Flying Money El Matador

This was a very interesting drink..  An Imperial Rye Ale, aged in Spanish Cedar.  Definitely has some of the wood aged feel of a barrel aged product, but the cedar is a little different.  A little softer, a little rosier.  More sandalwood type feeling.  As it was cold, it was very, very smooth.  The more it warmed, it picked up more of the typical rye bite and harshness.  Now, I happen to like the taste of rye, so I was good with that.  I was also pretty great with the smooth feeling as well.

Let's just say I went back and bought another bottle.

Cheers,
Andy

Ommegang Three-Eyed Raven

Another beer?  It's like I keep forgetting to document what I'm really doing or something.

Anyway, this is an interesting tie-in to Game of Thrones, and with the season 5 finale yesterday, sure.  It describes itself as a Dark Saison Ale.  I'll buy that description.  It was a little more malty and rye grainy than I would describe any Saison, but I also wouldn't call any other Saison I've seen a 'dark'.  It reminded me of a richer, thicker Negra Modelo.  If you know me, that is one of my all time favorite beers.  Unfortunately for this, part of that is the way the Modelo gives the maltiness without the weight.  All in all, this was a fairly full and filling beer.  Nothing bad with that, but it is probably more suited when winter is coming than during the middle of June.

As it is, this is recommended and perfectly amusing to watch characters that you get invested in get killed off.

Few Barrel Gin

Weird!

Gin that has been aged in a barrel.  Take a whiff... it is gin, but there's more going on.  There's a nice little bit of whisky-like oaks and vanilla type things on the nose, but not a ton.  Just enough to let you know that something is going on.

Drinking it neat, it is kinda odd.  I don't drink a lot of gin neat, and it doesn't work quite like a whisky there.  As I don't really like drinking gin neat, no surprise that neat doesn't really work for me here.  But there is enough interesting going on that you think "this is gonna be great for something."  My problem has been that I have no idea what that something would be.

Gin and Tonic.  Nope. Nope, nope, nope.  Get that taste out of my mouth.  ugh.

Manhattan...  now lets's talk.

This worked pretty darned well.  It was a nice blend back towards a good martini from the manhattan.  However, the cherries after sitting in Gin for a half hour were not good.  Added great flavor to the drink, but not good on their own.

Up next, maybe a Negroni?  I need to pick up some Compari.

Blanch de Namur

Again, not much of a beer reviewer, but this was really tasty.  A rich and deep wheat forward Belgian with some nice pepper and citrus notes.  Surprisingly lightly carbonated, mouthfeel was almost more like a nice wine.  Had to go back to Costco and pick up a couple of bottles.

Cheers,
Andy

Lot 40 Canadian, Second Review.

No more release year on the bottle, purchased 4/2015

Nose: vanilla, toffee, alcohol, menthol, young wood.

Palate: sharp tannins, vanilla, toffee caramels,

Finish: harsh, bitter menthol.  Hits really high and hot on the back of the tongue.

Normally, I have no intention of doing a second review... But this new bottle is way different than the 2012 release.  That stuff was great.  I loved it.  See the previous review.  This is similar.  Similar nose, but a younger feel to it.  The palate has a ton of the same notes, but is a lot sharper.  The finish on the new stuff, however, is horrible compared to the first.  I wonder if there is a lot of batch variation, or if they are just trying to capitalize on the success of that first trial of good stuff.  I went out of my way to purchase this, it isn't available in Michigan.  Really disappointed.

As I still had a sample bottle, here is a little head to head comparison...  The older has a great tobacco type note, like you went into a fine lounge where somebody had a nice pipe or cigar.  In the newer, that tobacco note feels like you went to a dive bar and somebody smoked a pack of menthols and blew the smoke at you for a couple of hours. Familial resemblance, but not the same thing.  The finish on the older is also hot and spicy, but it is a warming glow through the mouth, not the fiery belch as the newer.  Don't get me wrong, the new stuff is still pretty good, but it isn't great. It also doesn't represent the price point the way the other stuff did at all. 

WhiskyFest 2015

Just a quick bit of notes from the event… I’m sure I’ll write more later, specifically when I do a further examination of any of these whiskies, but not right now. Some basic Stars (1-5) rating below.  This mostly does not reflect value, some of these are horrible values, but still pretty good drinks.

Sampled:

High West Midwinter Night’s Dram ****

Koval Barrel Strength Rye *

Redbreast 21yr. ****

Forty Creek Confederation Oak ***

Forty Creek Evolution ***

Crown Royal XR Lasalle ***

Old Forester 2014 Birthday Bourbon **

Redemption Rye 7yr. ***

Woodford Reserve Pinot Noir *

Woodford Reserve Rye **

Clyde May’s Special Reserve *

Larceny (in Seminar) ***

Bernheim Original Wheal 7yo (in Seminar) **

Parker’s Heritage Collection Original Batch Wheat (in Seminar) ***

Heaven Hill Select 8yo Cognac Cask Finished (in Seminar) *****

Hibiki 17 *****

Nikka Coffey Grain ****

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof ****

Jefferson’s Ocean Aged *

Michter’s US1 Sour Mash **

Hudson Whiskey Maple Cask *

Jim Beam Distiller’s Masterpiece ****

Jim Beam Harvest Collection Rolled Oat ***

Jim Beam Harvest Collection High Rye ***

J.P.Wiser’s Rye (in Seminar) ***

J.P.Wiser’s 18yr (in Seminar) ****

Pike Creek (in Seminar) ***

Lot 40 (in Seminar) ****

Don’s Phd Blend (in Seminar) ****

J.P.Wiser’s 30yr (in Seminar) *****

Glenfarclas Family Cask 1984 *****

Few Rye ***

Few Barrel Aged Gin ***

Few Single Malt ****

Overall, an excellent time and some very interesting whiskies were sampled.  The ones that struck me most (Heaven Hill Select, Wiser’s 30yr, and Few Single Malt) are sadly all completely unavailable to me.  The one that I figured I’d have a shot at was the Few.  Unfortunately, the two stores that I looked at downtown had both been cleaned out of that.  I won't mention that I did rescue some of that Wiser's 30 year...

Henry McKenna 10yo BiB

Nose: peaches, leather, and spice.  Some tobacco and dark tea.

Palate: chewy leather, tannins, good spice with darker burnt sugars.  Plenty of heat but not burn feelings.

Finish: long and strong. Holding on to the bitter tannins and stronger tea and leathers.  Thick and full mouthfeel, even long after it is gone.  Strong, and if you happen to like what it is doing, you will enjoy it.  If the bitterness gets to you, it will be a stain you have trouble cleaning off.

I like this.  It isn't in my top pantheon of great values, as I like more Carmel and vanilla in my flavor profile, but it is a great drink at a good price point.  It is also a bottled in bond whiskey, which is a great identifier of at least a pretty strong indication of attempt at quality.  At 10 years, it is also getting on in years.  Made by Heaven Hill, they are the current kings of old whisky, even though many of those are too old for my tastes.