Jim – Jim's Drams

Torabhaig – Skye’s second oldest distillery

In 1823, the Excise Act was passed in the United Kingdom, paving the way for many distilleries in Scotland to emerge from the shadows and begin legitimate, licensed operations.

A mere 7 years later, Talisker began operations on the isle of Skye. For nearly two centuries, it held the distinction of being the only distillery on that island.

In 2017, they welcomed a new neighbor. After several years of planning and construction, Torabhaig began operations in January of that year, becoming the second ever distillery on Skye.

For me, this plan creates an exciting opportunity to watch the evolution of a new Scotch – from concept, to early, younger bottlings, to mature product. Most of the well-known distilleries in Scotland were established in the 19th century, and a handful date as far back as the 18th. Scotch, it feels like, has been around forever. Watching a new Scotch be born feels like the return of Hailey’s Comet.

The overall concept for their whisky is to embrace the climate and spirit of the Hebrides. Phrases like “elegantly rugged” and “shaped by Skye” have already emerged as part of their marketing.

While the goal is for their signature expression to be a 10-year-old, they have plans to release 4 preliminary bottlings along the way. Dubbed the “Legacy Series”, these are meant to give a hint of things to come.

2017 and Allt Gleann – The first two releases in The Legacy Series from Torabhaig

Scotch Whisky by law must be aged for a minimum of 3 years. In February of 2021, they released the first of the Legacy Series, simply called “2017”. This was followed in July with the “Allt Gleann” (Old Glen in Scots Gaelic).

Both are NAS (non-age statement) whiskies, but the word is that the average age in the 2017 is around 3 1/2 years, while the Allt Gleann is closer to 4. Each features a different combination of barley strain, yeast strain, and cask type as they try to find their unique style and house character. Both are substantially peated, with the 2017 coming in at 55-60 ppm and the Allt Gleann at 77.

I had a chance to attend a Mossburn Distillers tasting event recently. On the menu were several independent bottlings as well as two releases in the Caisteal Chamuis blended malt family. The most exciting part of the evening for me though, was getting to try both Torabhaig releases side by side. The first word that came to mind was “promising”.

A very impressive lineup from the fine folks at Mossburn

Yes, both were pale in color and lacked the depth and complexity that come with more time. But both were completely enjoyable. Don’t be intimidated by the high peat levels. The peat is a pleasantly floral highland peat, not the medicinal iodine that Islay is known for. It is nicely balanced, not overpowering. Since phenols break down over time, more mature offerings will likely tend to be less smoky.

The most striking difference, given the small age difference between bottlings, is the emergence of a nice coastal salinity. It was lacking in the 2017, which did not come as a surprise given the short aging. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much it really began to come through with a mere 6 extra months of time. For those of you unfamiliar with this concept, barrels are porous. When whisky is aged in an open warehouse near the sea, the salt air penetrates the barrels and can lend a pleasant brininess to the whisky inside.

If you’re looking for a mature, complex whisky to sip and savor, these early releases may not be your best choice. But if you’re looking for a learning experience, a taste of history, an “I was there when” moment, you might not want to miss this opportunity.

Try it now or put it away and compare it side by side with their signature release when it comes out in another 5 or 6 years. Or buy two bottles and do both.

Dewar’s Japanese Smooth

The current line-up of Dewar’s 8 year cask finishes, along with their flagship White Label

Beginning in October 2019 with the rum barrel finished Caribbean Smooth, John Dewar and Sons has been releasing a series of 8 year old blends featuring a variety of cask finishes. For details on previous releases, check out https://jimsdrams.com/dewars/)

The latest offering in the series is Japanese Smooth. As you might have guessed, it is finished in Mizunara, a variety of oak native to Japan. Special thanks to Nick at Bottle Republic for helping me get my hands on a bottle.

As I did when I tasted the others in the series, I turned to the Dewar’s White Label as a starting point. By being familiar with the flavor of the White Label, it’s easier to pick out the specific flavors that come from the finish.

The color of the White label is pale straw. On the nose, it comes across with strong cereal notes. The palate is slightly creamy, which is surprising for a blend. The inclusion of grain whisky usually tends to make blended Scotch lighter in body than single malt. The strong cereal grain notes from the aroma register on the palate as well, along with a hint of honey sweetness. A touch of smoke appears in the finish, but this does not come across as a peated whisky. Overall, it is a nice mild sipper and would make a decent introduction to Scotch for the beginner. It represents a good value for the price point, and there is no surprise that it’s one of the top selling Scotch whiskies in the world.

