Highland Park 12 Year Viking Honour Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $60

- 86 Proof

- 12 Years

- Orkney

I've been continuing my foray into and exploration of peaty fruit in the Scotch world. I've learned that I absolutely love the combination of a peated Scotch with a wine finish, and lately I've been grabbing pretty much whatever I can get my hands one in an effort to try everything.

My buddy suggested that I give this Highland Park 12 year a try. According to him, it was a bit more subtle with both the peat and the wine finish. I was told it wasn't going to be nearly as smoky as an Islay Scotch, but that the Sherry cask influence really balances perfectly.  I am admittedly still a neophyte when it comes to Scotch. There's just so much to try. And I still feel like a neophyte when talking strictly about peated Scotches aged in wine barrels. But, I am learning what I like and I was eager to give another one a go.

While subtle, the sherry notes still dominated the nose. I got a lot of bright and dark fruits, like blackberry and blueberry. I also got a bright strawberry note as well. It had a light smokiness along with a light salinity. What stood out, though, was a distinct breadiness to it that was almost donut-like. The nose was soft, but it still had a lot going on and it smelled delicious.

As to the flavor, my buddy was right. The peat didn't hit me like an Islay. It was a light smokiness, and at times it seemed as though it could almost pass as unpeated.  Almost.  Accompanying that light smokiness, though, were those bright fruit notes I want out of the Sherry cask. I got raspberry and dried strawberry that really stood out.

Beyond those somewhat expected flavors, though, were some interesting and unexpected notes that I enjoyed. I got a certain citrus note, almost lemony, as well as a certain salinity that seemed to come with the peat.  It also had a certain sweet note that was kind of a honey-like note. That honey note seemed to lean towards that bread note at times, but it added a sweetness to this beyond the Sherry influence.

The finish was short-lived, as this whisky was relatively thin in texture. However, I did get some nice, warm dessert-like spices. I got baked, spiced pear on the finish along with cinnamon spice and a nice black pepper bite. I also got a sort of peach liqueur on the finish as well that was a pleasant surprise.

Overall, I do like a bit heavier peat, and I wish the texture wasn't so thin. I think there were some great and fun flavors here, but it all seemed a bit muted. A bolder version of this would be outstanding. This was good, just not as good as it could have been.

Grade: B

Sonoma Distilling Co. Oak + Swine Single Barrel Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $55

- 118 Proof

- 4 Years

- Barrel No. 17-0858

- California

I've been a member of a Facebook whiskey club called the Fox Valley Whiskey Society since its inception a couple years ago. Its founder, Michael Verive, has been incredibly diligent in putting together events for members, and more recently he has been tirelessly arranging for private barrels for the group.

For this particular bottling, he worked with a local barbecue joint, Oak + Swine in Batavia, Illinois to pick a single barrel, cask strength rye whiskey from Sonoma Distilling Co.  It's a four year rye whiskey distilled by Sonoma Distilling, and its the first Sonoma single barrel picked in Illinois. Of course, when the opportunity to get my hands on one of these came around, I had to grab a couple. I just couldn't pass up a cask strength single barrel rye at a reasonable price.

The nose was very pungent, the kind where you can smell the whiskey from across the table when you first open it. I got rich and spicy notes of pine and plum. It also had some darker fruit notes as well, like fig and raisin. Those notes were accompanied by a rich molasses sweetness.  I've now used the word "rich" twice to describe it, but that's kind of a theme here, as this smelled very rich. That was tempered a bit by the significant cinnamon spice I got on the nose as well.

The flavor really hit the pine note, however. Up front  I was inundated with pine and resin notes. It almost had a "dank" quality to it. That pine note was accompanied by a heavy hit of cinnamon which bit the tongue right up front and stuck around well through the finish. It was the pine and cinnamon combination that really defined this rye, that and the fact that it was incredibly punchy. It seemed to smack you in the face with flavor.

In addition to the pine and cinnamon, though, I got a nice layer of unsweetened vanilla that seemed to underscore everything else. It also had a slight cornbread note to it, which I found interesting as there was no corn in this. The mashbill was 80% rye and 20% malted rye, which explains the bold and punchy rye spices and flavors, but not the sweet cornbread note I got.

