Seasons Greetings!

     Seasons Greetings! I hope that you are all well, and finding time during this busy season to meditate on the nativity of our Lord!

     In an effort to bring you better episodes, we, the Exquisite Libations team, have invested in all new software/video-cammera equipment. Although a new episode of the show has been filmed, this episode will not be posted until we can get the old technology to interface with the new. Please excuse this minor delay. Once the crossover is complete, new episodes will roll out as planed. Until then, please enjoy this small Christmas blessing!
Yours,
The Colonel

 

Barterhouse 20 Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Bourbon Review #21: Barterhouse 20 Year-Old KY Straight Bourbon

Category: “Boutique”

Price: $88

Availability: Limited (Spring 2014) Release        

Proof: 90.2, 45.1%abv  

Age: 20 Years-Old

Mashbill: 86% Corn, 6% Rye, 8% Malted Barley

Distillery: Distilled at New Bernheim Distillery (post 1992). Aged at Stitzel Weller, Bottled at the George Dickel’s distillery in Tullahoma, Tennessee.

     Season’s greetings! This will be my last bourbon review in 2014.  However, I do plan on shooting one more episode before the close of the year. This final episode will not be a bourbon review. Instead, it will be a celebration of Exquisite Libations, as the show is turning one year old!! It will also serve to be a look back at some of our favorite moments on the show over the last year. I will also address the future of Exquisite Libations for 2015, and beyond!

     This post however will focus on Barterhouse 20 year-old, Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Lets start at the top by discussing the company that owns this label. Diageo is a British multinational alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London, England. It is the world's largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine.

     Diageo's brands include Smirnoff (the world's best-selling vodka), Johnnie Walker (the world's best-selling blended Scotch whisky), Baileys (the world's best-selling liqueur), and Guinness (the world's best-selling stout). It also owns 34% of Moët Hennessy, which owns brands including Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot and Hennessy. It sells its products in over 180 countries and has offices in around 80 countries. So, as you might imagine, Diageo has plenty of capital muscle to flex!

     Diageo has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. It had a market capitalization of approximately £48.9 billion as of May, 7th 2013, making it the 8th-largest company on the London Stock Exchange. It has a secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange.

     Diageo has been involved with American whiskeys for some time. The most popular KY Straight Bourbon that they own is Bullet. Up until recently, Diageo has not owned a distillery in Kentucky. If you look at a bottle of Bullet bourbon or rye, it will say, “Distilled, aged and bottled by the Bullet Distilling Co.” You might find it interesting to know that there is no such distillery! How then can they print this info on their bottles? Although misleading, those two little letters “Co.” make it legitimate. They are, after all a company. Bullet bourbons have been distilled (sourced) out of Four Roses distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY for some time. Diageo sources its rye whiskeys out of MGP in Indiana.

     It goes without saying that Diageo is one of those companies that I often talk about, with a reputation of being less than transparent. Basically, everyone these days, who has their hand in American Spirits, is jumping on the premium whiskey train. Diageo is no exception. Enter, the Orphan Barrel Collection.

     In 1992, Diageo purchased the Stitzel Weller Distillery. Although, they never intended to resurrect the distillery, they have, and continue to use the rick-houses to age whiskeys. Recently, they refurbished the old office buildings in order to put them on the Bourbon Trail. Now tourist can see the very spot where Pappy came to work each day.

     In an interview conducted in the spring of 2014, a Diageo/Stitzel-Weller representative made it clear that they (Diageo) have a pretty good idea about what is currently aging on the property. This would only make sense from a business prospective. However, when the first Orphan Barrel Collection (Barterhouse) was released, the supporting literature really played it up to be like a scene in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark!

     Also, the marketing was a little strange, because of the lack of information regarding where Barterhouse was distilled. Early into the release, they were forthcoming about where it was aged. Although they would later deny it, this was a strategic decision on the part of Diageo to focus on the hype of Stitzel-Weller’s affiliation with Barterhouse. In later interviews it came out that Barterhouse had been distilled at New Bernheim. Nether the source distillery, or the aging distillery is listed on the bottle. However, the bottling distillery is listed. Diageo made the decision to bottle Barterhouse in Tullahoma, TN at the George Dickel’s distillery.

     Diageo went on to release other Orphan Barrel Collection offerings (Old Blow Hard, Rhetoric, Lost Prophet). Each of them has a different age statement, mashbill, and claims to be “rescued” from a defunct distillery/co./operation.