Next, I wanted to refresh my memory on the flavor profile of Mizunara. For this, I turned to the Kaiyō, specifically the original black label. Like Jefferson’s Ocean, this whisky is aged at sea (Kaiyō is Japanese for ocean). This imparts a hint of salinity, like the Jefferson’s or a nice coastal Scotch. It’s very affordable as Japanese whiskies go, especially those aged in Mizunara, which makes it a good starting point in that category.

The color on this one is pale straw, very close to the Dewar’s (don’t mix up your glasses!). There are hints of wood and spice on the nose that are clearly from the oak, but not like anything you would expect from an American oak. The wood comes across more like sandalwood, and the spice is warm, but more like an Asian five spice than a western fall spice mix. On the palate, it is nice and warm. The wood and spice carry over from the aroma, with the spice lingering into the finish as the salinity emerges. This is typical of my experience with whiskies aged in Japanese oak.

So what happens when the typical Dewar’s profile gets together with Japanese Mizunara?

As with the other Dewar’s cask finishes, the Japanese Smooth is darker than the white label, benefiting from the extra exposure to wood, leaning towards a nice gold, almost amber.

On the nose, the spice of the Mizunara dominates. The familiar cereal notes are still there, but take a back seat. The sandalwood is very faint. If you’re not expecting it, you very well might miss it.

The palate opens with the familiar cereal of the signature Dewar’s flavor profile. The spice emerges in the middle, with a hint of the sandalwood showing up towards the finish, which is short. The cereal reappears at the end, with an almost yeasty, bready character. It is definitely the dominant flavor note.

An affordable whisky finished in Mizunara barrels? Absolutely!

In my opinion, this is a nice whisky. Whisky Advocate agrees, rating it 91 points, the highest in the series.

At $25 MSRP, it’s a few dollars more than the others in the Dewar’s series, but by far the least expensive Mizunara I’ve ever seen. Japanese oak is very rare and very expensive (with a single barrel costing thousands of dollars), so the higher price is not surprising. It’s also not surprising that this seems to be a smaller release and more highly allocated than the others. The store where I got mine was only able to get one case of six bottles. Luckily, they called me when it came in and offered to put one aside for me.

Overall, this does not come across as a whisky meant to showcase Japanese oak as a dominant flavor. It seems like the intention here is to highlight the Dewar’s flavor profile, with the unique oak playing a supporting role as an accent. If you’re looking for big, dominant wood flavors, if you’re looking for an “in your face” experience with Mizunara, there are better options.

But if you’re already familiar with Japanese oak and want to see how it gets along with Scotch whisky, or if you’re new to it and want to try it without breaking the bank, even if you just think it would be cool to have a bottle that says “Mizunara” on your bar, then it might be worth trying to track down one of these while they last.

Dewar’s “Smooth” Cask Finishes

There is little doubt that single malt Scotch has emerged as one of the leading luxury spirits categories. It has become so popular that people tend to look down upon blended Scotch. “I only drink single malt” is a phrase I hear far too often. These people don’t know what they’re missing, because there are some excellent blends available.

But that is good news for the rest of us. As more and more money chases a limited supply of whisky, prices go ever higher. But most of that money is busy chasing single malt (and more recently Bourbon), leaving blended Scotch, and its prices, virtually unaffected. If you are willing to wander down the aisle, past the Speysides and the Islays, to where the blends live, there are some real bargains to be found.

One example of this is the relatively new “Smooth” series from John Dewar & Sons, better known as Dewar’s. This is a series of 8-year-old expressions, in various cask finishes. Cask finishing is the practice of placing mature whisky into a barrel that previously held something else, typically for 6 – 24 months. Since some of the previous contents will have soaked into the wood, the whisky tends to pick up some of the flavor from the barrel’s previous contents, making for some interesting and complex offerings.

Dewar’s recently released “Smooth” series is a great way to explore cask finishes on a budget

One great thing about these recent offerings is the price. They retail in my area for $22-23 each, only a couple dollars more than the ubiquitous Dewar’s White Label. But are they any good?

I started my tasting with the White Label. The idea was to have that flavor profile fresh in my mind, so that I could easily identify the flavors in the others that came from the cask finishing. The primary whisky in the Dewar’s blend is Aberfeldy. If you have tried both you may have noticed some similarities.

