NYC | NYC Whiskey Review

Taconic Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Bottled in Bond

November 14, 2024 NYC

Name: Taconic Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Bottled in Bond

Color: Brown

Nose: Corn, vanilla, dark fruits, orange, oak

Taste: Corn, caramel, vanilla, apricot/orange, cream, dry oak

Taconic Distillery’s “Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Bottled in Bond” is from the Hudson Valley area of New York and was sent to me to review. Straight Bourbon is non-aged stated, but is aged 4.25 years in Independent Stave cooper select Char #3, and bottled at 50% abv. The mash bill is 70% corn / 25% rye / 5% barley. The barrels are rested in shipping containers which increase the temperature swings during the aging process. The higher temperatures created more intense flavors and at 100 proof it is well balanced and easy to drink. The expression is “bottled in bond” is a legal term that requires three conditions to be met:

Produced in a single distillation season by a single distillery.
Matured in a US Bonded warehouse for a minimum 4 years.
Bottled at 50% abv.

The reason for this method originates from the 1897 Bottled in Bond Act which was created to protect the authenticity and integrity of American spirits. Boot leggers were getting creative back in the day and producing gut rot dog shit whiskey and the government wanted to protect actual hard working distillers’ products. Ironically, 23 years later, alcohol sales would be banned under Prohibition for 13 long years. This led to more boot legging and a massive rise in criminal organizations. The road to hell has always been paved with good intentions.

I was in Kentucky a couple of weeks ago doing my yearly visit and tasting and I can state for certain that Bottled in Bond can give any Kentucky Bourbon a serious run for their money. Taconic states that their whiskey is good for sipping and/or cocktails. This expression definably works as a sipping whisky. The profile is well balanced, the finish is smooth, and it has a nice Kentucky chew. A little ice opens the whiskey up nicely and the 100 proof holds the flavor. This expression will work well in a cocktail due to the proof, but it is just as good to drink neat or on the rocks.

I want to thank the owner of Taconic Distillery Paul Coughlin for sending this bottle and bag of coffee to me. We had a nice chat on the phone last week and I expressed my appreciation for his consideration and the support as an independent whiskey reviewer. I am going to make a point to visit in the next few months.

Priced around $60 and a very good tasting New York Whiskey. Not sure if it will be easy to find on the shelves so you might have to take a ride up the Hudson River to Taconic Distillery.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Taconic Distillery

November 7, 2024 NYC

Taconic Distillery is situated in the Hudson Valley region, but its official location is at 179 Bowden Rd. Standfordville, NY. The distillery is a former farm and is now owned by Paul Couglin, who used to be a Wall Street guy. He made the switch to the whiskey world in 2013 and has been making is mark ever since. Taconic is approximately 100 miles North of NYC so plan your travel time and transport method on the country roads. I recommend staying in Rhinebeck, NY at one of the many Bed & Breakfasts and having dinner in the downtown area.

After receiving a few bottles over the last couple of years Paul and I spoke and he invited me up for a behind the scenes tour. I visited on a Saturday in late October 2023. He showed me the distillery, rickhouses, bottling, and packing area. I was impressed to see the amount of volume produced in what would be considered a “small location”. It was very refreshing to go on a tour, even behind the scenes, where the owner shows you everything and is so full of passion. I have been on a few distillery tours before and they can get very dull very quickly. In the rickhouse I got to sign a barrel and in my excitement I spelled whiskey incorrectly on the barrel. I feel like a dumbass, I think I should probably buy that barrel. Paul, give me a call please.

Taconic has a nice outdoor patio with a view of the hillside and a smaller indoor space to order or enjoy drinks. Depending on the weather there will be food trucks and live music. The indoor bar has all the Taconic expressions to enjoy as a drink or purchase to take home. There are also other whiskeys, merchandise, coffee, and non-alcoholic drinks available to purchase. Since it was late October I thought it would be best to sample a Maple Old Fashion. They two were mixed by Carol Ann and they were very good. I really enjoyed them listening the music as the sunset over the farm lands hills.

Taconic expressions: Dutchess Private Reserve, Barrel Strength Bourbon Whiskey, Founder’s Straight Rye Whiskey, Barrel Strength Rye Whiskey, Double Barrel Maple Bourbon Whiskey, New York Wheated Bourbon, Bottled in Bond Bourbon, New York Single Malt Whiskey, Horse & Jockey Bourbon, Fox & Hare Rye Whiskey, Bourbon Cream, Rolling Hills Rum, Stubbornly Different Gin, Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup, and a few other specialized expressions.

