Tag Archives: Spirit

Angry, Blind Tastings, Summertime

Rick’s Mystery Dram Series – This is the end.

So, this is it.  My final “Rick’s Mystery Dram”.  It’s been a fun, fun time and I am thankful to Rick for A) sending me the samples and B) taking out the time to build this series for me and working with me on it C) opening up my eyes (and hopefully your eyes) to some fine American whiskeys!

As I mentioned in the 3rd post for this “Rick’s Mystery Dram” Series, I’ve decided to make this a wee bit more interesting by sending out a mystery dram to the correct guesser of the week’s mystery dram or, if there has been no correct guess, the sample goes to a commenter (randomly chosen).  Last week, “Shai Gilboa” won the mystery dram – congrats Shai!

Details on how to win a mystery dram sample (which will be Scotch or American whisk(e)y, your choice) are listed below, after the review.

Review time (and yes, it’s an American whiskey)!

On the nose – Strong spirity nose!

Obvious wood influence here in the form of a heavily charred barrel – I’m assuming.

This whiskey, by the way, is a very deep & dark amber color.

Underneath all of that hot spirit is some buttered cinnamon swirl toast.

A boat load of vanilla.

On the mouth – Big, huge heat but all of the flavor is here.

Lush cinnamon buns (frosting and all).

Old wood – reminds me of attic wood (old but slightly dampened with the humidity of summer).

Finish – Long and hot like a like a [insert a porn star’s name here] movie.

In sum – Big hot bourbony fury that I think would be well suited as a slow summery sipper.

The clues –

  • Big hot spirity nose & palate – High ABV!  Barrel strength.
  • Full flavored – even with all the spirit heat – this is a full flavored, big sweet bourbon.
  • Lots of wood influence – heavy charred barrels and, perhaps, some age(?).

JMSWS antes up!

For those who attempt to guess – each week I will be sending out one mystery dram (a small 5cl bottle) and the first person guesses correctly wins the dram.  Actually, if there are no correct guesses for the week then a winner will be chosen at random.  You win whether your right or not (like a weatherperson – right or not, s/he still has a job)!

So again, I will be awarding a free whisk(e)y sample every week to one lucky winner (whether you guess correctly or not).

How do I enter to win you ask?

Easy, comment on this post with what you think the mystery dram of the week may be.  It’s that simple.

I will let you choose the type of mystery dram — Scotch or American Whiskey (though that’s all you’ll know about it).  And if you’d like, you can send me your tasting notes and I’ll post them for my readers to guess at.  If you’d prefer the blind tasting to be between just you and me… that’s cool too.

For previous “Rick’s Mystery Dram” entries :

Here’s Mystery Dram #1 (which ended up being Parker’s Heritage First Edition)

Here’s Mystery Dram #2 (which ended up being Parker’s Heritage Golden Anniversary)

Here’s Mystery Dram #3 (which ended up being Evan Williams Single Barrel, 2000 vintage, barrel # 234)

Here’s Mystery Dram #4 (which ended up being Tonala 4 year Anejo tequila)

Here’s Mystery Dram #5 (which ended up being Wild Turkey Russell’s Reserve, 10 year)

Here’s Mystery Dram #7 (remember, there was no #6 dram.  #7 ended up being Jefferson’s Presidential Select, 17 year, batch #3)

Here’s Mystery Dram #8 (#8 ended up being Sazerac Rye 18yr which, by the way, completely threw me off.  Not what I was expecting from a rye whiskey.  I liked it anyway.)

Here’s Mystery Dram #9 (#9 ended up being Thomas H. Handy Sazerac which, by the way, was correctly guessed by Matt L!!  Congrats Matt – great job!)

Here’s Mystery Dram #10 (#10 ended up being Eagle Rare 17 year)

Autumn, Cragganmore, Need To Bundle Up, Springtime, Takin' It Easy

Cragganmore 1992 Distiller’s Edition (Double Matured in Port Casks)

Speyside – 40%ABV – 750ml bottle – $58-80 (seriously, where are all of these spreads coming from??) | £35 | €40

Not sure if you’ve seen it yet but Jason of WHISKYhost just posted a stellar review of the Cragganmore 10yr Cask strength.  If you have not, check it out now, then come back for my review of Cragganmore’s 1992 Distiller’s Edition.

The standard 12yr Crag’ is such a cracker of a dram.  The price is right (about $40USD) and I’d say it’s just an all-around-great-everyday-dram.  I read a review somewhere whereas the Crag’ 12yr was referred to as “the little dram that could”.  While I can appreciate the loving note on the Crag’ 12, “little” is not really be applicable to Cragganmore…

Wait a sec, I’m reviewing the 1992 Distiller’s Edition, right?  Ok, enough of my blathering on about the 12yr.  Here we go on the dram-at-hand:

After having the Balvenie 21yr Portwood, then the Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, I was excited to find out that Cragganmore also had a Port finished whisky: 1992 Cragganmore Distiller’s Edition (picture shown is their 1993 edition which I have not yet tried).

Initial whiff — Some brine & spirit (more spirit than I expected for the ABV), peppery oak and perhaps some minted honey & orange rind. All this was drawing me in, big time.

