Monday, March 30, 2020

Are You Ready to Become a Whiskey Master?

Do you know of Lew Bryson? If you enjoy whiskey or beer, he's a prolific writer of those two subjects. He was an editor at Whisky Advocate for two decades, he writes for various publications and websites, and he's penned his share of books. His latest work, Whiskey Master Class, was released in February. 

Full disclosure time. I know Lew. We live in different states, but we've met and I consider him a friend. But, the reason I know Lew at all is that we're both whiskey writers, we've followed each other for a few years, and our paths finally crossed at Distill America in 2019.

Despite that, Lew isn't getting a free pass out of me any more than distillers I'm friends with would get softball reviews on their whiskeys. At the end of the day, I need to be impressed and I need to look at myself in the mirror knowing I was unbiased in my review.

I've not talked to Lew much at all about his book. He knows I own a copy because I snapped the photo below and I posted it to his Facebook page the day it arrived. I told him I'd review it. But, my review and notes are as new to him as they are to you.

I bought my copy at Amazon. It is 256 pages. You can buy your own hardcover copy for $17.94 or you can get the Kindle edition for $14.57. But, the question is, Should you?

Its appearance reminded me of textbooks from high school and college. Whiskey Master Class has an off-white cover with simple block lettering. Inside, there are several segway featured snippets much like you'd find in your average (as I remember them) textbook. But, that's how it presents and something tells me that's what Lew was shooting for.

Let's get past the notion of a textbook.  I don't know about you, but I recall most of my educational textbooks as dry and boring. There was a reason that I majored in English, and it was so I could read real books instead of stuff that made me daydream about anything else. Instead, Lew has a writing style that's similar to my own. He writes in a conversational tone. In my opinion, it eases reading comprehension because it is closer to how most minds process (and retain) information versus simply choking down facts and figures to memorize. 

What if you're fairly new to whiskey? While this is a master's class, Lew breaks it all down in terms that anyone can grasp. He talks about the science of whiskey, but you don't have to be a scientist to understand it. He takes the time to explain things in such a way that you're learning without even realizing it.

What if you know a lot about whiskey?  You won't find Whiskey Master Class boring or Lew simply regurgitating what you already know.  He includes things that would likely never cross your mind, and he doesn't make you feel like an idiot for not knowing them. More likely, you're going to say, Wow, that's pretty cool. I did. Several times.

New to whiskey or not, you're going to be exposed to pretty much everything from the grain to the palate without getting overwhelmed.

Bottle, Bar or Bust:  It is weird using my standard rating system for a book. But, that's my schtick and I'm sticking to it. Whiskey Master Class is absolutely informative. About the only thing I can complain about is the dual-column typesetting used throughout the book. For my aging eyes, it added some strain. And, if I am going to get really picky, the dual-column format might have worked if the text was justified. 

I read a lot of articles. I talk to many distillers and brand ambassadors. I do a lot of research because, well, whiskey is my hobby and business. And, after saying all of that, after reading Whiskey Master Class, I walked away with newfound knowledge. I was also entertained. For me, that means I didn't waste money, and that means it earns my Bottle rating.  Cheers!

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Old 55 Single Barrel Bourbon Review

Did you know there are more distilleries in Indiana than MGP?  Oh, they're the biggest, no doubt, but there are many other Indiana distilleries that create and age their own distillate. I've reviewed a few, and today I'll do that again with Old 55 Distillery located in Newton.

Old 55 is a grain-to-glass distillery founded in 2014. The grains are all grown on the 140-acre Fruits family farm that belonged to distiller Jason's grandfather, a former navy vet, who bought a feed service and feed mill, or by one of the neighboring farms. Everything from the growing of the grain, to creating the mash, to distillation, to aging, to bottling is done in -house. Nothing is outsourced. It relies on a custom-built pot still crafted by Kothe Destillationstechnik of Germany.

Everything that is distilled utilizes a sweet mash method and uses 100% hearts. Entry proof is between 112° and 115°, although Jason is experimenting with entry proofs of 100° to 125°.  What's released now was aged in new, charred 30-gallon barrels, but they're getting ready to release a Bottled in Bond in 2021 that was aged in 53-gallon barrels.

The warehouse may be the most interesting aspect of what separates Old 55 from others. That's because it is in a renovated 1942 school.  The top floor is storage for empty barrels. Yeah, I know, big deal.  The actual aging is done completely underground in the basement, where there is high humidity and temperatures range from only 50 to 66 degrees all year long. 98% of the barrels wind up being over-proofed - meaning at least 50% alcohol by volume.

