High West Campfire Distillery Exclusive Barrel Select Sherry Finished Blended Whiskey

VITALS:

- $60

- 101 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel No. 13093

- Finish Time: 1 yr., 3 mos.

- Utah

It's no secret that I'm a big High West fan. For the most part (there are some exceptions), I love everything they put out, especially their ryes. But what I really love about High West is their barrel select program. It seems High West is constantly finding barrels to use for finishing their core line-up of bourbon, rye and blended whiskey, and their Barrel Select program is great! I've had some absolutely amazing bottles finished in port barrels, Scotch barrels, and most recently one finished in Armagnac barrels that was one of the best whiskeys I've had in a long time.

So, when some buddies and I went to visit a friend at the distillery in Wanship, Utah, we made it a point to hit up the gift shop before it closed. It was as though I was drawn like a magnet--as soon as I walked through the door my hand immediately reached for this bottle. They frequently have gift shop exclusive bottlings available, and I knew this would be coming home with me regardless of what it was. Luckily for me, though, I love a good, sherried peated Scotch, and I knew this would be right in line with my tastes.

As I often get with peated Scotches finished in sherry barrels, one of the first notes that I got on this was a barbecue sauce aroma. It was smokey and fruity, with rich cherry notes. It offered a bit more complexity than I expected, though, as I also got a caramel and even cherry cola note. Consistent with the smoke, I got a bit of a burnt marshmallow note as well.

As to flavor, I likewise found more flavor than I had expected to.  Of course, I got a lot of smoke that I expected (and which makes peated Scotches somewhat divisive, especially among bourbon drinkers). The fruit notes, however, came across a bit lighter and brighter, more like a raspberry flavor than cherry. 

It had a lot of cinnamon spice to it, and that spice, along with the raspberry flavor and the smoke, certainly reminded me of a sweet and spicy barbecue sauce. It even seemed to be sweetened up a bit by a soft honey note.

I did get other flavors that I'd traditionally associate with Scotch over rye or bourbon. I got a sweet pipe tobacco flavor, and even some floral notes. I couldn't tell you which flower I was tasting (my palate is not that refined, nor do I have the necessary experience eating and tasting various flowers), but it was light and soft and herbal, kind of like lavender.

The finish, aside from the smoke that lingered, carried more of a pastry note. It was soft and bready, and it reminded me of King's Hawaiian bread--that sweet and light bread that I can just eat all day on its own.

I know that campfire itself can be somewhat divisive, and certainly peated whiskey is. In fact, one of my buddies that was with me when I got this bottle grabbed one for himself, and he hated it to the point that he was looking to give away his bottle. I, however, absolutely loved this and thought it was a really well done finish on a product I already really liked. I enjoyed the last few pours around my fire pit in my back yard, and I couldn't have pictured a more fitting whiskey for that purpose.

Grade: A-

New Riff Backsetter Peated Backset Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $45

- 100 Proof

- 4 years

- Kentucky

This was one of my more anticipated releases in recent memory. When New Riff announced that they were releasing Backsetter Rye, I had no clue what that meant at all. When I looked into it, I knew I was going to have to track down a bottle, and luckily I was able to do so without too much effort, though it didn't remain on shelves for very long.

Certainly bucking norms, New Riff used a peated sour mash backset, so a portion of a previous mash that's used in a new batch (kind of like sour dough bread). So it's not a peated whiskey, at least in the traditional sent of using peat to smoke the malt. I was very curious as to just how much smoke flavor would actually be imparted by the use of the peated backset, as I do love me a smokey Scotch from time to time.

On the nose I definitely got a char note, but it certainly wasn't very strong, and it was certainly a far cry from the smokey notes you get from Lagavulin or Laphroaig.  In addition to the light char, I also got some mild pine notes, as well as brown sugar and vanilla. The vanilla was almost minty in character. I also got some soft caramel notes as well.  All in all, I thought this smelled great, and I couldn't wait to dive into my first pour.

The smoke definitely shows up on the palate. Again, not quite like the heavily peated Scotches, but certainly more present than on the nose.  It was alight smokiness, kind of like a burnt marshmallow, where you get the char but it quickly subsides and makes way for the sweet, vanilla notes. In fact, the more I drank of this bottle, the more the smoke came through, particularly on the finish. I've often found that's what I've liked most in peated Scotches was the finish where the smoke lingered, and I really enjoyed it here.

