Tag Archives: Tobacco

A World of Discovery, Ardbeg, Cold Winter

Extra Extra, Read all about it – Ardbeg Supernova 2010 is coming your way!

Some very exciting news from the good folks at Ardbeg – Supernova 2010 is being released on May 31st, 2010!  Plus, the ABV is even higher this time around — 60.1% – Yowza!  Below the image you will see the tasting notes as provided by Ardbeg.  Enjoy the rest of your day!

Colour

Deep gold

Aroma

Big and powerful with peaty, earthy and deep herbal notes.

With the first sniff, encounter deep earthy peat oils and crushed black pepper embedded in the darkest chocolate. Swirl the glass and dip your nose into herbal infusions of juniper, elderflower and agave. Tarry ropes and creosote-soaked elm follow with flowering currants, olives and hot chilli peppers.

Swirl water into the glass, and voyage into the unknown with smoky coal tar, an open box of rolling tobacco, peat moss and roasted malt. A barbeque of smoky charcoal rises above the peat moss, softened by camomile, cedar and heather bloom. A blast of brine, white pepper and smoky asparagus escapes into the atmosphere with a spritely display of gooseberries and greengages.

Taste

Ardbeg challenges the palate with a smoke and salt explosion – hot, sizzling and gristy sensations effervesce and explode on the tongue with a powerful peaty punch. Black and white crushed pepper pop with chilli and chocolate. Chewy sweet rolling tobacco, linseed oil and newly tanned leather roll backwards on a wave of brininess and burst of juicy lime marmalade. Cigar smoke builds up to a crescendo before drying out to bring dark roast earthy coffee, toasted almonds and liquorice root.

Finish

Long, deep and powerful, refusing to fade away – remaining warm and drying with tarry peat, cocoa and chilli.

A World of Discovery, Angry, Autumn, Cold Winter, George T Stagg

George T Stagg 2008 70.9% ABV – Hot damn!

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 70.9%ABV – 750ml bottle – $55-90 for the 2009 release | £95 | €107

There’s an old saying I once heard…  a saying that has stuck with me throughout most of my young adult and current years.  We all have these, right?  A saying or phrase; something that, in certain situations just comes to you right off the bat because when you first heard it, it struck a chord.  These sayings become a part of you for good or for ill.  That’s just how it is.

When I first sipped this bourbon, at 70.9% alcohol, without water, all I could say… all that would come forth from my mouth was:

“That’s hotter than a whore in heat!!”

And Man-o-Maneschewitz, if this stuff did not burn the top layer of skin off of the roof of my mouth – Whooo-eeee!

A quick summary as to what it was like without water (then I will continue my review with the addition of water, trying to bring it down to about 55% (a big thank you to Jeff, the Scotch Hobbyist, for his ABV calculator iPhone app!))

To nose it was like sniffing a sugar fire or perhaps a small burning pile of spiced gum drops.  To taste it was a bit different.  Yes, it burned like all hell but it was so lip smacking and sweet; quite spicy too – made me pucker.  Like a delicious cinnamon bun sitting atop a burning stern-o can.  The finish was L.O.N.G. Long! But full of ripe bananas (flambe perhaps??) and sugared vanilla and oak.

OK, now I must go on with the 55%ABV review.  It’s just way too hot to drink without water (go ahead, call me chicken, I don’t care).

On the nose — Pipe tobacco and fresh grass, nutmeg, cinnamon and pizza spices (think oregano – so odd!), banana peel comes though, much easier to nose at this ABV.  I don’t want to stop nosing.  It’s both inspiring and imposing, pleasant and brash.

On the mouth — Still hot.  Much hotter than the nose.  The palate flavors are a near mirror image of what I got on the nose.  How cool is that!?  There’s an addition of some citrus notes though and the banana is more prominent here.

Finish — Lingering, all burny and stuff… lots of spice and the oregano comes back but it’s very sweet, not so savory.

In sum — Holy Frijoles!  This is some good stuff that makes you slap your leg and say wow!  This is such an American drink.  In your face and unapologetic.  If I could put a name or personality to this drink it would be Eminem.  

This bourbon whiskey just doesn’t give a rat’s ass.  It is what it is.  If you like it, cool, then you get it and love it.  If it’s not up your alley, this whiskey will give you the finger and tell you to F### off.

Sorry for all the potty-words but, try this whiskey and you’ll see that you too will be swearing like the dickens and calling your mother names! (Mom, if you’re reading this, I never called you any bad names.  Promise.)

A special thanks goes out to JH for the sample!!

Lastly, in up-coming news —

I will have two field trip posts going up with in the next two to three days!  One for Whisky Live NYC which I attended last week.  Another for a tour of a newer boutique whiskey distillery!!  Stay tuned!!

