October, 2022 - BourbonSphere

Calumet Farm 16yr bourbon whiskey

How long is to long for bourbon to stay in the barrel? On this weeks podcast episode we sip on Calumet Bourbon,Calumet Farm 16yr, and discuss the age of this Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey . This bottle is named for the legendary American thoroughbred race horse Citation, who is the eighth winner of the American

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How long is to long for bourbon to stay in the barrel?

On this weeks podcast episode we sip on Calumet Bourbon,Calumet Farm 16yr, and discuss the age of this Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey .

This bottle is named for the legendary American thoroughbred race horse Citation, who is the eighth winner of the American Triple Crown. He won 16 consecutive stakes races and was the first horse in history to win 1 million dollars.

Calumet Farm is a 762-acre Thoroughbred breeding and training farm established in 1924 in Lexington, Kentucky.

We hope you enjoy Jim and Mike’s review. Be sure to listen in to the podcast episode, on your favorite platform, for more information. Cheers!

Tasting Notes: Calumet Farm 16yr bourbon whiskey

Vital Stats: This Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey has been aged 16 years and is a batch of 19 barrels. It has a mash bill of 74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% Malted Barley. It is 106 proof and has an MSRP of $150.

Appearance: Wine bottle with golden amber bourbon whiskey inside.

Nose: A dusty scent with some honey cinnamon butter. It’s not aggressive. Dr Pepper spice with peanuts. Lots of oak and leather.

Palate: Black liquorish with oak. An absence of sweetness, with baker’s chocolate or coco powder. Surprisingly there isn’t a lot of spice. It does open up after a while and gives us some Christmas fruit cake.

Finish: Medium with a slight Kentucky hug.

Overall: This might have stayed in the barrel to long. For those that enjoy an older bourbon that has those oak notes this would be a buy. We wouldn’t buy it again but will certainly enjoy this bottle. Cheers

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Willett 8yr Wheated

What’s your favorite Willett Distillery expression? Willett Distillery has a cult following of their Willett purple top bottles but have been missing a wheated bourbon . Luckily for the Wheated King of Kentucky they have finally added a purple top wheater . To say Big Chief was excited when our great friend Adam Boothby handed

The post Willett 8yr Wheated appeared first on The Bourbon Road.

What’s your favorite Willett Distillery expression?

Willett Distillery has a cult following of their Willett purple top bottles but have been missing a wheated bourbon .

Luckily for the Wheated King of Kentucky they have finally added a purple top wheater . To say Big Chief was excited when our great friend Adam Boothby handed him a bottle for his birthday is an understatement.

The Willett Distilling Company has remained under family ownership and operation at the same location since it was created in 1936.

Over the years the company has bottled whiskeys that range from 2 years of aging maturity up to 28 years and has been called “the big daddy of bourbon and rye bottling”.

We hope you enjoy Jim and Mike’s review. Be sure to listen in to the podcast episode on your favorite platform for more information. Cheers!

Tasting Notes: Willett 8yr Wheated

Vital Stats: This Willett wheated Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey has been aged 8 years in #4 new American oak barrels. It has a mash bill of 65% corn, 20% wheat and 15% malted barley. It is 108 proof and has an MSRP of $259.

Appearance: Black whiskey style bottle with gold text. The whiskey is dark golden honey. We usually don’t like these bottles that you can’t see the goodness inside but we love this one. It’s like they made this for royalty .

Nose: A waft of chocolate with some Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It has dried fruits and sweet perfumes that makes it very floral. The proof makes it strong. Very little oak.

Palate: Balanced and not aggressive with a beautiful barrel spice. Cinnamon Toast Crunch with sprinkles of chocolate and milk in a glass. The dried fruits carry over and give you that surprisingly subtle sweetness.

Finish: Long with a nice wildcat Kentucky Hug that won’t overpower you.

Overall: This is an amazing bottle of bourbon that shouldn’t be passed on if you can afford it. It’s a buy for us and will be sipped on for special occasions. Cheers

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Knob Creek 18 year Bourbon

What’s your favorite Knob Creek expression? There is a lot of debate on this subject and the recently release of the Knob Creek 18year has only added more to the discussion. James B. Beam Distilling Co.released the first Knob Creek in 1992 and named it after Knob Creek Farm which was the boyhood home of

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What’s your favorite Knob Creek expression?

