Chris | Page 7 | NYC Whiskey Review

christopher.dias.nyc@gmail.com

Dewar’s White Label

August 1, 2024 Scotland

Name: Dewar’s White Label Blended Scotch Whiskey

Color: Light Yellow

Nose: Barley, white fruit, light wood, vanilla

Taste: Citrus, light malt, vanilla, honey

Dewar’s White Label is a blended scotch whisky from Perth, Scotland. It was founded by John Dewar in 1846 so they have been around a long time. The whiskey has received over 500 awards over the years for the various expressions. You will find this scotch on most bars all around the world.

Dewar’s is a very light blended scotch and is like Famous Grouse with respect to its flavor and consistency. It is fine, but I like more body and taste in my scotch. I find the White Label a bit boring knowing there is much better. Some of the much better expressions that Dewar’s produces are: 15, 18, 25, Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, Royal Brackla, and The Devron. There are a few other expressions that are produced by the distillery, but I wanted to list the most popular.

I would not drink this stuff unless I had too, or it was a cocktail of some sort. It just isn’t that good. Maybe it would taste better on a train ride up to Scotland.

Priced around $35 and fine for a baseline blend but I would upgrade to Aberfeldy or Aultmore.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Aberfeldy 12

July 31, 2024 Scotland

Name: Aberfeldy 12

Color: Gold

Nose: Malt, flowers, wood, light citrus

Taste: Malt, citrus, wood, white pepper

Aberfeldy 12 is a whisky I have seen on the shelves for years now and for some reason my “Spidey” sense kept me away from trying this whisky. Years ago on a cruise to Bermuda it was served a lot at the bar, but I opted for the “Glen’s” for my nightly drink. After sampling this nip, I am happy I listened to my Spidey sense.

Aberfeldy 12 is aged in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry casks, and some casks are re-charred. On my first taste, I was not very impressed. It’s a very basic malt whisky. On my second taste I recognized the flavor profile, but I guessed incorrectly. It reminded me of Singleton or Tomatin. However, I had recently had samples them for review, so they were fresh in my mind. From my research I discovered the familiar flavor is Dewar’s. This whisky is just slightly upgraded Dewar’s. It does have a sweeter sherry finish and has more body than a Dewar’s, but it is very basic whisky.

As my Scottish Mum used to say, “There are slugging whiskies and there are sipping whiskies”. This one is a summer slugging whisky. No wonder why the bartenders on the cruise were pushing it.

Priced around $35-45 and not impressed.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

George Remus Batch Rye

July 25, 2024 America

Name: George Remus Batch Rye

Color: Light Brown

Nose: Rye, spices, white pepper, orange

Taste: Rye spice, white pepper, orange, light wood

I sampled George Remus Batch Rye #002 whiskey not too long ago at my friends home in Northern Kentucky. For some reason Bourbon and Rye always taste better in Kentucky and Scotch tastes better in Scotland.It must be something in the air.

There is a lot of interesting history about George Remus but I will give you the short version. He was born in 1878 in Germany and immigrated to America as a child. He became a lawyer in Chicago and became a defender of arrested bootleggers. He did well for himself with his clients as found numerous loopholes in the Volstead Act. One loophole was to get liquor prescribed by doctors legally and the shipping it in his own fleet of trucks. Smart, eh? He the realized there was more money in booze than law so he move from Chicago to Cincinnati and became a bootlegger. He did so well finically that the book The Great Gatsby was rumored to be based on him. He died in 1952 in Covington, Kentucky.

Now, the whiskey….Remus Rye is good but very spicy. It is not a straight drinker, but the balance of flavors and spices is good for a cocktail. There is a flavor in the taste profile that I can not figure out. It has a coconut or oak wood thing going on. I hope my friend still has some when I get back to KY in the fall.

Priced around $50 and good for a rye cocktail.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

The Singleton 12 Cocktail Series #4 – The Rob Roy

July 24, 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.

The Roby Roy cocktail is credit to have been created in 1894 in NYC at the Waldorf Astoria (now closed) in honor of the Rob Roy operetta which is based on the Scottish hero Roby Roy MacGregor. Basically, it is a Manhattan with scotch instead of rye.

Singleton Cocktail Series #4 – Rob Roy

1.5 oz Singleton
1.0 oz Sweet Vermouth
3 dash bitters
Stir in ice.
Pour in glass.
Garnish with a cherry

This cocktail is medium sweet with a decent balance with the Antica Formula Vermouth. I find it help mask the taste of the lighter scotch. I enjoyed this cocktail more than I thought I would. It was easier to drink than a regular high proof rye Manhattan and could be an outdoor summer drink. Even though it is an easy drinker, it is too light for my taste with the Singleton 12. I need to try it with Sagamore Rye or a few stronger scotches I have recently picked up.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Larceny Bourbon

July 18, 2024 America

Name: Larceny Bourbon

Color: Light brown

Nose: Corn, vanilla, oak/wood, white pepper

Taste: Corn, wood, dark fruits (cherry), vanilla, honey

Larceny Bourbon is basic whiskey from Kentucky that claims to have “Origins in the history of the Old Fitzgerald brand…..”. Translation: “We distilled some cheap stuff for you to drink, but we needed some old Kentucky Bourbon romantic brand name story in the tag line to sell this stuff you…”

A few years ago, I was in Louisville, Kentucky and was talking with Cop about bourbon and the bourbon trail tours. The conversation went like this:

Chris

“What bourbon do you prefer to drink?”

Cop:

“I like Larceny.”

Chris:

“Why?”

Cop:

“Because it’s drinkable”.

The bourbon is bottled at 92 proof and the mash bill favors more to wheat than rye which yields a softer flavor profile. The nose is a young and tight and the flavor is similar. A little water opens in up and it would work fine as a summer drinker or a cocktail mixer.

Priced around $30 and I agree with the Cop, it’s drinkable.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Davidoff Signature No.2

July 17, 2024 Cigars

Name: Davidoff Signature No.2

Size/Gauge: 6” / 38

Wrapper: Ecuador / Connecticut

Binder: Dominican Republic

Filler: Dominican Republic

Davidoff Signature No. 2 is a lighter, longer, and smaller gauged cigar than I usually smoke. This cigar came with a rat tail that I plucked, but after a few minutes of smoking it, I had to bullet cut it. The cigar as a lovely aroma of coffee and nuts after it heats up for a few minutes.

Half way through enjoy this cigar, the flavor changed and became more bitter and the little richness the lighter Connecticut wrapper taste dissipated. I have never been a fan of these lighter cigars. They have a lack of overall flavor for my taste.

Priced around $25 and nice, but for the flavor and price, I was not really impressed. I cannot recommend this cigar at the price.

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

If you like it, drink it!

Stranahan’s Snowflake Whiskey (2021 edition)

July 11, 2024 America

Name: Stranahan’s Snowflake Whiskey (2021 edition)

Color: Copper

Nose: Light malt, dry sherry, dark fruits

Taste: Light malt, sweet sherry, mix of unique flavors

Stranahan’s Whiskey was founded in 2004 and it is located at 200 S. Kalamath St. Denver, CO. The distillery/visitor center is in an industrial park and has a simple outdoor seating area with a nice view of the mountains. The inside bar 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 is very friendly with that easy going Colorado vibe.

The Snowflake is very nice tasting, smooth, and well-balanced whiskey. It is almost too smooth as a whiskey like this can be finished by two people in one sitting. I have heard stories of people who sleep outside for a couple of days to be early in line to get a bottle. I find this a little bit too extreme, but to each their own.

From my research Snowflake is 100% malted barley, aged 4 to 8 years in new white American Oak barrels at a #3. It is then transferred to a variety of barrels for finishing. These barrels are listed as sherry, rum, tequila, cognac, and “others”. This finishing in multiple barrels is the reason I list it as a “mix of unique flavors”. I had a difficult time detecting trying to determine each one during tasting.

Other expressions produced: Original, Blue Peak, Mountain Angel 10 Year, Snowflake, Diamond Peak, Sherry Cask, Single Barrel, and other special releases. The whiskeys that really impressed me are the Snowflake, Sherry Cask, and Cask Strength.

Priced around $125 and is an excellent whiskey. Not sure if you can find this expression in the stores as a limited amount is produced each year.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Glen Scotia – Victoriana

July 10, 2024 Scotland

Name: Glen Scotia – Victoriana

Color: Light Brown

Nose: Malt, flowers, oak, caramel

Taste: Malt, flowers, oak, sugar-spices

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 remaining. (Glen Scotia, Glengyle, & Springbank).

Glen Scotia – Victoriana is a Campbeltown malt aged in ex-bourbon casks, then a 1/3 of it goes into Pedro Ximenez cask with the remaining 2/3 finished in heavily charred American Oak. It is then brought back together and bottled. It is non aged stated, natural colored, non-chilled filtered, and is 54.2 abv%

This proof is significantly higher than most Scotches. With the high proof it has a strong nose and hot taste. I added four drops of water and it opened up nicely. The best way I could describe such a strong whisky is rich and elegant. It is very good and well balanced. I am going to get a bottle and try a “home pour” on a big cube of ice.

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

Priced around $100 and I was pleasantly surprised. I recommend this expression.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Jefferson “Very Small Batch” Bourbon

July 4, 2024 America

Name: Jefferson Small Batch Bourbon

Color: Light brown

Nose: Vanilla, spice, citrus, caramel

Taste: Dark fruit, spice, caramel

Jefferson Very Small Batch Bourbon is a great way to celebrate the 4^th of July and will be drinking some today. Jefferson was first released by Castle Brands from Kentucky in 1997.

The Castle Brand does not distill their own whiskey. They acquire it from sources and blend and adjust it as they see fit. They are honest about this which is a good way to be in the whiskey world. Other companies (not going to mention any names) make efforts to hide the fact they source the raw product. I look at it this way, if you bottle a good whiskey, why do I give a shit you did not distill it yourself? Some people think the whisky has to be distilled by the company directly to be a whiskey. These people need to be reminded that building and operating a distillery takes tens of millions of dollars to start up. Even after the startup costs you spend years developing your whiskey before you sell it.

Jefferson Very Small Batch is not bad, not good, it is just a decent bourbon. It is fine to drink on the rocks or on in a cocktail. Since this is the week of vacations and BBQ’s a bottle of this bourbon is a good one at a good price to get shit faced to celebrate the birth of our Nation.

Price around $40 it is a decent bourbon. Happy 4^th of July and don’t drink and drive!

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Deanston – Kentucky Cask Matured

July 3, 2024 Scotland

Name: Deanston – Kentucky Cask Matured

Color: Light Yellow

Nose: Malt, honey, apple/citrus, vanilla, light oak

Taste: Malt, oak, apple, spices

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”.

I saw this whisky on the bar at the Potstill in Glasgow this year and I thought I would give it a try. Deanston Kentucky Cask Matured (Deanston KY) is non age stated, matured in first and second filled bourbon barrels, soft filtered, and bottled at 40% abv. The fancy words of “soft filtration” probably means “kinda less non-chilled filtration” and “Kentucky Cask Matured” means aged in ex-bourbon barrels. Calling Don Draper. Call Mr. Don Draper in the Deanston marketing meeting!

Deanston KY has a nice over flavor profile and it is light with a little spice on the finish. The light taste melts away on your palate very quickly. If this was served on ice, it would have almost no flavor at all. I am a fan of Deanston and I do not see enough of their expressions in America, but this is far too light for my taste. I imagine this was created to market to a American Bourbon drinker (aka St. Matthew B.)

Priced around $30 a bottle online, but not seen in the stores. I do not recommend this one as it is far too light of a whisky to really enjoy.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

christopher.dias.nyc@gmail.com

Dewar’s White Label

Aberfeldy 12

George Remus Batch Rye

The Singleton 12 Cocktail Series #4 – The Rob Roy

Larceny Bourbon

Davidoff Signature No.2

Stranahan’s Snowflake Whiskey (2021 edition)

Glen Scotia – Victoriana

Jefferson “Very Small Batch” Bourbon

Deanston – Kentucky Cask Matured

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