Review: Wild Turkey American Honey

Wild Turkey Bourbon is distilled and bottled by the Austin Nichols division of Campari Group. The distillery located near Lawrenceburg, Kentucky was built by the Riply brothers in 1869, In 1952 by the Gould Brothers purchased the facility which was later bought by Pernod Ricard in 1980 who in turn sold it to the Campari Group in 2009.

Wild Turkey American Honey is a bourbon based liqueur crafted from Kentucky Bourbon and wild honey. I received a bottle for review a few months ago, and after much delay finally got around to providing this review:

Your may click on the following excerpt to read the full review:

“… The entry onto the palate is relatively smooth with the sweet honey flavour melded nicely into the bourbon. This tastes much like the nose implies. Honey, butterscotch, and oak with some nice tobacco and vanilla accents. Some of the spiciness reminds me of rye, which is not surprising as Wild Turkey Bourbon is known to have a higher than average rye content …”

And because this is the week of Valentines I have added a great seasonal cocktail based upon the American Honey, called the Honey Passion Cocktail.

Please enjoy the review and the cocktail!

The spirit is bottled at 35.5 % alcohol by volume.

 

Review: Glenfarclas 25 Year Old Highland Single Malt Whisky

This review continues my examinations of the Glenfarclas Single Malt line-up. I have previously reviewed the Glenfarclas 12 Year, the Glenfarclas 15 Year, the Glenfarclas 17 Year, the Glenfarclas 21 Year, the Glenfarclas 30 Year, the Glenfarclas 40 Year, and the Glenfarclas Cask Strength 105. These whiskies have been matured in two styles of oak barrels, plain oak barrels which have previously contained Bourbon or Scotch whisky, and Spanish oak barrels which have previously contained Oloroso or Fino Sherry from Seville. The whisky is then stored in traditional ‘dunnage’ warehouses that date from the late 1800s. These warehouses have thick stone walls and earthen floors.

The Glenfarclas 25 Year Old Highland Single Malt Whisky which is the subject of this review has been bottled at 43 % and is produced from aged stocks of both first fill sherry casks and refill bourbon casks.

Pacific Wine & Spirits Inc has facilitated my reviews of by inviting me to a tasting event hosted by George Grant, the Sales Director for the Glenfarclas Distillery. Mr. Grant is part of the 6th generation of the Grant Family who originally purchased the distillery in 1865. His family still controls and manages the distillery today. This review was compiled based upon my tasting notes at the event, and subsequent re-visitations to the whisky.

Here is an excerpt from the review:

“… The initial aromas include the rich sherry smells of dried fruit, some floral accents of heather and willow, and hints of orange peel. The oak is asserting itself into the whisky much more firmly than in the younger expressions …”

You may read the full review here:

New Zealand Whisky is back!

New Zealand Whisky on my Cold Snowy Deck!

What was that I said …  New Zealand Whisky is back?? It was not that long ago that I wasn’t even sure whether New Zealand had ever manufactured whisky. But it turns out that indeed, the distillery at Dunedin on the South Island once produced both Single Malt and blended whisky. I received a press release announcing the return of New Zealand Whisky a few short months ago which told the story. Interestingly enough, there was a Canadian connection to the whisky which was distilled at New Zealand’s Willowbank Distillery. The connection was Canadian whisky giant, Seagram’s, who (not that long ago) was the largest distiller of alcoholic beverages in the world, and the owner of the distillery in Dunedin, New Zealand. Sadly, I learned that Seagram’s sold the distillery in 1997 to an Australian brewer (Fosters) who promptly mothballed it and sent the stills within to Fiji to make rum. The closing of the Willowbank Distillery brought about a temporary end to the Whisky Industry in New Zealand.

But with the New Zealand Whisky Collection, the whisky from New Zealand is back.

According to New Zealand Whisky Collection, CEO, Greg Ramsey:

“This whisky represents an enduring link between Canada and New Zealand, as well as the potential revival of a whisky industry in the Land of the Long White Cloud.”

Fortunately, about 600 barrels of single malt and blended grain whisky remained at the defunct distillery and were left to mature, and two years ago, Mr Ramsay, a young Australian whisky enthusiast from Tasmania, bought those barrels and set about bottling the whisky as part of a plan to revive the New Zealand whisky industry. As part of that plan, he created the New Zealand Whisky Collection.

In 2011, the Dunedin Distillery DoubleWood was the first whisky launched as part of that collection. This whisky was aged in American-Oak barrels for 6 years and then finished for 4 more in North Island, French-oak, wine barrels. The whisky is a blend of 70% Single Malt whisky, and 30% premium grain whisky, bottled at 40% alcohol by volume. Fortunately (for me), I was sent some samples from the collection (see above), and over the next bunch of weeks I will share my reviews of the New Zealand Whisky Collection here on here on my website.

