NYC | NYC Whiskey Review

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 Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Bottled in Bond

December 22, 2023 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

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

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! – 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 Wheated Bourbon

December 21, 2023 NYC

Name: Taconic Straight Wheated Bourbon

Color: Light Brown

Nose: Malt/wheat, wood, orange, vanilla

Taste: Wheat, dry cedar wood , dark fruits (black cherries)

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

Taconic Distillery Straight Wheated Bourbon is from the Hudson Valley area of New York and was sent to me a surprise gift to review. This is the second whiskey bottle sent to me as a gift to review so many thanks to Taconic!

Taconic Distillery is formally the “Millbrook Distillery” and was established in 2013. This expression is “Straight Bourbon Whiskey – New York’s Wheated Bourbon” and is bottled at 45% abv. This expression is non-aged stated, but is aged 3 years in American Oak barrels char #3 and the mash bill is 70% corn / 25% wheat / 5% barley.

Taconic states that their whiskey is good for sipping and/or cocktails. This expression is more on the dry side due to the percentage of wheat in the mash. The taste is may be dry, but the finish is a little hot on the tongue at the lower proof. When ice is added it opens up nicely and the flavor profile comes out more. This expression works well on ice if you like the dryness and would do well in a cocktail but the taste would dissipate quickly due to the low proof.

I wanted to thank Taconic again for sending this bottle to me. I don’t go hunting for free stuff as I try to be self-funded so this was a very nice surprise. I enjoy their whiskey very much and I really need to get off my ass and get up to their distillery this Spring and meet the team!

Priced around $50 and worth it if you like wheated whiskey and supporting a local American business.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve

December 19, 2023 NYC

Name: Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve

Color: Brown

Nose: Corn, malt, vanilla, oak, caramel

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

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

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. Buy a bottle for a local New Yorker for a Christmas!

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Taconic Distillery

November 8, 2023 NYC

Taconic Distillery situated in the Hudson Valley region, but it’s 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! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery

October 12, 2023 NYC

As the cooler weather approaches and the season begins to change the time spent outdoors becomes a priority for all New Yorkers. Pumpkin lattes and Oktoberfest beers are nice in the park, but what about something different? How about apple picking, food, and drinks in the fresh countryside air?

The Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery is a one-stop good time place. Located in only 50 miles away from NYC, you can enjoy locally made beer, wine, whiskey, live music, and food. It is located at 114 Little York Rd. Warwick, NY 10990

Upon arriving, there will be parking attendants to help you navigate the lot. Parking is $10 per car and you will park on grass/gravel and walk in.

Picking apples costs $35 per bag and you can pick many apples for that price. There is a tractor ride up to the orchard or you can take a short walk. The price may seem a bit high, but I have been eating the apples all week and they are delicious and better than what Whole Foods sells. The early season apples are fresh, juicy, and have the nice snap when you bite into them. I will be using a dozen Macintosh’s in an apple pie this weekend. The apple trees are not too tall so ladders are not needed but you might have to step into the tree branches to pick them. Also, you may need to navigate damp grass, dropped apples, and occasional deer shit in the orchard so I recommend hiking boots.

The Store & Cafe has tasting bar, dining area, and a gift shop. These areas are indoors but are small so they get crowded. Inside you can buy full bottles of wine, beer, and whiskey. The staff will open the bottles for you and provide glasses so you can enjoy your drinks indoors or outdoors. I did not see anyone with an open bottle of whisky, only wine and beer.

The outdoor Bar & Grille and Tasting Patio is where people spend most of the day. The patio is a stone deck with metal tables and chairs and there is a grassy area adjacent to the patio for lawn seating. I recommend you bring your chairs or blankets just in case you are unable to get a table. The band playing last weekend was good, a bit loud for my taste, but they set the fun easygoing tone for everyone to enjoy.

The Bar & Grille has a variety of food for almost everyone’s taste. They serve burgers, hot dogs, pizza, chili, flatbread, ice cream, soft drinks, etc. It is cash only and there are ATM’s on site. I enjoyed a small bowl of chili and chips before I went to the Tasting Patio.