Jason told me he knows he can't compete with the big boys and as such, he concentrates on quality over quantity.  His goal is to create his own "spotted unicorn" - something that nobody else can offer, which means he is always trying to do something new.

Today I'm reviewing Old 55 Single Barrel Bourbon.  This comes from a mash of 80% Hoosier corn and 20% red winter wheat. On a side note, I've been informed the upcoming Bottled-in-Bond mash is the same. It carries no age statement and is bottled at 111.4°.  Jason suggested the age was "four years and some change." Retail is between $70 and $75, and distribution is currently in Canada, Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana.

With all of these unusual qualities, how does Old 55 Single Barrel Bourbon taste?  The only way to know for sure is to #DrinkCurious. But first, I'd like to thank Old 55 for providing me a sample in exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest review.

In my trusty Glencairn glass, it presented as true orange amber. The medium ring generated created very fat, wavy legs to drop back to the pool of liquid sunshine.

Stewed fruit was the first aroma I inhaled. Charred oak soon followed. I also picked up light pepper mixed with corn. Despite letting the glass rest for about 15 minutes, ethanol remained trapped in the glass. When I inhaled through my mouth, I again found fruit and oak.

The initial sip offered a thick, spicy mouthfeel. The more I sipped, the thicker it became. Up at the front, cotton candy led to sweet corn. There was no middle whatsoever. The back was very dry oak and barrel char with hints of fruit.

The finish was very, very long and warming. It numbed my lips but left my palate intact. I'd estimate it went on for almost three minutes before finally fading. What hung around was sweet corn, apricot, and white pepper.

Curiosity made me wonder what would happen if I added water. Using my eyedropper, I set two drops of distilled water into the whiskey and gave the Glencairn a gentle swirl.

Cherry came out of nowhere to blast my olfactory senses. The ethanol vanished. The stewed fruit at barrel proof was replaced with apple pie, and the corn remained. When I inhaled through my lips, it was all apple pie.

The mouthfeel became very creamy. There was no spiciness at all. At the front, it was caramel-coated apples. Mid-palate appeared and remained apples sans the caramel. On the back end, the oak remained but was less dry, but the char remained.

The finish was not quite as long but remained spicy yet less intense. White pepper was unchanged, the corn as well, but now caramel joined in for the fun. I found no evidence of apricot or any other fruit notes.

Bottle, Bar or Bust:  Old 55 Bourbon isn't overly complicated but it is tasty. Between the two, I preferred it proofed down a bit. It isn't unusual for folks to add water to over-proofed whiskey. It was nice to have the caramel and apple together, almost like a special treat. I realize that $5 isn't a lot of money when you're talking $70 to $75, but this is a lot closer to a $70 whiskey than $75. You do pay a premium for barrel proof and I'd be okay staying at $70 or under. With that, it gets a Bottle rating. Above $70, I'd say try it at a Bar first.  Cheers!

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon Review

Nevada whiskey? Nevada? Really?  It is no secret that Bourbon is made in every state, but when you think Bourbon, one of the last places that would ever cross my mind is Nevada. Nevada is all about tourism, mining, and cattle ranching. 

But, in Fallon, Nevada, there is an outfit called Frey Ranch.  It is a working ranch dating back to 1854 and in the last several years, they've been distilling whiskey. When I say distilling, I mean really distilling, not sourcing and bottling someone else's product. In fact, Frey Ranch is a complete grain-to-glass distillery. Colby Frey, both farmer and distiller, grows his own grains on over 2000 acres in the Sierra Nevada Watershed.

The grains Colby uses in his Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon creates a mash of 66.6% corn, 12% malted barley, 11.4% winter wheat, and 10% winter cereal rye.  He then ages the distillate for at least four years. The entire production process happens on site.  It is placed in an attractive package with a hefty bottle embossed with the ranch's registered brand.

But the craziest (in a good way) part of the package is the stopper. It is bronze and weighs a ton. The entire thing gives you a perception of quality. And, with that statement, I'm going to go off on a brief tangent. 

To state the obvious, packaging is all marketing. It offers nothing with regard to the real quality of the whiskey inside. As a matter of fact (and admitting my own bias), when I see a fancy package, I tend to cringe a bit because I assume fancy bottles are used to sell lesser whiskeys.

Frey Ranch Bourbon is bottled at 90°, is non-chill filtered, carries no age statement, and retails for about $50.00. Currently, it is distributed in Nevada and will be available next in California. 

And now, it is time to #DrinkCurious and learn if this is just another mediocre whiskey in a sharp-looking bottle or something special. Before I get started, though, I'd like to thank Frey Ranch for providing me a sample in exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest review.