     The reviews on these products have been mixed, however the general consensus is that Barterhouse is a bit understated, Rhetoric is a bit over oaked and Old Blowhard is overpriced. The fourth and newest release, Lost Prophet seems to have the balance down, and therefore it’s getting the best reviews, compared to the other products.

     Diageo is currently building a massive $115 million dollar distillery in Shelby County, Kentucky. Once operational, it will be the home for all the Bullet labels, as well as their other KY straight whiskeys. In fact, the distillery will be called the “Bullet Distilling Co.” I view this as a positive development, as it will create local jobs, and clear up the ambiguity associated with their sourcing issues. The distillery is anticipated to open in late 2016.

     Despite the hype, controversy, strange marketing, and lack of transparency, I plan on reviewing Barterhouse as objectively as I possibly can.

     

     Overall: This is a solid, classic bourbon. If I were blindfolded, I would not guess this to be a 20 year-old product. It lacks the oak to be that old. I believe that the old age/low oak was accomplished through Barterhouse’s high corn/low rye mashbill. The positive side is that it’s very smooth. The negative side is that it’s a little boring.

     For me, the most enjoyable part of Barterhouse is the nose and forward pallet notes. It’s very floral, bright and fragrant, with a balanced melding of citrus and soft vanilla. Mid pallet and onto the finish, it decipitates rapidly, leaving you with a faint trace of caramel and cinnamon.  The oak is under these notes and equally deteriorates along side them. This is a very good bourbon, but nothing to write home about. I would give it a 7 out of 10.  

Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey

Bourbon Review #20: Bernheim Original 7 year-old, Small Batch, Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey

Category: “Go-To”

Price: $32

Availability: Everywhere        

Proof: 90, 45%abv

Age: 7 Years-Old

Mashbill: Wheat whiskey (large flavoring grain = 51% winter wheat)

Distillery: Heaven Hill - Bardstown, Kentucky

     Up for my next review, is a truly unique expression among whiskeys! The Bernheim label is the only Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey available on the market today. This is different from a wheated bourbon, (Van Winkle, Old Fitzgerald, W.L. Weller, Markers Mark) in that it flips the flavoring grains.

     All bourbons call for corn as the large flavoring grain. This must be a minimum of 51%. By contrast, in the case of rye whiskey, rye becomes the large flavoring grain. Logically, as you would imagine, wheat whiskey uses wheat as the large flavoring grain, at a minimum of 51%. Corn is the small or secondary grain, and malted barley is the finishing grain. So, basically, it is a mirror reversal of a wheated bourbon.

     Now that I’ve explained what a wheat whiskey is, let’s have a look into the history of the Bernheim label.  In 1897, the Bernheim Brothers Company built a distillery in Louisville, KY.  The distillery produces its first mash in April of that year. 

     The company began the production of an elite whiskey brand called "I. W. Harper". During Prohibition [1920–1933], Bernheim Brothers was one of only ten distilleries allowed to continue to make bourbon, as they had received a license to produce it for medicinal purposes. A few years after Prohibition ended, Bernheim sold the business to the Schenley Distilling Corporation (in 1937).

      In 1992, a large distilling plant called the Bernheim Distillery opened in Louisville, by United Distillers (on West Breckinridge Street near Dixie Highway). United owned the I. W. Harper brand at the time the distillery was opened. United later became Diageo, which currently owns the brand but no longer owns the distillery (as of February 2014). The modern Bernheim distillery is not to be confused with the prior Bernheim distillery sites.

     The Bernheim distillery was then purchased by Heaven Hill Distilleries in the late 1990s, and was substantially refurbished to become Heaven Hill's main distilling plant. Heaven Hill purchased the site after a 1996 fire destroyed its prior distilling plant in Bardstown. (This is what people are referring to when they discuss Bernheim pre/post fire)

     The Bernheim Original wheat whiskey brand introduced by Heaven Hill in 2005 was also named after the Bernheim brothers, the distilling company they founded, and the modern distillery that bears their name.

     Last year, the product was re-packaged in a new bottle. The new packaging also includes an age statement of seven years, and a “small batch” description. I miss the copper label and overall look of the old bottle.

