Chris | Page 29 | NYC Whiskey Review

christopher.dias.nyc@gmail.com

Tahwahkaro Bourbon Whiskey

February 18, 2021 America

Name: Tahwahkaro Bourbon Whiskey

Color: Copper

Nose: Vanilla, oak, corn, almonds

Taste: Strong mash, vanilla, oak

Review:

Tahwahkaro Bourbon Whiskey is a first product from the Tahwahkaro Distillery located in Grapevine, Texas. The name means “bend in the river in Native American. It is bottled at 96 proof and is listed as Batch #2. The mash bill is a combo of Texas raw corn, wheat, rye and malted barley and is aged in charred American Oak for approximately 1 year. The age is not stated or released.

First sample: I thought the following, rough, hard, young, harsh mixer, not great but ok to mix.

Second sample: I thought the following, tastes a little better but, it is what is it is. The nose is very sharp with alcohol and the taste is rough and young.

I see on TAH website that they have won some awards. It is good for a mixer not a straight drinker. I think the tasting issue for me was I had tried some better whiskey before this one and it threw me off when I tasted it.

Priced around $45 in Texas and I have not seen it on the shelves in NYC.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Van Brunt Still House Bourbon

February 16, 2021 NYC

Name: Van Brunt Still House Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

Color: Orange brown

Nose: Pepper, corn, vanilla, oak

Taste: Pepper, corn, vanilla, oak, and a little tight

Review:

Van Brunt Still House Bourbon Whiskey is a locally made whiskey from Brooklyn, NY. The distillery is located in 6 Bay Street, Brooklyn NY and was founded by husband and wife team Daric Schlesselman and Sarah Ludington. They have been producing spirits since 2012 and on their website they state that they source local products from upstate New York. The name “Van Brunt” named comes from Cornelius Van Brunt, who was a farmer in Brooklyn centuries ago when it was a Dutch colony.

Van Burnt Still House has other expressions such as; American Whiskey, Rye, Bourbon, Single Malt, Smoked Corn Whiskey, Rye Moonshine, and Due North Rum. I sampled four of the expressions at Astor Wine and Spirits. Out of the four I tried, I found the bourbon to be the best tasting. I was running low on bourbon for my Old Fashions and this made a nice Old Fashion with the taste profile.

Van Brunt Bourbon is a good whiskey for the price. It has a nice peppery taste but it is tight and young. It needs more time to age and smooth out. This tight taste makes it more of a mixer than a sipping whiskey, but I’ll let you decide what you prefer.

Price around $60 and a little expensive for the taste but remember, you are supporting local small business.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Willet Straight Rye Whiskey

February 11, 2021 America

Name: Willet Straight Rye Whiskey

Color: Copper

Nose: Rye spice, wood, oak

Taste: Spice, oranges, vanilla

Review:

Willet Straight Rye Whiskey is a cask strength, hand bottled, small batch 109.8 proof rye whiskey from The Willet Distillery in Kentucky. The Willet brand is a smaller group but is well respected in world of bourbon. The distillery was founded in 1936 by Thomas Willet and has grown and expanded its operations and method of productions over the years.

Willet has their own expressions, but they also have a small batch boutique Bourbon Collection that consists of the following;

· Rowan’s Creek

· Noah’s Mill

· Kentucky Vintage

· Pure Kentucky

The rye is not too spicy and for a cask strength whiskey is has a nice profile and balance. I found it you cut it with a little water you can enjoy it even more. At the price point I would not want to put it in a cocktail, but I am not a fan of drinking rye’s straight or on the rocks. You will have to decide for yourself.

Priced around $75 and very good for a rye whiskey. Willet delivers every time!

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Lot No. 40 Canadian Rye Whisky

February 9, 2021 Canada

Name: Lot No. 40 Canadian Rye Whisky

Color: Gold Brown

Nose: Sweet, candy vanilla

Taste: Sharp burn, sweet finish, caramel, rye spice

Review:

Sometimes I forget about Canada. I don’t do it deliberately; I just forget them, but after trying Lot No.40 I will not do that anymore. Lot No. 40 Canadian Rye Whisky is a 100% unmalted rye gained in virgin oak barrels. Lot No. 40 is a 7^th generation small batch pot still small batch receipt that is has no coloring.

Lot No. 40 is produced by Pernod- Ricard and is a revival of a discontinued whisky that saw its last production in the late 1990’s. It is named after a plot of land owned by a Joshua Booth who is one of the ancestors of Hiram Walker. Walker is an American who moved to Ontario, Canada and set up a massive distillery business in the 1800’s.

