February 11th, 2010

Malt Advocate Magazine’s “Top Ten New Whiskies” for 2009

John Hansell

Top Ten New Whiskies of the Year (listed alphabetically)

You will not be happy with the prices of some of these whiskies, but here’s our ten best new whiskies released in 2009 (keeping in mind that whiskies must have been for sale in the U.S. in the 2009 calendar year to be eligible).

The selection process for this list is based primarily on the whisky’s rating. All ten whiskies rated 95 or higher in Malt Advocate  magazine.

Ardbeg Corryvreckan, 57.1%, $85
Powerful, muscular, well-textured, and invigorating. Even within the realm of Ardbeg, this one stands out. There are many relatively young whiskies with no age statement on the market. This is a benchmark. Quite stunning!

Brora 30 year old (2009 Release), 53.2%, $400
This whisky shows all the good aspects of a very mature whisky (depth, complexity) without all the bad ones (excessive oak, one-dimensional). It’s very clean and polished. One of the best releases from this shuttered distillery.

Dalmore 50 year old, $1,500/100ml
Incredibly viscous and chewy, and thick on the tongue. Very complex too, with that classic Dalmore marmalade note as its foundation. The flavors evolve like waves lapping on a beach. It is a whisky you can’t drink slowly enough.

Gold Bowmore, 1964 Vintage, 42.4% $6,250
Surprisingly lively for its age. I like this whisky better than White Bowmore but feels that it falls short of Black Bowmore, because it’s a bit softer and less vibrant on the palate. (But, for most of you with limited means, I can understand if you don’t really care.)

Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve, 46% (2009 vintage), $250
I love the pot still character and the lushness that some of the port-wood aging has imparted. If anything,  this 2009 vintage is even richer and lusher than the previous 2007 vintage I reviewed. Another classic Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve.

Laphroaig 25 year old, 51.2%, $500
I love the way the flavors of this whisky evolve on the palate. I also like that it retains some of its youthful brashness, while showing the depth that maturity affords a whisky. A delicious, well-balanced, old-fashioned Laphroaig.

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve (Bottle B1986), 23 year old, 47.8%, $220
My review of this whiskey a few years back indicated this whiskey was too woody and past it’s prime to be a stellar whiskey. This one is much better. (Yes, whiskey bottlings do change over time.) There’s great balance and the oak is in check.

Parkers Heritage Selection Golden Anniversary, 50%, $150
This is a fabulous whiskey: seamless, incredibly complex, with an impeccable marriage of youth and maturity. It’s also very even-keeled throughout. A classic bourbon that’s very complex and yet very drinkable.

Rittenhouse Rye 25 year old (Barrel #1), 50%, $190
Not as vibrant as the 21 year old Rittenhouse Rye released a few years back, but it’s more sophisticated, which more than makes up for it. I can’t speak for the other barrels in this lot, but I think this one is a great example of what a 20-plus year old rye whisky should taste like.

William Larue Weller (2009 release), 67.4%, $65
This whiskey has improved greatly over the past two years. (I thought that the 2007 release was almost too easy-going, as some wheated bourbon can be.) A little more oak spice has added balance, complexity and depth. Very clean on the palate too. Excellent!

Category: Awards, Bourbon, Irish whiskey, Malt Advocate Mag, New Releases, Reviews, Rye whiskey, Scotch whisky Tags: , , , , , , , , , 44 Comments

February 9th, 2010

Malt Advocate Whisky Awards “Industry Leader of the Year”: Mark Brown (Buffalo Trace Distillery)

John Hansell

Industry Leader of the Year

Mark Brown, President and CEO of Buffalo Trace Distillery

Mark is a visionary, incredibly driven, a clever businessman, and most importantly, passionate about whiskey. Like many other whiskey CEOs, he wants to make the perfect whiskey. But I have never seen anyone work this hard at it.

Buffalo Trace is conducting thousands of different experiments (including some at their experimental micro-distillery), many of them groundbreaking. More importantly, whiskey enthusiasts get to taste them on an ongoing basis, through the highly anticipated “Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection” releases. Their stable of regular whiskeys is also astonishing. I can think of at least twenty-five different straight bourbon and rye whiskeys produced by Buffalo Trace, from the flagship Buffalo Trace bourbon to the annual Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, which are consistently among the finest American whiskeys being produced.

There are other amazing whiskeys, and distilleries, under the Buffalo Trace umbrella; all of the wonderful Van Winkle whiskeys, for example. In 2009, Buffalo Trace purchased the Tom Moore distillery, where Barton and Ridgemont Reserve 1792 are produced. Later in the year, they also acquired the Old Taylor brand.