     This year (fall of 2014) Heaven Hill Distillery released a 13 year-old, barrel strength version of Bernheim wheat whiskey under the Parker’s Heritage collection. I plan to review this product later in the year. I’m eager to see if the additional age increases the complexity, thus balancing out the sweetness.

      The Van Winkle family has shown the world that wheated bourbons can age more gracefully over a very long time (up to 23 years).  By contrast, more typical rye bourbons have a tendency to pick up too much acidity from the wood when aged this long, thus becoming “over oaked”. 

     My suspicion is that wheat whiskeys can be aged just as long, or even longer than wheated bourbons, with nothing but complexity to gain! I would love to see a wheat whiskey with an age statement of 20-30 years.

     
     Overall: This is a very approachable whiskey. It’s predominantly sweet, soft and mild. Flavor notes include: sweet banana custard, cinnamon-gram cracker crust, buttermilk biscuit, butterscotch, caramel, and buttered wheat toast. The viscosity is medium and the finish is brief, with a trace of mild oak and spearmint.

     This is not my favorite style of whiskey. It’s a little too sweet and soft for my liking. I would recommend this product to folks that are turned off to more aggressive rye/oak forward bourbons. However, I feel like a little more time in the oak could cut through some of the sweetness, and offer a more balanced expression. The Colonel’s score is a 6 out of 10. 

Jefferson's Presidential Select 18 Year-Old, Ky Straight Bourbon

 Bourbon Review #19: Jefferson’s Presidential Select, 18 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Category: “Boutique”

Price: $90-200 (No MSRP)

Availability: 2012. Now Obsolete        

Proof: 94, 47%AVB

Age: 18-Years-Old

Mashbill: Wheated Bourbon

Distillery: Stitzel Weller- Shively, Kentucky

     It’s not often that I get an opportunity to review an old wheated bourbon; let alone, one from the legendary distillery of Stitzel Weller! I knew I wouldn’t get far into this review before addressing the ambiguity/controversy surrounding this expression. Based on my research, I’ll do my best to set the record straight.

     Fact #1: All whiskeys bottled under the Castle Brands Inc.- Jefferson’s label are sourced.  Trey Zoeller is the owner/founder of the Jefferson’s Company. However, his company does not own or operate a distillery; therefore, the whiskeys that are bottled under the Jefferson’s labels are sourced from other distilleries.  Their most common expressions of bourbon are “Jefferson’s and Jefferson’s Reserve”. One of their premium lines is called “Jefferson’s Presidential Select”.

     This line offers a wide variety of super-aged expressions. It also includes a large scope of whiskey styles, ranging from straight rye, to wheated bourbon. The subject for this review is the Jefferson’s Presidential Select 18 year-old, wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

     This expression was released in 2012. Reportedly, this bourbon was both distilled and aged at the Stitzel Weller distillery. This is the same distillery that gave birth to other wheated bourbon products such as Van Winkle “Pappy”, W.L. Weller, Old Fitzgerald and others.

     Stitzel Weller was closed in 1992. At this time, Diageo purchased the distillery. Although the distillery was never used again, Diageo continued to use the Rick-houses for aging whiskies. They have also recently opened up a historical section of the distillery for Bourbon Trail tourists. The last of the distilled juice was barreled up after the decision was made to close the distillery. It then went on to age for (in this case) 18 years.

     Fact #2: Trey Zoeller/Castle Brands, Inc. purchased barrels of aging wheated bourbon from the Stitzel Weller distillery. Jefferson’s released the first of these dumped barrels in 2011. It was a 17 year-old wheated bourbon. The following year, the 18-year version was released. Many people believe that the 17-year was superior to the 18 year. Aside from the age difference, both the 17-year and the 18-year are basically the same juice…or are they?

     Shortly after the 2011 (17 year old) release, the word got out that Jefferson’s was releasing old S.W. wheated bourbon. Consumers began aggressively buying this juice up like hot cakes! The word on the street was, “if you want Pappy, and cant find it, you should get this stuff! It’s the next best thing!”

     Fact #3: Trey Zoeller admitted in an interview to adding 30% of a 20-year-old, sourced (non-Stitzel Weller) rye bourbon to top off the barrels in the later batches of the 18 year-old release. The obvious theory regarding this decision was made in order to stretch out the release.

