tire-bouchon...

tire-bouchon's top twenty albums of 2021...

2022-01-01T11:00:00.004-08:00

Like we do every January we would like to start this year with our top 20 albums of last year again. Here is a list of albums inspired us the most, kept us going and gave us hope while we tried to finish a year like this without a major meltdown. Thanks to all the artists who wrote, recorded and performed...

1. We Are by Jon Batiste

2. Liberation Time by John McLaughlin

3. Carnage by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis

4. Heaven on the Faultline by Alex Bleeker

5. Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1 by Richard Ashcroft

6. Side-Eye NYC by Pat Metheny

7. The Ultra Vivid Lament by Manic Street Preachers

8. Tone Poem by Charles Lloyd & the Marvels

9. Hope by Ceramic Dog

10. Variations on a Melancholy Theme by Brad Mehldau & Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

11. Fat Pop by Paul Weller

12. On DSCH by Igor Levit

13. The Ballad of Dood & Juanita by Sturgill Simpson

14. 12 Stradivari by Janine Jensen & Antonio Pappano

15. The Darkness Dressed in Colored Lights by Sean Rowe

16. The Democracy! Suite by Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra & Wynton Marsalis

17. Skyline by Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette & Gonzalo Rubalcaba

18. Born Against by Amigo The Devil

19. Baroque by Nicola Benedetti

20. Live by Ari Hoenig Gael Horellou Quartet

tire-bouchon's top of 2021...

2021-12-31T17:50:00.004-08:00

Here is the last post of the year but I have a short announcement first: It's been more than 12 years since I started this blog and as many long time followers would know it did go through quite a few different phases within all these years. But for a long time it was acting strictly as a brown spirits review site with tasting notes, scores, etc. but I think at this point we all can agree that no one would miss tire-bouchon if it changed its course to a different direction. Especially in an era where there are so many other tremendous sites (which I also follow religiously) posting reviews of all the new releases more regularly, more timely and to be honest in a more disciplined manner. I was thinking about this for some time and I decided to change this blog's course to back where it started... With the new year tire-bouchon will act more like a personal journal like it used to be rather than being another review site. We will cover almost everything we enjoy throughout the year from beer, to wine and other spirits (still including whiskies of course) with or without scores as well as food, music, literature and art. We will share our experiences from our travels, will post photos, will favor opinion pieces, interviews and maybe recipes. We will have guests writers and work on collaborations. In no particular order and/or format... I really hope that you will enjoy the new tire-bouchon and continue your support... Now before I lose your attention entirely here is what we liked in 2020:

I - Whisky of the Year: SMWS Cask 76.106 25yo (94)

2. Chapter 7 Imperial 22yo (93)

3. Watt Whisky Imperial 25yo (93)

4. Paul John Mithuna (93)

5. Watt Whisky Glen Elgin 14yo (91)

6. Amrut Kadhambam (91)

7. Chapter 7 Jura 21yo (91)

8. Paul John Christmas Edition 2021 (90)

9. Glen Moray Heritage 21yo Portwood Finish (90)

10. Chapter 7 Miltonduff 21yo (90)

II - Distillery/Bottler of the Year: PM Spirits

Runners-up:

Glen Scotia

Watt Whisky

III - "Best Bang for the Buck" of the Year: Glen Moray Classic Sherry Cask Finish (86)

Runners-up:

Wild Turkey 101 Rye (86)

Glen Moray Classic Port Cask Finish (86)

IV - Whisky-Alternative of the Year: Foursquare Criterion (93)

2. Darroze Domaine de Bouillon 1976 (92)

3. Roger Groult Calvados Pays d'Auge 2008 Vintage (92)

4. Holmes Cay Uitvlugt 18yo (92)

5. Holmes Cay Travellers Distillery (90)

6. Watt Rum Clarendon Distillery (90)

7. Maison Dudognon "Heritage" 40yo (90)

8. Chateau Le Courrejot 1980 (90)

9. Golden Devil Caroni 1998 22yo (90)

10. Roger Groult Calvados Pays d'Auge 7yo Kriek Cask Finish (89)

V - Beer of the year: Rose de Gambrinus by Brasserie Cantillon

2. Apical Dominance by Russian River Brewing Company

3. Christmas Ale 2021 by Brouwerij St. Bernardus

4. Doomscrolling by Three Weavers Brewing Company

5. Smooth Deep Blues by El Segundo Brewing Company

6. Daewon Vs. Beer by Brouwerij West

7. Breaking Bud by Knee Deep Brewing Company

8. Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel by Klosterbrauerei Andechs

9. Barn Beer by Plan Bee Farm Brewery

10. Intiction Pinot Noir by Russian River Brewing Company

VI - Brewery of the year: Brouwerij West, San Pedro CA

Runners-up:

3 Kafadar, Istanbul Turkey

Plan Bee Farm Brewery, Poughkeepsie NY

VII - Winery/Vineyard of the year (US): Rivers-Marie, Calistoga CA

Runners-up:

Kita Wines, Lompoc CA

Matthiasson Winery, Napa CA

VIII - Winery/Vineyard of the year (non-US): Roberto Henriquez, Bio Bio Chile

Runners-up:
Weinklang, Pamhagen Austria

Bodegas Granbazan, Pontevedra Spain

Watt Whisky Imperial 25yo...

2021-11-17T12:03:00.011-08:00

Watt Whisky Imperial 25yo (53.6%): And here is the showstopper I was hinting about on Monday. It is an Imperial distilled in 1996... As most of you already know Imperial is a distillery long gone. It was in operation sporadically till 1998 but was shut down for good that year and eventually and sadly demolished in 2013 to make space for the construction of Pernod Ricard's brand new distillery Dalmunach. The whisky I have the sample of is bottled from a refill ex-Bourbon barrel when it was 25 year old yielding 214 bottles at cask strength.

Color: Yellow gold, sweet white wine color with a ring of stationary teardrops morphing into small but slow running legs

Nose: Absolutely fantastic... Don't know where to start from. I'll keep nosing for a while before taking some notes... Ok, canned peaches, plum compote and overripe strawberries. Strawberry yoghurt, shortbread biscuits and dried pineapple slices. Lemon cookies, white chocolate and vanilla whipped cream.

