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Koval Whiskey – Oat

Koval Whiskey – Oat

July 11, 2019

Name: Koval – Oat

Color: Light brown

Nose: Toasted grains with sweet taste, spices and apples

Taste: Oat and grain woody taste with apples and spices

Review:

This is a unique American Whiskey from Chicago that I tried at a cigar night in midtown recently. Now, to be honest, there were eight of us smoking cigars and we consumed 1-1/2 bottles whisky before we ran dry which I took as a sign that it was the end of the night. I was ready to pack it in until the two married guys with new born babies left the table and ran across the street to get a fresh bottle to keep the party going. They returned with Koval Whiskey -Oat. Upon tasting it (even in my whiskey-cigar zen state) I found the flavor profile to be very different due to this whiskey being 100% Oat and matured in Minnesota American Oak Barrels. Koval also has designs their products to be Organic and Kosher which is great for those that prefer organic food and/or follow Jewish Law regarding food practices.

Priced around $50.00 and has that something different about it that is enjoyable and makes for good conversations and debate.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

 

ChrisKoval Whiskey – Oat
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Four Roses – Small Batch

Four Roses – Small Batch

May 16, 2019

Name: Four Roses – Small Batch

Color: Light brown

Nose: Sweet caramel, orange, spice, vanilla

Taste: Spices, sweet vanilla, oak and cream

Review:

Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon is a 6 to 7-year-old bourbon that is 90 proof and has a been created from multiple recipes. On the label of Small Batch, it states that is it is made from four bourbons. From my research, 250 barrels make one batch and it is made from two mash bills and multiple yeast strains. The two mash bills are;

  • 75% corn, 20% rye and 5% malted barley
  • 60% corn, 35% rye and 5% malted barley

I do not put a lot of faith in this information that I have found online. I do not believe any business ever gives away the “secret sauce”. I think it is a combination of truth and marketing and we all know what I think of marketing.

Small Batch is a very good and well balanced bourbon. I was pleasantly surprised with this one and enjoyed in on the rocks and in my cocktails. The sweet caramel taste has the right amount of orange, spice and vanilla oak. It finishes with a light cream taste which is very nice. I originally bought Small Batch to fill my bourbon decanter but it never made it in. (IW Harper did).

Price around $45 and worth the money. It is somewhere between a mixer and a sipper.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

ChrisFour Roses – Small Batch
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Rozelieures Smoked Single Malt French Whisky

Rozelieures Smoked Single Malt French Whisky

May 2, 2019

Name: Rozelieures Smoked Single Malt French Whisky

Color: Gold Brown

Nose: Malt, wood, sherry, caramel, earthy

Taste: Smoke, peat, sweet, earthy, rich, wood

Review:

Rozelieures Smoke Single Malt Whisky is a surprising whisky that comes across on the nose of being a Highland single malt. It is very peaty and full bodied and really surprised me when I tasted it. I got the opportunity to try this whisky recently at one of Robin Robinson’s Whisky Smack Down classes at the Astor Center in NYC. If you haven’t take one of his classes, I highly recommend them. They are 6 pours of whisky, a cocktail and a lot of education.

The Grallet Family whose distillery is in Lorraine, France has been producing spirits since 1890. In 2000 they entered the whisky business. The distillery emphasizes using 100% local sourced products and being very green when making their whisky. The whisky is matured in 100% sherry casks for a minimum of 7 years.

The world is a big place, but it gets smaller each year when it comes to whisky. More and more countries are moving into the world of brown spirits and France is no exception. As you know, they are known for making pretty decent wine and cognac so whisky would not be a stretch for them. This is one of those whisky’s that anyone could ramble on the stats, facts, and make sound sexy in a review. I will close with the following; I really enjoyed it and it is worth picking up a bottle in you like this style of whisky.

Priced around $55 and well worth the money.

