The world whisky advent calendar PT1
My lovely wife got me a whiskey advent calendar for Christmas.
https://thespiritco.com/collections/advent-calendars/products/world-whisky-advent-calendar?variant=31962740916339
So here are my notes on the first 7 days. Man, I love the holidaysš
Whistle Pig Single Barrel 10-Year-Old
This is an excellent rye with the usual spicey flavor. Iāve had this before, though not aged ten years. When I think American Rye, I default to this product line. It is quite good, though at ten years you start running into diminishing returns on the price point. Anything over $50 for 750ml has to bring a good āAā game to be worth that cash.
ā¢ Kavalan Distillery Select
https://flaviar.com/kavalan/kavalan-distillery-select
This is a Scotch archetype made in Taiwan. While I enjoy the history and identity backing a bourbon made in Kentucky, there are distilleries making bourbon in other states and countries. Absent the obvious āmade in Taiwanā joke, the country of origin doesnāt change my opinion. These two sentences say it all though:
āapproachable, softer spirit that would stand up when sipped neat while also being ideal for craft cocktails - all at an exceptional price pointā¦[and]ā¦The softness comes from using refill casks, so the character of their signature style is fully maintained with gentle notes of vanilla with floral aromas while allowing the natural fruitiness of the core spirit shine out at 43% ABV.ā
Iām all for introducing new drinkers to classic whisky expressions. For this purpose, itās useful to try scotches like Macallan in the beginning. As preferences form you move on to bottles with more peat and smoke, highland and isle, shorter and longer aging periods in different kinds of barrels. Scotch in particular comprises a range of flavor profiles, each with their own character.
But this, this is a watered-down Scotch. Maybe the maker is trying to ease people into whiskey and maybe theyāre trying to get a cheaper product out the door. You usually use refill wood so that the whiskey can mellow over a longer time while taking on many of the same flavors as liquid aged in new wood. If, however you age it for shorter periods in refill wood, it looks kind of like youāre cutting corners and trying to sell the imperfections as features. Regardless, this is not a $50 whiskey. Iām not even sure Iād put it as a $20 whiskey. Itās not ābadā itās just so inoffensive as to barely catch my notice.
ā¢ Amrut Single Malt Whisky
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/amrut-single-malt-whisky/
A Scotch analog made in India? This I have to try. This was good enough that Iām going to ask my local drink store if they can carry it. It is a Scotch but one with a quixotic character. Each sip was a little different. As the finish of one sip mixed with the nose of the next, I had a wonderful evolving taste. It isnāt aggressive but doesnāt lose anything for that fact.
Cotswolds 3-Year-Old (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/cotswolds/cotswolds-that-boutiquey-whisky-company-whisky/
This was another Scotch analog. Bourbon has spoiled me in ways I hadnāt realized till I came back to Scotch after years of single-minded Kentucky dedication. Having read books like bourbon empire and listened to a couple great courses audio books on whiskey, I tend to hesitate at words like ā3 yearā and ābottled by.ā Most whiskey isnāt worth much under four yearsā¦assuming itās being aged in new barrels. Thatās not to say there arenāt good young whiskeys but I tend to be suspicious of anything under the bottled and bond limit. Bottled by usually means someone bought the liquid, came up with a catchy label, and marketed it with a questionable back story. The more a vendor focuses on the distilleryās aesthetics and the less they give me about the actual mash bill and aging statement the less reputable they sound.
I was happy to be proven wrong about this one. It was a nice young whiskey with more character than its age statement would suggest. Iām not running out the door to buy more but Iād be happy to be seen drinking it in public and Iād enjoy the experience too.
ā¢ Brenne CuvĆ©e SpĆ©ciale French Single Malt Whisky
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/brenne/brenne-french-single-malt-whisky/
Iām pretty sure Iāve had this before. It isnāt like my normal Scotches and bourbons. It has a lighter character without sacrificing body. There are definite maple and light brown sugar notes to it-sweet but without the darker notes of molasses found in dark rum. I enjoyed it greatly but would relegate it to an interesting conversation piece for gatherings. It is absolutely worth checking out.
ā¢ Sonoma Distilling Co. Rye Single Barrel
https://www.sonomadistillingcompany.com/product/Single-Barrel-Rye
A California Rye? Why donāt mind if I do. This had all the right spice notes with a lighter base than Iām used to. Thatās probably due to the 5-year age statement. Iād love to try this at 8 years. As it stands itās a solid young rye.
ā¢ Sonoma Distilling Co. Bourbon Single Barrel
https://www.sonomadistillingcompany.com/Shop
This was my second favorite of the bottles Iāve opened so far. It is a nice bourbon with the sweet wheat notes I love and the traditional bourbon foundation. Iām going to call them later and see if thereās a way to get some of their more unusual expressions in MD.