Underneath the peat I got a healthy dose of caramel as well as a sweet graham cracker note. That sweetness went well with the burnt marshmallow notes. I also got a certain salty quality to it, kind of like salted caramel. One of the more interesting notes that I got, though, which I noticed from the first pour to the last, was a baked sweet potato flavor. That was certainly a first for me, but it worked with all the other flavors going on, and I did actually enjoy it.

All in all, the peat character is front and center, but that's not unexpected. I've seen a lot of love it or hate it reviews, and I'm not surprised.  Peated whiskeys tend to be divisive. If smoke is not your thing, then this is probably not for you.  I, however, loved it. In a way, it kind of reminded me of the bark of a good smoked brisket--smokey, salty and sweet.  I hope this makes its way around again, because I will absolutely be after another bottle.

Grade: A-

Great King St. by Compass Box Glasgow Blend Blended Scotch

VITALS:
- $35
- 86 Proof
- NAS
- Scotland

I know I've asked this question before to start off a post, but I'll ask it again -- who loves free whiskey?? I do! This bottle was a Christmas gift from last year that I've been (very) slowly working my way through. I haven't exactly been reviewing a lot of Scotches lately (or anything non-American for that matter), so eventually I got to where I made it a point to go in this direction so that I can finally make this post.

I've loved most everything that I've tried from Compass Box, including the Great King St. blends. This one is a blend of an Islay peated whiskey with a sherry-cask matured Speyside Scotch and a lowland whiskey. I've enjoyed the peat and sherry combination in other Scotches, so I was pretty excited to have this bottle placed into my hands.

Of course the peat is the first thing to hit the olfactory senses, with a nice campfire note. However, behind the smoke I got some floral notes as well as a bright berry note, like fresh raspberry. The smoke note is pervasive, however, and it all came together in a kind of sweet barbecue note.

When I took my first sip, I was surprised that the peat smoke was not nearly as strong as the nose had me expecting. It was certainly there, but it did not come anywhere close to overpowering the other delicious flavors in this whiskey.

It had a smooth and rich undercurrent of vanilla that was present from front to back, and seemed to be the flavor that stuck around the longest. I also got some fresh strawberry notes along with a honey note to add a significant amount of sweetness to contrast the smoke.

I found myself smacking my lips after nearly every sip, but thanks to the peat the sweetness was never cloying or overdone. The fact that this only clocked in at 86 proof probably helped avoid a syrupy quality that might otherwise have been there.

That being said, after having had this bottle open, even for a few months, it seemed to develop a more oily body, and the flavors seemed to transform a little bit, just enough to develop some added complexity. What was previously a honey note seemed to come across as more of a butterscotch note. The fruit notes seemed to come across as more of a raspberry-almond note, with just a little bit of amaretto tang to it. And even though the vanilla seemed to lighten up, I instead got notes of chocolate and coffee, which still worked very well with the peat.

Although this isn't my favorite peated Scotch, this blend offered a lot of complexity that had me pondering nearly every sip I took, trying to pinpoint each different note that I was getting. And, for the most part, each flavor seemed to complement all of the others--exactly what a blend is supposed to accomplish.

Grade: B+

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Scottish Barley Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:
- $60
- 100 Proof
- NAS
- Region: Islay, Scotland

It's been a while since I've posted. It's not due to a lack of drinking whisky, however. I recently moved, so for a while there my whiskey and my laptop were packed away. During that time, however, I've enjoyed a few bottles, down to the last couple pours, with the intention of finishing them once I got into my new house, and getting the reviews up here. This is the first I finished off once we settled in, and this picture was actually taken in my new basement bar!

This was a sort of going away gift from my whiskey buddy who recently moved away. I'm not sure if it was intended as a gift or if it was just a matter of he couldn't pack it so he gave it to me. Either way, the outcome is the same and I got to enjoy a nice, peaty bottle of Islay Scotch!

