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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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July 4, 2023 |
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Happy Independence Day, USA! |
Another little bag of American whiskies
We do this every now and then, whenever we've got a good bunch, but we do not really try to keep up with the new releases, regrettably. Maybe one day… I think we'll do this randomly…
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Catoctin Creek 'Roundstone Single Barrel Virginia Rye' (40%, OB, USA, +/-2022) 
This is 100% rye grown locally. I don't quite know why they chose to bottle it at 80 US proof/40% vol., but at least it should be, as the distillers say themselves, 'very sippable'. Colour: gold. Nose: maybe a tad hot despite the low strength, but this blend of sawdust, vanilla and fudge works well. A little cologne, rye bread indeed, some corn syrup (but indeed it's fully rye), bits of amaretti and macaroons, marzipan… Indeed it is pleasant, but not extraordinarily rye-y this far. Mouth: sweet, easy indeed, with some vanilla and some sawdust again. I've always had the impression that fresh wood was not very easy to balance when the whisky is heavily diluted, as it is here. Some sour spiciness, ginger… Touches of lavender and pepper coming out. Finish: medium, first on tea tannins, then with more fruitiness, orange drops, more corn syrup… Comments: it's really fine but I'd say it would need a little ice, perhaps. It may be 'very sippable', but I'm not sure it's perfect sipper.
SGP:440 - 78 points. |
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Evan Williams 2014/2022 'Single Barrel' (43.3%, OB, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey) 
Generally and in my opinion, with single barrel bourbons, all barrels are more or less the same. Earlier vintages have been a little 'plankish' in my book. Colour: light gold. Nose: classic varnishes, vanilla, popcorn, vanilla fudge, corn syrup, pine nuts, buttercream, dried coconut, white chocolate, Starbucks sweet stuff. Mouth: not big, a tad soapy at first, then more on tinned pineapple juice, corn syrup, ice cream and cheesecake, liquorice allsorts… I have the feeling that there's less sawdust than in other vintages. Finish: medium, very sweet, on bonbons, jelly babies, sweet maize… Comments: I like this sweet and easy one much better than the 2010, which was the last one we had tried (WF 77).
SGP:630 - 80 points. |
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Evan Williams 'Bottled-in-Bond' (50%, OB, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, +/-2022)
More sweet bourbon by Heaven Hill… This one's said to be four years old. Colour: gold. Nose: much more austere, less boisterously sweet and aromatic, more on teas and sawdust, perhaps coconut cookies, a little earth… It's not very strong but it tells us it would need water. Happy to oblige… With water: gets grassier, almost closed and a little metallic. The 2014 rather kills it now. Mouth (neat): good, with some citrus, lavender (rye), this time again a little cologne, pineapples, fresh pepper… With water: a little indefinite, with some oak, pineapples again, sweet apples… Finish: medium, a little sugary. Syrups and black tea. Comments: I believe we should have had this one before the good Single Barrel. The body remained a little thin but then again, this is not Springbank of course.
SGP: 530 - 77 points. |
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Eagle Rare 10 yo 'Single Barrel' (45%, OB, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, +/-2022) 
Same comments about the 'Single Barrel' trick, there shouldn't be any variations at all. We liked Eagle Rare 10 last time we tried it, in 2016. Colour: gold. Nose: classic coconut cake, Scottish fudge, maize bread, gingerbread, buttercream, peanut butter and drops of triple-sec. Very engaging nose, without the varnish-and-sawdust side that many young bourbons do share. Like! as they say on Facebook. Mouth: it definitely slaughters the EW B-in-B on the palate, with many more fruits, plums, grapefruits, orange zests, ginger cookies, muscovado, sweet masala, ras-el-hanout, orange blossom water, baklava… I find it pretty middle-oriental, in fact. Finish: medium, a little more on caramel and fudge, with notes of sweet brandy in the end. Comments: really good. The Evans worked as perfect stepping-stones.
