SPECIAL INNOVATION ISSUE PLUS: MORE THAN 120 WHISKIES REVIEWED!

CAN YOU MAKE AROUND THE

AGED WORLD
WHISKY
IN A WEEK?
SCIENCE CHALLENGES
WHISKY-MAKING
TRADITION
IN
80
WHISKIES
 VOLUME 27, NUMBER 1 SPRING 2018

62
F E AT UR ES

54 Around the World in 80 Whiskies 74 10 Greatest Whisky Innovations of All Time

by Susannah Skiver Barton by Jonny McCormick
From the pinot noir cask-finished single malt of Whisky has never been restrained by tradition. Raise a glass
Liechtenstein to the native corn whiskies of Mexico, to whisky pioneers with the stories behind some great drams.
there is a vast world of exciting whiskies to discover
beyond the traditional whisky making nations. 81 Craft Visionaries by Adam Polonski
American craft producers continue to blaze new trails,
62 Cracking the Aging Code leaving exciting whiskeys in their wake. Catch up with
by Susannah Skiver Barton the individuals shaping the future of whiskey.
In the quest for instant whisky, these tech entrepreneurs
88 Maritime Malts by Jonny McCormick
KRISTINA KRUG

are using science to attempt to circumvent traditional barrel

aging. But are whisky drinkers ready to give them a chance? Springbank, Talisker, Ardbeg, and more! Scotland’s coast isn’t
generally recognized as a whisky region, but these distilleries
Cover photograph by Jeff Harris share an affinity with the sea that you can see and taste.
 30

TOP RIGHT: JEFF HARRIS; LEFT: JEFF HARRIS / DRINK AND SET STYLING BY EUGENE JHO
40 16
D E PA RTM EN TS

9 From the Publisher 46 The Whisky Advocate 50 The Thinking Drinker

by Marvin R. Shanken Auction Index by Stephen Beaumont
by Jonny McCormick Sampling rare spirits in
11 Dear Whisky Advocate A composite of average prices search of the taste of age.
Letters to the editor for benchmark whiskies sold at
commercial auctions, with a special 105 Buying Guide
15 Distillations look at the current balance of Reviews of the latest whisky releases
SPEAR a cherry with style, supply and demand in the market.
RULE the Kentucky Derby, 119 I’m a Whisky Advocate
SIP spring herb cocktails, 48 American Spirit Photos from our readers
DISCOVER unfiltered whisky, by Fred Minnick
SHARE a bourbon with Michael The distinction between drinking 120 A Lighter Dram
Cudlitz, BLEND a house for enjoyment and formal tasting by Terry Sullivan
whisky, TASTE flavors of honey, requires a Whisky Advocate Dive bars offer an education
CRUISE through Austin, ROLL reviewer to give equal time. beyond cheap beers
out your barrel knowledge and whisky shots.
 TH E W H ISKY ADVO C ATE

The Only Constant in Whisky is Change

W
hisky makers, and sial topic—and one that we can’t ignore. Whisky Innovations (page 74) and their
whisky drinkers, have This is not science fiction; these tech- tasty results. He also takes a deep dive into
a special reverence for niques are being applied to whiskies that are Scotland’s coastal distilleries (page 88),
tradition. The tech- for sale right now. In fact, you may very well which rank high among some of the na-
niques and practices have tasted one without even realizing it. If tion’s most beautiful places and whiskies.
that result in the finest whiskies are often successful in Cracking the Aging Code (page Over the past 25 years, Whisky Advo-
hard-won, honed over centuries and gen- 62), the ways in which we produce and cate has seen and written about our share
erations. But consider that every aspect of think about whisky could be altered forever. of new whisky ideas—chronicling both
whisky production that is now a long-held American craft whiskey producers have delicious outcomes and well-intentioned
tradition was at one moment a fresh, new also proven themselves innovators. Senior failures. We pledge to continue to keep
idea. As much as we might romanticize our whisky specialist Adam Polonski speaks pace with exciting whisky developments,
favorite spirit, whisky has never been im- with Craft Whiskey Visionaries (page 81) so that you, the whisky drinker, can be the
mune to change. who bring fresh perspectives to blend- ultimate judge of their success.
In this issue, senior whisky specialist ing, farming, sustainability, fermentation, I hope you enjoy this issue and share it
Susannah Skiver Barton investigates tech- and more. Such ingenuity isn’t limited to with your friends.
nology companies that aim to circumvent America: in Around the World in 80 Whis- My best,
the long aging times normally required to kies (page 54) we take a whirlwind tour of
PORTRAIT: JOE MCKENDRY

mature whisky in barrels, attempting to ac- some of the most dynamic and unexpected
complish in days what might otherwise take new whiskies from across the globe, with
years. While these high-tech rapid matura- a special focus on those you can find and
tion techniques are still in a state of relative enjoy in the U.S.
infancy, they are directly targeting one of Finally, contributing editor Jonny
the most sacrosanct pillars of whisky. This McCormick puts innovation in historic Marvin R. Shanken
makes alternative aging a highly controver- perspective, with a look at the 10 Greatest Editor & Publisher

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 9

 Dear Whisky Advocate...
WHISKY TRAVELERS my collection. Thank you for
Dear Whisky Advocate, your amazing publication and
This past summer, I thumbed across your I am grateful that I can share
new magazine (summer 2017 edition) and it with my friends, colleagues,
was quickly entrenched. I poured a lowball and family!
of Michter’s and read. The enlighten- Very respectfully,
ing articles, helpful advertisements, and Ryan Jeffries
intentionality of the magazine caught my
attention. Hi Ryan, Thanks for sharing
But page sixteen’s Sippin’ in the City by Whisky Advocate with your
the Bay got my mind spinning and sponta- friends. As a world trav-
neity flowing. A day or two later, I intro- eler, you’ll want to check out
duced this trip idea to my two best bros, Around the World in 80 Whis-
who I enjoy sipping whisky with. Within kies (page 54) for more exciting
another small time span we had our flights, world whiskies to add to your
hotel, reservations, and itinerary set. wish list.
We flew out on a Sunday and we were
tasting whiskeys from Seven Stills by GONE HUNTING
5:00pm! … Dear Whisky Advocate,
Thank you for helping my buddies and I I really enjoyed your article,
create incredible memories and for getting The Whiskey Whisperer [fall WHISKY WINNER Congratulations to Myles Sloniker
us better acquainted with the world of 2017], about collecting dusty of Brooklyn, New York, winner of our 2017 top three
whisky. bottles. I’ve been an whiskies in the Whisky Advocate Top 20 sweepstakes.
Sincerely, amateur collector
Chad Merrihew and of Japanese whisky
friends Matthew for the past eight years, and your dram. It’s a workingman’s whisky. But this
MacDonald and article really got me thinking was a beautiful piece of whisky history, at
Andrew Harris about the current state of Japanese a beautiful price. Now, as I think back to
whisky. that trip, there were many dusty bottles
Hi Chad, There is I travel to Japan every couple scattered about, all overlooked for the next
nothing better than of years to visit family and I’ve elusive new Yamazaki or Ichiro release.
time spent with friends always been able to find great The next time I visit Japan I know I’ll be
over a whisky. We’re deals on 12 and 18 year age state- skipping the high-end department stores,
delighted we were able ment bottles. That is until the last and go digging through out-of-the way
to inspire your trip couple years. After Yamazaki 12 liquor stores for more dusty treasures.
to San Francisco and Sherry Cask, it took a few years Cheers,
enjoyed hearing about for the world to catch on to the John Conwell
your whirlwind whisky tour. Well done, guys! amazing whisky coming out of Japan. By
2016, Japanese age statements were, in my Hi John, What a great find! It’s encouraging
Dear Whisky Advocate, opinion, becoming unreasonably expensive. to know that dusty whisky treasures are still
Your winter issue was an absolute lifesaver! $400 or more for an 18 year is probably fine lurking out there, even in Japan. Thanks for
I had received it just prior to my wife and for investment collectors, but if you drink sharing your story. n
I taking a three-week vacation in Europe, what you collect that’s a bit steep.
and not only was Paris our first stop (we Last year when visiting our family in a Correction The story on collectible Ameri-
went to several of the locations in Mr. small town in Japan, I was poking through can whiskeys in the winter 2017 issue
Freedman’s article), the magazine made a some neighborhood liquor stores and no- misidentified one of the whiskeys named
great back rest for my flimsy day pack. The ticed some dusty boxes on the bottom shelf as a potential future collectible. The article
magazine came with us everywhere and in the back of the store. I opened a box and should have stated that Julian Van Winkle
saw five countries and countless miles, sav- to my delight there was a beautiful painted of Old Rip Van Winkle identified the Jim-
ing my back and providing me with joy as bottle of Suntory Old Whisky, bottled in my Red whiskey from High Wire Distilling
I thumbed though its pages. I cannot wait 1985 for World Expo. And the price? $20. of Charleston, S.C. Whisky Advocate regrets
to add some of the recommendations to Now Suntory Old Whisky is not a fancy the error.

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 11

 A publication of M. Shanken Communications, Inc.
825 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10019
vol. 27, no. 1

Editor & Publisher Marvin R. Shanken

Executive Editor Jeffery Lindenmuth
Managing Editor Melanie Schwenk
Art Director John Thompson
WhiskyFest Events Director Joan McGinley
Senior Whisky Specialist
& Digital Editor Susannah Skiver Barton
Senior Whisky Specialist Adam Polonski
Contributing Editor Jonny McCormick
Photo Editor Casey Oto
Digital Editorial Assistant Ted Simmons

Vice President/Advertising Director Michael P. McGoldrick

Advertising, Cigars and Luxury Barry Abrams
Corporate Advertising Miriam Morgenstern, Cheryl Lewis,
Lindsey Ronald, Banu Yilmaz,
Paula Cochrane
Circulation Director Phylicia Bedoya
Assistant Circulation Manager Tina Ratwani
Senior Retail Sales Director Jeanne Holly
Office Manager Kathy Fox
Copy Editor Sam Komlenic

Mission Statement
To be the most informative and entertaining
drinks publication by promoting the intelligent,
responsible, and joyful consumption of the world’s whiskies.

Mailing address
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voice: (610) 967-1083 / fax: (610) 965-2995

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www.whiskyadvocate.com

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Senior Advisor to the Chairman Mel Mannion
Senior Vice President, Advertising Constance McGilvray
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Chief Financial Officer Steven Gordon
Vice President, Business Development Jessica Shanken
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Assistant to the Chairman Sheena Dellanzo

Questions about your subscription? Call (800) 610-6258 or email whiskyadvocate@mshanken.com

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Whisky Advocate magazine (ISSN 1086-4199) is published quarterly by M. Shanken Communications, Inc., 825
Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10019 (212-684-4224). Postmaster: Address changes and subscription inquiries: Whisky
Advocate, P.O. Box 37367, Boone, IA 50037-0850; go to www.WhiskyAdvocate.com; or call 1-800-610-6258. Subscrip-
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out written permission from the publisher. Copyright© 2018, M. Shanken Communications, Inc.

12 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 Distillations
LEAD A MORE SPIRITED LIFE

Spring Mix
Garden-Fresh
Whisky Cocktails 40

48 Hours in Austin 16
Learn to Blend at Home 31
Master the Kentucky Derby 34
Dog-Friendly Whisky Bars 37
and much more
JEFF HARRIS / STYLING BY EUGENE JHO

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 15

 DISTILLATIONS

Barton Springs Pool

LEFT: ANNIE RAY; TOP RIGHT: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE / ALAMY; BOTTOM RIGHT: PRISMA BY DUKAS PRESSEAGENTUR GMBH / ALAMY
48 HOURS
Péché

Deep in the Heart of Austin

O ver the past decade, Austin, Texas
has transformed from sleepy
slackerville to one of the fastest-
growing cities in North America. With the
help of some big-name tech companies and
you’ve dropped your bags, you’re free to
explore the city’s many boozy treasures.
No place better embodies Austin’s arti-
san spirits community than Still Austin
Whiskey Co., the city’s first distillery in
While your first tastes of Austin are still
fresh in your mind (and on your breath,
hello, shrimp chips!), take a quick trip to
The Austin Shaker. This local craft liquor
store is stocked with appealing collections
the increasing popularity of the annual nearly a century. The young distillery is of local whiskeys, as well as traditional
South by Southwest festival held each located in The Yard, home to an array of single malts, Japanese offerings, and hard-
March, Austin has blossomed into a small businesses that manufacture their to-find niche accompaniments.
bustling metropolis of nearly one million. goods and sell them on-site. Before heading Afterward, venture downtown to Easy
Although some stalwarts still cling to the to Still, pick up a coffee at Spokesman and Tiger, a bakery and Munich-style beer
city’s self-appointed moniker of “Live ask the barista about their roasting process. garden along Waller Creek. The Texas Hill
Music Capital of the World,” Austin has Now that you’re caffeinated, walk Country dish will give you a good cross-
taken on new bragging rights, namely for toward Still for a tour of one of the larg- section of local and house-made offerings,
its impressive (and seemingly ubiquitous) est grain-to-glass operations in Texas. especially when paired with a whiskey
craft spirits scene, with whiskey at the Currently the distillery offers new make (served over ice) from Garrison Broth-
forefront. spirits, but that’s just while their bar- ers in nearby Hye. It may be tempting to
rels—some containing whiskey made from indulge in items from the beautiful open
Day One heirloom strains of grain—age. After the floor-plan bakery upstairs, but you’ll want
Everything’s bigger in Texas, except public tour, order a refreshing hibiscus-infused to save room for dinner.
transportation, so you’ll need to rent a Whiskey Mule in Still’s sleek tasting room. Speaking of which, stroll west from
vehicle or rely on ridesharing apps to get For lunch, pop into neighboring St. Elmo Easy Tiger along Sixth Street toward the
around. Although lodging options are Brewing Company for a light Helles-style Warehouse District, stopping for a moment
virtually endless, a stay at the mid-century lager and a roti taco with shrimp chips and at the intersection with Brazos Street to
modern Hotel Van Zandt will provide a queso from the much-acclaimed Pan-Asian take in the landmark architecture of The
great central jumping-off point. Once food truck Soursop. Driskill Hotel. Cut over to Seventh Street,

16 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 DISTILLATIONS

continuing west toward Congress Avenue,

and absorb artist Jim Hodges’ permanent
installation With Liberty and Justice for All
(A Work in Progress) on public display atop
The Contemporary Austin art museum.
Follow the busy tree-lined avenue south
to Fourth Street, where you’ll find Péché,
Austin’s first absinthe bar, hidden among
the limestone buildings.
Chef John Lichtenberger is a master of
French cuisine—especially comfort food—
and has crafted a decadent menu replete
with fresh takes on a slew of culinary
classics, as well as a superior selection of
whisky and absinthe cocktails. Start with
an off-the-menu bourbon drink called Tied
For Third and pair it with the perfectly
acidic steak tartare appetizer. As entrees
go, it doesn’t get much better than the The White Horse
braised short ribs, a perfect flavor comple-
ment to the foamy, lightly sweet signature
Fig Manhattan.
For a nightcap, return to the Hotel Van
Zandt’s American fusion cocktail bar, Geral-
dine’s. Try the Green Point, made with local
Kooper Family Rye, before calling it a day.

Day Two
Grab a quick coffee at Houndstooth
Coffee’s Congress Avenue location en
route to an energizing swim at Barton
Springs Pool, a three-acre spring-fed
Garrison Brothers The Contemporary Austin

outdoor pool in downtown Austin. After

you’ve worked up an appetite, head to
CENTER RIGHT: BRIAN FITZSIMMONS; BOTTOM: DANIELLE CHLOE POTTS

nearby VOX Table for a new-American

style brunch inside the Lamar Union
complex. Browse the cocktail menu that
includes quirky concoctions, like the Knob
Creek and coffee-infused Tom Selleck’s
Mustache and the bourbon/cereal/milk
flavors of Saturday Morning Toons. Don’t
leave without sampling one of their single
barrel bourbons.
After brunch, take the 30-minute trek
west to Treaty Oak Distilling, a 30-acre
operation that produces bourbon, vodka,
gin, rum, and beer. Between the sprawling
Treaty Oak ranch and neighboring inde-
pendent crafters, you could spend an entire
day exploring the area. To hit the high
points, start with a distillery tour and tast-
ing at Treaty Oak, then head down the road
Still Austin to the farmhouse-chic Jester King Brew-

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 17

 DISTILLATIONS

ery for a seasonal flight from its elaborate

tasting room menu.
(Lunch) time is now of the essence,
so hightail it back to Austin and over to
Freedmen’s for barbecue and an assort-
ment of more than 160 whiskies. This
saloon-style bar sits inside the historic
Franzetti Store building, built in 1869 and
once inhabited by Rev. Jacob Fontaine, a
former slave who founded one of America’s
first black newspapers. Order the mam-
moth barbecue sammy and pair it with a
build-your-own flight of three whiskies or
a cocktail featuring Freedmen’s whiskey of
the month.
While you’re centrally located, check out
Treaty Oak Drink.Well. happy hour at Drink.Well., a neighborhood
craft cocktail bar and gastropub in the North
Loop area. The ambient exposed brick and
wood interior creates the perfect atmo-
sphere to explore the nearly 75 whiskies and
an inventive, ever-changing drinks menu.
For dinner, treat yourself to a reserva-
tion at the fine southern dining restaurant
Olamaie, whose prim antebellum exterior,
dimly lit parlor room bar, and butler-like
service call to a simpler, slower time. Keep
an eye on the daily punch offerings, specifi-
cally the Bottled in Bond Bourbon Pecan
Milk, that tastes like melted ice cream.
Speaking of which, save room for Pro-
hibition Creamery, a boozy ice cream
parlor and cocktail bar in the heart of
Austin’s thriving Eastside. The imaginative
Freedmen’s Deconstructed Old-Fashioned sundae is
unlike anything you’ve ever tasted, as is the
substantial Triple Bourbon milkshake; both
include house-made bourbon ice cream
and bourbon whipped cream.
At this point, you’ll likely need a digestif
and some exercise, so take a brisk 20-min-
ute walk to The Blackheart whisky bar,
a restored private residence built in 1889,

CENTER: ASHLYN ALLISON; BOTTOM: AUBRIE PICK

offering live music and more than 150
whiskies, including rarities and local gems.
Opportunities for cocktail detours abound
along the way—like the rye whiskey-forward
Whisler’s.
Feeling primed for a late night, you can
head to The White Horse, a honky tonk
where cowboy hats abound and the whiskey
on tap flows freely until 2 a.m. With live mu-
sic and free Saturday night dance lessons, it’s
the ideal place to work on your Texas Two
Step before you scoot your boots on home.
Geraldine’s —Shannon McGarvey

18 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 DISTILLATIONS

Distilleries & Breweries

Garrison Brothers, 1827 Hye-Albert Rd.,
Hye; garrisonbros.com
Jester King Brewery, 13005 Fitzhugh Rd.
Dripping Springs; jesterkingbrewery.com
St. Elmo Brewing Co., 440 East Saint Elmo
Rd., Suite G-2; stelmobrewing.com
Still Austin Whiskey Co., 440 East St. Elmo
Rd.; stillaustin.com
Treaty Oak Distilling, 16604 Fitzhugh Rd.,
Dripping Springs; treatyoakdistilling.com
Bars & Restaurants
The Blackheart, 86 Rainey St.;
blackheartbar.com
Drink.Well., 207 East 53rd St.;
drinkwellaustin.com
Easy Tiger, 709 East Sixth St.;
easytigeraustin.com
Freedmen’s, 2402 San Gabriel St.;
freedmensbar.com
Geraldine’s, Hotel Van Zandt, 605 Davis St.;
geraldinesaustin.com Whisler’s
Houndstooth Coffee, 401 Congress Ave.,
Ste. 100C; houndstoothcoffee.com
Olamaie, 1610 San Antonio St.;
olamaieaustin.com
Péché, 208 West Fourth St.; pecheaustin.com
Prohibition Creamery, 1407 East Seventh
St.; prohibitioncreamery.com
Soursop, 440 East St. Elmo Rd., Suite G-2;
soursopaustin.com
Spokesman Coffee, 440 East St. Elmo Rd.,
Suite A-2; spokesmancoffee.com Houndstooth Coffee VOX Table
VOX Table, 1100 South Lamar Blvd., Suite
2140; voxtableaustin.com
Whisler’s, 1816 East Sixth St.; whislersatx.com
White Horse, 500 Comal St.; thewhitehorse.com
CENTER RIGHT: ASHLYN ALLISON; BOTTOM: ROBERT J LERMA

Hotel
Hotel Van Zandt, 605 Davis St.;
kimptonhotels.com
Sightseeing and Shopping
The Austin Shaker, 1199 Airport Blvd.;
theaustinshaker.com
Barton Springs Pool, 2131 William Barton
Dr.; austintexas.gov/department/barton-
springs-pool
The Contemporary Austin, 700 Congress
Ave.; thecontemporaryaustin.org
The Driskill Hotel, 604 Brazos St.;
driskillhotel.com
The Yard, 440 East St. Elmo Rd.;
theyardaustin.com Prohibition Creamery

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 19

 DISTILLATIONS

INFORMER

Barrel Strength
I t seems like alchemy: clear whisky
goes in; liquid beauty pours out. All
from oak staves held together by six
metal hoops. No nails, glue, or fasteners
needed. The oak barrel is serious old-
school technology. “The shape is created
by a double arc, which continues to be
one of the strongest building principles of
modern engineering,” says Teri Smith of
Independent Stave Company. “It’s rela-
tively unchanged since the first barrels
were crafted millennia ago.” Although
ORLANDO HOETZEL

many whisky entrepreneurs would like to

circumvent the expensive and labor-inten-
sive barrel, it remains unrivaled for making
fine whisky. Here’s a closer look at the
magical wooden barrel.
—Mike Zimmerman
2
gallons
Amount
of whisky
26

that soaks
60-80 38 into a new
-

years
barrel
S ta
Time for a white oak tree to ve
grow barrel-worthy (some s p er
cooperages prefer even older barre
trees; French oaks can be l
200 years old when
harvested).

267
2 to 3 Bottles per
full 53-gallon/
200 liter
barrel
Number of 53-gallon oak
barrels from one oak tree.

6 months–4 years 500 lbs.

full
Time to dry and season the wood
(percentage of the wood’s water
Why 53? Prior to World War II
whisky barrels held 48 gallons or less.
content drops from 40% to 12%). Due to material shortages, coopers
began making the
barrels larger. The
3 hours
PHOTO CREDIT TK

biggest barrel that

110 lbs. would fit into
Time for a cooperage
empty existing ware-
team to construct
the barrel. house racks was
the 53-gallon.

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 21

 DISTILLATIONS

SPIRIT GUIDE

Vermouth Conjures Mixed Emotions

R emember a time when devotees of
the Manhattan had few options
when it came to choosing a
vermouth to stir with their whiskey? An
era when Martinis were mixed so dry that
Prime Picks from a Vermouth Sleuth
Atsby Amberthorn and red, it has a wel- Martini Riserva Speciale
16%, $40 come bitterness consid- Rubino 18%, $15
it mattered little what was misted on top? This New York State ering its coloration. Part of Martini & Rossi’s
Vermouth, a wine fortified with distilled vermouth is made from a DRINK IT In a Bourbon new series of craft releases,
spirits, was once a sleepy mixer gathering simple formula based on Manhattan to balance this is made from a full-
dust on the shelf. Thanks to the rebirth of Chinese anise, French the sweetness. bodied wine, Italian holy
cocktail culture, those days are over. lavender, apple brandy,
Dolin Rouge thistle, and Central African
Born in the Piedmont region of north- and honey.
16%, $15 red sandalwood.
west Italy in the 16th century or even DRINK IT In a Wet DRINK IT With equal parts
Dolin, the last of
earlier, vermouth was originally used to Martini (one part gin, añejo rum—on the rocks.
the great produc-
make medicinal herbs more palatable. one part Amber-
ers from Chambéry, Noilly Prat Ambre
thorn).
Production spread to neighboring French France, is known 16%, $20
and Swiss regions and became a cottage Carpano Antica for dry white ver- Best known for its drier
industry in all three countries. By the 18th Formula 16.5%, $32 mouths. This is range, France’s Noilly
century, vermouth moved beyond its me- Introduced in 1786, less sugary than Prat also makes this am-
Carpano was Italy’s typical reds, with ber-colored, semi-sweet
dicinal roots and was commonly enjoyed
first commercial dried fruit and vermouth that smacks of
as an appetite enhancer. America discov-
vermouth. The rebirth honey notes. spicy apple, banana, and
ered the drink in the late 19th century and DRINK IT In a
of the Antica Formula rosebuds.
soon revealed its potential in a long list of (old recipe) revives its Gin and It (two parts DRINK IT As a
aromatic, often potent cocktails. Today, it complex mix of vanilla dry gin, one part honeyed Negroni
is still widely appreciated in cocktails— and cocoa. Its sister, vermouth). with equal parts
both new creations and classics—and Punt e Mes ($22), is a gin, Campari, and
Imbue Bittersweet
enjoyed neat as an aperitif. bittersweet dance of
17%, $25 vermouth.
The European Union defines oranges, flowers, and
Oregon’s Patton Val- Poppi
vermouth as a wine fortified with cinnamon.
ley Vineyard focuses Bittersweet
neutral spirits distilled from grapes DRINK IT In a classic
on letting the grape 18%, $22/500ml
to an alcohol content between 14.5- Manhattan (two parts
shine through with Made from Washing-
rye, one part ver-
22% alcohol by volume. In the U.S., wine and brandy, both ton State cabernet
mouth).
vermouth is a subset of aperitif wine, made from pinot gris, sauvignon, its fruit
which is grape wine fortified to at Cinzano 1757 Rosso plus elderflower and is leavened with the
least 15% with brandy or neutral spir- 16.5%, $20 chamomile. bitterness of worm-
This Italian small-batch DRINK IT In a Gold- wood and orris root.
its. In either case, a steeping process
vermouth is a limited en Spike (equal parts DRINK IT In a West
flavors it with dozens of botanicals
and numbered bot- blended scotch, Drambuie, Coast Manhattan made
(e.g., cardamom, cloves, citrus peel, and vermouth).
tling. Although fruity with Woodinville whiskey.
juniper, and ginger), as well as sweet-
eners. Producers from both regions
are testing the boudaries of traditional
vermouth, as European innovators push white grapes. Caramel is used to add color ers to explore alternative bittering agents
beyond the aperitif’s customary red-or- and sweetness to red vermouth. A bounty such as gentian and quinine. Vermouth
white binary and New World producers of sub-styles reflects regional variations mavericks have included strawberries,
showcase striking new flavor varieties. and differing levels of sweetness, including mushrooms, and rhubarb, and powered
Vermouth is popularly divided into two extra-dry, semi-dry, and semi-sweet. their vermouths with brandy or grappa.
types: sweet (generally red) and dry (gen- The name vermouth comes from the Nevertheless, all vermouths have one
erally white). Vintage texts often refer to German word for wormwood and in the commonality: they should be kept cool af-
sweet vermouth as French and dry ver- E.U., vermouth must include substances ter opening. Whether sipped as an aperitif
mouth as Italian, although producers from derived from wormwood or the related Ar- or enjoyed in a Manhattan cocktail, these
each nation now make both varieties. Most temisia. No such condition governs Ameri- would do any refrigerator proud.
vermouth, red and white, is made from can vermouth, allowing stateside produc- —Jack Bettridge

22 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 DISTILLATIONS

GEAR

4
4

7
8

Top Picks
T he cocktail pick serves an important
purpose, keeping fingers dry while
plucking a plump cherry from a Manhat-
tan or fishing a twist from the depths of an
Old-Fashioned. Sure, a wooden toothpick could
1 Him and Her Pic in sterling silver; $120/pair,
martinipic.com 2 Celtic Martini Pick in Pennsylvania
cherrywood; $5, moonspoon.com 3 Kate Spade
New York Acrylic Arrows in black or cream; $20/4,
saksfifthavenue.com 4 Chateau Antique Key Cocktail
do the job. But why not impress your guests by Picks by Twine in zinc and stainless steel; $20/4,
CREDIT TK

spearing some fruit with style? Whether you twineliving.com 5 Branch & Twig Cocktail Pick in
choose a cheeky plastic pick or a satin brass and nickel; $18/4, anthropologie.com 6 Laurel Pics
HARRIS

sterling silver spike, crafted like fine jewelry, in sterling silver; $120/pair, martinipic.com 7 Skull Martini
PHOTO

the only thing you’ll wet is your whistle. Pick in stainless steel by ROOS; $11/5, amazon.com 8 Crate
JEFF

—Jeffery Lindenmuth and Barrel pick in stainless steel; $7/6, crateandbarrel.com

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 25

 DISTILLATIONS

WHISKY WITH...

