Wine is shaped by the weather, and every year is different. But aperitifs, vermouths, and other wine-based products rarely tell you which vintage you're getting on the bottle—you expect consistency when you buy Dubonnet or Carpano Antica from year to year. But Lillet has released a few vintage bottlings in especially good years for white Bordeaux wines, and one of those, 2009, has just reached the market.

The Reserve Jean de Lillet 2009 is made from single-vintage Sauternes (a blend of 80% Semillon, 15% Sauvignon Blanc, and 5% Muscadelle), mixed with orange liqueur flavored with Spanish sweet orange peels and bitter oranges from Haiti, plus 'a secret blend of fruit liqueurs produced in Lillet's distillery' and quinine. The blend is aged for 12 months in French oak barrels that are 225 liters. (Regular Lillet is aged in large oak vats ranging from 8,000 liters to 20,000 liters.) The suggested retail price for this bottling is $39.99.

The 2009 Reserve Jean de Lillet pours an orangey gold, and the flavor is markedly rich, toasty and honeyed. The acidity is enough to pucker your mouth a little and balance the heft of the stuff, but it's hard to pick out other individual flavors. Everything is mellowed and slid between the grains of the oak (and a touch of oxidation): orange peels, yes, and quinine to dry out the finish, but you could be lulled into thinking you're just drinking wine (at a potent 17% ABV). An ice cube opens up the flavors a bit, bringing out the orangey side nicely.

You can certainly drink it unadorned, but this stuff is good in a cocktail. Our favorite so far is totally easy: fill a glass with ice, add a hearty squeeze of lemon, and 2 parts Reserve Jean de Lillet to 1 part gin or bourbon. (We liked the slightly malty St. George's Dry Rye Gin as a partner for the special Lillet, and became pretty obsessed with a version of this drink made with Burnside Bourbon from Portland's Eastside Distilling.) The richness of the aged Lillet latches in to a richer spirit; you probably wouldn't go wrong with rum, either.

Have you tried this reserve bottling or previous years' editions? What did you think?

About the Author: Maggie Hoffman is the editor of Serious Eats: Drinks. She lives in San Francisco. You can follow her on Twitter @maggiejane.

In the past few years, we've seen a proliferation of flavored whiskies—from cinnamon, to cherry, to honey—and these products vary widely in quality and appeal. The category is seen by many purists as a waste of good whiskey (or an attempt to doctor up bad whiskey for sale). Personally, I believe there's a time and a place for flavored whiskies, particularly as a gateway whiskey for friends who can't believe they would ever drink the brown stuff. But a recent release from Georgetown Trading Company is poised to shake up the category.

There are quite a few unique aspects to this booze, starting with the base spirit. Heretofore, the vast majority of flavored whiskies were bourbon or Irish whisky, but GTC has put straight rye front and center. It's an intriguing move, as rye is typically quite spicy with sharp edges—the exact opposite of a gateway whiskey. But the innovation doesn't stop there. Rather than choosing a single sweetened flavor to blend with the whiskey, they've infused the rye with a blend of orange peels, saffron, and assorted other whole botanicals (the complete recipe and mashbill of the whiskey is not disclosed). It's a one-of-a-kind offering on the current whiskey world stage.

Bottled at 90 proof, this stuff has a huge aroma. Citrus, smoked cedar, incense, and vanilla leap out of the glass, with enough rye spice in the background to let you know it's still whiskey. On tasting, the flavors are all over the place: dark chocolate, menthol, stone fruit, raisins, funky Pu-erh tea, and of course the saffron, which works surprisingly well in the midst of the other flavors going on. It has a touch of sweetness (which helps to harmonize all of the disparate flavors), and is quite thin-bodied, but the finish is surprisingly long and full. It's like the bizarre love child of a young rye and an exotic gin, but I mean that in the best way. Designed for blending into all kinds of new and exciting cocktails, this whiskey puts a new spin on the classics (it makes an utterly unique and interesting Manhattan, for example). However, it still holds its own as a sipping whiskey, if not an every day dram. Listing at $40 a bottle, it's not for everyone, but if you're looking for an unusual flavored whiskey, this is the booze for you.

About the author: Andrew Strenio is a lover of all things potable. Since sneaking his grandmother's bourbon balls, he's moved on to touring distilleries and sipping snifters. He works by day making documentary television and films for an independent production company in Brooklyn.

Sample provided for review consideration.

If you've been in the whiskey game for awhile, you may have noticed a trend in your wallet over the past several years. Here's a hint: it's not getting fatter. Prices for the brown booze have been skyrocketing as demand has exploded. The aged spirits industry is a particularly interesting economic case—brands need to predict what the market will look like 6, 10, 15, or more years in advance. Some brands have reacted to the current state of of the market (lots of demand and low supply) by jettisoning age statements, introducing new, younger, products for sale, and generally trying to get as much booze out on the shelves as possible. Others have doubled down on quality. Case in point: Elijah Craig.

Setting aside the incredible Elijah Craig 18 and 20 year old offerings of recent years—which, while competitively priced for super-aged bourbon, were limited releases and are now a prized find (if you spot one of these on a shelf, do yourself a favor and snap it up), the flagship EC 12 has been a benchmark of classic, quality bourbon with unbeatable value at around $25 a fifth. Now, Elijah Craig is putting out another limited release that won't break the bank: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon.

