Chris | Page 20 | NYC Whiskey Review

christopher.dias.nyc@gmail.com

New Riff Rye

December 14, 2022 America

Name: New Riff Rye

Color: Light brown

Nose: Rye, cream, vanilla

Taste: Rye, orange, wood, white pepper

11 Days until Christmas! Do you have your bottles ready for the Holiday Season?!

New Riff Rye is produced by New Riff Distilling and is located in Newport, KY. The distillery was founded by Ken Lewis who used to own The Party Source Store in the same plaza. It is my understanding that you cannot produce and distribute in Kentucky, so he sold the store to start the distillery.

The mash bill is 95% rye, 5% malted rye, and is bottled at 50% abv.. The whiskey is aged for 4 years in new charred barrels, and is non-chilled filtered. The malted rye adds a different flavor profile which is very nice. It has a good balance, not too spicy, and a sweeter finish than I expected. I did not get to try it in a cocktail, but I am sure it would it would work very well.However, for a rye I prefer Sagamore Cask Strength for the spicy flavor for a few dollars more.

The current expressions produced: Bourbon, Single Barrel Bourbon, Rye, Single Barrel Rye, Red Turkey Wheat, Wild Gin, and Bourbon Barreled Gin.

Price around $50 and is good valve for the price.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Coppersea Single Barrel

December 8, 2022 NYC

Name: Coppersea Single Barrel (Batch No. 415)

Color: Copper

Nose: Green malt, spices, orange, wood, dry sherry

Taste: Malt and rye, sherry, vanilla, cream oranges, almond

17 Days until Christmas! Do you have your bottles ready for the Holiday Season?!

Coppersea Single Barrel is produced by Coppersea Distilling, in New Platz, New York. Founded in 2011 and derives its name from an old saying that there was a “Sea of Copper stills along the Hudson River Valley in the 1800’s…” Today there is only a few distilleries in the Hudson Valley area.

The Single Barrel expression is a straight rye whisky, aged 3 years finished in Amontillado cask and bottled at 49.4% abv. The mash bill is 60% rye, 20% malted barley, and 20% corn. The flavor profile on this expression is very good to borderline excellent. It is well balanced, very flavorful and not too hot for such a high proof. I get a little of the Angus Green Malt on the finish but that is my personal note. There is a wonderful balance of flavors going on with this whisky.

Single Barrel one is the best expression they produce, and I am sure the Spanish sherry cask helps push this whisky to the #1 position. I purchased this for my friend in Kentucky as a thank you for letting me drink all is good bourbon up every year when I visit. He was very impressed with Coppersea as he knows his bourbons.

Other expressions: Bonticou Crag Straight Rye Malt & Bottled In-Bond Rye Malt, Excelsior Bottled In-Bond Rye Straight Bourbon, Big Angus Green Malt, Pedro Ximénez Cask Single Barrel Rye, Amontillado Cask Single Barrel Rye, and Sauternes Cask Single Barrel Rye.

Priced around $125+ and worth the money and a drive up to visit the distillery.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

West Cork 12-Year-Old Sherry Cask

December 2, 2022 Ireland

Name: West Cork 12-Year-Old Sherry Cask

Color: Gold

Nose: Malt, honey, vanilla, flowers

Taste: Malt, honey, vanilla sherry, dried fruit, cream

23 Days until Christmas! Do you have your bottles ready for the Holiday Season?!

The West Cork Distillery was founded in 2003 in Skibbereen, Ireland. The whiskey is 100% malted barley, aged 12 years in first fill bourbon casks, finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, and bottled at 43% abv. I have seen this whiskey on social media and in a few bars, but I had not sampled it until dropped by the Dead Rabbit in NYC for a dram. I was planning to sample a Jameson expression, but they were having supply chain issues so West Cork was the next choice.

I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor profile of West Cork 12 Sherry Cask. The balance is good and smooth for an Irish Whiskey. It has a Jameson/Glenlivet type body but a far better flavor profile. As I mentioned every March in my reviews, I am not a big fan of Irish Whiskey due to the cream finish. It’s not a bad thing, just not my preferred flavor profile. I have met Irishmen who cannot enjoy Scotch and Scotsmen who cannot drink bourbon. It is all a matter of opinion, and I don’t think St. Patrick really cares.

Other expressions available are: Black Cask, Single Malt, Cask Strength, Peated Charred Cask, Bog Oak Charred Cask, IPA Cask, Stout Cask, Rum Cask, Calvados Cask, Virgin Oak Cask, and Port Cask.

Priced around $65 (or $18 a glass) and very nice stuff. I look forward more in the future.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Opinions Vary – Whiskey & Cigars

November 30, 2022 NYC

Opinions Vary – Whiskey & Cigars

The classic scene in any movie, tv show, novel, etc. is the man with a glass Whiskey in one hand and Cigar in another. Either he is a fat cat billionaire, a bad ass, or a super hero with metal claws that come out his knuckes. For the rest of us, the regular folk it is either a get together with friends or some quite time to relax.