On the mouth — Nothing, at first, like the nose. Initial reaction: Butter, the feel is like melted butter with a warming toffee flavor. Then, it gets a little spicey and tingley (think ginger on a good sushi roll). There more wood influence then port but wow, a nice experience so far.

Finish — Lasting, oaky, spiced orange (the taste of the smell of oranges that have cloves stuck in them, if’n you know what I mean).

In sum — I was expecting a little smoke here, as with the standard Cragganmore (just a little smoke) but I think something overtook it, perhaps the port…  As interesting as this one is (and as much as I like port finished whiskies), I have to say that I prefer the standard Cragganmore 12yr expression over this.  I can’t wait to try their 10yr Cask Strength

Bruichladdich, I'd not drink this one if I were you..., Kosher Spirits (not for Passover)

Bruichladdich 1994 (12yr) Kosher Wine Cask

Islay region – 46%ABV –  750ml bottle – $46 | £35 | €?? (Have not seen this in Euro currency)

So, the folks over at ‘Laddie came out with some bottles which were finished in a kosher wine cask from Mt. Carmel. Rumor has it (an unconfirmed rumor, mind you), this expression was initially distributed in the general New York City area which is 20% Jewish – you gotta love target marketing! I have some friends that keep kosher so I figured, before I suggest a new “finished” dram to my kosher keeping buddies who would normally not touch a dram which has been finished in a non-kosher cask, that I’d give it a go.  I was able to sample this one before announcing to the Jewish world all of the glories of the ‘laddich kosher cask so, let’s begin…

I’m glad I tried first because they never would have forgiven me had I suggested this one.  Many people will say that there is no such thing as bad whisky and I, for one, would agreed.  I would argue, however, that this should not be termed a good whisky; not in my opinion.  Don’t get me wrong, the folks at Bruichladdich have bottled some absolutely amazing stuff just, not this time.

Initial whiff — Lots of spirit here and a dryness hits you right away. Some faint smoke and maybe the smell of daisies – kind of flowery.  Where’s the ‘laddie fruitiness??

On the mouth — This sort of reminds of day old salad or veggies that are starting to go bad. Slight smoke again and a little salty. Still a lot of spirit in this too.

Finish — As dry as a (insert your own dirty comment here) on a slow saturday night. The nice thing here though is that you can tell that the dryness is a winey dryness so, they it nailed here. So, that’s good…

In sum — Sorry folks, this is my first bad review and actually, the first ‘laddie that I haven’t loved.  I would not suggest this one for any mood or season.

Refreshed, Springtime, Summertime, Suntory - Yamazaki, Takin' It Easy

Suntory Yamazaki 12yr – Is there anything the Japanese can’t do?

Japan – 43%ABV – 750ml –  $35-40 | £35 | €41

I bought my bottle of Suntory Yamazaki 12yr more a year ago (it is now gone, sadly) and I broke it out on rare occasions. Not because it’s the most spectacular dram but because it’s so very different than scotch and I’m not always in the mood for it.

Don’t get me wrong, this is some pretty impressive stuff and it makes me want to try more Japanese whiskies. I don’t drink it all the time but when I do, it makes my mouth happy.

Initial whiff — The stuff noses like my dad’s old bourbon (I always loved sneaking sniffs of my dad’s bourbons when I was a kids because it burned my nose and made me sneeze – ah, to be 8 again…). The stuff has an initial bourbon-y element, some sour corn and alcohol. Followed by some honey and dried fruits. Like a scottish bourbon if there were one.

On the mouth — Smooth honey and drying oak. This is one of the driest single malts I’ve ever had. This is a nice thing actually. Oh, some vanilla came through now, nice.  There is a cream soda element to it too (even feels a wee bit effervescent).

Finish — Dry & long. Honey and oak. The sour corn comes back too.

In sum — This is a huge bargain (in the US), well worth the $35 bucks or so that I paid for it.  Though this made me want to try other Yamazakis, the 18yr is about $100 and from what I heard, it’s just not worth the price.  Maybe I’ll find a swanky Japanese joint that has the 18yr and I’ll try it but $100 too much casheesh for me!!  Also, Yamazaki came out with a sherry cask see it here at Master of Malt (plug, plug).  The color on the sherry cask looks like the color of a nice 20+ year rum!

If you want to try some right quick (without buying a bottle), go to a Benihana’s (Japanese restaurant), they have it as a standard malt on their menu.

One thing that still throws me off is that this is not a corked bottle but a screw top. Strange but…cool. Arigato Japan!


Cold Winter, Glenmorangie, Need To Bundle Up, Refreshed, Summertime

Glenmorangie “Traditional”

Highlands region – 57.2%ABV – cask strength – 1 liter bottle – Not sold in the US – £71 | €82

Holy cow! This liquid proves you do not need to be a smokey/peaty whisky to be a manly whisky.

Initial whiff — This thing punched me right in the face with a handful of oak, cloves and more spirit than the “holy ghost”

On the mouth — Fruity, cherries (tons of them, the maraschino type), vanilla, oak and some unexpected, albeit a slight amount of, smoke??

Finish — Long, spicy, burny, fruity. This is a “should not have had this on lunch” type of dram. Big fan!

In sum — A great effort on behalf of the Sixteen Men of Tain.  I think I liked this more than the Astar.  Someday I’d like to do a side by side; the Traditional vs. the Astar to see if I’d make the same statement again.