This whisky has a nice flavor and I would definitely enjoy it in my Old Fashions or Manhattans. If you haven’t yet tried increasing the quality of your whisky for cocktails I strongly recommend it. I realize people think, “What’s the point of spending the extra money?” I used to think the same way. The point is, it’s worth it for the taste! Enjoying a cocktail in the comfort of your own home with higher quality whisky is worth every penny.

Priced at around $50 and is good. I will be adding to my bar at home.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Meyer’s Alsatian Blended Whisky

February 2, 2021 France

Name: Meyer’s Alsatian Blended Whisky Color: Gold Brown Nose: medicine, green grass, wood, earth Taste: Earth, sweet, vanilla Review: Meyer’s Alsatian Blended Whisky is a French whisky from the Alsace region of France. Meyer’s is a family owned distillery located in the village of Hohwarth in Alsace. They have been making Brandy since 1958 and have now entered the whisky market. If you are not familiar with Alsace it is a region between France and Germany. It became French land after World War II and is mainly known for producing Riesling wines.

The whisky is 85% wheat, 15% barley, and is distilled in pot stills. The whisky spends 7 years in Sauterne (dessert wine) casks from Bordeaux. Meyer’s was a pleasant surprise that also confused me during my tasting. I knew it was a whisky and I knew it was French but it has a cognac-like profile. I got earthy cognac sitting in leather chair in a small home in the country side of France, not whisky. Meyers may not be to everyone’s taste when it comes to whisky, BUT after a big meal and you are lighting up a nice cigar, this would be an excellent choice for the price. Price around $35 and worth the money for the flavor. If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

Knob Creek Straight Rye

January 28, 2021 America

Name: Knob Creek Straight Rye

Color: Copper

Nose: Corn, vanilla, white pepper/spice, citrus

Taste: Pepper spice, vanilla, oak, strong alcohol

Review:

Knob Creek Straight Rye is 100 proof Kentucky Bourbon that comes from Clermont, Kentucky. It is non aged stated but used to be labeled as 9 years of aging as a standard. The removal of the age on the bottle is due to high volume demand and production. I find all Knob Creeks worth the money per bottle with respect to alcohol content. You get the most “bang for the buck” with Knob Creek. As for taste, that is another matter and one of personal opinion.

The term “straight” is used in many whiskeys produced in American. The term “Straight” is defined as, “distilled from a fermented cereal grain mash to concentrations not exceeding 80% abv and aged in new charred oak barrels for two years at a concentration not exceeding 62.5% at the start of the aging process.”

Knob Creek is produced by the Jim Beam Distillery and is part of their higher end expressions. Other expressions in the line are Booker’s, Bakers, and Basil Hayden which are all good. One thing I like for shelf appeal is the square bottle design with the green label and wax top. It gives the whiskey a bit of old school classy feeling and stands out on a bar.

Knob Creek Rye tastes good in cocktail due to the high proof and does not get watered down when drinking. Drinking it straight is a bit rough.

Price around $45 and worth the money for a cocktail mixer or a gift.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Kavalan Classic Single Malt (NAS)

January 26, 2021 Taiwan

Name: Kavalan Classic Single Malt (NAS)

Color: Dark gold

Nose: Cherry, dark fruits, mango

Taste: Fruit sweetness, clean, spices, light oak

Review:

I was invited to the Astor Center in NYC to sample five (5) of Kavalan Sherry Finished whiskies at a tasting hosted by Ian Chang who is the master blender for Kavalan. If you are new to the whiskey world you might be surprised to learn that Taiwan is in the whiskey business. I was surprised when I first learned about various countries that produce whisky that are not historically known to bottle the spirit. E.g. South Africa, India, France, Germany, Sweden, Wales, Taiwan, and many more. These non-traditional whisky countries are making some great stuff. Check out my reviews per region for more information.

Originating from Taiwan, Kavalan whiskey is created in a hot and humid environment which leads to higher proof when finished and bottled. The whiskey spends a minimum of 4 years in the barrel(regular) and 6 years for sherry finished bottles. Owned by the conglomerate King Car Group, the owner always wanted to have a distillery and in 2005 they started production. As of today, just 13 years later, they have 27 whiskeys on the market of various flavors and price.

Kavalan also shocked the whiskey world in 2010 by beating three Scotches and one English whiskey in a blind tasting at a Burns night tasting in Scotland. Step back and think about that for a moment…A non-aged whiskey, from a hot and humid climate, in a part of the world not known to produce whiskey, at a Robbie Burns tasting in Scotland won against three scotches. That is something between amazing and bat shit crazy when you think about it. “And the winner is Kavalan….” I can imagine look on the Scotsman’s faces that night.