In my Glencairn glass, Frey Ranch Bourbon appears as a definite orange amber. It left a medium-thick rim and medium, fast legs to drop back to the pool of liquid sunshine.

Aromas of apples and pears tickled my olfactory senses. Beneath those was brown sugar which made my mouth water a bit. Then, the smell of baked goods took over.  When I inhaled through my mouth, crisp apple became obvious.

My first sip gave a thin and light mouthfeel. Subsequent sips added some viscosity but it never became what I could describe as thick.  The first flavor to hit my palate was oak. That was soon joined by cinnamon. Then, at mid-palate, something magical happened:  I was suddenly eating a caramel apple. It wasn't caramel and then apples, it was both simultaneously. On the back of my palate, I found black pepper mixed with light char.

That black pepper followed into a very long, slow finish. The black pepper gave way to rye spice. The rye hung around for a bit, then became caramel. The caramel transformed to oak, and the oak morphed to apple. If you can picture these flavors walking down a staircase, that's a good description of how it happened... one flavor for each step.

Bottle, Bar or Bust:   You'll notice that you didn't read anything negative in this review. That's because I didn't find anything that was a turn-off. While the palate wasn't overly complicated, the finish definitely was. When I take into account that this is priced smack in the middle of your average "craft" whiskey, this little Nevada distillery opened my mind to what else the state may offer. As such, it earns my coveted Bottle rating. Cheers!

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Bushmills Red Bush Irish Whiskey Review

Did you know that Bushmills is the oldest licensed distillery in the world? That was news to me! But, Old Bushmills Distillery has been distilling since 1608. It hasn't been a continuous run - it was shuttered and reopened a few times, and back in 1885 the distillery was pretty much destroyed by fire. But, they rebuilt and resumed operations and even survived Prohibition, a feat most other Irish distilleries failed to overcome.

Bushmills has also changed hands several times. Founded by an Irish adventurer named Thomas Phillips, it didn't officially become Bushmills until 1784 when it was purchased by Hugh Anderson. It changed hands a few times, and then, in 1972, it was taken over by Irish Distillers, the holding company that controlled all Irish whiskey production. Then, in 1988, Pernod-Ricard took possession, who sold it to Diageo in 2005, who traded it off to Jose Cuervo, its current owner, in 2014.

Today I'm reviewing Bushmills Red Bush. Red Bush is a blended whiskey, meaning it is a blend of single malt and single grain whiskeys. Single malt refers to malt taken from a single distillery. Single grain means the same, except the grain is something other than malted barley. Typical of Irish whiskey, Bushmills triple-distills in a pot still. In the case of Red Bush, it is aged for at least three years in ex-Bourbon barrels. Bottled at 40% ABV (80°), retail is about $24.00 and it is very easy to find at liquor stores everywhere.

How does this very commercial Irish whiskey fare?  The only way to answer that is to #DrinkCurious, so here we go:

In my Glencairn glass, Red Bush appears as the color of golden straw.  It left a thin rim that created both very wavy legs and fat, slow droplets that worked back to the pool of liquid sunshine.

The sweet nose consisted of apricot and honey. It continued with pear before the sweetness tamed and became a mix of spice and oak. When I inhaled through my mouth, it was all apple.

My initial sip was a creamy mouthfeel with medium weight.  Additional attempts didn't change things. At the front, honey and apricot dominated, just like on the nose. In the middle, something interesting happened. It was originally just vanilla cream.  But, after a few subsequent sips, a dark chocolate bomb took over and even overwhelmed the vanilla. On the back, I found cocoa and black pepper.

It ended with a light, peppery finish mixed with dry oak. Medium to long in length, it provided no real warmth but was enjoyable.

Bottle, Bar or Bust:  Red Bush is a bottom shelf Irish whiskey. It is very easy on the wallet and not something that would otherwise garner attention. And, that's a shame (or perhaps not) because I found it enjoyable and it even brought a smile to my face. Two things happen here: Not only does it get my coveted Bottle rating, but it also snags my #RespectTheBottomShelf label.  Cheers! 

Sunday, March 15, 2020

Chicken Cock 8 Year Single Barrel Bourbon Review & Tasting Notes

Chicken Cock. For many of my maturity level, the name at the very least makes you smile. But, truth be told, Chicken Cock is one of the oldest Bourbon labels around. Founded in 1856 in Paris, Kentucky, the label survived Prohibition before a fire devastated the distillery in the 1950s. Then, in 2013, the brand was relaunched by Grain and Barrel Spirits

Obviously, you don't start distilling and bottling right away. If you're going to bring something back to the market quickly and require an age statement, you're going to do that by bottling someone else's whiskey. In the case of Chicken Cock 8 Year, the source is MGP of Indiana. It was then aged in Owensboro, Kentucky. 