A World of Discovery, Cold Winter, Need To Bundle Up, Refreshed, Suntory - Yamazaki, Takin' It Easy

Yamazaki Sherry Cask

Japan – 48%ABV – 700ml –  Not Available through US stores | £56 | €55

So, apparently, “Lust” is one of the seven deadly sins.  In Judaism, lust can be attributed to ones’ Yetzer Hara, or basically, ones Evil Inclination.  The Jewish point of view is that all people have good inclinations (Yetzer Tov) and bad ones (Yetzer Hara) and that when one “sins” it’s more like you’ve “missed the mark” or not lived up to your potential.

You must be asking yourself at this point in time — “What in the blue F$%k is this guy talking about!?”

Well, I’ll tell you.  The very second I saw the picture of this bottle of Yamazaki Sherry Cask, I fell in lust.  Yes, I like Yamazaki well enough (I actually like it a lot and you can read my review of their 12yr expression here) but the very second I caught a glimpse of the color of the fluid contained within the bottle well, let’s just say my mouth watered.  A lot.  And I had to get a bottle good and quick.  Does this make me evil?  G-d, I hope not.

Actually, for as much as I “lusted” after it, I got the bottle during Passover and did not open it.  For those of you who do not know, Jews who keep “Kosher for Passover”, we will not drink any whisk(e)y (or have any foods with grains such as wheat, barley, corn, rye, etc…).  While perhaps my Yetzer Hara, or bad inclinations, made me buy this bottle; on the flip side of the coin, my Yetzer Tov, or Good Inclinations, told me to hold off on drinking any until Passover is done and be a good Jew.  If you want to know more about the ins-and-outs of Passover, check it here.  It’s actually a pretty interesting read.

Getting to the point

Anyway, let’s get a bit to the point here: WHISKY!  and a damn good Japanese one at that!  The Yamazaki Sherry Cask was one of my “You did it, you made it through Passover and now you can taste whisky” whiskies and it made me say WOW.  The other was the Springbank 12yr Cask Strength and then on Wednesday April 7th I went to Whisky Live in NYC (the review of that event to coming in the next week).  Ok, back again to my point, Yamazaki Sherry Cask.  Let’s review it now before I ramble on more:

The Yamazaki Sherry does not have an age statement on it but reading around I found that it was matured in first fill Oloroso Sherry butts (tee-hee) for 12-15yrs.  That’s a lot of time sitting in a first fill sherry butts!  I guess that explains the gorgeous deep caramel/rusty blood color.

Initial whiff – Very lush and sweet.  Stewed prunes with a side of Cafe Americano, deep chocolate notes and sweet corn (¿¿ is that the bourbony quality that I found in their 12yr expression ??), cinnamon and spice, lots of dried fruits and they run the gammut.

On the mouth – Chocolate covered tannins, back to the prunes (something sort of slivovitzy here…plums?), lush mouth feel, big sherry but not extremely “winey”, sweet and back to that bourbon quality I got on the nose.  This is like a heavily sherried bourbon!!

Finish – This one stays with you and you’re thankful for it.  Chocolates and a bit of leather, dried fruits and a touch of espresso.

In sum — Can I have some more??  Such a nice after dinner type dram.  While it’ll warm you up if you need it to, those bourbon-type notes will work pretty hard to refresh you in ways you would not expect.  Also, it’s a very easy going-down type whisky, smooth and quite approachable (even at 48%ABV).  This is limited stuff too, only 16,000 bottles and, based on how incredible this is, I think this will go quick.  Get it while it’s hot!

So, Japan, thank you once more!  You never cease to amaze me.  I think I’m turning Japanese.  I really think so.

Kosher spirits, Refreshed, Siembra Azul, Summertime, Takin' It Easy, Tequilas

Siembra Azul Tequila “Blanco”

Jalisco, Mexico (Highlands Region) – 40%ABV – 750ml – $35

WARNING & DISCLAIMER – this tequila is certified as “Kosher” but not “Kosher for Passover”

Even though it’s not K for P certified I thought I should list both the fermentation process as well as the aging process as I can not see why this would not be K for P:

Fermentation Process — “The agave juice is extracted into a large vat where it is fermented with the same “prisse de mousse” yeast used in the fermentation of Champagne. Throughout this delicate slow fermentation process, Siembra Azul is gently serenaded around the clock by the sounds of Vivaldi and Mozart, in a sophisticated technique known as “serenading” the tequila. The soothing rhythms and gentle vibrations is thought to have a positive effect on the living yeast cultures, and helps to produce a smooth, mellow tasting tequila.” (I wonder what would happen if they played some Kimono Draggin’ during the process…)

Aging — “Before bottling, Siembra Azul’s Reposado and Añejo rest in virgin American White Oak “medium toast” barrels from the Ozarks in Missouri. These barrels were selected bcause of the impact the virgin oak from this region has on the flavor profile of Siembra Azul. The Reposado is aged for 3 months and the Añejo rests in these barrels for 12-36 months. The Añejo is bottled when the Master Distiller feels it is at its prime” (This is the “Blanco” which, correct if I’m wrong, does not spend much time, if any, in a barrel.)

