Clermont Steep American Single Malt Whiskey

VITALS:

- $60

- 94 Proof

- 5 Years

- Kentucky

I'm not going to lie.  I was weirdly excited for this release.  I've done the American Single Malt thing. I've tried some that I've really enjoyed, and I've had some that were clunkers. What excited me about this one was that it was Jim Beam getting into the American Single Malt fray. 

There haven't been too many single malt releases from the Kentucky big boys. And, I'm particularly fond of most Beam products. So, when these finally hit the shelves, I made it a point to grab one right away. I figured, as with most of their other stuff, Jim Beam would at the very least produce a new and interesting and delicious product that would be a mainstay on the shelves.

I was wrong.

The nose was pretty good, and gave me a bit of hope, even if it didn't smell anything like the single malts I've come to know and love. It had notes of pear and cinnamon, almost like baked pear. It had a brown sugar sweetness to it, as well as a sweet tobacco leaf note. It also gave off a sort of brown butter note.

As to flavor, though, the predominant note was Cheerios.  And it wasn't even Honey Nut Cheerios, or Frosted Cheerios. It was just plain old, tasted like cardboard Cheerios.  There was also a fruitiness to it, but it wasn't a light or crisp note, but rather that baked pear note again. From there it seemed to go downhill.

I got a medicinal cherry note that is immediately a turnoff for me whenever I find it in a pour. I love a good cherry note, I hate the cough syrup note I get in some brands. And this was that cough syrup note. It also went beyond the pear note to include other weird stewed fruit notes, perhaps apple and plum. But there was no spice to go with those notes--no cinnamon, no allspice, no anise. It was just a bit weird.

And the finish kind of sealed the deal for me. I never did get that malty backbone that I love in a single malt. I never got any of the bright notes or floral notes or even fruity notes I've experienced in good single malts. Instead, what I was left with on the finish was an artificial sweetness, like corn syrup.  It wasn't even something I'd put on pancakes. It had that fake, syrupy sweetness of hard candy, and that seemed to linger longer than I wanted it to.

I wanted to like this, but I just struggled to find a reason to.  I think I'll just stick to Beam's bourbons from here on out.

Grade: D

Very Olde St. Nick Ancient Cask 8 Year Canadian Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $150

- 86.8 Proof

- 8 years

- Lot #16

- Canada

This is one of my first forays into Preservation Distillery's offerings. I had seen them floating around social media for quite a while, new revivals of old brands. They come with higher age statements, great looking packaging that reminds one of other very sought after whiskeys, and, of course a great story/label that uses words like "ancient cask" and "legendary rye."

But, what's hidden on the back is something I should have looked at before I made this purchase -- "Product of Canada."  This is a low proof, 8 year Canadian whiskey.  That doesn't exactly command the premium price that I paid back in 2020.  I made the mistake of getting excited over seeing these bottles hit Illinois shelves for the first time and not bothering to do my research. But, despite the wind being taken out of my sails, I figured at that point I had already bought it, I might as well drink it!

The nose was a healthy dose of cinnamon and sawdust. It had that light, woody smell that you get when working with a table saw.  It also had sweet bready notes that reminded me of Hawaiian rolls and even at times glazed donuts.  The long and short of it is it was very sweet with a bit of cinnamon.

On the palate it was also very sweet, but it was more of a brown sugar sweetness that dominated, and it told me fairly quickly that this was indeed a Canadian whiskey.  There was also a layer of vanilla underneath the brown sugar sweetness that gave it a bit of a dessert quality. Unfortunately, for me, it just leaned too sweet and I had a hard time getting past it.

I did get some other, more interesting notes, including the cinnamon that I was getting of the nose. That mostly came through on the back-end, and it was unfortunately fairly fleeting. I also got a bit of a cayenne note that added just a touch of spice.  That too was fleeting.

On the finish I was left with those sweet, bready notes coupled with the ever-present brown sugar. The finish was short-lived, though, disappearing on me almost immediately.

This bottle just didn't offer much more for me than standard fare Canadian whiskey. And every time I drank it and thought about the price, I just got angry. There is a reason these bottles just sit on shelves now. This was one-dimensional, overly sweet and way overpriced.

Grade: D

Wigle Phil's Shadow Rye Whiskey Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels

VITALS:

- $30 (375 mL)

- 92 Prof

- 3 1/2 years

- Pennsylvania

The timing of this post was almost appropriate, as Groundhog's Day was only a week or so ago. Had I made the connection, I would have made it a point to finish this bottle and get this post up that day. But here I am, a week late, and now it's just another review on any given day. I really screwed that one up.

In any event, this was a bottle that I had seen on the shelves many times, but was simply never interested in buying it. The fact that it's finished in maple syrup barrels tells me right away it's going to be too sweet for my taste.  And I know very little about its maker, Pittsburgh Distilling Co.  But, when a buddy of mine decided to be generous and gift me a bottle, well, who am I to turn it down! So I gave it a go!

On the nose I got a ton of (you guessed it!) maple syrup.  This is probably going to be a trend here.  Of course I expected a good amount of maple syrup, but this was all maple syrup. It did have some notes I identify with a younger whiskey, particularly a green apple note, but even that was lost behind the heavy aroma of a waffle house floor.