     Despite this change, no attempt was made to communicate this information to the consumers. In order to side step the controversial decision, a sticker on the bottle simply said, “aged in Stizel Weller barrels”. In my opinion, the appropriate sticker should have said, “This bourbon is a small batch of 70% S.W. wheated bourbon, and 30% 20 year old rye sourced bourbon. But, no such information was communicated. Thus, the controversy and subsequent negative pushback ensued.

     People were confused by the strange information on the bottle “aged in Stitzel Weller barrels”. The common question floating around was “Is the Jefferson’s Presidential Select 18 year actually Stitzel Weller juice”?

     To make matters more frustrating and confusing, Jefferson’s never release an MSRP. This meant that one liquor store would price it at $90.00 a bottle, while a store down the street would price it at $200.00.

     Efforts were made by bourbon reviewers to dig deeper into the controversy. The takeaway was that only the later batches of the 18-year release contained the non-S.W., 20 year-old, rye bourbon. As one would imagine, pinning down the exact crossover batch # would be nearly imposable. Most folks agree that the transition occurred after batch #20. Therefore, batches starting with #20, and continuing until the end of the release, are highly likely to contain the sourced bourbon.

     Bourbon reviewers point out the color difference between the early and later batches. See below photo: (Left batch #27. Right-batch #13). 

     Does this mean that the latter batches are throwaway? Not in the least! Although, I have not personally tried the later batches, reviewers who have, reported that they liked them very much.

     For the record, my batch is #13. For this reason, I’m confident that my bottle is 100% S.W., 18 year-old, wheated bourbon. But, even if it weren’t, it would be fine with me! Although, it’s desirable from a collector’s standpoint to have some old S.W. bourbon tucked away in your pantry, it’s not the be-all-end-all! In other words, I don’t buy into the philosophy that we will never have the quality of juice that S.W. was capable of producing from days gone by. This leads me to my next three points.

     Point #1: The Van Winkle family has proven that you can take a premium bourbon from a historic distillery, and roll it over to a different distillery, without compromising the integrity of the product. This proves that it’s more about the quality control implemented by a company, rather than the distillery itself. Let it be said, that the distillery plays an important roll, however it’s not the definitive factor.

     Point #2: I believe that people have a tendency to look at the past through rose-colored glasses. My philosophy is that we are NOW living in the good old days of American whisky production! From supper premium limited edition offerings, to ever day pantry staples, there has never been a time in history where we had so many options available to us! We should not take this for granted! 

     Point #3: I would not expect it to stay this good forever. Although, the quality of whiskies may continue to increase, current marketing trends show us that the prices will as well. This trend parallels the demand for premium-high-end American whiskies. We should consider ourselves fortunate to be able to walk into a store, and purchase limited edition bourbons for around or just under $100.00. I fear that this will soon be a thing of the past. For some folks, cost may not be an obstacle, but this is certainly not the case for me! My point is that we should enjoy what we have, while we have it!

     
     Overall: This is a sophisticated old wheated bourbon with notes of mild candied fruit, apricot, cranberries, orange zest, fresh baked apple pie, buttered pie crust, cinnamon, white raisins, mild oak, butterscotch, sweet pecan pie filling, and vanilla. The viscosity is middle of the road. The finish is surprisingly long.

     The only negative aspect to this expression is that the alcohol could be integrated a little more evenly. Not that it produces an off note, just a slight bite about mid pallet. That’s the only factor that keeps this bourbon from being in the “master class” (10 out of 10) category. The Colonel’s score is a 9 out of 10. That puts it in the same tear as the 2013 George T. Stagg, Willett Family Estate 9 year single barrel, 2013 Parkers Heritage and Van Winkle’s 13 year-old straight rye. At the end of the day, I feel that the spirit falls slightly short when compared to the hype surrounding the label. I would say that this expression is more appealing as a collector’s item, although the juice, in and of itself, is very nice! 

             

Eagle Rare 10 Year, Single Barrel- Ky Straight Bourbon

Bourbon Review #18: Eagle Rare 10 Year, Single Barrel- KY Straight Bourbon

Category: “Go-To”
Price: $32
Availability: Year Round-Everywhere.        
Proof: 90, 45% avb

Age: 10 Years Old.