There is a lot of debate on this subject and the recently release of the Knob Creek 18year has only added more to the discussion.

James B. Beam Distilling Co.released the first Knob Creek in 1992 and named it after Knob Creek Farm which was the boyhood home of Abraham Lincoln.

It was quickly regarded as one of the first premium aged small batch bourbons by many and has received many awards over the years.

Knob Creek was aged for nine years until late 2016, when Beam Suntory removed the age statement from the label due to tight inventory that could not be guaranteed to be aged the full nine years.

In mid 2019 Beam Suntory announced the age statement would return to bottle labels sometime in 2020 and has since released a 9 year, 12 year, 15 year and now an 18 year

We hope you enjoy Jim and Mike’s review. Be sure to listen to the podcast episode on your favorite platform for more information. Cheers!

Tasting Notes: Knob Creek 18year

Vital Stats: The Knob Creek 18yr Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey has a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley. It is 100 proof and has an MSRP of $150.00.

Appearance: Standard knob creek bottle with dark red amber bourbon inside.

Nose: Drunken cherries with lots of oak as would be expected. Some caramel and vanilla along with a toasted smoke. Some underlying mint freshness and cereals.

Palate: Lots of caramel with oak. It’s not overly sweet and has a tad bit of tart apple. We vary on it a little because of the proof. The cherry and honey Cheerios are very pleasant making it a nice sipping whiskey.

Finish: Medium with a beautiful Kentucky hug that won’t overpower you.

Overall: This is a porch sitting, grab a glass on a long fall day and think about life while enjoying this nice Kentucky bourbon. It’s a buy for both of us. Cheers

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OHLQ Announces Woodinville Private Select Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Arriving Week of 10/10

The Ohio Division of Liquor Control (OHLQ) has announced the release of nine barrels of single barrel selection of Woodinville Private Select Straight Bourbon Whiskey appearing in stores this week (week of October 10) for $74.99 + tax. The nine ba…

The nine barrels are made with local grains from the state of Washington (corn, rye, and malted barley). You can learn about their process here.

The barrels have the following details:

The Don - Barrel #6186 - 117.96 Proof (58.98% alcohol)
A sweet and citrusy aroma on a balanced spice flavor profile, with hints of dark fruit and cognac, leads to a very present and lingering finish.
Warm Sugar Cookie - Barrel #6681 - 117.82 Proof (58.91% alcohol)
A light, flighty nose reveals an herbal, chocolatey mint flavor profile, preceding a sweet finish.
Short Stack - Barrel #7029 - 116.34 Proof (58.17% alcohol)
Pancakes and maple syrup on the nose herald an overall sweet flavor profile and an orange zest finish.
Tuscan Jam - Barrel #7033 - 116.88 Proof (58.44% alcohol)
A musty aroma with the effect of spice and marmalade on the mid-palate spice heads to a warm, dry finish that lingers nicely.
Cola, PHD - Barrel #7047 - 115.68 Proof (57.84% alcohol)
Caramel and sweetness on the nose anticipate tasting notes of orange marmalade and effervescent cola prior to a spicy finish.
Spice Market - Barrel #7318 - 115.20 Proof (57.6% alcohol)
Boldness on the nose, with hints of citrus and toffee and malt, segues to an oak and tobacco flavor profile that builds to a spice bomb on the front to mid-palate and a very viscous, lingering finish.
Chocolate Orange Wedges - Barrel #7324 - 113.50 Proof (56.75% alcohol)
Aromas of toasted oak and grains precede flavor notes of honey and bold spice on the mid-palate in service of a sweet finish, evocative of a chocolate-covered orange.
Panna Cotta - Barrel #7331 - 114.14 Proof (57.07% alcohol)
A delicate, light nose with a citrusy profile complements flavor notes of caramel, vanilla, and crème bruleed sugar that rise to a finish that is lingering, bright, and effervescent.
Salt Water Taffy - Barrel #7332 - 114.18 Proof (57.09% alcohol)
Undertones of caramel, vanilla, mint, and toasted oak on the nose pair with a flavor profile featuring playful elasticity between the spiciness and sweetness of the rye before pivoting to a briney and funky finish.