Made from a mash of 70% corn, 21% rye and 9% malted barley, Chicken Cock is not the standard distillate from MGP.  While this is a single barrel Bourbon, there were 30 different barrels chosen, creating about 7200 bottles total. Each of the barrels had #4 char for the staves and #2 char for the heads.  Once dumped, they were diluted to 90° and retail was set at $100.00. As this was a special release to celebrate Chicken Cock's 160th anniversary in 2017, bottles are probably still out there but may be difficult to find.

But, the real question is, should you invest your time tracking it down?  I'll help answer that question now thanks to a friend who provided me a sample for review. Time to #DrinkCurious.

In my Glencairn glass, Chicken Cock presented as a bright coppery amber. It left a thin rim that generated a fat, wavy curtain that took its time dropping back to the pool of liquid sunshine

Aromas of caramel and mint greeted me initially.  Underneath those were oak and orange zest. When I inhaled through my lips, it was a blend of vanilla and oak.

A thin and oily mouthfeel got all over my palate. On the front, it was caramel, which led to oak mid-palate. On the back, it was peppery. This culminated in a medium-long finish of black pepper, charred oak, vanilla, and finally dry oak.

Bottle, Bar or Bust:  You'll notice there aren't a lot of notes, especially on the palate. That's not me being lazy, rather, there simply wasn't a lot going on. Chicken Cock was decent, but nothing special. It certainly is not a $100 Bourbon no matter what the company claims it is.  There are a lot of Bourbons and Ryes that cost a c-note and some even earn it. But, there is no way in my opinion to justify the cost. And, because the price way outweighs the value, I'm going to rate this one a Bust. Cheers!

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Woodford Reserve Batch Proof 123.6 Bourbon Review













Monday, March 9, 2020

Whiskey Acres Bottled in Bond Bourbon Review

About 70 miles west of Chicago, in the middle of corn country, exists a little 2,000-acre seed-to-spirit outfit called Whiskey Acres Distilling Company. This was the first estate distillery in Illinois and the second in the nation, meaning the distillery uses only grains grown on its own land, grown by farmers Jim and Jamie Walter and Nick Nagele. It even uses limestone water from the ground beneath those fields. 

They've been distilling, on and off, and farming for five generations going back to (at least) 1897.

Arriving on April 4th is Whiskey Acres's inaugural batch of Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon.  If you're unfamiliar with the term Bottled-in-Bond, it is uniquely American and essentially a consumer protection law.

You see, back in the day (does that make me old?), store owners, rectifiers, and saloon owners wanted their stocks to stretch as much as possible. To accomplish that, they'd add very bad things to their booze. Things like tobacco spit and turpentine. Folks were getting sick (or worse) and wanted some sort of guarantee of quality. Also, as with any government "protection", it involved providing additional tax revenue.

The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 created the following rules for any spirit carrying the Bottled-in-Bond label:

  • It must be entirely a product of the United States.
  • It must be a product of one distillery by one distiller in a single distilling season (January to June or July to December).
  • It must be aged at least four years in a federally-bonded warehouse.
  • It must be bottled at 100°, and the bottle must state who the distiller is if different than who bottled it.

Let's get back to the Whiskey Acres Bourbon. After distilling from a sweet mash of 75% yellow-dent corn, 15% soft red winter wheat, and 10% malted barley in their hybrid pot still named Flow, the newmake is brought down to an entry proof of 120°, then placed in #3-char, 53-gallon American white oak barrels from Kelvin Cooperage and then left alone to age for at least four years.

I've visited a lot of distilleries in my life, and I've seen some very unusual warehouses. Never have I seen one inside a grain silo! But, this is where the magic happens.

Choosing only seven barrels, the Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon is non-chill-filtered. The distribution will be throughout Illinois, with limited availability in Wisconsin and Nebraska. Retail will be $49.99.  

I'd like to thank Whiskey Acres for providing me with a sample of the Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon in exchange for a no-holds-barred, honest review. Time to #DrinkCurious and get on with the review.

In my trusty Glencairn glass, this Bourbon appeared as a definitive deep orange. It left a medium rim and fat droplets took a bit to appear before gravity took them down to the pool of liquid sunshine.

The nose was very corn-forward. Oak was there, but nowhere near dominating. A floral perfume was also there, which I found completely unexpected due to a lack of any rye content. I also picked up orange peel and even a hint of peach. When I inhaled through my lips, it was pure vanilla.  

