Chris | Page 11 | NYC Whiskey Review

christopher.dias.nyc@gmail.com

Springbank Single Malt – 10 Year Old

June 13, 2024 Scotland

Name: Springbank Single Malt – 10 Year Old

Color: Brown

Nose: Peat, smoke, white fruit, earthy

Taste: Cereal malt, oily wood, peat, slight sweetness

Established in 1828 Springbank is located in Campbelltown, Scotland, which is on the Kintyre Peninsula the West Coast (Lowlands). Campbelltown was once the whisky capital of the world with over 30 active distilleries. Today, only three distilleries remain; Springbank, Glen Scotia, and Glengyle. When it comes to making whisky, Springbank does everything in house from start to finish. They malt (floor malted), distill, mature, and bottle on site which is rare these days due to operational costs.

What is “Floor Malted?”

Grains of barley are what is used make malt whisky and are basically small packets of starch. The barley is steeped in water over two days to start germination to eventfully release sugar to be converted to alcohol. After steeping the barley is called green malt and is laid over a heated floor (up 2 feet deep) to stop the growth. Kilns below heat the green malt through the floor and workers use wooden shovels to turn it regularly. This is labor intensive and most distilleries use automated drums to save time and money. After the floor malting is complete the distiller proceeds to the milling, mashing, fermentation, and finally the distillation process.

Long story short, floor malting is a lot of work.

Many feel that this traditional step in the process makes for better whisky. That can be true, but many distilleries do not floor malt and they make excellent whiskies. Some distilleries embrace the older methods and some only use modern technology. I am not saying floor malting is better but in my opinion if a distillery is going the extra mile you are going to get a better product. That extra mile may be floor malting or using technology, it all varies.

Priced around $65 and well worth the money for a 10 year old. If you are not familiar with Springbank and you like Scotch, I suggest you get familiar with it tonight over a dram or two.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Auchentoshan Sauvignon Blanc Finish

June 12, 2024 Scotland

Name: Auchentoshan Sauvignon Blanc Finish

Color: Yellow

Nose: Malt, heather, white wine, oak wood

Taste: Malt, honey, citrus, sav blanc notes

Auchentoshan Sauvignon Blanc Finish is a limited edition that was released in 2019. It is aged five years in ex-bourbon casks and five months in Sauvignon Blanc casks from Bordeaux. It is bottled at 47% abv.

This expression is a little strange. Upon tasting it, I immediately thought this must be an experimental expression or a marketing gimmick. It has an odd snappy flavor and a “stingy” finish as my sister described it. It reminds me a little of Badsons Beer that was finished in chardonnay casks. You can drink it, it’s not disgusting, but it is not that enjoyable. From my research the distillery marketing states, “served chilled from the refrigerator or from an ice bucket…..use in Highballs and Spritzer”. I did not try it chilled so perhaps it would taste better, but I doubt it. This is just a marketing campaign for whisky as a mixer to move product. The snappy taste and stingy finish must come from the Bordeaux wine casks. White with from Bordeaux can lean towards being harsher tasting in my experience. I am glad I tried it, but I cannot recommend it. If you have not experienced Auchentoshan I recommend you start with American Oak.

Priced around $70 and I am not impressed.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Glen Scotia 15 Year Old

June 6, 2024 Scotland

Name: Glen Scotia 15-Year-Old

Color: Brown

Nose: Malted barley, flowers, citrus, honey, apple, dark fruit/berries

Taste: Dark fruit, flowers, malted barley finish

Glen Scotia 15-Year-Old Single Malt is a scotch that I had not yet tried so it was a new experience for me. I had heard of Glen Scotia and seen it on the store shelves but had not sampled it until now. As I like to do, when Astor Wines had a 15% off sale I buy the whiskies I have not tried that are over 14 years old and/or over $70. And notes to the readers, I self-fund this operation. No free samples for me, not yet at least.

Glen Scotia is distilled in Campbeltown, Scotland which is one of the five whisky producing regions in Scotland. At one time Campbeltown had thirty distilleries but today there is only three. The three distilleries are Glen Scotia, Glengyle, and Springbank. The 15-year-old is bottled at 46% abv and has a great flavor but more importantly has a very good balance and smoothness to go along with the flavor. The taste is light with a medium body and very little burn from the alcohol on the finish.

I enjoyed the Glen Scotia 15-Year-Old neat. In my opinion this particular scotch does not need water or ice but you drink it how you like it. I cannot say much more other than it is very good and well-priced for the age, taste, and price.

