think black coffee or baker's chocolate.  The lengthy finish gets slightly sweeter.  The shoes and leather notes return here, as well as the pleasant bitter note.

WITH WATER
More American oak sneaks into the nose now.  Coconut and some white sugars appear.  The leather and outdoor notes are silenced.  Okay maybe there's a little manure.   Yes, in a good way.  The palate gets very creamy and noticeably sweeter.  Brown sugar and fresh grass spring up.  The peat's still there along with a fragrant floral moment.  It's now insanely drinkable.  The finish is shorter, but holds that nice bitter note.  A bit of vanilla is awakened and there's some more grass (live and dead).

This one sits on the other side of the spectrum from Wednesday's Benromach Organic.  Where that one was huge sweet oak syrup, this one flexes more malt and is more outdoorsy (notice how few food-and-drink-related descriptors are in these notes).  Also, something makes this nose feel old fashioned.  Perhaps because it's a little more rugged than most popular single malts.

To use silly shorthand: If Springbank is Springbank's Campbeltown malt, Longrow their Islay-type malt, and Hazelburn their Lowland-type malt, then perhaps Kilkerran is their old school peated Highland malt?  I'd love to line Kilkerran up next to some good Ardmore to see if that theory holds up.  Heck, I'd love to line Kilkerran up next to some more Kilkerran.

Ultimately, this isn't a sweetie, though the sugars show up once water is added.  After doing some whisky review snooping, I've noticed that the newer releases of Kilkerran are getting sweeter and fruitier as the malt ages.  While I wouldn't say no to any bottle of Glengyle's malt, I do like this WIP2 version.  In fact this is really my jam (so to speak).  But your palate may differ from mine.  Remember, I like Lediag, LOVE Longrow, and would bathe in Corryvreckan if I didn't fear it would eat my soul.

Availability - Some liquor specialists (This edition is getting harder to find)
Pricing - $50-$65 (WIPs 3 & 4 seem to be going up in price)
Rating - 91

Single Malt Report: Benromach Organic

Gordon & MacPhail was established in 1895 as an independent licensed bottling agent.  In 1915, John Urquart became the company's senior partner and his family has run the business (from the original location in Elgin) ever since.  With more than a dozen different bottling series (such as Connoisseur's Choice, The MacPhail Collection, Secret Stills, Private Collection, Speymalt, etc.) they remain one of the leading independent whisky botters.  Their continuing success in the whisky business provided them with the means to purchase the mothballed Benromach distillery in 1993.

Benromach began distilling in 1898 (so it's actually younger than its current owner) and has been mothballed twice, in 1931 and 1983.  It changed ownership a number of times in its youth, including four instances over forty years.  It ended up in the hands of DCL (proto-Diageo) in 1953.  As the whisky market underwent significant turmoil in the Eighties and early Nineties, DCL (then United Distillers) mothballed Benromach to stanch its losses.  Then in an act very unusual for the company, DCL/United Distillers sold the distillery to Gordon & MacPhail.  It took five years to get the distillery back in operation and it has been running ever since.

Distillery: Benromach
Ownership: Gordon & MacPhail
Age: older than 3 years, younger than 10 years
Maturation: virgin American Oak
Region: Speyside (Findhorn)
Alcohol by Volume: 43%

This particular bottling is Benromach Organic.  First released in 2006, it was a noticeable effort to differentiate their brand in the Scotch whisky market.  It was the first whisky to be fully certified organic.  As per their website:

The whole process, including the use of the raw ingredients, distillation, maturation and bottling, is certified to the rigorous standards set by the UK Soil Association. The whisky is matured in virgin American oak casks from environmentally managed forests...

Virgin oak can impart an intense influence on a whisky.  Thus I'd bet the malt here is very young; too much time in new oak can crush any sense of the original spirit.

NEAT
The color is bronze with bright orange highlights.  The nose starts with rich rye-like spices (think nutmeg and clove), overripe stone fruits, and lots of toffee.  Peach liqueur, lavender, brown sugar, and dark rum evolve over time.  The palate starts with MASSIVE vanilla.  Sweet spices, whole wheat bread, honey, and caramel sauce sing backup.  It's all very thick and desserty.  It finishes with the vanilla and caramel sauce.  Maybe dulce di leche?  But definitely rummy.  Very sweet.

WITH WATER
The nose leads with toffee and dark rum.  Brown sugar, some malt, basic wood grains, and (since the nose can't technically smell "sweet") the illusion of sweetness.  It's much simpler but still quite nice.  The palate is like the nose, but more malt sneaks out once the water is added.  There's still a bit of brown sugar and molasses sweetness with a snip of black pepper in the back.  Whole lotta sweetness in the finish, in fact it's almost bourbony in its intensity.  The black pepper lingers.

I liked this a lot.  But my opinion isn't shared by everyone.  Please keep in mind this one is a big sweetie.  Untempered by previous fills of bourbon, sherry, or other malts, the oak does some serious syrupy stomping here.

On a side note, I'm a complete hypocrite.  While I've often complained about the wood effect from first-filled sherried-European oak and occasionally griped about first-fill bourbon-American oak, I've found I  really enjoy the wild character imparted by virgin American oak.  Perhaps it's because it reminds me of the best parts of American whiskey, especially straight rye.  I've found Bruichladdich's Organic Multi-Vintage whisky to be less sweet and more malt-forward than Benromach's, so that must have something to do with wood management.  But I do like this one as a dessert whisky.

