Maker's Mark Cask Strength

Whiskey Review #27: Maker's Mark Cask Strength 

Category: Boutique (based on price)

Price: $80

Availability- Year Round/full distribution   

Proof: 111.6- 55.8% ABV

Age: No age statement 

Mashbill: Wheated

Distillery: Maker's Mark, Loretto, Kentucky

Overall: Put simply, this is just a hotter version of the standard product. Because it's uncut, you get slightly more flavor, when compared to the original. As far as I know, it's still charcoal filtered (as all Maker's bourbons are), so, you're getting a very similar mouth-feel, to the original. 

     Flavor notes included: Sweet french toast, maple, brown sugar, vanilla, caramel, mid palate burst of alcohol. The finish tappers off gradually and  evenly, leaving you with traces of the opening notes. I would categorize this one as a sweet/hot bourbon with a moderate mouth feel and finish.

     I would say that Maker's C.S. is actually very similar to the Old Fitz BIB for the following reasons. 1. Both are wheated bourbons. 2. The proof is in the same ballpark range. 3. Both are young (I would estimate in the 3-6 year range). Maker's C.S. offers better overall quality compared to Old Fitz BIB, but the price difference will be a deal breaker for most folks, myself included!! Maker's C.S. hovers around $80 (750mm), while Old Fitz BIB is $19 (one liter). Here lies in the question; Is the slight bump in quality of Makers C.S. worth the extra $60 bucks? I would say absolutely not! But that's just my opinion. 

  Personally, I would much rather see an older version of Maker's, rather than a hotter version. Give me a 12-15 year old Maker's any day over this expression. Now I know that "age aint nothin' but a number", but I think it's safe to say, that in most cases, wheated bourbons age very nicely (If quality parameters are maintained).  The Colonels score is a 6 out of 10.



Maker's Mark Cask Strength from Graham Sparkman on Vimeo.

     If you would like to read about my first encounter with bourbon, click on the following link:

http://straightfromkentucky.blogspot.com/2013/01/we-boys.html

Ezra B. (Brooks) Single Barrel 12 Year

Whiskey Review #26: Ezra Brooks Single Barrel 12 Year

Category: Go-To 

Price: $35

Availability- Year Round  

Proof: 99- 49.5% ABV

Age: 12 Years

Distillery: Haven Hill Bardstown, Kentucky

     When I first started Exquisite Libations, the written portions were quiet long, and the video (episodes) were short, and straight to the point. As E.L. evolved, these two components flipped. Now the videos have become long, and the written portions are often only a few paragraphs. This happened for a few different reasons. 

     Once I covered the historical aspects of the major distilleries/brands/companies, there was no need to repeat this info in future reviews. Also, the purchase of a larger memory card afforded me the ability to shoot longer episodes. More people seemed to be interested in the video sections, therefore it has become the dominate portion of these reviews. It would be redundant to write about things that I end up speaking about on the show. Therefore, I have decided to only include the category information and the overall section for future reviews. If anything, this will help to expedite the reviews.



Ezra B. 12 Year Single Barrel from Graham Sparkman on Vimeo.

     

     Overall: The nose is rye forward with a strong dose of alcohol burn in the nostrils. Sweeter notes are under the pepper. Early in the sip, this bourbon hits you with a ton of flavor. The notes present themselves differently than the nose. These notes included: Sweet corn, English toffee, sweet yams, vanilla and gram crackers. Mid-palate, the viscosity thins out, and the notes simultaneously fall off sharply. The alcohol serves to swallow up everything through evaporation. The further you get away from the initial sip, the further you get away from flavor and balance. As one might imagine, the finish is barley noticeable. The Colonel's score 6.5 out of 10.     

                 

2014 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon

Whiskey Review #25: 2014 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon

Category: Boutique  

Price: $55

Availability: Annual- Late Summer/Early Fall release 

Proof: 97- 48.5% ABV

Age: 12 Years

Distillery: Brown Forman- Louisville, Kentucky


     Brown Forman is a large, global company. Although it's branches and facillitlies are spread throughout the world, It's headquarters is located in Louisville, Kentucky. They own the following whiskey brands: Jack Daniel's, Old Forester, Woodford Reserve, Early Times, Collingwood and Canadian Mist. They also have their hand in vodka, tequila and wine. The Old Foresters Distillery is located in Louisville, Kentucky 

    

          Old Foresters bourbon can be fond on most any liquor store shelf. Like many bourbon companies, Old Foresters has a premium line called "Birthday Bourbon". This line pays homage to founder George Garvin Brown. It's released each year on September, 2nd, to commemorate his birthday...thus the name "Birthday Bourbon".

