Archives Binny's Handpicked Heaven Hill 10 Year American Whiskey - No. 00185

VITALS:

- $120

- 129.0 proof

- 10 years

- No. 00185

- Kentucky/Netherlands

It has certainly been a while since my last post. Quite frankly, keeping up with reviewing everything I finished got to feel a bit like a chore. I'd get busy with work, and the next thing I knew I had four or five bottles sitting on my table waiting for me to write up a new post. And, the last thing I want is for this "hobby" to be tedious -- kind of defeats the point.

But, after take a break from writing reviews for a few months (sadly there will be a number of bottles that just won't be part of my own personal whiskey blog journal), the itch came back and I find myself wanting to write about one of my favorite things in this world, that sweet liquid sunshine!

So, for my first foray back into my whiskey musings, I've chosen to take on one of three bottles sitting on my shelf of Heaven Hill 10 Year single barrels bottled by Archives and handpicked by Binny's. I'm not going to lie, I had to grab three of these because, after all, each bottle had a different butterfly on it, and I kind of dug the design. Dumb reason to buy a whiskey, I know, but I've certainly made poorer decisions in my life!

Released in 2020, from my understanding these were selected by Archives, but then exported to the Netherlands where they were then aged for 10 years, only to be re-imported to the United States for such thirsty whiskey enthusiasts such as myself to try.

The nose had just a little bit of oak to it, along with a rich nuttiness, like walnut. However, it didn't allow itself to be bitter, even though it seemed to teeter on that edge. I also got a decent dark chocolate note, again lending to that rich, but not sweet, quality to the nose.

As far as flavor, friends of mine who had also picked these bottles up when they were released told me that these drank very "hot," with the alcohol burn taking over much of the flavor. One of them even likened to a high-proof corn whiskey. So, I was not optimistic going in. Yet, I first cracked this bottle open at a tasting among friends, and of the seven or eight bottles in the line-up (some of which were very nice bottles), this was the favorite by a majority decision.

This was actually on the sweeter end of the spectrum for Heaven Hill products. It certainly had heat given its proof, but it did not drink "hot" such that the heat took away from the flavor. Rather, there were sweet coffee notes, with that sweetness coming from a burnt sugar profile. It had more of that rich toffee note than a sweet caramel note, but it was still certainly a sweeter whiskey.

It had a great oily mouthfeel to it, and that viscous quality seemed to lend to a butterscotch note that really seemed to come forward on the backend and particularly on the finish. Interestingly, I got a bread note, but, to get somewhat hyperspecific, it was like the crunch crust of a good, hearty bread. I don't know that I've ever considered putting butterscotch on bread crust before, but perhaps I need to try it, as it really worked here.

This was a very unique and interesting, and at the same time delicious bottle of Heaven Hill. It was different than any other I can recall having, and yet it was really good. And, it made for a fun bottle to share with other bourbon drinkers.

Grade: A-

Kirkland Signature Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $37

- 100 Proof

- NAS

- Islay

I have had a lot of fun grabbing some of the Kirkland Signature offerings at Costco.  Of course, some of them have indicated which distillery they come from. Some have been clearly higher end or more limited release items, carrying healthy age statements at reasonable prices.

This bottle, however, is just a simple, off-the-shelf Islay Single Malt.  The bottle doesn't indicate where it's from. It doesn't carry an age statement. And, it only states that it was "matured in oak casks."  But, for a mere $37, I was more than happy to throw it into my cart.  I do love those smoky Islay single malts, and at the very least I figured I'd be getting something along the lines of Ardbeg's Wee Beastie.

The nose was full of those phenols, giving off a strong peat aroma. It was definitely along the lines of a campfire soot type of smoke.  I didn't really get the band aid note, or even fresh campfire note. It was that charcoal and ash note.  Interestingly, there was something sweet in the aroma as well. It wasn't prominent, but there was definitely a honey and even a butterscotch note.

As to flavor, this was unquestionably an Islay single malt. It was smoky, filling my mouth with that freshly put out campfire note that I was getting off the nose. It was fairly heavy and definitely took over the pour.  