Cigars and Whiskey pair well and poorly depending on what cigar/whiskey you choose your state of mind and environment you enjoy them in. I do not think there is any right or wrong was to match them, but I have some thoughts I have settled on after years of enjoying them together.

Thought #1: Do not put them together. If the whiskey or cigar is of high quality, it needs nothing else.
Thought #2: Do put them together. Have either a smokey whiskey or a lighter whiskey with strong/lighter cigar. You will have to figure out the mix and match that you like.
Thought #3: Do put water in front of you. Cigars can take a while to smoke, the whiskey might get drank far faster and with some good conversation time seems to fly. Take a water break between whiskey refills.
Thought #4: Do be in the right frame of mind. Be with friends, be in a good mood. Don’t sit and smoke and drink unless you are going to relax and enjoy yourself.
Thought #5: Don’t listen to me. Go figure it out for yourself.

For me, if the whiskey is over $75 or the cigar is over $15 for a cigar you really may want to consider not making them a combo. I have noticed that I have prefer separating them in the last few years and have enjoyed them just as much.

My 1st NYC rooftop setup in Midtown, NYC

As I mentioned in my Nub Cigar review, try a cigar with a nice cup of black coffee in the morning. I do not recommend drinking whiskey in the morning. Unless you are stuck in a hotel flying back home and there is The Macallan 18 Year Old to finish up before your flight home. (You know who you are! Ha!)

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

If you like it, drink it!

Buchanan’s Deluxe 12 Year Blended Scotch

November 24, 2022 Scotland

Name: Buchanan’s Deluxe 12 Year Blended Scotch

Color: Light Brown

Nose: Malt, lemons, seaside, flowers, honey

Taste: Malt blend, citrus, iodine notes, honey notes

James Buchanan created his whisky in 1884 as a blended business to supply the England market for blended scotch whisky, the distillery has changed ownership and partnerships over the years. I have seen this bottle on the bottle shelves over the years and the shape an color has caught my eye, but never the price. Nor have I seen it served in bar, a tasting, or offered to me.

Aged 12 years, blended, and bottled at 40% its nose is nice and surprising clean. The body is medium and decent tasting. Overall, I was very surprised at the taste profile. It is decent and a slugging whisky but good for “mad night” or a “mental rager” as they say in Scotland. I find this one similar to Famous Grouse or Dewar’s White Label for nose, taste, profile and cost.

Priced around $35 and nothing to complex, but nothing really bad about it.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Bardstown – Discovery Series #1

November 17, 2022 America

Name: Bardstown – Discovery Series #1

Color: Copper

Nose: Corn, wood, dark fruit, orange

Taste: Corn, sweet orange jam, warm mulling spices

Bardstown Bourbon Company is from Bardstown, Kentucky and it is a relatively new company compared with others from the region. I learned they are “a new blend of bourbon makers pushing the boundaries through innovation” and “a modern Napa Valley styled facility with food paring…on the new 1,000-acre property…combo of distillery, visitor center, rickhouses, and active farm”. I visited the distillery in April 2021 and it is impressive. It makes some other visitor centers feel tiny in comparison. The company states $25 million was spent on the property, but it appears they spent much more. I hoped to sample some of the expensive expressions, but they were only available for purchase.

Discovery Series #1 is a very nice balance when some water is added. Compared to the Fusion Series it is a better bourbon, but you pay double, if not more.

Stated on the bottle:

5% Kentucky Bourbon 13 years, 78% corn, 12% rye, 10% malted barley
75% Kentucky Bourbon 11.7 years, 74% corn, 18% rye, 8% malted barley
10% Kentucky Bourbon 10 years, 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley
10% Kentucky Bourbon 5 years, 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley
NAS, non-chilled filtered, 60.605% abv (121 proof)

This expression is also very hot, almost too hot. It needs water to cut it to expose the flavor profile. I continue to feel and state in my reviews; I am the customer, why am doing your job as the distiller? It makes sense to me when you use high proof for cocktails to deal with the ice, but I’m not spending $100+ on a mixer. You get 100 proofs for $35-50.

I purchased this bottled at a charity auction for Brett Ferencz, aka “Scotch Trooper” to support his fight against cancer. Sadly, Brett lost his battle with cancer on February 11^th, 2021.I would like to note that if you can afford expensive whiskey please consider donating money to families, friends, neighbors, or strangers that are fighting cancer. Cancer just doesn’t devastate a ones health and family’s emotional state, it does massive damages to their finances.

Priced around $130+ and worth the money is you like the taste profile and the proof.

Rest in Peace Scotch Trooper.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

Bardstown – Fusion Series #4

November 16, 2022 America

Name: Bardstown – Fusion Series #4

Color: Light Brown

Nose: Corn, vanilla, wood, orange, cherry notes

Taste: Corn and malt, orange-vanilla, spicy, pepper finish

The Fusion Series #4 falls under Bardstown baseline whiskey for taste and price point. I found this expression a little too hot and needed some water to open up.