Palate: Even better on the palate... Strawberries, freshly sliced pineapple and lychees. Incredibly fruity like promised by the nose. And tropical, dusty and fresh... More: Oak, lemon zest and yellow grapefruit. A little chalk, white peaches and Mexican flan. Passion fruit and just a hint of cinnamon.

Finish: Medium to long with ground coriander, fresh ginger.

Overall: This whisky is the verification that refill (2nd fill) ex-Bourbon barrel (or hogshead) is the king of Scotch whisky maturation... I see no competition here. It is the only way to keep the essence of the distillate and the characteristics of the distillery while maturing the whisky throughout a long period of time without allowing the wood take over. Trust your cask, be patient and let it do its thing. No need to rack to slow down the maturation, no need for coming up with innovative finishing cask ideas, no need to marry multiple casks to round the edges and distribute them right back into single casks... It's not rocket science but it requires patience and confidence. In the end isn't it the definition of what a successful cask management is? This is an absolutely gorgeous and a shining example of that... It is 25 years old but still vibrant, spirit driven and not over-oaked by any means. A dusty, chalky and fruity goodness with yellow spices and vanilla sprinkled all over. Yes, it is pricey but totally worth it... Damn, Watt Whisky seriously hit out of the park with this one, didn't they..? Thanks to Kate and Mark Watt to make the Watt Whisky Week happen again on tire-bouchon.

Price: £225

93/100

Watt Whisky "An Orkney Distillery" 8yo...

2021-11-15T12:31:00.004-08:00

Watt Whisky "An Orkney Distillery" 8yo (57.1%): A not so hard to guess but still shall remain nameless whisky from Watt Whisky... It is distilled in 2012 by one of two distilleries on Orkney and filled in an ex-Bourbon hogshead to be filled after eight years to yield 392 bottles at cask strength.

Color: Pale lemon chiffon, light straw color with relatively large teardrops around the glass slowly turning into thick legs.

Nose: Well, this whisky is definitely distilled by the folks who use peated barley for their spirit. By the distillery which is situated slightly more north than the other one on the island... Peated new make, wet sand and butane fuel. Melted butter, honeysuckle and lemon verbana. If you are wondering how I know the lemon verbana smell believe or not we actually have a lemon verbana scented shower gel in our bathroom right now. Seaweed, toasted coconut and banana milk. Water works great. Really great... Hyacinths and jonquils, spearmint leaves and cocoa powder.

Palate: Kinda hot at this abv. Definitely put some hair on my chest: Young spirit, jonquils and caramel brittles. After adding water: Prickly pears, vanilla and lemon cookies. Sweet and spicy reminding one of those healthy ginger - turmeric drinks.

Finish: Medium with white pepper, ground ginger and vanilla.

Overall: Maybe because it is on the younger side or maybe it is not their regular distillate but it certainly felt peatier than the distillery's ordinary bottlings. Also if you are wondering it is entirely different than the 14yo release from the same distillery Watt Whisky bottled sometime last year. This one is full smoky, floral, spicy and sweet. Very solid cask... I have to say that we have a very promising showstopper coming soon as the last sample from Watt Whisky's new releases. There is a reason why I left that one to the last and I am very excited to say the least. Watch the space.

Price: £61

86/100

Watt Whisky Blended Scotch 18yo...

2021-11-14T14:26:00.000-08:00

Watt Whisky Blended Scotch 18yo (56.3%): A gorgeous sunny Sunday here in Los Angeles... I woke up early, met friends visiting town to have breakfast, walked six miles back home along the beach, took a quick shower and sat down to taste some whisky... What could be the most appropriate choice for an early afternoon pour? I'd say an 18 year old blended Scotch from Watt Whisky sounds just perfect..! This whisky is filled in 2003 in a hogshead and bottled in 2021 to yield 345 bottles at 56.3% abv.

Color: Orange blossom honey, light amber color with thin, quick but oily looking legs.

Nose: Noses like a blend from 80s you might find on a shelf of a liquor store all forgotten collecting dust... Medical alcohol, limoncello and lemon twist. Honey syrup, wet wool and canned peaches. Water doesn't improve or add that much but the citruses are more orange now: Tangerines or Seville orange maybe.

Palate: I still think it resembles old blends but the palate is way more enjoyable than the nose: Red and blue plums, blueberry juice and fresh almonds with skins on. Water works much better on the palate. Hot toddy: Cinnamon, cloves and lemon wedges. Fresh ginger, warm honey and blood ornage.

Finish: Short to medium with paprika, white pepper and ground ginger.

Overall: Great session whisky... It reminded me the El Vino blends I used to get a couple of every time I visited London. Does anyone else remember those..? Perfect for afternoons or early evenings before dinner, would pair great with your favorite ale and also priced absolutely perfect. I really wish I had a full bottle of this now...

Price: £70

84/100

Watt Whisky Tormore 10yo...

2021-11-13T13:19:00.000-08:00

Watt Whisky Tormore 10yo (57.1%): Continuing our Watt Whisky Week in its 3rd day with a young(ish) Tormore. Again Tormore is a distillery we don't see that often on the shelves as a single malt despite of its massive capacity of nearly five million liters of pure alcohol per year. It is a true workhorse for Pernod Ricard which started distilling relatively later in 1959 supplying ow single malt whisky for almost all Pernod blends especially for Ballentine's. I tried only a few expressions before mostly from 90s but have grown quite fond of it especially because of its distinct strong brewed tea notes on the palate. This one is distilled in 2010, matured in a ex-Bourbon hogshead but just before being bottled racked into an ex-Islay cask for a very short period of three months. In the end the cask yielded 287 bottles at cask strength.

Color: Pale straw, young white wine color with a persistent thin ring of tiny teardrops around the glass eventually rolling down slowly as pretty thick legs.

Nose: Pencil shavings, Bartlett pears and roasted sesame seeds. Just a hint of peat but more like a smoke: Burnt rosemary sprigs and burnt sage and drying yellow grass. Matcha and steamed milk. Water works great. Less herbal more floral now: Chamomile flowers, pumpkin and sunflower seeds and a bowl of potpourri.