A Sure Cure
C harcuterie has long been a staple
of French cuisine, but the wide-
spread embrace of nose-to-tail
eating has led to new popularity for
high-quality cured meats. Platters of
charcuterie now appear on menus every-
where from neighborhood sports bars to
white tablecloth restaurants.
Lindy Wildsmith, author of the cookbook
and preserving manual Cured, suggests
that our passion for cured meat runs much
deeper than current culinary trends. “Salt
has been an essential part of our diets for
thousands of years and was a valuable com-
modity,” she says. “We love salt, we love fat
a little less, but [they are] now beginning to
enjoy a revival. Honestly, I think the love of
charcuterie is written in our DNA.”
While there are many methods used to
cure and preserve meat and fish, the most
popular options can be divided into three
broad styles: dried and salted whole-muscle
meats such as continental Europe’s hams;
spicy and fatty cased sausages like chorizo;
and creamy, fatty pâté and rillettes.
Knob Creek Straight Jack Daniel’s Glenrothes Vintage
Arguably the king of the dried and salted
Bourbon Tennessee Straight Reserve
category is prosciutto, dry-cured hind pork
+ Rye +
legs typically served in paper-thin slices.
Prosciutto originated in Italy and premium
Kielbasa Czosnkowa + Prosciutto Ham
(Garlicky Kielbasa) Pork Rillettes The honeyed sweetness
varieties like Prosciutto di Parma have geo- The richness of the bour- The fat of the rillettes mel- and red berry fruit of a
graphical protection. Wildsmith describes bon finds harmony in the lows and rounds the spirit, sherried malt harmonize
prosciutto as “very refined…sweet, with a garlic of the sausage, while the whiskey adds brilliantly with the salt and
silky mouthfeel,” one that pairs well with producing a rich flavor that spiciness to the rich and silky texture of the ham.
elegant single malts, particularly those ma- brings out the best in both. salty pork.
CHARCUTERIE: JEFF HARRIS / FOOD STYLING BY EUGENE JHO

tured in sherry casks, such as Glenrothes

or Glengoyne 15 year old. These whiskies
harmonize brilliantly with the salt and brawny bourbons. Adding an ice cube to To cut through the fat and bring out both
melt-in-the-mouth texture of the meats. your dram will help tame the spice of the the meatiness of the terrine and the sweet-
Spain’s jámon ibérico or rustic jámon chorizo, as does the smokiness of the Islay ness of the spirit, try a peppery whiskey
serrano, each richer and chewier than malt. Lighter single malts, blended malts, such as a straight rye or high-rye bourbon.
Italy’s prosciutto, welcome a more robust or even blended whiskies pair well with On the flip side, a round and vanilla-
and slightly smoky whisky, such as High- more savory and mild pork-based sausage, accented whisky such as Collingwood will
land Park 12 year old. while firmer and rounder American and complement the rich creaminess of the
Spicy and fatty dried sausages, like sa- Canadian whiskies like Woodford Reserve preparation.
lami, pepperoni, saucisson sec, and chorizo or Forty Creek Double Barrel marry more A typical charcuterie board will include
proliferated primarily in parts of Europe harmoniously with beef-based versions, of- a variety of styles of cured meats. So take
that have a stable and dry climate, accord- ten generically identified as kosher salami. consolation that your favorite whisky, with
ing to Wildsmith. Finally, for pâté and rillettes, defined a glass of water on the side, will create
The boldest members of these dry-cured, by their soft, spreadable consistency and some flavorful combinations with these
cased meats, like spicy chorizo, demand flavorsome fattiness, the choice of whisky whisky-friendly treats.
big-flavored whiskies, like Islay malts and becomes a matter of complement or cut. —Stephen Beaumont

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 27

 DISTILLATIONS

ICON

The Joy of
Bourbon,
Cigars,
and Killing
Zombies

ICON INSIDER

WHO Michael Cudlitz, actor

FAVORITE STYLE Bourbon
and rye
GO-TO WHISKIES Bulleit
rye, Blanton’s Single Barrel
bourbon
HOW HE DRINKS Neat and
in Rye Old-Fashioneds
NEW PASTIME Exploring
small craft distilleries with his
wife while traveling for work
and pleasure
IN THE HEADLINES Starring
PHOTO CREDIT TK

in the new film Driven about

John DeLorean, slated to ap-
pear at the Toronto Interna-
tional Film Festival

28 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 DISTILLATIONS

M ichael Cudlitz’s taste in

whiskey is as all-American
as his most memorable
on-screen roles—fighters
like Sergeant Denver “Bull” Randleman on
the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers and
Sergeant Abraham Ford from AMC’s The
people who have money. I hate that.”
As we top our glasses with Peerless rye,
it’s apparent Cudlitz is more excited about
the prospects for craft whiskey than he is
about prestige bottles and bragging rights.
He’s visited Nashville’s Corsair and fre-
quently stops in at other small distilleries
build the ultimate sports car. Cudlitz plays
cocaine smuggler Morgan Hetrick in the
“light, dark comedy.” Cudlitz and the crew
were forced to stop filming and evacuate
Puerto Rico in advance of Hurricane Ma-
ria, but after the hurricane they insisted on
returning to the island to complete filming,
Walking Dead. We sat down with the avid when he travels. “Honestly, it’s like a micro- despite the devastation. Fortunately, the
whiskey fan and Long Island native at cosm of what’s happening in television,” he team had pre-purchased all of their fuel,
Porchlight in New York City to sip our way says of American craft whiskey. “You don’t as required by the island, and were relying
through a few of 2017’s best American have to do something that’s going to appeal solely on generator power, enabling them
whiskeys and find out what’s next for the to the masses. You can do something that’s to finish the final scenes. “So we were able
actor following the gruesome death of his really specific that’s going to appeal to this to go back and finish the film on the island,
character on The Walking Dead, season 7. group that loves that thing. That’s okay.” put 250 people back to work. And it was
Cudlitz is well cast as a sergeant; he’s While Cudlitz generally takes his whis- amazing to be part of that. It was amazing
even provided voiceovers for several Call of key neat, he’s openly contemplating how to see the spirit of the Puerto Rican people,
Duty video games. A fit and formi- despite everything that had hap-
dable figure, never short on opin- pened. And I’m very proud to be part
ions, he appears comfortably close of the project,” he says.
to his blue-collar roots, knocking Later, at New York’s Grand
back a bourbon in his dock-worker Havana Room, puffing away on a Co-
knit cap and black leather boots. hiba Siglo VI paired with a Blanton’s,
In fact, Cudlitz was working as the neat, Cudlitz is in a happy place—a
construction coordinator on Beverly place where his dream is to welcome
Hills 90210—where he was politely others, whether that ultimately
informed to stick to swinging his means opening a cigar bar of his own
hammer and forget any aspirations or filming a television series focused
of auditioning—when one day in 1992 on exploring craft distilleries and
casting hit a roadblock and grabbed cigars. “We’ll just travel around and
THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE: MATT FURMAN / PHOTOGRAPHED AT PORCHLIGHT, NEW YORK CITY

him from the sidelines. “I went in taste whiskeys and cigars, local small
and read for one of the roles and got batch stuff,” he beams.
it, and it was a recurring character “I think everything should be
and those people have been great to done responsibly, but there’s noth-
me,” recalls Cudlitz, swirling a tum- ing better than sitting down with
bler of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. a whiskey, a great bourbon at the
When he’s not enjoying tequila, end of the day, reflecting upon what
Cudlitz says his go-to whiskeys are the day brought and what you’re
Bulleit rye and Blanton’s Single Barrel bour- much he’d like to sample the Peerless rye going to do in the future,” explains Cudlitz,
bon, although, like so many whiskey lovers, in a classic Old-Fashioned cocktail. Rye is preparing to hoist the flag for personal
he laments that Blanton’s is becoming hard- his secret to getting a good Old-Fashioned freedom. “I think we’re losing that abil-
er to find. Sipping through rarities like Four on the road; he finds it’s much harder for a ity to have a moment by ourselves...enjoy
Roses Al Young’s 50th Anniversary bourbon bartender to screw up his drink by mak- something that you just enjoy doing
and William Larue Weller 2017, Cudlitz ing it too sweet. “If it’s a bar you haven’t because it helps you get to a different place
declares them “amazing” whiskeys, but he been to, you gotta protect yourself,” he says. in your life and think about things in a dif-
is more interested in exploring bottles that Cudlitz owes his fondness for the Old-Fash- ferent way. Because society is so judgmen-
everyone can enjoy. “To me the annoying ioned not to a talented bartender, but to his tal of things like, at times alcohol, at times
thing about a lot of this stuff is that the price wife of 31 years and fellow actor, Rachael. cigars. So I really don’t give a shit about
will sometimes and oftentimes limit your “I started drinking Old-Fashioneds when I what society thinks. I’m a grown-ass man,
ability to experience something really cool. travel because that’s what my wife drinks. as my wife has told me, and I enjoy spirits.
Is it better? I don’t know. I mean, that’s for When I travel, I miss my family, so it’s one I enjoy cigars.” Cudlitz delivers his diatribe
you to decide. But people who can’t afford it more thing that connects me to home.” with the sort of wink and colorful indigna-
will never experience it, and that’s kind of a Travel recently took Cudlitz to Puerto tion that made Abraham Ford a fan favorite
shame. Because it’s sort of like, ‘Oh, so that’s Rico to film Driven, a biopic about the on the The Walking Dead, but the subtext is
a whiskey for rich people?’ I hate the idea downfall of auto executive and engineer very heartfelt: this is America.
that you are limiting the experience to only John DeLorean (Lee Pace) and his quest to —Jeffery Lindenmuth

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 29

 DISTILLATIONS

Where Wine
Meets Whisky
NAPA VALLEY
Amador Double Barrel Bourbon
Kentucky bourbon finished in California, in
barrels that previously cosseted Napa Val-
ley wine. Its sibling, Amador Ten Barrels, is
hop-flavored whiskey finished in Trinchero
Family chardonnay barrels.

NORTHERN RHÔNE VALLEY

Benromach Hermitage Wood Finish
The current release of this Speyside
charmer spent its final 31 months in
Hermitage wine casks from France’s
Northern Rhône Valley, home to some of
the world’s finest syrah.

WILLAMETTE VALLEY
Bull Run Distilling Company Pinot
Noir Finished American Whiskey
Portland-based Bull Run uses barrels from
standout Oregon winemakers including
Brooks and Trisaetum. Look for other
Oregon wine and whiskey collaborations
from this distillery in the future.

Wine Country Whisky PASO ROBLES

Crown Royal Noble Collection Wine

S ome great names in wine, like previously held dry and fortified wines Barrel Finished
This Canadian whisky spends 6 months
Château d’Yquem, Oregon’s Brooks, from South Australia. “We want a barrel at
in American oak that previously held
and others are popping up in the least 10 years old so the lignins and tannins
cabernet sauvignon from Paso Robles in
whisky aisle. Not content with a generic in the wood have softened,” explains owner
California’s Central Coast.
sherry or port finish, more distillers are Jock Harvey.
working with notable wineries to find wine The focus on specific wine regions or NIAGARA
barrels that complement their whisky. even producers isn’t just about marketing, Glenfiddich Winter Storm
Portland’s Bull Run Distilling Co. finishes but about creating different and dynamic Part of Glenfiddich’s aptly named Experi-
whiskey in pinot noir casks from nearby Or- whiskies. Irish Distillers has released a mental Series, Winter Storm was finished
egon producers like Trisaetum and Brooks. handful of Green Spot single pot still whis- for 6 months in Canadian ice wine casks
from Niagara’s Peller Estate.
For Chris Williams, winemaker at Brooks, keys finished in casks from world-famous
the whiskey doesn’t fall far from the wine. wineries, each one chosen for its flavor BORDEAUX
He observes that Bull Run’s whiskey fin- profile. “The dominant grape in Château Green Spot Château Léoville Barton
ished in his barrels shares a certain “rustic- Léoville Barton is a cabernet sauvignon, Finished for up to 2 years in casks from
ity” with his wine. “I really like that quality and from our initial trials we found this the famed château in Bordeaux’s Saint-
in pinot noir, and I find that in this whiskey,” worked well with Green Spot,” says Irish Julien, this single pot still Irish whiskey
he says. “I think the older pinot barrels give Distillers’ master of maturation Kevin bears two prestigious names on a single
[the whiskey] an old-world character, which O’Gorman. “The cabernet sauvignon wine label.
I really enjoy in wines, too.” seasoning brings a delicate touch of floral
It is success born of some risk. Lee perfume and a lovely hint of ripe berries,
Medoff, founder and head distiller of Bull such as raspberries and strawberries,” to sourced ice wine barrels from Canada’s
Run explains, “The ability to have access to the whiskey. In contrast, their latest col- Peller Estates to finish Glenfiddich Winter
used wine barrels definitely has advantag- laboration, using zinfandel barrels from Storm. “If we find a new winery somewhere
es…[but the] challenge is making sure they Napa’s Chateau Montelena, has resulted in the world that sounds interesting to work
are fit for spirits. Any off aromas or flavors in a dram “with zesty citrus, orchard fruit, with, then our logistics team are set to the
JEFF HARRIS

will ruin the whiskey.” and red berries,” says O’Gorman. task of finding a way to get the casks into a
In Australia, McLaren Vale Distillery Even scotch producers are in on the fun. container and over to Dufftown!”
finishes its whisky in local barrels that Brian Kinsman, malt master for Glenfiddich, —Brian Freedman

30 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 DISTILLATIONS

Blend Your Own House Whisky

S hiny copper stills get all the
attention, but the most
challenging part of whisky
making usually happens behind
closed doors. Except for single barrel
START
WITH
ADD
A Better Bourbon
A base of reasonably priced barrel-strength bourbon, like Wild
Turkey Rare Breed or Stagg Jr. (33-50% of your blend).

One or two other “value” bottles that offer flavors beyond your base bourbon, like intense
floral notes (Four Roses Single Barrel OBSQ) or a back-end spiciness (Old Grand-Dad 114).
offerings, almost every whisky is a
blend of barrels. Master blenders face TRY Adding a wheated bourbon to a high-rye bourbon, or incorporating
a challenge whether they’re replicat- atypical grains from craft producers like Corsair and Koval.
ing a flavor profile or striving to TOP Add just 5-10% of a much older, woodier bourbon, something Four Roses
create something totally unique. TIP master distiller Brent Elliott does when making his Limited Edition blends. “It’s
“Blending is a creative art,” ex- about balances, bringing out good characteristics, polishing off bad.”
plains John Glaser, founder and whis-
ky maker at Compass Box Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
which specializes in the innovative
START A well-rounded single malt like Glenmorangie Original
blending of whiskies.
WITH 10 year old as your base (50-60% of your blend).
Although distilling must be left to
the professionals, anyone can experi- ADD Single malts to bolster the complexities of your vat. Think of the sweeter Speysides,
a savory Craigellachie, and/or briny coastal whiskies (Talisker and Old Pulteney).
ment with creating blends at home.
Amateurs are now blending custom TRY Incorporating different cask types. Adding up to 25% of Aberlour 10 year old (sherry)
whiskies from commercially-available or Arran Port Cask Finished will round out the more abundant bourbon cask malts.
bottles, a practice many refer to as TOP Use caution with heavily peated whiskies. Even just 5% of an Islay malt
“vatting.” In a way, the task is easier TIP can quickly dominate your vat and become impossible to blend out.
than the one facing a distillery’s
master blender, since most bottles on
the market have already been blended An Irish Original
to a high level of quality. At the same
START A brash but palatable budget bottle of Irish blended whiskey
time, the home blender can combine
WITH (like Powers Gold Label) for at least half of your vat.
whiskies across different distilleries
and even styles, giving them a much ADD Some fuller bodied, spendier pot still offerings (no more than
25%) like Redbreast 12 year old and/or Green Spot.
broader palette of whisky flavors.
“The challenges in blending are in TRY Adding quality grain whiskey (around 10%), like the spicy Teeling Single Grain or the highly
knowing when a new recipe is finally tropical, corn-based Kilbeggan 8 year old Single Grain for greater drinkability and complexity.
complete,” warns Glaser. “Sometimes TOP Don’t discount affordable whiskeys that may seem harsh by themselves.
it’s difficult to stop that process, TIP They can add some desirable boldness to a home vatting.
because you want to keep tweaking to
get to some idea of perfection.”
Start by making some single-
serving drams for yourself, jiggering YOU’LL NEED Aside from a decent and varying selection of whiskies, few tools are
an ounce of this, a quarter-ounce of that. needed to blend at home.
When you hit upon something great, use
a graduated cylinder to scale the recipe
to full-size bottles. Allow it to sit for a
week so the flavors marry, like day-old
stew. There are no hard and fast rules
for blending, but these guidelines will Calculator App to scale per- Glass Eye-Dropper marked Flask Funnel for filling
put you on the right track to creating a centages and proportions. in increments for adding tiny bottles both large and small.
delicious whisky that is all your own. No flavoring portions. bigkitchen.com
Japanese-Style Jigger
still required. with 0.5 and 0.75-ounce premiumvials.com Boston Round Bottles of
—Aaron Goldfarb’s upcoming book measurements, for build- Graduated Cylinder with sample sizes (2 oz.) and
from Dovetail Press will look at ing single-serving vattings. ounce markings for larger larger (32 oz.). Label each
amateur blending (among other cocktailkingdom.com batches. A measuring cup with the formula or give your
fun at-home experiments). works fine, too. amazon.com whisky a name. amazon.com

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 31

 DISTILLATIONS

Kentucky Derby Insider

T he Kentucky Derby’s reputation as “the most exciting two minutes in
sports” barely scratches the surface of this bourbon-soaked event, which
draws as many as 170,000 spectators to the Churchill Downs racetrack.
“It’s not just the two-minute race on TV, it’s two long, ten-plus hour days of fun
and excitement at the track, plus all the galas, events, and activities surrounding
Make a Flight
Detour
Flights into Louisville are
few and expensive. Save
by flying into Cincinnati
Arrive Early
Not hours…days! All
reserved seats for Sat-
urday’s Derby include
Friday, Kentucky Oaks
or Indianapolis and driv- Day, an equally elegant
those,” says Brian Learst, CEO of Quint Events, the official ticket package provider.
ing the rest of the way. affair. Also, consider
A basic ticket to the raucous infield party can be had for $60, while the poshest attending Thursday
suites can run up to $8,000 per person. Whatever your budget, we put you on the Dress the Part (dubbed Thurby) with
fast track to checking this event off your bourbon-lover’s bucket list. Festive attire is a Derby much cheaper tickets and
—Larry Olmsted tradition. Have fun, but smaller crowds.
keep your sartorial aspi-
rations in check. Prioritize
comfort and dress for the
weather, advises Louis-
ville native Dr. Michael
Doyle, a Derby vet-
eran. “It can be
cold, hot;
I’ve seen
snowflakes.”

Stake a Claim
Infield spectators battle
for a prized spot on the
fence. Your move: enter
through Gate 1, where
you can bring chairs and
a tarp. Have the fleetest
member of your group
sprint, tarp in hand, and
stake out some prime
turf while the rest pack in
the gear.
Keep a Cool Head
Ornate hats are a Derby Aim High
signature for women, and The main structure is split
more men are doffing between the clubhouse,
fedoras and straw hats. near the finish line, and
Local Louisville shops, grandstand sections.
like Dee’s Hats, deliver When selecting seats, re-
directly to your hotel. member: higher is better;
deeshats.com closer to finish is better.
 DISTILLATIONS

Ride the Rail Las Vegas. “If you want

Learst’s hidden-gem to hedge your bets, pick PACK IT IN
pick is the recently three horses and bet them
added ground-level Right
Courtyard—five rows of
to win, it costs the same as
win, place, show.” E ach guest is limited
to two bags, no
more than 12” in any
your bourbon, so save
money by bringing
water and soft drinks,
trackside seats with a
direction. There’s a long which are permitted
finish-line view and open
list of what not to bring in sealed clear plastic
bar ($2,500).
(like alcohol bever- containers.
ages), but here’s what Pack a box lunch.
Seal This Deal Spot a Celeb
you should pack. Better yet, have one
Grandstand sections 326 Tickets for the star-stud-
Doyle’s top tip for packed for you. Many
and 328 offer modern ded Barnstable Brown
ladies is to bring cheap area restaurants offer
stadium seats, ample leg- gala on the eve of the
flip-flops that fit in a boxed Derby and Oaks
room, superb views, with Derby are $900. Post
purse. Dressing up is day lunches to pre-
food and drinks included up for free near gate 10,
part of the experience, order, like the Cheddar
on the rooftop deck where celebs enter on the
but suffering doesn’t Box Café’s biscuit sand-
(around $1,500). red carpet before ascend-
have to be. wich lunches (country
ing to their prime seats.
Umbrellas aren’t per- ham or filet mignon),
Live Like a King Skip the Lines
mitted. Instead, pack salads, and group meal
The Stakes Room—fourth The Churchill Downs app
a poncho, suggests kits (from $20,
floor, over the finish line, lets you place bets from
Learst. On the flip side, cheddarboxcafe.com).
with an outdoor terrace, your phone. You can also
bring sunscreen and Bring cash. Due to
a wrap-around balcony order food and skip the
sunglasses, since nearly state law, credit cards
overlooking the paddock, line when you pick it up
all the infield seats are aren’t permitted for
fantastic food, and an or even get in-seat food
uncovered. placing bets and ATM
open bar—may be the delivery in many sections.
You’ll be buying lines tend to be long.
best spot on the track,
according to Learst. Drink One Julep
($4,500-$8,000) Enjoy one of the 120,000
Mint Juleps, pocket the
Look a Horse souvenir glass, then switch Crash a Party
in the Mouth it up. “A great, freshly After the race, Doyle sug-
Tickets for the crowded made Julep is delicious, gests walking north to the
infield start at just $60. Make a Winning Bet but hard to find, and in Central Avenue neighbor-
However, general admis- Avoid complex multi-horse Churchill Downs they’re hood where homeowners
sion tickets include ac- bets. “Pick a horse and bet using pre-made mix,” Grab a Cool throw a street fest. “Ev-
cess to the more relaxed it to win,” says Frank Ku- says Colin Blake, educa- Keepsake eryone has a party: there
paddock area, where novic, director of specialty tion director at Louisville’s A Woodford Reserve are barbecues going, beer
you can actually see the games for the Caesars Moonshine University. Julep in a silver cup will for a buck, even DJs,”
TOM FROESE

horses. Backstretch Tours Palace sports book in Blake suggests a classic run you $1,000. However, says Doyle. “It’s a local
let you watch the morn- Old-Fashioned instead. a “Kicked Up” horseshoe thing but anyone can go
ing equine workout (from that ran on the track is eat and drink and it goes
$42, except Derby day). under ten bucks, complete on for hours.”
with dirt, available at Taste
of Kentucky gift shops.

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 35

 DISTILLATIONS

TASTING LESSON

How Scotch
Laws Limit
Creativity
G lobal drinks giant Diageo, owner of
Johnnie Walker, Lagavulin, and
other whiskies, is reportedly
planning new products and processes that
could challenge the nature of scotch. The Wall
Street Journal reports the company formed a
“secret task force” last year to determine how
Scotch whisky is “constrained” in regulatory,
legal, technical, and other ways and to explore
the “scope for reform.” Two ideas are
highlighted: the creation of “Scotch whisky
infusions,” low-alcohol and/or flavored
alcohol beverages, and single malt scotch
MEADOW BLOSSOM HONEY HEATHER HONEY BEESWAX finished in Don Julio Tequila barrels.
The Dubliner Dewar’s 12 year old Clynelish 14 year old “Scotch infusions” could fail to meet two
peach, butter toffee, fudge, rich vanilla, floral, creamy, salty tang, legal criteria for Scotch whisky: bottling at
fragrant floral notes sliced banana gently smoky 40% ABV or above and the exclusion of addi-
tives. In addition, Diageo reportedly planned
THE SWEETEST THING Soothe your palate with soft, golden nectar for a price to use the names of existing scotch brands,
that won’t sting. which could lead to confusion among drink-
ers. Section 6 (2) of the 2009 Scotch Whisky

Combing for Honey Flavors

Regulations prohibits labeling, packaging,
selling, advertising, or promoting any drink
that could confuse the public as to whether it
Tasting Lesson is a drink hack to help you better identify common is Scotch whisky.
whisky flavors and their origins. The issue of finishing scotch in Don Julio

M
Tequila barrels is less clear-cut. Scotch has
ore than just sugar, honey lends whisky matured in American white oak and been finished in a wide variety of casks,
its warming, sunny sweetness to first-fill bourbon barrels, a result of sweet including madeira, port, and brandy, so it’s
a cup of tea or a glistening glaze esters, such as beta-phenylethyl acetate, unclear why Tequila presents a problem.
for chicken wings. Of course, honey is not produced during fermentation. Sugars in Diageo’s request to specifically use Don Julio
just a single flavor. A natural food product of the wood layers below the charred surface Tequila barrels may have resulted them be-
honeybees, honey reflects its origins, of the cask staves also contribute notes ing denied. Regulation 9 (4) states: “Scotch
whether the nectar was collected from a of honey. The aromatics can mingle with Whisky must not be labelled, packaged,
Scottish heather moor or from wildflowers floral notes, light citrus, and vanilla. With advertised or promoted in any other way
growing on a California mountainside. practice, you can train your palate to distin- that, having regard to the presentation of
Honey connoisseurs will happily pay a guish honey styles, from light clover to deep the product as a whole, creates a likelihood
premium for a quality, single-source jar buckwheat and rich and herbal manuka. that the public may think that it has been
from an artisanal apiary, admiring the Single malts from Cardhu, Aberfeldy, distilled at any distillery or place other than
spectrum of honeyed colors from gold to and Dalwhinnie often show radiant honey the distillery or place at which it was actually
deep mahogany, and their nuances of flavors characteristics, while the single malts distilled.” Scotch whisky is one of the most
in a way familiar to whisky lovers. from Clynelish Distillery, which appear in strictly controlled whiskies in the world,
Honey and alcohol have shared a con- Johnnie Walker and Compass Box whis- and that sort of assurance comes at a cost
INSETS: ISTOCK

nection through drinks like mead, liqueurs, kies, offer a honeycomb waxiness in their for those looking to expand its boundaries.
and whiskies flavored with honey. Even mouthfeel. Why simply drink your whisky, For the full story, visit whiskyadvocate.com/
whiskies that don’t include honey can have when you can really make a miele of it? diageo-rewrite-scotch.
flavors of it. Notes of honey often appear in —Jonny McCormick —Susannah Skiver Barton

36 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 DISTILLATIONS

BARS

A Guy and a Dog Walk Into a Bar...

