Category Archives: An everyday dram

A World of Discovery, All You Need Is Love, An everyday dram, Fukano, Let's celebrate!

Things that’ve impressed the hell out of me this year.

November 17, 2016 Jewmalt

Fukano Japanese Whisky Cask 300 Things that’ve impressed the hell out of me this year?

Almost nothing.

2016 has be a crap year with too many good people dying and various tragedies that there just doesn’t seem to be an end to (take your pick).

Thankfully, there is whisky.

This single cask of Fukano Japanese whisky (distilled from rice), however, impressed the hell out of me.

Region – Japan – ABV – 41.8% (natural cask strength)

On the nose — Say what?! Nose this blindly and I would have guessed/assumed this was a 20+ year old Willett Rye.

Wonderful oak framing with a spiciness that is so rye-like.

Fukano Japanese Whisky Cask 300 Chocolate, Vanilla (with hints of raspberry) tarts and seasoned oak. Top note of acetone that plays well with warmed dill sauce.

Crisp starfruit that leads into notes of Mexican chocolate, deep vanilla and fresh coconut.

A better nose than most American rye whiskies I’ve had. Wonderful to find this profile in Japanese hooch. I could just smell this for 20min straight.

In the mouth — Easy and oily entry with a growing waxy mouthfeel. The palate is very similar to the nose but somehow, warmer.

Nutmeg and chocolate come to the fore but so does a great deal of vanilla bean.

Mild pickling spices, gentle yet rich red fruits, boozy butterscotch verging on Werther’s Original candies.

Finish — Long and lovely (that’s what she said?) with lasting notes of a spiced vanilla latte.

In sum — I am massively impressed with this whisky. There have been some stand-offish nay-sayers when it comes to whisky distilled from rice.

I say – take the Pepsi challenge. Taste this blind and you will be more than pleasantly surprised.

At only $69/bottle, I suggest you grab one and drink the shit out of it.

An everyday dram, Glen Grant, Takin' It Easy

Taking a break from the Advent Calendar thing to have a sit with a solid little Glen Grant 10yo

December 19, 2015 Jewmalt

Region – Speyside – ABV – 40%

I’ve been blogging every single day for the Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar and have decided, or at least thought, I needed a break!

Don’t get me wrong, it’s been a lot of fun, all of this blogging business.

Interestingly enough, however, now that I’m back into the blogging thing, I feel that I should be sharing my thoughts with the one whisky I just want to relax with – this here Glen Grant 10yo.

I forgot how fun it is to blog.

Here we go then!

On the nose — Roasted almond richness with a little ginger spice lurking around the corners. Cigar wrapper meets pomelo pith.

Some salted peanuts – nice and warm. Charred oak, and, is that frankincense?

In the mouth — A bit thin due to the ABV but it’s got this wonderfully delicate quality to it.

Glen Grant 10yo Straight-forwardly fruity with hints of fresh apple and ripe pears. Perhaps some cherries a la tinned fruit. A hint of anise.

Finish — Medium in length. A touch of brine and burnt brush.

In sum — A solidly straight forward whisky that is perfect in the glass for any social setting. Would love to try this as a non-chill filtered whisky. But hey, I can not complain. Ten year old juice in my glass that is, in some ways, more mature than I am!

An everyday dram, Takin' It Easy, Wild Turkey - Kentucky Spirit

Wild Turkey “Kentucky Spirit” cask # 98, pick by Julio’s

October 24, 2015 Jewmalt

Region – Kentucky – 50.5% ABV

I’m not a bourbon guy (generally speaking). Really, I’m just not huge on American spirits in general.

Don’t get me wrong, I quite enjoy bourbon, rye, and other American whiskeys. It’s just that, well, my heart and passion is in malt whisky.

You can look at all of my posts over the past 6 or so years, and see that I focus on malt whisky. Malt whisky is mine, my precious. I wants it. I needs it. The others, they’re all tricksie!!

Gollum! Gollum!

Still, I need to give credit to a whisk(e)y where credit is due. There are some good bourbons, great bourbons, and amazing bourbonsout there. Today, I’m reviewing a great bourbon. A well selected cask.

I think this cask may be all sold out at this point (I’m glad I purchased my bottle when I did) as this was a bottling that Whisky Advocate quite liked. It’s in the top 10 of 2015’s releases. Not too shabby.

On to the tasting!

On the nose — Spoiler alert! It smells like bourbon! Cloves, cinnamon, allspice, pencil shavings, coconut, cooked vanilla pods. The standard stuff you’d expect to smell (thank you new charred oak – we know you all too well).

Let’s get beyond this though… buttered popcorn, wet leather, salted bread dough (huh…), Cherry tarts. All of these notes are well integrated.