Palate: Yep... Here is the tea I was looking/hoping for: Gunpowder green tea, lemongrass and cigarette ash. Burnt sage, purple basil and green peppercorns. After adding water I get all kind of yellow spices: Ground ginger, ground coriander and mustard seeds. Young peated whisky and savory flaky baked goods.

Finish: Quite long with white pepper, lemon pepper and cardamom.

Overall: Another spirit heavy and beautiful whisky. Highly recommended. I absolutely love these reasonably priced oddball releases from Watt Whisky. They all are learning moments: What is Tormore? Is it a pun on Tomatin..? "Tomatin - No More"..? Grab a bottle and sip while googling... Is Glen Spey a made up name or a real distillery? It sure does exist and you should taste it when you have the chance. It might be hard to find one if you pass this opportunity. Thanks for the sample Watts..!

Price: £64

88/100

Watt Whisky Lochindaal 13yo...

2021-11-12T10:59:00.001-08:00

Watt Whisky Lochindaal 13yo (57.1%): To be honest I woke up this morning still feeling a little amped up after yesterday's 13yo Glen Spey so I decided to crack open another 13yo sample from Watt Whisky's sample bag. It's a Lochindaal... What does that mean now..? It is a whisky technically distilled in Bruichladdich but named Lochindaal after another long gone distillery in the village of Port Charlotte. Back then Lochindaal was an indicator used by Bruichladdich for their new make peatier than Port Charlotte but less peaty than Octomore. I say back then because I don't think that they produce that particular spirit anymore but it looks like there are quite a few casks around still available for independent bottlers. This one is bottled from an ex-Bourbon barrel which yielded 254 bottles at cask strength.

Color: Bright yellow gold, oaked white wine color with immediate thick, oily and slow moving legs.

Nose: Well, it is peaty indeed... Oily, wet and sooty. Feels like standing on the deck of an old fishing boat and sucking all that diesel exhaust into your lungs mixed with salty sea breeze. Fuel soaked rags, sea salt and kelp. Stone fruit compote, baked apples and cinnamon. Iodine tincture and pie crust... Even just a couple drops water improves it a lot: We have oak, dry barley and oatmeal cookies now. Less peaty more doughy and grainy.

Palate: Dry with smoked almonds, sweet and salty pretzels and smoked beer. Again adding water works great: Oyster shells, milk chocolate and burnt vegetables on the grill. Cookie dough, half baked ice cream and spearmint.

Finish: Long and tingling with black pepper, cloves and chocolate tart. Eucalyptus drops.

Overall: I loved the nose especially after adding water but the palate was a little too linear. Nothing wrong with it by any means but it wasn't as playful as the nose. Maybe my expectations were tad high after the nose but nonetheless a strong finish brought everything back together in the end nicely. Its price tag of £130 might seem quite steep for a 13yo whisky from an independent bottler at first glance but if you actually compare it with the prices of much younger Port Charlottes and/or Octomores released in the last decade from the distillery it oddly justifies itself. Thanks to Kate and Mark Watt for sending me these samples without any strings attached... More to come.

Price: £130

87/100

Watt Whisky Glen Spey 13yo...

2021-11-11T14:14:00.006-08:00

Watt Whisky Glen Spey 13yo (53.6%): What is needed to make a blogger sit down and get back to work after months of doing absolutely nothing..? I've been shamelessly lazy for quite a while, long enough to make my countless excuses sound silly, long enough to make the samples pile up high in my room and long enough to feel guilty every single day I walk by my desk. But guilt wasn't remotely enough for the much needed push for a complete restart. Maybe I just needed something to be excited about, maybe a package delivered to my door step literally from the other side of the world all the way from Campbeltown. Well, that happened last week: The brand new releases from Watt Whisky... And the first one: A Glen Spey..! Glen What..? A long forgotten distillery from Diageo's vast portfolio you never see on the shelves in a bottle as a single malt. Definitely not as an official bottling but also quite rare even from independent bottlers. Somehow this Glen Spey hogshead filled in 2008 caught Watt Whisky's attention and found its way to Campbeltown to be transferred to an ex-sherry cask for three months only to add some extra oomph. It finally got bottled at cask strength in 2021 when it was 13 years old yielding 280 bottles total. A couple days ago Mark actually posted a wonderful blog post about this whisky comparing it to and pairing it with one of my all time favorite beers Duchesse de Bourgogne which I wrote about almost nine years ago on this blog and made me grab it first and pour right away.

Color: Rich yellow gold, sweet white wine color with an initial ring of tiny teardrops slowly starting to turn into thin but slow moving legs.

Nose: Ha, yes... Here are the vinegar notes Mark was talking about: High quality (expensive) white wine vinegar, pomace and grape molasses. Aged Marc (not Mark..!), melted butter and sauteed shallots. Tart and sweet: Gueuze Lambic... The smell you get the very first few seconds when you pop open a very old white wine: oxidized white wine and gooseberries. I am quite aware that this nose would make a lot of people walk away but I am loving and enjoying every minute of this now. After adding a few drops water: More butter and mushrooms. Young Calvados or maybe Pommeau..?

Palate: This is nice... Very vegetal and distillate driven: Tahini, pastry cream and lemon tart. Asparagus, unripe table grapes and green almonds. Dry clay and raspberries. With water: Tart apples, nutmeg and oak. Dry ginger and lemongrass.

Finish: Long with ground ginger, ground coriander and white pepper.

Overall: This actually reminded me some Cadenhead's releases from the last decade around same age. Dailuaine, Tomatin, Benrinnes... This is a whisky I would order a bottle for myself right away after testing the sample if it was available in US but would never buy as a present to anyone I know. Too risky... Right up my alley but it's miles away from being a crowd pleaser. Kudos to Watt Whisky for bottling this gem..!

Price: £66

89/100

Paul John Christmas Edition 2021...

2021-11-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

Paul John Christmas Edition 2021 (46.0%): Nothing says "Holiday Season is here..!" more than finding the Paul John Christmas Edition sample in your mailbox... 2021 is the fourth year of this special bottling and the third one distributed in US. You can check out my reviews of the earlier releases by clicking on 2020 and 2019 here respectively. This time it is a marriage of ex-Bourbon barrel, ex-Port and ex-Madeira wine cask matured single cask whiskies. Ok, let's go..!