F ew things are more enjoyable than
sipping a great whisky in the
company of a good friend. But
complications arise when your drinking
companion has four legs and kibble
breath. Fortunately, we’ve uncovered a
handful of bars that cater to whisky lovers
and their canine counterparts. With d.b.a. New York City
impressive whisky lists and perks for your This dark East Village institution remains
pooch, these dog-friendly destinations are an authentically gritty throwback. The
great places to enjoy a whisky with a side focus is on beer, with well over 100
of water—served neat, in a bowl. offerings, but the chalkboard also boasts a
respectable selection of single malt
Taurus Beer & Whisk(e)y standard bearers and
House Miami sipping tequilas. Dogs
This rollicking locals’ bar is both dog are welcome through-
and kid-friendly. No food is prepared out the bar, and the
here, so dogs are permitted throughout enclosed patio,
the bar, although in fair weather most resembling a green-
guests opt for the outdoor patio area. In house, is heated in fall
addition to comedy night, trivia contests, and winter. Expect
and live music, Taurus offers a serious deep crowds on
whisky list numbering around 140 weekends as the party
selections. The whisky-laden cocktail pushes on until 4 a.m.
menu includes classics, like a Four Roses FOR YOU Pair your
Boulevardier, and originals, like Breakfast whisky with a pastrami
at Taurus: bacon-infused rye whiskey and sandwich from the
Licor 43. taurusbeerandwhiskey.com famous Katz’s Delicates-
FOR YOU Whisk(e)y Wednesday – 30 sen—or any other carry-in food.
percent off all whisky, all day. No FOR FURRY FRIENDS Reserve the patio to
exceptions. host a doggie birthday party.
FOR FURRY FRIENDS Dog-safe treats from Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar
local Rocco’s Barkery. Baltimore Holy Water San Francisco
Smoked meat, plenty of bourbon, and furry This highbrow cocktail haunt looks
Clark Street Ale House companionship abound in this top-class straight out of the Restoration Hardware
Chicago barbecue joint that welcomes dogs to their catalog, with mismatched glass shades on
With dark wood walls and a pressed-tin outdoor area with its backyard picnic vibe. the pendant lights and an image of a river
ceiling, this well-worn tavern is a holdover in A heavily American list of over 100 baptism on the wall. The illustrated
the upwardly trending River North neigh- whiskies includes rotating selections of cocktail menu includes both classic and
borhood. Choose from over 300 whiskies on private bottlings from Buffalo Trace and original bourbon drinks (all $10), while the
offer or browse 25 tantalizing taps of craft Four Roses. In addition to hosting fund- list of around 60 whiskies boasts a smatter-
beer. Dogs are welcome in the rear garden raisers for several local dog rescues, Blue ing of Compass Box and some cult craft
and inside the bar, with complimentary Pit posts a wall with photos of dogs finds, like Willett Family Estate rye ($9).
water and treats provided. Clark Street also currently up for adoption, so you might just Dogs of all sizes are welcome throughout
gives back to the canine community, hosting find your next love in a barroom after all. the bar. holywatersf.com
frequent fundraisers for shelters and bluepitbbq.com FOR YOU At 11 p.m. nightly, bartenders
adoption services. clarkstreetalehouse.com FOR YOU The “Reserve” list, including break out exotic spirits and test market
FOR YOU Cherry-pick the list for gems like treasures like William Larue Weller new cocktails.
Ardbeg Corryvreckan from 2009 ($17). 2017 ($30). FOR FURRY FRIENDS No longer confined
FOR FURRY FRIENDS Holiday events, like FOR FURRY FRIENDS Dog hoodies to keep to the floor, dogs can take a seat at the bar.
a Halloween dog costume contest. cozy in winter and bandanas in the summer. —Jeffery Lindenmuth

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 37

 DISTILLATIONS

Rethinking Whisky’s Raw Ingredients

Cutting-edge developments in raw materials may reimagine whisky from the ground up.
Sowing Seeds of the Future Loss Prevention

“B arley is really the key ingredient

behind the success of Scotch
whisky,” says Dr. Bill Thomas, a cereal
W hisky evaporating from the casks,
known as the angels’ share, is a
costly concern for distillers. “We’ve been
grain researcher at Scotland’s James trying to understand more about liquid
Hutton Institute, a research center for losses from casks,” says Mark Patterson, a
land, crops, water, and the environment. research scientist with the Scotch Whisky
“But barley needs to meet the challenges Research Institute. Some losses are to be
posed by climate change.” Hotter, drier expected, but larger losses are usually the
summers could have a direct impact on the result of leakage. Patterson has been trialing
success of spring barley, the main malting a thermal imaging camera as a leak detector
crop for whisky. Thomas warns, “Scotland and has found it can differentiate surface
is not producing enough barley to meet the temperatures caused by leaks to within a
distillers’ needs.” fraction of a degree. “Thermal imaging
Selective breeding has improved the delivers a rapid, accurate assessment of the
malt extract and alcohol yields from spring cask during maturation and it can pick up
barley. Lower-yielding winter barley has things that we can’t see by the naked eye,”
not had the same focus, but is promising as says Patterson. The camera can detect cold
well. Due to the fact that it’s harvested ear- spots on the cask surface caused by
lier, it can escape the adverse impact hot, Beauty and the Yeast previously undetected evaporation. Defects
dry summers can have on spring barley.
Contributing to the advances, barley’s DNA
has been sequenced, and it is 165 percent
I mproving distiller’s yeast, Saccharomy-
ces cerevisiae, by modifying it to
produce higher alcohol yields and develop
in the cask ends, the seams between staves,
or faults in the bung stave are often the
culprits. The system can be tricked by
of the size of the human genome; enough better tolerance to stress are worthy goals dampness picked up on the surface when a
characters to produce 11,000 large novels. for the distiller. “Being a genetic engineer cask is rolled, or from wet splashes after a
Now, scientists in Scotland are trying to is a bit like being a yeast mechanic,” says cask is sampled, and it can only image the
breed the qualities of the best spring bar- Emily Stonehouse, a researcher for casks in front of it, making it challenging to
leys into new winter barleys to provide the Mascoma, a technology company based in use in a packed palletized warehouse. A
breeding lines of the future and increase Lebanon, New Hampshire. “I work inside useful early warning system, but unfortu-
the amount of whisky that can be made the yeast to try to give it new abilities to do nately, there’s no X-ray vision button yet.
from the same size field. things or to try to improve it for applica- —Jonny McCormick
tions that we might want to use it for.
We’re lucky because yeast has a great
owner’s manual, as it’s well characterized
at a genetic level.”
If successful, new yeast strains have
the potential to deliver tastier whisky and
generate novel flavors that yeasts do not
naturally produce, although the use of ge-
netically engineered organisms is contro-
versial and often restricted by law. If you
love banana, then yeast can be engineered to
generate more isoamyl acetate, the chemi-
cal responsible for banana-like aromas. “By
overexpressing two genes, we were able to
MARK ALLEN MILLER

get over 100-fold increase in isoamyl acetate

production from that yeast,” says Stone-
house. “There’s really unlimited potential
for what we can produce from yeast in the
future if we use genetic engineering.”

38 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 DISTILLATIONS

Herb
Appeal
These fresh picks aren’t
your garden-variety
whisky cocktails

T he rebirth of our herb

gardens lends whisky
cocktails a fresh and
vibrant spin that neatly fills the
void between fireside Manhattans
and summer’s whisky Highballs.
“Adding herbs in whisky cocktails is a
great way to accentuate many of the
other elements, like citrus, bitters, and
sugar,” says Kaitlin Ryan, bartender at
PABU Izakaya in San Francisco. In her
words, these drinks are “a bouquet of
flavor in a glass.”

Thyme After Time

40 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 DISTILLATIONS

Country Club Smash

Created by Brock Schulte, bar director of
The Monarch Cocktail Bar & Lounge,
Kansas City
“This smooth, fresh take on a classic Smash
has a little island flavor, but is all-American
at its core,” says Schulte. Coconut water
meets fresh mint, a natural flavor partner
for chocolatey crème de cacao.
1 ½ oz. Rittenhouse rye (or other rye
whiskey)
½ oz. Tempus Fugit crème de cacao (or
other crème de cacao)
¼ oz. Becherovka herbal liqueur
1 oz. coconut water
6-8 mint leaves, plus 1 for garnish
Pinch of salt
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with
ice. Hard shake. Double strain into a rocks Kumamoto Sour
glass with a large cube of ice. Garnish with
a lightly bruised mint leaf.
Kumamoto Sour Rose-Colored Thai
Created by Raul Ayala, lead bartender at Created by Kaitlin Ryan, bartender at PABU
Thyme After Time Dirty Habit, San Francisco Izakaya, San Francisco
Created by Shawn Chen, beverage director “Layers of fresh, aromatic tones from the A soft, silky, yet complex drink inspired by
at RedFarm, New York City basil balance out the nuttiness of the Thai cuisine. “The bourbon complements
“Thyme and herbal bitters bring a nice cashew orgeat in this frothy, refreshing the vegetal spice notes of the cilantro,
balance to smoky peated scotch and make concoction,” Ayala says. while the fresh pop of mint, brightness of
the drink more approachable,” says Chen. the lime, and coconut round things out and
1½ oz. Fukano 2017 Edition whisky (or
tie it all together,” says Ryan.
1 ½ oz. BenRiach 10 year old Curiositas (or other Japanese whisky)
other peated scotch) ½ oz. cashew orgeat (recipe below) 1½ oz. Four Roses yellow label (or other
THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE: JEFF HARRIS / DRINK AND SET STYLING BY EUGENE JHO

3 dashes Bittermens Scarborough Savory 1 basil leaf bourbon)

Herbal bitters ½ oz. lemon juice ½ oz. cilantro-mint syrup (recipe below)
¾ oz. lemon thyme syrup (recipe below) 1 barspoon matcha green tea powder ½ oz. coconut cream or purée
1 oz. lime juice ½ oz. egg whites ½ oz. lime juice
¾ oz. sparkling wine basil leaf for garnish dried rose buds (optional), cilantro
2 sprigs thyme for garnish bouquet for garnish
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Dry
Combine all ingredients except sparkling shake. Add ice and shake again. Double Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
wine in a shaker with ice. Shake and double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with Strain over fresh crushed ice in a rocks
strain into a sherry glass. Top with spar- basil leaf. glass. Garnish with rose tea buds and
kling wine and garnish with thyme. bouquet of cilantro.
Cashew Orgeat:
Lemon Thyme Syrup: 1 cup water Cilantro-Mint Syrup
1 sprig of thyme 1 cup toasted cashews 1 cup white granulated sugar
3 lemon wedges 1 cup sugar 1 cup water
2 cups water 1 Tbsp. rose water (optional) 30 mint leaves
4 cups fine sugar 2 oz. brandy 15 cilantro leaves
Combine all ingredients in small saucepan Combine water and cashews in a blender Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over
over medium heat, stirring continuously until liquefied. Pour into a saucepan. Add medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Do not
until sugar is completely dissolved. Let sugar and rose water and bring to a boil. boil. Strain and let cool in a glass container.
cool for 30 minutes. Use a fine mesh sieve Reduce heat and simmer until sugar is Keeps refrigerated for up to a week.
to strain into a mason jar. Keeps refriger- dissolved. Remove from heat and add brandy. —Brittany Risher
ated for up to a month. Strain. Keeps refrigerated up to three weeks.

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 41

 DISTILLATIONS

In fact, confused con-

sumers often return these Hazing Rituals
hazy bottles to the store,
says Jefferson’s bourbon Many non-chill filtered whiskies proclaim
founder Trey Zoeller. “As it on the label. But if you are uncertain,
much as I love the non- these easy tests can help determine if a
chill filtration, it’s a pain. whisky has been filtered for aesthetic
reasons.
People find floaters and
are unhappy,” Zoeller says.
Shake it Up
Given this problem, most Swish the bottle and
distillers simply choose to look closely as the
chill filter before bottling. whisky drips down
Chill filtration prevents the inside of the
whisky from developing a bottle neck. Tomasze-
haze, but it can also strip it wski says non-chill
of flavor if not done care- filtered whisky will
fully. Heaven Hill master often reveal cloudy
distiller Denny Potter ex- residue.
plains that chill filtration
Fuggedaboutit
removes fatty acids, esters,
According to
and proteins that create Tomaszewski, a
the haze, also known as non-chill filtered
‘chill floc.’ “Our chill filter whisky allowed to
process involves dropping sit out in a glass
the temperature of our overnight will
whiskey to around 28-30˚F, become opaque.
forcing the whiskey to floc,
and running it through Put the Chill On
a pressure-leaf filtration Place the bottle in the
freezer. “If you do not
media,” Potter says. “This
see any cloudiness
media will remove the
once the temperature
chill floc without altering of the liquid gets
the color or flavor.” below 30˚F, then it is
Some distillers will probably a good
drop the temperature as indication that the
low as 10˚F during the whisky was chill

In Praise of Haze
chill process, while oth- filtered,” Potter says.
ers use carbon filtration
to remove the floc. But The Burden
of Proof
Cloudy whisky has a silver lining there’s a trade-off for such
Higher-proof

H
crystal-clear whisky; Pot-
whiskies make it
ave you ever picked up a bottle ter contends that carbon filtration removes
more challenging
of whisky and noticed the liquid flavor, too. Rutledge notes that today’s con- to identify chill
inside is hazy? Or dropped ice noisseurs actually prefer their whisky to be filtration, according
into a glass of whisky only to see it turn non-chill filtered because it assures them to Rutledge. “The
cloudy? Fear not, this isn’t faulty product. that flavors haven’t been stripped away. more water added
It’s whisky that is non-chill filtered, and it’s Distillers like MB Roland founder Paul to a whisky the
coveted by enthusiasts. Tomaszewski are staunch advocates of non- faster the precipitation will occur, so
Unless it’s chill filtered, any bottle of chill filtered whisky. “There’s an intimacy, lower proof whiskies are at greater risk
whisky that’s diluted with water or allowed an extra warmth and depth to non-chill for fatty acid precipitation,” he says.
to sit undisturbed at room temperature for filtered whisky,” he says. “The flavor profile “I’ve never seen a haze in a barrel
CURTIS PARKER

strength whisky, no matter how long a

a couple of hours will develop a haze, says contains additional layers and is just as bold
bottle is left standing undisturbed.”
former Four Roses master distiller Jim Rut- and untamed as if you were pouring directly
Dilute high-proof whisky with water
ledge. “The haze will ultimately turn to ugly, from the barrel, which in essence, you are.” before testing.
nasty looking solids in the bottle,” he says. —Fred Minnick

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 43

 DISTILLATIONS

NAVIGATE WHISKY WONDERLAND

WhiskyFest 2018
Free (iOS and Android)
Prioritize your whisky hit
list, map a route, and post
your tasting adventures to
social media with ease.
Whether you’re in
Chicago, Washington
D.C., San Francisco, or
New York, you’ll have the
pour list and seminars at your fingertips.

Swiller Apps BE A MORE SOCIAL DRINKER

Barreled and
FIND AN ELUSIVE BOTTLE

Whiskey
These apps make ordering, Drammit Searcher
tracking, and drinking your Free (iOS and Android) Free (iOS)
whisky easier than ever. Both of these apps offer Search the world for the

A
user-generated tasting bottle of your dreams
cell phone is no glass of whisky, but notes to help connect across retailers offering
in terms of handheld comforts, it with like-minded whisky over one million spirits
comes in a close second. Whether lovers or create a listings. Find the best
you’re looking to locate the dram of your network across your local price or search the
dreams or catalog a growing collection, current tasting circle. globe for rarities. A paid
there’s an app that can make the task easier. Barreled offers an activity feed, while Pro version values your collection.
We tapped our way to the best. Drammit makes posting to Facebook easy.

PLACE AN ORDER FOR DELIVERY WHIP UP A WHISKY COCKTAIL TRACK YOUR TASTINGS

Drizly Lush Cocktails Whisky Log

Free (iOS and Android) $1.99 (iOS) Free (iOS)
Order whisky from your Discover new cocktails A straightforward tool
couch. Selection depends by name, ingredient, that makes chronicling
on how quickly you need flavor, occasion (luckily, the whiskies you’ve
WHISKYFEST: TIM RYAN SMITH

the whisky—immediately, even brunch counts as an tasted as smooth as that

that day, or in a few. You’ll occasion), or search by initial sip. Entries are
pay a small premium for recipe type, such as recorded chronologically.
the convenience. In New classic drinks. There are Easily add photos,
York, Macallan Sherry Oak hundreds of recipes to inventory your own
12 arrives to your door for $70, Maker’s Mark choose from, and over 40 include whisky. collection, and mark bottles as empty when
for $35. (Available in select U.S. markets.) that time arrives.
—Ted Simmons

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 45

 AUCTION IN DEX

Change is in the Air ket can go up or down in value. Some

individual bottles are performing spectacu-
larly, but a few key indicators are hinting that
BY JONNY M C CORMICK the broader market is quietly changing. At
The Whisky Advocate Auction index (WAAI) tracks a basket of 100 rare, collectible whiskies the end of 2016, 20 bottles of the 100 tracked
through the world’s commercial auction houses. Each bottle’s original price was benchmarked in the index lost value. For the year ending
at a baseline value of 100, ensuring that every whisky exerts an equal influence on the value of 2017, that number increased to 30 bottles.
the index. The current value of each whisky—compared to that original price—is calculated While still positive, the index posted its low-
quarterly and composed of a rolling average of the hammer prices over the previous twelve est quarterly gain since online auction data
months. The WAAI is determined as a composite of the quarter’s performance of these 100 was added two years ago. This begs the ques-
whiskies. The index was up 4.0 percent to stand at 301.9 in the final quarter of 2017. tion: is oversupply curbing prices?
It’s easy to miss the subtle market trends
if you’re distracted by big-ticket bottles

F
ifty thousand lots of whisky were petition and causing volatility in the changing hands for inconceivably large
offered for sale at auction at the end collectors’ market. Of course, fabricated sums. Appreciation in value of 25 percent a
of last year, the majority sold from the reserves can only protect falling prices for so year or more has been the expectation for
heart of the whisky auction market in Scot- long. Sooner or later, someone needs to sell. so long that news of falling prices, even
land. This abundance of whisky presents A sneeze in the auction market could lead modest ones, could come as a nasty shock.
opportunities for buyers, both in terms of the whisky industry to catch a cold, and the The value of the debut release of Port
greater selection and lower prices. When the trickle-down effect could ultimately impact Charlotte PC5 from Bruichladdich
same bottles are available simultaneously the styling and pricing of new limited-edi- (Whisky Advocate Rating 92), for example,
across multiple websites, buyers have reason tion releases aimed at collectors. Hunger fell by $50 a bottle, down 11.9 percent in
to pause and competition to bring in bids keeps you sharp, but parts of the secondary 2017. Hammer prices for the long-discon-
increases. However, sensing the wind whisky market are looking overfed and tinued Ardbeg Lord of the Isles have
change, nervous vendors may protect their paunchy, and moving sluggishly. previously topped $1,000, but fell $35 a
more expensive bottles with unattainable Where’s the evidence? Every quarter, any bottle last year. The barometer of whisky
reserve prices, failing to attract enough com- of the 100 bottles tracked for the WAAI bas- availability has swung back from ‘very dry’

SPOTLIGHT Macallan Coronation

Crowning Glory Reigns Supreme

Perhaps it was excitement surrounding photographs of Her Majesty taken by Cecil
the royal engagement of Prince Harry Beaton in 1953 and a contemporary image
and Meghan Markle, or simply the block- of the Queen captured by Julian Calder in
buster arrival of Season 2 of The Crown on 2013. The UK-exclusive release was limited
Netflix, but there was a veritable stampede to 1,953 sets available at £350 each, and
in prices for the final installment in the flippers were hoping for a repeat of the
modern trio of Macallan royal releases at Diamond Jubilee success, which quickly
the end of the year. The Macallan Diamond jumped to four times its release price.
Jubilee released in 2012 (Whisky Advocate Instead, they had to accept its peak at value since the start of 2017. With Macallan
Rating 87) was already doing brisk busi- 2.5 times the retail price. Prices slid back Royal Wedding (Whisky Advocate Rating
ness at auctions around the world when steadily, languishing at a low profit margin 92) and Macallan Diamond Jubilee trading
Macallan Coronation, the next in line to the for original owners during one annus hor- at even higher prices, there is optimism
throne, appeared in 2013. The presenta- ribilis; sets on Scotch Whisky Auctions that the Macallan Coronation set remains
tion was surprising: the box contained not were still selling for as little as £450/$650 a good purchase for investors. Around 100
a single bottle, but the unorthodox sight in February 2016. By the third quarter of sets appeared at auction in 2017 alone,
of two smaller 350ml bottles spanning the 2017, the pace began to pick up. Amid and the recent dynamic performance will
60-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II. These the clamor of royal headlines going into undoubtedly encourage more owners to
crown jewels were single cask bottlings of winter, prices climbed hundreds of dollars part with their sets. Watch out—a boost in
Macallan matured in Spanish and Ameri- with every passing auction. At the time of supply could keep prices clipped back in
can oak (Whisky Advocate Ratings of 88 writing, Just Whisky holds the record price the early months of this year, which could
and 83 respectively), with labels showing of £2,075/$2,765, representing a tripling in create the smartest moment to buy.

46 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 AUCTION INDEX

SPOTLIGHT North Port Rare Malts Selection

A Lost Distillery Flies Under the Radar

North Port is a lost distillery that collectors are try- bottle last year, up from $350 a bottle in 2016.
ing to find. A dry, fruity Highland whisky, it’s sweet While the Rare Malts were produced at the
and nutty, with a subtle delivery of smoke. It’s cur- distillery a long, long time ago, they are not your
rently delivering good profits too; average prices are last hope. Thirteen years ago, Diageo released a
up by more than 50 percent in a year for the North bottling from the same distillery for the Special
Port Rare Malts Selection expressions, the first of- Releases, the only official release of the century,
ficial bottlings released in the 1990s. A neighbor to Brechin 1977 28 year old. There were only 2,040
Glencadam Distillery, North Port was situated on the bottles released, and they currently attract $340
east coast of Scotland in Brechin, Angus. The Distill- to $480 a bottle. It has yet to leap to the prices of
ers Company Limited ended production in 1983 other lesser-known closed distillery Diageo Special
during a bleak period that saw multiple distillery Releases such as Convalmore, Linlithgow, and
closures, and the site was later demolished. Average Glenury Royal, so if you can hunt down a bottle of
hammer prices for the Rare Malts surged to $550 a this liquid history, hold on to it tightly.

to ‘change’ and collectors would be wise to some of the 21st century whiskey releases that fetched $550, having originally cost $90 in
keep a close eye on the weather. have become highly collectible. A 2001 release retail. Orphan Barrel Old Blowhard 26 year
The outlook remains much brighter for of William Larue Weller 19 year old took old (Whisky Advocate Rating 81) was released
American whiskeys however, particularly $2,400 while Colonel E.H. Taylor Ware- at $150 a bottle, but bidding peaked at $500.
after Skinner Inc. capped a remarkable year house C Tornado Surviving made $950. An expression of Old Rip Van Winkle 18 year
with generous online and live auction sales. Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch old bottled for Danny Meyer’s Blue Smoke in
Whisky Advocate readers may already own 2012 release (Whisky Advocate Rating 96) Manhattan sold in Boston at a sweet $10,000.

SP RI N G 2 018 W H I S KY ADVO CAT E AUCT IO N INDE X

310
300 301.9

290 290.3
280
277.5
270
260 261.1

250
246.5
240
230 231.8

220
217.1
210
200 202.3

190
185.0
180 179.4
177.3
170 174.4
170.4

160 163.1
155.5
150
148.6
145.0
140 140.5
136.7
130 131.4 133.3
130.0 128.8
124.0
JONNY MCCORMICK

120 119.8
110
105.1 107.2
100 100 100.7
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 47

 AME RIC AN SPIRIT

A Split Personality Drinker

by FRED MINNICK

W
ith legs kicked up, a We all have food cravings. It’s the same cubes, to be exact, in high-proof bourbon,
cigar in one hand, for bourbon. Perhaps I want something changes the whiskey with every sip and
and bourbon in that reminds me of my momma’s no-bake happens to be my preferred cocktail during
another, I sip, smoke, cookies, with chocolate and oatmeal notes. the summer social hour.
and don’t think about Or do I want a reminder of grandpa’s corn- When scoring, I do not use ice or initially
what I’m tasting. My focus is on my bread, Army coffee, or Derby Pie? When add water, which is why that slight altera-
friends: the millennial, the rocker, and the choosing a bourbon, I cross-reference my tion turns off my critic mode. I believe in
executive. We come from different back- craving with my analytical database. assessing the whiskey as it’s bottled. If I feel
grounds, net worths, and beliefs, but we If I am rating whiskeys, I do my best to whiskey needs water, I will add a splash
have mutual core goals—drink good withdraw personal bias and go through and evaluate its impact.
bourbon and smoke great cigars. a meditation of sorts to reduce my desire In social settings, I’ll eat anything before,
We call it the good life, as we sit in our for a singular note, so I do not ridicule a during, and after tasting whiskey, even
“lounge” and shoot the breeze, usually diss-
ing on one another as if we’re back in high
school, and enjoy each other’s company. The The personal sipping journey is better with good friends, and
personal sipping journey is better with good to fully enjoy the experience it’s necessary to take a step back
friends, and to fully enjoy the experience and realize I’m not a critic in these moments.
it’s necessary to take a step back and realize
I’m not a critic in these moments. If I try to
determine if the ginger note in the Maker’s whiskey for not having it. I work in neutral exploring new and often wacky pairings
Mark Private Select we’re drinking is can- environments and use the same glass type (barbecue pizza and Booker’s is a recent
died or pickled, I may miss a perfectly good for all tastings. I avoid cologne or strong de- revelation). But even that’s different than
opportunity to rip on my friend’s favorite odorant. The slightest smell could throw off the professional me.
sports team losing before our very eyes. my senses. I also like silence. Even though Before tasting, I do not eat smoked meat,
As you can imagine, if I don’t separate the I’m constantly listening to music, I find a wasabi, or anything too spicy, all of which
two tasting personas, I’ll fall into the critic’s good song (or bad one) can really influence can reside on the palate for at least a day
rabbit hole and over-analyze every meal, my perception. I lock the doors, turn off the and mask many whiskey notes. To clear
drink, and cocktail garnish, concentrat- phone, and limit my computer usage. my palate between tastes, I rinse with soda
ing on professional details when I should For personal bourbon consumption, water and eat crackers, which absorb;
focus on more important matters. I’ve I pick my flavor-preferred style and sip muenster cheese, which creates salivation;
ruined “date night” by complaining about while watching TV, fishing, or hanging out or raw almonds, which reset my palate. But PORTRAIT: JOE MCKENDRY

mint leaf-infested cocktails (double strain, with friends and rarely think about it. By here, we’re all different. What clears my
people!) and have gone into my “reviewer” having a distraction, I do not over-analyze. palate may overload yours.
trance without noticing my toddler’s dis- I’ll admit I struggle in restaurants, because Indeed, we’re all different, picking up
covery of flicking ice across the room. Sorry I want to critique! unique notes and enjoying different styles.
about that, LongHorn Steakhouse. However, I can turn this potential diner Where we are the same, we enjoy good
The personal and professional tasting sepa- curmudgeon off with ice. Yes, ice softens whiskey.
ration begins with a singular whiskey note. my analytical mind. Two medium-sized Whiskey is a part of the good life. n

48 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 THE THINKING DRINKER

A Mark of Age Eludes Whisky

by STEPHEN BEAUMONT

I
t is likely not a surprise to readers Armagnacs often marketed by highlighting sure—have written about previously, saw fit
of this august publication that, for that this notable brand contains brandies to mix me one on the house.
Scotch whisky distillers, age as old as 50 years, while that slightly less As I began sniffing and sipping and
represents a very delicate balanc- pricey label boasts 25 or 30 year old spirits. savoring and contemplating, it quickly
ing act. On the one hand, after Even some traditionally white spirits are became apparent that this was not just a
distillers spent years telling consumers that getting into the age act, with extra añejo cocktail made with old spirits, but also one
older whisky was better—and justifiably Tequilas and well-aged rums. which truly tasted of that aged spirit, exud-
pricier—than younger ones, reduced stocks Still, surprisingly little is ever noted about ing a characteristic of Cognac and Armag-
of mature whiskies are now prompting the actual taste of age. Oh sure, we speak nac that producers call rancio. Think of the
them to emphasize that malts without an in tones of reverence about this single malt smell of an old attic combined with forest
age statement can, after all, be just as good. from the 1970s or that well-matured classic mushrooms, toasted nuts, and well-aged
Yet, at the same time, those very distillers from Japan, but only rarely is the actual cheese, with a hint of old, wet wood, and
are releasing an unprecedented number of
extremely old and expensive single malts.
Balance these two messages correctly and it Rancio is the ‘secret weapon’ of producers of ancient and
creates a beneficial situation for consumers revered French brandies and something to which, no matter
at both the high and lower price points, plus, how they try, whisky producers can only aspire.
of course, a profitable market for the distill-
ers. A slip-up on their delivery causes the
whole situation to look a little hypocritical. flavor of age brought into the discussion. you start to get the idea.
Meanwhile, American whiskey produc- This came to mind not that long ago Rancio is the ‘secret weapon’ of producers
ers are hotly pursuing the special release when I was generously gifted a drink that of ancient and revered French brandies and
market, with single barrel and small very much tasted of its age, and was posi- something to which, no matter how they try,
batches leading the way. However, older tively exceptional for it. whisky producers can only aspire: the true
bourbons and ryes are ultimately still the The place was Foxtrot Tango Whisky Bar, flavor of age. Rancio makes the cost of old
most sought-after U.S. spirits, the Van a cocktail bar in Victoria, British Colum- Cognacs and Armagnacs understandable in
Winkle family being without question the bia that has since closed. The creation of ways that venture well beyond the age on
most famous such example. veteran barman Shawn Soole, it was a place the label.
North of the border, distillers face a designed to take one back several decades, This is not to say that aged whiskies are
battle tilted slightly uphill in trying to oozing a Frank and Dino vibe with low not the equal of great old brandies, for they
convince Canadian consumers that their lighting, ample and comfortable leather up- most certainly are. But as I sipped my Saz- PORTRAIT: JOE MCKENDRY

national spirit, when aged for multiple holstery, and a team of affable bartenders. erac, I couldn’t help thinking that if whisky
decades, can be every bit the equal of their They offered a Rat Pack Sazerac, com- distillers had a quality to their old spirits
Scottish and American brethren in terms of posed of Armagnac from 1934, barrel-aged similar to rancio, which explained the ef-
complexity and price. Peychaud’s Bitters, and Lucid absinthe. fect of age in a way that was immediately
Shift your gaze to other brown spirits Priced at $400, I was alternately shocked, apparent to the nose and palate, it might
and age plays a pivotal, yet more subtle delighted, and amazed when Soole, whom I make their current tightrope walk a trifle
role, with VSOP and XO Cognacs and have known for some time and—full disclo- easier to pull off. n

50 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 AROUND THE Beyond Scotland, Ireland, Canada,
and the U.S., Whisky Goes Global

WORLD IN

80
N
early every whisky lover has enjoyed at least
one whisky from each of the traditional dis-
tilling nations. But relatively few even know
about the whiskies made from heirloom corn in the
Mexican desert or distilled with sorghum and aged
with tobacco leaves in the Dutch Caribbean Islands.
As we scoured the globe for upstart whisky-making
nations, it became clear that innovative and excit-
ing new expressions are lurking everywhere on the
whisky frontier. Many of these distillers are pioneers,

WHISKIES BY SUSANNAH SKIVER BARTON

MEXICO

BRAZIL DUTCH
Union Club malt CARIBBEAN ISLANDS
Rio Grande do Sul Captain Don’s blended
A blend of peated and Bonaire
unpeated whisky made at a Made at Cadushy Distillery
60 year old distillery in the from corn, rye, and peated
heart of Brazil’s wine country. sorghum, then aged for 3
years with Cuban tobacco
leaves in French oak barrels.