SGP:641 - 83 points. |
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Balcones 'ZZ Top Tres Hombres' (50%, OB, Texas Whisky, cask # ZZ21-1, 2021) 
I remember I was in high school when Tres Hombres came out. We had never heard of ZZ Top but my dear father used to fly to the States very often and he brought me back the record before it was available in France. Instant success, as you may imagine, it even crushed Ted Nugent (I know, I know), especially 'La Grange', some friends even believed it was a French band since the name of the song was French. Lol. Colour: gold. Nose: huge spice bread, pumpernickel, wholegrain bread, maize bread, then oranges and melons, cinnamon cookies, sourdough, leaven... It is, indeed, extremely bready, which I just adore. And it never stops improving and getting more complex. No we won't add any water, remember this is ZZ Top. Mouth: amazing Balcones. Grapefruit juice sprinkled over many breads, cinnamon, gingerbread, cloves, peppers… And the oak's under control. Very successful wee batch. Finish: long, spicier, excellent. Comments: just love this baby, a-haw, haw, haw, haw; A-haw, haw, haw, haw (we got it, S.)…
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
Did ZZ Top kill the show? Let's see… |
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Shenk's Homestead '2022 Release' (45.6%, OB, Michter's Distillery, Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey, 1834 bottles)
Naturally, this baby comes with a story as long as your arm. Remember sour mash means they add a portion of the old mash to the new mash, it shouldn't be 'sour' as such. Colour: amber. Nose: delicate, fragrant, with notes of old roses, tinned lychee, even muscat grapes, then cakes and some maltiness. Indeed, malt. Gets then more complex, with some tobacco, dried meats, beef jerky, soy sauce, a tiny whiff of lavender, gorse… It is a beautiful nose. Mouth: much simpler on the palate, but that's not obligatorily a bad thing. Gingerbread and marmalade, spicy jams, nougats, roasted sesame oil… Well I believe it was rather all about the nose. Fab nose. Finish: medium to long. Dried figs, nutmeg, Stolle, ginger cookies. Comments: I've read they've used French oak from the Vosges, which is located very close to WF HQ mind you. I think this nose is sublime, while the palate is not half-bad either. The Balcones was more rock and roll, naturally.
SGP:562 - 87 points. |
It's all going up, perfecto! More Michter's… |
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Bomberger's Declaration 'Small Batch 2022' (54%, OB, Michter's Distillery, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey)
This classic bourbon has seen some Chinquapin oak, which reminds us of the good Dr Bill's works with Glenmorangie. Colour: gold. Nose: I don't think it's got the depth and complexity of the Shenk, this is more on vanilla, coconut, sawdust, white chocolate, sweet maize, fudge, popcorn… It is perfectly fine, but it's to be seen at many places and in many bottles. With water: lovely, not earthshattering. Classic bourbon nose. Mouth (neat): indeed, the Shenk beats it fair and square. This one's good, even very good, but it's not surprising. Maybe this spicy honey? With water: it is perfect, maybe too perfect. Boy that Shenk! Finish: medium, sweet, on vanilla, maple syrup, and so on, and so on… Comments: they should add a sticker, 'try this before the Shenk'. And on the Shenk, 'first try the Bomberger'. Yeah right…
SGP:531 - 84 points. |
A last one, please, back to Buffalo Trace… |
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Blanton's 'Single Barrel 1' (63.35%, OB, La Maison du Whisky, barrel #1, Antipodes, 210 bottles)
Barrel #1, from warehouse H, from rick no.56. How posh is that? Now we haven't got the vintage, but do we need to care? Colour: deep gold. Nose: it's a rather earthy and doughy bourbon it seems, and indeed we do find some vanilla, fresh oak and coconut, but at 63%, everything remains a little blurred, including the humble taster. With water: great cask indeed, on cedarwood, incense, ylang-ylang and vetiver (very vivid), touches of white truffle (Alba), beet, sweet potato… A very subtle earthiness. Very lovely nose, provided you got the reduction right (+/-48% vol. here). Mouth (neat): I think this is good. Some heavy liquorice and a feeling of bergamot, but at 63%, everything remains rather distorted, including the humble tas… not! With water: excellent, flowery, citrusy, with some citrus liqueurs and a little 'good' varnish. Touches of liquorice and lavender from the rye (I would suppose). Finish: long, balanced and even gentle (right, at 48% vol.) Orange-led. Comments: great cask, probably #1 in all acceptations.
SGP:650 - 86 points. |
Mr. Gibbons' Balcones has really been hard to beat. |
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