I am glad I finally got up there and I look forward to going back soon. I highly recommend a visit if you are in Upstate area of New York or you should do an overnight trip!

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve – Christmas Edition

November 6, 2024 NYC

Name: Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve – Christmas Edition

Color: Brown

Nose: Corn, malt, vanilla, oak, caramel

Taste: Corn, malt, vanilla, oak, caramel, orange notes

Taconic Distillery’s “Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve” is from the Hudson Valley area of New York and was sent to me last year to review. I could not get it into the schedule for 2023, but I am making a point to get it into the 2024’s as the Holiday Season and shopping approaches!

This expression is titled, “Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Dutchess Private Reserve” and is bottled at 50% abv. It is non-chill filtered and is non-aged stated, but aged 5 years in charred American Oak barrels. The mash bill is 70% corn, 25% rye, and 5% barley. When tasted side by side with Taconic Bottle & Bonded, you can notice the aging has smoothed out whiskey more even though they are the same abv. Taconic states that their whiskey is good for sipping and/or cocktails. This expression is very good for sipping neat. It is well balanced, smooth, and has no burn on the finish.

A main point I would like to make is that Taconic makes several whiskies, spirits and merchandise and with Christmas past approaching any of their products would make a great gift! You can check out what can be ordered online or take a ride up to the distillery to enjoy a drink and their bar/store. Many thanks to Paul at Taconic for sending this bottle to me.

Priced around $60 and worth money. Merry Christmas!

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve – Headless Horseman Edition

October 31, 2024 NYC

Name: Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve – Headless Horseman Edition

Color: Brown

Nose: Corn, malt, vanilla, oak, caramel

Taste: Corn, malt, vanilla, oak, caramel, orange notes

Taconic Distillery’s “Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve” is from the Hudson Valley area of New York and was sent to me in October 2023 to review. This the third bottle sent as a gift for me to review. Again, many thanks to Taconic!

Taconic Distillery is formally the “Millbrook Distillery” and was established in 2013. This expression is titled, “Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Dutchess Private Reserve” and is bottled at 50% abv. It is non-chill filtered and is non-aged stated, but aged 5 years in charred American Oak barrels. The mash bill is 70% corn, 25% rye, and 5% barley. When tasted side by side with Taconic Bottle & Bonded, you can notice the aging has smoothed out whiskey more even though they are the same abv. The extra aging helps.

Taconic states that their whiskey is good for sipping and/or cocktails. This expression is very good for sipping neat. It is well balanced, smooth, and has no burn on the finish. The “Kentucky chew” is very nice and I am very impressed. Dutchess Private Reserve reminds me that you do not need to be hundred-year-old distillery to produce a good product. I can count on one hand how many distilleries fall under this statement and I have fingers left over.

Dutchess works well on ice as it is 100 proof so the flavor holds. I will have to try it in a cocktail too!!!!

Again, I wanted to thank Taconic for sending this bottle to me. My review next week will be on the distillery as went upstate for a visit last weekend.

Priced around $50+ and worth money. Happy Halloween!

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

The Toki Cocktail Series # 1 – The Old Fashioned

September 25, 2024 NYC

Toki is produced by Suntory and is a blend of their Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita whiskey’s. It is a clean tasting whiskey, but does not have any real complexity or interesting flavor profile. I find it a little boring and too rough to drink neat or on the rocks. In my opinion, Suntory created this as a cocktail mixer so I thought I would put it to the test with a series of Toki Cocktails.

Toki Cocktail Series #1 – The Old Fashioned

2.0 oz Toki Whiskey
¼ part Honey Syrup
Grapefruit Bitters
Slice of Grapefruit

Well, this tasted like absolute fucking dog shit. I will admit, I did not have grapefruit bitters because I was not going to spend $20 bottle on bitters for one cocktail. I substituted half orange and half regular bitters, but that was not the main problem. The grapefruit did not help either due to the bitterness of grapefruit. Toki’s flavor profile does not work for me when I am used to high proof rye or bourbon Old Fashioneds. I do not recommend this Toki cocktail.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

2 Whisky Bars to visit in NYC

September 19, 2024 NYC

In New York City, there is no shortage of places to enjoy whisky, however, your mood or need may require a bar with a certain vibe. If you are looking for a good selection of whisky, but you may need the bar for different social reasons I have two recommendations. In addition, all three locations do whisky tasting and classes. Prices range from free to “Holy shit! How much?”