MEXICO
Sierra Norte
Yellow corn 
Oaxaca
B R A ZIL
Made with native corn
varieties and rested in
French oak red wine bar- B OLIVIA
rels for 6 to 8 months.
The distillery’s next MEXICO
Pierde Almas BOLIVIA
C H IL E

whisky will feature red

corn, and founder Doug- Ancestral corn  Killa Andean
las French is also work- moonshine CHILE
Oaxaca
INA

ing with green dent corn, This unaged whiskey

ARGENTINA La Paz Last Hope single malt
La Alazana Patagonia
NT

regenerated via uses yellow, red, and Made by Andean Culture

single malt Two Aussies are making
GE

a seed bank. white Bola and black Distillery, which aims

Chubut Province to create a true native single malt at the end
AR

Also try: Black, White Arrocillo corn, just a

Made with melted snow whisky, Killa is unaged of the world; it is still
few of the 35 varieties
from the Andes at the and distilled from aging. They also offer a
grown by local farmers.
country’s first licensed chicha, an indigenous hopped unaged whisky
The company supports
single malt distillery, corn-based drink. made from local beer.
indigenous communities
opened in 2011.
and also makes mezcal.
 making the first whisky ever in their country,
unencumbered by restrictive laws or traditions.
This isn’t a comprehensive list of all the
distilleries in the world making whisky, but it
does include many of the most unexpected and
dynamic producers across more than 40 nations
and every continent except Antarctica (and we’re
not ruling out some illicit distilling there). Plus,
many of these whiskies are available in the U.S.
From Corsica to Bolivia, Liechtenstein to Paki-
stan, welcome to the brave new world of whisky. INDONESIA AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA
Drum Green Hellyers Road Sullivans Cove
Starred whiskies are currently Label blended Roaring Forty Double Cask
Bali single malt  single malt 
available in the United States. Astidama Distillery Tasmania Tasmania
makes this blend using Named for strong Aged in both American
English barley and winds (40 km per hour) and French oak barrels,
Balinese grain, aged in that blow rainclouds from one of Tasmania’s
the tropics for 4 years. over Tasmania, the oldest distilleries.
whisky is distilled two Also try: American Oak
and a half times from Cask, French Oak Cask
local barley and aged
in bourbon casks.

AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND

Southern Coast Single Limeburners Port Starward Solera Dunedin DoubleCask
Barrel single malt  Cask single malt  single malt  18 year old blended 
The distillery closed in 2013; Western Australia Melbourne Otago
some rare single barrel whis- Created by a protégé of Lark Launching this year in the U.S., A combination of casks from
kies like this one, bottled by Distillery founder Bill Lark this malt matures in re-coopered New Zealand’s Willowbank Dis-
Glass Revolution Imports, and finished in Australian port casks that held apera, an tillery, which closed in 1997, went
wine casks. The cool maritime Australian sherry-style wine. into this blend of 70 percent malt
climate of Western Australia Also try: Wine Cask Finished and 30 percent grain whisky.
is conducive to maturation. Also try: Oamaruvian
Also try: Sherry Cask blended, South Island 25 year
old single malt, High Wheeler
21 year old single grain

HISKY IN DON ESIA

W

HOT AUSTRALIAThere are some 150

SP OT distilleries in Australia, from Sydney to
Tasmania—the cradle of the continent’s
whisky industry—and at least a quarter of them
make whisky, according to the Australian Distill-
AU ST RA L IA
ers Association. As their whisky comes of age in
S O UT H SOUTH AFRICA the next few years, expect to see more available
AFRICA Bain’s Cape Mountain stateside. Look for: Bakery Hill, Lark, Overeem
single grain 
Western Cape
Using only South African N EW
corn, the whisky is made Z EA L A N D
at the James Sedgwick NEW ZEALAND The island nation has a history of whisky
HISKY
Distillery, which also makes making thanks to Scottish immigration in the 19th
W

Three Ships single malt

and blended whiskies.
century, and new craft distilleries are reigniting that
tradition. Look for: Cardrona, Kaiapoi, Thomson
HOT
SP OT

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 55

 HISKY
SCANDINAVIA The Nordic

W
countries of Sweden, HOT
Norway, Finland, and Den- SP OT
mark are major consumers
of whisky, and in the last few
years dozens of distilleries have
cropped up, making single malt,

EN
ICELAND rye, and more. Many whiskies are

ED
currently aging and should even-

SW
tually make their way to the U.S.
Look for: Kyrö, Mikkeller, Smögen FIN LA N D

AY
RW
DENMARK SWEDEN

NO
Stauning Spirit of Hven
single malt Tycho’s Star
Midtjylland single malt 
Backed by Diageo’s Skåne County
D ENM ARK
craft incubator Distill Named for the
Ventures, the company supernova discovered
NE TH E RLANDS floor malts its barley by astronomer Tycho
and distills on 24 small, Brahe while on the
direct-fire pot stills. island of Hven in 1572,
this organic whisky was
WA LES
matured in American
BE LGI UM
E N GLAND and European oak casks.
LUXEM BO URG

ENGLAND AND WALES

Taking cues from their
neighbors to the north,
English and Welsh
whisky distilleries have
mushroomed in recent
years, mainly making
single malt. Look for:
Adnams, Dà Mhìle, ICELAND WALES NORWAY
Lakes HISKY Flóki single malt
Reykjavik
Penderyn single
malt 
Det Norske
Brenneri Eiktyrne
W

HOT Eimverk Distillery is

making Iceland’s first
Rhondda Cynon Taf
A single distillation on a
single malt
Aust-Agder County
SP OT single malt with hardy hybrid pot-column still Matured in oloroso
Icelandic barley; first creates a clean spirit. sherry casks, this whisky
bottled as “young Also try: Legend, is named for a mytho-
malt,” the whisky is Myth, Celt logical stag that stands
now 3 years old and on the roof of Valhalla,
labeled as single malt. biting at the limbs of
the tree of the world.

FAROE ISLANDS ENGLAND ENGLAND NETHERLANDS NETHERLANDS

Føroya Bjór Cotswolds The English Original Zuidam Millstone William Wolf rye 
Klaksvik single malt  single malt  rye 100  Not the flavored whiskey of the
The oldest brewery on Warwickshire Norfolk North Brabant same name; this is made with
the islands, estab- Barely legal by UK The first English single malt Malted rye both malted and unmalted rye
lished in 1888, makes standards at 3 years old, made in over a century, at milled by windmills and distilled in pot stills at an
a variety of beers and this whisky uses local St. George’s Distillery. is distilled twice and aged undisclosed Dutch distillery.
just recently began floor-malted barley. Also try: Smokey, Red for 100 months in small
distilling whisky. Range single casks new charred oak barrels.
 15 WHISKIES
A WORLD APART
Looking to explore the flavors of world whisky? These
high-quality whiskies from the Whisky Advocate Buying
Guide are available in the U.S., and a great place to start.

93 Rampur Single Malt 43% • $65 India

Chocolate, coffee, and red berry fruits,
with hints of exotic spice.

92 Pür Geist 42% • $50 Germany

SWEDEN FINLAND Soft on the palate. Lychee, melon, and
Mackmyra Svensk Teerenpeli Portti vinous notes turn spicy on the finish.
Ek single malt single malt 
Gävleborg County Päijänne Tavastia 92 Yoichi Single Malt 45% • $80 Japan
Sweden’s first whisky Made with lightly peated Earthy peat, briny seashells, and cit-
distillery uses local Finnish malt and aged rus are silky smooth on the palate.
barley and ages much 10 years, including time
of its whisky, including in port casks, it arrives 90 Fukano 2017 Edition 42.8% • $80 Japan
this one, in Swedish oak. in the U.S. this year. Light and candied, with watermelon and
Also try: Kaski peach, but dry on the finish.
single malt
90 Hibiki Japanese Harmony 43% • $65 Japan
Poised and complex, yet delicate, with
bright fruit and a touch of smoke.

90 Kavalan Classic 40% • $75 Taiwan

Fresh and clean, with exotic spice and
exquisite wood influence.

90 Limeburners Port Cask 43% • $104 Australia

Dark and rich. Cooked fruit, raisins, and
caramel meet peppery spice.

90 Sierra Norte Yellow 45% • $50 Mexico

SWEDEN Fresh and fruity. Orange marmalade and
Box Dálvve honey. Impressive for 10 months old.
single malt
Västernorrland County 89 The English Original 43% • $75 England
This distillery on the Gentle in style, with poached pear,
63rd parallel opened in melon, and custard tart.
2010 and launched this
“semi-peated” batch- 87 Reisetbauer 12 year old 48% • $121 Austria
numbered malt in 2016. Apple and plum meet peppermint and
menthol before a wash of spices.

87 Spirit of Hven Tycho’s Star 41.8% • $100 Sweden

Light and juicy; citrus peel and banana
flavors finish with a surge of chocolate.

87 Starward 43% • $60 Australia

Modern in style, like Nutella on hot toast,
with sweet, malty drive.

87 William Wolf Rye 46% • $35 Netherlands

Citrus and tropical fruit sweetness is
swept up in peppery spices.
BELGIUM LUXEMBOURG
The Belgian Owl Diedenacker No. 1 85 Bain’s Cape Mountain Grain 46% • $30 South Africa
single malt Niederdonven Sweet and decadent, with a confectionery
Liège Made with rye and malted mix of fudge, toffee, and butterscotch.
Produced in handmade barley and aged for 5 years
stills from the 1880s using in a pinot blanc barrique. 85 Brenne 10 year old 2016 Release 48% • $100 France
two-row Sebastian spring Fruity and vinous, with honeydew, poached
barley grown in Belgium. pear, and French oak spice.

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 57

 GERMANY GERMANY FRANCE FRANCE FRANCE
Pür Geist hop- Slyrs Classic Armorik Classic Bastille 1789 Bellevoye Bleu
flavored single single malt single malt  blended  Triple Malt 
malt  Bavaria Brittany Charente Blended malt from
Bavaria The distillery dries local Warengham Distill- Made of malted barley three undisclosed
Distilled from Auten- barley over beechwood ery led the way for and wheat, and aged French distilleries.
rieder Brewery’s bock smoke and uses Alpine single malt whisky in in casks that held Also try: Blanc,
beer, which includes water in the whisky- France in the ‘80s. a variety of wines Rouge, Noir
Spalter Select and making process, before Also try: Sherry Finish, and other spirits.
Hallertau hops. maturing its spirit in new Double Maturation, Also try: Single malt
American oak casks. Armagnac Cask Finish

FRANCE SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA CZECH REPUBLIC

Vicomte single Säntis Edition Reisetbauer 12 Stock Spirits
malt  Himmelberg year old single Hammerhead
Charente single malt malt  Single Cask 28 year
Distilled from Appenzell Innerrhoden Upper Austria old single malt 
organic barley and This brewery added a Matured in casks that Bohemia
aged for 8 years in distillery in 1999 when previously held Austrian Distilled using local
VSOP Cognac casks; distilling spirits from chardonnay and the ingredients in 1988,
the Cask Strength grain was made legal rare and expensive in the waning days of
version is aged an in Switzerland. Aged dessert wine Trock- the Cold War when
additional year. in beer casks, then enbeerenauslese. the country was still
Also try: Cask finished in Also try: 7 year Czechoslovakia, and
Strength wine casks. old single malt aged in Czech oak.

SLOVAKIA SPAIN SPAIN CORSICA ITALY

Nestville Single Dusko blended  Navazos Palazzi Domaine Mavela Puni Alba malt 
Barrel 6 year old Murcia Bota Punta Single P&M Vintage Alto Adige/Südtirol
single malt An album recording Oloroso Cask single malt Matured in Marsala
Prešov session where much single malt  Haute-Corse wine casks for 3 years
The country’s first whiskey was consumed Jerez A blend of single malts before being finished
whisky distillery uses inspired creator Damon This whisky made from up to 14 years old, aim- in Islay whisky casks,
mineral-rich water Dash to create his Spanish malt was aged ing to pioneer a flavor it uses three types
and floor-malted own blend, made at in a single solera cask profile reflective of the of malt: barley, rye,
barley kiln-dried over Carthago Distillery. that previously held Mediterranean island. and wheat. Arriving
hardwood smoke for very old oloroso sherry. in the U.S. this year.
a distinctive flavor.
 FRANCE FRANCE FRANCE FRANCE FRANCE RUSSIA
Brenne Estate Cask Kornog Roc’h Hir Meyer’s Blend Moon Harbour  Rozelieures Praskoveyskiy
single malt  single malt  Supérieur  Bordeaux Origine single 3 year old
Charente Brittany Alsace-Lorraine Currently bottling malt  RU SSIA Stavropol
Made on Cognac stills New to the U.S. this A blend of malt and sourced whisky from Alsace-Lorraine Russia only legal-
from barley grown spring, this peated grain whiskies, aged Scotland, Moon Harbour Fifth-generation distill- ized whisky distilla-
on-site, then aged whisky is from the Glann for 7 years in Sauternes Distillery began distill- ers produce a variety tion in 2015, though
in Limousin oak and ar Mor Distillery, which casks from Château ing its own single malt of single malts and the distillery that
finished in Cognac casks. distills over open flames Doisy-Daëne. in September 2017. also make Mirabelle, a produces this whisky,
Also try: 10 year old and ages by the sea. local plum eau de vie. made from barley, was
Also try: Rare, granted an exception
Smoky, Peaty and started earlier.

HISKY
HISKY

W
HOT GERMANY With a centuries-
W

FRANCE Many new French HOT GER MA N Y SLOVA KIA

SP OT long brewing legacy, it’s no
surprise Germany would make
whiskies are arriving in the SP OT CZECH REP.
the leap to whisky made from
U.S., but the country’s rich wheat, rye, barley, and other grains.
distilling hotspots—including AUSTRIA Some famous breweries like Aven-
Brittany and Alsace—have plenty FR A N CE HU N GA RY
tinus have whiskies available in the
more to offer. Look for: Eddu, U.S. in small quantities. Look for:
Gwenroc, Uberach SWITZER LA N D SE
SLOVEN IA RB Blackwood, Blaue Maus, Stork Club
IT
AL

IA
Y

COR SICA

S PA IN

ISRA EL

LIECHTENSTEIN SERBIA SLOVENIA HUNGARY ISRAEL

Telser single malt Two Doves Krucefix Békési single malt Golani grain 
Triesen single malt Upper Carniola Békés Golan Heights
Pinot noir casks from Vojvodina Named for a medi- This whisky is distilled Made from wheat and
local wineries are used Triple distilled from eval swear word, this from Jubilant barley, malted barley and ma-
to mature this 5 to 7 malted barley and Alpine distillery makes originally developed for tured in new American
year old whisky, which aged for 4 years in oak whisky from local brewing, and aged in oak, chardonnay, and
is typically bottled in at the country’s first grain and malt, as well casks made of Hungar- cabernet sauvignon
single cask batches. whisky distillery. as a range of herbal ian oak that previously casks for 1 year.
spirits and liqueurs. held local Tokaji wine. Also try: Single malt

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 59

 JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN
Akashi blended  Chichibu Ichiro’s Fukano 2017 Edition Hakushu 12 year Hibiki Japanese
Hyogo Prefecture Malt & Grain rice whisky  old single malt  Harmony
Named for its blended  Kumamoto Prefecture Yamanashi Prefecture blended 
hometown, which Saitama Prefecture A Japanese spirit that The peated single malt Made with malt and grain
translates to “Sunrise Founded by Ichiro starts life as shochu from Japanese beverage whiskies from Suntory’s
City,” Akashi’s White Akuto, the grandson of made with koji, a type giant Suntory, made on Chita, Hakushu, and
Oak Distillery received a famous Hanyu distiller. of mold, and is labeled Mt. Kaikomagatake. Yamazaki distilleries, this
Japan’s first whisky This bottling blends as whisky in the U.S. Also try: 18 year old widely available blend
license in 1919. Chichibu’s whisky with A Whisky Advocate highlights Japan’s bal-
Also try: Single malt international whiskies. 2017 Top 20 whisky. anced and elegant style.
Also try: On The Way, Also try: 12 year old Also try: 17 and 21 year
The Floor Malted, Single Cask, Sherry Cask old single malts
The Peated

JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN

Mars Iwai Tradition Miyagikyo Kikori rice Kaiyo Mizunara
blended  single malt  whisky  Oak malt 
Nagano Prefecture Miyagi Prefecture Kumamoto Prefecture Osaka Prefecture
Named for Kiichiro Iwai, Known for its fruity Fermented like shochu Aged in Japan’s famed
an unsung pioneer of and sherry-forward and produced at an mizunara oak, this “tea-
Japanese whisky mak- flavors; made at high undisclosed distillery; spooned” malt whisky
ing, this malt-forward altitude at one of two blends casks of differ- (one main single malt,
blend uses bourbon, Nikka distilleries. ent ages to create a with a small amount
sherry, and wine casks. Also try: 12 year old cocktail-friendly whisky. of a second added) is
Also try: Iwai, partly matured at sea.
Komagatake Also try: Cask strength

JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN

Kurayoshi 3 year Nikka Coffey Nobushi malt  Ohishi Brandy Cask Suntory Toki
old malt  Grain  A blend of single malt rice whisky  blended 
Tottori Prefecture Miyagi Prefecture whiskies from three Kumamoto Prefecture A blend made from the
Bottler Matsui Shuzo Made at Nikka’s Miyagi- Japanese distilleries An aged shochu, this grain and malt whiskies
sources malt whisky from kyo Distillery on a 1963 located in Miyagi, marriage of a few select of Chita, Hakushu, and
undisclosed distilleries to Coffey still, which results Nagano, and Hokkaido casks offers powerful Yamazaki, it works
create this expression. in light, sweet flavors Prefectures. Arrives fruity and umami notes. well as the base spirit
Also try: 8, 12, and 18 and a delicate body. in the U.S. this year. Also try: Single in a simple Japanese-
year old; 3 and 8 year Also try: Coffey Malt Sherry Cask, Islay Cask, style Highball.
old Sherry Cask Tokubetsu Reserve
 SRI LANKA INDIA INDIA INDIA MYANMAR PAKISTAN
Old Keg Amrut single Paul John Rampur Select Grand Royal Murree’s Classic
Colombo malt  Brilliance single single malt  Double Gold 8 year old
Rockland Distilleries, a Bangalore malt  Uttar Pradesh blended single malt
family-owned company, The distillery began Goa Founded in 1943, Radico Yangon Punjab
has been making whisky making single malt Located in a steamy Khaitan Distillery is This blend of malt and Established as a brewery
using a secret recipe, whisky in the 1980s and tropical environment, located in the foothills of grain whiskies comes in 1860, Murree’s makes
as well as the local was the first to export Paul John ages its whisky the Himalayas. This was from the country’s many soft drinks,
special arrack and other Indian single malt to primarily in bourbon bar- #5 in Whisky Advocate’s largest spirits producer, since only 3 percent of
spirits, since 1924. the rest of the world. rels in warehouses both Top 20 whiskies of 2017. which has distilleries in Pakistan’s population—
Also try: Peated, above and underground. Yangon and Mandalay. non-Muslims and
Fusion, Two Continents, Also try: Edited, Bold, foreign expats—
special editions Classic, Peated may buy alcohol.

JAPAN While certainly not a new distilling JA PA N

nation, the current wave of small Japanese

HISKY
craft producers has taken up the mantle
amid shortages of whisky from legacy

W
PA K I STA N
producers Suntory and Nikka.
HOT
SP OT
I ND I A TA IWA N
MYA N MA R

S RI LANKA

HISKY
W

INDIA The world’s HOT

P OT S
largest whisky JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN TAIWAN TAIWAN
market makes mainly
Taketsuru Pure Yamazaki 12 year Yoichi single Kavalan Omar Bourbon
low-end blending whiskies,
Malt  old single malt  malt  Concertmaster Cask single
but a few prominent distill-
A blend of malt whiskies Osaka Prefecture Hokkaido Prefecture single malt  malt 
ers have earned plaudits in
from Nikka’s Yoichi and Japan’s oldest malt The site of Yoichi Distill- Yilan County Nantou County
recent years for their high-
Miyagikyo Distilleries, whisky distillery, ery bears a striking re- Taiwan’s tropical climate The government-run
quality single malts. As spirits
named for the father Yamazaki often uses rare semblance to Scotland’s allows whisky to mature Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor
conglomerates like Pernod
of Japanese whisky, mizunara oak for a small environment. This lightly quickly; this single malt Corporation owns
Ricard and Sazerac branch
Masataka Taketsuru. portion of its cask aging. peated whisky is made uses ruby, tawny, and multiple distilleries,
into Indian whisky exports,
Also try: 12, 17, Also try: 18 and on direct-fired stills. vintage port casks. including Nantou, which
there’s much more to come.
and 21 year old 25 year old Also try: 15 year old Also try: Classic, King Car makes this whisky.
Conductor, single casks Also try: Sherry Cask

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 61

I
N AN INDUSTRIAL SECTION OF
Los Angeles, a fantasy jungle grows
inside a warehouse. Populated by ani-
matronic topiary dinosaurs, talking
plastic parrots, and an autonomous AI
personality named Tessa, this steam-
punk theme park houses Lost Spirits
Distillery. Here, ideas about whisky—and
whisky itself—are deliberately challenged,
broken apart, and remade.
Lost Spirits founder Bryan Davis ush-
ers me aboard a flat-bottomed wooden
boat, which he pilots through darkness
filled with simulated thunder and wind,
toward an “island” of tiny fermenters and
pot stills topped with dragon heads. Here,
behind a heavy wooden door, in a starkly
bare room, futuristic-looking devices
emit otherworldly bright light, while
hoses snake like tentacles to the ceiling. It
all appears too outlandish to be true, but
Davis has a slightly mad twinkle in his
eyes and chuckles as he tells me, “One
thing you’ll catch as you go through this:
all the jokes are real.” It would be easy to
dismiss Davis as a showman, or even a
charlatan, were it not for his whiskies.
The first “joke:” Abomination, a peated
malt whisky, tastes much like 10 year old HAS THE ERA OF
Islay single malt, but it’s just 18 months old.
The “whisky” (technically a “specialty and
INSTANT WHISKY
ARRIVED?

Cracking the
Aging
by Susannah Skiver Barton Code
photographs by Peter Yang •
Kristina Krug • Billy Delfs

62 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

Bryan Davis of Lost Spirits Distillery in
Los Angeles created a machine that
uses heat, light, and wood to mature
whisky in mere days, rather than years.
 Lost Spirits is one of a new breed of spirits

Lost Spirits producers employing proprietary technol-

ogy to circumvent the long and costly process
THE CLAIM Catalyzes esterification (the creation of pleasant, usually fruity of barrel aging. No one explicitly uses the
flavors) and polymer degradation that happens in a barrel over time, resulting
words “accelerated aging”—and most repeat
in a spirit that tastes several years old
the familiar adage that “age doesn’t equal
TIME IT TAKES 6 days
maturity”—but the results speak for them-
selves. Whisky with the color, aroma, flavor,
and mouthfeel found in traditionally aged
products is being made without the use of
barrels—and you may have already tasted
some without even realizing it.

Rise of the Whisky Robots

The cavernous warehouse of Terressentia
Corporation in North Charleston, S.C. has
few of the usual trappings of a whiskey dis-
Distillate is heated with Liquid and oak are Liquid is heated again
tillery. There’s no mashing, fermentation, or
a “tea bag” of oak exposed to high-inten- to chemically bind
distillation going on here, although the
pieces treated with sity light, triggering phenols to alcohols and
water or wine to strip degradation of polymer esters for additional facility does produce whiskey. Boxes, bot-
some tannins, causing structures on the oak, complex flavors, tles, and labels are stacked fifteen feet high.
esterification of weak which develops carbox- bringing together There is a bottling line, a small laboratory,
acids. ylic and phenolic acids everything created in and a few barrels, mostly from MGP Distill-
and phenols, creating steps 1 and 2. ery in Indiana and George Dickel in
specific flavors. Tennessee. Behind a locked steel door bear-
ing a “No photography” sign lies the heart
of the operation: rows of bulk liquid con-
Lost Spirits makes rum in its dragon-head
stills (top), while sourcing distillate from tainers known as totes and, tucked among
Scotland for its whisky. It processes spirits them, squat machines called “Rosies”
with charred or toasted oak pieces (bottom). (named for their resemblance to the robot
housekeeper on The Jetsons), buzzing
proprietary spirit,” per the Alcohol and through the patented TerrePURE process.
Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) is distilled The Rosies pump ultrasonic waves
in Scotland and processed using the sci-fi through whiskey and other spirits to
contraptions, which Davis calls reactors. The achieve the smoothed-out flavors and tex-
machines harness light and wood to fully tures that typically come from years of
mature unaged or partially aged spirit in just barrel aging. Occasionally, wood staves are
a few days. Tasted blind alongside peated added to the machines, but most whiskeys
scotches that have spent years in a barrel (see that undergo the process have spent a few
sidebar), Abomination holds its own. months to a few years in a barrel to take on
“I’m not going to out-Laphroaig color and flavor from the wood. Terressen-

THIS PAGE AND PREVIOUS SPREAD: PETER YANG

Laphroaig,” Davis says, referring to the iconic tia CEO Earl Hewlette describes the
peated Scotch whisky producer. “We wanted technology as a purification process. “We’re
to use the technology to make something that enhancing a taste profile,” he says. “The
Scotland can’t make—a whisky that was in taste profile that we’re creating might be
the canon, familial-ish, but not something similar to a more aged product, but we can’t
they could actually produce.” Abomination is accelerate the aging process. All we can do
processed with “late-harvest Riesling is filter away things that aging filters away.”
staves”—another joke. There is no such thing Terressentia was founded in 2007, and for
as a late-harvest Riesling stave, since the most of its short life, the company has pro-
white wine rarely sees a barrel. Davis uses the cessed other distilleries’ spirits, including
wine to strip tannins from pieces of American sourced whiskey destined for private label
oak before adding them to the reactor. retail brands. You’ve probably seen, maybe

64 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 even tasted these whiskeys, which are sold
at Total Wine & More, Liquor Barn, and
other stores. About 40 percent of Terres-
sentia’s sales go to export markets. “When
the bourbon shortage hit [in late 2012],
because we could take very young MGP
bourbon and make it drinkable using our
technology, we got discovered by European
bottlers who could no longer get 3 and 4
year old bourbon,” Hewlette explains.
Now, Terressentia has become a distiller
itself. In 2014, the company purchased the
Charles Medley Distillery in Owensboro,
Ky., which had not made whiskey since the
1990s. The facility reopened two years later
as O.Z. Tyler Distillery, named for the now-
deceased inventor of the TerrePURE
process. This spring, O.Z. Tyler will begin
Earl Hewlette with a Rosie
selling its first bourbon and rye whiskeys,
at O.Z. Tyler Distillery;
which are aged for at least 6 months (rye) to totes of spirits awaiting
a year (bourbon) in barrels before undergo- the TerrePURE process.
ing the TerrePURE process at the distillery.
(The O.Z. Tyler brand was previously
sourced, TerrePURE-processed whiskey.)
Becoming a distiller, Hewlette says, was a
move “to protect our technology and give us
financial support to help us grow our tech-
nology.” Meanwhile, Terressentia—which
already processes spirits for clients in

TerrePURE
THE CLAIM Filters and smooths
out harsh alcohols in whiskey
through esterification, an effect
that typically happens during
years in a barrel
TIME IT TAKES 24 hours, plus a China, Brazil, Mexico, and the Caribbean— Knob Creek 9 year old bourbon. Since then,
resting period of 7 to 10 days is developing mobile Rosie units that can be the company’s technology and messaging
easily transported to distilleries around the have both evolved. “We’ve gone through
world. “We are first and foremost a technol- multiple generations of this technology,” Lix
ogy company,” Hewlette says. says. “Because we can experiment so quickly
Ohio’s Cleveland Whiskey makes the and test hypotheses, what we made today is
same claim, asserting that the company is so much better than what we made six
more about innovative technology than dis- months ago. And that was so much better
tilling. A small operation that sources most than what we made a year before.”
Ultrasonic waves are pumped
of its whiskey, the company made a splashy While Cleveland still produces its stan-
through spirits, with optional
entrance in 2013, touting a week-old bour- dard Black Reserve bourbon, the company’s
barrel staves, forcing minor
alcohols to break apart and react
bon matured by combining minimally aged current focus is on finishing bourbon using
KRISTINA KRUG

with acids to form esters. Fatty whiskey with pieces of oak and subjecting non-traditional types of wood, such as hick-
acids react to become glycerin, the mix to oxygenation and varying pressure ory, black cherry, honey locust, and apple.
creating a more robust mouthfeel. levels. At the time, founder Tom Lix chal- The results are certainly unique: hickory
lenged drinkers to compare Cleveland with has notes of jasmine, honeysuckle, and

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 67

 Cleveland
Whiskey
THE CLAIM Mimics the flavors
and characteristics derived from
barrel aging by increasing interac-
tion between wood and spirits
TIME IT TAKES 24 hours

Pieces of wood (not necessarily

oak) and unaged or minimally
aged spirits are subjected to a
high level of oxygenation and a
series of pressure variations, from
high pressure to a vacuum.