Color: Old polished copper, orange blossom honey color liquid forming a thin ring around the glass immediately turning into quick but quite oily looking legs. It has such an inviting deep orange color...

Nose: Sesame brittles, candied orange peel and dried black currants. Toasted coconut flakes, melted butter and warm honey.

Palate: Caramel pecan brittles, toasted almonds and hazelnuts and allspice. Letting it air even a couple of minutes helps immensely: Whole cloves, butterscotch and star anise. It's growing on me every minute... White chocolate, nutmeg and steamed milk.

Finish: Medium to long with baking spices: Cloves, ground ginger and allspice. Burnt honey and hot chocolate.

Overall: It probably cannot get more Christmasy than this... The spices added by ex-Port and ex-Madeira wine casks are spot on. Although it is incredibly loaded from nose to finish with all kind of baking spices, honey and caramel driven notes it has a rather light mouthfeel which gives an incredibly pleasurable drinking experience. I loved how it is not too viscous and syrupy on the texture because most of the time special releases focusing on Christmas and Holidays end up being very thick and jammy limiting your pace to one glass per night. It is definitely not the case here. Like always many thanks to my friend US Brand Ambassador of Paul John Koray Kaan Özdemir for sending me this sample and making this review possible. Happy Holidays to you too Whisky Monster..!

Price: $85

90/100

Holmes Cay Uitvlugt 18yo...

2021-08-22T12:04:00.000-07:00

Holmes Cay Uitvlugt 18yo (51.0%): What I am about to pour today is the last sample left from the Southern California Whisky Club's Holmes Cay tasting in May. It is distilled by Diamond Distillery using another inherited still from a former distillery exactly like the 16yo Port Mourant I posted about earlier but this time the old 4-column Savalle still was sourced from Uitvlugt Distillery which permanently stopped its operations back in 1999. The rum was distilled in 2003 filled in four ex-Bourbon barrels and kept in Guyana for 2 years before being shipped to UK where it would age another 16 years in those four barrels. Like the rest of the line-up all four casks were bottled after being brought to New York Estate yielding 858 bottled in total. The sample I have is from the cask numbered #30.

Color: Medium amber, wildflower honey color with a copper shine and thick, distinct and slow moving legs.

Nose: Grilled pineapple rings, caramel brittles and roasted walnuts. Orange blossom honey, candied orange peel and roasted coffee beans. After adding just a couple drops of water: Dry clay, foliage and forest floor. Marvelous...

Palate: This is beautiful... Flamed orange peel, orange zest and fresh tarragon. Mocha, pipe tobacco and mint leaves. With water: Cinnamon, star anise and honey roasted nuts. Mexican hot chocolate...

Finish: Medium with cinnamon, tobacco and whole cloves. Burnt sugar and honey brittles.

Overall: Brilliant rum... Perfectly aged with chocolate, tobacco, coffee, baking spices and honey notes both on the nose and on the palate. Balanced, easy to sip at cask strength but works so well with a little bit help of water. I know it's a little pricy and probably gone by now but totally worth it. Worth to hunt for one if you still can find a bottle and worth the 150 bucks they ask for it. Thanks to Southern California Whiskey Club and Michael Ries for all these Holmes Cay samples.

Price: $150

92/100

Holmes Cay Port Mourant 16yo...

2021-08-20T15:16:00.005-07:00

Holmes Cay Port Mourant 16yo (53.0%): I have to admit that amongst all the single cask Holmes Cay rum samples I was tasting through this week the last two were the ones I was most excited about. I have always been a big fan of aged Guyanese rums and these two are sounding incredibly delicious... First one is a 16 year old rum distilled by Diamond Distillery in 2005 using the famous wooden pot stills of old Port Mourant Distillery brought to the site after its closure. The spirit was filled in ex-Bourbon casks and aged in those for 16 years in UK before being brought to New York State to be bottled. This sample is filled from cask number 31.

Color: White wine, light gold color with an initial small ring of teardrops turning into thin but oily and slow legs.

Nose: Noses hotter than 53% first with some alcohol burn but a couple minutes of airing solves the issue... Chamomile tea, linden flowers and fresh sage leaves. Rubber tubing, solder and pineapple juice. Water works its magic: Geuze beer, crystallized ginger and candied orange peels. Rock candies and apple vinegar.

Palate: Fresh ginger, mild curry powder and ground coriander. Edible flowers, endives and eucalyptus drops. Ashtray and cigar wrapper. Adding water works for me on the palate as well. Creamy now... Custard tart, honeycomb and red pepper flakes. Lime juice and salt...

Finish: Long with white pepper, ground ginger and peppermint.

Overall: Not what I expected from it at all after spending 16 years in a cask but it's a damn good rum for my two cents... It's still raw, very spicy but also floral. Herbal, sour and sweet. I know it doesn't quite sound right because of the price tag attached to its neck but I would die to taste a Daiquiri made with this rum. Next and last sample from Holmes Cay will be another Guyanese rum from Diamond Distillery and this time it will be an 18 year old Uitvlugt. Like always thanks to Southern California Whiskey Club and Michael Ries for the sample.

Price: $140

87/100

Holmes Cay Wedderburn 10yo...

2021-08-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

Holmes Cay Wedderburn 10yo (59.0%): Where did we leave off..? The fourth Holmes Cay Single Cask Rum is from Jamaica and distilled by Clarendon Distillery. Clarendon is a distillery with many names and in this case it is called Wedderburn on the label... The distillery is built in 1949 in the southern part of Jamaica and after several upgrades in years it reached a capacity big enough to supply major brands like Captain Morgan and Myers's as well as more niche labels like Monymusk and Port Royal. The sample I have today on my desk is a 100% pot still distilled, medium ester rum initially aged for three years in Jamaica in four ex-Bourbon barrels. All the barrels got moved to UK after those three years for another seven years of aging and finally shipped back to the west side of the ocean but this time to New York State to be bottled. Those four barrels yielded 1,050 bottles in total at cask strength and the rum I have is pulled from the cask number 25.