The Flatiron Room, Flatiron Neighborhood

www.theflatironroom.com

Style: Romantic

Location: 37 West 26^th Street (Broadway & 26^th)

A high ceiling space with wooden tables and chairs with an old school lounge type of vibe. The walls are cabinets full of whisky and a moveable ladder for the bartenders to retrieve purchased or stored customer bottles. There is a light food menu available but the focus is the whisky menu. There are around a 1,000 (+/-) bottles on the menu so there is something for everyone. Reservations are strongly recommend as the bar space is very small with limited seating and no television. Several nights a week, there is live music lounge/jazz music.

The Flatiron Room is the type of place you take a date to for drinks or after a nice dinner. A group of friends works fine too, but I find it more a table for two type of place.

The Brandy Library, Tribeca Neighborhood

www.brandylibrary.com

Style: Business

Location: 25 North Moore Street (North Moore St & Varick St)

Wall Street is the first thing I think of every time I walk in the door, but not in the douche bag coked up asshole type of way. A long wooden bar, soft lighting, leather cushioned seats, and cocktail tables set a comfortable business tone. The space is very clean and the staff is well dressed and professional. The walls are shelved and full of all the bottles on the thick leather bound menu. Small bites of food are available and there is not television at the bar. An added bonus is the small outside seating where you can smoke a cigar and enjoy your drink.

The Brandy Library is a good place for drinks with friends, happy hour, or date. Prices are fair but not cheap as you are in a trendy area. I have been recently with a few friends from out of town and they really enjoyed it.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Dead Rabbit (Bar) Grocery & Grog (& Whiskey)

September 12, 2024 NYC

Name: The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog (& Whiskey)

Location: 30 Water Street, New York, NY

Hours: Monday thru Sunday, 11:00am-4:00am

Style: Pub/Cocktail

The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog in New York, NY has been voted the worlds best bar in 2015 and 2016. They also won Best Bar in North America in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. Named after the gang from back in the day in NYC and the name of how an illegal bar (aka grocery) was advertised the Dead Rabbit now has its own whiskey.

As far as all the awards and titles go; I have been in bars that do not have awards that are fantastic and others that are top rated and are shit. It is the owner and the bartender that make the place not the title.

The Dead Rabbit has 3 bars on 2 levels and is a hybrid between a pub and cocktail bar. It is a good place to take a rest when touring downtown or after getting off the tour boats and ferries at the waterfront. Here is my quick review of Dead Rabbit Whiskey:

Name: The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey

Color: Gold

Nose: Vanilla, orange, citrus cream

Taste: Cream, vanilla, white pepper

Review:

Basic blended Irish Whiskey supplied by major distillery. Reminds me of a softer Proper 12 but, a bit flat in flavor profile. Whiskey is priced around $45 a bottle or $13 per 2oz pour. Same price as the Famous Grouse so that should tell you something. It was served to me in mini snifter glass. That drives me absolutely bat-shit crazy when I get whiskey in cognac glass. It’s a personal thing. Whiskey goes in whiskey glass.

There was a fire a while back and the bar has undergone some rebuilding. The rebuilt area on the first floor is nice and cozy and still has that new wood smell. The upstairs area small with a few tables and a small bar. There are no televisions so do not go to watch a game. The Irish Whiskey selection is the largest selection on the menu but there is plenty of Bourbon, Scotch and International Whiskeys.

“If you like it, drink it!“ – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

McSorley’s Old Ale House

September 11, 2024 NYC

McSorley’s Old Ale House is located in the East Village in Manhattan, was established in 1854, and is said to be the oldest operating bar in NYC. To be a fly on the wall here to see 170 years of people coming and going would have been fascinating. From Presidents drinking, the start and end of Prohibition, to women not allowed to enter until 1970, this place has some history. I recommend you read up on it.

McSorley’s serves only one type of drink which is beer. You can have either a light ale beer or dark porter beer and bother are severed in two smaller mugs. The food menu is limited, and I have tried it but I do not go to McSorley’s to eat. There are no reservations, and it can get very busy, so I recommend you visit in midafternoon.

As the Autumn approaches and the bar hopping scene ramps up and we get more friends visiting in NYC, I always make a point to take people to McSorley’s. Everyone I have taken to this bar has enjoyed the experience, even St. Matthew pictured below!