Tom Lix of Cleveland Whiskey (above)

vanilla, while applewood tastes like Juicy tightly guards the company’s maturation
process, which involves combining distillate
Fruit bubble gum, overripe tropical fruit, and
and wood with oxygenation and pressure.
orange gumdrops. All of it is accomplished
through Lix’s unpatented and tightly guarded exception of whiskeys bottled in bond, they
process. He, too, has his eyes set on export also have to pay annual tax on the whiskey
markets: “The real opportunity for us is inter- during its maturation period. Add to that
nationally, where people haven’t established the near-continuous loss of liquid due to
the patterns and the sort of palate that says, evaporation, or angels’ share, and you can
‘This is the only way you can make whiskey.’” see why finding a faster way to mature
whisky would be desirable to distillers.
A Spirit of Innovation What if you could get the same result more
Whisky making has been evolving since its covered by accident, anyway. Barrels, most quickly or without a barrel at all?
inception, and throughout the centuries commonly made of oak, were used to trans-
distillers have been looking for ways to port new-make spirit from the distillery to Fear of Change
improve the process. The use of copper, col- market, and at some point people noticed The prospect of implementing such a funda-
umn stills, barrel aging, automation: all that spirit that had been in the barrel for a mental change in whisky making can spur
were innovations at one time. The widely while tasted better. Over decades and cen- doubt and fear, but apprehension about inno-
used technique of heat cycling—artificially turies, barrel aging has become not only an vation and technology for whisky isn’t new.
heating warehouses to simulate or defy sea- accepted part of whisky making, but in Some traditional scotch distillers are so averse
sonal changes that force liquid in and out of many places, an imperative. Scotch, bour- to change that when they need to replace a
barrel staves—has been around since the bon, rye, Irish, Canadian, and whisky from copper still, they duplicate the old one down
19th century. While some tweaks and tricks many other parts of the world all have a to the last dent, lest any alteration impact the
aren’t openly discussed—often for fear of mandated barrel-aging requirement. whisky. Widespread adoption of the column
tarnishing the sepia-toned image of tradi- Improving the flavor of whisky through still took decades; now it’s the most common
tion carefully cultivated among so many barrel aging comes at a cost. Not only do type of still for making whisky around the
distillers—those techniques nonetheless distillers have to purchase barrels (brand world because of its efficiency and ease of use.
BILLY DELFS

shape the whisky that we drink. new ones every time, in the case of whis- Recently, the UK’s National Archives unveiled
The particular flavor and character we keys like bourbon and rye) and build documents from the 1950s that showed evi-
associate with barrel-aged whisky was dis- warehouses, but in Kentucky, with the dence of a distiller replicating mature scotch

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 69

 TAST E T EST

Alt Aged Whiskies promise with its pleasing spice, sweetness,

orange peel, chocolate, and silky mouth-
feel. There are lovely flavors, but the oak

C laims that whisky made using alterna- 83 Cleveland Black Reserve feels layered on rather than integrated.
tive technologies tastes as good as Bourbon, 50%, $30
whisky made through traditional means Actual Time in Barrel: varies, usually 3 to 82 O.Z. Tyler Bourbon, 45%, $20
deserve to be put to the test. We pitted 6 months Actual Time in Barrel: minimum 12
several of these “tech” whiskies against Processing: Distillate from Indiana and months
similarly priced counterparts from Ohio is aged in new charred oak barrels Processing: Distilled in Kentucky and
mainstream and craft distillers, all tasted before undergoing Cleveland’s propri- aged in new charred oak barrels before
blind by members of the Whisky Advo- etary process using new charred oak undergoing the TerrePURE process.
cate review staff. In the majority of cases, pieces. Wood spice dominates the nose, with
the tech whiskies averaged lower scores The nose is grainy with strong wood citrus, floral, and tobacco barn aromas. The
than the other whiskies in the flight. (The notes and hints of vanilla, lilac, and palate has pleasant orange peel, spice, red
exception was Lost Spirits Abomination, cinnamon candies. Flavors of caramel, apple, and vanilla notes with a robust heat;
which performed favorably even along- vanilla, spice, and citrus tussle with cedar, however, toasted oak continues to reign.
side some classic Islay malts.) Most of the tea leaves, and oak tannins before a One for the wood lover.
time, though not always, the tasters were lengthy, assertive finish of tobacco,
able to identify the alternatively aged caramel, cinnamon, clove, and orange peel. 81 Cleveland Underground Bourbon
whiskies, which often showed assertive Finished with Hickory Wood, 47%, $45
wood and notes typical of young spirit. 83 Relativity American Whisky Actual Time in Barrel: varies, but usually
Here’s how they measured up. (prototype), 40%, $35 around 3 months
Actual Time in Barrel: minimum 6 months Processing: Distillate from Indiana and
Processing: Distilled in Indiana and aged Ohio is aged in new charred oak barrels
87 Lost Spirits Abomination in new charred oak barrels, then put before undergoing Cleveland’s propri-
The Sayers of the Law, 54%, $50 through a “compression aged” process etary process using hickory wood pieces.
Actual Time in Barrel: 18 months using new charred oak pieces. Grassy aromas mingle with white pepper,
Processing: Multiple peated malt distil- Generously woody with pencil shavings honeysuckle, jasmine, and newsprint on the
lates are aged in Scotland, then blended, and lumber mingled with chamomile, nose. The palate rushes through sweet
exported, and put through Lost Spirits’ white flowers, and vanilla on the nose. vanilla-cake and ripe fruit flavors, with
reactor with pieces of charred oak treated The light-bodied palate is sweet and strong oak and alcohol influence, to a finish
with Riesling wine. floral, with cloying milk chocolate, that is mostly wood with some pleasant
Aromas of smoked meat, kelp, saline, toasted coconut, and vanilla flavors. It’s chocolate and herbal notes. Disjointed at
rubber, and butterscotch pudding make just a bit simple and boring. times, but water helps bring it together.
for a sweet and savory first impression.
Flavors of burnt sugar, vanilla custard, 82 Noble Oak Bourbon 80 Cleveland Underground Bourbon
cooked apple, dark cacao, black pepper, (prototype), 45%, $35 Finished with Apple Wood, 45%, $45
and salty umami carry through on a big, Actual Time in Barrel: minimum 12 Actual Time in Barrel: varies, but usually
aggressive, hunger-sparking palate. The months around 3 months
finish is unsweetened chocolate, ash, and Processing: Distilled in Indiana and aged Processing: Distillate from Indiana and
pepper—bold and unapologetic, it in new charred oak barrels, then put Ohio is aged in new charred oak barrels
responds well to water. through a finishing process using sherry- before undergoing Cleveland’s propri-
seasoned Spanish oak pieces. etary process using apple wood pieces.
85 Lost Spirits Abomination The caramel on the nose is a bit strange Juicy Fruit gum, Kool-Aid, sugared orange
The Crying of the Puma, 54%, $50 and chemical, but the palate offers gumdrops, and candied papaya and
Actual Time in Barrel: 18 months mango meet fresh-cut lumber on the nose.
Processing: Multiple peated malt distil- Cleveland Whiskey The palate has notes of bruised banana
lates are aged in Scotland, then blended, and juicy guava, with assertive wood and
exported, and put through Lost Spirits’ cocoa powder to balance the sweetness.
reactor with pieces of toasted oak treated
with Riesling wine. 79 O.Z. Tyler Rye, 44.9%, $20
An aggressive punch of peat—creosote, Actual Time in Barrel: minimum 6 months
tar, rubber, and seaweed—mingles with Processing: Distilled in Kentucky and
wood spice, butterscotch, vanilla pud- aged in new charred oak barrels before
ding, and red apple on the nose. The undergoing the TerrePURE process.
palate shows charred meat, charred Aromas of lumber, wood spice, and
wood, earthy smoke, crème brûlée, and butterscotch give way to pencil shavings,
red apple flavors. The short, ashy finish toasted sawdust, and cloying sweetness
BILLY DELFS

satisfies with dark chocolate and black on the palate. Gentle baking spice and
pepper. At such a high proof, it takes cherry flavors aren’t enough to redeem
water well and develops in the glass. the assault of wood.

70 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 Terressentia’s TerrePURE processors are
called Rosies due to their resemblance to
the robot housekeeper on The Jetsons.

in just a few hours through the use of chemi- The numbers alone point to widespread
cals. The resulting product was good enough acceptance. A 2016 fundraising period for Relativity
that a Board of Trade official voiced fears of
competition for the scotch industry: “If the
Cleveland Whiskey netted $711,000 from 951
investors around the world. In 2017, Terres- and Noble Oak
invention were to be taken up abroad, foreign sentia processed enough whiskey using THE CLAIM Creates flavors and
distillers might possibly be able to destroy our TerrePURE to fill almost two million bottles— characteristics in whiskey that
exports by producing something nearly equivalent to about 80 percent of its entire mimic the results of extended
equivalent. These are gloomy prospects.” In business. The company first turned a profit in barrel maturation (Relativity);
“finishes” whiskey to create “extra
response to the information being made pub- 2015, and generated $26 million in revenue
smoothness” (Noble Oak)
lic in 2017, the Scotch Whisky Association last year, according to Hewlette. It is in discus-
TIME IT TAKES Hours to days
stated, “What this failed experiment proves is sions to implement TerrePURE for distillers in
there can be no shortcuts to scotch.” South Africa, Canada, India, and even Scot-
Lost Spirits, Terressentia, and Cleveland land, and already processes whiskey for clients
Whiskey have all experienced backlash in Kentucky.
against their processes, ranging from angry Last December, O.Z. Tyler Distillery became
internet naysayers to cease and desist let- a heritage member of the Kentucky Distillers
ters to, in one case, actual threats and Association (KDA). The membership gives
intimidation from rival distillers. But they Terressentia a seat on the KDA board of direc-
are undeterred. Whisky, they say, will con- tors and positions it as a peer to Kentucky
tinue to move forward, the way it always distilling giants like Beam Suntory, Brown-
has. Even distillers who champion tradition Forman, and Heaven Hill. This year, O.Z. Tyler
Pieces of wood (new charred oak
in their marketing are looking for ways to plans to expand its facilities to a capacity of for Relativity; sherry-seasoned
create better whisky for their customers. 100,000 barrels—only slightly smaller than oak for Noble Oak) are com-
KRISTINA KRUG

And customers are buying these whiskies. Wild Turkey—and it’s already contract-distill- bined in a tank and subjected to
Hewlette notes that Terressentia’s private- ing whiskey for numerous other brands, varying cycles of heat and
label business consistently grows 5 to 10 though not all of that distillate is processed pressure.
percent a year. using TerrePURE.

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 71

 Davis’ small-scale Lost Spirits Distillery is currently the only major distiller openly point, or to create other styles, like bourbon.
in Los Angeles produces about 36,000 bot- touting a whiskey made with alternative But the rapidity of the processes means no
tles of ‘whisky’ and rum a year, acting as a methods, Brennan says, “Any company that one has to wait a lifetime—or even a month—
showcase for the technology. The real busi- is forward-looking needs to think about to see if their experiments succeeded.
ness, funded by private equity, is taking how technology or future trends might Scaling up to work with large volumes also
place in the vast laboratory behind it. There, impact their business. I wouldn’t be sur- presents a challenge, but with time and
Davis and a team of scientists and engineers prised that other companies are looking at money, that’s a solvable problem.
are working to scale up the reactors for sev- new ways of producing and creating whisky The ultimate trial will occur in the court
eral mid-sized distillery clients, all located as time goes on.” of whisky drinkers. How much of this type
abroad and making a variety of spirits, On the cusp of the new millennium, futur- of intervention will we tolerate in our bour-
including whisky. “The primary application ist Ray Kurzweil proposed the Law of bon, scotch, or other whisky? Many people
in the real world is for [blending stocks],” Accelerating Returns to describe the expo- will neither notice nor care, as long as the
Davis says. “Just to add 5 percent of some- nential progress of technology. Much as whisky tastes good. But mention oak spi-
thing that would bump up the richness and microprocessors are growing more power- rals or pressure cycles to other whisky
texture and character. That’s probably how ful while simultaneously becoming smaller drinkers and you’re likely to get a derisive,
it will end up being used.” and cheaper, whisky makers could poten- even outraged response. “With whisky,
tially unlock more efficient and effective you’re touching on people’s most deeply
Evolution and Adoption maturation technologies quite rapidly. Like held belief systems,” Davis says. “People
In the big picture, Cleveland, Terressentia, Edrington, most companies will likely use defend those belief systems to the point of
and Lost Spirits are pretty small potatoes the technology for new whiskies or will legislating laws around them.” Of course,
(and non-disclosure agreements prevent weave the processed spirits into blends, whisky curmudgeons have previously
them from revealing their growing client rather than risking backlash by openly tin- revolted over specialty finishes, non-age
lists), but at least one major distiller is openly kering with an established brand. “It’s easier statement scotch, and sourced craft whis-
embracing new methods for making whis- for [distillers] to tuck this into their toolbox key, only to see these phenomena become
widely accepted over time.

Whisky doesn’t exist because someone Legal definitions already offer protection
for traditionalists: scotch must be aged 3
wrote it into law. Whisky is whisky years in oak in Scotland, bourbon must be
aged in new charred oak containers in the
because we, the drinkers, agree that it is. U.S., and so on. But there was a time, not
that long ago, when there weren’t any offi-
key. Last November, Edrington Group—the of ways that you can manipulate a spirit bet- cial rules about whisky—when whisky was
owner of the Macallan, Highland Park, and ter, that are perfectly acceptable in the eyes made far differently than it is now—and yet
Glenrothes scotch distilleries—began selling of consumers and the industry,” Davis says. it was still whisky. There are countries
Relativity American whiskey and Noble Oak “And it’s just one of many little tweaks.” today, like Japan and India, where laws reg-
bourbon in test markets. The whiskeys are In a world where vegan burgers bleed like ulating what is and isn’t whisky are nearly
sourced from MGP Distillery, aged for 6 and real beef and self-driving cars rove the nonexistent, and yet, we still drink the
12 months in barrels, respectively, and then streets, it’s unrealistic to think that any blends and single malts that they ship to our
put through a proprietary heat and pressure industry, including distilling, would not shelves. Whisky doesn’t exist because
process using oak staves. The process was jump at the chance to use new tools and someone wrote it into law. Whisky is whisky
developed by Brain Brew Ventures, a technology to create products more cheaply, because we, the drinkers, agree that it is.
research and development arm of innovation efficiently, and to a high degree of quality. So we get to set the terms for whiskies
engineering firm Eureka! Ranch. Have no doubt: if remaining competitive made using new technologies. All the distill-
Relativity’s label refers to the process as means introducing or accepting new meth- ers mentioned here have committed to
“Compression Aged technology, which sim- ods of whisky making, the majority of transparency and clear labeling on their
ulates the four seasons, providing us access distillers are going to do it. products, a lesson well learned from others’
to the full spectrum of flavor and smooth- blunders. Knowing what we’re putting in
ness once only accessible by prolonged Who Defines Whisky? our glasses and tasting it ourselves, we will
aging.” Edrington USA senior vice president How far can this innovation go, and will it be the arbiters. We have the power to say
for marketing and innovation Jim Brennan materially change what we know as whisky? “This is good,” or “This doesn’t taste like
describes it as a “finishing process” rather There are currently limitations to these whisky,” or “This is worth the money I paid.”
than an aging method, the same language technologies. For example, Davis hasn’t The time to do that isn’t coming. It’s
used on Noble Oak’s label. While Edrington been able to mature whisky to a specific age already here. Are we ready? n

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 73

10
WHISKY
INNOVATIONS
GREATEST L
TAXING WORK

Single Pot Still

Whiskey 1785
ike America’s Declaration of Indepen-
dence, Ireland’s single pot still whiskey
is the brilliant result of a bunch of guys
who didn’t want to pay their taxes. With
the passage of the Malt Tax in 1785, Irish
distillers were forced to pay duty on malted
grains in addition to the spirit they
produced. The extra tax caused distillery
owners to re-evaluate their cereal selection
in search of a loophole. Malted barley is
crucial to successful fermentation, but
given the duty on it, distillers reduced the
proportion of malted barley as low as they
could, making up the difference with

W
tax-free grains, like unmalted barley, rye,
hisky may evolve slowly
corn, or oats. The addition of unmalted
in the cask, but occasion-
barley not only improved yields, but also
ally a progressive leap
resulted in a new style of whiskey, later
forward comes along, a
dubbed single pot still. In 1880, the malt
seismic development
duty was repealed, but Irish single pot still
that changes everything in a heart-
whiskeys, like those produced at Midleton
beat. The privilege of delivering these
Distillery (above), remain favorites of
accomplishments comes with lasting
connoisseurs for their glorious mouth-
recognition. Generations of whisky
coating spiciness.
makers follow in the footsteps of the
innovators, offering refinements on genius,
but forever in their debt. These ten junctures

BARREL HEAD, WHISKY GLASS: ISTOCK

have helped to forge the taste, heighten the pleasure, and
TASTE IT TODAY

ALL TIME
illuminate the joy we discover in a glass of good whisky today.
Redbreast

OF 12 year old
Wonderfully fruity and
spicy, this whiskey
delivers the distinctive
Irish pot still whiskey
mouthfeel. 40%, $60
BY J ONNY M C CO RMI C K

74 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 MELLOW DRAMATIC DAMN GOOD COFFEY CROW’S FEAT

The Lincoln County The Coffey Still 1830 Sour Mash 1835
JACK DANIEL: GETTY IMAGES / LIEFE PICTURE COLLECTION / ED CLARK; COFFEY STILL: HISTORICAL IMAGE COLLECTION BY BILDAGENTUR-ONLINE / ALAMY

Process 1825
T I
raditional pot still distillation yields magine purchasing your favorite

E
arly American whiskeys were often flavorful spirit, produced batch by bourbon and having no idea if it would
harsh, and their coarse, uneven flavors batch, but the process is inherently taste anything like the last bottle you
made them unpalatable to drink neat. inefficient and labor intensive. Aeneas enjoyed. In the absence of laboratory
Alfred Eaton, a Tennessean, is associated Coffey patented the design for a still that cleanliness and modern science, a lot of 19th
with the creation of the Lincoln County could continuously produce alcohol at both century American whiskey got off to a bad
Process—a technique that mellows and higher strength and lower cost (above). start—literally—as good fermentation is
smooths whiskey by filtering it through Coffey, a former senior excise official in critical to the final flavor. The sour mash
sugar maple charcoal before it ever enters a Ireland, refined the most promising early process uses spent material from a previ-
barrel. Charcoal mellowing reduces the 19th century designs from other inventors, ous batch of whiskey to improve the
grainy characteristics of freshly distilled like the Cellier Blumenthal still that trialed whiskey’s consistency and flavor from
whiskey, removes the fatty acids, and steam-driven continuous distillation inside batch to batch, making it smoother and
softens the mouthfeel. There is debate as to long cylindrical columns. The Coffey still more palatable.
whether Eaton deserves all the credit for the consists of two columns which contain a From a technical perspective, the
technique that has come to define Tennessee number of compartments separated by technique ensures the correct acidity,
whiskey and contributed to Jack Daniel’s heated plates. The plates are perforated controls bacteria, adds flavor, and optimizes
emergence as America’s top-selling brand of with small holes to permit the upward the activity of the yeast to improve the
whiskey. At Jack Daniel Distillery (shown alcohol yield. Dr. James Crow (1789–1856), a
passage of steam and alcohol. The distiller
Scottish chemist who emigrated to the U.S.,
above in 1949), the process begins with collects the condensed alcohol concentrated
improved the consistency of American
controlled burning of maple wood to create near the top of the column and doesn’t have
whiskey by refining the sour mash process.
charcoal, according to Chris Fletcher, to cease distilling to feed the still. The By monitoring acidity, sugar levels, and
assistant master distiller. “This charcoal is continuous still model enables large-scale temperature during production, he brought
ground and packed ten feet deep. Our new distillation of grain whisky, vital for blended analytic rigor to the process that taught him
make whiskey will slowly drip through these scotch and Irish blends, and is the basis for why his whiskey was smoother and tastier
vats for two to three days before we enter nearly all bourbon production today. than others, and it became a de facto
the mellowed whiskey into our standard for American whiskey.
own handmade barrels.”

TASTE IT TODAY TASTE IT TODAY TASTE IT TODAY

Gentleman Jack Nikka Coffey Grain Old Crow Kentucky

Tennessee Whiskey A complex Japanese Straight Bourbon Whiskey
A second run through grain whisky with sweet There is no shortage of sour
charcoal after aging flavors of toffee and mash whiskeys out there,
reinforces the vanilla produced in but this one is the namesake
character of charcoal a Coffey still at the of Dr. Crow. 40%, $11
mellowing. 40%, $33 Miyagikyo Distillery.
45%, $70

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 75

 USHER IN THE NEW ERA WHISKEY IN THE JAR DRUM ROLL

Blending 1860s Bottled Bourbon 1870 Drum Maltings 1897

A D T
ndrew Usher Jr. was the father of rinking bourbon was once a risky he process of creating barley malt by
blending, commemorated for pioneer- business. When American whiskey hand, or floor malting, requires the
ing blended scotch. This prominent was traded by the barrel or sold in tedious manual turning of damp barley
style of whisky combines single malt unlabeled bottles, the contents were with a shovel for days on end as germina-
whiskies, made in a pot still, with lighter susceptible to tampering by unscrupulous tion converts the starches to sugar for
grain whiskies, made in a continuous saloon owners, middlemen, and distillers. making whisky. Today, just a handful of
column still. Usher’s artful blends were The drinker gambled on possible dilution scotch distilleries still practice floor
mellower, more palatable, and more and adulteration of the original spirit with malting, and none of them keep the still fed
consistent than whiskies had ever been cheaper liquor, flavorings, or even harmful by floor malting alone. Speyburn Distillery
before. As consumers readily embraced the substances. Old Forester is credited as the pioneered industrial malting with the
easy-drinking whisky, Usher aided blended first bourbon to be commercially filled into installation of six drum-malting machines
scotch in its ascent to dominate the whisky sealed glass bottles to assure the quality of in 1897. The automation of the process
world. Though debate has raged about the the liquid. Entrepreneur George Garvin increased production and made the task far
creator of the first-ever blend, his recipe Brown’s bottles of Old Forester came with less arduous. In drum maltings, huge metal
for Usher’s Old Vatted Glenlivet found a handwritten guarantee and his signature cylinders replace the shovel and rake. The
broad success. Luck, good and bad, played to ensure the whiskey’s veracity. cylinders rotate on cogged rollers to
its part too; the devastating effects of By 1897, the Bottled in Bond Act pneumatically condition the germinating
phylloxera on the French vineyards in the enshrined additional guarantees for the grains of barley tumbling around inside.
1880s, for example, helped blended Scotch drinker about the liquid they were buying. Speyburn retired their endearing Victorian
whisky to supplant brandy. Today, blended Bottle security, integrity, quality assurance, machinery in 1967, but modern large-scale
whiskies rank among the most popular in and authenticity remain important to the malting like that at Port Ellen Maltings on
the world, including household names modern whiskey drinker, as holograms and Islay (above) continues to improve energy
such as Dewar’s, Johnnie Walker, Buchan- high-tech seals have evolved from the mark and water efficiency, while ensuring there
an’s, Grant’s, and Chivas Regal. of quality pioneered by Brown is ample whisky to go around.
and Old Forester.

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Compass Box Old Forester 1870 Speyburn 10 year old BOTTLED BOURBON: ISTOCK

Great King Street Original Batch The originator of drum

The Artist’s Blend Pay homage to George maltings offers good
value in this simple and
This heavenly blend with Garvin Brown’s commer-
cial bottling and exacting sweet charmer, with
Edinburgh roots is a tribute
batch process, replicated delicate floral and red
to the talents of blenders
in this bottling. 45%, $45 fruit flavors. 43%, $30
of the past. 43%, $40

76 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 HOW TO BE SINGLE THE BEGINNING OF FINISHING THEY NOSE BEST

Single Malt 1963 Finishing 1980s Glencairn Glass 2001

A M T
dvertising single malts in the Mad aturing whisky in a second cask he Glencairn glass made us stop and
Men era laid the foundation for opened up an enlightening and nose our whisky, not just toss it back
today’s golden age of whisky. When flavorsome new chapter for scotch. from a tumbler. “A glass that holds the
most scotch drinkers were loyal to their Blenders discovered that transferring their bouquet helps you understand what is so
favorite blend, William Grant’s great- mature whisky to casks that previously special about malts,” said whisky author
grandson Sandy Grant Gordon began to held port, rum, or Spanish sherry like that Michael Jackson in 2001, the year the
promote exports of unblended whisky, of Bodegas Harvey (above) could impart Glencairn glass was launched. Raymond
produced exclusively at the Glenfiddich characteristics and complementary flavors, Davidson, founder of Glencairn Crystal,
Distillery (above). Bars in New York, creating new expressions in a matter of grew tired of asking bartenders to serve his
Boston, and Chicago were soon pouring months. The world’s first finished whisky whisky in a wine glass. Based on a copita
Glenfiddich. The product of just one was the Balvenie Classic range: sherry and created with input from five master
distillery, single malt Scotch whisky had of finished whisky sold in distinctive bocks- blenders, he designed the unique shape to
course been available long before the beutel-style bottles in the 1980s. Created free the aromas by optimizing the contact
1960s. Glenlivet was shipped to the U.S. at by David Stewart, Balvenie’s malt master, between the whisky and the air, and to sit
the end of Prohibition and distributed he recalls being delighted at how the comfortably in the hand with a hardy base
through the rail network. Gordon & European oak added richness and spiciness that could survive life in a pub. Twenty
MacPhail sold single malt whiskies for to the flavors imparted by the original million glasses later, the Glencairn is now
decades, and from the 1960s, their Con- bourbon cask. Like many innovations, used in more than 70 countries. With the

FINISHING: NEIL FARRIN / GETTY IMAGES; GLENCAIRN: JEFF HARRIS

noisseur’s Choice range gave momentum to finishing was not warmly received by all. silhouette of an inverted Scottish thistle, it
the growing popularity of single malts. But Purists initially disparaged the concept, was the innovation that helped countless
the ads from William Grant & Sons in 1963 denouncing it for messing with real whisky, whisky lovers take their first steps toward
were selling something new: single malt as but they quickly found themselves a appreciating whiskies, and the glass we strive
aspirational, sophisticated, and cosmopoli- minority, as the popularity of finished to keep filled with fine whisky today. n
tan, resulting in decades of whiskies took off.
widening choice.