This 12-year old expression (the age statement is relegated to the back label) is bottled at full cask strength and non-chill filtered. (What does that mean? I address chill filtration here). The kicker? It's listing at an MSRP of $40, which in the current whiskey landscape (where cask strength bourbons are rare, and often go for $60 to $90) is an absolute steal. But value is about more than price, so let's pop the cork and see what's in the bottle.

Pouring a deep, dark mahogany (seriously, think grade B dark amber maple syrup), it's clear this whiskey has gotten friendly with the barrel. My bottle is a whopping 134.2 proof (67.1%), and the smell is huge—massively boozy and hot, with woody forest notes sneaking in around the edges, caramel, and vanilla dancing around. Tasted neat it's a wallop of alcohol, finishing with baking spices and a burn that won't quit. I enjoyed it, in a masochistic kind of way. But after cutting this whiskey down to size with a healthy splash of mineral water, the flavors blossom impressively. Now there's a deep, satisfying dark chocolate sweetness, interesting grassy notes, cinnamon, caramel, and syrup. It's a chewy dessert whiskey, and each sip leaves me wanting another.

This isn't my #1 favorite bourbon of all time, but it is damn tasty, and at $40 for a barrel strength bottle that turns into at least a liter once you cut it to ideal drinking strength, it's tough to beat for the money. Pick up a bottle while it's still on the shelves, and show the whiskey gods that your wallet is not their plaything.

Have you tried the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon? Do you have any other favorite value whiskeys to recommend?

About the author: Andrew Strenio is a lover of all things potable. Since sneaking his grandmother's bourbon balls, he's moved on to touring distilleries and sipping snifters. He works by day making documentary television and films for an independent production company in Brooklyn.

Sample provided for review consideration.

You may know cachaça as the base of the Caipirinha, that effortlessly thirst-quenching Brazilian answer to the gin and tonic. But the distilled sugar cane spirit, frequently lumped in with rum, is beginning to come into own.

In fact, the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has just recently officially identified Cachaça as a distinctive Brazilian spirit. Granted, the ruling is a quid pro quo arrangement that ensures the Brazilian government will recognize bourbon and Tennessee whiskey as distinctive products of the United States, but it nevertheless is a victory for transparency and accuracy in labeling, which is all too often murky territory.

With cachaça poised for increased visibility, we're excited to share the most interesting bottles that have crossed our desk in a while.

Avuá Cachaça is born in the sun dappled fields of sugar cane on the master distiller's farm, several hours north of Rio de Janeiro. The cane is hand-harvested and crushed by a spring-fed waterwheel. The resulting juice is left to ferment under the influence of airborne wild yeast. After fermenting, it's distilled in a copper pot still, and then the two expressions go their separate ways. The Prata heads off to stainless steel tuns to rest for six months to a year, and the Amburana enters—you guessed it—Amburana wood casks to age for around two years. Both spirits are brought to proof with the same spring water that powers the crushing wheel. And what's that result of all that work? An exciting, unique spirit.

Avuá Cachaça Prata

The Prata (from the Portuguese "silver") pours clear and clean. Its scent is unlike any other cachaça I've ever tried. Where I usually find deep sweet banana aromas, Prata offers pungent vegetal greenness, lime, and only a hint of yeasty sweetness. The taste is also quite dry with notes of lemongrass, caraway, and cut grass. It finishes short and clean, with very little alcohol burn. Bottled at 84 proof, this not only makes a killer caipirinha, but also blows open the world of dry vermouth cocktails.

Avuá Cachaça Amburana

The two years spent in casks made of Amburana, a highly fragrant wood, substantially alters the flavor profile of the cachaça. Pouring a delicate barely-gold color, the 80 proof spirit smells like a fantastic rice pudding—cinnamon, honey, and a creamy, roasted sweetness. But don't let the dessert-like scent fool you: this spirit tastes surprisingly dry.

A pleasant woody flavor dominates, with spicy basil and allspice weighing in at the finish. My first taste was kind of a shock, but over the course of the glass the fluctuation of flavors won me over.

How should you use it? Swap it in for brown spirits; it will show nicely in drinks that lean more towards the barrel notes of whiskey, rather than the sweetness of bourbon. A sour is a good place to start: the result is intriguingly perfumed and spiced.

Releasing this month in the NYC area, and expanding to national distribution soon, both expressions are currently available online from Caskers while supplies last, at $35 for Prata and $50 for Amburana.

Are you a fan of cachaça? Got any favorite brands to recommend?

About the author: Andrew Strenio is a lover of all things potable. Since sneaking his grandmother's bourbon balls, he's moved on to touring distilleries and sipping snifters. He works by day making documentary television and films for an independent production company in Brooklyn.

Samples provided for review consideration.

Being the Master Distiller of a mega-brand of bourbon has its perks. Jimmy Russell, the steady hand behind Wild Turkey, not only has the distinct pleasure of working with his son, Eddie (Associate Master Distiller), but also has the chance to stake his territory on the bourbon landscape. His latest release, Russell's Reserve Small Batch Single Barrel, brings to the market one authoritative vision of what bourbon ought to be. And it's a vision we can get behind.

This release's name is a mouthful, and a confusing one at that. You can't get any smaller batch than a single barrel, so why not call it the single barrel and leave it at that? The acronym RRSBSB won't do anyone any favors either, so let's just call it the Single Barrel for the sake of this review, shall we?

