Archive for the ‘Whisk(e)y’ Category
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 6, 2015
Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is part of Jim Beam’s Small Batch Bourbon Collection. This collection is composed of Knob Creek, Booker’s, Baker’s and, Basil Hayden’s. The whiskey collection is considered by Jim Beam Distillers to be a selection of ‘ultra-premium’ bourbon whiskeys created to establish a high-end category for bourbon, and thus to appeal to the serious whiskey aficionado.
Knob Creek is the oldest of these small batch whiskeys, and is aged a full nine years in newly charred oak barrels, then bottled at 100 proof or 50 % alcohol by volume. The whiskey brand is owned by Beam Global and is produced at the Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont, Kentucky.
Here is a link to the review of the #19 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown of the best spirits I have ever tasted.
“… The initial aroma is deep and rich with smells of freshly hewn oak timbers dripping with sap. I also sense loads of honeycomb, barbequed corn on the cob, baking spices (vanilla and cinnamon), brown sugar, and fresh maple toffee. As I take my time with the glass, indications of chocolate caramel and cola rise in the breezes along with rich pipe tobacco and crushed walnut shells …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in American Whiskey, Awards, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: Bourbon, Jim Beam Small Batch, Knob Creek, Review, Rum howler, Top 100 Spirits, Whiskey | Comments Off on #19 Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 4, 2015
Angel’s Envy was founded by Lincoln Henderson (a former Brown-Forman Master Distiller) and his son Wesley in 2010. According to Wes, when the company began to contemplate their Rum Finished Whiskey, they began by sampling over one hundred rums to find the right flavour complement for their bold style of rye whiskey. They also compared six different blends of rye which were eventually narrowed down to just one, a 95 % Rye Whiskey which (according to my emails with the distillery) was aged for 7 to 8 years in new charred American oak barrels. They chose to finish this Rye Whiskey for 18 months in ex-Plantation XO Rum Barrels.
In case you did not know, these Plantation barrels began their life as French Cognac barrels which were then were used as the finishing barrels for Plantation’s fantastic XO Anniversary Rum (See my review for Plantation XO 20th Anniversary Rum here). Thus these finishing barrels contained not only the compliment of a fantastic rum within their oak fibres, they also may have contained hints of cognac as well. The finished whiskey is bottled at 50 % alcohol by volume.
Here is a link to the review of the #21 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown of the best spirits I have ever tasted.
“… As the glass sits we begin to notice the rye asserting itself into the air alongside rich dark brown sugar and baking spices (vanilla, cinnamon and even more maple). The combined effect of the whiskey’s candied sweetness coupled with the spicy oak and cedar (and the assertive rye) is almost breathtaking. Roasted walnuts, pungent cigar tobacco, rich honeycomb, and hints of raisins and other dry fruits round out the aroma which has me completely enthralled …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in American Whiskey, Awards, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: American Whiskey, Angel's Envy, Rum Finished, Rum howler, Rye, Top 100 Spirits | Comments Off on #21 Angel’s Envy (Rum) Finished Rye Whiskey
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 3, 2015
Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whisky is a new blend from the folks who run the Crown Royal Distillery in Gimli, Manitoba. It is a bit of a throwback in style as the whisky features a heavy dose whisky produced from Canadian Winter Rye grain in the blend (almost 90% of the spirit is produced from Canadian Winter Rye grain). Winter rye imparts a robust spiciness throughout the spirit when distilled which (in my opinion) provides a much stronger ‘Canadian Whisky’ feel for this particular Crown Royal Whisky than we find with the flagship blend Crown Royal Deluxe which is produced predominantly from corn rather than rye.
This movement towards a more rye forward flavour profile seems to be a common theme within the Crown Royal family as two other recently released blends (Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel, and the new Crown Royal Monarch 75th Anniversary Blend) have also followed that common path.
It is a path which I obviously endorse as this is the second time a new Crown Royal Release has entered into my Countdown of the best 100 spirits I have ever tasted. Here is a link to the #22 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown of the best spirits I have ever tasted.
“… As the glass breathes, I sense a stronger underlying oakiness within the spirit as fine wood spices rise into the air and the merry little breezes above the glass are tinged with crisp spicy rye notes as well. Fresh baked bread crust, light caramel smells, hints of vanilla ice cream, and bits of nutmeg and allspice round out the aroma which continues to impress me …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: 2015 Top 100 Spirits, Candaina Whisky, Crown Royal, Northern Harvest, Rum howler, Rye Whisky, Whisky, Whisky Review | Comments Off on #22 Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whisky
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 2, 2015
Against my better judgement I have decided that it is time to begin my Annual Countdown of the Best Canadian Whiskies of 2015. I have published a similar list the last three years in a row, and I have received many requests to continue the tradition this year.
My time is limited more than usual as Connor McDavid Mania is raging in my memorabilia store (Cardsharks Memorabila Store) (it is after all important to keep the bills paid). As well my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown continues unabated. For those reasons, I have decided that I will reveal my top Canadian Spirits in three groups of seven spirits once per week and one last group of four during the last week before Christmas rather than as I usually do one at a time, one day at a time. In this way I can spare myself the need to do an extra post every day, especially since my Rum Howler 2015 Top 25 Rums list needs to be compiled and published as well.
So although it is not quite how I usually do things, I shall begin today with the first seven spirits that made the cut, numbers 25 through to 19.
# 25 Windsor Canadian
# 24 J.P. Wiser’s Hopped (New Review!)
# 23 Crown Royal Monarch 75th Anniversary Blend
# 22 Canadian Club 20 Yr Old Whisky
# 21 Centennial Rye Whisky (NAS)
# 20 Pendleton 1910 (Aged 12 Years) Canadian Whisky
# 19 Forty Creek Copper Pot Reserve Whisky
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Note: You may follow the list and read more about The Year 2015 in Canadian Whisky here:
Please Enjoy the weekly reveal!
Posted in Awards, Canadian Whisky, Extras, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: 2015 Top 25 Canadian Whiskies, Canadian Club, Centennial Rye Whisky, Copper Pot Reserve, Crown Royal, Forty Creek, Hopped, J.P. Wiser's, Monarch, Pendleton 1910, Review, Rum Howler Awards, Windsor | 1 Comment »
Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 2, 2015
The 12 Year Old Highland Park Whisky is the core expression of Highland Park Distillery, that is to say, it is their flagship brand. Highland Park prides itself in not making any compromises when making whisky. The twelve-year expression is the youngest in their impressive lineup. All of Highland Park whiskies are matured in Spanish and American Oak in warehouses with earthen floors and stone walls. The combination of different oak provides some of the whisky with an American whiskey enhancement and some of the whisky with a Spanish sherry enhancement. The whisky is matured in a cool consistent climate, and blended to create the unique Highland Park taste and character that the distillery is famous for.
Of particular note is the heather rich meadows which provide a rich floral backdrop around the aging warehouses which seems to impart its character to the whisky as well. I note the floral character in the review.
Here is a link to the review of the #23 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown of the best spirits I have ever tasted.
“… I smell that boggy muddy creek bottom in the glass when I fill it with Highland Park whisky. It is not an intense boggy smell, just a whisper of that muddy creek and sawgrass meadow rising from the glass. I smell the willow thicket, and a faint floral scent which I am told is heather. This is the aroma of the Orcadian peat of which Highland Park is famous for …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Extras, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: 12 Year Old, Highland Park, Review, Rum howler, Scotch, Single Malt, Top 100 Spirits | Comments Off on #23 Highland Park 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
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