Koval Single Barrel Bourbon and Koval Single Barrel Rye Whiskey

For my birthday I received a sampler pack from Koval Distillery in Chicago. The pack consists of three, 200 ml bottles of their three main whiskies, their Bourbon, their Rye and their Four Grain Whiskey. A great birthday present, indeed, and I couldn't wait to crack into these. Although this blog is typically devoted to full bottles that I've finished, allowing me to give each whiskey a full and fair opportunity, these bottles are at least slightly larger than your typical samples. Plus, I'm drinking them anyway, so I figured I might as well take notes and post my thoughts.

I've reviewed the Four Grain Whiskey previously on this blog, so I'm only reviewing the Koval Bourbon and Koval rye here. However, I will take a brief moment to note that I enjoyed the Four Grain Whiskey more the second time around than the first, perhaps because I knew what to expect out of its unique flavor profile. Still a bit of an odd and acquired taste, but a bit more enjoyable this time.

As for the Bourbon and the Rye . . .

Koval Bourbon

The nose on this bourbon was very sweet, sugary sweet. It was not the traditional caramel, vanilla or toffee aromas that bourbon usually gives off. It also had an odd, ethanol smell to it that was a bit reminiscent of nail polish. This was very much a foreshadowing of what was to come once I poured a glass.

I had a hunch going in, and my fears were confirmed. Though called a bourbon, this did not taste like a bourbon. I've been here before with another small, craft distillery's "bourbon," though this experience was not AS bad as that one.

Though this is definitely a whiskey, and it was drinkable, to call itself a bourbon is misleading, at least to the extent that I've come to expect a certain type of flavor profile to exist within every bourbon (even though those flavors can vary greatly from bourbon to bourbon). This was something else. It lacked any notes of vanilla, caramel or even oak that I've come to expect from my bourbons.

Rather, I primarily noticed an artificial sweetener type of sweetness, mixed with mild flavors of apple and honey-wheat bread. Needless to say, it was an odd flavor.

My second and third pours yielded better results, however. Though it still wasn't bourbon-ish, the more traditional grain flavors began to come through, including a stronger wheat bread flavor, along with some mild baking spices coming through.

Although this "bourbon" did not entirely redeem itself, it did show some improvement. I'm not certain, though, that it got to a point where a full bottle might warrant consideration. Needless to say, this sample bottle certainly does not have me running to the store to stock a full bottle.

Grade: D+


Koval Rye

This is a very high-rye rye whiskey, pretty much as high as it can get at 100% rye. Interestingly, though, and completely unexpectedly, the nose comes across almost fruity. It is undeniably a rye whiskey, but I also distinctly noticed apple and pear on the nose. Unfortunately, it also gave off a distinct nail polish aroma that was a bit of a turn-off.

On the first sip, all I could say was "Wow!" In fact, sitting on my couch, watching Netflix, I actually exclaimed "Wow!" out loud. My wife wasn't sure what it meant, whether that was a good or a bad reaction. As I type this, I'm still not sure which it was. The "Wow!" was in reaction to how incredibly sweet this rye is. The sugary up front flavor was like dark corn syrup. Although the syrupy thickness wasn't there, the heavy, syrupy sweetness certainly was.

Also immediately noteworthy was that despite this being a 100% rye whiskey, the spice was not anywhere near as strong as I had expected or even hoped for. In fact, it was a pretty mild rye in that sense.

As off-putting as the initial syrup bomb was, once I got past that initial blast of sweetness, the whiskey had pretty good taste, smoothing out to a nice blend of apple, clove and brown sugar flavors that I found very enjoyable once they were uncovered. However, that was all somewhat offset by a mild but noticeable cherry cough syrup undertone.

In the end, this whiskey required more work than I generally care to put in to get to the enjoyable part, and even then, what was enjoyable could not make up for what was not.

Grade: C

Redemption Rye Whiskey

VITALS:
- $28
- 92 Proof
- < 4 years
- Indiana

Although I try my best to ignore it, sometimes I can't help but notice that oddly shaped or different bottle sitting on the shelves. Perhaps that's why I've always been aware of Redemption Rye but have never actually tried it. It's tall, slender bottle makes it both literally and figuratively stand out from all the other whiskeys. Up until now, though, it hadn't quite been enough to cause me to pluck a bottle off the shelf.