TASTE IT TODAY TASTE IT TODAY TASTE IT TODAY

Glenfiddich The Original Balvenie DoubleWood Johnnie Walker Black

This limited-edition replica, 12 year old Label 12 year old
inspired by the 1963 single Davidson recalls drinking
Satisfyingly rich, with
malt, celebrates the dawn of Black Label in Glasgow pubs
flavors of honey, vanilla,
single malt with its floral in the 1970s, and rekindles
and spice augmented by
and fruit notes and a dry those memories with this
its finish in oloroso
sherry finish. 40%, $100 smoky blend. 40%, $34
sherry casks. 40%, $55

78 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

Craft
Whiskey
6 Visionaries
DARING DEVELOPMENTS SHAPING THE FUTURE

A
ll around the country, upstart
distillers big and small are
finding new ways to create great
whiskey, even when time, scale,
and tradition are all arrayed against
them. Whether working in the forest,
the field, or the laboratory, they’re
breaking old rules, reviving even older
traditions, and applying techniques that
have never been attempted before. Not
every experiment succeeds, but those that do offer us a glimpse of the
future of whiskey. These visionaries may have different ideas about where
whiskey is headed, but they share a will to venture wherever their passion
leads. Here’s a look at a few of the leaders transforming American whiskey.

BY ADAM POLONSKI • ILLUSTRATIONS BY MILES DONOVAN

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 81

 MATT HOFMANN

The Wood Wizard

M
att Hofmann, co-founder of Seattle-based Westland Distill-
ery, is single-minded in seeking out the highest-quality raw
materials he can find, including wood—not just barrels, but
the actual oak itself. “In the whiskey industry, there hasn’t really
been any focus on quality of wood,” Hofmann says, noting that two
new barrels filled with the same liquid can create very different
whiskeys, depending on the quality and nature of the oak.
Hofmann has homed in on slow-growth oak, which is more
porous and allows more oxygen to interact with the whiskey.
Westland also takes a cue from the wine industry by having all its
wood air-dried for an unusually long time—18 to 24 months—
before it’s made into barrels. The natural aging method slowly
breaks down resinous, bitter compounds that TA S T E T H E
can remain in kiln-dried wood. The differ- I N N O VA T I O N

ence, Hofmann says, “is just night and day.”

The distiller also ages some whiskey in barrels
DAREK BELL
made from the native Pacific Northwest oak

The Smoke Charmer species Quercus garryana. To Hofmann,

constant experimentation is a natural part of

D
arek Bell fell in love with smoked whisky while studying on making whiskey. “The spirit of exploration
Islay at Bruichladdich’s Distillery Academy, but the only and looking to build something new is part of
peat he could find stateside tasted of oily, tar-like creosote. the cultural fabric both in America in general,
“My uncle is into barbecue and told me to start smoking with but especially in the Pacific Northwest. We
what we have available here in the South—hardwoods like oak can’t help ourselves; it’s who we are.”
and hickory and fruitwoods like apple and pear or cherry,” Bell OTHER WOOD INNOVATORS Chris Weld,
Westland
says. “Finally, I stepped back and asked myself, if you could Berkshire Mountain Distillers Ages American
smoke anything you wanted, what would make for the best whiskey in craft beer and peated whisky Oak
smoked whiskey?” Bell built Nashville-based Corsair Distillery’s barrels • Keith Barnes, Bainbridge Organic 46% • $60
Westland’s
malt house and smoking facility so he could find out. Distillers Made the first non-Japanese flagship single
His smoking process has evolved over time. Initially, Bell whisky aged entirely in mizunara oak. malt whiskey.

TA S T E T H E
created a “wood mashbill” using several
I N N O VAT I O N different types of wood at once. But he
discovered that smoking each batch with just
one kind of wood and blending several
batches together allowed for more pro-
nounced flavors. “Different woods will hit
either at the nose, the body, or the finish. I
need to blend multiple smoke types to make
a more complete whiskey.” Bell says. The
Corsair founder has documented 80 of his
experiments—both successes and failures—in
Fire Water: Experimental Smoked Whiskeys, a
guidebook for other aspiring smokers.
Corsair Triple
OTHER SMOKE INNOVATORS Stephen Paul,
Smoke
40% • $45 Hamilton Distillers Creates mesquite-
Malt whiskey smoked whiskey that tastes like dry-rubbed
smoked with barbecued ribs. • Luke Davidson, Maine
cherrywood,
beechwood, Craft Distilling Makes whiskey smoked with
and peat. Maine peat and Maine seaweed.

82 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

NANCY FRALEY

The Wandering Blender

N
ancy Fraley doesn’t have her own distillery, but as a master
blending consultant, she doesn’t really need one. Fraley
works closely with numerous craft distillers, advising on
barrel types and aging time, selecting the best mature barrels,
and blending the contents in innovative ways. “Even though I
don’t have a distillery of my own, at a number of distilleries I
really am their master blender,” says Fraley.
Fraley’s blending skill marries the old and the new. She can
taste Texas-based Ironroot Republic’s purple corn whiskey and
determine—with some experimentation—that it stands up well to
European oak. She created the perfect blend of ages and finish-
ing casks (Armagnac, sherry, and Cognac) to transform aged
MGP bourbon into Jos. A Magnus’ Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend, a
TA S T E T H E
perfect pairing for a cigar. She used traditional
I N N O VAT I O N French blending techniques—like bringing
whiskey down to proof with a barrel-aged,
low-proof mixture of water and whiskey—to
MIKE SWANSON AND CHERI REESE
create J. Henry & Sons’ Cognac-finished
Bellefontaine Reserve. She conducts work-
shops to help distillers become better The Environmentalists
W
blenders, and her birds-eye view of craft hen Mike Swanson and Cheri Reese built Far North Spirits
distilleries shows a bright future ahead. “It’s in northern Minnesota, the husband-and-wife team made a
a very exciting time in craft distilling. People long-term commitment to building a sustainable future by
really care about what they’re doing, and bettering their community and the world beyond. For starters,
want to do things right.” they dramatically reduced their carbon footprint and energy costs
Ironroot OTHER BLENDING INNOVATORS Andy by sourcing 90 percent of their grain, everything except malted
Republic
Rieger and Ryan Maybee, J. Rieger & Co. barley, from their own farm. They buy barrels from a Minnesota
Hubris
58.9% • $55 Revived the pre-Prohibition tradition of cooperage and malt grains at a Minnesota maltster. Far North
Made from blending sherry directly into whiskey. • Dave harnesses the heat from production to warm the distillery in
purple corn and Pickerell Built a solera system for bourbon winter and composts and recycles its materials so effectively that
yellow dent
corn, aged in at Hillrock Estate and blended Canadian it doesn’t need a dumpster. “If your sustain- TA S T E T H E
the Texas heat. and American ryes at WhistlePig. ability initiatives have been thought through, I N N O VA T I O N

they shouldn’t be expenditures—they should

be money savers,” Swanson says.
Far North also serves the land and the local
community by minimizing the use of herbi-
cides, practicing crop rotation, and employing
local farmers during their idle winter months.
For Far North, sustainability is all-encompass-
ing. “It’s really a paradigm shift,” Swanson
says. “You’re looking to make your presence in
the world a beneficial thing.”
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATORS
Connie Baker and Carey Shanks, Marble Roknar
Minnesota
Distilling Co. Created a closed-loop water
Rye
system that saves four million gallons of water 47% • $55
a year. • Lars Hubbard and Chuck Burkins, An estate rye
Appalachian Gap Distillery Operates on whiskey made
from a single
solar power, and gives employees the credits rye strain and
for the surplus energy the distillery produces. heirloom corn.

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 85

 JIM WALTER, JAMIE WALTER, AND NICK NAGELE

The Corn Kingpins

J
im Walter, an award-winning master farmer, has grown corn
on his family farm in DeKalb, Illinois all his life. With the
worldwide grain market in flux, Jim and his son Jamie
decided to diversify the business and, along with fellow multi-gen-
eration farmer Nick Nagele, opened Whiskey Acres to turn some of
the 2,000-acre farm’s grain into whiskey. “If we don’t grow it, we
don’t make it,” Jamie Walter says. “To be able to take a portion of
that grain... [and] turn it into a product with our own two hands,
and have consumers excited to be able to taste it… that’s something
that we’ve never had.” TA S T E T H E
Whiskey Acres has a straightforward I N N O VA T I O N

ethos. “Not all corn is created equal,” says

Jamie. “We all accept that a pinot noir is
going to make a different flavor of wine than
a cabernet sauvignon. Much like grapes,
there are varietal differences [in corn].”
Every year, the distillery plants at least
CORKY AND CARSON TAYLOR
sixteen varieties of ‘whiskey corn.’ Only the

Masters of Mash most promising become whiskey. Single-

varietal heirloom-corn bourbons—like

W
hen Corky Taylor and his son Carson revived Louisville- Oaxacan green corn, blue popcorn, and
based Kentucky Peerless, they didn’t want to make whiskey sweet corn—portend a future where whiskey
the way their ancestor Henry Kraver did in 1889. They lovers care as much about corn as wine
wanted to create the best whiskey they could by embracing modern drinkers do about grapes. Whiskey
technology. “If somebody walked through the door at 11:00 and said, OTHER GRAIN INNOVATORS Sonat Acres
Bourbon
‘Corky, you’d have to do this one thing to make your whiskey better,’ Birnecker Hart and Robert Birnecker,
43.5%, $54
I guarantee you we’d be doing it by lunch,” says Corky. Koval Distillery Makes whiskey with quinoa, Whiskey Acres’
Instead of using the common sour mash process to maintain oats, and millet. • Scott Blackwell and Ann flagship, made
consistency and hinder bacterial growth, Peerless uses a sweet Marshall, High Wire Distilling Co. Makes with carefully
chosen hybrids
TA S T E T H E
mash process: rather than adding material bourbon from the nearly extinct moonshiner’s of yellow dent
I N N O VAT I O N from a previous batch to kickstart fermenta- corn Jimmy Red, plus sorghum whiskey. n corn.
tion, the distillery starts each batch fresh,
allowing for a clean and flavorful distiller’s
beer. This method only works because
Peerless maintains an immaculately clean
facility. “My distillery looks old and feels old,”
Corky says. “But I want it battleship clean.”
Grain reaches Peerless only just as it’s needed,
yeast arrives in single-use vacuum-sealed bags,
and the distillery’s pipes are sterilized between
each mash. The pristine environment allows
Peerless to ferment at low temperatures, distill
Kentucky to a low proof, and use a low barrel-entry
Peerless proof, adding up to amplified flavor.
Straight Rye
OTHER PROCESS INNOVATORS Michael
53.7% • $125
A spicy 2 year Kinstlick and Christopher Williams,
old rye that Coppersea Distilling Malts grain by hand and
landed on distills with direct-fire stills. • David Kyrejko,
Whisky
Advocate’s Top Arcane Distilling Built a vacuum distillation
20 list in 2017. system to distill cult craft beers.

86 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 Isle of Jura

MARITIME Ardbeg

PHOTO CREDIT TK

88 WINTER 2017 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 Scotland’s Coastal
Whiskies are Suited
for All Seasons
BY J O N N Y M c CO R M I C K

S
cotch whisky guides typically
slice the country into neat
regions: Highlands, Lowlands,
Spreyside, Islay, Campbeltown,
and other Islands. But fans of
Scotland’s coastal malts prefer life on the
Bruichladdich edge, much like the distilleries that cling to
Scotland’s wild perimeter, with its thou-

MALTS
sands of miles of coastline encompassing
long sandy beaches, rugged cliffs, sheltered
coves, and deep blue estuaries that convey
the outflow of rivers to the ocean. Their
whiskies run the gamut of flavor, from fiery,
elemental smoke bombs to sumptuously
smooth charmers, yet find a common bond
in their affinity with the sea. Whether a
wisp of briny ocean spray, reeking to the
Ruvaal Lighthouse near Bunnahabhain
rafters with iodine, or as lip-smackingly
moreish as a giant pretzel, each sip is a com-
pelling case that Scotland’s coast is a whisky
region unto itself.
It’s impossible to ascribe the saltiness to
any single factor. As the casks breathe in the
sea air, distillers with warehouses close to
the shore swear the proximity to the ocean
is paramount, yet killjoys cite how that
alluring saltiness prevails even when
whisky from coastal distilleries is matured
in inland warehouses.
Living on Scotland’s coast can be taxing,
but the hardy souls that live and work here
will stand up in the teeth of a gale to defend
their way of life. The whiskies do not bow to
convention either. Their nature suits matu-
ration in sherry and bourbon casks, peat is
prevalent but not universal, they can be
mellow, they can be punchy; they seem to
revel in being contrary with impunity. Given
their diversity, drinking scotch shaped by
the sea offers year-round sensory pleasure.

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 89

 SPRING

S
pringtime whiskies should be fresh
and bursting with the aromas of
PREVIOUS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: ALAMY STOCK PHOTO (2), JAMES DEANE, JON DOUGLAS / GETTY IMAGES. THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: DOUG HOUGHTON / SCOTTISH VIEW-

blossoming flowers and ripening

fruits. A cluster of whiskies from
distilleries around Scotland’s northeastern
coast, including Glenmorangie, Deveron,
and Glenglassaugh deliver lightly fragrant
floral notes and sweet fruity flavors to suit
the optimism of the season. Glenmorangie
10 year old Original brings floral complex-
ity, peach stone, apricot, and citrus notes,
Glenglassaugh Evolution has its vanilla,
salted caramel, and white pepper, and Deve-
ron 12 year old from Macduff conveys
heavenly sweet charms. These single malts
share an elegance and beauty that brings to
mind a more placid sea, and the shoreline
leaves a subtle impression upon the whis-
kies as they develop inside the cask.
“Everything we make at Glenmorangie is
matured on the shores of the Dornoch
Firth,” says Andy Macdonald, Glenmorangie
distillery manager. “Our winters are not too
cold, and the summers are not too warm. We
would never claim that the sea has that
much of an influence on the flavor of Glen-
morangie, but the coastal location influences
the climate in the warehouse, giving us an
even maturation profile without huge varia- Scapa

tions in temperature throughout the year.”

Scapa is Orkney’s only coastal distillery known exception of one errant sherry bar-
(its close neighbor Highland Park sits on a rel that was secretly filled in the 1990s.
hill), the low, drab buildings seemingly Down the west coast, Kilkerran 8 year
sheltering behind the baffle of the white old Cask Strength from Mitchell’s Glen-
wall emblazoned with the distillery’s name. gyle Distillery delights with a green apple
A thick, strong-necked Lomond still, a note, the Campbeltown whisky carrying
hybrid design from the 1950s, is a rare sight sufficient salinity and smoke to whip the
in a coastal distillery, quite a contrast to the taste buds into a state of excitement. But
elegantly tall Glenmorangie stills. Although with summer approaching, it’s time to look
POINT; FLPA / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Scapa runs it in an uncomplicated manner toward the Isle of Jura. With the shimmer-
with the internal plates removed, the ability ing ocean behind us, we can drink in the
of the still’s broad copper neck to influence view of the palm trees growing outside the
the spirit’s clean, fruity flavors is mitigated hotel, the 1960s frontage of Jura Distillery,
by a purifier, which returns the heavier ele- and the string of pale little cottages stretch-
ments in the vapors back to the still. Other ing along the island’s only road. The sun
than the peated whisky casks used to finish glints through a glass of Jura 10 year old,
Scapa Glansa, all of Scapa’s whisky enters with its flavors of bright orange, dark choc-
Jura wildlife
American oak for maturation, with the olate, and spices.

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 91

 honey,” says MacDonald. “Fresh citrus fruit
followed by intense toffee and vanilla on the
palate. Summer in a glass!”
Visiting Islay in the warmest months is
hard to beat when it comes to drinking
whisky in the open air. Standing at the gates
of Bruichladdich Distillery, the coast is no
more than a stone’s throw away. The honey,
citrus, and floral notes of Laddie Ten make
it a phenomenal beach whisky, though if
smoke is called for, turn to the lemon, peat
smoke, and honey of Bowmore 12 year old
from the opposite shore of Loch Indaal. For
Tobermory
a really decadent beach dram, open an old

FROM TOP: JONATHAN SUMPTON / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; WORLDWIDE PICTURE LIBRARY / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; PAUL TOMKINS / SCOTTISH VIEWPOINT
bottling of Port Ellen, if you can lay your

SUMMER
most northerly mainland distillery, bears hands on one. Sitting around a campfire
witness to some spectacular blazing sun- with good company and rolling such a rare
sets, although it can be a long wait, with whisky around your glass, you’re likely to
eighteen hours of daylight in midsummer. find a dry, earthy peatiness, waxed lemons,

T
Their youthful Wolfburn single malt and strips of peppered, oily smoked fish.
he carefree days of summer call delivers fresh fruitiness and grassy notes,
for invigorating golden drams with subtle smoke and ginger.
and thirst-quenching cocktails, Tucked further up the Dornoch Firth
ideal for clinking in celebration from Glenmorangie Distillery is Balblair,
at laid-back beach weddings. Vanilla and the oldest working distillery in the High-
light fruit flavors offer respite on hot, sticky lands. “Beautiful clean air, surrounded by
summer afternoons, while those with firm open fields, with hills to the north and the
smoke welcome evening bonfires and match sea to the south: it’s Scotland at its best,”
tasty smoked seafood. beams distillery manager John MacDonald.
The Jekyll and Hyde flavors of vanilla in Production here moves intentionally slowly.
malty Tobermory 10 year old and its briny, After more than six hours, an unhurried
peaty alter ego, Ledaig 10 year old from the drain through the mash bed delivers clear, Glen Albyn
Isle of Mull, make both whiskies ideal bright wort, which gives tremendous fer-
drams for summer drinking and pairing mentation aromas. “You can smell an GHOSTS OF
with grilled foods. Wolfburn, Scotland’s orchard when you open the lids,” MacDon- THE COAST
ald remarks. “Slow distillation produces
apple and pear notes when the spirit is The end of the 20th century witnessed
flowing through the safe.” the loss of many of Scotland’s coastal
Balblair Distillery was moved a quarter of a distilleries. These increasingly rare
mile north in 1895 to be closer to the railroad. whiskies can be located at specialty
retailers and at auction.
The coast was a secondary consideration, but
given the proximity to the banks of the Firth,
Banff – closed 1983
does the manager pick up any brininess in his Glen Albyn – closed 1983
dram? “No. I would say the effect on our spirit Glen Mhor – closed 1983
is negligible,” comes MacDonald’s laconic Glenugie – closed 1983
reply. Every cask at Balblair is matured in tra- Glenury Royal – closed 1985
ditional dunnage warehouses, exactly as they Inverleven – closed 1991
have always done, which MacDonald is con- Ladyburn – closed 1975
vinced plays a part in the final flavors. It’s Lochside – closed 1992
younger vintages, like the tasty Balblair 2005, Millburn – closed 1985
fully matured in bourbon barrels, that he finds Port Ellen – closed 1983 (reopening 2020)
particularly refreshing in the summer. “I find Criteria: non-operational single malt distillery
Balblair mountain biking situated less than 1000m from the coast.
notes of apples, oranges, vanilla, flowers, and

92 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 N
TOAST OF 1

THE COAST 5
6
JURA

N
12 ORKNEY
19
Highly-rated Coastal Whiskies 4
3
ISLAY
Feature Flavors of the Sea.
23

93 Ardbeg An Oa 46.6%, $60

A French Oak marrying vat helps
integrate smoky Ardbeg matured in a
18 14 13
1
17

variety of cask types: charred virgin oak,

North
Sea
Pedro Ximénez, and first-fill bourbon. Dark
chocolate, peat, aniseed, black tea, clove,
and pepper make this a dynamic Ardbeg. 2 10

7 8

92 Oban Little Bay 43%, $75 15

Features dried fruits, chocolate SKYE
orange, a touch of salt, and clove. Com-
21
bining mature Oban from European oak
sherry casks, refill casks with new heads,
and refill hogsheads to marry in small oak ABERDEEN

casks achieves a rich, rounded style.

92 Springbank 15 year old 46%, $120

The oloroso sherry influence brings
out soft leather, dried fruits, black tea, MULL
22

16
DUNDEE

brine, peat, spicy tannins, raisins, and

Brazil nut, leaving an appealing smoke
trail in its wake. A contemplative digestif
or good choice with a cigar. 1 EDINBURGH 2
GLASGOW CAMPBELTOWN

89 Talisker Storm 45.8%, $61

Even among Talisker expressions,
Storm whips up greater maritime charac-
11

2 20
teristics than most. Smart wood choices
of rejuvenated casks and refill oak help to 9
develop the flavors of sea spray, wood Firth
of Clyde
smoke, dark berries, and Talisker’s
trademark peppery volcanic eruption.

COASTAL DISTILLERIES OF SCOTLAND

88 Old Pulteney Navigator 46%, $65
Navigator celebrates the seafaring
men and women of the distillery’s town of 1 13 Lagavulin, Islay
Ardbeg, Islay
Wick. The combination of bourbon and
2 Balblair, Edderton 14 Laphroaig, Islay
sherry casks delivers a wave of honey,
3 Bowmore, Islay 15 Macduff (Glen Deveron), Macduff
apple, dried fruit, ginger, cocoa, and spicy
orange, with a lasting salty taste of the 4 Bruichladdich, Islay 16 Oban, Oban
sea. 5 Bunnahabhain, Islay 17 Old Pulteney, Wick
6 Caol Ila, Islay 18 Port Ellen, Islay

87 Scapa Glansa 40%, $72

Scapa’s flavor profile shares more
traits with Speyside malts than its fellow
7
8
Dalmore, Alness
Glenglassaugh, Portsoy
19 Scapa, Orkney
20 Springbank, Campbeltown
9 Glengyle, Campbeltown 21 Talisker, Isle of Skye
island whiskies, thanks to the unpeated
MAP: HENRY ENG

malt and soft honeyed fruitiness. Here, a 10 Glenmorangie, Tain 22 Tobermory, Isle of Mull
peated whisky-cask finish brings out a 11 Glen Scotia, Campbeltown 23 Wolfburn, Thurso
darker side of rich fruits, dark vanilla, and 12 Isle of Jura, Craighouse, Jura
gentle smoke.
Criteria: Single malt distilleries situated less than 1000m from the coast with U.S. available whiskies.

94 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 Lochranza, Isle of Arran

FALL
contemplating the mystifying reasons for The cool, crisp air signals the change of
Old Pulteney Navigator’s pleasing salti- the season again. Frost blanches fall’s for-
ness. “The distillery sits on the top of the saken leaves, the icy chill hastening us to
cliffs overlooking the North Sea, and the reach for whiskies with warmth and a depth

T
warehouses are just pulling in that coastal of flavor that only sherry cask maturation
he awns and whiskers of the bar- character all the time; that brininess, which can attain. We drink Bunnahabhain 18
ley have turned from tawny to is imparted into Pulteney.” Why does the year old on mellow afternoons and Dal-
amber, signaling time for the saltiness express itself so assuredly? “Go more 15 year old after dinner when we can
harvest to begin. The farmers are back to the essence of the Pulteney spirit— fully succumb to the spices and dried fruits.
not the only ones hard at it, as the coast is a it’s not a delicate spirit at all,” explains Glen Scotia’s Double Cask keeps out the
busy place: enterprising Scots engage in Waring. “We’re looking at something big and cold with the power of vanilla and spicy
fishing, tourism, oil and gas, and coastal powerful, vegetal, slightly sulfury and meaty. richness from the Pedro Ximénez cask,
FROM TOP: JIM ALLAN / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; PAUL TOMKINS / SCOTTISH VIEWPOINT

management, and reap renewable energy The robustness of the new make spirit lends while Oban 14 year old's heady marmalade
from the power of the wind and waves. itself to harmonizing perfectly with these and smoke flavors lanced with a raw salti-
Old Pulteney, like a sea shanty in a bottle, salty characteristics.” ness make it a staple of the season.
is an exemplar of a coastal whisky. “The dis-
tillery grew up during the herring boom,”
says Malcolm Waring, Pulteney’s distillery
manager since 2006. “When times were
tough at sea during the winter, the guys
would work on the still, but in the summer,
they would go and fish when the herring
were abundant. The biggest market for
Pulteney in those days was actually Wick
and Pulteneytown; there were 500 gallons a
day drunk in the town.” These days, private
boats, not fishing trawlers, berth in Wick’s
marina; the spectacle of the herring girls on
the quayside splitting, gutting, and packing
the silver darlings into wooden barrels is
consigned to history.
The fish may be gone, but Wick still has
water and wind in abundance. “Terroir lends
Old Pulteney
itself perfectly to Pulteney,” says Waring,

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 97

 Ardbeg

On Skye, Talisker hugs the southern all year round. You can smell it, you can taste

WINTER shore of Loch Harport, as if the distillery

just sailed into port, dropped anchor, and
docked there indefinitely. The dramatic
it, and when you lick your lips, you know
where you are. From days gone by until now,
the sea is our link to the rest of the world. It
landscape is captured in the muscular is an association we cannot do without.” His

T
power, toffee, seaweed, and peppery winter survival plan seems sound: “Winter
he transistor radio crackles to warmth of a glass of Talisker 57o North. on Islay means long, dark nights, sometimes
life with the shipping forecast As the year draws to a close, the coastal with the Atlantic gales battering the walls of
for the day ahead. Ominously, malts of Islay fit our needs perfectly. Caol Ila the distillery and our homes. Put on a roaring
the announcer informs, “There 18 year old’s mellow fruitiness and graceful fire, pour a dram of Ardbeg An Oa, sit back,
are warnings of gales in all areas….” Winter peat smoke notes are bewitching. We yearn have a good sip, smile, and say, ‘Weather, do
can be merciless on the coast. The first for the dry peatiness of Lagavulin 16 year your worst! I’m quite happy.’”
drink of the day is very strong coffee, cra- old, and the downright gutsy qualities of A year spent savoring scotch by the sea
dled in both hands for warmth. But the last Laphroaig 10 year old cask strength. makes for a pleasurable learning experience
will surely be whisky. The west coast of “We distill whisky by the sea,” beams for any whisky lover. We are reminded that
Scotland is punished repeatedly with Michael Heads, the ebullient Ardbeg Distill- it will take a lifetime of devotion to deeply
storm-force winds, the ocean swells and ery manager who lives next door to the understand how Scotland’s single malts
heaves, and huge Atlantic breakers smash distillery. “There is a briny saltiness in the air align with the wind and waves.

FROM TOP: JAMES DEANE; ADAM BURTON / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

against the seawalls. After each assault, the
distillers survey the damage: warehouse
shingles ripped from the roof in the night,
the alarming new crack running up the dis-
tillery chimney, whatever damages the
storm sees fit to inflict. Deliveries of malt,
yeast, and casks can be delayed for days as
the ferry takes shelter in safe harbor.
In the dead of winter, we crave hearty, full-
blooded whiskies, replete with an
invigorating smoky character, and instilled
with salty, maritime qualities. It’s the season
for wintery drams of Springbank 15 year
old and Longrow 18 year old, full of brine,
viscous oils, and freshly dug peat. Oh Camp-
Old Man of Storr, Isle of Skye
beltown Loch, I wish you were whisky!