Dewar’s White Label is one of the top selling Scotch whiskies worldwide

The first cask finish in this series is the Caribbean Smooth, finished in Caribbean rum barrels. It was released in October 2019. Using rum casks to finish whisky is not uncommon. Balvenie and Glenlivet both have expressions done this way, as does Tullamore DEW from Ireland.

The first release in the series, Caribbean Smooth, is finished in Caribbean Rum casks

The color on this offering is slightly darker than the white label, approaching gold/amber. On the nose, the first impression is of oak. The cereal aroma is still there, but more subdued. There is a faint hint of well-aged rum in the background. On the palate, the sweetness is more like brown sugar than honey. Towards the middle, some flavors similar to an aged rum are apparent, perhaps a hint of tropical fruit, maybe pineapple. The body is less creamy than the white label. That wisp of smoke is still there in the finish, but more subtle.

Next up is the Ilegal Smooth, released in May 2020. The Ilegal in the name (note the single “l”) is a brand of mezcal. Dewar’s claims that this is the first whisky finished in Mezcal barrels, and I certainly have not seen one before. If there is one you are aware of, please let me know.

Ilegal Smooth is finished in barrels from Ilegal Mezcal, made with the Espadin species of agave.

The color here is very similar to the Caribbean Smooth. The nose has those cereal aromas once again. They are stronger than in the Caribbean Smooth, but less pronounced than the White Label. A strong vegetal aroma comes through, reminding me of Espadin.

For those of you not familiar with Mezcal, a little explanation is in order. While tequila can only be made from blue agave, Mezcal can be made from any species of agave, each of which has its own distinctive flavor. Espadin is the most abundant and most widely used varietal. It is the one used by Ilegal, who provides the barrels used for finishing this Dewar’s expression. Another big difference between tequila and mezcal is that the agave used to make Mezcal is roasted, rather than steamed, resulting in a smoky flavor.

On the palate, the Espadin notes are rather strong, coming across as vegetal and herbal. There is also a strong smoke flavor, but not a peat smoke. It is more like the smoke you would find in a very smoky Mezcal. The mouthfeel is thinner than the others, and the finish is short and smoky. The cask influence is so strong here, it almost feels more like an añejo Mezcal than a Scotch.

The most recent addition to this line is the Portuguese Smooth, which was just released in January 2021. It is finished in Port casks, which is quite possible the most popular choice for “finishing” whisky.

The most recent release, Portuguese Smooth is finished in Port casks

The color is darker than the others, with that slight but distinctive ruddy hue that can be found in most Port finished whiskies. The aroma is very typical of a Port cask finished whisky, as is the palate. Notes of dried fruit and dark berries, with a slight hint of honey sweetness. The smoke is still present, but less here than in any of the others.

Overall, these new releases build upon the base of the basic Dewar’s expression, and really showcase the cask finishes. All are approachable and sippable. While they may lack the full body of an all-malt whisky, at a price point in the low 20s, compared to $50 + for cask finished single malts, they really are a bargain. If you are looking to start exploring cask finished whisky on a budget, you can pick up all four of these bottles and get change from a $100 bill.

Tadmore Distilling Co.

I first discovered craft distilleries, also known as micro distilleries, in the summer of 2016. While on vacation in Cape May, NJ, I took the ferry over to Lewes, DE. There I discovered Beach Time Distilling. Since then, it has become a hobby within a hobby for me. I’ve visited over 30 of these businesses, across my home state and the 3 states that border it.

Although I’ve been to quite a few of these establishments, I haven’t written about very many. There are a few that I still want to cover, and I will try to get to them soon. But this Saturday, I visited one that I just had to write up as soon as I could.

For me to write about a distillery, there are two things I look for. First, since this is a whiskey blog, they must make whiskey. Second, they must be really good. I try to follow the rule “If you don’t have anything nice to say…” And I don’t just mean the product has to be good. Of course it does. But when I visit a distillery, I’m not just going to buy a bottle. I can get do that at a liquor store. I am going for the experience.

I’m happy to say, Tadmore Distilling Co. in Salem, NJ, meets the first requirement. As for the second, saying that they are “really good” just doesn’t do them justice. After just one visit, they are easily one of my favorites. I only wish they were closer to home. If you are in the area, or even if you have to drive a bit to get there, I highly recommend a visit.