The bottle itself advertises this as a "Heavily Peated" Scotch, and with a simple pop of the cork it's obvious that that is not mere puffery! One whiff of this stuff and my first thought was, "Holy smoke bomb!" It's like I stuck my nose into the smoldering remains of a campfire. It was really tough to get past the smoke to find other notes, but with a little patience and persistence, I was also able to pick up some graham cracker and light honey. The sweetness is there, it's just hidden.

The smoke, however, actually seemed stronger on the nose than it did on the palate.  Don't get me wrong, this is still a very smoky whisky, but the other flavors are able to permeate through as well, and it is a decent blend of smoky and sweet.

Beyond the peat there is a smooth butterscotch flavor that mixes well with cereal notes (perhaps that graham cracker I noticed on the nose) as well as hints of dark fruits. It reminded me of raisin bran, oddly enough. It's tasty and complex, though it does come off as a bit rough around the edges.

The peat smoke is still difficult to get past, and that smokiness lingers in your mouth forever, kind of like that taste you have the morning after enjoying a nice cigar the night before. It left an odd, almost metallic taste at the back of my throat as well that I had a hard time getting past. Also, frequently after a bottle has been open for a bit, the whisky inside tends to smooth out a bit. Not so with this one, as the rough edges seemed to only get more prominent, focusing more on the peat and the alcohol than the other, tasty but hidden flavors.

Even after a few pours, I couldn't be certain whether I liked this or not. I liked it at first, enjoying the butterscotch and graham cracker flavors mixed with the smoke, like a nice Summer campfire. Then a couple pours later I would wonder what I ever saw in this stuff. Yet, on my last pour, there I was, enjoying it all over again. Perhaps it was simply my mood, or perhaps just whatever I had just eaten was changing my palate, but I could never really put my thumb on whether or not I liked it.

Grade: B-

Longrow Red Limited Edition Pinot Noir Cask Finished 12 Year Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:
- $120
- 105.8 Proof
- 12 Years

My wife enjoys picking out bottles to surprise me with, usually for some sort of special occasion like a birthday or Father's Day. It's something I've really grown to love about her! When she does this, she tends to go with Scotch Whiskies, because there's less of a chance that I've had it before. So for my birthday she looked for something special, something limited, and she came home with this.

I have to admit, I was completely unfamiliar with this line. According to the label, Longrow is a peated single malt produced at Springbank Distillery in Campbeltown, and less than 100 casks of Longrow are filled each year. This particular bottling was matured for 11 years in bourbon casks and then one year in fresh New Zealand Pinot Noir casks, and on 9,000 bottles were produced. What was clear to me from the label was that there was a whole lot going on with this whisky, and I couldn't wait to dive in!

The nose is interesting. It had the traditional barley malt nose that I associate with Scotches, along with the expected peat smoke. However, those scents blended with what I'd describe as a sweet raspberry note, and in the end, it all culminated into a soft hickory smoke nose. It was like barbecue with a raspberry glaze that just made me salivate at the thought of tasting it.

On the palate, the peat is prominent but not overpowering. Rather, the myriad other flavors are allowed to come through, as though they poke their heads out through the peat smoke to hit the tongue, only to retreat back to their smokey home, kind of like a whisky whack-a-mole!

I enjoyed some delicious dark fruits hidden within, like plum and blackberry. These flavors were overlaid on a nice platform of vanilla and cereal notes, kind of like rice crispy treats. On another sip I noticed brown sugar, which balanced very well with the peat smoke and the slight heat (though I wouldn't describe it as "burn"). As with the nose, the palate was also very reminiscent of sweet barbecue ribs.

The fact that this was aged in bourbon barrels for 11 years seems to certainly have had its influence. I believe that the aging in the bourbon barrels gives this whisky its robust character and the vanilla and brown sugar flavors up front. The Pinot Noir barrel finish added further complexity, and softened the whisky with delicious fruit notes that complemented the other flavors rather than contrast with them. This whisky has a lot going on, and it's that kind of robust character that's needed for all these different flavors to come through.

This is easily one of the most interesting whiskies I've ever tried. As I said, there is a LOT going on, from the peat smoke, to the bourbon barrel aging, to the Pinot Noir barrel finish. A lot of factors influenced the flavor of this whisky. However, in the end, it was in incredibly fun pour and, more importantly, an incredibly delicious one. I certainly will be keeping my eye out for future releases!

Grade: A