Seems good to me – I’m moving on.  Before I do, here’s some more info on this fine tequila (and, it is a very fine tequila, worth more than the price I paid for it):

Quick Description of Siembra Azul — “Siembra Azul, meaning “blue harvest”,  is created in the town of Arandas, Mexico from only the finest blue agave. This premium quality spirit is different because more agave is used per bottle. The agave is also allowed to mature longer, which gives it a rich, pronounced flavor. To preserve this flavor, Siembra Azul is bottled by hand in specially designed bottles with air-tight metal caps.  High quality ingredients combined with the creator’s attention to detail has resulted in a truly exceptional spirit.”

Sounds appetizing, right?  Lets go!

On the nose – Mint – right off the bat, tobacco, lemonade, gingerbread man cookies, maybe ginger snaps, it noses more like a malt than it does a tequila, oaky (which is strange if this did not spend time in a barrel.  Perhaps it’s a natural flavor from the agave?)

Palate — Black pepper (am I tasting salt too?), back to the mint and spiced tobacco (like licking an unlit cigar wrapper – “Roam” Acid Cigar to be specific), back to the citrus, this time it’s more orangey – Mineola Oranges (sweet and tart)

Finish – Peppery, lasting, citrus, more pepper

In sum – What a nice little break from whisk(e)y.  This is really getting me ready for summer.  While I am tasting this at room temperature, this would be quite nice chilled.  Not sure I would ruin it with a lime but, if I wanted to make a bad cocktail taste good, I’d add this for sure.  Out of the way Cuervo, Patron, there’s a new tequila in town!  YUM!

A World of Discovery, Autumn, Cold Winter, Lagavulin, Need To Bundle Up

Lagavulin 1991/2007 Distiller’s Edition

Islay region – 43%ABV – 750ml bottle – $80 | £49 | €63 (the US price shown is for the 1991/2007, the UK/EU prices are for the 1993/2009 edition as I could not find the 1991/2007 edition pricing for them)

As mentioned in a previous post, I’ve got some work ahead of me.  I just received 4 new samples to review and all of them are titans in their own right.  This, The Lagavulin Distillers Edition 1991/2007, 2009 George T Stagg Bourbon (at over 70% ABV!!), Port Askaig 17yr & the Laphroaig 30yr – talk about a line up!

I decided to start with the Lagavulin Distillers Edition for no reason other than the fact that it was a cold rainy evening and I needed to get warm.  I needed comfort and, if you know the Lagavulin, the peat in their whiskies really helps to get you to that warm, safe place in your mind whether it’s memories of a family campout back in the 70’s, the birth of your first child or the first time you listened to John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” — Lagavulin takes you there.  It’s that great.

Here is what the standard bottle looks like (1993/2009 edition shown):

and here’s a picture of the sample I worked from (a nice & healthy amount as you can see):

So, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty, shall we?  Yes.  Yes, we shall:

Initial whiffs — Very “Lagavulin”, almost more Lagavuliny than the standard 16yr (if that makes sense – if ‘Maximum Strength Tylenol’ is like regular tylenol, only more potent – this is how this nose is, without increasing the ABV), noticeably sweeter, warm-campfire-peat, dying embers, a bit pungent, fried banana, candle wax, very seaweedy, candied citrus fruits, wet leather — this has to be one of the most complex noses out there (that I’ve nosed) – absolutely lovely – I’ve been nosing this for 5 minutes now… I think it’s time to taste.

Palate — Rubbery, both in flavor and mouth feel, big tobacco, very salty but less sea-like, anise, not as sweet as the nose, oily smoke, quite nice though, compared to the standard 16yr… the balance seems a bit off here (can’t place it but, it’s off – could be me).  Still, very-very nice.

Finish — Peppery, lasting smoke, a bit more biting than I expected given the 43%ABV, some vanilla, salty — Yum!

In sum — As amazing as this one is, for some reason, I like the standard Lagavulin 16yr expression a bit more.  Perhaps it’s because that’s what I’m used to or maybe it’s that off-balance feel I got from the nose to the palate, not sure.  This is a nice little treat especially if you want the big warm peat but something a wee more sweet (should I keep rhyming here?  Because, I totally can.  Don’t think I can’t or won’t…  Oh, you don’t believe me??  “Beat Street, the king of the beat, I see walk that beat from across the street, uh-huh-huh, beat street is a lesson too, ’cause you can’t let the streets beat you…”)

Wow, that was unnecessary!  Carrying on — This is without a doubt a warmer-upper to be enjoyed during a cool autumn evening but again, as much as I liked it, I’d be happy to keep paying the lower $$ for a Lagavulin I like more (the standard 16yr expression).

A special thanks to The Scotch Hobbyist for the sample trade!  Cheers to you my friend!