Kavalan is a very impressive whisky and reminded me for a moment of bourbon because of the higher proof, but they have created a style all their own and it is wonderful. I recommend you try Kavalan if you get a chance and you can be the judge. Prices range from $80 to $500 depending on the type of bottle.

Priced around $85 and is a great value and worth the money.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Kozuba Starkus Rye (Vodka)

January 21, 2021 America

Name: Kozuba & Son’s Starkus

Color: Lemon citrus, flowers, almond

Nose: Rye, spice, light lemon

Taste: Rye, spice, light lemon

Review:

Kozuba is a not a whisky, it is a vodka made from 100% rye, aged in oak barrels for six months, and is bottled at 40% abv. It is made by a scientist from St. Petersburg, Florida and was established in 2005. The name “Starkus” means “stork” in Lithuanian.

You might be wondering why I am reviewing vodka. There is simple answer: I made a mistake. I thought I was drinking a rye whiskey. I am not a fan of vodka or clear spirits. I agree with Ron below.

I grabbed it off a friend’s shelf who suggest I try it. Before I realized what I was drinking I had a glass in hand and vodka in mouth. I figured it would write up a review just on how different this stuff is and how much it confused me for a few minutes.

The taste is strange and almost not even present.
There is no real taste or complexity.
It tastes like moonshine with a little flavoring.
In short, this stuff is weird.

Price around $60 and worth trying it to experience the flavor but not a great drink. I have not seen it on the shelf in the NYC area.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Mackmyra Traveler Whisky

January 19, 2021 Sweden

Name: Mackmyra Traveler Whisky

Color: Light Yellow

Nose: Light wood, ocean, white fruits

Taste: Malt, wood, sea grass

Review:

Mackmyra Traveler Whisky is a Swedish non-aged stated single malt bottled at 46% abv and matured in bourbon casks. This my first experience with Swedish Whisky and I found this one to have a nice taste and different flavor profile compared to other countries.

The Mackmyra Distillery started in 1998 with a group of friends discussing whisky on a ski trip who then decided to make their own spirits locally. Mackmyra gets its name from the village where the distillery was established and the majority of the ingredients are sourced locally. The Traveler Whisky was design for SAS Airlines travel series, hence the clever name. I have not seen this bottle around the NYC area so I am assuming it is primarily sold in Duty Free.

Other expressions by Mackmyra are the following: Midvinter, Midnattssol, Moment, Reserve, 10 Year, Preludium, Privus, Special, Vit Hund (raw whisky), and Bee (honey liqueur).

The Traveler Whisky has fresh lemon notes, light wood, malt, and sea flavors which are refreshing and yet light on the finish. It is a good whisky overall and different compared to other drams with similar flavor profiles. I do not have enough experience with spirits from Northern Europe so I will make a point to try more expressions in the future.

Priced around $50 and worth it to try a Swedish Whisky.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

TX Blended Whiskey

January 14, 2021 America

Name: TX Blended Whiskey

Color: Brown

Nose: Sweet corn, vanilla, orange citrus

Taste: Vanilla, honey, citrus

Review:

TX Blended Whiskey comes from Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co. in Fort Worth, Texas. It is a straight bourbon made from yellow corn, red winter wheat, 6 row distilleries malt, and a yeast strain from a pecan. I am not sure what all that means, but it sounds impressive.

The website description is much longer and romantic (as they do for new products), but to summarize, it says, “All our shit is from Texas. Don’t mess with Texas”. I find the “mess” warning valid as people from Texas consider themselves Texans before anything else. Meaning, if you ask them “Are you from America?” they will respond, “I’m from Texas.” For any NYC or overseas readers, this is real thing.

TX Blended whiskey has a good balance and profile but is a bit too sweet for my taste. It has a light body but is syrupy in the glass and mouth. If you like it on the sweet side and want to drink it in the hot sun by an ocean, lake or pool this would be a whiskey for you.

I received this bottle as a gift from “Disco Stu” of Dallas, Texas for my wedding. I am very much appreciative of the gift. I needed a few drinks of this whiskey while we were planning the big day.

Priced around $45 and good for a sweeter American styled bourbon whiskey.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

christopher.dias.nyc@gmail.com

Tahwahkaro Bourbon Whiskey

Van Brunt Still House Bourbon

Willet Straight Rye Whiskey

Lot No. 40 Canadian Rye Whisky

Meyer’s Alsatian Blended Whisky

Knob Creek Straight Rye

Kavalan Classic Single Malt (NAS)

Kozuba Starkus Rye (Vodka)

Mackmyra Traveler Whisky

TX Blended Whiskey

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