Taking position as the top shelf Wild Turkey product, this bottling surpasses the Russell's Reserve Small Batch 10 year in both proof and price. But there are a few important decisions that were made in the production of this bourbon that are a bit unusual. Aged in very heavily charred barrels (char #4, or alligator char), the Single Barrel is released without any age statement. One could cynically approach this decision as a means to cover a distillery's lack of aged stocks, but an added benefit of going NAS (No Age Statement) with a single barrel program is the ability to pull individual barrels at their prime and not be restricted by the age of a truly special barrel. However, the best of both worlds would be putting barreling and bottling dates on individual bottles, which they've chosen not to do. Another interesting decision is the high-proof of this release—at 110 proof, it fulfills a lot of drinker's demands to keep triple-digit Turkey on the market. Most importantly, this whiskey is not chilled filtered.

Understanding Chill Filtration

What is chill filtration, and why does it matter to you, the whiskey drinker? The process is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Chill filtration, a standard practice in the industry, is when whiskey is chilled to temperatures below freezing and filtered to remove fatty acids and other "impurities," such as proteins and esters. It's done to create a stable whiskey that won't cloud when chilled, say with the addition of a few ice cubes. But chill filtration also has the unfortunate side effect of robbing the spirit of some of its body and complexity of flavor. Many Scotch distillers and some new bourbon distillers are beginning to release non-chill filtered whiskeys, but it's always exciting to see more releases, especially from influential sources.

Russell's Reserve Small Batch Single Barrel

Good decisions like skipping the chill filtration are one thing, but great whiskeys are another thing. Will the Single Barrel make its makers proud?

Pouring a deep, dark bronze, the immediate aroma of this bourbon is full of charred oak, with subtle cinnamon and baking spices. The taste is surprisingly smooth considering the high proof, with typical Wild Turkey cinnamon up front, just enough wood to balance the caramel sweetness, and hints of mint and rye spices a welcome addition to the complexity. The finish is sweet and lingering, with pineapple and licorice. The bourbon opens up with a tiny splash of water and becomes richer, deeper, chewier, and the sweetness and bitter wood blend even more harmoniously. It's a high class effort.

The only downside on this release is the pricing: at MSRP of $50 a bottle, you could buy almost two and a half bottles of the benchmark Wild Turkey 101. But as a reasonable splurge bourbon, the Single Barrel is in a class all its own.

About the author: Andrew Strenio is a lover of all things potable. Since sneaking his grandmother's bourbon balls, he's moved on to touring distilleries and sipping snifters. He works by day making documentary television and films for an independent production company in Brooklyn.

Whiskey sample provided for review consideration.

Charbay Distillery is on a roll with the beer-based whiskeys—they've been steadily releasing distilled suds, from a pilsner, to an IPA, and now their latest release is made with stout. The brew of choice comes from Bear Republic once again: this time, in the form of the Big Bear Black Stout.

The Beer

The BBBS is an American Stout, and packs a wallop at 8.1% abv. But it doesn't have nearly as much sweetness as you'd expect from a high alcohol stout: instead, there's a burnt bitterness to the malt, with a hoppy bite bracketing some dark chocolate, coffee, and just a touch of caramel to balance the whole affair. It's an aggressive and interesting stout, with a hop-forward nature that should translate well to whiskey format. But will the whiskey taste like stout? Let's give it a try to find out...

The Whiskey

Double distilled in alembic pots, the S whiskey is then aged for 22 months in French oak barrels before getting bottled at 99 proof. You can smell this whiskey from across the room: heavy, funky hop aromas lead the charge, but it's sweet, with honey, toasted oats, melon, botanicals, and even citrus as an undercurrent. Give it a sip, and the surprising herbaceousness continues. The hops are there, make no mistake, but it's a sweet show with ginger, vanilla, and mint joining the party, until the tide begins to turn, and the stout flavors arrive. Dark malt, bitter chocolate finish, and a touch of dry oak linger on the finish.

Overall it's more similar to the R5 whiskey than you might expect, but the sweetness of this spirit highlights the hops even more.

We highly recommend you seek out the Big Bear Black Stout and taste it alongside the whiskey made from that brew; it's a flavor journey like no other we've tried. With this release, Charbay continues to blaze a trail for the future of craft distilling. Charbay Hop Flavored Whiskey 'S' is available now in limited release; you can find it online from D&M in San Francisco and Astor Wines & Spirits in NYC (both stores ship), or you can try it as a shot and a beer pairing at NYC's Ward III.

As a spirits reviewer, I'm constantly inundated by creation myths, marketing smoke-and-mirrors that make a bottle sound extra-enticing. (Nothing is more in vogue these days than Antarctic Scotch, right?) The recently released Michter's Original Sour Mash Whiskey is supposedly the resurrection of a long defunct formulation of Sour Mash Whiskey from the original Michter's distillery in Schaefferstown, PA. My guess is that it's more likely an attempt at a new whiskey expression to round out their current offerings.