If you like it, drink it! –Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

 

ChrisRozelieures Smoked Single Malt French Whisky
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Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky – South Africa Whisky

Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky – South Africa Whisky

April 19, 2019

Name: Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky

Color: Medium Brown

Nose: Medium strong nose, sweet corn but alcohol is the main smell

Taste: Corn sweet with strong alcohol. Tastes similar to the smell and vice versa

Review:

I have only tried one South African Whisky and this I the one and I found it rough to drink. It tastes as it is supposed to taste for the price. I am sure there are good South African spirits out there but I don’t care for this one too much. The price can be considered good or bad depending on your taste but when you think of the cost to produce, ship, market, and currency exchange rate between South Africa and the USA the price around $30 makes me question the quality (along with the taste). However, if you get a chance to try it, drink it and make your own decision. I think this whiskey is more for mixing than drinking.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

 

ChrisBain’s Cape Mountain Whisky – South Africa Whisky
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Slyrs Bavarian Single Malt Whisky

Slyrs Bavarian Single Malt Whisky

April 11, 2019

Name: Slyrs Bavarian Single Malt Whisky

Color: Gold

Nose: Light vanilla, candy, nuts with barley

Taste: Toffee taste with grain barley and slight vanilla oak. Very light with no burn finish.

Review:

Germany is well known for beer and bratwurst but they should be recognized for producing quality whisky’s. In the southern part of Germany called Bavaria, the Slyrs Distillery is following the country’s long standing tradition of creating high quality-engineered products. I’m fan of German engineering being a engineer myself.
The first time I had Slyrs Whisky was in the Hotel Sofitel Bayerpost in Munich, Germany. My friend recommend I try it and I was immediately impressed with the balance, lightness and the overall taste difference when I compared it to my experience with other whiskys. There is something unique about Slyrs that is very German to me. Aged for 3 years in American Oak barrels with German barley creates its own independent flavor. Slyrs is not limited to just this whisky, it also produces a 12 year old, single cask, 51% Single Malt, Marsala and Rum barrel whisky along with vodka, gin and snapps.
I have not seen Slyrs in the bars or in the stores here in NYC but I have not been to every bar and store. There are online suppliers you can look into or you can take a trip to Germany to enjoy a dram. The price online is around $50 but I would think shipping and currency rates may increase the price significantly.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

 

ChrisSlyrs Bavarian Single Malt Whisky
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Deanston Decennary

Deanston Decennary

April 10, 2019

Name: Deanston Decennary

Color: Copper

Nose: Vanilla, orange zest, red wine

Taste: Orange, spice, madeira sweet sugar

Review:

The Deanston Distillery is located on the River Teith, about eight miles from Sterling, Scotland (near Edinburgh) and was founded in 1965. The Distell Group Limited owns Deanston and also owns Bunnahabhain, Isle of Islay, Tobermory, and Isle of Mull whisky. The name Deanston is named after the Dean of Dunblane. Dean was connected to the Gaelic term “toun” meaning farm/settlement to make the name Deanston.

My cousin, who lives in Sterling got me a sample pack of Deanston Scotch. Each bottle contains 3cl (1oz) samples from the distillery and Decennary was the fourth sample I tasted.

Decennary was created to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Deanston Distillery. The word “decennary” is the old British word for decade (10-year time period). Not sure why they picked this one when they were celebrating their 50th. From my research I have learned the whisky is finished in a multi-vintage vatting of four casks; 1977 ex-bourbon, 1982 American Oak,1996 Port Pipe, and 2006 Pedro Ximenez. The flavor is very nice and well balance but a bit on the sweet side. It is worth trying, but for me, it is a one and done due to the sherry sweetness.

Price around $150 and is a limited run of 1400 bottles. If you like the flavor profile it is worth it, but $150 can get you a lot of other whiskies.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

 

ChrisDeanston Decennary
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Jack Daniels “Gentleman Jack”

Jack Daniels “Gentleman Jack”

March 21, 2019

Name: Jack Daniels Gentleman Jack

Color: Light Brown

Nose: Caramel, citrus, orange

Taste: Vanilla, pepper, with softened Jack Daniels base flavor

Review:

As a subscriber to Joe Rogan’s Podcast, I have listened to him and his guests enjoy Gentleman Jack or the Jack Daniels Frank Sinatra Edition. I am not sure how Jack and Weed go together, but it does sound like they are having more fun in the studio than I do in my cubicle.
In general, I do not drink regular Jack Daniels. It is not a bad whisky, but I find it too rough of a taste and finish and the overall flavor is not to my liking. I also have the same opinion of Jameson Irish Whiskey but that is for another review.
I was at Whisky Live NYC last week and I sampled Gentleman Jack to remind myself of the flavor. I was pleasantly surprised while tasting the whisky. It has a smoother taste that comes from a twice filter charcoal process used during distillation. It has an easy finish and I found myself enjoying it, but it would not be my daily drinker or oddball spirit to mix things up. However, I will be adding it to my bar just in case a serious Jack Daniels drinker drops by my apartment.
Priced around $45 it is a good value if you like Jack Daniels flavor.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