The Tasting Patio has all the wines, beer, and spirits available for $20 for one sample of each. From memory, I sampled 6 wines, 5 spirits, and 2 ciders. There was more to sample, but I decided not to because I already enjoyed a glass of bourbon when I arrived. As with all tastings, I found things I liked and others that I did not like as much. You will have to judge for yourself.

The crowd that day was a nice mix of families, groups, younger, older, kids, bikers, different ethnicities, races, etc. I saw only smiles as everyone was having a good time. Some people in the Tasting Patio clearly skipped lunch so they were having a “really” good time sampling the drinks. At no time did I see anyone out of control or acting like an idiot.

An important item to note: There are no indoor bathrooms, only outdoor port a potties. Not my preferred type of restroom, but they were new, clean, had sinks with water and soap. There are also hand sanitizing stations.

A day at Warwick Winery & Distillery is a great way to spend time with friends and family. I highly recommend a visit and I look forward to going back in another month when the mid-season apples are ready!

If you like it, drink it!

Drowned Lands Brewery

October 11, 2023 NYC

Drowned Lands Brewery was a lucky find for me via a map search for a place to sit outdoors and have a beer. After spending a few hours at the Warwick Winery & Orchards and had my fill of apple picking. Warwick has downgraded their beer selection and I have sampled their whiskies, so I felt I had earned a beer and a change of scenery.

Drowned Lands is located at 251 State School Rd, Warwick, NY and was established in 2020. The facility is 15,000 square feet and sits on three acres. The surrounding buildings are old brick, which gives the site a rustic appearance. Through my research I learned that the site was a former Reform School/Prison and the owner used to be an accountant.

There is a lot of indoor and outdoor space with seating, a smaller bar area, and plenty of parking. They have beer, wine, a higher end bar menu with pizza, salads, etc., but no liquor. The food menu is noted to be sourced from local farmers and from what I saw being delivered to the tables it looked good. The beer menu looks very interesting, but I could only try a couple of half pints. I sampled Deep Terra and Green Yield.

Deep Terra (8.2%) and has a nice balance, but a little thick and heavy tasting for my preference. Green Yield (6.5%) has a very nice taste with well balanced hops and light citrus. These two half pints quickly showed me that the brewer and owner care about the quality of their beer. I have not been this surprised or impressed since I discovered Bad Sons Beer a few years ago.

I visited in September when the weather was still warm and sunny. I recommend you visit soon before it gets too cold to sit outside. I really liked this place and I look forward to going back, trying the food and sampling more of the beer.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Opinions Vary: Cask Strength Whiskey

September 29, 2023 NYC

So if you read my reviews you might have noticed I have a strong opinion on Cask Strength Whiskey. Let me sum it up for you….I do not want to do the distillers job.

It is the distillers job to add the water to the whiskey. I want to open the bottle, pour it in a glass and drink, preferably without ice. If I need to add ice it probably means your expression is shit.

Cask Strength has always been a strange one when it is marketed to me in Single Malts. Not so much with bourbon as it is used frequently for cocktails. What do I want a 100+ proof scotch? The power of the alcohol can remove all the flavor profile and make it hard to enjoy. Also, I am not in a rush to get shit-faced when I drink Single Malts so what is the point exactly? What Mad Men marketing bullshit are you going to tell me?

There is one exception, I like Cask Strength Whiskey in my cocktails. The high abv keeps the flavor profile intact and not watered down. I only drink two types of whiskey cocktails, Old Fashioned on the rocks or a Manhattan straight up. Both require ice and get watered down in the process of making. However, I am rarely drinking cocktails these days. I feel I have moved on from them.

I honestly have begun to think either I am wrong or everyone who promotes it is a fucking idiot. It is hard to tell since the majority of people promoting online are mainly making creative fun videos instead of giving valuable insight and opinions. You know, like fucking idiots.

I summary, Cask Strength for cocktails, not for sipping in a glass.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

2 Whisky Bars to visit in NYC

August 24, 2023 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!

Hudson Whiskey NY – Do the Rye Thing

Taconic Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Bottled in Bond

Taconic Distillery Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Taconic Straight Wheated Bourbon

Taconic Dutchess Private Reserve

Taconic Distillery

Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery

Drowned Lands Brewery

Opinions Vary: Cask Strength Whiskey

2 Whisky Bars to visit in NYC

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