Color: Deep yellow gold, Sauternes wine color with very persistent small teardrops around the glass eventually forming slow moving and thin legs.

Nose: Beautifully funky... Diesel fuel, latex gloves and stone fruit pits. Canned pineapple rings, dried papaya and ground ginger. A few drops of water add dried flowers and fresh green herbs. Car tyres and fireplace ash.

Palate: Pretty hot on the palate at cask strength... Chewing tobacco, black pepper and cooked prunes. With water: It's still peppery but this time more like tri-color peppercorns. Fresh sage leaves, cardamom and rubber hose.

Finish: Long and peppery... Black pepper, red pepper flakes and ground coriander and ground ginger.

Overall: Pretty great... Everything you would expect from a Jamaican rum. Rubbery, funky and fruity. It noses and tastes younger hence the long European aging but that's exactly what you would expect and hope from a relatively high ester rum. At least I do. I think this release is still available around... Thanks to Southern California Whiskey Club and to Michael Ries for the sample.

Price: $90

86/100

Holmes Cay Foursquare Distillery 11yo...

2021-08-15T13:36:00.002-07:00

Holmes Cay Foursquare Distillery 11yo (56.0%): Last day of my vacation... It is a beautiful Sunday here in Playa Del Rey and I am about to taste another rum. The sample on my desk will be the 4th rum and 3rd Holmes Cay single cask in a row on the blog and this time it is a Foursquare... It is a blend of column and pot still distilled rums aged first in Barbados for eight years and then in UK for 2 years in ex-Bourbon barrels before being transferred into two ex-Port casks for an additional year of finishing. Finally when bottled at cask strength in 2020 those two casks yielded 522 bottles in total. My sample is from the cask number 10.

Color: Light amber, polished copper color with a peachy hue and a ring of sizable teardrops morphing into thick and slow legs.

Nose: A little mute in the beginning... After letting it air for a couple minutes: Cranberry sauce, old metal lunch boxes and raspberry iced tea. Black cherry soda and rose petals. Adding a few drops water: Snapple fruit punch, sour cherry juice and fruit flavored room fresheners.

Palate: Artificial cherry flavoring like cherry flavored cough drops or cherry flavored chewing gums. Not a fan as now... That metallic note I got on the nose is also present on the palate: Empty Sigg bottles, copper pennies and cherry syrup. Adding water makes it easier to drink for sure but doesn't help necessarily to improve the palate. More artificial cherry extract and Hershey's strawberry syrup.

Finish: Medium with strawberry jam and sweet cranberry juice.

Overall: Unfortunately this one didn't quite work for me... Those metallic, jammy and syrupy notes shut me off right in the beginning and I really couldn't find my way back in. Luckily I have three more Holmes Cay samples waiting and I'll try to taste them within this week and post my notes. Thanks again to Southern California Whiskey Club and to Michael Ries for the sample.

Price: $120

81/100

Holmes Cay Travellers Distillery 15yo...

2021-08-14T14:20:00.001-07:00

Holmes Cay Travellers Distillery 15yo (61.0%): Really enjoying this current rum run on the blog... 2nd sample from Southern California Whiskey Club's Holmes Cay tasting back in May is a Belizean rum from Travellers Distillery in Belmopan. It is a molasses based column distillate aged in ex-Bourbon barrels at location for the whole time. Four barrels are selected and bottled separately yielding 912 bottles in total at cask strength. Our sample carries the cask number 22.

Color: Some crazy color for an ex-bourbon barrel aged spirit: Dark amber, chestnut honey color with a blood orange hue... A ring of oily and thick teardrops quickly turning into fast legs.

Nose: Black cherry soda, creme de mure and black currant jam. Molasses, cola and roasted coconut flakes. Are we sure that those casks were ex-Bourbon casks? This is a quite thick, very jammy and intensely fruity nose... After allowing it to air: Old leather upholstery, old woolen rugs and prunes. Now adding a splash of water: Well aged Armagnac, plum paste and grape soda.

Palate: Hot at cask strength but bursting with flavors. Dried cranberries, dried mangoes and pipe tobacco. Milk chocolate and damson plums. With the addition of water: Armagnac again, ginger molasses cookies and cinnamon. Chocolate ice cream, maple syrup and nutmeg.

Finish: Medium to long with allspice, ground cloves and red pepper flakes.

Overall: Very fun to see how tropical climate can make us question everything we know of about ex-Bourbon barrel aging. It is dense, fruity and decorated with all kind of secondary notes you usually would associate with much older spirits. Although I am not a big fan of these type heavily cask driven spirits I very much enjoyed it. This rum is definitely punching above its weight, great cask management... Thanks to Southern California Whiskey Club and Michael Ries for the sample.

Price: $100

90/100

Holmes Cay South Pacific Distilleries 16yo...

2021-08-13T15:12:00.003-07:00

Holmes Cay South Pacific Distilleries 16yo (58.0%): The insanely delicious rum from Foursquare I posted about the other day inspired me to continue with more rums. It's still summer after all... So, I have an entire set of samples of Holmes Cay single cask rums from an online tasting of Southern California Whiskey Club happened back in May on my desk today which I unfortunately couldn't attend because of my work. But I was fortunate enough to receive the set to taste them later nonetheless thanks to SCWC and their fearless leader Michael Ries. I will start with a 16 year old Fijian Rum distilled by South Pacific Distilleries in 2004 following the original order of the May tasting. It is a 100% pot still distillate aged first for 12 years in two ex-Bourbon barrels in Fiji and then for an additional 4 years in UK. Eventually the barrels got bottled in 2020 in New York State at cask strength with no additives whatsoever to yield 486 bottles in total. Our sample is drawn from the cask no. 9.

Color: Yellow gold, white Port wine color with a line of persistent small teardrops eventually forming slow and oily legs.

Nose: Lemongrass, spearmint leaves and banana chips. Dusty and chalky with rubber hose, lemon juice and salted butter. A few drops of water improves the nose quite a bit: Pineapple slices and dried papaya. Bread crust and fresh thyme. Vanilla, lemon cookies and orange zest.