     2014 marks the 13th limited edition release. Many of the 13 releases have received mixed reviews. For example in resent years, 2010 and 2013 were highly praised, while 2011 and 2012 did not even come close in comparison. Personally, I can't speak about any of the former releases, because the 2014 release is the first O.F. Birthday Bourbon that I have tried.

     Joining me for this episode is my good friend Dr. Joel Kilty! Joel has tried the highly praised 2013 release, so he will be able to provide some thoughts regarding comparison.

   

     Overall: This is a very balanced bourbon with notes of baked yeast rolls, vanilla, caramel and oak. The finish leaves you with a mixture of sweet-wood, and a wet-mossy, old-earth minerality. I love bourbons in this age and proof category! Dr. Kilty and the Colonel's score: 8.5 out of 10.

            

     
   

Elijah Craig 12 Year Small Batch

Whiskey Review #24: Elijah Craig 12 Year Small Batch


Category: Go-to


Price: $25


Availability: Year round, everywhere 


Proof: 94 - 47% ABV


Age: 12 Years


Distillery:Heaven Hill, Bardstown, Kentucky



     It's common for at least one of my children to be up in the middle of the night. The six-year old has a nightmare, the two-year old has a head-cold, the newborn is up every two hours breastfeeding...you get the picture. On average, my sleep is thin, at best.

     This thin state of sleep often produces a strange world that lies somewhere between consciousnesses and unconsciousness. It's during these moments that I have experienced lucid dreams. In most circumstances, whatever I go to sleep thinking about, ends up in my dream world. On several occasions, I have dreamed about a forthcoming episode of the show.

     What you're about to see is a close representation of one of these dreams. Sometimes I wonder if this episode materialized straight from my subconscious mind.

     

     Overall: The Elijah Craig 12 year is on my top five favorite "go-to" list. That's saying a lot, because there are many go-to bourbons that I like, that never make the list. If I could pick one word to describe this bourbon, it would be rustic. The undeniable dominate note throughout the sip is oak. This is a big, bold, oak driven bourbon, and I like it for what it is! The classic, common bourbon notes of sweet maple, vanilla and cinnamon are beneath the wood. Search the shelves and let me know when you find a bourbon that's this old, at this price. The Elijah 12 has gained the benefit of having spent extra time in the wood, without the negative effect of becoming over oaked.  It's also great in cocktails! The Colonel's score: 7 out of 10.  

          

     



    

2014 William Larue Weller: Buffalo Trace Antique Collection

Whiskey Review #23: 2014 William Larue Weller: Buffalo Trace Antique Collection


Category: Boutique 


Price: $90


Availability: Anual Fall Release 


Proof: 140.2- 70.1% ABV


Age: 12 Years and 3 months


Mashbill: Wheated Bourbon


Distillery: Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, Kentucky




     In 2012, when my son Kazmir was born, I celebrated by opening a bottle of Van Winkle's "Pappy" 20 Year Old, Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Latter I would go on to review that product, giving it a score of 10 out of 10. In the history of the show, I have only given that score to one other bourbon, that being the 2013, Four Roses, Limited Edition, Small Batch.


     We at Sparkman Manor are celebrating another addition to the Colonel's Clan. My son Ambrose was born on March 27th, 2015. I wanted to open something extra special to celebrate our new arrival. After scanning the pantry and creating a short list, I eventually narrowed it down to the 2014, William Larue Weller, KY Straight Bourbon. This bourbon is truly in the top tier of bourbons, period! 


    Each year in the fall, Buffalo Trace Distillery releases their "Antique Collection". This collection contains five whiskeys: 1. George T. Stagg, 2. William Larue Weller, 3. Sazarac Rye Whiskey, 4. Thomas Handy Rye Whiskey, 5. Eagle Rare 17 Year Old. This collection is considered to be among the creme dela creme of limited release whiskies. If you would like to read more on the history of William Larue Weller, or the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, you can read my reviews on George T. Stagg, and W.L. Weller 12 year. To eliminate redundancy, I will not restate that information in this review.


     Just for clarification, the William Larue Weller Antique is not to be confused with the other Weller products, produced by Buffalo Trace (ex. Weller 107 Antique and W.L. Weller 12 year).