After the original distillery declared bankruptcy in 1989, the brand was eventually bought out, and Michter's whiskey these days has been coming from the Kentucky Bourbon Distiller's bottling facility. (You can read the whole sordid tale at Chuck Cowdery's excellent website.) The original source of the juice has not been disclosed, but their offerings have won high marks from critics and aficionados alike. This latest release is labeled simply as a "Sour Mash Whiskey," but the mash bill has not been declared, so it's a bit of a mystery what's in the bottle. But while there may well be more marketing than fact on the label, as always, it's what's in the bottle that counts. And with the Original Sour Mash, it's an interesting whiskey indeed.

Bottled at 86 proof, it pours a mild copper color. It smells like wild rye spices, dark cherry, and vanilla. The flavor is aggressive and immediate, adding barrel spices and only a little corn sweetness, but it's quite thin-bodied. Finishing relatively mild and mellow, it left me quite confused at first: this whiskey can't decide if it wants to be a rye or a bourbon! (though it's not labeled as either, so technically it's unlikely to actually be either). The same profile persisted through repeat tastings, and ultimately I was won over by the spicy-yet-sweet, thin-yet-wild nature of this spirit. Listing at a suggested $44 per 750mL bottle, this could easily become a go-to whiskey when you're on the bourbon-rye fence.

Have you tried any of Michter's releases? What did you think?

About the author: Andrew Strenio is a lover of all things potable. Since sneaking his grandmother's bourbon balls, he's moved on to touring distilleries and sipping snifters. He works by day making documentary television and films for an independent production company in Brooklyn.

Whiskey sample provided for review consideration.

Irish whiskey is experiencing a bit of a renaissance these days, spurred on by the global increase in demand for whiskey of all sorts. Though the category has often been overlooked by connoisseurs and critics alike, there's no better time to be an Irish whiskey supporter (see Dietsch's guide if you need a primer).

This past year saw a bevy of new high quality releases, with the Irish Distillers' Group in particular leading the charge. Until now, the excellent Red Breast 12 Cask Strength was the leader in the US, in my opinion. But this March, Powers John's Lane is coming stateside, and giving Red Breast a run for its money.

Crafted at the New Midleton Distillery, the PJL is a single pot still whiskey, aged at least 12 years. Named after the original Powers Distillery on John's Lane in Dublin, it's a throwback to the roots of the brand. Aged predominately in first fill ex-bourbon casks, with a small amount of the spirit aged in Oloroso sherry butts, it's reminiscent of an unpeated, muscular Highland Scotch.

The aroma is snappy, with classic honey and spice notes competing with oily leather and charred wood, plus dark chocolate in the background. The whiskey is huge and chewy, and while it starts out quite spicy, vanilla and apricot round things out, and then sweet cereal grains bring balance, with loads of apples and fresh green fruit. It finishes long and warm, with charred wood and honey.

Bottled at 46% ABV and listing around $70 a bottle, this is an absolute cracker of a dram. Highly recommended. Round up a group of your best Éire-loving mates, leave the macro-brewed stuff behind, and indulge in a bottle of gold I'd be happy finding at the end of the rainbow. Sláinte!

Have you tried any new Irish whiskeys lately? Which are your favorites?

About the author: Andrew Strenio is a lover of all things potable. Since sneaking his grandmother's bourbon balls, he's moved on to touring distilleries and sipping snifters. He works by day making documentary television and films for an independent production company in Brooklyn.

A sample was provided for review consideration.

London dry gin is an iconic spirits category. To many imbibers, London dry is gin, full stop. However, recent years have seen a flood of new gins branching off into novel territory. Some of these experiments in distinct and innovative flavor profiles have been a return to tradition—the revival of Old Tom and sloe gin, for instance—but others have been an exploration of new territory. The so-called new Western dry gins, or new American gins, leave the strict London dry formulation of a juniper-dominated spirit in the dust, instead investigating the full range of botanical possibilities (Bluecoat and Dry Fly are worthy examples).

But would you be surprised if I told you that Tanqueray was ahead of the curve of the new gin movement? In 1997, they released what was perhaps the most revolutionary gin to come out of a major English distillery to date. Malacca, based on a recipe by Charles Tanqueray from the grand old year 1839, was a revelation to many in the burgeoning cocktail scene. A softer, citrus-forward gin, uniquely suited for mixing in the new wave of drinks created by barmen across the country, Malacca instantly developed cult status. Unfortunately for its newfound following, Malacca was taken off shelves in 2001.

But the impact of a mixable, complex citrusy gin proved to be lasting. Discontinued bottles of Malacca commanded high prices in online auction houses, and the market eventually responded with the debut of the aforementioned new gins. Tanqueray, to its credit, released Tanqueray 10 to fill the gap, but the by now mythic Malacca had left large shoes to fill.

Many years later, the whispers you've heard are true: Malacca is back on the shelves, albeit in limited quantities. 100,000 bottles of the sauce are being released, and we've gotten our hands on a bottle of the legendary stuff.

So What Does Malacca Gin Taste Like?

Sampling the newly-reissued gin neat, grapefruit takes the lead, wrapped in a distinctly floral scent. The gin is soft and round, with prominent cinnamon and bubblegum flavors. It finishes clean and easy, almost leaving you wondering if you were drinking booze or rosewater.

To gain proper perspective, we tasted the re-released Malacca side by side with Tanqueray's classic London dry, and there's absolutely no confusing the two. Tanqueray London Dry is unapologetic and brash, but also focused, driven, and demanding of center stage. Malacca is more the little sister: contemplative, with soft, smooth edges, happy to cooperate.