Palate: Creamy and custardy... Creme caramel, burnt sugar and candied kumquats. A little hot at this abv with ground white pepper and ground ginger. Water works on the palate as well. Unripe bananas, bunsen burner and plastic food containers. Lightly toasted oak, lemon cupcakes and vanilla. It's a little funky now and I am loving it.

Finish: Long with ground ginger, white pepper and ground coriander. Vanilla...

Overall: Not what I was expecting from a 16 year old rum and I am pleasantly surprised... In spite of 12 years of tropical aging it's not a cask driven and not a tired spirit. Still pretty much distillate driven and vibrant. Although I didn't taste a lot I always had great experiences with Fijian rums. I definitely should look for more... Thanks again to Southern California Whiskey Club and to Michael Ries for the sample.

Price: $150

89/100

Foursquare Criterion...

2021-08-11T13:42:00.001-07:00

Foursquare Criterion (56.0%): I am quite lucky that I managed to score some of these early Foursquare bottlings when it was way easier to get. We uncork them one by one and the latest one we chose to do so is the "Criterion" released in 2017. It is a 10 year old rum blended from both pot still and column still distillates and aged first in ex-Bourbon barrels for three years and then transferred to ex-Madeira casks for another seven years. Only 2,000 bottles have been made available in US market.

Color: Medium amber, chestnut honey color with a ring of small teardrops turning into thin, quick but oily legs.

Nose: Honey roasted walnuts and pecans, silverberries and dates. Not a very sweet nose but it's dusty and chalky. Golden raisins, baby bananas and orange blossom honey. A couple drops water amplifies the wood: Toasted oak, carpenter's shop and roasted pine nuts. Dark chocolate and toasted coconut.

Palate: Sweet and spicy: Fried honey bananas, cloves and grape brandy. Young rye whiskey and pecan brittles. I cannot believe that I forgot to add a little water... Incredibly easy to sip at cask strength. With water the texture thins out a little. Smoky now: Grilled pineapple rings, campfire and skillet apple pie. Cinnamon, burnt custard and creme caramel.

Finish: A perfectly balanced long coda with light char, wood smoke, allspice and roasted nuts.

Overall: Another home run from Richard Seale and for Foursquare... Impeccable cask management. Whatever they are doing there they are doing it right. I feel like every single bottling I taste is better than the previous one. Well, now I wish I had bought more than one bottle but too late. Unfortunately all the ones left out there unopened are serious auction material now...

Price: $80

93/100

Wild Turkey 101 Rye...

2021-08-10T14:12:00.001-07:00

Wild Turkey 101 Rye (50.5%): Another classic rye whiskey review to follow the late Rittenhouse BiB and Old Overholt BiB posts kinda entertaining the idea of trying to find our household choice of rye whiskey for our Manhattans... But before you start to read me blabbering about smells, tastes and whatnots you should visit my good friend The Whiskey Jug's Wild Turkey article first and while you are at it bookmark that link.. It is the best resource about the distillery you can find anywhere online for my two cents. Remarkable work... The whisky is distilled from a mash bill of 52% rye, 36% corn and 12% malted barley and bottled at 101 proof.

Color: Light amber, polished copper color with immediate but oily and thick legs.

Nose: Whiskey soaked raisins, dark thick crust rye bread and light maple syrup. It has a dusty and chalky quality I like a lot... Toasted grains, pine resin and fresh tarragon.

Palate: Mint. applejack and cinnamon. Slightly herbal with dill and rosemary, charred oak and brown sugar. Candied walnuts and young whiskey with crafty qualities and vanilla.

Finish: Medium to long and warming with cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Overall: A very solid rye whiskey for a very good price... Although if my nose and palate are not misleading me I think this whiskey got a little younger in recent yers it is still pretty tasty. Nowadays even with the arrival of the Rare Breed Rye (which is pricey but amazing...) 101 is still a staple for every whiskey cabinet and bar. As you can see from the picture it is hard to keep in stock...

Price: $25

86/100

Glen Moray Heritage 21yo Portwood Finish...

2021-07-30T13:57:00.001-07:00

Glen Moray Heritage 21yo Portwood Finish (46.3%): And here is the grand finale of the Glen Moray week on tire-bouchon: The whisky on my desk today is not from the Classic series like the four whiskies I reviewed earlier this week but from their Heritage series and it is the oldest bottling in that collection. It spent most of its life in ex-Bourbon barrels before being racked into ex-Port wine casks for an additional two years. It is non-chill filtered unlike the whiskies in the Classic series and bottled at 46.3% abv.

Color: Medium amber, wildflower honey color with a bright (and beautiful) orange shine and a thin but very distinct line of tiny teardrops around the glass turning into thin and very slow moving legs.

Nose: Orange blossom honey, a huge pavlova topped with freshly sliced stone fruits: Peaches, apricots, black plums and nectarines. Mouth watering indeed... Sweet pastries: Mille-feuille, cream puffs and fruit tart slices. Orange wedges, caramel brittles and vanilla.

Palate: Textured, warming and sweet... Honey, sultanas and fruit cake. Rum & raisin ice cream, prunes and oatmeal cookies. A real treat for whisky lovers who like their whisky sweet: Orange marmalade, cinnamon and milk chocolate.

Finish: Medium long and warming with candied orange peels, allspice and nutmeg.

Overall: First of all it's impossible not to like this whisky: It's rich, warming, full of fruits, honey and oozing caramel. Extremely pleasing to sip by its own but I can totally see how easy it can be paired with desserts and cigars. It's reasonably priced, not very edgy nor layered but definitely a crowd pleaser... Having said that I would never ever guess this as an ex-Port cask finished whisky though. For my two cents it noses and tastes exactly like a very well executed ex-Sherry cask single malt Scotch. The only reason I am saying this is because there are so many people out there extremely biased against Port finished whiskies who would never even give this whisky a chance. If you are reading this and if you like your old sherried whiskies like Balvenie, Glendronach or GlenAllachie this expression is right up your alley. In the end thanks to Koray Kaan Ozdemir a.k.a. Whisky Monster who is the US Portfolio Ambassador for 375 Park Avenue Spirits for generously supplying all these Glen Moray samples and making this week possible.

Price: $200

90/100

Glen Moray Classic Cabernet Cask Finish...