This rye had a great viscous quality to it, really coating the mouth and lending to a very long finish. Of course I got the spicy cinnamon that just never seemed to go away, but along with that I got a vanilla and molasses combination that really provided some sweetness to counter some of the rich but not-so-sweet flavors. The finish was probably my favorite part of the experience.

For their first pick, the guys at Oak + Swine selected a really damn good barrel, one that is absolutely full of punchy flavor. There's nothing subtle about this whiskey, and that's what I love most in a rye. Give me that bold spicy rye over the softer, more wheat or corn forward ryes any day.

Grade: B+

Sazerac Binny's Single Barrel Select Straight Rye Whiskey - Barrel #011

VITALS:

- $30

- 90 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel #011

- Kentucky

I think one of the best things out there in the bourbon world are the inexpensive private barrels. Store picks of Buffalo Trace, Knob Creek, Elijah Craig and Larceny, just to name a few, can provide some incredible bang for the buck. And as far as being priced right, I'd throw the Sazerac Rye in the mix as well. 

Now, I've only recently begun seeing and trying Sazerac Rye store picks, so the jury is still out as to whether they provide the same "bang."  But, at only $30, it is certainly one of the more affordable ryes in any private barrel program.  Plus, Sazerac generally has a good, easy-going flavor profile. So, of course, once Binny's got their initial batch of single barrel selects, I quickly nabbed one off the shelf.  

The nose was full of light and smooth caramel notes.  I also got a sweet nougat note that fit with that creamy profile. It had a light nuttiness to it, kind of like almond. It all blended together to create this sort of breakfast pastry note. It even had a light touch of cinnamon spice to round it all out.

Given the nose, the flavor kind of took me back. I got notes of pine and sweet cherry right up front. It wasn't punchy, though, and my initial impression was that it was very good.  I also got a little bit of that cinnamon right up front, noticeable on the tip of my tongue on each sip. 

Those up-front flavors quickly gave way to flavors more consistent with the nose. I got that sweet, creamy nougat, as well as a touch of chocolate. While the caramel didn't really come through, the almond certainly did, but more in the form of amaretto liqueur. It added just a touch of richness and depth to the whiskey.

The finish did not leave much of an impression. It primarily consisted of that sweet nougat note, perhaps a touch of caramel, and a trace amount of cinnamon. It was actually a bit fleeting, and this was really the only negative that I have. While some of that is attributable to the low proof, even for the proof I found the finish to be lacking.

That being said, while I took some time getting around to actually opening it, once I did, I found that I made my way through it fairly quickly. It was basically a better version of Sazerac Rye, and what more could you ask for out of this? At $30, this absolutely provided that bang for the buck that I wanted, and I'll certainly continue to add these to my shelf when I come across them.

Grade: B+

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series FAE-01 2021 Limited Release Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $60

- 110.6 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

These Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series Limited Releases have really been hits. I really enjoyed the last two releases, so when I randomly came across this bottle in a small liquor store that I stopped into in my various travels, really wanting to get something, I decided to give this newest release a go. 

This particular release was aged with ten Virgin Toasted American Oak Staves. On its face that means very little to me.  The front label does provide tasting notes, indicating that it's "A fruit forward expression with notes of tobacco and wood." That said, tasting notes on a bottle also mean very little to me. After all, it's not as though the distiller is going to tell the consumer that this tastes like band-aids and dirt. And I've found that my tasting notes frequently do not match up anyway. So I decided to give this a try simply on the fact that Maker's has done a great job with their prior releases, and it's worth a try on that basis alone.

The nose was sweet, rich and full of dark fruits. I immediately got notes of raisin and fig, along with a healthy amount of brown sugar. It reminded me a bit of an oatmeal cookie. I certainly got a light char note as well. It also had this kind of woody spice to it, perhaps a bit like cinnamon sticks.

The flavor followed suit to some extent, but also brought out some additional notes that really made for an interesting, complex and delicious bourbon. Right up front I got baked peach and cinnamon, like a peach cobbler or a peach crisp. There were also some dark fruits as well, but rather than fig and raisin it came across almost like a mulled wine. It reminded me a bit of Christmas in that respect.