Priced around $75 and definitely worth the money for the flavor profile.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Glen Scotia – Double Cask

June 5, 2024 Scotland

Name: Glen Scotia – Double Cask

Color: Amber

Nose: Malt, flowers, citrus (lemon), spices

Taste: Malt, flower, citrus, oak light sherry, honey, spice finish

Glen Scotia – Double Cask is a Campbeltown malt aged in American oak and finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. It is bottle at 46% abv which is a little higher than your average scotch. It has a medium body and is smooth with little rich spice notes on the finish. It also has Little dry, red wine sherry thing on the finish.

It has been years since I sampled a Glen Scotia and I forget that is a good whisky. I was impressed with the Double Cask as this is easy drinking whisky with a nice balance. I will be looking to buy a bottle if I see one.

Expressions: Double Rum Cask, Harbor, Double Cask, Victoriana, 15-, 18-, and 25-year-old.

Priced around $70 and worth the money if you like the flavor profile.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Heaven Hill 6-Year-Old Bourbon

May 30, 2024 America

Name: Heaven Hill 6-Year-Old Bourbon

Color: Copper

Nose: Corn, vanilla, wood

Taste: Corn, vanilla, caramel, wood

The Heaven Hill distillery was found in 1935 by a group of investors ready to take advantage of the upcoming open market after Prohibition ended in 1933. The distillery is in Louisville, Kentucky and produces a ridiculous amount of bourbon each year.

Heaven Hill 6-Year-Old Bourbon “Green Label” mash bill is 78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye. Aged in white oak barrels at char #3 and bottled at 45% abv. This is a basic bourbon from Kentucky and is nothing special or very interesting. It is drinkable and good for a mixer, but at $15 per bottle at 90 proof (sold in Kentucky only) it might be an alcoholics delight. My friend St. Matthew of Covington prefers to use this in his bourbon slushes and those things can really put you on your ass.

Other expressions: Bottle in Bond, Henry McKenna, Bernheim Original Wheat, Larceny, Rittenhouse Rye, Old Fitzgerald, Parker’s Heritage Collection, Pikesville Straight Rye, Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, and Mellow Corn.

Priced around $15 and decent drinker for the price if you need to buy a cheap bottle in Kentucky.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

The Singleton 12 Cocktail Series #2 – Singleton & Ginger

May 29, 2024 Scotland

The Singleton 12-Year-Old is a Speyside Scotch with a lighter taste profile of malt, lemon, honey, heather, and light oak. It is 40% abv, chilled filtered, color adjusted, and aged for 12 years in ex bourbon and sherry casks. For me, it is a summer scotch.

It is a lighter tasting Scotch, and, on their website, they present numerous cocktail receipts. I am generally not a fan of cocktails made from Scotch so this series will be an experiment to broaden my horizons and educate you as the reader.

Singleton Cocktail Series #2 – Singleton & Ginger

1.5 oz Singleton

3 oz Ginger Ale

Pour on ice

Lime wheel for garnish

Jesus, fuck me this tasted awful. The flavor profile does not work for me. If you like a light scotch, ginger, and lime juice this is your cocktail but I found it terrible tasting. It needs something else in it. I doubted I was going to like this cocktail. I am not a fan of whisky & soda. I only drink whisky & coke when I am in Madrid where it is regular party drink and I opt to blend in with the Spaniards.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Stranahan’s Original Single Malt Whiskey

May 23, 2024 America

Name: Stranahan’s Original Single Malt Whiskey

Color: Copper

Nose: Malt, oak, vanilla, white fruit

Taste: Malt, oak, vanilla, white pepper

Stranahan’s Whiskey was founded in 2004 and it is located at 200 S. Kalamath St. Denver, CO. The distillery and visitor center is in an industrial park and has a simple outdoor seating area with a nice view of the mountains. The inside bar area has a modern rustic wood design with seating for around 75 people. The bar serves whiskey, flights, cocktails, and the retail store sells bottles and merchandise. The staff has that Colorado friendly and easy going vibe.

The Original is 100% malted barley, aged 2-5 years in new charred oak barrels, non-chilled filtered, and the water is sourced from a spring in Boulder. The Original is very nice tasting and well-balanced whiskey, however, when you start comparing it to their other expressions it is a baseline whiskey. The whiskeys that really impressed me are the Snowflake, Sherry Cask, and Cask Strength.