A thin, coating mouthfeel greeted my palate. Like the nose, corn was the first thing noticed. In fact, there was a ton of it. Mid-palate, I tasted both chocolate and cocoa. On the back, a cereal quality from the malted barley was evident and it married with oak, creamy caramel, and pink peppercorn. 

The medium-length finish was dry oak, white pepper, and thick, heavy, dark chocolate. Underneath that was the subtlest suggestion of mint. Overall, the finish was warming but lacked any real burn. There was also no numbing of my hard palate and lips. 

Bottle, Bar or Bust: I enjoyed Whiskey Acres inaugural Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon. It wasn't overly complicated and, despite the 100°, I'd classify it as an easy sipper. One word of warning: because it goes down so easy, that 100° sneaks up on you like an all-encompassing hug from a grandma who also wants to give you a kiss while she's wearing bright pink lipstick. When you take that and consider that $50 is about average for craft whiskey, this becomes an easy Bottle recommendation. 

On a final note, I appreciated this Bourbon so much, Mrs. Whiskeyfellow and I drove down to the distillery afterward to see it in person and discover what Whiskey Acres was all about. We were shown around by Colby, who did an amazing job as our guide.

The tasting room is about a year old and is inviting. While you're visiting (or waiting for the tour to begin), you can buy a few cocktails. For what it is worth, I highly recommend the Bourbon & Blues.

In all, this was a fun visit and I'm glad we made the drive. Sipping whiskey is great (obviously), but visiting distilleries and meeting some of the folks involved is always a blast. Do it whenever you can. Cheers!

Friday, March 6, 2020

Kentucky Owl Confiscated Review & Tasting Notes

Some whiskey brands come on the scene with a whisper, others with a bang. Kentucky Owl is one of the latter. Oh, don't get me wrong, Kentucky Owl is technically not a new brand. It was founded in 1879. But, it also is one of those brands that went away and was recently resurrected. They started with blending Bourbon in 2014 and Rye in 2017. They've been bought out by Stoli and have started constructing a massive campus in Bardstown. There are other things going on, but one of the bang qualities is the price.  Kentucky Owl came on the scene as an ultra-premium whiskey and continues to charge ultra-premium prices.

I will say this much. I have a couple of bottles of Kentucky Owl Rye Batch 1 and it is stupendously delicious. I've seen Batch 2 and was reluctant to pull the trigger, especially after reading some unflattering reviews (mostly comparing an even higher price tag and lower proof than Batch 1). I've tried some of their Bourbons and been impressed. Then, Confiscated hit the market, commanding a $125 suggested pricetag. It carries no age statement, no one knows who in Kentucky actually distilled it, and we're not sure of the mashbill (which would likely give away the distiller). But, we do know it is at least four years old, and it is bottled at 96.4°.

I have a good friend in Florida who owns Fine Spirits Wine & Liquors in Cooper City. He was kind enough to let me sample Confiscated in exchange for a review. 

In my Glencairn glass, Confiscated presented as a deep amber with reddish tones.  It left a medium rim that generated thick, slow legs to drop back to the pool of liquid sunshine. 

Aromas of vanilla and caramel dominated my senses.  Beneath those was an absolutely lovely rye spice blended with oak.  I also picked up a hint of pear. When I inhaled through my lips, it was very much a vanilla bomb. 

With my first sip, the mouthfeel was creamy and coating. Subsequent sips kept the creamy factor but it also became oily. Initial flavors of vanilla and dried nuts greeted my palate. That switched up to mint mid-palate, suggesting a higher rye content, and, on the back, it was dry oak and black pepper. The finish was medium-to-long with oak and tobacco and leather.

When my friend asked what I thought, I said I was underwhelmed. He suggested I let it sit for an hour and then revisit it. Normally I'd pass on that opportunity because that's not how I handle reviews in a real-world setting. I give any whiskey plenty of time to breathe before trying it. But, he made the request and I'm always happy to accommodate someone's curiosity (after all, that's all part of the #DrinkCurious lifestyle). 

When I came back to Confiscated, there wasn't a lot of change.  I picked up berry notes on the nose and when inhaling through my lips. Aside from that, it was the same Bourbon. 

Bottle, Bar or Bust:  I've technically rated this twice. I have enjoyed much of the Kentucky Owl that I've encountered. There is always a return on investment to consider when buying anything, and whiskey is subject to that same equation. Confiscated is good. But, at $125, I want something to be great. Confiscated wasn't that, at least not for me, and in both tastings, I gave this a Bar rating. Try this at a good whiskey bar before you try it. Confiscated has been on store shelves awhile and there should be no fear of missing out.  Cheers!