The reviews on this whisky are all over the map, so I recommend you take a look at these before you run off and try Benromach's Organic syrup whisky:

LA Whisky Society - Did not like it.
Whisky Advocate - Found it mostly......meh.
Malt Maniacs - Mixed
Serge Valentin - Liked
Whiskybase (crowdsourced) - Mixed

The folks from Michael Jackson's Complete Guide were so-so on it, while Jim Murray was positive.

I think many of these folks are reviewing the initial 2006 launch, but I find the vastly different reviews very interesting.  While reading their notes, I wonder if they (or we) drank the same whisky.

I've tried it twice, from the same 750mL bottle (Thank you, Bob!!!) so I can concur that my notes come neither from a mini nor a packaged sample.

Ultimately, there ain't a lot of subtlety in this single malt.  Heck, there's not a lot of malt in this single malt.  But it's a sweetie, if you want a sweetie.

Availability - Select liquor specialists
Pricing - US $65-$75, International $45-$60 (before shipping)
Rating - 86

NOT Single Malt Report: Triple American Taste Off

Hope everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving!  Let's do a quick-ish three part American Taste Off:  Old Grand-Dad Bottled in Bond, Old Forester, and Midnight Moon.  (Too bad I didn't have some Old Crow, Old Fitzgerald, or Old Weller!)

I'm drinking all three neat, no water, because I'm an Amurican.  I'm also drinking all three in Glencairn glasses because I'm a communist socialist terrorist.

OLD GRAND-DAD BOTTLED IN BOND STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY

Owner: Beam, Inc.
Brand: Old Grand-Dad
Distillery: Booker Noe Plant
Location: Boston, Kentucky
Mash Bill: High rye, 30% rye
Age: minimum 4 years
ABV: 50% ABV

This is the younger brother of the Basil Hayden's Straight Bourbon (6-8 years).  Same mash bill, same distillery, same company.  Different age, different ABV weight, different bottle, different label, different price.  Basil Hayden, the man, is the "old grand dad" from the label.  I picked up a flask-sized 200mL bottle of this bourbon during a great weekend in Idyllwild.

The color is straight up bourbon gold.  The dense nose is loaded with hazelnuts, tree bark, and hay.  There are some apple skins and Hershey's milk chocolate in there too.  The rye sits in the background.  The palate is full of honey and corn, but some more rye shows through.  There's some Robotussin, corn syrup, cherry syrup, and a light nuttiness.  Corn whiskey lasts the longest in the finish, leaving a sticky sweet residue, along with a hint of amaretto.

Of the two bourbons, I enjoyed this nose better.  It makes a decent Old Fashioned as well.  Otherwise, I don't forsee buying a 750mL of this one.

Availability - Most liquor stores

Pricing - $18-$25

Rating - 71

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OLD FORESTER STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY

Owner: Brown-Forman Corporation
Brand: Old Forester
Distillery: Brown-Forman Distillery
Location: Shively, Kentucky
Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley
Age: approx. 4 years
ABV: 43% ABV

It uses the same mash bill as Woodford Reserve (a bourbon I do not like).  Brown-Forman also makes Jack Daniel's and Early Times, two more products with unappealing flavors.  So, it's a good thing I had no idea that Old Forester comes courtesy of these folks.  And I happily found a 99 cent mini of it a few weeks back.

The color is a slightly darker browner gold than the Grand Dad.  The nose starts with new sneakers(!), paper, caramel, leather gloves, lots of caramel sauce, zero rye, and a touch of dried fruit.  The desserty palate holds milk chocolate, whipped cream, vanilla, and TONS of butterscotch.  It's sweet but dense and hardy.  Sadly the finish doesn't hold out.  It gets a little odd, very vegetal (celery, lettuce, and kale?) with lots of corn.

I really enjoyed the butterscotch in the palate, but it's too bad the finish goes weird.  While I'm in no hurry to drink this again, I wouldn't mind trying the 100 proof Forester.

Availability - Most liquor stores

Pricing - $13-$18

Rating - 72

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MIDNIGHT MOON

Owner: Piedmont Distillers
Brand: Junior Johnson's Midnight Moon
Mash Bill: 100% corn
Age: 0 years old
ABV: 40% ABV

This is a triple-distilled grain (corn) spirit that is said to be sourced from NASCAR great Junior Johnson's family recipe.  Having had new makes of all sorts, I've never tried an officially bottled product claiming to be moonshine.

It's clear, thus no color.  The nose is vodka, but more sugary.  Some dry grains, hay, notebook paper, and nondescript vegetation.  The palate: vodka, probably from an upper shelf.  There's some granulated sugar in there.  Tapioca pudding.  The illusion of vanilla.  Not much of a finish.  A little sweet.  Vodka.

This is watered-down ethanol.  It is very similar to big label vodka, though one of the better ones.  More Grey Goose than Ketel One.  I've had quite some vodka in my time, more than you can possibly imagine.  And I never drank it for the flavor.

This was also another cheap mini that required a pair of pliers to open.

Then I spilled half of it on the floor.  And was not bummed about it in the least.

Availability - Most liquor stores

Pricing - $18-$22

Rating - This is not whiskey