So thatās the first 7 days. Iāll post more as the bottles are opened.
https://thespiritco.com/collections/advent-calendars/products/world-whisky-advent-calendar?variant=31962740916339
So here are my notes on the first 7 days. Man, I love the holidaysš
Whistle Pig Single Barrel 10-Year-Old
This is an excellent rye with the usual spicey flavor. Iāve had this before, though not aged ten years. When I think American Rye, I default to this product line. It is quite good, though at ten years you start running into diminishing returns on the price point. Anything over $50 for 750ml has to bring a good āAā game to be worth that cash.
ā¢ Kavalan Distillery Select
https://flaviar.com/kavalan/kavalan-distillery-select
This is a Scotch archetype made in Taiwan. While I enjoy the history and identity backing a bourbon made in Kentucky, there are distilleries making bourbon in other states and countries. Absent the obvious āmade in Taiwanā joke, the country of origin doesnāt change my opinion. These two sentences say it all though:
āapproachable, softer spirit that would stand up when sipped neat while also being ideal for craft cocktails - all at an exceptional price pointā¦[and]ā¦The softness comes from using refill casks, so the character of their signature style is fully maintained with gentle notes of vanilla with floral aromas while allowing the natural fruitiness of the core spirit shine out at 43% ABV.ā
Iām all for introducing new drinkers to classic whisky expressions. For this purpose, itās useful to try scotches like Macallan in the beginning. As preferences form you move on to bottles with more peat and smoke, highland and isle, shorter and longer aging periods in different kinds of barrels. Scotch in particular comprises a range of flavor profiles, each with their own character.
But this, this is a watered-down Scotch. Maybe the maker is trying to ease people into whiskey and maybe theyāre trying to get a cheaper product out the door. You usually use refill wood so that the whiskey can mellow over a longer time while taking on many of the same flavors as liquid aged in new wood. If, however you age it for shorter periods in refill wood, it looks kind of like youāre cutting corners and trying to sell the imperfections as features. Regardless, this is not a $50 whiskey. Iām not even sure Iād put it as a $20 whiskey. Itās not ābadā itās just so inoffensive as to barely catch my notice.
ā¢ Amrut Single Malt Whisky
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/amrut-single-malt-whisky/
A Scotch analog made in India? This I have to try. This was good enough that Iām going to ask my local drink store if they can carry it. It is a Scotch but one with a quixotic character. Each sip was a little different. As the finish of one sip mixed with the nose of the next, I had a wonderful evolving taste. It isnāt aggressive but doesnāt lose anything for that fact.
Cotswolds 3-Year-Old (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/cotswolds/cotswolds-that-boutiquey-whisky-company-whisky/
This was another Scotch analog. Bourbon has spoiled me in ways I hadnāt realized till I came back to Scotch after years of single-minded Kentucky dedication. Having read books like bourbon empire and listened to a couple great courses audio books on whiskey, I tend to hesitate at words like ā3 yearā and ābottled by.ā Most whiskey isnāt worth much under four yearsā¦assuming itās being aged in new barrels. Thatās not to say there arenāt good young whiskeys but I tend to be suspicious of anything under the bottled and bond limit. Bottled by usually means someone bought the liquid, came up with a catchy label, and marketed it with a questionable back story. The more a vendor focuses on the distilleryās aesthetics and the less they give me about the actual mash bill and aging statement the less reputable they sound.
I was happy to be proven wrong about this one. It was a nice young whiskey with more character than its age statement would suggest. Iām not running out the door to buy more but Iād be happy to be seen drinking it in public and Iād enjoy the experience too.
ā¢ Brenne CuvĆ©e SpĆ©ciale French Single Malt Whisky
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/brenne/brenne-french-single-malt-whisky/
Iām pretty sure Iāve had this before. It isnāt like my normal Scotches and bourbons. It has a lighter character without sacrificing body. There are definite maple and light brown sugar notes to it-sweet but without the darker notes of molasses found in dark rum. I enjoyed it greatly but would relegate it to an interesting conversation piece for gatherings. It is absolutely worth checking out.
ā¢ Sonoma Distilling Co. Rye Single Barrel
https://www.sonomadistillingcompany.com/product/Single-Barrel-Rye
A California Rye? Why donāt mind if I do. This had all the right spice notes with a lighter base than Iām used to. Thatās probably due to the 5-year age statement. Iād love to try this at 8 years. As it stands itās a solid young rye.
ā¢ Sonoma Distilling Co. Bourbon Single Barrel
https://www.sonomadistillingcompany.com/Shop
This was my second favorite of the bottles Iāve opened so far. It is a nice bourbon with the sweet wheat notes I love and the traditional bourbon foundation. Iām going to call them later and see if thereās a way to get some of their more unusual expressions in MD.
So thatās the first 7 days. Iāll post more as the bottles are opened.