In the mouth — Big and spicy stuff with notes of salted licorice, vanilla ice cream, buttered baguette, cream of corn soup (if it could be a very sweet soup). Pear skins, and a hint of mint. Decent mouthfeel with a fair amount of oiliness.

Finish — Cherry tootsie pops, all the way. Medium finish

In sum — This can be picked apart (a la the above) or treated like bourbon should be treated – simply fine-fine sippin’ juice! Really yummy stuff here. Nicely chosen, Julio’s!! Well met.

An everyday dram, Takin' It Easy, Wild Turkey - Russell's Reserve

RUSSELL’S RESERVE SINGLE BARREL #514 PICK FOR GORDON’S FINE WINES IN WATHAM MA

September 14, 2015 Jewmalt

Region – Kentucky – Special pick by and for Gordon’s Fine Wines– Single Barrel # 514 Rick House “T” – Floor 6, 55% ABV (multiply ABV x 2 to get “proof” – I really prefer the use of ABV, less multiplication, and more direct – come on America!!!).

A week or so ago I reviewed a single barrel pick of Russell’s Reserve by and for Warehouse Liquors in Chicago. As promised in that post, I’d be reviewing the RRSB bottle I purchased at Gordon’s Fine Wines.

Below is said review.

Spoiler alert — I really enjoyed this single barrel pick. It was the first RRSB that ticked all the boxes (as far as ‘Murrican whiskeys go) for me.

On the nose — A hot, dank, and damp warehouse with wafts of charred oak in the air.

Heavily spiced, and warmed apple sauce.

Getting pop corn (like with the Warehouse barrel pick) but the corn has yet to be popped. Whole kernel, yet buttered, and it’s specifically the smell of the taste of these whole kernels.

Baking spices, damp earth maraschino cherries.

In the mouth — Corn bread with jalapeño, and a honey glaze. Very sweet, yet spicy verging on hot.

Maraschino sauce over melting vanilla ice cream.

Remember that maraschino sauce I mentioned? (It was literally the last sentence – if you don’t remember it, you better sober up and come back to re-read.)

The mouth feel is *that* thick.

Tasting notes aside, this is an easy drinkin’ whiskey.

Back to tasting notes (broad brush), there’s some wonderful rye spice as we near the finish.

Finish — Very long with specific notes of sugar & lime on a white kernel corn cob.

In sum — Like I said, I really enjoyed this whiskey. It’s an easy drinker. There really was not need to dissect this as it’s the type of whiskey that you could mindlessly enjoy. At the same time, it can be picked apart to discover wonderfully delicious notes.

An everyday dram, Imperial, Springtime

1995 Imperial single cask # 50145, bottled by Signatory

August 6, 2015 Jewmalt

Region – Speyside – 46% ABV – still available here and there for around $80-85

Imperial distillery – dismantled then destroyed, and now, in 2015, resurrected as the Dalmunach distillery.

Sadly, they’re not trying to replicate what Imperial produced at this new distillery. Still, it’ll be exciting to see what Dalmunach produces.

While not my favorite whisky producer in the world, when I’m out and about looking for indy bottlings of whisky, Imperial is the number one distillery I seek out. Like Springbank, Imperial has a style that is all its own, and completely unmistakable: Mineral-like, flinty, sometimes a bit chalky, and nearly always rich (be it ex-bourbon matured, ex-sherry matured or otherwise).

What does this one taste like? Funny you should ask…

On the nose — Marzipan soaking in salted water. Lemongrass infused honey. All these things are sitting in the center of a dry granite quarry with dust in the wind.

Pocket change, and somehow the smell of the taste of a copper penny in your mouth.

Sugar-free apple sauce.

~~On the mouth~~ Wait, I shall now begin calling this category “In the mouth” because A) you put whisky IN your mouth, not ON it, and B) those that dig innuendos can think of this line as a sophomoric dick joke.

In the mouth (teehee) — Man, this does not disappoint. It’s that rich, meets minerality, meets chalkiness I described above.

Elderflower liquor minus the added sweetness.

(“Minus the added.” I like that. Consider it ™’d.)

A rich, oily mouthfeel is complimented by notes of cream soda (a slight fizziness on the tongue helps support this note) and melting Bit-O-Honey™.

Finish — Medium-ish. There’s a nice peppery-spice left on the back of the tongue and the granite dust slowly fades away, forcing you to take another sip.

In sum — This is a cracking little Imperial, to be sure. Even at 46%, it’s got great life to it and is satisfying. I still think indy bottlers should bottle always bottle at full cask strength, giving the consumer the choice to dilute.

Still, one of the brands my company imports (Chieftain’s Range) releases some whisky at 46% so…throwing first stones and all… (was it Jesus or Billy Joel who said that)?

It’s a fine Imperial. I’d personally buy another bottle if I saw it on the shelf…

Jewmalt Whisky Reviews