     The only other Antique Collection that I have reviewed was the 2013 George T. Stagg. I gave it a 9 out of 10! I have long anticipated this review, and I am very much looking forward to seeing how the William Larue Weller stacks up against other premium whiskeys. But first, lets have a look at its specifications.


     The 2014 W.L.W. went into Distillation in the Spring of 2002. It was bottled in the Fall of 2014at 140.2 proof, making it the highest proof release in W.L.W's history! Its recipe contains Kentucky Corn, North Dakota wheat, and North Dakota malted barley. The water used in this product is Kentucky limestone water, treated with reverse osmosis. It was aged on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th floors of warehouses D,K and L on the Buffalo Trace property. The angels took 62.3% (lost to evaporation) of the original bourbon . Only 39 barrels were hand picked for the 2014 release.



     In a nutshell, this is a 12-year-old wheated bourbon at a "knock your socks off" 140.2 barrel proof- uncut/unfiltered!! The big question here is will the heat overshadow the delicate flavor notes of the wheated mashbill? There's only one way to find out...lets tear into this thing!!




William L. Weller 2014 Antique Collection from Graham Sparkman on Vimeo.



     Overall: This is truly a special bourbon! I would put it right up there with some of the greatest bourbons that I've tasted! Search the world of whiskeys....You would be hard pressed to find a more intense, flavorful bourbon!



     First of all, I assure you that the proof is not a novelty/gimmick. Despite being very hot, it is extremely well integrated with the larger body of flavors. The 2014 Weller is perhaps the most cinnamon/clove-spice forward bourbon that I've tasted. Other notes include, smokey leather, cinnamon rolls, dark chocolate and sticky sweet sorghum. The mouth-feel is much like the 2013 George T. Stagg, in that it is lush and oily. A little water helps to suppress the beastly proof, while bringing out those softer, sweeter wheated notes of caramel, vanilla and maple. In summary, this is a big, bold, spicy wheated bourbon that is sure to leave you with a smile on your face! Colonel's score: 9 out of 10!

High West Rendezvous Rye Whiskey

Whiskey Review #22: High West Rendezvous Rye Whiskey
Category: Gray Zone

Price: $48

Availability: Year Round-Everywhere  

Proof: 92, 46% abv

Age: 6 years and 16 years

Mashbill: 6 year old- 95% rye, 5% barley. 16 year- 80% rye, 10% corn & 10% barley

Distillery: Sourced from Barton Distillery of Bardstown, KY and MGP Distillary of Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

      The Rendezvous Rye Whiskey is my second review of a High West product. High West is a distillery located in Old Town Park City, Utah. They have won numinous awards for their unique craft whiskeys. The last H.W. product that I reviewed was the Double Rye, and I was greatly impressed! In fact, it really took me off guard, and I ended up giving it a 9 out of 10! The question is, are all H.W. products as wonderful and unique as the Double Rye? The only way to find out, is to review more of their products!

     Rendezvous's mash bill is very similar to the Double Rye mash bill, in that they both marry an old and young rye. The Rendezvous mash bill contains a 16-year rye, with a 6-year rye. The magic is in the union, because you end up with a single product that showcases the youth and vigor of the young rye, with the complexity and mellowness of the old rye. The end result is very unique when compared to conventional rye whiskeys. 

     Overall: This is very close in resemblance to the double rye, but it presents itself a little differently. The older, more mellow rye emerges first with a soft, round and floral beginning. The younger, bolder rye kicks in mid pallet, like an Aston Martin shifting into fourth gear at 4,500 RPM! This is where all the spice, wood and vanilla notes kick in. Things begin to disipitate rapidly as the finish dries up quickly. You are left with traces of black pepper, and remnants of rye spice. 

     My opinion is that it does not quite achieve the depth of the Double Rye. Although there seems to be a sharper contrast between the married (old and young) rye's. I was, however, missing those earthy, herbal notes that the double rye offers. This product is also a good ten dollars more than the double rye. For these reasons, I would choose the Double Rye over the Rendezvous. The Colonels Score is 8 out of 10.   

           
High West Rendezvous Rye from Graham Sparkman on Vimeo.

The Colonel's signature old fashioned

 

 

     Well, it's time to work in another cocktail episode. The old-fashioned lives up to it's namesake for being arguably the "original cocktail". It also happens to be one of the Colonel's favorite cocktails.