A martini reveals the weaker side of Malacca: the varied botanicals and softer spices lose cohesion in the face of a touch of vermouth and melted ice, whereas the London dry's juniper kick stands tall and provides the skeleton you need to support a good stiff drink with a twist of lemon. The classic G&T is a more level playing ground, however. Tanqueray's London Dry is a rather one-dimensional strongly spiced summer refresher, but the Malacca is an effortlessly amazing spiked citrus punch.

Bottled at 80 proof and individually numbered, Malacca is listed for a suggested $28/liter. It's a no-brainer: I can't recommend this gin highly enough. It's a sip of history, and more balanced and sure of itself than many of its current imitators. It's going to be very popular though, so if you spot it, don't hesitate to snap it up!

About the author: Andrew Strenio is a lover of all things potable. Since sneaking his grandmother's bourbon balls, he's moved on to touring distilleries and sipping snifters. He works by day making documentary television and films for an independent production company in Brooklyn.

Gin samples were provided for review consideration.

[Photo: Maggie Hoffman]

I've been a gin lover pretty much as long as I've been drinking. My Dad's a Tanqueray guy, and the sound of his post-tennis-match G&T ice clinking in a juniper-scented glass evokes family vacations to me. When I turned 21, that big green bottle had a proud place on my particle-board bookshelf.

Since those days, though, both Dad and I have changed our gin loyalties. He's into Organic Nation and I divide my sips between the stunningly tasty Reisetbauer Blue Gin from Austria and the unusual lineup from St. George Spirits, especially the rye-based gin. But none of those small batch spirits are cheap, and my mini-bottles from St. George would be empty in a minute if I threw a party.

In search of cheaper options, Will Gordon's explored Booth's, Stretton's, and, appropriately, Gordon's, but my local Trader Joe's has booze and his doesn't, so I've won the chance to taste good ol' TJ's attempt at my favorite juniper-flavored spirit.

Trader Joe's Jail House Gin is 88 proof, and the label proudly announces that it's 'five times distilled in the former Navy brig on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay.' The result: a gin that smells a little bit like cleaning fluid and quite a bit like vodka. It's infused with juniper, orris root, rose, orange peel, and cucumber, and sold in a squat bottle, making me wonder if they're gunning for the Hendrick's audience. The flavor is quite grassy, a little citrus peel-y, with a richer, smoother body than I expected. It does taste like cucumber, but I'm not sure if that's a good thing. It's not as bright and fresh-tasting as Hendrick's, and has a confusing bitterness that's more leafy than juniperry.

What? You don't drink your gin straight up? Me neither, and no one would confuse this gin for an easy-sipper. But in a gin and tonic, with a juicy squeeze of lime, the harsh bitterness and strange cardboard-like flavor comes out even more, and lingers on the tongue after each swallow. You might be able to get away with this stuff in a Campari-heavy Negroni, but for a G&T, this isn't the gin for me, even though it's only $15.99 for 750 mL.

Have you tried Trader Joe's Jail House Gin? What did you think?

About the Author: Maggie Hoffman is the editor of Serious Eats: Drinks. She lives in San Francisco. You can follow her on Twitter @maggiejane.

Buffalo Trace has a wonderful tradition of inquiry and experimentation into the form and technique of bourbon making. If you've never heard of their single oak project, I highly recommend reading Michael Dietsch's excellent summary and thought piece on that ambitious enterprise. But Buffalo Trace also has a smaller scale annual release of various experimental bourbons they've been tinkering around with in the warehouse.

At any given time, they have more that 1,500 experimental barrels of whiskey aging, each with unique characteristics, from unusual mash bills, to types of wood, to level of barrel char. Buffalo Trace have taken this dedication to dabbling (they've even constructed an entire micro distillery on-site) so they can leave the major production lines unaltered while pursuing interesting side projects. While experimentation (by its very nature) does not always lead to immediate and amazing results, it's the engine that drives progress and understanding. And while many distilleries conduct their own test runs under wraps, Buffalo Trace has opened their doors and allowed us to peek behind the veil. This year's release features two pretty old bourbons, dubbed the #7 Heavy Char Barrel Bourbon, and the Hot Box Toasted Barrel Bourbon. We gave 'em both a try.

#7 Heavy Char Barrel Bourbon

The experiment here is, you guessed it, the level of char on the barrels. Buffalo Trace usually uses a 55-second char (the famous char #4), but the barrels for this release got a full 3.5 minutes over open flame for the #7 treatment. Filled with Buffalo Trace Rye Bourbon Mash #2 (the same mash used for bourbons like Blanton's and Elmer T. Lee) and aged for 15 years and 9 months.

Bottled at 90 proof, there's no mistaking the fire that went into this whiskey. It smells dark and dusty, a bit like my grandma's attic and old comic books, which is nostalgic for me but not exactly the first thing I look for in a bourbon. The taste has a burnt-tasting bite with a green undertone that reminded us of burning pine cones. It's not super smoky, nor is it at all sweet, though if you really dig you can find black-as-night dark chocolate. It finishes with a lingering bitterness, a bit astringent, and very, very dry. In general, a 15 year old bourbon is hard to pull off, and the char is definitely over-extracted here, but it's a big whiskey and I can recommend with slight reservations to anyone who adores burnt wood.