ChrisJack Daniels “Gentleman Jack”
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Glenmorangie 18 Single Malt

Glenmorangie 18 Single Malt

December 25, 2018

Name: Glenmorangie 18 Year Old

Color: Amber

Nose: Honey, fruit, cream, and spice

Taste: Citrus peel, cream honey, oak

Review:

My last few reviews of Glenmorangie have not been too favorable, but this whisky I really enjoyed! Boxed and bottled in an upgraded package the presentation sets the tone for what is to come in the flavor. Glenmorangie 18 Year Old “Extremely Rare” Single Malt is aged for 15 years in ex-bourbon casks, finished in Oloroso sherry casks. The scotch is smooth, there is no burn or harshness on the finish, and it has a great flavor profile. This Scotch is more of a summer than a winter, but you can drink it in any season.

When it comes to Scotch the title, “18 Year Old Single Malt” is not just a legal description, to some it is a brand name. It is a brand name in the sense of expected quality and can drive a buyer’s decision when making a higher end purchase. I am a big fan of 18-year single malts and I cannot think of any ones that I have tasted that I did not like. I will admit, I like some brands more than others, but that is just personal preference. A big issue for people is the cost when it comes to 18-year-old single malts. For example, Talisker 18 will cost around $200 and Macallan 18 will cost around $250+ and that might be too much money for you. For the lucky ones it is lunch money. As I like to say, if you like it, drink it, but do not limit yourself or break your wallet in the process. Make sure you try the non-aged stated or blended whiskeys. You do not want to be that person who only drinks 18-year-old single malts because everything else is inferior. Nobody likes “that guy”, he (or she) is a dick and is no fun to drink with.

Glenmorangie 18 is priced around $125. It is a very good Scotch at a very good price. I recommend you try it!

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

 

ChrisGlenmorangie 18 Single Malt
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Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky

Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky

December 16, 2018

Name: Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky

Color: Light amber/gold

Nose: Vanilla, nuts, spices and light grains

Taste: Light grains and spice vanilla with a smooth but light finish.

Review:

My first introduction to this whisky was at Robin Robinsons Irish v. Japanese Whisky Smack Down at the Astor Center in NYC and I was impressed. I had heard of Japanese whisky before and seen it in movies but this was the first time I was tasting it. I was impressed by the flavor and balance of this spirit. The whisky’s made in Japan have multiple levels of quality and cost but for someone who wants to try on for the first time this would be the starter in my opinion. It is smooth and stands on and is a great value.

I highly recommend this one on taste and value. Price ranges $60-70.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

 

ChrisNikka Coffey Malt Whisky
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Flaviar Tasting Sets

Flaviar Tasting Sets

December 11, 2018

If you like to sample a variety of whisky’s but do not want to spend money on a full bottle, or if there are no tasting events near you then www.flaviar.com is worth checking out. The Flaviar Tasting Box Samples sent to me as a birthday gift (not from Flaviar) and I enjoyed the samples I received in the mail. It was not necessary for me sample whisky this way since NYC has many tasting events and whisky bars. However, I started to think maybe some people would not have as much access to samples and would like to taste more so I figured I do a quick review of www.flaviar.com tasting sets.

In last tasting set, I received the following:

Glenkinchie 12 Year Old. This Scotch is fresh, light, barley, and fruit taste. Easy to enjoy. Approx $55.

Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old. This Scotch is clean tasting, barley, fruit, and light smoke. Medium-bodied compared to Glenkinchie. Approx $50.

Talisker 10 Year Old is a full-bodied, Isle of Skye, peaty, smoky Highland Scotch. Full and strong compared to Glenkinchie and Dalwhinnie. Approx $65.

These samples had a good flavor profile range and full bottles are affordably priced if you wanted to purchase one after tasting. The three samples come in a 1.5 oz, 4 inch long glass cylinder topped with an aluminum screw cap. The bottles are sealed with a red label to ensure the sample has not been opened. The glass is strong enough for re-use and I find them very convenient to give samples of whisky to friends.

I recommend you order these samples if you are looking to try a variety without breaking your wallet. At $42 a month, that is good price for wide variety of samples. Go to https://flaviar.com/sample-tasting set to learn more.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

 

ChrisFlaviar Tasting Sets
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