2021-07-29T09:01:00.000-07:00

Glen Moray Classic Cabernet Cask Finish (40.0%): Fourth whisky of Glen Moray week is another cask finish and this time a rather unusual one: It is finished in Cabernet Sauvignon red wine casks. There is no info from which wine country or region the casks are sourced from. Like the rest of the Classic series it doesn't carry an age statement and bottled at 40% abv. After liking the previous two cask finishes I tasted previously I have to admit I have high expectations from this one.

Color: Light amber, polished copper color with thin but slow legs around the glass.

Nose: Slightly sulphureous initially: Camembert cheese, boiled eggs and steamed milk. After allowing it air it gets considerably better... Apple strudel, peanut brittles and gas fire.

Palate: Nice texture... It's silky and thick. Vanilla custard, Mexican flan and cinnamon. Yoghurt covered raisins, honey and peach juice. Grape molasses, preserved grape leaves and dry soot. Strawberry jam...

Finish: Short to medium long with sweet paprika, honeybush tea and honey.

Overall: It is not as balanced as its sibling Sherry Cask Finish and not quite as entertaining as the Port Cask Finish but a good match for the whisky lovers with less of a sweet tooth. It's grapey, sweet and also a little tart... Good amount of fruits, chocolate and custard both on the nose and on the palate but the sulphur on the nose was a little bit of a let-down to be honest. Well, in the end it's 30 bucks a bottle... Another unbelievable price to value ratio bottling from Glen Moray without a doubt. Thanks again to Koray Kaan Ozdemir a.k.a. Whisky Monster for the sample. Tomorrow will be the last Glen Moray on the blog for a while but (I think) I kept the best for last...

Price: $30

84/100

Glen Moray Classic Sherry Cask Finish...

2021-07-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

Glen Moray Classic Sherry Cask Finish (40.0%): Day three: Third Glen Moray Classic and second cask finish. The whisky is finished in Oloroso sherry casks this time doesn't carry an age statement and bottled at 40% abv like the rest of the Classic series.

Color: Rich yellow gold, white Port color with thick and oily but quick and immediate legs.

Nose: Shortbread cookies, butter and nutmeg. Dried cranberries, wet forest floor and heather flowers... Gets nutty after allowing it to air: Toasted walnuts, hazelnut paste and cookie dough. Lemon curd... Subtle but very balanced and I am liking it..!

Palate: Creamy texture with vanilla, chocolate milk and raisins. Again a very well balanced spirit... Sweet flaky pastries, pastry cream and cocoa powder.

Finish: Longer than the previous two Classic expressions with cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins.

Overall: Yesterday I was surprised how much of an improvement Port Cask Finish over the Classic was and today I am surprised how balanced and mature this Sherry Cask Finish is. To be honest it didn't give me the Oohs and Ahhs Port Cask Finish gave but if I have had to choose between these two I think I would go for this one. It's just so pleasant to sip... I feel like sitting down, taking my time and just enjoying what I have in my glass now. Another good one and another shout-out to Koray Kaan Ozdemir a.k.a. Whisky Monster for the samples.

Price: $30

86/100

Glen Moray Classic Port Cask Finish...

2021-07-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

Glen Moray Classic Port Cask Finish (40.0%): Glen Moray week continues with the Classic Port Cask Finish. It is basically Glen Moray Classic Single Malt I tasted yesterday finished in Porto Cruz port casks for additional months. Like the rest of the Classic series it doesn't carry an age statement and bottled at 40% abv.

Color: A beautiful tint of peach. Not rose, not copper but light peach color with a continuous ring of small teardrops turning into rather thin but slow moving legs.

Nose: Dried papaya, dried mango and blackboard chalk. Rose petals, lightly toasted oak and red gummi bears. Dried strawberries... This nose is quite a step-up from the Classic.

Palate: Candied orange peels, four fruit preserve and nutmeg. Raspberry iced tea, strawberry juice and light cinnamon dusting. Fresh apricots and sliced peaches.

Finish: Short with candied red fruits, chalk and dried papaya.

Overall: Well, to be honest I wasn't expecting this much of an improvement after only a few months of finishing in port casks but apparently it was enough to make a difference: All the added red and stone fruit notes I listed above, light and sweet spices and candied citrus peels works really great with the very young but quite solid backbone of Glen Moray. Now I am more intrigued to see if the other cask finishes will work as good as this one. More tomorrow... Thanks again to Koray Kaan Ozdemir a.k.a. Whisky Monster for the samples.

Price: $30

86/100

Glen Moray Classic Single Malt...

2021-07-26T12:16:00.001-07:00

Glen Moray Classic Single Malt (40.0%): Let's take a deep dive into Glen Moray's Classic Series this week... Classic Series are the entry level whiskies of Glen Moray's vast portfolio and includes their flagship expression Classic which is aged in ex-Bourbon barrels, as well as five different cask finishes of the very same whisky and a peated expression. None of them carries age statement and all of them are bottled at 40% abv. So, the plan is to start with the plain Classic today and then we will follow up with three cask finishes to see how they compare and finally close out the week with a quite special expression if we have time left for it.

Color: Yellow gold, white wine color with immediate but slow, thick and oily legs.

Nose: Lemon curd, butter and wood shavings. Fresh ginger, jonquils and dry garden soil. A little mute but a pretty satisfying nose.

Palate: Less exciting than the nose to be honest: Lemon zest, hint of new make and dried pineapple rings. Giving it a few minutes and allowing it to air helps though. Vanilla, ground coriander and potpourri (dried flowers). Some grassiness: Lemongrass, fennel stalks and fresh tarragon. Quite young on the palate...

Finish: Longer than I expected... Medium with ground ginger, lemon powder and a little bit of white pepper.

Overall: I am pretty sure that I didn't taste a Cutty Sark after the brand got acquired by La Martiniquaise and feel free to call it "power of suggestion" of course but this whisky noses and tastes like it naturally belongs to the Cutty Sark recipe. The lemony and grassy core of this malt is an effortless match for the Cutty Sark blend for my two cents... Anyway, the whisky itself it is one of the best price-to-value ratios single malts in the market if not the best. The price of this bottle is virtually unbeatable... A perfect pub malt to accompany your pint of beer. Let's see how cask finishing will add to this young spirit. Many thanks to Koray Kaan Ozdemir a.k.a. Whisky Monster who is the US Portfolio Ambassador for 375 Park Avenue Spirits for providing the samples.