Mashbill: Buffalo Trace #1 Mashbill      

Distillery: Buffalo Trace- Frankfort, Kentucky

    

     Eagle Rare is a 10 year-old, single barrel, Kentucky straight Bourbon. It’s the first "go to" bourbon that I’ve reviewed utilizing the #1 Buffalo trace mashbill. This mashbill contains a lower percentage of rye when compared to their #2 mashbill. For comparison, I’ll list a few examples of each:

B.T. #1 Mashbill: Buffalo Trace (Standard Label), Eagle Rare, George T Stag, Colonel E.H. Taylor, etcetera. 

B.T. #2 Mashbill: Rock Hill Farms, Elmer T Lee, Blanton’s, Ancient Age, etcetera.

     For the record, B.T. also has straight rye (Sazarac and Thomas Handy) and wheated bourbon (W.L. Weller and Van Winkle) mashbills.

     Eagle Rare 10 year has placed highly at a number of distilled spirit competitions. It received a string of gold and double gold medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Between 2005 and 2010, it was given an above-average score of 92 by the Beverage Testing Institute. In 2013, Eagle Rare Single Barrel Bourbon was awarded the inaugural Bourbon Trophy at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in the United Kingdom.

     Buffalo Trace also puts out a 17-year-old version of Eagle Rare for their annual, limited release “Antique Collection”. It’s basically the same expression as the 10-year. It’s also offered at the same (90) proof. The only difference is it’s seven years older than it’s little brother.

     

     Overall: this is a nice, solid bourbon. However, in my opinion, it's not exceptional. For about the same price, I could pick up a bottle of Elmer T Lee or Four Roses Single barrel. I happen to personally prefer both over the Eagle Rare. It lacks luster, particularly in complexity. Again, it’s not a bad bourbon! It’s just not my favorite style of bourbon.

     Forward in the mouth there's a sweet corn roundedness. This is followed by some mid-palate notes of caramel, and a small hint of orange zest. The citrus note flows into the finish mixing with bright, pungent oak, and a trace of vanilla. In my opinion, the biggest note is the oak. This expression is heavy on wood, particularly on the back-end of the pallet. The finish is moderate in length. The viscosity is mid-range. The Colonel’s score is between 6 and 7 out of 10.

   

Willett Family Estate 9 Year Old Single Barrel, Barrel Strength KY Straight Bourbon

Bourbon Review #17: Willett “Family Estate”, 9 Year Old, Single Barrel- Barrel Proof, Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Category: “Boutique”

Price: $85

Availability: Limited (Spring) Release.       

Proof: 119.6, 59.8% avb

Age: Nine Years Old.

Mashbill: Traditional Bourbon      

Distillery: Sourced From Unknown Distillery. Produced by: Willett (KBD)

     After a fortnight aboard the international space station, I touched down in Portland, Oregon. The purpose of my visit was to attend the celebratory wedding of my brother-in-law, and (to be) sister-in-law, Mr. & Mrs. Vincent & Ximena Sliwoski.

     I wanted something special to review for this festive occasion. I also wanted to select something out of my pantry that Vince had not tried. Unfortunately, he had already tried the bourbons that are on the list to be reviewed, while he had not tried the bourbons that I have already reviewed.

     I was hoping to snag a special fall release prior to my trip, but the release did not coincide with my depature. This was going to be trickier than I thought, so I called on my good friend Dr. Joel Kilty.

     Joel came to the rescue with a super-premium bourbon that neither I nor Vince had tried! To add an element of surprise to the show, I asked Joel not to reveal the bourbon that he had chosen.

     On the one hand, this is not my preferred method for reviewing bourbons. Prior to each review, I like to become familiar with a given expression. This involves sampling it multiple times (at least three) over a given period of time. I do this because on more than one occasion, my thoughts have changed from a first encounter compared with future samplings.

     Regardless, I knew that opening the package on the show would add an element of excitement and surprise. I couldn’t help but feel like a kid at Christmas, as I tore into the packaging!

     If you are curious about the Willett/KBD Company, I would invite you to read my previous reviews on their other products. To keep from repeating information, I won’t focus on that topic during this review.

     Vincent is a long over-due special guest on the show. He enjoys good bourbons more than many of my other family members. His lovely bride Ximena was a pleasure to have aboard as well! She is such a kind, warm person, and a marvelous addition to our growing family! I wish them both all the best regarding their future together as husband and wife!

     
     Overall: This is an incredibly balanced bourbon with a drop-kick to the Adam’s-apple! It offers the same level of elegance as the 2013 Parker’s Heritage. It is perhaps a tad-bit sweeter. The major difference is the proof. 2013 Parker’s is 96 proof, while this expression comes in at 119.6. During the episode, I failed to mention the color. It’s basically a bright, golden-amber.