Location: East Village, NYC: 15^th East 7^th Street (3^rd Ave & 7^th St)
Hours: Monday to Saturday 11am-1am & Sunday 12pm-1am
Children Allowed: No kids after 6:00pm
Payment: Cash Only
Reservations: None

McSorley’s is a historic landmark bar in NYC and worth a visit for a round of beers.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Hudson Whiskey NY – Do the Rye Thing

February 14, 2024 NYC

Name: Hudson Whiskey NY – Do the Rye Thing

Color: Light Brown

Nose: Rye, green fruits, oak, spices

Taste: Rye, spices, dusty wood

Bright Lights, Big Bourbon is from Tuthilltown Spirts Distillery in Gardiner, New York. The distillery was founded in 2003 and was acquired by William Grant & Sons in 2010. The acquisition brought in an influx of cash and changes to the brand from its previous name, bottle style, price, and flavor.

The name of this whiskey sounded familiar to me when I first noticed a marketing push of their whiskeys in the NYC area. This expression as previously titled “Manhattan Rye” is now “Do the Rye Thing”. The name sounds like a play on words from a Brooklyn movie directors classic NYC film. The green label color is based off the 4,5,6 NYC Subway lines to stand out on the store shelfs. This should help with the marketing push but not so much when it comes to the flavor profile.

The mash bill is 95% rye and 5% malted barley. It is aged 3 years in new charred American oak barrels and bottled at 46% abv. The first taste is a very odd dusty-earthy rye flavor. The second taste is more earthy but does taste any better. It tastes cheap and old at the same time which is a weird combination. This is my second and last tasting of Hudson Whiskey NY whiskeys.

Priced around $50 and I am not impressed.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Taconic Distillery Straight Bourbon Whiskey

December 22, 2023 NYC

Name: Taconic Distillery Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Color: Light Copper

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, honey, smoked wood, cherry

Taste: Oak, white pepper, orange

3 Days left before Christmas! Do you have all your bottles yet?!?

Taconic Distillery Straight Bourbon Whiskey is from the Hudson Valley area of New York and was sent to me a gift to review. I received this bottle from the distillery for a review along with their Bourbon Maple Syrup and a few other goodies. This is my first whiskey bottle sent to me to review, I guess I am moving up in the world!

Taconic Distillery is formally the “Millbrook Distillery” and was established in 2013. The expression is “Dutchess Private Reserve” (bottle 12/2082) and is bottled at 45% abv. The bourbon is non-aged stated, the mash bill is 70% corn / 25% rye / 5% barley and aged in new charred oak. The name of the expression (Dutchess) comes from the name of the New York County where the Taconic Distillery is located.

Taconic states that their whiskey is good for sipping and/or cocktails. I have found it better for cocktails than sipping when I tasted it. The whiskey is young, tight, and a bit sharp when drank neat. With a little water or ice, it softens out but I find the flavor profile works better in a cocktail.

The package I received included a label for a Taconic Whiskey Sour. The cocktail requires an egg white when mixing. I have had egg white in a gin cocktail before and did not enjoy it, but this time it worked very nicely with the bourbon. The frothy taste, fresh tang, syrup and bourbon worked very together. This cocktail is a summer time by the pool drink at a BBQ, not really a cold ass NYC night drink. Personally, I prefer an Old Fashioned over a Whiskey Sour, but each have their role to play in my diet. One item of note is the lower proof Dutchess gets a little washed down in the mixing, so carefully on how many of these you drink in the sun.

Taconic Whiskey Sour

3 oz Taconic Whiskey
1 egg white
3 oz fresh lemon juice
2 oz Taconic Maple Syrup
Place ingredients int a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously to emulsify egg white. Stain into two rock glasses. Garnish with a Luxardo maraschino cherry.

Priced around $50 is a good cocktail mixer and worth a try to support a local company.

Many thanks to Taconic Distillery and Bourbon Maple Syrup review coming soon!

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Taconic Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Bottled in Bond

Taconic Distillery

Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve – Christmas Edition

Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve – Headless Horseman Edition

The Toki Cocktail Series # 1 – The Old Fashioned

2 Whisky Bars to visit in NYC

Dead Rabbit (Bar) Grocery & Grog (& Whiskey)

McSorley’s Old Ale House

Hudson Whiskey NY – Do the Rye Thing

Taconic Distillery Straight Bourbon Whiskey

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