Price: $30

82/100

Watt Rum Clarendon Distillery 16yo...

2021-07-24T10:03:00.000-07:00

Watt Rum Clarendon Distillery 16yo (57.1%): Do you remember the ex-Clarendon barrel I mentioned in yesterday's post..? The barrel which the remaining portion of Watt Whisky's Campbeltown Blended Malt is transferred to for finishing..? That barrel is the very same barrel this rum was maturing in... It was filled at Clarendon Distillery in Jamaica in 2004, spent the first 15 years in the Caribbean and then shipped to continental Europe where it added another year to its age before being bottled to yield 288 bottles in total. Clarendon Distillery is built in 1949 equipped only with two small pot sills but since then it has been upgraded numerous times raising its capacity each time. Today it is a distillery of industrial scale and produces rum for huge brands such as Captain Morgan and Myers's as well as for more niche labels like Monymusk and Port Royal.

Color: Beautiful dark old copper sheet, wildflower honey color with a ring of large and very persistent teardrops eventually forming thick, oily and very slow legs. The stage is set for greatness...

Nose: Bunsen burner, candied cherries and strawberry preserves. Warm honey, burnt sugar and creme brulee. After adding water: Iced coffee, condensed milk and pebbles. Chocolate syrup, wet tobacco leaves and Averna. Enjoying this nose so much at this moment.

Palate: Burnt plastic, molasses and medlar. Overripe black and damson plums, dates and birch beer. A little less playful than the nose. Adding water definitely makes it easier to drink, maybe a little too easy... Black cherry soda, wild mushrooms and custard. Still less sweet more savory compared to what the nose prepared us for.

Finish: Long with a thick coating around the tongue: Coal gas, black pepper and birch beer. Allspice and nutmeg.

Overall: All the things you would ask from a well aged Jamaican rum: Funky, sweet and savory at the same time, packed with fruits, liquorice and coffee. But to be honest the nose was my favorite part of the whole experience. Well, sadly this was my last sample from Watt Whisky's current batch of releases and what a joy it was to spend a week with their immaculate selection. Kudos to Kate and Mark Watt for such an amazing line-up again and thanks for choosing me to send these samples all the way from Campbeltown to Los Angeles. I am humbled... Cannot wait to visit their offices and share a dram or five together in May 2022..!

Price: £115

90/100

Watt Whisky 7yo Campbeltown Blended Malt...

2021-07-23T08:56:00.011-07:00

Watt Whisky 7yo Campbeltown Blended Malt (57.4%): Now this is a special one: It's a 7 year old cask strength blended malt from Watt Whisky bottled exclusively for their local market... The whisky is blended using malt whiskies from Campbeltown distilleries only. Well, you really don't have to be DI Steve Arnott here. The candidates are Glen Scotia, Glengyle and Springbank. There isn't a fourth one... Only 66 bottles have been made available to be purchased at Hall's of Campbeltown wine shop or to be enjoyed at the bar at Ardshiel Hotel. Apparently after 66 bottles got pulled out the remainder of the cask got racked into the ex-Clarendon rum barrel which we will be talking about in detail tomorrow. That will be a great cask finishing project to be excited about in the future...

Color: Very light-toned, just a tint of lemon chiffon color with pretty persistent teardrops around the glass eventually forming thin but quite slow legs.

Nose: Young and peaty... Grilled veggies: Green banana peppers, eggplants and fennel bulbs. Plastic food containers, wet beach sand and sea spray. Water opens it up... New glossy magazines, vegetable stew and fresh herbs: Sage, tarragon and savory (herb).

Palate: Hot at this abv and a little mute. Salted lime wedges, charcoal and soot. No reason to delay adding water: Way more approachable now and creamy as well. Limeade, aquavit and dill. Fresh peppermint leaves, green peppercorns and olive brine.

Finish: Long with grilled green vegetables, black pepper and peppermint.

Overall: It tastes younger than a seven year old and it is also not a well balanced whisky in my opinion but that green, herbal and sooty character is very appealing. If I didn't know that Kilkerran Heavily Peated distillate is not seven years old yet (or is it..?) I would guess Kilkerran being the major component in this blend. It really reminded me the first batch of Kilkerran Heavily Peated... Anyway I'll drink this whisky anywhere, anytime... I liked the rawness of it a lot but understandably it might be a little too much for some.

Price: £55

83/100

Watt Whisky Linkwood 13yo...

2021-07-22T11:11:00.002-07:00

Watt Whisky Linkwood 13yo (59.3%): "WWW" ak.a. "Watt Whisky Week" continues with a Linkwood... Linkwood has been a favorite of blenders and independent bottlers for a long time. The distillery is one of Diageo's workhorses and has a quite sizable capacity of 5,600,000 liters of pure alcohol per year. The whisky I have in the sample bottle is distilled in 2007 and matured in an ex-Bourbon hogshead for 13 years before being bottled. 229 bottles in total have been made available at cask strength.

Color: As pale as it gets... Unoaked white wine, straw color with immediate but thick and oily looking legs.

Nose: Dunnage warehouse, tutti-frutti and sawdust. Fresh apricots, sliced peaches and honeysuckles. A few drops of water improved the nose for sure: Kumquats, clementines and bubblegum. Vanilla, spearmint leaves and fresh pineapples.

Palate: Warming, thick and mouth coating. Very spirit forward... Lemonade, apple pie and pine honey. With water: Lightly toasted oak, Meyer lemons and orange peel. Candied orange peel actually... Green Altoids and custard.

Finish: Long and tingling on the tongue with lemon twist, vanilla and white pepper. Pencil shavings...

Overall: I can see why Linkwood has been and still is so popular among blenders. This is a very solid backbone to build a blend on. It is weighty and thick in texture and packed with citrusy, minty and sweet notes both on the nose and on the palate. Loved the not overpowering cask chosen. I like these distillate driven whiskies... A solid buy for that price as well. Huge thanks to Kate and Mark for the sample.

Price: £68

89/100