You can use this site to try to track down a bottle.

My Take

First of all, I'm calling B.S. on the tasting notes. There is no way that barrels aged in the same location or the same amount of time would differ that much. The second concerning thing for me about this release, is no age statement on the release (how long the barrels have been aged) and I'm not sure bourbon coming from Washington state is a selling point. Part of what makes Kentucky perfect for bourbon is their limestone rich water and their climate that has lots of heat in the summer and cold in the winter, allowing the barrels to expand and contract, which allows the bourbon to soak up the flavor of the wood. Washington is mostly cold...

With no age statement and knowing nothing about Woodinville, this is a release I'm going to give a hard pass.

What are your thoughts? Drop a note in the comments below.

Source: OHLQ

Review / Fettercairn 18 years old

This new whisky is the latest to join the core range of Fettercairn and is a planned annual bottling. It is the first release from the increasingly popular east Highland distillery's innovative Scottish Oak Programme. The initiative has seen pockets of matured and new make spirit filled to virgin Scottish oak casks. These casks have been constructed at the famous Speyside Cooperage specifically for Fettercairn and using wood selected from trees found in the Highlands. It has also seen 13,000 Scottish oak saplings planted close to the distillery, which is hoped will form the new Fettercairn Forest. This will supply Scottish oak for generations of whisky makers to come once they reach maturity.

The Fettercairn distillery is located near in the village of Fettercairn, near Laurencekirk in the east Highlands. This sits between the towns of Montrose and Stonehaven. It was founded in 1824 by Sir Alexander Ramsay but he sold it to Sir John Gladstone in 1830. He was the father to four times UK Prime Minister William Gladstone and it remained in the Gladstone family for nearly a century. It is currently owned by Whyte & Mackay and is considered a prized malt within blending circles. The current annual capacity is 3.2 million litres.

The Fettercairn 18 years old is bottled at 46.8% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. It will be available via specialist whisky and luxury retailers in selected global markets. A bottle will cost £175.

Our tasting notes

The colour is deep gold with a hint of chestnut brown. The initial aromas are of ripe tropical fruits and these sit alongside further aromas of caramel, toffee and cocoa. There are background hints of milk chocolate, roasted coffee beans and menthol alongside and underlying note of heather honey and sweet spices.

On the palate this whisky has immediately more oakiness up front. This has a slightly unusual edge and must be from the Scottish oak influence. It is drying and woody and packed with expressive oils - think of menthol, clove and a hint of eucalyptus in particular. A defined sweetness is never far away and this manifests itself as notes of golden syrup, honey, milk chocolate and a pinch of cocoa powder. Underneath sits Fettercairn's signature tropical fruit notes - imagine pineapple, mango and ripe banana. There is also a malty almost bread-like and biscuity quality sitting alongside, plus a blob of apricot jam and a hint of a sweet dessert like creme brulee.

The finish becomes drying and warming with time.The fading sweetness and tropical fruits allow the oaky woodiness and oily resinous quality to evolve and come through strongly. It again has a malty biscuit edge and an additional hint of mocha.

What's the verdict?

Fettercairn has really seemed to be coming of age with some of their recent releases, and this new 18 years old backs this feeling up strongly. The Scottish Oak Programme could be the thing that really put this lovely east Highland distillery on the map. The price of this 18 year old is a bit heavy, but the programme's heart is in the right place.

The initiative is innovative and with huge focus on sustainability and the future. And the casks involved in this have given a different and more savoury dimension to Fettercairn's fruity and tropical spirit style. It will be very interesting to see what future Scottish oak releases will bring.

Irish Distillers Give Us Oats And Malt

Irish Distillers has released a limited edition Irish whiskey made using Irish oats and malt called Method and Madness Oats and Malt. Irish Distillers Method and Madness Oats and Malt Irish whiskey is the second release from the ‘experimental’ micro-distillery in Midleton, County Cork, was triple-distilled in copper pot stills using a mash bill of […]

Irish Distillers has released a limited edition Irish whiskey made using Irish oats and malt called Method and Madness Oats and Malt.