One issue I keep running into with American Whiskeys is the cost v. age v. flavor profile. I realize many distilleries are in an economic position where they need to charge a lot to cover their production costs and make profit. This should not be considered a deal breaker, but it is a mathematical fact that should not be ignored by any reviewer. It can be difficult to spend $50-75 for a young domestic whiskey when you can get a aged single malt for the same or lower price. Everyone has a budget when it comes to whiskey no matter how much they have in their wallet.

Other expressions produced: Original, Blue Peak, Mountain Angel 10 Year, Snowflake, Diamond Peak, Sherry Cask, Single Barrel, and other special releases.

Priced around $55 and a good baseline.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Davidoff Late Hour – Nicaragua

May 22, 2024 Cigars

Name: Davidoff Late Hour – Nicaragua

Size/Gauge: 5” / 52

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Marron Oscuro

Binder: Mexico

Filler: Dominican Republic / Nicaragua

Upon smelling this cigar before and right after first lighting it up I could tell is was going to be good. I did a bullet cut which made the draw a little difficult, so I eventually switched to a straight cut. My stick and a small plug in it, but my steel tooth pick on my key chain fixed it.

The cigar has wonder taste of nuts, light/smooth tobacco , dried fruit, some wood, and earthy notes. It has an even burn and balance flavor/smoke. There is a full flavor with no harsh taste or after taste. The smoke is about 45 minutes.

Box is approximately $500 for 20 cigars3 and works out to $25 a stick. Worth it.

If you like it, drink it (or smoke it!) – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select

May 16, 2024 America

Name: Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select

Color: Copper

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

Taste: Corn mash blend, oak, vanilla, spices

Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select is surprisingly good expression from the Jack Daniels Distillery. Their baseline expression, Old No.7 aka “Black Label” is absolute shit and difficult to drink. I would rather drink frozen rose and watch the Housewives of New Jersey than drink Black Label. The word “quality” does not come to mind when I think of Jack Daniels, but I am beginning to change my mind. This is the best part of whiskey tasting, the evolution of your opinions.

The mash bill is 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye and is non aged stated but estimated to be aged 4 to 7 years. It is bottled at 47% abv, aged in virgin American oak barrels, and has unique shaped bottle. From my research is appears to also be undergo the maple charcoal filtration processes which is a signature trademark of Jack Daniels. Upon my first tasting I was bracing myself for disappointment, however, I was pleasantly surprised by smoothness on my palate. On the second taste I wondered why Jack Daniels does not make better stuff for their baseline expressions.

I am not a fan of regular Jack Daniels, but the Single Barrel Select and the Sinatra Select are very good. Sinatra Select is the best expression I have sampled, but due to its cost and lack of production it is hard to find.

Priced around $65 and is affordable and very nice for a Jack Daniels product. I might keep a bottle on my bar.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Lochlea Harvest Edition

May 15, 2024 Scotland

Name: Lochlea Harvest Edition

Color: Light Amber

Nose: Malt, orange, flowers, cedar

Taste: Malt, orange fruit, light oak

Lochlea Distillery is located in Ayrshire, Scotland and was founded in 2018. It is a new distillery, and therefore their whisky is young. In Scotland, by law, whisky must age a minimum of 3 years & 1 day. In my experience, not enough time passes in 3 years for a “scotch” whisky, but a distillery does have to make money.

Harvest Edition is 100% malted barley, aged 3 years in Port and first fill Bourbon casks, and bottled at 46% abv. It has a nice medium body and easy finish. I saw this one at the Postill in Glasgow this year (2024) and decided to gamble. Overall, it is a nice whisky, but I was not blown away by it. Young “Scotch” can be tough to enjoy compared to young Bourbon.

Other expressions: Our Barley, Cask Strength and Seasonal Released (1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd Crop).

Priced around $65 and decent. I will try more next time I in Glasgow and I have not seen it on the shelves in the NYC area.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

christopher.dias.nyc@gmail.com

Springbank Single Malt – 10 Year Old

Auchentoshan Sauvignon Blanc Finish

Glen Scotia 15 Year Old

Glen Scotia – Double Cask

Heaven Hill 6-Year-Old Bourbon

The Singleton 12 Cocktail Series #2 – Singleton & Ginger

Stranahan’s Original Single Malt Whiskey

Davidoff Late Hour – Nicaragua

Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select

Lochlea Harvest Edition

Search:

Newsletter Subscription

Recent Posts

Categories