However, the sweet notes were there as well.  The butterscotch that I got on the nose and was hunting for on each sip was there, but it was fleeting. However, there was a light honey note as well as a sort of cereal note that reminded me of graham crackers and even Honey Smacks cereal . . . but smoked. I assume that this is a fairly young whisky. So, it was interesting that I also got a somewhat prominent oak note. It wasn't bitter, but it definitely had that oaky flavor to it. 

The finish left that smoke all over my mouth. It was hard to escape, and it reminded me a bit of smoking a cigar, where that taste just doesn't seem to go away, no matter if you drink something else, eat something or even brush your teeth. I like the peat, but here it was just so one-dimensional that there wasn't much else left on the finish.

For the price, this is a buy. However, I'm not grabbing this off my shelf if I'm in the mood for a really good Islay single malt.  

Grade: C+ 

Weller Full Proof Binny's Single Barrel Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon - Batch #5

VITALS:
- $60

- 114 Proof

- NAS

- Batch #5

- Kentucky

I'm not sure if the hype or love for these bottles still remains.  I'm guessing it does, I just can't claim to have my finger on that pulse any more. That said, I know that I'm still grabbing these up whenever they are made available to me. In fact, this and Antique store picks are about all that I really grab any more from the Weller lineup.

These Full Proofs have yet to let me down, whether as the standard release or as a single barrel pick.  This one is a bit odd, though.  The sticker is a bit misleading. It identifies it as a "Single Barrel Select" but then also includes a "batch" number rather than a barrel number.  I suppose a single barrel can also constitute a batch, but that seems a bit counterintuitive.  So, I guess I don't know if this is a small batch or if it is actually a single barrel.  

On the nose I got those traditional bourbon notes I've come to expect from these Weller Full Proofs. It's certainly on the sweeter side, with a distinct toffee note. There are notes of chocolate and even a little bit of cinnamon as well. But it definitely leaned sweet on the nose.  I went into my first sip anticipating a dessert whiskey.

But, the flavor was never too sweet. It had those caramel and chocolate notes. I even got a pretty decent amount of sweet vanilla bean. Certainly all of these notes together gave off confectionary vibes.  But, it never seemed to cross that line into being overly sweet or anything I'd consider a "dessert whiskey."

I think the sweetness was tempered a bit by a fairly health oak note. I don't typically find oak in these bottlings, so that was actually kind of a pleasant surprise. It added a touch of bitterness as well as a bit of earthiness, both of which were certainly welcome and helped balance the bourbon out. I also got a bit of a cherry note, kind of a candied cherry, that added just a touch of tang and fruitiness to the flavor.

The finish is where the cinnamon note really came through. It ended up being much spicier than I expected as a result, as that cinnamon note, along with the chocolate and toffee notes, hung around for quite some time. It actually made this bourbon fun, for lack of a more creative word.

The price of these bottles remains approachable, and I'm just going to keep buying them when the opportunity presents itself. Always delicious pours, and this barrel/batch, whatever it is, was no different.

Grade: B+

Longrow Red 11 Year Tawny Port Cask Matured Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $170

- 115 Proof

- 11 Years

- 2023

- Campbeltown

When it comes to Scotch, I certainly do love those peated whiskies matured in wine casks. I love that peat and sweet!  And of those, I particularly love the Longrow Red collection.  Every single one of these releases has been absolutely outstanding! And of those, I've particularly loved the port finishes!

So, it was a foregone conclusion that I'd be grabbing the 11 year Tawny Port cask when it was released in 2023.  While I have bemoaned the pricing on these bottles, at least going in I knew I was going to love this bottling, and, quite frankly, it did not disappoint.

When I popped the cork, I got more peat than I expected. Usually these Longrow releases are a bit more muted, but this one filled my nostrils with a sweet smokey aroma. That was immediately followed, though, by a rich and sweet jammy note, like raspberry and currant.  Bright and fruity, and yet dark and rich all at once. 