I went to my local liquor store looking for a relatively inexpensive bottle for the night, and I had rye on my mind. So, it was finally time to give Redemption Rye a chance. Bottled by Bardstown Barrel Selections, but distilled by MGP in Indiana, Redemption is a high-rye rye, with a mashbill consisting of 95% rye.

The nose gave off the traditional rye spice aromas, with a bit of a cloves scent as well. It's a 92 proof rye, so the alcohol was not strong on the nose.

The most noticeable thing upon first sipping this whiskey is its sweetness. It has a strong brown sugar flavor up front, which was unexpected and shocked the palate a bit. That overly-sweet flavor, though, gave way pretty quickly to the rye spice. That first sip was very tasty and really warmed the chest. My immediate impression was that for an inexpensive, young rye (only aged "Less Than 4 Years"), this was a pretty decent whiskey.

As I worked my way through this bottle, I remained impressed with the flavor of such a young whiskey. It had no alcohol heat, but plenty of spice. The more I drank, the more the cinnamon tones came through. At one point the cinnamon seemed to come on so strong I likened it to chewing on a cinnamon stick. It was that same kind of woody, cinnamon flavor that permeated the whiskey, forcing the brown sugar aside. 

I enjoyed this bottle from beginning to end, even as it evolved the way it did. It started off very sweet, and it ended very spicy, but it remained a very tasty and flavorful rye throughout. Although it was not complex, and although it came across a bit watery in texture, this was nonetheless a very enjoyable rye and a good value.

Not to editorialize, but it's been my experience that many distilleries, including young, upstart craft distilleries, are able to make good rye whiskeys. It's making a "great" rye, however, that appears to be elusive. Redemption falls into the former category of good ryes produced by smaller companies (or, at least, sourced by smaller companies). I can't say for certain I'd go to the store again with the intention of grabbing a bottle, but if I found myself at a bar where Redemption is an option, there's a good chance it could end up in my glass.

Grade: B

Orphan Barrel Forged Oak 15 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Forged Oak is the latest of the Orphan Barrel bourbons to grace my glass, and perhaps the last of what's been released to date (unless I stumble into some Rhetoric). Interestingly, it's the youngest that I've tried to date, and it is my favorite.

Possibly due in large part to the younger age, this bourbon, despite its name, does not have the same wood and tannic flavors that the other Orphan Barrel releases all shared. Yet, it didn't come across as an overly sweet bourbon either. Rather, Forged Oak found a very nice place in between, and I found myself really enjoying it (perhaps too much at times).

At first it came across just as a typical, drinkable bourbon, reminding me of a "chewier" Bonded Beam. Mild vanilla and walnut flavors were noticeable, with a light brown sugar sweetness. Accordingly, the first poor left me unimpressed, particularly given the price.

However, after that first pour, it was a few weeks before I went back to the bottle, and when I did, I found a much different bourbon. This time around very strong vanilla and almond flavors were prominent. The bourbon had sweetened up significantly, and it reminded me of Amaretto liqueur. It didn't taste like the liqueur, though. It just reminded me of it, and I happen to like the flavor.

It comes in at 90.5 proof, so it's a relatively inoffensive bourbon, and after shelving it for a couple weeks following the first pour, I then went through the bottle relatively quickly. After each glass I just wanted another.

It's not that rare of a whiskey, despite the marketing efforts of Diageo to make you think otherwise. After all, this bottle was #23,951, and I'm not sure just how high those numbers go. Whether the price is justified by the juice, I'm not entirely certain.  

However, measuring the bourbon itself, I thought it was very good and held up well. If it weren't for the price, I could easily make this a regular pour.

Grade: A-

Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Liquor City Uncorked Private Selection "The Ladies Pick" Kentucky Straight Bourbon

I previously reviewed a private selection Knob Creek Single Barrel that my buddy had picked up for me while he was at Liquor City Uncorked in Covington, Kentucky. That was hands down one of the best bourbons I've ever had, and I'm still blown away at the fact that it was a mere $35 a bottle.