Like any small business, craft distilleries each have their own personality. In my experience, these can be divided into three main “personality types”.

Some feel like they just want to be bars. The mandatory tour consists of “There’s the still. We use it to make alcohol. There’s the bar.” At the end of your visit, you’ve had some great cocktails, and probably a good time, but you really don’t feel like you’ve visited a distillery.

Next up are the places that do great tours, and are passionate about the art of distilling, but are lacking on the serving side. They will take the time to show you around and explain the process. You will probably learn quite a bit. But when it comes to trying the product, you will get a sample of each of their products in a small cup. I enjoy trying spirits neat, but not everyone does. I think to properly showcase your spirits, you need to have a decent cocktail program.

Lastly, there are the places, like Tadmore, that have achieved a perfect balance. An informative tour, given by someone who is proud of their art; a tasting flight of their products neat, for those who like to taste them for what they are, without any distractions; and a great cocktail menu for those who want to see what those products can do.

Tadmore is located on the edge of downtown Salem. They are right on Rt. 49 (aka West Broadway) in a historic house that was built in the 1790’s and once served as a Masonic lodge. The two front rooms are beautifully furnished to accommodate small groups. A little further back is the bar / tasting room. Here you will also find bottles for sale, as well as some merchandise. Enough that you can find a suitable memento, but not so much that you feel like you’re in a souvenir shop.

At the back of the building, in the addition added by the Masons as a meeting space, is the distillery. The still is a tiny little 26-gallon unit. If you want small batch, they have small batch. As owner Natasha Vitale puts it, “If other places are micro, we’re nano”.

Due to current Covid restrictions, capacity is limited, and reservations are recommended. I did not want to make a reservation online, since I was unsure of my arrival time until I was actually on my way. I called from the car and spoke to Natasha. I explained my situation and was told that they could indeed accommodate me.

When I arrived, I was greeted at the door by Natasha, who owns and operates the distillery along with her husband Steve. She showed me the layout of the house and provided a brief history of the building on our way back to the distilling floor. There, she showed me around and we had a great conversation about our shared passion for fine quality spirits, and what goes into making them. We talked about the fact that Bourbon is their true love, and the reason they started the business.

Next, we headed to the tasting room, where bartender Heather had already prepared my tasting flight of their 5 current offerings: Fledgling unaged whiskey, Bourbon, Bad Omen white rum, Aged rum, and their newest release, vodka. All are excellent quality.

The mash bill for both the Fledgling and the Bourbon is 63% corn, with the balance split evenly between malted barley and rye.

The nose of the Fledgling is surprisingly strong in corn, given the relatively low amount in the mash bill. I was told that many people mistake it for corn whiskey (which must be at least 80% corn). The flavor profile is very well balanced. There is a nice amount of rye spice, especially in the finish, but it is not overpowering.

The Bourbon, which is aged in 10-gallon barrels for at least 1 year, builds on the flavor profile of the new make, adding a nice layer of vanilla and other young wood flavors, along with just a hint of char towards the end. Each barrel is bottled and released as it is ready and sells out quickly. They were out of batch #2 for bottle sales when I visited but had saved enough for tastings and cocktails. I promised both Natasha and myself that I would be sure to get a bottle of batch #3.

I followed up my tasting with two cocktails. First, a delightfully well-balanced rum punch (which calls for the Bad Omen, but Heather offered to make it with the aged rum to add a little complexity and a hint of vanilla from the barrel). Next up, an Old Fashioned (my go-to cocktail), made with Batch #2 Bourbon (they also offer a New Fashioned made with Fledgling). This is my cocktail of choice, and one of my benchmarks for a good bar. Their rendition did not disappoint.

I ended up leaving with a bottle of Bad Omen, a shirt, a Glencairn glass for my collection, two barrel staves (I’m debating whether to use them for smoking or some as yet to be determined craft project), and best of all, one of my favorite memories. Out of over 30 craft distilleries that I have visited, this is without a doubt one of the best.

Ardbeg Wee Beastie

I try to make it a rule not to taste a new whisky by itself. Having something to compare it with besides a memory is almost always a good idea. When I tried the Glenfiddich Original (based on their 1963 Straight Malt), I had a glass of their current 12 Year along side. When Glenmorangie released their new version of the Quinta Ruban (Port cask finished) with an age statement of 14 years, I compared it to the previous 12 year expression.