Experiments, acquisitions, and exciting new releases of the highest quality and at reasonable prices: what more could a whiskey-lover ask for? Thank you, Mark. Don’t stop! (Like you ever would…)

Tomorrow’s Malt Advocate Whisky Awards announcement: Distillery of the Year.

Category: Awards, Bourbon, Malt Advocate Mag, Rye whiskey Tags: , 36 Comments

January 7th, 2010

Guest Blogger: Dave Pickerell, former Master Distiller of Maker’s Mark bourbon

John Hansell

We are honored to have Dave Pickerell as our guest blogger for January. Dave was the Master Distiller at Maker’s Mark for many years, and he really knows his stuff!

I asked him to give his thoughts on what’s going on with the micro-distilling movement, and here’s what he has to say. Thanks Dave!

He has a few questions for you at the end of his post. Post up your thoughts.

First off, I appreciate having the opportunity to “stand in” for John.  His knowledge, depth of insight and understanding and passion for the industry are evident in everything he does.  It is truly an honor to be here.  Thanks, John.

Since I left Maker’s Mark in April 2008, two things have captured most of my attention:  micro-distilling and rye whiskey.  I have spent untold hours probing the depths of both areas.  In fact, Oak View Consulting, LLC. came to life as a result of all that I have discovered here.  When people ask me just what I am trying to accomplish, I tell them that I am trying to “Put feet on dreams”.  However, with a bit of introspection that seems to come with each New Year, I now realize that I am not just trying to put feet on other people’s dreams … they are my dreams, too.

I have met with literally dozens of people who were interested in starting up some sort of distillery or other.  All of them have a passion, but some realize that they do not have enough know-how to get moving, while others are concerned that they may not have enough capital to actually get things off the ground.  It is my observation that many folks that want to start up a new distillery dream of making some sort of whiskey.  However, start-up and maturation costs run in the face of the business plan, and they end up making vodka or maybe gin instead.

Part of my dream is seeing lots of new expressions of whiskey … good ones … from all over America… hit the market… representing a new sort of terroir, where true geographical differences in the U.S. can not only be expressed but also clearly differentiated.  I believe that the effects of locality on grain, water, and climate can be best expressed in a micro-distillery.  Especially in the US, the big whiskey guys pretty much all express the same terroir … because they are located within a stone’s throw of each other and because they pretty much are so big that they are forced to buy commodity grain.  Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of very good whiskies being produced in the US … it’s just that locality has never been much of an issue.

It occurred to me that two things need to happen.  First, it is essential that the cost of equipment come down to a more affordable price.  Second, it would be good to have a competent one-stop source of information and help to get things up and running. Hopefully, I can in some way help with both of these issues.  I have been working with Vendome Copper and Brass Works on a holistic approach to micro-distilling … and thanks to a great deal of effort on their part, they have already had tremendous results in reducing the capital costs for starting a micro-distillery.  Additionally, I hope that any expertise that I might have gained through my years in the industry might also be helpful to some in getting things up and running.

Finally, the rye … with its bold and delicious character… There has been a lot of talk about the resurgence of Rye Whiskey … and to traditional cocktails (like the Sazerac, Old Fashioned, and Manhattan) that are absolutely delicious with a good measure of rye… no need to cover all that ground again.  Anyone who has had occasion to chat with me over the last year knows that I believe it is time to advance this category with a bold new expression or two … that’s my personal dream.

What do you think about the future of micro-distilling  (whether here in the U.S. or abroad)? And what do you think about my theories on terroir and its influence on a given whiskey’s flavor profile? And do you think rye will be the new hot whiskey of choice, or will it be something else?

Category: Guest Blogger, Microdistilleries, Rye whiskey 33 Comments

December 14th, 2009

Your predictions for 2010?

John Hansell

Okay everyone, get out your crystal ball. What do you see happening to the whisky (and whiskey) industry in 2010? I’ll start the discussion by making a couple of predictions myself.

 
More experimental American whiskeys
The American whiskey industry was very slow getting on the experimenting bandwagon (relative to Scotch, Japanese, and Irish whiskey). But with the likes of Woodford Reserve’s Master’s Collection whiskeys, High West’s “Bourye“, The Party Sources “Wheat on Rye” Experimental Whiskey (in association with Buffalo Trace Distillery), and the blossoming small, artisanal distilleries, I think (or at least I hope) 2010 will see more different kinds of experimental bourbons and other American whiskeys on the market than ever before.