Until then, here are some brief tasting notes for the Dunedin Doublewood provided by the New Zealand Whisky Company:

Colour: Rich golden honey

Nose: Delicate fruit and floral notes over a delicious hint of toffee and sweet offerings.

Palate: A beautiful explosion of creamy malt and subtle vanillas up front, building across the palate revealing notes of dried fruit and soft nuts. A sweet balanced sense of alcohol leading to a big, warm finish.

Stay tuned for my reviews!

My understanding is that the New Zealand Whisky Collection is available (if not now then very soon) in Ontario through the LCBO.

Review: Centennial Spiced Canadian Rye Whisky

Not that long ago, I had a discussion with a well-known Master Blender (from a major producer of whisky) about the rush of spiced and flavoured rums and whiskies which are entering the marketplace. I lamented the fact that most of these spirits were constructed using young inexpensive spirits as their base, rather than beginning with a spirit which already showed age and character. The master distiller gave me this ‘father knows best’ look and explained that this category was meant for the new spirits consumer as an entry-level product, and using a better spirit as the base would just be a waste of good whisky (or rum). I countered that I thought the spiced and flavoured category could be much more; but I also quickly changed the subject. (I could see that he thought I was nuts).

Well maybe I am nuts; but recently, I actually received a sample of just the very kind of spiced whisky I had been talking about, Highwood Distillers - Centennial Spiced Canadian Whisky. Unlike most of the spiced and flavoured whiskies which have sprung up recently which use a very young whisky as the base for the spirit, Highwood’s Centennial Spiced Whisky uses a well aged 10-year-old whisky, (their own Centennial Rye Whisky) as the foundation for this spiced spirit.

And I am happy to report, that as I suspected, quality always shines through as my review attests, here is an excerpt:

“… Rather than a whisky buried by spice, we encounter flavours of vanilla, ginger, and cloves (and yes butterscotch too) which are lifted by the character of the well aged Centennial Whisky. Although the combination of spices does not appear to be complicated, there is a punch of ginger in the flavour profile that to me, taste’s absolutely brilliant …”

Here is a link to the full review which includes two cocktails, the Centennial Celebration, and Tall Ginger:

Please enjoy this review of what I feel is a groundbreaking new spirit!

Review: Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey

Bulleit Bourbon is produced at the Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The brand traces its heritage back to 1830 when tavern keeper Augustus Bulleit (after a few experimental trials) created the brand and began to market it locally and eventually to areas outside of Kentucky. As misfortune would have it, Augutus Bulleit disappeared while transporting some barrels of his bourbon to New Orleans, and the brand disappeared for over 100 years. In 1987, Tom Bulleit revived the brand which bears his great grandfather’s name. Today the brand is owned by the Diageo Conglomerate who market the product throughout North America and into Europe.

The sample bottle of Bulleit Bourbon which I received was bottled at 45% alcohol by volume and is the standard bottle sold in North America. Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… There is a bit of a spicy swat that tickles the tonsils, but there is also a nice maple and caramel sweetness which accompanies that spicy swat and makes you want to take another sip. I can taste oak planks which are seeping just a little fresh sap from the wood pores, some delightful rye spices, and of course that rather sweet impression of maple and caramel …

Here is a link to my review which includes a recipe for the Old-Fashioned Cocktail:

Please enjoy the review!

Review: Bowmore Tempest Batch No. 3

The Bowmore Distillery is the oldest of the Islay Distilleries in Scotland, (and it is one of the oldest distilleries in all of Scotland). It has sat at the edge of the sea on the craggy coastline of the Hebridean Island since 1779. This location close to the sea and of course close to the rich Islay peat has been linked to the distinctive floral and smoky character of the Bowmore Whisky. This character is a result of rich peat flavours being absorbed by the barley as it dries under the peated fire of the malt drying kiln, and of the whisky aging in the famous Bowmore seaside vaults (which are below sea-level) as the briny seaside air is allowed to mingle with the oak aging casks.

The Bowmore Tempest is a relatively new 10-year-old peated whisky aged in first-fill bourbon casks. (A first-fill cask is one which has only been used once before usually for either bourbon or sherry). This whisky has seen three separate releases to this point. Small Batch Release No. 3 which is the subject of this review is non-chill filtered and bottled at a full 55.6% alcohol by volume.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The nose is full of phenolic peat smoke with plenty of rubbery smells rising into the breezes above the glass. Within this menagerie of peat smoke are some welcome scents of orange peel, lemon grass, and hints of floral woodland (heather, lavender and wood spices) …”

Here is a link to the full review which includes a new recipe of mine, What Rough Beast.

Enjoy the review!