Hot Box Toasted Barrel Bourbon

With an identical mash bill to the bottle above, Buffalo Trace experimented further with the wood used for this bottling. For the Hot Box, the staves of the barrel were toasted in a 133 degree Fahrenheit "Hot Box" before being steamed, and finally assembled into a barrel. Buffalo Trace says the intention was "to drive the flavors deep into the wood." This bourbon was aged for 16 years and 8 months and bottled at 90 proof—it's almost a year older than the #7 Heavy Char.

The flavor difference between these two bourbons is like night and day. Smelling of sweet caramel and vanilla, the Hot Box is mellow and round on your tongue, with apples and a wonderful mellow sweetness joined by barrel spices. The finish is smooth, warm, and yet mild, and vanishes quickly into the breeze. The only problem with this whiskey is that it's a bit thin bodied and mild, lacking that bit of brashness that makes a bourbon fully a bourbon (to me, at least). You could be forgiven for mistaking this for a Japanese whisky.

In the end, these are both very interesting experiments, if not everyday drinking bourbons. Listing at $47 for a 375mL bottle, they are a fun new perspective on an old art form, and a welcome demonstration of a commitment to the continued pursuit of spirits knowledge. Also, they're super-old bourbons at less than $50 (albeit in a small bottle), so your curiosity doesn't have to break the bank.

Have you tried any of Buffalo Trace's experimental releases? What do you think of the enterprise?

About the author: Andrew Strenio is a lover of all things potable. Since sneaking his grandmother's bourbon balls, he's moved on to touring distilleries and sipping snifters. He works by day making documentary television and films for an independent production company in Brooklyn.

Whiskey samples were provided for review consideration.

[Photo: Maggie Hoffman]

Am I the only person who reads the Fearless Flyer? You know, the old-timey newsletter Trader Joe's sends out to remind you to buy peanut butter-filled pretzels (those things are dangerous) and 'Juicy, Sweet Pineapple Tidbits'? It's great breakfast-time reading, I swear.

It was in the Fearless Flyer that I found out that Trader Joe's has a house-brand bourbon, and since I was sadly lacking in funds to fly Will Gordon somewhere where Trader Joe's is allowed to sell liquor, the task of tasting it fell to me.

As with all TJ's products, there's a bit of smoke and mirrors about where this stuff comes from, but I did a little poking around. The label mentions Bourbon Square Distilling Co., but according to my contact at Buffalo Trace, this bourbon is distilled at the Barton 1792 Distillery, which is owned by the Sazerac Company. (Sazerac also owns Buffalo Trace.) It should probably be noted that the Barton 1792 Distillery is in Nelson County, so the bourbon isn't exactly made in Bourbon County as the Fearless Flyer claims. The bourbon is aged for a minimum of 2 years in charred white oak barrels. It sells for $14.99 for a 750ml bottle, which is darn cheap. It's 45% ABV.

We tried the Trader Joe's bourbon against Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Bulleit Bourbon (both 45% ABV, both around $25.) TJ's bourbon has a sweet, fruity scent, a bit like caramel apples with some bubblegum thrown in. (Buffalo Trace lacks that bubblegum note, sticking with the caramel apples.)

The Trader Joe's bourbon offers a kick of spicy rye flavor, but it's wrapped in char and bitterness that keeps it from going down smoothly. You could certainly sip this slightly-rough spirit in spiked cider or in any number of cocktails, but it's not the smoothest sipping bourbon you can find. (By contrast, the Buffalo Trace felt smooth and sweet, with its flavors much more integrated. The Bulleit's a bit less vanilla-laced, but even-textured, and with a little rye spice that feels fresh and doesn't overpower.)

Though $15 is a great price for bourbon, this isn't a bottle we're likely to consume that quickly. Have you tried Trader Joe's bourbon? What did you think?

About the Author: Maggie Hoffman is the editor of Serious Eats: Drinks. She lives in San Francisco. You can follow her on Twitter @maggiejane.

There's a shelf in every liquor store that gets less love than the others—you know the shelf I'm talking about. It's usually tucked away in the corner, gathering dust, filled with bottles with hard to pronounce names: the grab bag of foreign booze! Depending on the proclivities of the particular shopkeep, these bottles can be exotic, and sometimes frightening looking. Today we're going to demystify a few essential spirits that hail from Central and Eastern Europe.

Fruit Brandies

Fruit brandies could be considered the poster spirit of Eastern Europe. There are a number of countries that subscribe to slurping the stuff, and while they drink essentially the same spirit regardless of where they sip, they do so with different tongues (check out Wikipedia for a breakdown of name by country).

The fruits used as a base range from apricots to pears to cherries to grapes, but plum is far and away the most popular. Slivovitz, as it is most commonly known, is an object of our very own Max's affection (check out his ode to Slivovitz here ). These liquors vary widely in quality and character, but are often hot and bold—this isn't where you go for subtlety. Premium and aged expressions exist, but are harder to find stateside.

Becherovka

No stay in Prague is complete without a round of Becherovka and a hearty "Na Zdraví!" Though it's a bracing contrast to the transcendent suds that make the Czech Republic far and away the beer-drinkingest country on the planet, Becherovka has its own inescapable charms.