More Scotch whiskies without age statements
Across the pond in Scotland, I think more and more distilleries will continue abandoning age statements. It gives them more flexibility in what goes in the bottle. It will also help them blend in younger whiskey coming on the market with existing stocks of older whisky and still command a fair price for it.

Now it’s your turn. Tell us what you think will happen in 2010. We can come back to this one year from now and see how well we did.

Category: Bourbon, Opinions, Rye whiskey, Scotch whisky Tags: , , , 32 Comments

December 8th, 2009

Bourbon and Rye Whiskey drinkers, pay attention: something new!

John Hansell

It wasn’t very long ago when I was lamenting how the Scotch, Irish, and even Japanese whisky industries were being creative and experimentative, while the very traditional and loyal (to the point of being borderline stubborn) bourbon/rye whiskey  industry refused to participate.

Well, times have changed. And it’s no surprise that Buffalo Trace has their fingers in this.

A decade ago I asked why we don’t have four grain bourbon (corn, malted barley, rye AND wheat). Why must it be ryed bourbon or wheated bourbon? Brown-Forman broke that barrier with their Four Grain Master’s Collection several years back. But, there’s more than one way to marry wheat and rye.

#2 Wheat On Rye label crop (Small)Today I received two review bottles of Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection whiskeys. Not from Buffalo Trace, but from The Party Source, a retailer in Kentucky. I’m only going to talk about one of the whiskeys in this post.

It turns out that this bottling is a wheated bourbon that was finished off in a freshly emptied rye barrel. I have not talked to Buffalo Trace or The Party Source yet, but  I gather that the concept here, if I can be so assuming, is to marry the mellow drinkability of a wheated bourbon with the vibrant, spice intensity of a rye whiskey.

You know what? It works. I have only tasted this 8 year old whiskey informally tonight, but the wheated bourbon comes through first on the palate, then the rye emerges as the flavors progress on the palate. And, as an added benefit, this whiskey is bottled at 63.5%, not the typical 45% ABV of previous  Experimental Collection bottlings.

This is certainly exciting on three levels–and all new, as far as I know:

1) I don’t recall a wheated bourbon being finished off in a rye barrel and then bottled.

2) Buffalo Trace appears to be willing to work with retailers, allowing them to create/bottle their own Experimental Collections. How many retailers? I don’t know. I’m sure we’ll find out.

3) It’s bottled at cask strength. A first for the BT Experimental Collection

I’m sure I’ll get a lot more answers in the coming days–both from Buffalo Trace and The Party Source (and maybe other retailers  who are doing the same thing but haven’t told me yet). But, I wanted to let you know what I found out, when I found out. After all, this blog is called “What Does John Know?”

Category: Bourbon, New Releases, Opinions, Rye whiskey Tags: , 25 Comments

November 17th, 2009

Whisky. The Wall Street Journal. This Friday!

John Hansell

You would think I have enough to keep me busy with Malt Advocate, WhiskyFest, WDJK, Twitter, etc. Well, I do occasionally take on some freelance assignment.

As you know, I recently participated in the History Channel show on “Whiskey”, which just ran again this past Saturday. Well, this Friday (November 20th) I have a 2,000 word whiskey section going in The Wall Street Journal.

The special whiskey section covers some of the fundamentals (how whiskey is made, what distinguishes one country’s whiskey from the next, appreciating whiskey, etc.). I also address many new trends in whiskey (designer whiskies, artisanal distilling, extreme peating, no age statements, etc).

We even reached out to master mixologist Gary Regan and he added a great cocktail piece to the section, which includes a few really nice cocktail recipes.

Pick up a copy if you can this Friday.

Category: Bourbon, Canadian whisky, European whiskies, Irish whiskey, Media, Rye whiskey, Scotch whisky, Tennessee whiskey 5 Comments

October 27th, 2009

Single barrel bottling variation: big or small?

John Hansell

The are a lot of single barrel bottlings on the market, from the small independent bottlers to the big multinational congomerates. Evan Williams Single Barrel, Jack Daniels Single Barrel, Balvenie 15 year old Single Barrel: these are just a few of the more familiar ones.

So, my question is this: How much do single barrel bottlings differ from one barrel to the next?

No two barrels are the same, and that’s the charm of single barrel bottlings. But what are the chances that the next bottle you buy from that brand will taste drastically different than the last one?

Is it your experience that the variation from one single barrel bottling to another is relatively small, or have you noticed big differences? Be specific if you can.

Category: Bourbon, Opinions, Rye whiskey, Scotch whisky, Tennessee whiskey Tags: , , 12 Comments

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