And what I loved most is that it had a flavor to match. Again, the peat smoke was present immediately on the tip of my tongue.  It was no Laphroaig or Ardbeg, but the peat notes were certainly there. There was also a certain salinity to it, kind of like a campfire on the beach.

But what made this release a superstar was that Tawny Port cask! This was the kind of pour that you'd want after a heavy Thanksgiving meal (even if that's not a thing in Scotland!).  It was like a smokey fruit pie, full of fig and raspberry and stewed cherries. It was unquestionably sweet, but yet almost subtly so. The dark fruits provided all of the sweetness, never giving way to being too sweet and always playfully working with the peat smoke.

I did get some graham cracker notes, and even at times a bit of honey and wheat. That really just kind of balanced out the whole pie comparison.  Every now and then I'd even get surprised by warm baking spices, like cinnamon and even nutmeg.

But, rest assured, from front to back, it was that jammy blackberry, currant, stewed cherries, fig impression from the Tawny Port that was the absolute star here, making for one of the best pours I've had in a long time.  Damn those stupid prices--I'm stuck just grabbing these Longrow Reds as I find them!

Grade: A+

Glenmorangie A Tale of the Forest Highland Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $100

- 92 Proof

- NAS

- 2023

- Highlands

I am always a fan of free whisky! I know some whiskey collectors would prefer not to get whiskey as a gift, because it might end up being something they'd never buy or it might be something that they already have. I, however, welcome any and all whiskey gifts. It's always a good present, even if it's something I've had a thousand times before. Free whisky is great whisky!

In this case, I got this bottle as a gift from my wife, who thought it came in a pretty box.  I'm fairly certain that's about all the aforethought that went into this particular gift. But, in this case, I was thrilled to receive it.  I'm a fan of Glenmorangie to start with, and a limited release with some experimentation (kilning barley with botanicals) is just the kind of thing that I want to grab when I see it, but often pass due to the risk of the unknown (and usually somewhat hefty price tag).

It could be that the packaging, and the name, and the description of the process, all got in my head making me predisposed to certain flavors and aromas. But, the first things that I noticed were all almost herbal, with notes of sage and oregano hitting me right away. There was also a decent amount of pine on the nose, along with a bit of an earthy note. I even got notes of coriander and fennel, and at times it reminded me of a good deep dish pizza, as weird as that sounds.

As to flavor, it was definitely herbal, regardless of any predisposition.  I got the sage and oregano. There was also a certain fennel note, which, while I'm not a huge fan of fennel, did offer an interesting note and seemed to blend well with everything else.

I didn't really get any pine or mossy notes, as the write-up on the box suggested.  In fact, I got a decent amount of sweetness to go with the herbal notes, including notes of honey and even richer notes of caramel.  These sweeter notes actually worked really well with the herbal notes, giving a bit of a sweet and savory balance.

The finish provided a bit of a black pepper spice to further balance out any sweetness. It also had a cracker note, kind of like a wheat cracker with a bit of an earthy note to it.  Unfortunately, here the caramel and herbal notes seemed to fade away fairly quickly, leaving me with mostly a bread note in my mouth.

All in all, this was a fun single malt.  There were things that I absolutely loved about it (the herbal honey notes) and things that I wish were better (the disappointing finish). But, I'm so glad I got to try it, and I did not find myself hesitating to grab this bottle when the mood for an unpeated Scotch hit me.

Grade: B

Mortlach Signatory Vintage Binny's Private Select 10 Year Oloroso Sherry Matured Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $100

- 118.2 Proof

- 10 Years

- Cask No. 7

- 2023

- Speyside

There are two primary reasons I picked up this bottle.  First, it came highly recommended from a Binny's manager who, while we don't necessarily share the same palate when it comes to bourbon, has certainly served me well with his Scotch recommendations. Given that it's a private pick bottled at cask strength, his recommendation was really all that was necessary to convince me to grab a bottle.

However, this bottle certainly stood out on the shelf for one particular reason -- its color!!  I'm not one typically swayed by color. I've had some incredibly flavorful whiskeys that were just a shade above clear. But, this particular whiskey was so incredibly dark, I just knew that the force of the 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt was going to be strong with this one! It looked like a completely different type of liquor next to all the other bottles on the shelf.