When I first tried Ardbeg’s newest release, the Wee Beastie, it was part of an online tasting, alongside some very different whiskies. I’ve now seen several posts about this dram, and several people asking “How does it compare to the 10 Year?” (Ardbeg’s core expression), and I wanted to answer that question.

Sure, I could compare my recent experience with the new release to what I think I remember the 10 Year tasting like the last time I had it. But wouldn’t it be better to do a side-by-side comparison? So I decided to heed my own advice, poured a measure of each, and sat down.

The basics – Ardbeg is a distillery on the island of Islay, off the coast of Scotland. Most people associate Islay with smoky whiskies, and while there are exceptions, Ardbeg is not one of them. They are not at all shy about using peat in their Scotch, and often a lot of it.

The Ardbeg 10 Year is their main offering, and is bottled at 46% ABV. The Wee Beastie bears a 5 year old age statement, and is bottled at 47.4%. Both are non-chill filtered. Some might be a bit put off by such a young age statement, but don’t be. This does not suffer from youth, and does not come across as an immature whisky.

A word about peated Scotch and age – Phenols, the chemical compounds that cause peated whisky to taste smoky, break down over time. Generally speaking, the longer a peated whisky ages, the less intense that peat becomes.

Color – Both are a pale straw color. Suprisingly, the Wee Beastie is slightly darker than the 10 Year.

Nose – Don’t let the pale color lull you into thinking these are weak or bland offerings. On the nose, the Wee Beastie offers big peaty smoke, with hints of tar, and a little coastal salinity, very common with Islay malts. At just under 240 sq. miles, it’s hard to get far from the sea.

With the 10 Year, I find that the salinity is more pronounced. Maybe the extra time has allowed it to absorb more salt from the sea air, or maybe it’s just that there’s less here to mask it. As expected, the smoke is more subdued in the older expression compared to the Beastie. Peat smoke definitely has a terroir, and there’s certainly a hint of the medicinal iodine / seaweed typical of Islay peat to be found here. While the younger offering is unmistakably Islay, I really don’t get that iodine.

Taste – On the palate, the Wee Beastie offers a big hit of smoke up front. The iodine that was lacking from the aroma makes itself known here. The finish is long, with those distinctive Islay flavors building at first, then giving way to a lingering smoke.

The 10 Year is a little less assertive. Up front, you get some maltiness, with the smoke hanging back just enough to let you appreciate the barley that this was made from. The smoke on this builds towards the middle, with that medicinal feel coming closer to the end. As expected, time has mellowed this compared to the younger Beastie.

Adding a few drops of water to the Wee Beastie tones down the phenols, as expected. Malt starts to emerge in the aroma, reminding me of a biscuit that was left too long in the oven. On the palate, the maltiness appears as well. Salinity gets pushed to the back, and I get more smoke than iodine / seaweed. My personal impression is that it starts to resemble a Campbeltown malt in many ways.

Overall, if you like peated whisky, and are looking for big Islay smoke without a big price tag, the Wee Beastie is a bargain waiting to be found.

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Let Them Drink Cake

Glenmorangie – A Tale of Cake

Julia Child famously remarked “A party without cake is just a meeting”.

She’s right, you know. Dessert is just dessert, but cake is a celebration. Birthdays, weddings, all the most joyous occasions in out lives are marked with a cake.

It was this idea that inspired Dr. Bill Lumsden to create Glenmorangie’s latest expression, “A Tale of Cake”, released on September 22nd, 2020. In his words “some of my most joyous memories are from eating cake”. In particular, Dr. Bill had thoughts of baking with his grandmother and a pineapple upside down cake that his daughter made for his birthday when he set out to create a whisky reminiscent of cake.

But how does one capture the spirit of cake in a whisky? If you’re Glenmorangie, there’s a good chance that the answer is “cask finishing”. Dr. Bill has been a pioneer and leader in the area of extracting flavor by aging whisky in barrels that have previously held other spirits or wines. This time he turned to Tokaji barrels, those which had been used to age the sweet desert wines of the Tokaj region of Hungary. As usual, he was successful.

I’ve seen a lot of misconception in online comments, more so than with most whiskies. So to set the record straight, this is NOT a flavored whisky. This is a single malt Scotch, so by law, it cannot contain any added colors besides flavor-neutral E150 caramel coloring, and no added flavors. All of the flavors come from fermentation, distillation, and maturation (aging).

