Review #53: Jim Beam Bourbon (White Label), 40% abv

in honor of yesterday's acquisition ...

This is the cheap stuff -- less than $20/liter. It sells about a gazillion (i.e., 6) million cases a year, I think. The world's most popular bourbon. It doesn't have an age statement, so I guess that makes it four years old. I haven't really thought about it much.

Nose: mostly wood and corn, and some chalky minerals, with tiny bits of honeysuckle, chamomile, and smoke. Spirity at first but then opens up a little over time. Does anyone wait for it?

Palate: light and little hot, with a lot of winey sourness and bitter wood. there's something else, too -- like a faint new-car-smell.

Finish: It stops abruptly. A moment of honey-vanilla and then bitter wood is the last thing left.

I don't know how to rate this. It sort of works for Old-fashioneds -- the intense floral/winey sourness stands up to everything else. But even then, it might be better to splurge on Green Label or Black Label for a little more flavor.

score: 62

(update: old review replaced when I realized that I my first pour was into a glass that previously had something much better in it. Amazing how much of an effect an apparently empty glass can have.)

Review #52: Big Peat Small Batch Islay Blended Scotch Whisky, Batch #22, 46% abv, Douglas Laing

still recovering from the holidays

Haven't been reviewing much lately, but I'm almost ready to get started again. I have a bunch of odd minis to get through quickly, and maybe then a normal routine.

But first a vatted malt. Big Peat "includes" whiskies from Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore, and Port Ellen. (The last of which probably comes from a medicine dropper that has to cover the next few batches.) It is NCF but only 46%. This is *not* the Christmas blend, even though I got it for Christmas.

nose: very pleasant, with nice phenolic smoke leaving room for lemon and distinct coastal elements (brine, seaweed, beach). some cotton candy and wet wool; a touch of (nice) bicycle tire.

palate: malty sweetness and ashes.

finish: slightly ashy and then just sort of dies. I don't recall ever having a peated whisky with such a short finish. Sweetness lingers, but that's about it.

This is tasty whisky, but it's odd that it doesn't taste feinty or newmakey at all, despite being NAS, and that the peat really isn't all that big. So I'm not sure what the point is, exactly. I guess if you like Caol Ila with Ardbeg sweetness (and then some) or a much milder, less smoky version of Laphroaig, then this is for you. Otherwise one might as well stick with the single malts.

Still yummy, though. The nose is the best part.

score: 81

whoah.

didn't see that coming.

Suntory of Japan to Buy Maker of Jim Beam for $13.6 Billion

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/01/13/suntory-of-japan-to-buy-maker-of-jim-beam-for-13-6-billion/?hp

Review #51: Michter's Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey, 45.7% abv, Batch #13-42

more post-X-mas blogging

This is a "small batch" of a little while back, not the "sour mash" or the "unblended American whiskey". According to the label -- apart from all the crap about pre-Revolutionary War quality standards -- "it is further mellowed by our signature filtration." That seems like a bad idea, although, come to think of it, it does come without an age statement. The label also says it's bottled in Bardstown. So I guess that means it's from KBD, maybe with juice from Heaven Hill.

nose: honey, toffee, cloves, citrus -- very nice light and fragrant profile. some corn syrup, vanilla, and charred oak come in eventually, and if you have a lot of patience, some fruit. indeed, after 15 minutes or so, I get yoghurt, smoke, and dried apricots -- I think I had a Tomatin like that once.

palate: light and syrupy, but with a surprising amount of peppery heat. it's strangely sweet -- it would be cloying without the youthful heat.

finish: all sweet notes -- honey, vanilla, orange candy esp. -- except for just of bit of bitter, smoky oak.

I like this. It's an interesting, fragrant bourbon, but it becomes a little cloying and dull on the palate. The wood notes save it, but it can seem too young and too old (the wood) at the same time -- I can't decide if this is good or bad. It's (slightly) overpriced in any case.

score: 82

Review #50: Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky Aged 12 Years, 43% abv

post-Christmas blogging

Still away from my usual glassware, but I think I can manage to get by. This is the 12yr from Yamazaki, which had been a huge bargain in the States for the past few years. The price here seems to have converged with the prices in the rest of the world, though, so I better review this while I still can.

Nose is engaging -- linseed oil then citrus (candied orange peel), sweet and minerally sherry notes, and just a hint of smoke. Starts off like furniture varnish but ends very sweet and fruity, almost floral (orange blossom).

Malty, fruity, woody, smoky on the palate. Lightweight but nicely oily, persistent flavors. Apples join the citrus and dried fruit flavors, along with some spiciness.

Finish strangely turns back to the minerality of the nose, along with a mouthful of wood and some sweetness to balance it out. Still drying in the end.

I don't think I conveyed it well, but this really has a lot of complexity for a standard bottling. It develops nicely and has an interesting flavor profile. It seems older than 12 yrs, both for good (orange blossom) and bad (mouthful of wood). In the end it's a little too weak (43%) and drying, however.

score: 86

Review #49: Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 50.5% abv

I wonder how old this is

I could probably look it up somewhere. Wait, here it is: "a marriage of primarily 6-, 7-, and 8- year old bourbons." There's also the issue of the mashbill. The high proof is self-explanatory.

Nose: spices on top, corn underneath. Lean profile, that is, with rye, orange blossom, dried fruit (raisins, plums), cinnamon, honey, and vanilla -- it's a spice blend with a little bit of creamed corn in the background.

Palate: Like sucking on the spice blend. It's hotter than I expected. Some anise I hadn't noticed before, and the oak tannins are pretty strong. But mostly this is about the rye spices.

Finish: very long, with candied sweetness, dry oak, and the rye really coming through.

The spiciness is powerful, but this is maybe a little hotter and drier than I'd like. Still, I don't think there's anywhere else to go for this much flavor at this price point. Outstanding stuff.

score: 83

Review #48: Elijah Craig 18yr, 45% abv, Barrel #3416

Man, this stuff disappeared fast. It was in stores last year, I think, and now it's gone. I hear it's coming back eventually (in <18yrs) but if it costs 6/7th as much as the 21yr old does/did, then it won't be joyously welcome.

If we imagine this, for a moment, as the 12yr with a bit more age on it, then it's become a little less expressive, on one hand, and somehow richer on the other: the butterscotch seems denser, and swirled with toffee and (good) caramel. The oak spices have become woodier, and corn has become roasted. Some sweet floral notes are starting to take off, too -- lilac cotton candy.

Nose: butterscotch corn pudding with cinnamon bark and lilacs. Some demerara rum notes, too.
Palate: more butterscotch and vanilla toffee. Custard. Very heavy and astringent oak
Finish: long -- sweet and very drying at the same time. It's not bitter at all, but really very astringent -- like a stemmy young Barolo if Barolo were made of corn.

I like this a lot, but it's not a huge advantage over the 12yr. There are some new flavors, but I don't think the drying oak suits them that well.

score: 84