It definitely had some wood notes to it, though it was only in the flavor. It didn't create any sort of bitterness that you often get with wood notes. It also had a bit of char to it as well, but only just enough to add that light, smoky element.

The texture was fairly viscous, which made for a very long finish. Unfortunately, on the finish the bitter tannic notes did some through, surprisingly. Yet, at the same time, it was on the finish that the sweet caramel notes, kind of that traditional Maker's flavor, came through as well. This was not a sweet whiskey, certainly not a typical wheated whiskey in that respect, but it had just enough caramel sweetness to keep it enjoyable and offset that tannic wood note.

Overall, Maker's has put out yet another solid release in the Wood Finishing Series.  Those wintertime dessert notes were a welcome change while I enjoyed this whiskey during the dog days of Summer. It had a richness and complexity that I haven't enjoyed in a while, and my only real negative was that tannic bitterness, but even that was balanced out by the caramel sweetness.

Grade: B+

Backbone Bourbon Anniversary Edition "Decade Down" Uncut Straight Bourbon Whiskey

VITALS:

- $80

- 110 Proof

- 5 years, 1 month

- Indiana

Backbone Bourbon first caught my attention when the first thing I saw of theirs on the shelf was a 15 year bourbon. I can't remember the source, whether it came from Tennessee or Indiana, and it wasn't on the shelf very long. I sure didn't get a bottle (I don't even remember the price), but a couple friends of mine tried it, and while the reviews weren't raving, the consensus was that it was pretty good.

I then saw this "Decade Down" Anniversary Edition on the shelf. At first I was excited. After all, given the name, I was under the misimpression that this was a cask strength, 10 year bourbon. However, when I turned the bottle over, I learned that wasn't the case, as it clearly states, albeit on the back label, that it was aged for 5 years and 6 months. But, it was, in fact, MGP whiskey. So, I nonetheless took a bottle home with me to try. 

On the nose I got a healthy dose of cinnamon. That was accompanied by some dark chocolate as well as a light anise note. Altogether my initial impression was this had a rich and delicious aroma. It also had a sort of oatmeal cookie note on the nose as well that provided a bit of sweetness to accompany those rich chocolate and cinnamon notes.

When I took my first sip, I was immediately surprised at the fact that the youth of this whiskey didn't come through at all. It had the kind of character, richness and complexity that you find in bourbons 10 years or older, and none of the rough edges or harsh, grain-forward flavors you get out of younger whiskeys. This was already a pleasant surprise.

I got a lot of rich, smooth caramel, like the good quality caramel you find in the middle of expensive chocolates, like Godiva, maybe. It also had a constant chocolate note, but not the dark chocolate I got on the nose. Rather this was more of a sweet and creamy milk chocolate. I even got some nougat flavor as well, and as I was jotting down my notes I realized I could have been describing a high-end version of a Milky Way.  That's one of my favorite candy bars, so needless to say I was completely on board.

On the finish the cinnamon really came through, which was nice in that it kept this bourbon from ever getting to be too sweet. It had a somewhat oily texture that coated my mouth in chocolate and cinnamon, and it seemed to stick around for quite some time. It was on the finish that I also got some unsweetened vanilla notes (perhaps from the nougat I got up front).

Going in, I honestly wasn't expecting a lot from this, and this is one of the more positively surprising whiskeys I've had in recent memory. I genuinely liked this. A lot, actually.  It ended up being the bottle that I just kept grabbing off the shelf until it was gone, simply because I knew it was delicious and I just wanted more. It really hit a lot of the right spots for me. While the price may be a little high, I've seen far worse for far inferior products.

Grade: A-

One Eight Distilling Untitled Binny's Private Barrel Selection 14 Year Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- 140

- 117.7 Proof

- 14 Years

- Barrel No. 362

Untitled, the bourbon label coming out of One Eight Distilling in Washington D.C., seemed to come on as sort of a surprise to me. I had never heard of either the label or the distillery prior to about a year or so ago. But then I saw a couple of these squat bottles, specifically Release No. 11 and Release No. 13, with age statements, high proof and intriguing cask finishes. So I had to try one and lo and behold it was pretty good!