This is very limited release. It took some legwork, and a bit of luck to track down a bottle. If you’re a fan of sweeter whiskies, and you come across this, it is worth picking up.

Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake — My first pour, and some very festive packaging.

The color in the glass is a dark gold. I got the impression that it had a stronger tint of yellow than most, maybe from the Tokaji casks. It could be my imagination, but I’ve seen a definite red tint in some port cask finished whiskies, so maybe it really is there.

The first impression of the aroma is that it is warm and sweet. That sweetness comes in the form of honey and sugar. Digging a little deeper, you’ll find hints of dried stone fruit, like apricot or peach, and a trace of pineapple. Overall the aroma gives the impression of walking into a cupcake bakery, in the same way that the Allta feels like walking into a bread bakery.

On the palate it is once again sweet. The typical Glenmorangie citrus is present, but takes a back seat to stone fruit. The sweetness takes the form of a sugary frosting or glazed donut. Notes of tropical fruit like pineapple and passionfruit emerge towards the end. The finish is medium, with a lingering warmth and sweetness.

Paired with dessert — Louisiana crunch cake, pineapple coconut ice cream, and Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake. Yum.

I don’t usually venture into the realm of food pairing, but in this case I couldn’t resist. I didn’t have time to bake, so I set off to the store in search of something appropriate. The original inspiration was a pineapple upside down cake, but I couldn’t find one. I settled on a slice of Louisiana Crunch Cake, and a scoop of Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream. It was a perfect match. I alternated between bites of just cake, just ice cream, or both, and sips of whisky. Every bite improved the next sip, and every sip enhanced the next bite. If you’re doing a whisky dinner, and struggling with the dessert course, pairing the right treat with this latest offering from Glenmorangie is sure to impress.

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Horse Soldier Signature Bourbon

Tonight, a friend of mine gifted me a bottle of Horse Soldier Signature Bourbon, from American Freedom Distillery in Ohio. American Freedom produces four expressions, including the Signature.

In October of 2001, shortly after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, a small group of Green Berets were the first American armed forces to enter Afghanistan. These brave men, who fought against a vastly larger force, came to be known as the Horse Soldiers. After leaving the service, several of them founded American Freedom Distillery. One of those men is my friend’s cousin.

Moved by the story, and the gift, I knew this was a bottle that needed to be treated with reverence. I took my time with this whiskey and was sure to offer up the first glass in a toast to these heroes.

The first thing I noticed, before even breaking the seal on the bottle, was an impression of quality and attention to detail. From the weight of the thick-walled glass bottle, to the embossed logo in the glass, the metal label, and the inlaid logo coin in the stopper. The bottles are cast in molds that are made from reclaimed steel from the World Trade Center. This steel was gifted to the owners of the distillery by the New York City Port Authority, as a token of thanks for their service.

Quality packaging to contain a quality whiskey.

Research (done after the tasting, so as not to influence my perceptions) revealed the mash bill to be 70% yellow dent corn, 20% soft red winter wheat and 10% two-row malted barley.

Color – In the bottle, and in the glass, you notice a deep, rich color. It is almost brown in the bottle, and a nice dark caramel in the glass. Since Bourbon is not allowed to contain any coloring, that hue can only come from one place. Age.

Another visual note is that it coats the inside of the glass. It doesn’t run down immediately, or even leave “legs”. It slowly recedes back into the glass in a nice, even sheet, letting you know that some serious viscosity and mouthfeel lie ahead.

Aroma – The first thing I picked up upon nosing this whiskey was vanilla. I also found a gentle sweetness in the form of caramel and burnt toffee, with just a hint of corn sweetness in the background. There is just a light hint of char if you’re looking for it.

Tasting – The sweetness from the aroma, and the viscosity seen in the pour make themselves known immediately. This is bottled at 95 proof (an homage to the founders’ former unit number, team 595), and the heat is not shy, but is never harsh. Notes of oak and vanilla come towards the end of the tasting and into the finish. The finish is drying, yielding to soft tannins, and some leather is starting to develop, again letting you know that this is not a young whiskey.

A little splash of water tones down the heat and allows that leather to come into the aroma a little. The palate becomes a little rounder, and while the sweetness is still there, the oak becomes more apparent. The leather seems to come on a little later but is definitely still there.