Review: Wiser’s Spiced Whisky (Vanilla)

Wiser’s Canadian Whisky is distilled at the Hiram Walker Distillery in Walkerville, Ontario (since 1989), and aged in their facilities at Pike Creek near Lakeshore Ontario. I have previously reviewed most of the current Wiser’s range including: Wiser’s Special Blend, Wiser’s De Luxe, Wiser’s Small Batch, Wiser’s Legacy, and the Wiser’s 18 Years Old.

Recently I was given a sample bottle of the Wiser’s Spiced. For those who do not know, Wiser’s Spiced Whisky is a new spiced (or perhaps we might say flavoured) whisky which features the classic Wiser’s Whisky taste profile accented by vanilla spice.

Here is an excerpt from the resulting review:

“… The air above the glass is mildly sweet with a honey-like caramel accompanied by a gentle sweep of vanilla. You can easily detect the underlying scent of Canadian Whisky with a bit of rye spice, and light oak accents. The whisky seems rather pleasant and laid back hinting at a more subdued spicy character … “

Of course the full review may be found by clicking this link:

The review includes a nice high-bail cocktail based upon the Canadian Mammy.

Please enjoy the review and the recipe!

Review: Yamazaki 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky (Suntory)

The Suntory Group is a large multi-national conglomerate whose holdings include Morrison Bowmore Distillers, Pepsi Bottling Ventures LLC, and Subway Japan among many others. The company was established in 1899 and is one of the oldest Japanese companies in the business of producing and distributing alcoholic beverages. Their Yamazaki 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky is produced at the Yamazaki Distillery in Shimamoto, Japan. This is a true 12-year-old whisky as Japan uses the same criteria for age statements as countries like Canada and Scotland, namely that every drop of whisky in the bottle must be at least as old as the stated age on the outside label. The Yamazaki 12 Year Old is considered the flagship whisky for the Yamazaki Brand, and I am happy to provide a review here on my website.

Here is an excerpt from the review:

“… A bevy of fresh fruit aromas (yellow apples, honey-dew melon, bananas, and peaches) rise up along side honeyed oak spices. There is a light maltiness (beer-like scent) apparent, with wisps of vanilla, hints of almond and orange peel. The whisky seems lightly smoky with a few sherried notes of raisin and dates making their way into the air …”

Here is the full review which includes a decadent cocktail called Alpine Meadows:

Please enjoy my review!

Note: The Yamazaki 12-year-old is distributed by Lifford Wines in my home Province of Alberta.

Review: The Singleton of Glendullan

About two years ago Diageo launched a new (what I am going to term) “entry level” 12 year old Single Malt Scotch from the Glendullan Distillery (in Dufftown) called The Singleton of Glendullan. The malt is part of their Classic Malts Selection, and is produced from spirit aged in both European Sherry Oak casks and American Bourbon Oak casks. I first encountered this Single Malt at a local Food and Wine event two years ago, and I was impressed enough to buy a bottle for myself, and one for a friend that Christmas. My bottle was sipped slowly over time and has long since disappeared; but fortunately for me, I was recently given another bottle to review on my website by the Northern Alberta Diageo Marketing Rep.

Here is an excerpt from that review:

“… As I pour the whisky into my glencairn glass, my nose is greeted with some nice butterscotch and caramel notes which are accented with lightly smokey tones of sherry (think dark fruit like dates and raisins), fresh fruit, some sweet malty notes, and a mild herbal punky peat. As the glass sits, the caramel turns to toffee as the oak spices assert themselves …”

You may read the full review here:

Please enjoy the review!

Review: Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve

A few years ago Johnnie Walker Gold Label carried an age statement of 18 years. Back then it was called The Centenary Blend. The newest bottles of the Gold Label no longer carry that age statement. Coinciding with that particular change is a bit of a name change as well. Instead of Johnnie Walker Gold Label – The Centenary Blend, the newest version is now called Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve. Based upon what I can glean from the Johnnie Walker website (and the back of my bottle) it may not be only the ages of the individual whiskies in the blend which have changed, the actual constituents of the blend appear to have changed as well.

“GOLD LABEL RESERVE is blended from casks of Whiskies that have been specially selected from the Master Blender, Jim Beveridge’s Private Reserve.”

Of course this means that my previous review for Johnnie Walker Gold Label – The Centenary Blend is rather obsolete, a fact which was quickly pointed out to me by my good friend Jason, of Jason’s Scotch Reviews, when I recently re-posted that particular review. Jason asked me if I could review the new blend, and after a quick email with the Alberta Diageo Rep, a new bottle for review found its way onto my review queue.

Here is an excerpt from the resulting review:

“… The nose is very complex. It seems rather light and gentle first; but as the glass sits, the whisky seems to gain strength and intensity. The initial impressions are of butterscotch, honey and wood spice. Some nice scents of canned fruit drift by the nostrils, in particular peaches and apricots. A bit of home-baked apple pie with touches of cinnamon reach the breezes above the glass as well… “

You may read my full review here:

Please enjoy my review of the new Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve!