skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Grant's 12yo
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£15
$24 (USD)
WhiskyLIVE NYC is tonight (Monday March 30, 2009) at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers (23rd at the Hudson River). See you there?
Another blend from the Grant family and the industry's longest serving and most highly awarded Master Blender, David Stewart. Most recently he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from Whisky Magazine's Icons of Whisky 2009 for his 46 years with family distillers William Grant and Sons, where he was responsible for leading the team that won three consecutive Distiller of the Year awards for his work with Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, and Grant's blended whiskies.
An apprentice at the distillery for twelve (12!) years, David has always taken his responsibility very seriously, but that has never hindered his creativity. Always the innovator, David is a pioneer being the first to mature a whisky in two successive woods (essentially commericalising 'finishing') with The Balvenie Classic and its contemporary version, The Balevnie 12yo DoubleWood, using the Solera vatting system for Glenfiddich 15yo, and for using rum casks to mature single malt (Glenfiddich 21yo and The Balvenie 17yo Rum Cask). Now, Brian Kinsman(see pic, the guy on the left), David's apprenctice of nearly a decade, prepares to take the reigns, but there are no signs that David is in a rush to go anywhere and will certainly have his modest and talented hands at work with William Grant & Sons for many years to come.
The Grant's website says that this bottling is finished in "virgin bourbon casks" which is confusing because a virgin cask would imply that it was "new wood" and a bourbon cask would imply that it already held bourbon. So, what's going on? Whatever the story, this whisky won a World Whisky Award for Best Blended Whisky (12yo and under) last year and is part of the line that has undergone a slick repack/redesign without losing any of the trademark design features (crest label, "Stand Fast", or bottle shape)
Challenging to get pricing in pounds sterling or US dollars because this puppy is not sold in either market. Yet.
For all Grant's had on the mission and for more blend history, click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Grainy and sweet, big vanilla, almond butter, and stewed carrots. Pistachio nuts, salt, and honey mix in an unresolved union.
Wow, quite smoky and nutty off the top. Sherry sweetness makes a brief appearance with some plums and raisins and then oak and smoke round off the experience. Great movement. Long and smoky finish.
SUMMARY:
A whisky for drinking rather than nosing. And boy, did I not expect the smoke on the palate. But I was quite pleased by it and need to try this on the rocks. Tonight maybe? Okay.Malt Mission #345Malt Mission #347Malt Mission #348Malt Mission #349Malt Mission #350
Malt Mission HOME
George T. Stagg
2007 edition
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
72.4% abv
$65
£120
Since being launched in 2002 as a part of Buffalo Trace's "Antique Collection", George T. Stagg has made quite a reputation for itself among boozehounds worldwide. High proof, well-aged, and rare, the stuff cannot be sipped and forgotten; it makes an impression.
Awarded Best American Whiskey in the World at the 2008 World Whisky Awards and a great way to end our "week" of American whiskeys here on the Malt Mission.
Each release is usually around 15 years old and this drop was distilled in 1992. George T. Stagg whiskey is named after the man who was responsible for building the distillery that is known today as Buffalo Trace, a name taken from the tale that the distillery itself sits upon an ancient meandering trail of migrating buffalo.
For all American whiskey had on the mission, click HERE. To see what another whisky nerd I love reading said about it, click HERE.
Tasted with GS. Thanks for the drops, brother. Now go put Aurora to bed.
TASTING NOTES:
Rich and nougaty, baklava and Honey Nut Cheerios. Maple, that red chinese dipping sauce, gingerbread, fudge, and sourdough.
Strong, but sippable. Invigorating. Chewy. Buttery, chillied, and miraculously warming. Cucumber skin freshness but weighted with butterscotch and applesauce, boozy boozy applesauce. Water is not absolutely necessary (believe it or not), but WOW does it unleash berries, syrup, and a gorgeous oaky creaminess left only in the best American oak casks.
SUMMARY:
I wanted more with every sip, and refilled my glass several times. Truly riveting like a well-made action movie seen in the cinema... however you really need to be in the mood for this kind of movie.
Malt Mission #341
Malt Mission #342
Malt Mission #343
Malt Mission #344
Malt Mission HOME
Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Four Grain
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
46.2% abv
$80
I think this drop has the longest name to be had on the Malt Mission. Congratulations!
Woodford Reserve is the only triple-distilled pot still-produced bourbon in the world and the bottle shape of the Master's Collection is seemingly inspired by those copper kettles. Brown-Forman bought the historic Labrot & Graham distillery in 1994 with the explicit intention of producing a quality pot still-produced bourbon. The result has been well-received and Kentucky is all the better having this "spiritual resurrection" of an otherwise derelict distillery that might have faded into history. The explicit intention was always to create a bourbon fit for sipping like a single malt, not for mixing with coke, and the stills used were made at Fosyth's of Rothes in Scotland.
So what is Four Grain? Typically, bourbon is made with three grains, corn (at least 51%), rye, and barley. The fourth grain here refers to the addition of wheat and in this case the mash bill recipe is based on one from 1903, according to the distillers. This liquid was launched in 2005 in a worldwide release of just 250 cases.
For more distillery info and to see other Woodford Reserve whiskey tasted on the mission, click HERE.
Thanks to GS for opening this puppy to share. Sharing is caring. And you do. So thanks.
TASTING NOTES:
Grainy and sweet, root vegetable (parsnip, carrots, even turnips) and a floral note with cherry pie, a drop of vinegar, and some Chinese 5-spice.
Hot and oaky, rye toast, brown sugar granola, sushi nori and sticky rice, cinnamon buns, with a bundle of baked and sweetly spiced notes in the finish.
SUMMARY:
Flavourful but somehow thin, light, and lacking body or structure. That being said, perfectly refreshing with a mellowed sweetness that would be well suited to accompany the zip/zing of spiced bbq, korean food, or curry.
Malt Mission #341
Malt Mission #342
Malt Mission #343
Malt Mission #345
Malt Mission HOME
Straight Rye Whiskey
45% abv
$26
Sazerac Rye whiskey comes from Buffalo Trace Distillery, the production site and innovation teams responsible for what can most simply be called great American whiskeys and bourbons. More HERE.
In 1803 A.A. Peychaud created a cocktail based on cognac/brandy that was popularized in the 1850s and christened a Sazerac in the 1870s, once whiskey replaced cognac as the primary spirit ingredient.
As America's first cocktail it had to fight typically American oppressions, unfair taxation of imported spirits driving brandy out of the recipe of "America's first cocktail", The Noble Experiment, and the outlawing of one of the drink's ingredients (absinthe), driving the drink deeper into the melting pot, adapting to its new surroundings of 'freedom' under the heavy hand of religion and government. Ah, America; you contradiction, you.
Sazerac cocktail
1.5 oz Sazerac Rye Whiskey
1 tsp. Absinthe or Pernod
1 tsp. sugar
3 dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters
Ice
Coat a chilled glass with the Absinthe/Pernod by swirling it around being sure to touch the sides and bottom of the glass. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rye whiskey, sugar and bitters. Shake, then strain into the absinthe/pernod lined glass.
John Campbell of Laphroaig ordered me a Laphroizerac in Philadelphia, a drink where the absinthe/pernod is replaced by Laphroaig. Delish. And weird.
TASTING NOTES:
Herbal with a honey sweetness. Dentist office minty-ness, some coconut milk and vanilla, and a green vegetal sharpness that keeps it fresh.
Orange rind, spice, honey, sweet vermouth and unsalted Triscuits. Dry oakiness to finish.
SUMMARY:
Loved the nose, unusual (to me), sweet and odd. The palate was dry, and lacking... something. It was pointed, edgy. Which can be cool, I suppose. This whisky is allegdly 6 years old, three times the legal minimum, but I conclude that this is a whiskey better suited to mixing in fine cocktails than sipping straight. The spiciness and edge can also be attributed to the nature or rye whisky, I suppose.
Malt Mission #341
Malt Mission #342
Malt Mission #344
Malt Mission #345
Malt Mission HOME
Buffalo Trace
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
45% abv
$23
Continuing my week of American whiskey on the Malt Mission, and it seems the lads over at Caskstrength are on a similar kick.I think it is safe to say that American whiskey is booming. Sure, the LCBO still carries more Irish than American, but when one cannot count on liquor control to represent the spirits market or cater to consumer demand(!). Since 2003, premium bourbon and American whiskey has seen huge increases domestically and worldwide, and in 2007 whiskey exports exceeded $1billion dollars for the first time which indicates that value has been added to a category that has for so long been under-appreciated and drowned in Coke.
Buffalo Trace has been a leader in this regard raising distribution of its award-winning straight bourbon as well as introducing antique (fine & rare) releases on an annual basis.
Buffalo Trace, as a brand, was introduced in 1999 and is produced at a distillery of the same name but that was previously known as O.F.C. Distillery or George T. Stagg Distillery. The distillery washbacks/fermeters are the largest in the industry and their website indicates that the best maturing casks are found in warehouses C, I and K, and only from the middle racks. This is a less common practice in Scotch whisky because in America more warehouses are climate controlled. In the case of Buffalo Trace, they pump steam into the warehouses during the winter months. They've been using this technique since 1886 and were the first to do so.
TASTING NOTES:
Lemon peels, apple sauce, red licorice and jelly beans with a richly vanilla-ed oakiness backing it all up.
More candied fruitiness, red licorice again, with the spice of rye and sweetness of corn in complex but pleasing balance.
SUMMARY:
A tasty sipping whiskey with great balance and approachability. And with a friendly price tag to boot.
Malt Mission #341
Malt Mission #343Malt Mission #344Malt Mission #345
Malt Mission HOME
Ezra Brooks 90 Proof
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
45% abv
$15
My expertise(1) is in Scotch whisky and I have never pretended to know about bourbon or American whiskey. As a result, this blog has seen very few posts featuring the American spirit. Since moving to the USA last June, however, I have been reading, attending tastings, and conducting "field research" in order to increase my knowledge and understanding of American whiskies. I am not there yet, but with the help of some friends, libraries, and distilleries, I hope to gain a wider appreciation for American whiskies and feature more on the Malt Mission. The web provides a pretty flimsy resource for information about the history of the spirit that isn't corporate or commercial, but content is growing every day. In this regard, I ask for your help and guidance. If there are any errors in my coverage of American whiskey, please correct me. Cheers.
It is said that in the 1830s there were over 2000 distilleries in Kentucky, certainly most of them were illegal. In the decade before prohibition there were some 200 distilleries. Today, there are 9 (thank you Sku!). Most of these distilleries produce a wide variety of brands, and this Ezra Brooks is one such example. Owned by Luxco, a company that produces spirit in St. Louis, this whisky is likely sourced from Heaven Hill thus earning the label "kentucky striaght bourbon".
More American whiskey to come in the next few posts.
TASTING NOTES:
Spicy with rye and kimmel seeds, maybe some black pepper. Starchy like raw corn. A sweet, smoky note like charred barbecue sauce and a good licking of oak in there, too.
Hot, cinnamon gum, red licorice, then mellows into a nice black licorice lozenge with vanilla cream and raspberries.
SUMMARY:
Not at all disappointing, and it must be admitted that I came into this with far more pre-judgement than I like to on the mission. Not great, but quite good. Worked well in a Manhattan over the weekend, too.
Have you ever been told or shown the technique of trying a whisky without drinking it whereby you pour some of the spirit into your hands, rub it in until most of the alcohol evaporates, and then take a whiff of your cupped palms? I DO NOT recommend this technique with this drop unless you want to induce vomiting or turn someone off whisk(e)y for life. Sour and rotten smells came of my hands, though that may say more about my hands than the spirit...
Malt Mission #340 Malt Mission #342Malt Mission #343Malt Mission #344Malt Mission #345Malt Mission HOME
Longmorn 40yo (1968)
SMWS 7.48
"Cold nights and warm fires"
Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky
53.6% abv
£180Oh, Scotch Whisky, how I love thee...
Had a great night last weekend when I was back in NYC sitting (well, standing) with friends in our apartment and enjoying dozens of different bottles of scotch whisky, single malts, and blends. It really is a spirit that is conducive to group enjoyment and discussion and could warm the coldest winter night or icy heart.
I was very lucky to live in Scotland when I was 26-30 years old and have the opportunity to dive into the history and diversity of this spirit by meeting industry legends and whisky scholars as well as spending days reading and nights responsibly dramming (shhh... it was responsible). I have heard many friends and colleagues say with regret, "I didn't get into Scotch until I was 30" on more than one occasion. One of the hardships of falling in love with single malts in your 30s is coming to terms with the reality the opportunities to try whiskies older than you are few and far between and decrease at an alarming rate. But, of course, older does not mean better.
So love each glass and let each sip impress upon you the weight of years so we cherish those digits on the labels of bottles not as mere numbers but as millions of silent seconds of patient maturation that can sometimes make up for our own rushes to grow up, get married, rush to work, get promoted, and apparently race to the grave. Good whisky waits years to come to us because it can, and does, slow down time for reflection of our years and appreciation of these precious seconds.
Now let's taste a 40yo single malt whisky.
For more distillery info and to see all Longmorns had on the mission, click HERE. For all whiskies from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society had on the mission, click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Molasses and cloves, sherry and mulled wine. Full-on sherry maturation with tons of chocoaltey goodness (esp with a touch of water). A gentle rubbery note lingers in the background with fully ripe brown bananas, rum balls, and Irn Bru.
Chocolate covered raisins, almonds, and coffee beans. Dates, dark chocolate, and vanilla with a touch of soy sauce. Madiera-soaked apples, and a long finish of sherried oak... as expected, I suppose.
SUMMARY:
Put the kids to bed, light the fire, put the dog on your lap, and sip slowly.
OR
Finish dinner, go out on the fire escape, immerse yourself in the hum of the city, and sip slowly.
Malt Mission #336 Malt Mission #337
Malt Mission #338
Malt Mission #339
Glen Grant 1973 34yo
The Single Malts of Scotland
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
54.7% abv
£95
No, not THIS Glen Grant, the one that is in Rothes, across from Caperdonich distillery, or what used to be known as Glen Grant no.2 (1898-1965).
Glen Grant is a top selling single malt worldwide and an absolute behemoth pumping out nearly 6million litres per year and now, with 8 new stills being installed by 2010 production volumes could double. Yowza. Currently owned by Camapari, Glen Grant is a #5 single malt brand worldwide although we tend not to hear about it as much as some other top 10 malts.
For more distillery info and to see other Glen Grant's had on the Malt Mission, click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Sweet, spicy and nutty, with dried apricots, dates, and raisins. Apples and ginger, Dairy Milk, and a touch of damp cleaning rag.
Rich and weighty with even more nuttiness, gingery spice, and cakey maltiness. Oak and spice bound by a creamy mouthfeel with scrumptious sherried elements in abundance without ever dominating the spirit itself.
SUMMARY:
Tasty, rich, decadent stuff that to my perceptions really impressed on the palate as once I found the bungy element on the nose, it was hard to shake. So i sipped. And I liked.
Malt Mission #336 Malt Mission #337Malt Mission #338 Malt Mission #340Malt Mission HOME
"Barbeque Sauce" 1990
Wemyss Vintage Malts
Single Cask Speyside Single Malt Whisky
58% abv
Pronounced "weems", Wemyss Vintage Malts is William Wemyss whisky blending company based in Fife, Scotland. Wemyss' ties to the whisky industry go back to the 1800s when the famed Haig distilling family built their first distillery on family land (source).
The company's aims ring familiar in the Scotch Whisky world: "By using the aromas and tastes of the individual whiskies to uniquely identify each bottling, the consumer is able to easily understand what style of whisky is being purchased." Previous attempts (Jon, Mark and Robbo?) to sell whiskies based on flavour profiles have not been long-term successes, but the idea has never been criticised as much as the execution. Perhaps Wemyss can work out the bugs and we'll all be drinking "Apples and Pears", "Smoked Sausages", and "The Almond Tree" before long. After making lasting impressions on whisky lovers across the world with Douglas Laing and Dewar Rattray, Susan Colville (the artist formerly known as Susan Webster) has brought her knowledge and experience in the area independent scotch whisky bottlers to Wemyss. I thank her for sending over the drops and look forward to seeing her at WhiskyLIVE NYC.
TASTING NOTES:
Sour berries and sweet chocolate sauce over pistachio ice cream. Floral, grassy notes take you on a walk through meadows and a meaty sherried note with a vinegar-like tang brings you into a Spanish kitchen.
The taste is initially all apples and cinnamon but things evolve into sourdough, fresh mozzarella, and red wine. Indeed, the Spanish kitchen has turned Italian. Caramel and marmalade linger in balance and the finish eventually brings toffee and a touch of coffee.
SUMMARY:
An enjoyable Speyside dram that mixes elements of the great outdoors with the dark corners of culinary creation.
Malt Mission #336
Malt Mission #337 Malt Mission #339
Malt Mission #340
Malt Mission HOME