So, when he was going again, I asked him to pick up any new store selections that they may have, figuring I like their taste. This time he came back with what the store had labeled as "The Ladies Pick." Going in I knew that the bar was already set very high, but I was nonetheless excited to crack open yet another of their private selection Knob Creek Single Barrels.

I also liked the name they had labeled on the bottle. Apparently, of the staff who were doing the tasting, this was the favorite among all the women. I attempted to use this feminization of my booze (at least in the label) to encourage my wife to give it a go. Even this couldn't convince her to join me in my enjoyment of whiskey. Oh well, perhaps that's for the better.

As for the booze, though, although it did not quite reach that bar that I had set, to cut to the chase, this was a very good bourbon from start to finish, and, again, a great value considering the price.

The high proof provided for a strong burn at first, one that hit on both the nose and the palate. I found, though, that just a bit of ice cooled it down pretty easily, and the flavors then really came forward.

It's funny that, as I write these reviews, I feel like with many bourbons I say the same thing. But, I guess it would be concerning if I wasn't getting vanilla, caramel, toffee and brown sugar notes, or some combination thereof. The traditional distillers seem to know how to produce those traditional flavors, and this was no different, providing heavy doses of vanilla and toffee, with the vanilla lingering long after each swallow.

The only thing I found slightly different in this bottle from the other private selection that I had was that this had more of a coffee flavor to it, albeit fancy coffee, loaded with sugar, steamed milk and french vanilla flavoring. Being one who will frequently partake in the enjoyment of such fancy coffees, I found this a very appealing characteristic of this bottle.

While I still do not consider myself a big fan of Knob Creek, this is the second straight bottle of a private selection single barrel that I've really enjoyed! I may have to try one (or a few) of the Binny's private selections. Once again, for the price, you can't go wrong with this bottle.

Grade: A-

Orphan Barrel Old Blowhard 26 Year Kentucky Bourbon

It's rare to find a bourbon as old as this one. Many believe that the sweet spot for bourbons is in the 10-12 year range. I tend to agree with that assessment, as I find, unlike with Scotch, that when you get past that 12 year range, the bourbon tends to really take on the wood flavors and dries out significantly.

So, when I poured my first glass of old blowhard and put my nose to the glass, I wasn't surprised to notice the smell of oak immediately. Although the wood tones dominated, it also had a sweet, chocolate sent to it as well, which I really enjoyed.

On the first drink, while I did not notice the wood flavor as much as I thought I would, it unquestionably comes off as a dry bourbon. The most prominent flavor was a chocolate cherry type flavor, reminiscent of the kind that come in Russell Stover's boxes. Eventually the vanilla works its way to the foreground, and while the chocolate-cherry notes were somewhat fleeting, the vanilla flavor tended to linger in the back of my throat long after I swallowed.

The thickness of this bourbon is very noticeable. People typically describe such bourbons as having legs.  In this case, these are good, hearty stumps of legs. It's a very chewy bourbon, one that really coats your mouth and throat. I found the bourbon enjoyable enough that I didn't mind it sticking around for a bit afterwards. Plus, at 90.7 proof, there is no significant burn to take away from the mild sweetness that lingered.

Calling it a "mild" sweetness may be a bit of an overstatement, though. This bourbon is anything but sweet. It is earthy, woody and tannic. The char flavor dominated this whiskey, and a little more sweetness would have gone a long way to making this a great bourbon.

The price point was a bit steep (as is the case for all the Orphan Barrel releases), but given the age and now the scarcity, I can't really ding it much for that. However, I really wanted to find a reason to truly enjoy such an aged bourbon. I wanted it to sweeten up, perhaps have those bitter tannins fade away a bit, and it just didn't happen. It remained a bitter, woody bourbon that almost completely lacked the sweetness I so desire.

Grade: B

Clyde May's Alabama Whiskey

It seems every time I go to the liquor store to pick up a new bottle, I always set my sights on a bottle of Clyde Mays, intrigued by what may be contained within, only to end up purchasing something else. Well, I've finally decided to cure my curiosity, and I picked up a bottle.

Clyde Mays advertises itself as an Alabama Whiskey. In doing so, its label notes that, in true Alabama tradition, this whiskey contains a cinnamon spice with hints of green apple. Cinnamon is not that uncommon in spicier bourbons or ryes, but the green apple notes were a bit intriguing.