Overall impression – As I have said, this is not a young whiskey. It does not contain an age statement (which by law means it is at least 4 years old), but I would be shocked if I learned it was younger than 8 years. It reads like an 8 to 10-year-old Bourbon to me, especially with the deep, rich color, and notes of leather in the aroma and on the palate.

I have tried many craft whiskies, from good to fair to “no thank you”, and the one thing that they all have in common is that they are young. Small businesses need a revenue stream, and so they will produce “baby Bourbon”, aged for a shorter time in smaller barrels. Some will wait the two years to label it as a “Straight Bourbon”, but rarely will you see the required 4 years in the barrel to forego an age statement. To see an offering that is easily twice that old come from a craft distillery is a rare find, and a rare treat.

Malting and Peating

Malting and “peating” – Two important aspects of whisky production

You’ve probably heard the phrase “Single Malt Scotch”. But what exactly is malt?

You’ve probably also heard the (incorrect) statement that all Scotch is smoky. Some is, some isn’t. But why? Where does that smoky flavor come from?

All Scotch must contain at least some malted barley. Single Malt or Blended Malt Scotch can contain no other grains, while Single Grain, Blended Grain, or simply Blended Scotch can contain other grains as well, but still must contain some malted barley.

Bourbon must contain at least 51% corn. The remainder can be any other cereal grain. Some portion of this is almost always malted barley.

The Reinheitsgebot, a law passed in Bavaria in 1516, sometimes refered to as the “German Beer Purity Law”, limited the ingredients in beer to barley, hops, and water. Yeast was not mentioned, because it hadn’t been discovered yet. The barley used in making beer is almost always malted.

Why barley? What is so special about that particular grain? Yeast can only ferment sugars, not starches. There is an enzyme in the grain that breaks these long, complex starch molecules down into simple sugars which the yeast can process.

Barley contains more of this enzyme than any other grain. While some grains struggle just to convert their own starches, barley has enough enzyme to convert it’s own starches, and those of any other grains in the “mash” (mixture of grain and water to be fermented). Adding malted barley to a mash of other grains, such as corn, can help ensure that the maximum amount of starch is converted to sugar, as well as speed the process, both of which increase the profit of the distillery.

So what is “malted” barley, and how is it different from just plain barley? “Malting” consists of wetting grain so that the seeds think it’s time to start growing. The seeds begin converting starch to sugar to feed the growing plant. If the seed begins to sprout, it will start to consume those sugars, so the grain is then dried before it can sprout, when the sugar content is at its peak.

It is during the drying that the smoky flavor is added.

Long ago, when it came time to dry the grain being malted, it was done over a fire. In Scotland, that fire was usually built from an abundant and naturally occurring fuel source, peat. Peat is created when vegetation decomposes in the presence of moisture. When burned, peat produces a large amount of pungent smoke that would penetrate and flavor the grains, resulting in that distinctive taste for which Scotch is known.

Today, with the existence of electric fans and blowers, it is possible, even easier, to dry malted grain without using a fire and imparting the flavor of smoke to the grain. Many Scotch producers opt for this method, resulting in a sweeter, more mildly flavored product. Some still swear by the traditional method, creating that legendary taste of “peated” whisky.

Indeed, smoky whisky is so popular that other whisky producers around the world have begun smoking their grains (either with peat, or over a wood fire), to produce a whisky with a smoky flavor. If smoke is your preference, don’t be afraid to branch out beyond your favorite peated Scotch and try some of these.

Who you callin’ smooth?

Is it OK to describe a whiskey as “smooth”?

Not too long ago, I saw an article that claimed whiskey should not be referred to as smooth. I gave it a cursory once-over, and dismissed it. “These are the same whiskey snobs who get offended if someone asks for an ice cube”, I thought. Whiskey has become more popular, even trendy. An unfortunate downside of this is that wherever you find a trend, you find elitism.

Whenever something becomes fashionable, there will always be people who acquire some knowledge, some experience, then proclaim themselves to be experts, looking down upon anyone with less knowledge and experience than they have.

At the begining of this month, Glenmorangie released their 15 year old Cadboll Estate. In one post, someone refered to it as smooth. In another post, someone asked a friend if it was smooth. In both cases, the same person called them out, in ALL CAPS no less, for using that word. I remembered the article that I mentioned earlier, and I was intrigued.