98 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 Older Than the Pyramids
Skara Brae is a complete Neolithic
settlement on the western edge of
Orkney’s mainland. Part of a UNESCO
World Heritage Site, these well-preserved
prehistoric houses even include stone
furniture. historicenvironment.scot

Race Through the Wilderness

The Coast to Coast Race is a two-day test
of endurance across the spectacular
Scottish Highlands by foot, bicycle, and
sea kayak. ratrace.com/coasttocoast

Sleep in a Lighthouse
The Corsewall Lighthouse, a boutique
hotel and fine-dining restaurant situated
an hour away from Bladnoch Distillery,
offers views to the Isle of Arran, the
Kintyre Peninsula, and the distant coast
of Ireland. lighthousehotel.co.uk

Skara Brae
Hop the Islands

GOING COASTAL
With no airstrip, a flight landing on the
beach at Barra makes for an exhilarating
arrival in the Outer Hebrides. Access other
G O I N G COA STA L islands by ferry to explore their remote
distilleries. hebrideanhopscotch.com

Make Time for Tea

Mainland Scotland’s craggy coast wan- Take a Dram on the Wild Side The 400-foot long Royal Yacht Britannia is
ders for over 6,000 miles. Add in the The only way to reach the Old Forge pub a floating former royal residence that offers
FROM TOP: IAN DAGNALL / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; PAUL TOMKINS / SCOTTISH VIEWPOINT

islands, and you have around 10,000 at Knoydart is to trek eighteen miles over tours of Queen Elizabeth II’s State Apart-
miles to explore. These are some of our the mountains or make the seven-mile ments and the royal bedroom. Conclude
favorite ways to experience the sea, sea crossing. Fortunately, the warm the day on the royal deck with a cup of tea,
welcome, thirst quenching beers, and or maybe some Royal Salute.
outside of a briny dram, of course.
great drams make the journey worthwhile royalyachtbritannia.co.uk
(open March – October).
Design Within Reach theoldforge.co.uk
Dundee is home to the new V&A (Victoria
& Albert) Museum of Design, opening this
Live the Wild Life
fall. Japanese architect Kengo Kuma’s
Boating through the raw power of the
structure, showcasing the best design
Gulf of Corryvreckan offers up-close
from around the world, was inspired by
encounters with whales, dolphins, seals,
the cliffscapes of Scotland’s coast.
otters, eagles, and gannets. Be warned:
vandadundee.org
the forceful whirlpools during the big
spring tides are not for the faint-hearted.
Tee Off seafari.co.uk/oban
The Open returns to the historic links
course at Carnoustie this summer. The 6th
Get a Window Seat
hole, Hogan’s Alley, can make or break a
Marvel in the spectacular scenery from
player’s day, and the weather can often be
Europe’s only seaplane airline. From your
cruel, adding to the challenge. Zach
luxury cabin in the sky, the mountain
Johnson, Ernie Els, Jordan Spieth, and
peaks, hidden lochs, remote islands, and
Dustin Johnson are expected to tee off.
deserted glens reveal themselves.
theopen.com Gulf of Corryvreckan
lochlomondseaplanes.com

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 101

 Buying Guide

Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery

W
ith the constant deluge do you encounter that with limited edi- 106 Scotland
of limited release and tion whiskies? Looking toward the value
rare whiskies, it’s easy end of the spectrum, top-selling Irish 110 United States
to forget that excel- whiskey Jameson weighs in with a new 113 Canada
lence is often lurking in plain sight. This Caskmates project, this one aged in IPA 113 Ireland
edition of the Buying Guide offers sev- casks—90 points and just $30.
eral reminders, notably Johnnie Walker American whiskey fans who struggled 115 Japan
Blue Label, with its eye-popping score to locate the number one whisky from 115 World Whiskies
of 97 points. Now, the quality and pres- our Top 20 for 2017, Elijah Craig Bar- 117 International
tige of Blue Label is no secret, but this rel Proof, will be delighted to read the Market Highlights
truly exquisite blended scotch is widely review of the latest release: batch C917.
available and generally sells for much True to our word, it delivers consistent
less than its list price of $225. How often excellence to rival the previous batch.

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 105

 BUYING GUIDE

ABOUT THE BUYING GUIDE

The Buying Guide provides ratings of Featured whiskies
whiskies from around the world. All Groups of similar whiskies sometimes
whiskies currently available for purchase
are considered for evaluation; a special
appear as a special focus. These may be
from a single distillery, or be of a specific
Scotland
effort is placed on reviewing new products type. The whiskies are chosen by the
and comparing them to established ones. reviewers and are not the result of any SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALTS
Because we for the most part serve a U.S. commercial transaction between Whisky
audience, we prefer to review whiskies Advocate and the producers of the 91 Glenfiddich Winter Storm
that are available there, but will also review chosen whiskies. 21 year old, 43%, $250
whiskies unique to other markets. Whiskies Glenfiddich’s Experimental Series contin-
are chosen for tasting from among those Reviewers ues with this expression, finished for up to
sent to our offices for review, and from Our reviewers cover the following territories. 6 months in ice wine casks sourced from
targeted categories—a particular distillery, a (Reviewers are indicated by their initials at Peller Estates winery in Ontario, Canada.
particular age—we find of interest. the end of the individual reviews.) Concentrated aromas of canned peaches in
Davin de Kergommeaux (DdeK) has been syrup, vanilla, and clotted cream. Silky on
Ratings and prices writing about Canadian whisky for over 15 the palate, with a carryover of peaches from
Ratings are to provide a relative comparison
years. Canada the nose and succulent blood oranges. The
of quality with reference to both directly
Jeffery Lindenmuth (JL) is the executive
finish is medium in length, slowly drying, but
competing products and whiskies in general.
This is important, because some products editor of Whisky Advocate. He has been a fruity to the end. (7,800 bottles in U.S.)—GS
achieve greater balance, character, and full-time writer and reviewer of beer, spirits,
complexity than others. We urge you to and wine for over 15 years. Staff reviewer 90 Exclusive Malts 2006 (distilled
keep in mind that the best way to learn at Linkwood) 11 year old, 58.2%, $100
Jonny McCormick (JM) is a contributing
about whiskies is to taste them for yourself editor for Whisky Advocate. He resides
The nose is pleasingly floral, with soft spice,
and draw your own conclusions. There is no in Scotland. Blended scotch, blended malt, heather in bloom, and even a sugges-
substitute for this; we are providing a guide malts, grain, Irish whiskey, Japan, and tion of violets. Well textured on the palate,
for you to reach this goal. world whisky oily and nutty, with tropical fruits, honey,
Please note that because of the number milk chocolate, vanilla, and malt. The finish
of new products on the market every month, Fred Minnick (FM) is a Louisville, Ky.-based
bourbon authority. American whiskey
is lengthy, with a hint of citrus and warming
the products listed in the Buying Guide
spices. (Cask no. 69; 287 bottles)—GS
usually reflect our most positive experiences Adam Polonski (AP) is a senior whisky
in recent tasting. However, whiskies that specialist for Whisky Advocate. He has been
score in the lower ranges will also be writing about wine, spirits, and beer for 5
89 Exclusive Malts 2002 (distilled at
included at the discretion of the taster if Miltonduff) 14 year old, 54.1%, $140
years. Staff reviewer
they feel there is particular significance to The initial nose is herbaceous, with green
Susannah Skiver Barton (SSB) is a senior apples, then brittle toffee. Developing Juicy
that product.
whisky specialist and digital editor for
Prices shown reflect the suggested retail Fruit gum flavors. The palate is straightfor-
Whisky Advocate. She has been writing
price. If that is not available, we will use a ward, but full and pleasing, featuring pineap-
about whisky for 5 years. Staff reviewer
representative retail price; prices in your area ple, fudge, vanilla, and almonds. The finish is
and at different stores will vary. All whiskies Gavin D Smith (GS) is based in the Scottish medium in length, nutty, with a hint of black
currently available in the U.S. have prices Borders and has written over 15 whisky pepper. (Cask no. 263; 176 bottles)—GS
marked in dollars; any whisky priced in other books. Speyside, Islay, Scottish Highlands,
Lowlands, Campbeltown, and Islands
currency is not presently available in the U.S.
89 Single Cask Nation (distilled at
Tormore) 21 year old, 49%, $165
RATING SCHEME This was distilled in February 1996,
matured in a second-fill bourbon barrel,
95-100 Classic: a great whisky 80-84 Good: a solid, well-made whisky
and bottled in April 2017. The nose yields
90-94 Outstanding: a whisky of superior 75-79 Mediocre: a drinkable whisky that
nectarines, vanilla ice cream, fudge, and
character and style may have minor flaws
milk chocolate. Smooth and rounded on
85-89 Very good: a whisky with 50-74 Not recommended
special qualities
the palate, with ripe apples, toffee, wal-
nuts, and ultimately, a hint of lemon, plus
black pepper. Nutty and subtly spicy in the
Editor’s Choice: Our favorite in this issue, regardless of price. Page 110
lengthy finish. (156 bottles)—GS
Value Pick: Our pick, considering both quality and price. Page 114

106 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 BUYING GUIDE

88 Chapter 7 2008 (distilled at Allt- SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALTS

a-Bhainne) 9 year old, 60.7%, $65

A single cask, cask strength whisky finished FOCUS ON Balvenie DCS Compendium
in a first-fill bourbon barrel. The initial nose Chapter 3
is slightly earthy, with walnuts, Juicy Fruit
gum, vanilla, and ripe peach notes in time. Chapter 3 of Balvenie’s DCS Compen-
Full, sweet fruit notes on the palate, peach- dium celebrates the work of malt master
es in syrup, overripe pineapple, with milk David C. Stewart, for whom the series is
chocolate, fudge, and nutmeg. The finish named. It offers five whiskies from five
is medium in length and perennially spicy, different decades and is themed ‘Secrets
with aniseed notes. (Cask no. 170)—GS of the Stock Model.’ The oldest release
from the distillery so far, a 55 year old,
88 Chapter 7 2008 (distilled at is included. Fifty sets of Chapter 3 were
Aultmore) 9 year old, 62.2%, $70 released for around $60,000.
Aged in bourbon wood, then finished in an
oloroso sherry cask. The result is a whisky 95 Balvenie 1973 43 year old, fudge, pineapple, and contrasting lemon.
with a nutty nose, plus sultanas, figs, 46.6%, $15,000 or $60,000/set Lively tropical fruits on the palate,
vanilla, and background sherry, becom- This expression was matured in a Euro- almonds, walnuts, and ginger cookies,
ing more floral in time. Full-bodied on the pean oak oloroso sherry butt. Overtly sher- with ever-present oak. Bitter coffee in
palate, with sweet sherry notes, ginger, and ried, with figs, sultanas, cinnamon, and the medium-length, leathery finish.—GS
cinnamon, and developing raisin and prune old warm leather on the nose. Finally, fra-
notes. The finish is long, with spicy coffee grant, with milk chocolate-coated Turkish 87 Balvenie 1993 23 year old,
and blackberries. (Cask no. 900160)—GS delight. The Turkish delight carries over 51.9%, $60,000/set
to the palate, before the chocolate darkens This was aged in a refill American oak
CAMPBELTOWN SINGLE MALTS to plain, with raisins, smoked ham, and hogshead, as was the 1981 expression.
cloves in the long finish. Remarkably, Like that variant, it has pineapple and
92 Springbank 15 year old, almost no tannic oak. Textbook stuff.—GS lemon on the nose and also yields milk
46%, $130 chocolate, green apples, and fresh-sawn
The nose is complex, with almonds, coco- 93 Balvenie 1961 55 year old, wood. Smooth, full, and sweet on the
nut, soft leather, tropical fruits, and stewed 41.7%, $60,000/set palate, again with very ripe tropical
black tea. Hints of brine and peat appear. Aged in a European oak oloroso sherry fruits, plus apple pie. The finish is me-
The palate is rounded and rich, with more hogshead. Orange marmalade and lanolin dium in length; quite austere.—GS
tropical fruits, sherry, caramel, pipe to- on the nose, with caramel and candle wax
bacco, wood smoke, and spicy tannins. The dripped onto old leather. Full-bodied, with 86 Balvenie 2004 13 year old,
finish is relatively long and creamy, with slightly bitter orange notes, plus nutmeg 58.2%, $60,000/set
lingering smokiness. All the classic Spring- and aniseed on the palate. The orange This expression was aged in a European
bank elements merge nicely here.—GS theme persists into the finish as dried-out oak oloroso sherry butt. A savory open-
Jaffa segments, plus edgy oak tannins. A ing to the nose, followed by figs dipped
ISLAY SINGLE MALTS highly individualistic Balvenie.—GS in lemon juice. Sweet, spicy cream
sherry on the palate, Christmas cake
93 Bruichladdich 1984, 90 Balvenie 1981 35 year old, flavors, then black pepper and tannins
43.7%, $1,100 43.8%, $60,000/set develop. The finish is medium to long,
This 32 year old bottling was aged in A refill American oak hogshead matured with honey and malt. Accomplished, but
twelve bourbon barrels and re-casked into this whisky. The nose offers malt, vanilla expensive for its age.—GS
fresh bourbon wood in 2009. It offers a
nose of canned peaches, dates, marzipan,
and a hint of milky coffee. Rich fruit flavors 92 Bruichladdich 1985, peaches on the nose, with vanilla fudge,
lead on the palate: peach, pineapple, and 48.7%, $1,100 honey, and ginger. Fruity and spicy on the
mango, with vanilla and nutty oak. Slowly Originally filled into 22 third-fill bourbon luscious palate, with orange, cinnamon,
drying in the finish, with warming spices. casks, this 32 year old was re-casked into and coconut. Long in the finish, with ever-
Sometimes good bourbon casks are all you first-fill bourbon barrels in 2012, then present fruitiness, plus prickly chili notes.
need. (3,000 bottles)—GS finished in French oak wine barrels. Fresh (4,200 bottles)—GS

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 107

 BUYING GUIDE

91 Bruichladdich 1986, 44.6%, $1,100 casks and then spent 3 years in first-fill ISLAND SINGLE MALTS
This expression was distilled in December Pedro Ximénez butts. The nose features
1986 and filled into seven oloroso sherry fruit and nutty milk chocolate, fudge, 91 Ardbeg Twenty Something,
butts. In 2012 the whisky was transferred sultanas, and mixed candied peel. Lush, 46.3%, $550
to Pedro Ximénez butts for finishing. The sweet sherry on the palate, with a carry- This 23 year old expression was released
nose yields sultanas, figs, old leather, and over of fudge and sultanas from the nose. for the Ardbeg Committee. It includes
white pepper. Very sweet fruit notes on the Long in the nutty, spicy finish, which whisky matured in sherry and bourbon
palate, almost sugary, with background rich offers nutmeg and peppery oak. (5,000 casks. Sweet asphalt, bonfire smoke, lemon
sherry, dates, and treacle. Long and warm- bottles)—GS sponge drizzled in iodine, and background
ing in the finish, with a wisp of smoke and cinnamon on the nose. Succulent, sherried,
fruit spices. (4,200 bottles)—GS 88 Kilchoman Red Wine and chocolate-coated orchard fruits on the
Cask Matured, 50%, $125 oily palate, with vanilla and sweet peat.
91 Kilchoman 2009 Vintage, Distilled in 2012, this was aged in casks The peat dries slowly in the finish, with
46%, $100 sourced from the Douro Valley in Portu- developing licorice, kippers, and peppery
Matured in a combination of oloroso sherry gal. Quite reticent on the early nose, with oak.—GS
butts filled in 2008, and bourbon barrels developing strawberries, vanilla custard,
filled in 2008 and 2009. The nose is initial- new oak, and subtle smoke. The palate of- 88 Exclusive Malts 2005
ly flinty, with lemongrass, fabric Band-Aids, fers smoky red wine notes, with ashy peat, Ledaig (distilled at Tobermory)
fudge, and vanilla. Ultimately the lemon spices, and tingling black pepper becoming 11 year old, 57.6%, $100
is joined by Jaffa orange juice. Supple more apparent. Sweet cherry fruitiness The nose opens with brine, fresh pine,
and sweet on the palate, with developing lingers in the relatively long finish with sage, and sweet antiseptic. Peat, ginger,
nutmeg and white pepper. Peppery in the prickly spices.—GS black pepper, lime, and lemon notes de-
finish, with plain chocolate and aromatic velop in time. Citrus fruits, caramel, and a
peat smoke. (840 bottles)—GS HIGHLAND SINGLE MALTS peat-fueled barbecue on the palate, with
background dark berries. The finish is me-
90 Octomore 08.3, 61.2%, $165 92 Dalmore 40 year old, dium in length, warming, and spicy, with
One of four Octomore 08 Masterclass 42%, $7,500 plain chocolate and drying, crumbly peat.
releases, this was distilled in 2011 from This was initially matured in American (Cask no. 13; 275 bottles)—GS
Islay barley peated to 309 ppm. Fifty-six oak bourbon barrels, then spent 7 years in
percent of the spirit was matured in first- 30 year old Matusalem sherry butts before 87 Highland Park Full Volume,
fill bourbon casks, while the remainder was 2 years of finishing in first-fill bourbon 47.2%, $100
aged in European oak wine casks. Barbecue casks. The nose yields orange marmalade, Full Volume is a U.S.-exclusive bottling that
smokiness on the nose, with wet peat and wood resin, toasted brioche, and cocktail was distilled in 1999 and matured entirely
citrus fruitiness. On the palate, earthy peat, cherries. Apricot fruitiness on the early in first-fill bourbon casks. The nose is
full-bodied red wine, and milk chocolate. palate, then vanilla, ginger, and treacle. fragrant, with canned pears and vanilla
Peat smoke to the fore in the finish, with The finish is medium in length, with ice cream, coconut, and a very subtle wisp
ginger and chili. (18,000 bottles)—GS orange peel, fennel, and gentle spices. (750 of smoke. Quite thin on the palate, nutty,
bottles)—GS mildly herbal, with tropical fruits. Ashy
89 Octomore 08.1, 59.3%, $165 peat smoke, cocoa powder, and wood spice
Distilled in 2008 from 100 percent Scottish 92 Glengoyne 30 year old, in the medium-length finish.—GS
barley peated to 167 ppm. It spent 8 years 46.8%, $800
in first-fill American oak casks. Peaches Matured in one-third first-fill BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
dipped in hot plain chocolate and tarry European oak sherry butts and
peat on the fragrant nose. The palate offers two-thirds refill sherry butts. Rich 94 Compass Box Phenomenology,
sweet, creamy orchard fruits and honey, sherry notes on the nose, with vanilla, 46%, $180
backed by citrus-laden peat. Drying in the sultanas, raisins, cherry blossom, and The nose has honey, caramelized apples,
finish to quite a bitter, tannic smokiness. a hint of new leather. Initially, smooth Pixy Stix, pears in cream, faint pepper,
(42,000 bottles)—GS and very sweet orchard fruits on the ground coriander, and salty driftwood. It’s
palate, with cherry liqueur turning to teeth-coating with golden syrup sugari-
88 Bunnahabhain Pedro Ximénez black tea and fennel. Drying very slowly ness, the silky texture meting out pears,
Cask Finish 15 year old, 54.3%, $99 in the lingering finish, with spicy oak. apples, sweet barley notes, and crunchy
This was matured in second-fill sherry (6,000 bottles)—GS spices, before a vanilla phase gives way to

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BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY

FOCUS ON Dewar’s
With a renewed dedication to age state- 89 Dewar’s 12 year old
ments, the arrival of the new Dewar’s The Ancestor, 40%, $33
25 year old gave us an ideal excuse to A straightforward proposition of honey,
revisit the range. For the new expression, vanilla sponge cake, barley notes, hints of
master blender Stephanie MacLeod has apple, fresh banana, melon, and bundles
continued the well-established Dewar’s of dry straw. It’s a sweetheart: soft vanilla
tradition of double-aging the final blend, fudge, heather honey, banana-topped
but innovatively she has taken the whisky banoffee pie, fudge, vanilla sandwich
one step beyond with further finishing in cookies, barley sugar, and lemon peel,
former single malt casks. Beyond Dewar’s with hardly any spice in the early phase.
White Label, the non-age statement blend The finish has a snag of pepper at the end,
first sold in 1899, the range includes 12 and but this is gorgeously tasty, with smooth
15 year old expressions that are excellent vanilla fudge all the way.—JM
whiskies offered at reasonable prices.
85 Dewar’s 18 year old
93 Dewar’s 25 year old, 40%, $225 rewards of berry fruit, chocolate praline, The Vintage, 40%, $80
Aged for a quarter century and finished raspberry, cherry, dried cranberry, and ha- Vanilla laced with spice, fondant icing,
in Royal Brackla casks? Count me in. The zelnut. It remains succulent throughout, grapefruit peel, and lime zest leave the
nose is highly attractive; a rich maltiness the sherry fruit keeping the upper hand vanilla and floral notes lower down the
unfolds with vanilla oak, flapjacks, whole over the chocolate and batting away the pecking order. In the mouth, grapefruit
almonds, and gentle background spices. occasional coffee note. A dry finish with and orange dominate the vanilla, yet the
Smooth caramels, chocolate orange, and nutty chocolate and roasted spice. (Global mouthfeel is thinner and the acidity tips
a cappuccino note create a thick, weighty Travel Retail only)—JM toward the taste of bitter orange seeds. A
blend that melts gracefully into pools of lingering bitter orange finish.—JM
darker chocolate. The mouth-coating 90 Dewar’s 15 year old
finish has plain chocolate, dry oak, and The Monarch, 40%, $50 85 Dewar’s White Label, 40%, $25
coffee. Brilliant liquid: smoothness per- The divine stone fruit aromas are the key Honey, fudge, a little melon and white grape,
sonified.—JM to unlocking the nose on this one: apricot, dry roasted spices, and peppercorn, but
honey, vanilla icing, malt bins, Quaker noticeably less fruit than the age-statement
91 Dewar’s 30 year old Oats Squares, and lofty floral top notes. varieties. The palate has pulpy white melon,
Ne Plus Ultra, 40%, $499 Sweet mandarin, brown sugar, vanilla lemon, lime, and some grapefruit acidity,
This Pedro Ximénez-finished blend is the fudge, strands of finely shredded peel, before sweetening with honey. Quite tart at
oldest Dewar’s expression available. It of- and more spice than the 12 year old can times, some peppery spice collaborates be-
fers a deliciously deep nose of chocolate- muster. The sweet vanilla aftertaste is fore the vanilla cream and green fruits take
dipped biscuits, dried fruits, and orange softer and more elegant than the younger charge. A clean, juicy finish of lemon zest
peel. The palate includes indulgent expressions.—JM and mild spices coats the throat.—JM

black pepper, licorice, and smoke. Mouth- It reeks gloriously of stacked fish boxes lan’s blend is worth seeking out for its
numbing finish of long-active spices over and heavy braided ropes on the pier. The appealing freshness; green apple, caramel,
vanilla. (7,908 bottles)—JM dark fruit, baked lemons, cherry, clove, shaved oak, toasted whole-grain bread,
and cooked plum face entanglement in a warm pastries, and dried peels. The pal-
92 Compass Box No Name, labyrinth of shadowy stygian smoke. You ate is awash with bright flavors of honey,
48.9%, $125 could get lost in here for hours. (15,000 walnut, barley sugar, gingerbread in cus-
Peatheads, listen up! Yes, there’s pine bottles)—JM tard, orange taffy candy, and a little spice.
needles, zested lemons, honey, sanded It squeezes out more juicy peel oils the
wood, nutmeg, and cinnamon within this 92 Pure Scot Virgin Oak 43, more you taste. The conclusion has sweet
Islay-dominated blend, but it’s the billow- 43%, $50 honey, gingerbread crumbs, and a citrus
ing peat smoke that makes this special. Bladnoch master distiller Ian MacMil- intensity.—JM

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United States
Editor’s Choice
BOURBON

97 Johnnie Walker Blue Label, 40%, $225 93 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
(Batch C917), 65.5%, $65
Magnificently powerful and intense. Caramels, dried peats, elegant
When complex spice meets complex cara-
cigar smoke, seeds scraped from vanilla beans, brand new pencils,
mel, it makes for a wonderful American
peppercorn, coriander seeds, and star anise make for a deeply satisfy- whiskey experience. That’s exactly what
ing nosing experience. Silky caramels, bountiful fruits of ripe peach, happens here with a cadre of baking spices
stewed apple, orange pith, and pervasive smoke with elements of over fruit, such as cinnamon baked apples,
burnt tobacco. An abiding finish of smoke, dry spices, and banoffee nutmeg sprinkled over pears, and peaches
pie sweetness. Close to perfection.—JM dusted with clove, followed by butter-
scotch, vanilla custard, and crème brûlée.
The balanced and brilliant finish stays true
to its complexity.—FM
91 Johnnie Walker Blue Label Flavors of cherry, rhubarb, orange peel,
Ghost and Rare, 46%, $400 and plums, speckled with aniseed, pepper, 93 Michter’s 25 year old,
This is much more muscular than the clove, and licorice indicate cask influence. 58.1%, $800
regular, un-haunted Blue Label. It delivers Suggestions of menthol and peppermint, It packs a beautiful nose, with arcs of choc-
a multitude of flavors—butter toffee, sweet before a smoky finish with licorice and bit- olate, vanilla wafer, cherry, caramelized
smoke, citrus peel, and dry spices—tanta- ter chocolate. (20,000 bottles)—JM brown sugar, baked pears, crème brûlée
lizingly peeling off layer after layer, build- being torched, and coconut. These notes
ing a slow crescendo to a peak of spices and 84 John Barr Reserve, 40%, $25 become concentrated and are comple-
bitter citrus. Mouth drawing with caramel, This blend has been a Whyte and MacKay mented by cola, tobacco, spice, toffee, and
apple, pear, and sherbet, a mid-palate of whisky for 25 years. The nose has spice, pepper. Then hazelnut and vanilla coat the
zesty orange and baking spices before toffee, wheat biscuits, and smoke, but the mouth, sitting there for a couple of minutes
topping out with bitter peels, grapefruit, combination feels a little benign. The pal- until the end—a supremely long finish.
smoke, and sour hard candy.—JM ate is jammy, lightweight, and middle-of- What complexity!—FM
the-road. With a backbone of grain, there
88 Johnnie Walker Black Label are flavors of graham cracker, chocolate 92 Backbone Bourbon Uncut
The Director’s Cut, 49%, $80 ganache, well-baked fruitcake, banoffee Straight (Batch 15), 58.3%, $59
A futuristic bottle design released for pie, smoke, and dried peels, with a burst of Oh boy! Rising rolls, cakes baking in the
Ridley Scott’s replicant sequel set in 2049, spices on the finish.—JM oven, whipped cream, icing, citrus, and
hence the punchy bottling strength. Peat chocolate fill the nose. Then the palate con-
smoke, toffee caramels, fresh banana, and SINGLE GRAIN SCOTCH firms this tapestry of goodness with vanilla
sliced red apple. Promising layers of fruit WHISKY cake batter, brown-sugar butter over yeast
salad, grape, apple, citrus, and apricot are rolls, caramel icing, and cinnamon sprinkles.
swept aside by an aggressive peppery at- 86 Exclusive Malts (distilled If not for a backbone of beautiful spices
tack, emerging to notes of bitter fruit, burnt at Invergordon) 1993 24 layered in between, this whiskey stands as
rubber, and smoke. If this is a glimpse of year old, 54.1%, $140 a confectionery delight. As it is, the velvety
the future, I’m stockpiling regular Black The nose evokes aromas of school textbook structure, concentrated notes, and long spicy
Label now. (39,000 bottles)—JM spines, freshly planed oak, vanilla, and finish make it a must-have sipper.—FM
dry-roasted fennel and coriander seeds.
88 Moon Harbour Pier #2 A mouth-puckering sip begins innocently 92 Booker’s 2017-04 “Sip
Peated Edition, 47.1%, $70 enough with golden caramels and toffee, Awhile,” 64.05%, $73
Was the short finish in Château La Lou- before a double whammy of spice and Rosewater, almond extract, dark cherries,
vière casks from Bordeaux’s Pessac-Léog- alcohol give it quite a kick. The sweetness roasted almonds, and caramelized sugar
nan appellation sufficient to impact this concentrates deliciously, becomes tangy, start this truly splendid aromatic whiskey.
peaty whisky? A gorgeous color with a nose before sliding into a finish of long-lingering Marzipan, pecan pie, chocolate Moon Pie,
of sooty, charcoal intensity, hints of choco- spices and residual oaky sweetness. (Cask Bavarian cream, butterscotch, and fried
late, vanilla pod, clove, and peppercorn. no. 901820; 168 bottles)—JM dough with powdered sugar follow. This