A liquid gold that straddles the worlds of liqueur and amaro, Becherovka is the best of both worlds. Still used as a home remedy for arthritis, it smells sweet and fragrant, with huge cinnamon aromas out front, and allspice and clove supporting. The taste is a bit of a journey, starting out sweet and honeyed with crazy cinnamon again, but finishes bitter with licorice and herbal roots. For whatever reason, I can't drink it without thinking of Christmas. If you're a fan of cinnamon, look no further. Becherovka captures the essence of cinnamon without the sweet cloying side of say, Goldschläger, and the herbal balance complicates yet complements its role. Most often taken straight from the freezer, I like mine as an aperitif, but of course it will do well in settling a heavy Czech meal, and we've been seeing it quite a bit as a mixed-drink ingredient at cutting-edge cocktail bars.

Zwack Unicum

A close cousin of Italian amari, Zwack Unicum is a heavy, bitter, herbal drink. It was originally created as a medicinal tincture to cure the stomach ailments of Joseph II in 1790, or so the story goes. Like I always say, if it's good enough for the Holy Roman Emperor, it's good enough for me. Joseph II was definitely on to something when he accidentally gave this spirit its name—upon tasting the bitter drink, the story goes, he declared, "Das ist ein unicum!" or "That's unique!" Unicum has hung on for over 200 years as one of the national drinks of Hungary, most frequently taken as a chilled shot.

Dark and brooding, Unicum is probably most similar to Fernet Branca, but it lacks Fernet's minty freshness. Flavored with over 40 herbs and spices and aged in oak casks for 6 months, Unicum smells earthy and funky, like a dark Eastern European wood. Sipping this beast is an exercise in palate destruction. Bracing and deeply herbal, it has a syrupy thickness which coats the palate and throat. It's amazing as a digestif, and though the flavor is definitely not for everyone, I'm sad that my bottle has run empty.

Zwack released a reformulated recipe, marketed in Hungary as Unicum Next, and here in the states as simply Zwack Liqueur. Sweeter and milder, with a distinct cherry note, Zwack liqueur is a gentler version of the same experience, perhaps a good point of entry for those unconvinced of the merits of monolithic bitterness. It's still a delightful after-dinner experience, but don't expect your Hungarian Grandpa to be fooled.

Do you have a soft spot in your liquor cabinet for booze from Central and Eastern Europe?

About the author: Andrew Strenio is a lover of all things potable. Since sneaking his grandmother's bourbon balls, he's moved on to touring distilleries and sipping snifters. He works by day making documentary television and films for an independent production company in Brooklyn.

Bulleit Distilling Company already has a pair of well-loved whiskeys on the market: their bourbon is a consistent fan favorite, and their rye has the supreme distinction of being declared one of Will Gordon's "very favorite liquors" in a recent whiskey battle. Not content to rest on their laurels, Bulleit recently released an extra-aged version of their flagship bourbon. Select barrels of the spirit were set aside to age for a full 10 years in charred American white oak, and the result is headed to a shelf near you. We decided to try the new release side by side with its younger sibling.

Bulleit Bourbon

The original Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey has a high rye content, which reveals itself in the scent: smoky oak blends with vanilla and a spicy rye freshness. The flavor is pretty straightforward, a sweetness from the corn joining with spices and leading to a medium finish. It's uncomplicated and enjoyable but retains a certain ruggedness, a welcome departure from similarly priced entry-level bourbons.

Bulleit 10

The 10-year aged version pours a medium amber and has a boozy, oaky aroma. The wood (with a little vanilla and cinnamon) is actually so dominant that it's hard to get past it. On tasting the oak continues to dominate, eventually mellowing enough to yield sweet caramel and finally barrel spices, finishing warm and strong. It's a sweet and thick bourbon that tastes hotter than its 91.2 proof.

To be honest, I'm a bit confused by this release. The rye contribution Bulleit is known for gets entirely lost in the 10 year old bottling. It's a wood bomb that does mellow a bit as you let it oxidize in the glass, but that transformation just allows the sweetness to round out the wood—the rye never reappears. To me, it's an overaged whiskey and you'd be best served sticking with the original. But if you're a big fan of Bulleit and want to see what an extra 4 years in the barrel can do, check it out and let us know what you think. Bulleit 10 is currently available in select markets for around $45, and is rolling out nationwide shortly.

About the author: Andrew Strenio is a lover of all things potable. Since sneaking his grandmother's bourbon balls, he's moved on to touring distilleries and sipping snifters. He works by day making documentary television and films for an independent production company in Brooklyn.

Whiskey samples were provided for review consideration.

First things first, let's set the mood. Perhaps re-watch the brilliant scene from Lost in Translation where Bill Murray's character shoots a commercial for Japanese whisky. All set? Great.

Japan has the largest number of whisky distilleries after Scotland and the United States, but up until very recently, Suntory was the only brand of Japanese whisky available for sale in the US, starting in 1990 with a single expression, and expanding the line with one additional expression in 2005, and then finally two more in the past three years. Late last year, Suntory's major rival, Nikka, joined the party, bringing two whiskies stateside to test the market with Anchor Distilling as their import/distribution partner. But while the US selection may still be limited, it's a good range of offerings that allow us to sample some of the diversity of Japanese whisky, and to prime our palates for new expressions when they arrive, which one hopes is only a matter of time.