Upon opening the bottle, though, it was clear that these were more than "hints" of green apple. The nose gave of a very strong sent of green apple, particularly reminding me of green apple Jolly Ranchers. It was certainly unique, as I've never noticed such a scent in any other whiskey I've tried.

Upon my first sip, I immediately noticed the green apple flavor to match the green apple nose. Again, it tasted to me like green apple Jolly Ranchers, as though a handful of them had been added to the barrel. When I mentioned this on Twitter, Clyde Mays responded to me, attributing this to Granny Smith apples added after the aging process.

According to their web site, the whiskey is aged for 5-6 years. Afterwards, juice is extracted from apples, and natural apple "essence" is "gently folded into aged bourbon." While I'm not sure what apple "essence" is or what it means to "gently fold" something it into the bourbon, there's no question that the apple flavoring stands out in this whiskey.

It came across as a very sweet whiskey for this reason, perhaps to make it a more Southern-style whiskey. I didn't dislike it; it just struck me as oddly sticky sweet and fruity.

The label also promised a cinnamon spice, which it delivered. It had a very distinct Red-Hots cinnamon flavor, and this I found very enjoyable. It didn't come forward until the end, and it did so in a well-tempered fashion--not so much that it overpowered, and not so little that it was barely noticeable. Clyde Mays (again through Twitter) attributed the spice to its mashbill consisting of 55% corn, 30% rye and 15% barley.  I also noticed about halfway through my first pour that a dark cherry flavor lingered at the back of my throat, a bit muted but definitely there.

Interestingly, I found myself enjoying this whiskey more after it was open for a while, primarily because the sticky sweetness subdued a bit, allowing the more traditional whiskey flavors to come forward and intermingle with the apple, cinnamon and cherry flavors that otherwise had dominated.

Overall, I'm glad I tried Clyde Mays, and I more than appreciated their interaction on Twitter. However, while I enjoy bourbons for their sweetness (particularly as compared to single malts), this was a bit much for my taste. It was a very drinkable whiskey, and it would be very enjoyable over ice on a Summer evening, but it's not something that I would drink every day.

Grade: B-

Fighting Cock 6 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

I've never been a fan of booze with aggressive names. I have a perhaps unnatural fear of what such drinks are going to do to me, particularly the morning after. It might all stem from a very difficult morning I experienced in college after spending the night with a vodka by the name of Thor's Hammer. The pounding in my head that morning told me the name was very apropos.

However, I was looking for a new desk whiskey to keep at an office that I frequently work from, and because it's not my normal office, I didn't want to spend too much. So, I averted my eyes downward to the bottom shelf bourbons, and I couldn't help but notice Fighting Cock Bourbon and a striking artistic rendering of a very angry-looking chicken on the front of the bottle.

Upon closer inspection, though, I noticed that it's distilled by the Fighting Cock Distilling Company in Bardstown, Kentucky. This was a sure indicator that, though I had never heard of Fighting Cock Bourbon before, it was likely produced by Heaven Hill, and I thus had a little more faith in the juice contained within. Furthermore, with the uptick in no-age statement (NAS) whiskies, this one prominently displayed that it was aged for 6 years. This was somewhat refreshing.

As to the whiskey itself, the best way I can describe it is that it was better than expected. While I've found that lower-shelf, younger bourbons tend to seem a bit watered down, such was not the case with this bourbon. Although it has a light body, it's a 103 proof bourbon, and it has the same robust characteristics as so many other high-proof bourbons.

It's a lightly spiced bourbon, somewhere in between cinnamon and rye spices. That spiciness is well-balanced with prominent brown sugar and vanilla flavors. What was somewhat unique about this as compared to other bourbons I've had, though, is that I also noticed a strong banana flavor. This blend of flavors reminded me a bit of bananas foster, only without the rum.

This is, however, a young bourbon, and that young age shows with a very noticeable alcohol flavor underlying all the other flavors. I really feel that this bourbon aged for another four years could be fantastic! And, who knows, perhaps Heaven Hill is already producing such a bourbon using this recipe under a different label and I just don't know about it. In the meantime, though, marketing gimmicks aside, I found Fighting Cock to be a pretty good bourbon for its price point.

Grade: B