Irish Distillers Method and Madness Oats and Malt Irish whiskey is the second release from the ‘experimental’ micro-distillery in Midleton, County Cork, was triple-distilled in copper pot stills using a mash bill of 60% oats and 40% malt, was bottled at 46% alcohol by volume [92 proof] and is said to contain notes of citrus, fudge and marshmallow.

Method and Madness Oats and Malt Irish whiskey is being made available in Ireland, the UK and online for $85 per bottle.

Brave New Spirits Tweet Tasting

In addition to our more established Tweet Tasting partners, during the last 12 years we’ve always been equally excited to bring you dramfotainment from the newer dramming kids on the block - which we’re very much looking forward to doing so again on November 2nd, with the independent bottlers and blenders New Brave Spirits. Our lips are sealed for the moment on what we’ll be pouring and

Suntory Releases Two Hibikis To America

Suntory has announced the release of Hibiki Blossom Harmony, a limited-edition blend featuring whiskies finished in Sakura casks and for the first time Hibiki 30 Year Old will be available in the U.S. Hibiki Blossom Harmony Sakura Blossom season in early spring has always been an occasion for celebration in Japan, with many gathering around …

Hibiki Blossom Harmony
Sakura Blossom season in early spring has always been an occasion for celebration in Japan, with many gathering around the beautiful flowering Sakura trees that inspire the Japanese to appreciate life as it blooms. Hibiki Blossom Harmony captures this joyful spirit by blending a rare selection of whiskies finished in Sakura wood casks with diverse matured malt and grain whiskies to create this particular Hibiki.

This limited-edition bottle will be available beginning in October in select global markets including in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, Spain, Austria, United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. The expression is bottled at 43 percent ABV and has a suggested retail price of $160 USD.

Inspired by Sakura
Hibiki is a harmonious blend of various malt and grain whiskies from Suntory’s Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries. Constantly pushing the boundaries of what Japanese Whisky can be, the House of Suntory continues to explore and experiment with various wood types. The Sakura cask was one that intrigued Fifth Generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo.

“I have been mesmerized by the Sakura cask for the last five years now due to its symbolism, but also because of its distinctive, subtly floral and spicy aroma and flavor notes,” says Fukuyo. “There have been many experiments with malt and grain whisky components, and we found that there was a special alchemy between the grain whiskies and the Sakura cask. It is this special relationship – harmony – that inspired me to create this blend.”

Achieving the right balance and orchestration proved to be a great challenge from the start since the Sakura cask is one with strong character that can easily become overbearing. After a period of trial and error, Fukuyo found that the grain whiskies finished in the Sakura cask best elevated the overall balance.

Hibiki 30 Year Old in the U.S.
Released in 1997 as a rare, limited edition, Hibiki 30 Year Old represents the paragon of the Hibiki brand and the art of Japanese craftsmanship. For the first time, this exquisite bottle will be available in the U.S. as of October for a suggested retail price of $5,000.

Hibiki 30 features a select blend of Yamazaki malt whiskies that are 30 years and older from Suntory’s treasured historic collection, with mild grain whiskies that have also matured at least 30 years. With a mere few thousand bottles produced each year, each is bottled by hand. This luxurious liquor has received accolades and awards from whisky connoisseurs around the world and it represents the pinnacle of whisky making at Suntory.

774 Malt Whisky Distilleries…and Counting! (Episode 973: October 9, 2022)

There are at least 774 malt whisky distilleries around the world, according to the 2023 edition of the Malt Whisky Yearbook. We’ll hear from some of the emerging malt whisky makers, including Dhavall Gandhi of The Lakes Distillery in England and Desiree Reid of New Zealand’s Cardrona Distillery, on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. Number 775 could be Jack Daniel’s, which unveiled plans this week to release an American Single Malt next June. We’ll also take a look at a group of whisky lovers that need special attention from whisky show organizers…those who need wheelchairs to get around. Links: Business Post Read More »

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Justins’ House Of Bourbon

About ten years ago, I posted something on Facebook about my ideal liquor store. Justins’ House of Bourbon meets most of the criteria I set for my perfect liquor store. There is an excellent selection of American whiskeys. They carry… Continue Readin…