When I learned that Binny's was going to be getting a private barrel from them, I was immediately interested. When I learned that that private barrel was going to be a 14-year cask strength straight bourbon, I was completely sold. Quite frankly, having only seen the exotic blends of finished bourbon poured into these bottles up to this point, I wanted to know how an unfinished, well-aged cask strength bourbon under their label would taste.

The nose was interesting, for sure. It immediately came across as bright and sweet, with orange peel and vanilla right up front. It had a very caramel forward note providing the sweetness, but also a sort of sponge cake type of aroma to it, like that smell of freshly baked cake that fills the kitchen, which I absolutely loved.  It also had a bright cherry note as well. There was a lot going on here, but it smelled delicious, and I couldn't wait to dive into my glass.

The very first note that I wrote down when I took my first sip was "cherry cordial."  It hit on all elements of dark chocolate, cherry, vanilla and event that brandy liqueur note. I was immediately impressed. This was also the note that really dominated the finish. Long after each sip my mouth remained filled with those chocolate and candied cherry notes, and I found myself quickly reaching for the next sip.

It also had a certain amount of oak to it as well, to be expected, I guess, given the amount of time in the barrel. However, that note really just added a bit of an earthy element, and did not take away from the sweet, cherry cordial note. It didn't add any bitterness, just a bit of depth.

Other flavors came through from time to time as well as I made my way through this bottle. I did get notes of dried strawberries at times, adding a different, brighter element of sweet berry  I also got notes of cola, and at times I even got that light pastry note akin to the sponge cake I was getting on the nose. I even got the slightest mocha note, perhaps with the wood showing more influence in later pours and offering just a touch of bitterness.

All in all, this was a rich and delectable whiskey. It never got too sweet, always tempered by the dark chocolate and brandy liqueur notes that I was getting.  That cherry cordial note, which I loved, was prominent in every pour. I almost wanted to make my own dessert using this whiskey. Well, not really, but I enjoyed it that much!

Grade: A

Templeton 10 Year Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $80

- 104 Proof

- 10 Years

- Barrel No. 2779

- Indiana

I knew it had been quite a while since I've had Templeton Rye. In fact, I had to look back at my blog archives to see when the last time was, and it was back in 2015. Without looking back at that, I couldn't have told you now whether or not I liked it (turns out I was somewhat ambivalent).  I think part of the reason I haven't gone back to the Templeton products was the issue from years ago involving their adding a flavoring to their whiskey. That kind of stuff turns me off, and, whether consciously or subconsciously, I'm sure is part of the reason I haven't given it another go.

But then there came the promise of a higher proof, 10 year, single barrel MGP rye packaged under the Templeton label, and that was enough to get me to try it again. I've certainly seen lesser-aged MGP ryes command much higher prices, so for $80, this one seemed fairly reasonable.

The nose was actually softer than what I expected. Given the proof, the age and the provenance, I expected something punch and full of spice.  This, however, leaned more towards notes of sweet wheat bread and honey. It did have a decent amount of wood notes to it, even getting a bit tannic. The one bright spot, though, was the delicious blackberry jam note that seemed to work really well with the honey and bread notes. 

Surprisingly, though, the flavor was much more in line with my expectations. Right up front I got bold notes of pine and cinnamon, with a strong vanilla undercurrent. In fact, that vanilla was more than I've ever noticed in an MGP rye before, dominating the stage right up front all the way through the finish. It wasn't a sweet vanilla, but rather more of a natural vanilla extract note.

I did get some spearmint and even a bit of black pepper spice. I think it's these flavors, mixed with the strong vanilla note, that reminded me at times of a root beer float. It just had that mix of vanilla and spices.  In fact, the spearmint note seemed to get more and more prominent as I made my way through this bottle.

The finish is where the spice in this rye really came through. I certainly got that same black pepper that I was getting up front, but I was also getting something hot. It was almost like a cayenne pepper type spice. There was some cinnamon and even a little bit of nutmeg sprinkled in. 

With that punch on the finish, though, I came to the conclusion that this was one of the spicier whiskeys I've had in a long time, and I found myself reaching for this bottle in particular to scratch that itch when I got it.  It wasn't my favorite rye of all time by any stretch, but it certainly fit a certain mood that I find myself in from time to time, and for that reason alone it was worth having on my shelf.

Grade: B