What is it about this word that suddenly has people so triggered? Surely, I thought, we’ve all refered to a whiskey as smooth. There are certainly enough products that aren’t smooth to make it a valid comparison. I had to investigate.

The arguments against the term go like this:
⦁ It’s what college students use to describe anything that isn’t the bottom shelf garbage they’re used to drinking.
⦁ It’s too vague. There are several factors that make a whiskey (or other spirit) smooth. Learn them and use more precise language to describe what you’re drinking.
⦁ Sweetness can make something seem more smooth. A wheated Bourbon may seem smooth, while the spicy flavor of a high rye bourbon may “burn”. Taking advantage of this “sweeter is smoother” perception, some lower end products may add sweeteners to make their product more drinkable.
⦁ Something that is distilled to a higher proof may seem more smooth, since it has fewer congeners (byproducts of distillation that can add different flavors to the new make spirit), but it will have less flavor.
⦁ Conversely, something that is bottled at a lower proof will have less alcohol burn (usually described as “heat”), and will seem smoother.
⦁ Smooth does not mean good. Flavor and character are more important than something that “goes down easy”.

All of these arguments point to one thing. For those against it, using that word speaks to a lack of experience. Like the college student, maybe you’re only used to drinking low quality whiskey. Or maybe you lack the knowledge to describe what’s in your glass with more specific terms.

Indeed, I found several sources that advised against using the word in discussing whiskey. Use it, they say, and you will identify yourself as a novice. Utter that word in the wrong company, and you will be judged harshly by those in the know.

To all of this I say “so what?” Is being inexperienced really so awful? Every professional, every expert, everyone, was a newcomer at one point.

If I meet someone with more experience than me, I want to learn from them. That’s not going to happen if I try to trick them into thinking I know more than I do. I’ve proudly started more than one conversation with “I’m new to this, but I want to learn more”.

And if I meet someone with less experience, I want to teach them. I want to pass on what I’ve learned. I’m not going to look down on someone or dismiss them because they’re just starting out. I was there once, too. Welcome. Let me help you find your way. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Knowledge, like whiskey, is best when shared.

So go ahead and describe that brown liquid in your glass as smooth. I won’t judge you. And if anyone does, look them in the eye and say “I’d rather be a novice than a snob”.

St. Patrick’s Day – part II

Once again, St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner.

Once again, thoughts turn to Irish whiskey.

Last year I suggested reaching past the ever popular Jameson or Bushmills, and trying something new. I took my own advice, and have tried almost 20 new Irish whiskey expressions in the past year. Here are a few favorites:

Writer’s Tears – This fairly new release is my new “go to” Irish whiskey. A mix of pot still and single malt whiskeys, it is light, sweet, and very approachable, a perfect example of everything an Irish whiskey should be. And the name is sure to start a conversation, or at least get a laugh or two.

Slane Triple Cask – Aged in three different types of barrels, this one has more oak notes than you would typically find in a Irish whiskey, and is an excellent choice if you’re a fan of the flavor of wood.

Jameson Black Barrel – Similar to the classic Jameson, but with a higher percentage of pot still whiskey in the blend, lending it a little more body. This expression also relies on special barrel selection, including re-charred bourbon barrels. Nice hints of oak, and some interesting bourbon flavors, along with a pleasant bit of char.

Sexton Single Malt – Another selection that places a lot of emphasis on barrel notes, with this one favoring char over oak. Think of Slane, Jameson, and Sexton as a continuum of barrel notes from oak (Slane) to char (Sexton), with Black Barrel somewhere in the middle. All three are good choices if you’re trying to win over a Bourbon drinker.

Connemara Peated – I mentioned this one last year, but it’s worth repeating. If the previous three choices helped you convert your Bourbon drinking friends, this one is for that Scotch drinker in your circle. One of the few peated selections from the Emerald Isle, this one is on the mild side, not a big smoke monster. It compares favorably to a lightly peated highland malt.

Lambay Cognac Cask – Another fairly new offering, this one is finished in casks that previously held French Cognac, and picks up some nice sweet notes from the barrels’ former contents. Compare this to the also recently released Glenlivet 14 year, or the Bastille 1789 from France.

Do you have a favorite Irish Whiskey, or a new selection you’ve tried recently? Let me know in the comments. And if you enjoyed reading this, please consider following this blog.

Sláinte mhaith! (To your good health)