As to flavor, I got notes of vanilla and caramel and a hint of raspberry . . . just kidding!  I got maple syrup.  Lots of maple syrup!  At times I thought I might have caught notes of something else, like a hint of oak, some black pepper spice, maybe even some vanilla. But I'm fairly certain that was my imagination, because whenever I re-focused, all I ever got was maple syrup . . . and cavities. To be fair, as I wrote my notes, I did get a cereal note a couple times, kind of like corn flakes.  Still breakfast, though.

I don't think I need to go into the finish. I'm guessing given the pattern here you can fill in that blank.

Some people love whiskey finished in maple syrup barrels.  I am definitely not among them. Not only does it sweeten up the whiskey to the Nth degree, but, unlike some honey barrel finishes that I've actually enjoyed for what they are, the maple finish overpowers with flavor as well.  It's like making out with a Canadian.  If it's your thing, go nuts. But it's not for me (the finished whiskey, that is, I'm completely on board with making out with Canadians).

Grade: D

Jesse James American Outlaw Bourbon Whiskey

VITALS:
- $17
- 80 Proof
- 3 Years Old

With a gimmicky name like Jesse James, and the fact that it resided on the bottom shelf at a low price point, I really didn't expect a whole lot from this bourbon. That's not to mention that it's only a three year old bourbon (though, kudos to Jesse James for at least having an age statement!).

The bourbon is from Mira Lima, California. Or, at least, it's bottled by Jesse James Distilling Co. in Mira Lima, California. I don't know where the bourbon itself comes from. In the end, it probably doesn't matter all that much.

The nose is almost all molasses. It smells like a very sweet bourbon, with some hints of leather to bring that sweetness back to earth just a little bit. The nose, sweet as it was, was weak in general. At only 80 proof, I guess I couldn't expect a whole lot, but I really had to work to discern anything from this nose.

The bourbon is watery and thin, with legs as long as Cotton Hill's. This is a characteristic that is common among lower shelf bourbons, and this was not unexpected.

The flavor is not strong either. My overall impression is that this is unimpressive and weak, from nose to finish. Up front, though, what flavor is there is good. I got a nice blend of vanilla with a sweet peanut flavor to it. Interestingly, I got a light wood tone underscoring everything else, as though this bourbon were older than it actually is.

It's a thin and watery bourbon, and for that reason alone I'd prefer this as a mixer as opposed to a sipper. On its own it was simple and thin, and on the finish it had a very weird, astringent aftertaste. I've heard people describe their bourbon as tasting like band-aids, and this is the first time that I've ever gotten that from a bourbon. The finish was, quite simply, bad. A bourbon with a great finish makes me want to go right back to the bottle for another pour. This one just had me looking for something else.

I even tried it as a mixer with some ginger ale, and I just couldn't find a way to enjoy it. Even as a bottom shelf bourbon, this one falls well short of being a decent bourbon.

Grade: D

Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

This is another staple in the bourbon industry that I felt I needed to give a go.  I grabbed this bottle for a recent family camping trip, with the plan of sipping on a glass or two each night by the dwindling fire after the kids were in bed.

The bourbon is a thicker, darker bourbon.  On the first pour, this made it seem very promising to me.  I took a sip and I got all the flavors I expect and hope for from a decent bourbon.  I got an inoffensive nose of vanilla and wood, with a little spice.  The flavor profile matched, starting with the same vanilla and wood flavors, with a hint of coffee flavor.

But then it hit me.  A flavor that at first I couldn't pinpoint, but one that stuck in the back of my throat.  I was about halfway through my first glass when I realized what it was.  Cherry cough syrup.  It was distinct and unavoidable.  I wouldn't notice it as the whiskey was in my mouth, but after each swallow, that was the taste that chose to stick around, and as with actual cough syrup, it stuck around for a while.

I trudged through the bottle, but this is one of those times where the bottle only got worse the more I drank.  I just could not shake that flavor, and, as I sit here writing this, I'm surprised I actually remembered anything else I may have noticed before having my senses offended.

This is one that I will definitely stay far away from, and, if Woodford's other products share a common profile, I'll be hesitant to experiment with those.

Grade: D

Scapa the Orcadian 16 Year Single Malt Scotch

This is a bottle that came well-recommended by the bearded fellow working at the liquor store the day I picked this up.  I figured, who better to trust than the guy with the full beard working at the liquor store.  Even afterwards I researched this Scotch a bit on the internet before I got a chance to open it, and the reviews were promising.  I was very eager to get home and try this one out that evening.

I was tempted by "honeyed vanilla, caramel custard, and mouth-coating maltiness," as I had read in one review.  It sounded like everything I love in a good Scotch.  Perhaps I set the bar too high, maybe hyped it up a bit in my mind.  But, this one just did not live up to its billing.

I expected this to be a bit subtle, but very drinkable, with a warm, sweet finish.  What I found, however, was that it had more burn than expected, and that it generally lacked in the subtle flavors I had hoped to enjoy.  I did not taste any vanilla, nor any honey, nor much sweetness at all, whether at the tip of my tongue or the back of my throat.

Rather, it came across as bitter and, quite frankly, of similar quality to far cheaper Scotches.  I actually struggled to finish this bottle, drinking it occasionally here and there almost as a matter of necessity, as though I was going to have to finish the bottle eventually anyway, so I might as well get it over.  

Ultimately, for the price, there is better whisky to be had.  As I worked my way through this bottle, rather than enjoy it, I was instead looking forward to whatever was next up for me to try.

Grade: D+