As stated on the bottle:

- 40% Kentucky, 13 years, 74% corn / 18% rye / 8% malted barely
- 11% Bardstown Bourbon Co. Kentucky, 3 years, 60% corn / 40% rye
- 15% Bardstown Bourbon Co. Kentucky, 3 years, 78% corn /1 0% rye / 12% malted barley
- 34% Bardstown Bourbon Co. Kentucky, 4 years, 70% corn / 18% rye / 12% malted barley
- 94.9 proof

I was not amazed with the taste, but it is a good whiskey for the price compared to other expressions. I am not finding too many Bardstown Bourbons on the shelves in the NYC area. Is anyone seeing them? Please reach out if you do via social media I would be curious to see the selections offered and prices.

Priced around $65 and worth the money for a baseline bourbon expression.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Ballantine’s 17

November 10, 2022 Scotland

Name: Ballantine’s 17

Color: Light Yellow

Nose: Malt, vanilla, heather, citrus

Taste: Malt, flowers, oak, lemon, cream sweetness

Ballantine’s Scotch Whisky dates to back the 1827 when a farmer’s son just trying to earn a living selling whisky in a small store in Edinburgh, Scotland. The family sold out in 1919 and the new owners continued to use the family name to market the whisky as it was known for quality. Ballantine’s is a blended malt whisky using various amounts of whisky and is stated to be the 2^nd highest selling scotch whiskey in the world. I can believe that as the Spanish drink this stuff like the world is going to end at parties. The first time I had Ballantine’s was in Spain, but it was mixed with coke, as they do it.

The Ballantine 17 is a blend, bottled at 40% and is a medium bodied summer drinking scotch. It is overall very nice, smooth, and very drinkable. This is a scotch you open with a friend, and you end up finishing the bottle.

Other expressions are: Finest, Limited,12-Year-Old Pure Malt, 12, 17, 21, 30, and 40.

Priced around $80 and worth the price if you like the flavor profile.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

The BenRiach 10-Year-Old

November 3, 2022 Scotland

Name: The BenRiach 10-Year-Old

Color: Light Yellow

Nose: Malt, lemon, white fruit, light oak

Taste: Malt, apple/pear, lemon

The BenRiach 10-Year-old is a Speyside single malt whisky from Morayshire, Scotland. The distiller was established in 1898 and has changed ownership a few times over the years. The whisky is bottled at 43% abv, aged 10 years, and finished in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. It is a nice medium bodied fresh tasting whisky and has a good balance of flavors. It is a good whisky for a non-scotch drinker and would work well as a summer or a winter dram.

Having no knowledge or experience with this whisky I bought this bottle on a gamble for the price. I was pleasantly surprise at the taste and quality. I look forward to trying more expressions, but I have not seen much of BenRiach on the shelf around the NYC area. I will have to sample some on my next trip to Scotland.

Other expressions: Smoky 10 & 12,16, 20,21, 25, 30, 1996 Vestige, Casks, Peated Quarter Cask, and Triple Distilled. There are also numerous “Archive” expressions with various finishes.

Priced around $50 and worth money for the price and the baseline expression.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Bardstown – The Prisoner #2

November 2, 2022 America

Name: Bardstown – The Prisoner #2

Color: Brown

Nose: Corn, vanilla, citrus, root beer, dry wood (amber wood)

Taste: Earthy, dirt, honey, vanilla

The Prisoner #2 has a dryer nose/taste than any other expression I have sampled from the distillery. It has a very flat and earthy dirt flavor that heavily masks the other flavors. I do not know if it is the Tennessee corn that I am not enjoying, but this was not that enjoyable for me.

As stated on the bottle label:

Origin = Tennessee
Age = 10 years
Mash Bill = 84% Corn, 8% Rye, 8% Malted Barley
50%abv / 100 proof

I was overall unimpressed with this expression, especially at the price. The bartender at the distillery told me they were “selling out of this amazing whiskey”. I thought to myself, “This kinda smells like bullshit”. I would have loved to go into the back room or warehouse to see how many cases they had left. A tip for you on my experience on anything a seller is running out of, don’t believe them. You will know when someone is running out of something when the price goes up significantly or you can’t find it on the self.

Priced around $125+ and not enjoyable due to the flavor profile.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

christopher.dias.nyc@gmail.com

New Riff Rye

Coppersea Single Barrel

West Cork 12-Year-Old Sherry Cask

Opinions Vary – Whiskey & Cigars

Buchanan’s Deluxe 12 Year Blended Scotch

Bardstown – Discovery Series #1

Bardstown – Fusion Series #4

Ballantine’s 17

The BenRiach 10-Year-Old

Bardstown – The Prisoner #2

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