     After returning home, I finished off the last of the sample. I tried it both neat and with a splash of water. The water softened the alcohol, while increasing some liquorish notes, akin to Indian mukhwas. However, I prefer this expression neat. If you plan on adding water, I would recommend a very conservative amount. The Colonel’s score is 9 out of 10!

      

Four Roses Single Barrel

Bourbon Review #16: Four Roses Single Barrel

Category: “Go-To”

Price: $35

Availability: Everywhere, year-round.       

Proof: 100, 50% avb

Age: No Age Statement.

Mashbill: OBSV   

Distillery: Four Roses- Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.

     In my opinion, the Four Roses company produces some of the nicest bourbons on the market today! From their entry level “Yellow Label”, to their super premium “Limited Release” and “Private Selections”, Four Roses is top-to-bottom excellent bourbon! F.R. Single Barrel is the most popular single barrel bourbon in the state of Kentucky. I think that says a lot about this product, and the company!

     Several months ago, I reviewed the F. R. 2013, Limited Release- Small Batch.  In the written portion of that review I extensively covered the history of the F.R. Company. If you’re interested why F.R. is so special, I would recommend reading that entry. The subject for this review is the F.R. “regular” single barrel.

     I say “regular”, so that there won’t be any confusion. Each year in the spring, F.R. releases a limited edition single barrel. They also have a private selection single barrel. What makes the regular juice different from the limited release stuff? Well, to over-simplify it, price, allocation, mashbill, warehouse aging location, and proof, among other factors.

     By contrast, the “regular” single barrel can be found most anywhere at a reasonable price-point of $38. In fact, I found it in my town for $33. In my opinion, that’s a tremendous value when considering the quality of this juice!

      For a long time now, Elmer T. Lee has held the #1 spot of my favorite “go-to” bourbons. Up until now, everything that I’ve put up against it has fallen short.  Well folks, that’s about to change! Yes, the Four Roses Single Barrel has finely dethroned Mr. T. Lee, and is therefore the new heavyweight champion of the “go-to” bourbons! Subsequently, Elmer T Lee has moved down to the #2 spot.

     
     Overall: The F.R. Single Barrel is an incredibly unique and balanced bourbon. However, if you’re not a fan of rye forward bourbons, I would point you in other directions. I love it because it’s heavy in the mouth, the alcohol is very nicely integrated, and the finish is long and luxurious. Mid palate notes included: sweet maraschino cherries, bright oak and creamy vanilla. Finish notes included: Baking spices, (clove and cinnamon) soft wood and rye pepper. This expression strikes an interesting balance between big bold flavors mixed with soft creamy notes. In short, nothing taste like a Four Roses bourbon! Its just all-around great stuff!! The Colonel’s score is a very high 8 out of 10. 

Old Fitzgerald Very Special 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Bourbon Review #15: Old Fitzgerald Very Special 12 Year Old Bourbon

Category: “Go-To”

Price: $35

Availability: Distributed to select states within the USA.       

Proof: 90, 45% avb

Age: 12 Years

Mashbill: Wheat    

Distillery: Heaven Hill- Bardstown, Kentucky.

     Well folks, my four-part serious on rye whiskeys has come to a close. I had a blast reviewing these products, and look forward to reviewing more of them in the future. Now it’s time to jump back into bourbon land! I’m a fan of old (post 10 year) wheated bourbons. The subject for this episode falls nicely into that category.

     The Old Fitzgerald brand goes back to the late 1800’s. John E. Fitzgerald was the creator of this bourbon. It was later purchased by Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle, and produced at the Stitzel-Weller distillery in Shively, KY. Because of this, Old Fitzgerald shares the same historical “wheated” DNA as W.L. Weller and the Van Winkle bourbons.

     On the very first episode of the show, I reviewed W.L. Weller 12 Year Old Bourbon. Old Fitz 12 is often compared to Weller 12. Although these two bourbons can trace their roots back to Stitzel-Weller, are offered at the same proof, the same age, and both have wheated mashbills, they have evolved differently.

     In 1992, Diageo purchased the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Old Fitz sat dormant for a period of time before eventually being sold off to the Heaven Hill Distillery. 