Japanese Whisky Style

(Almost) all Japanese whiskies are Scotch-style whisky (here's an interesting history to how whisky was brought to Japan for extra credit). If you need a refresher course in Scotch, read Michael Dietsch's excellent guides here and here. But although Japanese methods of whisky distilling are taken from the Scottish blueprint, they have evolved into a uniquely Japanese expression over time. Flavien Desoblin, owner of the Brandy Library, gave the best descriptions of the style I've encountered:

Japanese whiskeys are very much the fine-wine-drinker's take on whiskey. There is more attention paid to the body and the texture in Japan than in many other countries. They are looking for that delicate, suave, mouth-coating feel, but never really aggressive. They seem to be powerful, but it's all silky."

Don't get me wrong, there are Japanese whiskies with boldness and complexity, but the underlying strength is always harmony and balance. This is very likely related to the Japanese predilection for consuming their whisky in highballs or in a mizuwari, creating a preference for a well-balanced spirit that retains its appeal even when diluted.

One final note: both Suntory and Nikka have multiple distilleries across Japan. This allows them to distill and age their whiskies in different climates to produce different styles of whiskies. It also allows them to create their own blended whiskies. Unlike in Scotland, where distilleries trade off their excess stocks to blenders, Japanese distillers keep their own stocks internally and use those for blending. Producing a wide range of spirits distilled and aged under different conditions is crucial to creating those blends. To keep everything simple, I'm including the brand, the distillery, the style (single malt or blend), and the age expression for each whisky, but you can usually find them by distillery name alone. But enough with the crash course—let's get drinking! Here are all the Japanese whiskies you can find Stateside—as of now.

Suntory Yamazaki Single Malt

The Yamazaki distillery was Japan's first distillery—the birthplace of Japanese whisky. Centrally located near the confluence of three rivers outside of Kyoto, it's Suntory's flagship in many ways, so it's only fitting that their 12 year expression was the first Japanese whisky available in the US.

A lovely single malt in the style of a Speyside Scotch, the Yamazaki 12 starts out light and fruity up front with the scent of apples and honey, transitioning into deeper malt flavor and a hint of barrel spices appear on tasting. With a light mouthfeel and finish fading from sweetness to spice, it's devastatingly drinkable at 86 proof—a perfect entry point into the world of Japanese whisky, and the cheapest entry point at around $40 a bottle.

The Yamazaki 18 is also available at a more pricey $135 or so, as well as a limited-release expression of the Yamazaki 1984 (largely sold out even at a MSRP of $600). They are both exceptional whiskies, so if you're looking to take the next step in your journey, these are the bottles for you.

Suntory Hakushu Single Malt 12

Further north, Suntory's Hakushu distillery is located outside Hokuto in the Yamanashi prefecture. Nestled in Japan's Southern Alps, it's one of the highest single malt distilleries in the world, though its nickname is "the forest distillery." A lightly peated whisky, the Hakushu 12 smells similar to the Yamazaki—sweet and fruity—but the delicate smoke adds a very lively contrast. On tasting, citrus and ginger start to emerge with a bit of pepper and heat. Once again, the mouthfeel is luscious but light, and the finish lingers briefly with a touch of dry smoke. It's incredibly fresh and crisp for a peated whisky. Hakushu 12 is 86 proof and listing at around $55 a bottle.

Suntory Hibiki 12

A blended whisky made from malt and grain whiskies from Suntory's distilleries aged in a range of barrels (including plum wine barrels) the 12 year expression is the sweetest of the Suntory whiskies. Honeyed and floral, with desert flavors of vanilla, clove, and almond, it's rounded out by a substantial grain presence and enough wood to keep the sweetness in balance. The Hibiki 12 is 86 proof and lists around $60 a bottle. (Bonus: Bill Murray is selling the Hibiki 17 in Lost in Translation, but the bottle has the same appearance, so you can play the part at home!)

Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt 12

Nikka's blended whisky offering to the US is not a blend of grain and malt whiskies, like the Hibiki, bur rather a blend of only malt whiskies (hence 'pure malt'). Drawing on stocks from the Yoichi and Miyagijyo distilleries, it's fruity and round. Apples, barley, and sweet grain transition to honey and wood spices, with just a trace of smokiness to pull it all together. With a heftier body than the Hibiki, it's a more muscular blend without sacrificing balance. A wonderful pure malt that stands on its own at 80 proof, it's priced at $70 a bottle.

Nikka Yoichi Single Malt 15

The Yoichi distillery is on the island of Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japans four major islands. Situated on a coastal perch that's partially surrounded by mountains, it's Nikka's oldest distillery. The Yoichi 15 is Nikka's marquee offering stateside, and it's the boldest whisky of the day. Sweet, nutty, and sherried on the nose, the malt transforms on tasting. Evolving very dramatically from a mild oakiness to intense spices and ginger to mild sweetness, it finishes with all of the flavors commingling and drifting off on a wisp of smoke. Full bodied and rich, it's a journey in a glass. The Yoichi 15 is bottled at 90 proof and lists for $130 a bottle.

Have you tried any of these (or other) Japanese whiskies? What's your favorite?

About the author: Andrew Strenio is a lover of all things potable. Since sneaking his grandmother's bourbon balls, he's moved on to touring distilleries and sipping snifters. He works by day making documentary television and films for an independent production company in Brooklyn.

Whisky samples were provided for review consideration.