     The History of the old-fashioned: By the 1860s, as illustrated by Jerry Thomas' 1862 book, basic cocktail recipes included Curaçao, or other liqueurs, not mentioned in the early 19th century descriptions, nor the Chicago Daily Tribune descriptions of the "Old Fashioned" cocktails of the early 1880s; it is absent from Kappeler's Old Fashioned recipes, as well. The differences of the Old Fashioned cocktail recipes from the cocktail recipes of the late 19th Century are mainly preparation method, the use of sugar and water in lieu of simple or gomme syrup, and the absence of additional liqueurs. These Old Fashioned cocktail recipes are literally for cocktails done the old-fashioned way.

     The most popular of the in-vogue "old-fashioned" cocktails were made with whiskey, according to a Chicago barman, quoted in The Chicago Daily Tribune in 1882, with rye being more popular than Bourbon. The recipe he describes is a similar combination of spirits, bitters, water and sugar of seventy-six years earlier. 

     Traditionally, the first use of the name "Old Fashioned" for a Bourbon whiskey cocktail was said to have been, anachronistically, at the Pendennis Club, a gentleman's club founded in 1881 in Louisville, Kentucky. The recipe was said to have been invented by a bartender at that club in honor of Colonel James E. Pepper, a prominent bourbon distiller, who brought it to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel bar in New York City.

     A book by David Embury published in 1948 provides a slight variation, specifying 12 parts American whiskey, 1 part simple syrup, 1-3 dashes Angostura bitters, a twist of lemon peel over the top, and serve garnished with the lemon peel. Two additional recipes from the 1900s vary in the precise ingredients, but omit the cherry which was introduced after 1930 as well as the soda water which the occasional recipe calls for. Orange bitters were a popular ingredient in the late 19th century. While some recipes began making sparse use of the orange zest for flavor, the practice of muddling orange and other fruit gained prevalence as late as the 1990s.



     I like my cocktails to be intense in flavor, not deluded, or overly sweet. For this reason, I stick closer to the original 1895 recipe. I don't add any sugar, water, or muddled fruit. I also use a high proof bourbon; Preferably between 90 and 100 proof. If I'm entertaining guests, I'll throw in a splash of water and a teaspoon of sugar. However, the recipe that I list will focus on the old fashion that I make for myself.

-2 ounces of high proof bourbon (preferably between 90 and 100 proof)
- 2 shakes of Angostura bitters
- 4 drops of orange bitters
- whiskey rock (large single ice cube/sphere)
- zest of lemon
- splash of Royal Harvest Bordeaux Marciano cherry juice
- 1 Royal Harvest Bordeaux Marciano cherry for garnish

1. Select your favorite rocks glass.

2. Place one whiskey cube in bottom of glass.

3. Add two shakes of Angostura bitters.

4. Add four drops of orange bitters.

5. Add approximately 1 tablespoon of Royal Harvest Bordeaux cherry juice.

6. Wipe the rim of the glass with the zest of one lemon.

7. Squeeze the remaining oil from lemon into glass and place the zest in the glass.

8. Add 2 ounces or more of bourbon.

9. Mix.

10. Garnish with one Royal Harvest Bordeaux Marciano cherry.

11. Allow 3 to 5 minutes for chilling, and the flavors to mingle.

12. Enjoy!




Old Fashioned Cocktail from Graham Sparkman on Vimeo.

Exquisite Libations 2014 Holiday Special

      Merry (late) Christmas, and a happy (late) new year to all of you fine folks!! I wish to  extend my sincerest apologies in the delay regarding this episode. I have had many life changes in the last few months. Both my wife and I have had major career transitions. We are also expecting our new Sparkman edition in approximately six weeks! For the record, this will be baby number three for us. We also recently acquired a much needed, new computer. Needless to say, there has been a significant learning curve with the new video editing software. Because of all the changes going on within my family, I will likely not be able to crank out as many episodes of Exquisite Libations compared to 2014. Having said that, I still hope to keep the show afloat. Of course, I appreciate your patience.

     The episode that you're about to see was shot prior to the Christmas of 2014. It's basically a celebratory look back over the last year on E.L. Before you watch the episode, the Colonel invites you to put on your coziest pajamas, pour your favorite Exquisite Libation, turn the lights down, sink back in your most comfortable chair, and join me for a celebration episode! I will warn you in advance, it is much longer than the average episode. I sincerely hope you enjoy it, and that you're excited about the future of the show! I know I am!
Sincerely,
The Colonel 

E.L. Birthday Episide 2 from Graham Sparkman on Vimeo.