     By contrast, the WL Weller brand had a more linear evolution. It, along with the Van Winkle brand went from Stitzel-Weller directly to Buffalo Trace (where it is being distilled today).

     Although this review is not intended to be a side-by-side comparison of the two bourbons, it will be interesting to see how I rank them. This will be fascinating to me simply because of how much they have in common.

     
     Overall: Quite simply, I’m not a fan of the Old Fitzgerald 12 Year bourbon. In my opinion, this “very special” wheated bourbon is….well….not so special! It just goes to show that sharing a past with the WL Weller and Van Winkle products doesn’t always translate to a “high quality” product on today’s market. I’m not trying to say that it started out great and deteriorated over time. I didn’t live back then, so I’ll never be able to speak to it’s original quality. I just know that I’m not a fan of the current juice that Heaven Hill is putting out under this old brand today.

     The finish is hardly there. The mouth-feel is watery and thin. The alcohol is not integrated well and serves to distract from the other flavors. It lacks both structure and complexity. I get a little of the sweet caramel/butterscotch notes. There is almost no spice. The wood is by-in-large absent. The Colonel’s score is a 3 out of 10. That’s a far lower score than the 6-7 that I gave to the Weller 12 year. If you asked me to choose between these two wheated bourbons, I would point you to the W.L. Weller 12 year with a high degree of confidence. 

         

Willett Family Estate- Two Year Old- Rye (Small Batch)

Whiskey Review #14: Willett Family Estate- Two Year Old- Rye (Small Batch)

Category: “Go-To”

Price: $36

Availability: Everywhere     

Proof: 108.1, 54.1% abv (Barrel Strength)

Age: Two Years Old

Mashbill: Ether- 51% rye + 34% corn. Or- 74% rye + 11% corn. Or a combination.   

Distillery: Willett Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky

     This is my fourth and final installment concerning rye whiskeys. That’s not to say that I won’t revisit them in the future! I will look forward to reviewing more ryes as they make their way into the Colonel’s pantry.

     Before I get into the meat of this review, let me take a moment to discuss the benefits of having a whiskey-sharing club. This can be as formal, or as informal, as you want. I happen to be in a three-person club (including myself). The main function of our club is to share the contents of our pantries, despite the fact that we live in different states.

     A few months back Dr. Joel Kilty purchased several small, 2oz, empty bottles. These bottles have screw down, airtight lids. Basically, he sends me stuff out of his pantry that I don’t have and visa versa. This is a great way to sample expressions, without the commitment of purchasing an entire bottle. The bottles are cheep and lightweight, making them easy to ship back and forth. My sample of the Willett 2 year rye was provided courtesy of Dr. Joel Kilty.       

     I will conclude my series on rye whiskies with a very timely review. The “Willett Family Estate 2 year old Kentucky Straight Rye (Small Batch),” is the first offering to emerge from the newly renovated Willett Distillery! Previously, the Willett Company (KBD) has been sourcing their whiskeys from other distilleries. In 2012 renovations were completed, and distillation/aging began.

     It’s no surprise that the first offering is a rye whiskey. As I have stated before, ryes are aged as younger expressions, as compared to bourbon. Two years however, is VERY YOUNG! Let’s face it, there was a large anticipation awaiting Willett’s first release.    However, are the folks at Willett capitalizing prematurely? One interesting offset to this very young product is it’s proof. In my opinion, a young barrel strength rye could go ether way. One thing is for certain, a lot is riding on the line for the folks at Willett with this first offering. I doubt seriously that they would produce a rushed, sub-par product with this much attention and hype.

     

     Overall: Although the alcohol is not distracting in an “off” sort of way, it is rather dominating the sip from mid pallet through to the finish. It warms up the spirit nicely, but serves to suffocate some of the more delicate notes. The +3 viscosity is helping to add to the finish, and creates a more luxurious mouth feel. It’s soft, delicate, sweet-fruit shines through the hefty punch of warm alcohol. The finish leaves you with butter-laced raisins and spiced cinnamon.

     I think it’s amazing that the folks at Willett can achieve a whiskey this nice in only two years. I’m not saying it’s the finest rye I have ever had, but it’s certainly not the worst! It does however beg the question, what could they turn out with more time? This young rye is only a foretaste of the wonderful offerings yet to roll out of Willett. I’m impressed with this expression, and look forward to the new whiskeys to come! The Colonel’s Score: 7 out of 10.