One thing that was consistent on both the nose and the palate is that to call this "jammy" is an understatement.  As soon as I popped the cork, the room was filled with black raspberry and black currants. There was also a sort of toast note, making it seem a bit breakfast-ish. While it was hard to get past those rich, dark fruit notes, I also got something a bit herbal, kind of like a sage or an oregano note.

Upon my first sip, though, I was absolutely in love with this whisky! My mouth was flooded with notes of currant, black cherry and fig. It was rich and very jammy, and the 10 years spent in the Oloroso cask really allowed those fortified wine notes to take hold.  It also had a sort of syrupy quality, with that rich sweetness to it.

It also had a bit of a pie crust note, perhaps the toast I got on the nose. It was bit crackery, but also light and almost buttery. There was also a bit of balance thanks to a fresh black pepper note to add a little spice and pull from the sweetness. 

The finish is what absolutely sold me, though. I mentioned "syrupy" above, and this had a viscosity that reminded me of syrup from a jar of maraschino cherries. It absolutely coated the mouth in wonderful flavors of rich, dark fruit notes, but also that black pepper spice. There was a bit of an umami note on the finish as well, and it all kind of came together like really well-done barbecue. 

This was a sherry bomb, for sure, but it was a really, really good sherry bomb!!  I absolutely loved this bottle, and as I'm sitting here typing this I'm wishing I just had more and more of it.

Grade: A+

Colonel E.H. Taylor Warehouse Liquors Single Barrel Select Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $80

- 100 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel #035; Wrhs. H

- Kentucky

I've had plenty of store picks before, including E.H. Taylor picks. This one is a first, for me, having nothing to do with the whiskey. I bought this Warehouse Liquors Single Barrel Select back in 2021, and it's just like any other pick. What was a bit odd, however, is that Buffalo shipped all of the bottles for this Single Barrel pick in "Small Batch" tubes.

Of course, Gene at Warehouse Liquors caught this, and, rather than ship new tubes, apparently Buffalo Trace sent additional stickers to be applied to the outside of the Small Batch tubes, giving that necessary reassurance that this was, in fact, a single barrel pick.  In the end, tubes don't matter and the bottle was clearly and properly labeled.  But, it certainly was a fun little quirk with this particular bottling.  I think that's why it sat on my shelf for as long as it did before I finally got around to opening it.  I just liked having that little oddity.

No surprise here, but this was a delicious bourbon!  The nose was full of those traditional, Buffalo Trace Mashbill #1 aromas, including toffee and chocolate. It had a little bit of vanilla and a good cinnamon spice trailing behind everything.  These are consistently in my wheelhouse, and this bottle was no different.

When I took my first sip, the cinnamon spice was the first thing that I noticed up front. It was kind of a mix of baked cinnamon like you get on cinnamon rolls and cinnamon candy like redhots. It was very delicious! Interestingly, right behind that I got a decent oak note, adding a bit of tannic bitterness.  

Luckily, though, that bitterness was fleeting, and it made way for rich dark chocolate notes, as well as rich toffee notes. It wanted to be a sweet bourbon, but the spice, the oak, and the richness of those sweet notes seemed to keep it from going too far. 

There was a dark cherry, kind of a Maraschino cherry lurking behind everything.  That seemed to work incredibly well with the chocolate, providing a sort of cherry cordial quality.  It also had a sort of graham cracker note to it as well, again offering just a touch of sweetness without going too far.

On the finish it seemed that graham cracker note stuck around the longest.  The dark cherry note was there, and a bit of the toffee note as well. But that graham cracker, and even the dark chocolate note, were what really seemed to linger.  The spice that I got up front seemed to fade away fairly quickly after each sip.

The quirky tube is gone now, and, quite frankly, the bourbon in side was gone very quickly once I finally got around to opening it. This one checked a lot of the boxes of what I love about bourbon.  I almost don't want to throw my empties away (but I will because I'm not a hoarder).

Grade: A-