110 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

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remarkable whiskey finishes long and bitterness finds the finish, with a hint of a slight unbalance and lingers toward the
strong with more fried dough.—FM chocolate. But that bitterness does super- medium finish.—FM
sede the more pleasant notes, making it
92 Jefferson’s Presidential Select slightly unbalanced.—FM 86 George Remus Straight
16 year old Twin Oak, 47%, $200 Bourbon, 47%, $45
Honeysuckle, dandelions, and roses start 89 Barrell New Year 2018 Cotton candy, caramel, baked apples,
this floral superhighway that takes a brief Limited Edition, 55.6%, $90 roasted pecans, freshly baked rye rolls,
turn toward grain in many forms, from Quince, coconut, raspberry, and chocolate and herbs start a truly approachable pour.
baked breads to boiling oats. Then earth walk into an array of breads—sourdough, Its story opens in a spice race: cinnamon,
and fruit meet for a delightful combination cornbread, Lebanese pita, and pumper- nutmeg, turmeric, and smoked paprika and
that walks toward the sweeter side, with nickel rye. Soon a sweetness develops over a slight hint of coffee. A burst of dill hits,
hints of caramel chew, vanilla cake batter, earthiness. Think hazelnut latte paired just before vanilla walks it home to a lovely,
pecan pie, chocolate-covered raisins, cas- with rich lentil soup, followed by jalapeño medium finish. An interesting sipper, but
sis, black currant, and povitica. Its long fin- cornbread and honey. Its strength never remarkable in cocktails.—FM
ish introduces a lovely roasted walnut note. shows, but that promise in the taste is not
(Less than 10,000 bottles)—FM followed in the finish, which is shorter 86 Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut,
than expected. If the finish held up, it 50%, $23
91 The Ambassador Barrel would be a much stronger whiskey.—FM Cornbread and toffee start this alluring
Proof 12 year old, 53.8%, $100 whiskey, followed by hints of paprika,
Cotton candy, oak, leather, tobacco, and 88 Chicken Cock 8 year old, fruits, flowers, and caramel. Afterward,
clove open this unique whiskey. Then, 45%, $100 it opens up into a bakery with cinnamon
strong aromas of earth—trees, dirt, mush- It begins with corn pudding, savory and rolls, caramel chews, vanilla cupcakes, and
rooms, and pine—are followed by quick sweet, developing into cornbread, cookie ginger. Baking spices and earth appear over
blasts of baking spices, plum pudding, dough, and tapioca pudding. This is fol- a medium finish that offers black licorice.
yams, and malt. These notes coalesce into lowed by cinnamon bread, raw walnut, and It’s well-suited for mixing.—FM
chocolate, coconut, and caramel. For a long malt. Around mid-palate, a dominating
finish, both pepper and baking spices rest spice kicks in. This spice remains toward TENNESSEE WHISKEY
on the palate. Lovely fireplace sipper.—FM the finish, where the cinnamon just pleas-
antly sits there. Fun sipper.—FM 87 Uncle Nearest 1856, 50%, $60
90 1792 Bottled in Bond, 50%, $36 Slow-roasted corn, marzipan, cinnamon,
Think carnival aromas—the good ones, 88 StoneHammer Distiller’s nutmeg, and kettle corn start this experi-
anyway—meeting the campfire. Cracker Reserve, 45%, $25 ence and slowly fade to corn on the cob
Jacks, cinnamon-covered almonds, pop- Think cherries—they dominate the nose with butter, salt, and pepper. Then, it’s
corn, cotton candy, marshmallows melting over earth, oak, and blueberries. Then it’s apple cider vinegar, deep-fried mush-
over graham crackers, and hints of smol- leather, tobacco, cigar box, and burnt pie rooms, and Nutella. Fried pie dough and
dering oak. Next, coconut, caramel, and crust edges. Finally, two notes become one, hints of chocolate appear before a medium
cocoa over a buttery mouthfeel with hints as cherry pie, with hints of rhubarb and finish that has a hint of toffee.—FM
of toffee, banana, baked apple, and pump- cola. It sets itself up to be a prime whiskey,
kin pie appear. Toward the end, hints of but the notes just fall off on a short finish. BLENDED AMERICAN
black pepper and raspberry strudel surface If only the backbone held up, this could be
in a medium to long finish.—FM remarkable stuff.—FM 87 Old Elk Blended
Straight, 44%, $50
90 Blade & Bow 22 year old 87 Remus Repeal Reserve, 47%, $75 Honey and almond butter start a wonder-
2017 Release, 46%, $200 Starting with floral, fruit, and perfume ful nose, followed by orange zest, fruit,
This is a re-release of the 2015 bottling. A notes, its prominent bouquet barely allows and vanilla. Cherries, orange marmalade,
tapestry of confectionery delights begins the undertones of honeysuckle, spice, and brown sugar, and Nutter Butters slowly
this journey, followed by fruit, cigar box, oak to shine through. On the palate, honey, come through, but quickly dissipate as
saddle leather, cotton candy, roasted pe- canned peaches, tobacco, and crème brûlée caramel chew, gingerbread, and cinnamon
cans, caramel, and marshmallow. Then, it’s lead the way just before an explosion of develop. The medium finish prevents it
smoked paprika, fig, cinnamon, strawberry, vanilla layers the palate in the form of cake from moving to the next level of quality,
and dark cherries. In the form of walnut batter, icing, and a white fudge-dipped but still offers hints of baking spices and
shells, a powerful and somewhat pleasant Oreo. However, bitterness sets in, causing roasted almonds.—FM

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84 Tanner’s Creek Blended 84 Jack Daniel’s Rye, 45%, $27 mélange of Jolly Ranchers and Swedish
Bourbon, 42.5%, $35 What begins as a banana, oat, and Malt-O- Fish, before the finely balanced oak comes
It begins with flowers, cardamom, fresh- Meal delight turns into honey and potato in, meeting the sweetness with sandalwood
cut walnut wood, and mint. Notes of chips. This is followed by cookie dough, dark and rye spice. A lovely effort that places
fruit, pomace, applesauce, pineapple, and cherries, sweet-potato chips, beets, dehydrat- balance above sheer power.—JL
vanilla-iced strawberries take over, but ed pineapple, pine nuts, and oak. Its medium
smoke, pear, and apple dominate thereaf- finish offers a mouthful of banana. If you love 87 Westward American
ter. A shorter than expected finish presents banana, you’ll love this whiskey.—FM Single Malt, 45%, $80
hints of chocolate, candied corn, and more A true American single malt; the impres-
smoke. Very nice for punches.—FM CRAFT sion of new charred barrels distinguishes
this from its Old World counterparts, while
RYE 88 St. George 35 th
Anniversary, the creamed honey, caramel, and candied
41%, $500 nuts keep the wood in check. On the palate,
94 Redemption 18 year old A perfumed nose of lilac, mint, orange flow- the wood influence delivers big vanilla and
Straight Rye, 54.95%, $400 er water, and powdery Sweethearts candy hints of smoky char, coupled with nicely
This sings a tune of balance, with caramel, introduces this pretty whiskey, as distinctive concentrated flavors of Turkey Golden
coconut, chocolate, barrel char, and camp- tangerine citrus meets papaya and tropical table syrup, fruit, and spice. A nice rendi-
fire smoke harmonizing at the opening. flavors. The malty palate is broad, sweet, tion of New World single malt, showing
Next comes an amazingly complex series and pure, delivering some bubble gum and proof and gusto.—JL
of herbal notes: dill, oregano, and thyme. confectionery notes. Very enjoyable, and
That’s when cinnamon bread, coffee, and almost juicy in its fruit bomb of flavors.—JL 86 Balcones True Blue
crème brûlée take over; each note super Cask Strength Corn (Batch
concentrated and rounded. The long fin- 87 Balcones Texas Blue Corn TB17-1), 68.3%, $80
ish presents a hint of cinnamon. This is a Bourbon (Batch BCB17-1), Baking spices, pipe tobacco, vanilla, citrus
must-have sipper. (450 bottles)—FM 64.6%, $80 peel, cardamom, dried apricots, and dates
The concentration here is impressive, as unwind on the nose, carried by plenty
90 Michter’s US*1 Toasted dates and raisins meet leathery oak that of fresh oak. The potent palate explodes
Barrel Barrel Finish Rye 2017 smells of a dusty tack shop, joined by some with up-front sweetness, laced with cocoa
Release, 55.5%, $75 lovely cinnamon, clove, and spearmint. and maduro tobacco notes, but the chest-
At first, it’s truly American candy: melted The intensity on the rich palate is face- thumping herbal oak brings it to a quick
chocolate-covered almonds and coconut. melting, hot, and muscular. Sweet flan, and slightly bitter finish. A splash of water
Then, it’s cinnamon, toffee, butterscotch, caramel corn, and vivid spice succumb to a brings the elements into better balance as
gingersnap cookies, red pepper, and Rice finish built for oak lovers, drying and a bit peach syrup sweetness starts to shine.—JL
Krispies. This mouth-coating offers linger- tannic, bringing the molten sweet flavors
ing baking spices throughout. A drop of to an end too soon.—JL 86 FEW Copper & Kings
water offers even more complexity, with Bourbon, 46.5%, $50
pronounced caramel chew notes develop- 87 St. George Single Malt This is a bold style of bourbon, finished in
ing. With or without water, a complex and Lot 17, 43%, $100 American brandy barrels and brandishing
long finish awaits with hints of jalapeño Exhibits the floral, rose petal, and fresh fiery spirit and sweet corn. Yet the beautiful
chocolate.—FM meadow character often found in St. George sweetness, layered with butter and spearmint
malts. The palate pours with white peach underscored by cedary oak, offers a lot to like,
87 Bone Snapper X-Ray Straight and apricot, coupled with warm cereal notes. especially on the nutty-sweet finish, with its
Rye 4 year old (Batch 1), 55%, $50 A delicate whiskey that might have benefited peanut and charred wood flavors.—JL
At first, fruit and charred oak own the from higher proof, but remains enjoyable for
moment, only to be interrupted by petrol, its lingering sweetness, elegant character, 85 FEW Italia, 46.5%, $50
florals, and earth. Spice sets in with an and unmistakable craftsmanship.—JL Super floral with bright lemon and yuzu,
abundance of sweetness following. Then, this beams with originality, as violet can-
a lovely explosion of fresh-baked rye rolls 87 Tincup 10 year old, 42%, $55 dies, rose petal, and pine forest join the fray.
with hints of pomegranate, orange peel, Pretty violet and floral notes lead the way, The mouthfeel has a satisfying oily texture
banana, and apple. Pepper spices remain to with herb garden and chocolaty oak draped and a slightly tart, bright citrus lift before
the end where a medium finish, with hints over caramel chews. The creamy palate the creamy sweetness settles in, nicely bal-
of cinnamon await.—FM offers marshmallow and a candy store anced with drying oak tannins.—JL

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85 Whiskey Del Bac Classic RYE

Unsmoked, 42%, $49

Driven by earthy oak and dark cocoa on FOCUS ON Empire Rye
the nose, this whiskey is alluring in its Last year, a group of prominent New York ers, with flavors of blueberry crumble,
rustic richness, with saddle leather and a distillers announced the creation of a new cherry tart, and candied ginger. The
pocketful of dried fruit pulled from an old style of whiskey: Empire rye. Any whis- juicy spice is counterbalanced by oak
backpack. On the palate, the cherry and red key so labeled must be made from at least that’s slightly too bitter and tannic, with
berry fruit meet some pleasant peppery and 75% New York State rye grain notes of dry walnuts and chili
clove spice, with the impression of lemon and aged in charred new oak powder. But a warm, spicy, and
oil. Pleasingly drinkable, with caramel and barrels for at least 2 years, along rounded finish helps bring the
more oak on the modest finish.—JL with a few other requirements whiskey home.—AP
intended to ensure top quality.
The initial group of distillers 85 Coppersea Bonticou
Canada all released an Empire rye to Crag Straight Malt
kick off the bold and ambitious Rye, 48%, $80
92 Orphan Barrel Entrapment new designation, and we tasted A very grain-forward nose,
25 year old, 41%, $150 them all. The inaugural lineup reminiscent of caraway or a
A captivating nose presents hints of pol- holds promise, but many could fresh pumpernickel loaf. A soft,
ished leather shoes and clean oak. Less benefit from more than the dusty rye, with hints of pepper-
sweet than expected, Entrapment goes minimum of 2 years in a barrel. These mint, spearmint, and cinnamon candy
straight to long-evolved high esters, dried are the best so far. and bitter brown sugar. Quite dry, with
figs and dates, green fruits, and soaring some bitter oak, dry hay, and fresh-sawn
fruity floral notes. Its spicy finish lasts 89 Finger Lakes Distilling lumber. Dried herbs, grilled pineapple,
forever. This very complex and tightly inte- McKenzie Straight Rye, 45.5%, $42 and lingering pepper on the finish. Made
grated whisky has all the woody, acetone- A beguiling nose, replete with cinnamon from rye malted by hand and distilled in
like glories of long-aged scotches. Then crumble, blueberry bubble gum, and car- direct-fired stills, this whiskey is more
finally, some barley sugar, but only after damom. This whiskey bakes you a black- focused on grain than oak.—AP
sitting long in the glass.—DdeK berry pie with a flaky crust and vanilla
whipped cream, rounded out with cin- 85 New York Distilling Co.
namon, dill, and oregano. The finish has Ragtime Rye Applejack
Ireland clove-spiced orange peel, lingering sweet Finish, 50%, $46
marshmallow, and a surprising mineral- A true fruit bouquet on the nose, with ap-
IRISH SINGLE MALT ity. This is at least a year older than some ple, lemon, peach, and apricots, balanced
of the other Empire ryes, and it shows. by gentle wood. Very buttery and creamy
92 The Temple Bar Craft skeptics, seek this out.—AP on the palate, with a panoply of earthy
12 year old, 40%, $107 white chocolate, pretty baking spice, and
Matured in American oak in the private 88 Kings County Straight minced apple. A little too much fresh
cellar of this Dublin bar, this flaunts zested Rye, 51%, $55/375 ml lumber and banana flavor, but well-bal-
lemons, a fine layer of honey, orange seg- An alluring and inviting nose promises anced and intriguing. The applejack cask
ments, and sanded oak. It’s splendidly flo- sweet tea, mint, dill, and a full Thanks- finish is a nice touch, but the rye could
ral, but reassuringly not perfumed. Sweet, giving dessert spread. The palate deliv- still use more time in the barrel.—AP
smooth caramels, oranges, spicy pepper,
and gingerbread, though the spices never
overstep the mark. Develops with concen- malt, barley sugar, and creamed-coconut 91 The Temple Bar
trated citrus, vanilla fudge, and chocolate macaroons, with hints of nutmeg and 10 year old, 40%, $64
orange and slips down effortlessly. Sooth- grated chocolate. The palate brings fruity Bright citrus, zested lime, grapefruit peel,
ing, relaxing, and perfectly matured.—JM satsuma, barley sugar, and an explosion of crystalized fruits, malted biscuits, and oak,
pepper, ginger, and licorice. The tangy citrus overlaid with dry spice notes of nutmeg
MATT WITTMEYER

91 Exclusive Malts Irish 2003 subsides, replaced by ground almond and and cinnamon bark. A creamy, malty palate
13 year old, 54.2%, $125 stewed rhubarb. Dry heat and hot pepper yields to an initial spicy base layer. When the
A great discussion whiskey for a themed finish that makes you feel like you could spices step aside, there is dried orange, fudge
tasting, this has a comforting nose of vanilla, breathe fire. (Cask no. 504; 278 bottles)—JM sweetness, and chocolate orange. Tangy,

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91 Green Spot Chateau

Montelena, 46%, $100
Value Pick
From Calistoga, California to County
Cork, this zinfandel-finished whiskey has
90 Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition, 40%, $30 bramble, damson jam, red apple, and glacé
cherry, with cake mix, flaked almonds, and
Hoppy notes cloaking the crisp grains, green apple, and pomelo make
a steel-tipped edge of spice. Red apple,
for a happier marriage than its stout sibling. This is one of those lemon peel, pithy orange, and crunchy red
whiskeys that continuously evolves in the mouth, progressing from a apple, teasing spice, with just a suggestion
sweet, syrupy beginning of coconut macaroons, apple, and spices, to a of mint mingled into the dry, spicy finish.
creamier plateau of citrus, stewed fruits, and chocolate. It departs leav- First Saint-Julien, then Napa; where will
ing the tongue weighted down with peppery spice and cooked apple. Green Spot take our taste buds next?—JM
Unexpectedly delicious.—JM
IRISH BLENDED WHISKEY

93 Midleton Very Rare 2017,

concentrated orange, with spices fraying sesame seeds, and roasted spices. Smooth 40%, $214
from the edges completes the finish.—JM tasting, with dark fleshy fruits, mixed peel, This year’s edition contains some of the
chocolate, walnut; the taut spicy middle oldest whiskey they’ve ever put into Very
90 Lambay Single Malt, 40%, $70 section dies back to baked oranges. A digni- Rare. A pronounced spicy nose, with sweet
Spicier and darker than their blend, this de- fied finish, with chocolate and nutmeg at barley, dried apple, crisp grains, sweet
livers heather honey, banana peel, cashew, the death. Ingest in peace.—JM baklava, and squishy cubes of rose-scented
pepper, ground coriander, and bay leaf. Turkish delight. In the mouth, it’s incred-
Quite light-bodied and delicate to begin 89 West Cork Glengarriff Series ibly smooth and glossy; quite honeyed,
with, but the Cognac cask adds fruitiness Bog Oak Charred Cask, 43%, $45 subtle soft fruits, raspberry, apple, mixed
and greater complexity. Sugary sweet, with Irish bog oak can lie preserved under the peel, butterscotch, baked orange, and a
tingly spices, honey, cracked black pepper, turf for thousands of years. The whiskey’s hearty spice core. A creamy finish, where
clove-studded oranges, and tangy marma- nose is cool and clean, the smoke refined the spices outlast the fruit.—JM
lade. A finish of bitter orange, pepper, and and rather elegant, with aromas of Brazil
fondant cream makes this a worthy addi- nut shells, fine Madagascan chocolate, and 90 Prizefight Irish Whiskey, 43%, $45
tion to the Cognac cask revival.—JM dark, unlacquered walking canes. Rich and Inspired by the Morrissey-Sullivan bout of
sweet with chocolate orange, fiery spice, 1853, this whiskey received a 6 month rye
90 West Cork Glengarriff Series ginger cake, menthol, and root ginger, barrel finish which results in enticing toasty
Peat Charred Cask, 43%, $45 crumbling into bitter orange peel, bark, notes, cinnamon bark, malt, and vanilla. The
An innovative approach to flavoring casks by molasses, and coffee grounds. Finish of bit- structure is light, the flavors are delicious,
charring the staves with burning peat, this ter roots and ginger. (4,800 bottles)—JM and it knocks you out with malt, creamy va-
whiskey develops a smoldering nose of dark nilla, active spices, and a dry nuttiness. Give
chocolate brownies, dry wood smoke, and IRISH SINGLE POT STILL the finish an eight-count for its long lasting
cocoa sweetness. The impact of the peat is WHISKEY spices and good punch of sweetness.—JM
confined to the nose, but it tastes pleasantly
oily, with tangy citrus, Jolly Rancher hard 95 Midleton Dair Ghaelach 88 Lambay Small Batch
candy, chocolate cake, spices, fizzy candies, Bluebell Forest, 55.3%, $300 Blend, 40%, $35
and coffee notes. The finish of nutmeg, cin- Season 2 of Dair Ghaelach sees the action This Cognac cask-finished whiskey has
namon, clove, and dried peel rounds off an switch to six Irish oaks felled in a County light, airy aromas of vanilla cream, heather
extremely tasty whiskey. (4,800 bottles)—JM Kilkenny bluebell forest. The balance of honey, golden syrup, flaked coconut, and
spice, toasted oak, and sweetness on the nose whole orange. Baked pastries and tangy
89 The Sexton, 40%, $28 from tree one is singularly good, though cle- orange precede a mid-palate spice rush,
One of the most striking-looking new mentine and grapefruit peel also clamor for with grapefruit flavors building through
releases around, this bone-jangling, sepul- attention. The acidity of the citrus collides a lengthy, spicy finish. Several sourced
chral, triple-distilled whiskey was once with crunchy pot still spices, and grapefruit Irish whiskeys use local water to cut down
entombed in oloroso sherry butts. A nose of evolves into the most delicious ripe mango to bottling strength; Lambay uses water
baked apple and sultana, rolled marzipan, flavor. Simply heavenly.—JM drawn from the island’s Trinity Well.—JM

114 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 BUYING GUIDE

87 The Temple Bar Signature chatter on and on as the sweet citrus and 87 Kurayoshi 8 year old, 46%, $80
Blend, 40%, $40 honey fade in and out. One to cherish.—JM Heady with spring blossoms, mixed
This blend is full of bold flavors: sweet peel, cantaloupe, green banana, and taffy
barley, oranges and lemons, fudge, and 89 Kurayoshi 12 year old, 46%, $100 candy, with a fine thread of spices running
pastel-colored macaroons. There is plenty This is airily fruity, with a greater emphasis through it. A hesitant opening, it wallows
of body, with vanilla, brown sugar, strands on red fruits: strawberry jam, red apple, and in gentle apple and orange before a strong
of citrus, fudge, and spice. It seems slow red currant. With greater age, the five-spice tangerine streak appears, the mouthfeel be-
to warm up, the flavors a little lost for a and ground ginger are dialed up a couple coming weightier, drawing through flavors
few seconds before it gets its act together. of notches. A thick, jammy texture with of peppery herbal salad leaves and vanilla
Lengthy finish of buzzy spices, lemon peel, flavors of red apple, malt, peppercorn, and cream. The spices take the lead from then
and caramelized brown sugar.—JM chili flakes, glimpses of chocolate and cocoa, on, the fruit fading quickly in the peppery
though the spices slacken with dilution. Fin- afterglow. (1,440 bottles)—JM
84 The Pogues, 40%, $40 ish of ground coffee, cooking chocolate, and
Named for the greatest London-Irish band fading spice. (2,160 bottles)—JM 87 Kurayoshi Sherry Cask
of the 1980s, this produces stewed apple, 8 year old, 46%, $100
raisin, vanilla cream, peppercorn, grated 89 Ohishi Kaito’s Cask, 41.8%, $90 Age adds a richer, creamier note sugges-
nutmeg, and a dirty ol’ mound of dunnage Spicy rice crackers, plum sauce, bramble tive of lighter styles of sherry, more fino or
earth. A fiesta of apple, pineapple, grape- jelly, fragrant oriental spices, and the manzanilla, perhaps a cream sherry. The
fruit, bitter lemon, subdued honey, and car- polished leather of new shoes from this fruit note is more rounded, the nutmeg,
amel transition into stewed apples, rhubarb, single cask, sherry-matured rice whisky. clove, and pepper deliver a stronger kick.
lemon bonbons, and sweet vanilla. Linger- The syrupy texture bursts with juicy red Ripe yellow fruits with melon and apple,
ing bitterness, like the band’s split. It’s a Big fruits, plum, red currant, pomegranate, and not too sweet, followed by a sharper edge
Apple Fairytale, but for the money, better cooked peach, all bolstered by peppercorns of light sherry. By comparison, the younger
streams of whiskey are available.—JM and ground ginger. An enchanting harmony whisky has more fruit to balance out the
is struck between the fruits and the spice, nippy spices. (720 bottles)—JM
though the finish is short, with sherry notes
Japan and spicy remnants. (660 bottles)—JM 85 Kurayoshi 3 year old, 46%, $65
Aged for just 3 years, the nose is a fresh
96 Yamazaki Mizunara Cask 18 88 Kurayoshi 18 year old, 50%, $220 fruit salad of green apple, honeydew,
year old 2017 Edition, 48%, $1,000 The high-alcohol strength is apparent on lychee, and kumquat. The green fruits and
When whisky lovers talk about the gran- the nose, which is dominated by pepper, tangy citrus on the palate fall under attack
deur of Japanese whisky, the enlighten- clove, and star anise spices. A mouth- from peppery arugula leaves and active
ment they desire can be found within drawing concoction that begins softly, with spices. A structure as light as cotton candy;
this bottle. A refined luxury evocative honey, orange, and apple peel, then grows the flavor of orange taffy is all that remains
of toasted marshmallow, sweet incense, in scale at the expense of the sweetness. when the dust settles. The finish is dry and
butter-soft caramels, oak spices, and There’s a takeover by root ginger and bitter peppery, with a slight herbal note. (1,440
ground cinnamon. All the hallmarks of fruit skins. The long-lasting finish rever- bottles)—JM
mizunara are here. Concentrated sweet berates with crackling spices and sour
citrus, so intensely fruity on the palate; the fruits. (1,140 bottles)—JM
mouthfeel is rapturously silky with touches World Whiskies
of mango, dried apricot, and gentle but 88 Kurayoshi Sherry Cask
resilient spices.—JM 3 year old, 46%, $80 AUSTRIA
Nutty dried fruits, pear and apple, light
93 Yamazaki 12 year old, 43%, $85 pepper, and an old knob of dried ginger. 90 Reisetbauer 15 year old,
The first thing you notice is the elegant The sherry notes are more reminiscent of 48%, $133
fragrance of lychee, spring blossoms, lily, amontillado or palo cortado. The sherry Distilled by Hans Reisetbauer, this is like
rosewater, and raspberry meringue. Deeper works well with the whisky, bringing dried an amplified version of his 12 year old (see
in, grassy notes with star fruit, kumquat, peels, nuts, golden caramels, and spicy below). Red pears, pomegranate, walnut
and kaffir lime leaves. The flavors offer per- pepper, the latter surging forth to dominate husks, and more active spices, from mace
fection in their simplicity: silky honey, soft the last remnants of fudge-like sweetness. and asafetida to coriander. The flavors
spices, crystalized pineapple, barley sugar, Attractively tasty, this has a finish of juicy unfurl sedately over the palate like a flower
lemon, and orange. On the finish, the spices peel, clove, and pepper. (720 bottles)—JM coming into bloom: soft honeyed fruit,

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 115

 BUYING GUIDE

pear, raspberry, strawberry, spices, bram- WORLD—MEXICO

ble, and chocolate drops. A drying finish of

five-spice, dried apple, and chocolate. Best FOCUS ON Sierra Norte
of this Austrian trio.—JM When we contemplate Mexican spirits, we instinctively think of te-
quila and mezcal in all their many tasty guises, but not whiskey. Based
88 Reisetbauer 7 year old, 43%, $90 in the culinary hotspot of Oaxaca, Douglas French is not only the man
The youngest offering has an attractive behind Scorpion Mezcal, but also a true whiskey innovator. He had the
fruity nose with red apple, menthol, and vision to develop a range of Mexican corn whiskeys named after the
wax candles, all nicely backed with spicy Sierra Norte Mountains. He distilled them from native heirloom variet-
oak. Honey-dipped apple slices, citrus, ies of corn and matured them in French oak casks. If you love corn
chocolate-covered raisins, and very gentle whiskey, ease yourself in with White, but if you’re looking for greater
spice make this a most agreeable sipping adventures in flavor, explore the Black or Yellow corn expressions.
whisky. The finish has coffee grounds with
a pinch of spice. Perfectly delicious, it’s
just a little meek and light bodied, with a 90 Sierra Norte Single flavors, gingerbread,
shorter flavor trajectory.—JM Barrel Yellow, 45%, $50 corn fritters, vanilla,
Blue iris, dried chilies, and fresh linen; and peppery heat from
87 Reisetbauer 12 year old, the corn is sweet and fat, and the aromas the French oak cask.
48%, $131 integrate more harmoniously than the The finish has gentle
Peppermint cream, menthol, whole plum, White and Black expressions. Fresh and warmth, with root gin-
cranberry, and very delicate toasted-wood fruity, orange marmalade, honey ooz- ger and kernels of roasted corn. Distinc-
spices. The palate has cooked apple, ing into maple syrup, developing more tive and highly promising.—JM
Fruit Pastilles, plum flesh, malt, drinking complexity as the smooth layers shift to
chocolate, and brown sugar. As time pro- accommodate the growing pepper and 86 Sierra Norte Single
gresses, it develops a slight sourness, with chili heat ahead of a spicy honey finish. Barrel White, 45%, $50
the spices spreading out wide under the For a 10 month old single cask whiskey, White has the most familiar corn whis-
tongue. The final phase conjures up a char this is remarkably impressive.—JM key character of this Mexican trio. Sweet
note, black tea, and burnt sultana bread, buttered cobs of corn, faint toasted
leading to a finish of spices and dulled 88 Sierra Norte Single spices, green corn husks, and peanuts on
stewed fruit.—JM Barrel Black, 45%, $50 the nose. The palate is sweet, gentle, and
A deeper corn note than White, the refreshing, bathed in honey, with dried
ENGLAND Oaxacan black corn retains a firm nugget peel, sweet corn, toasted oak spices, and
of sweetness, aromas of banana skins a late sensation of charred oak, burnt
91 Cotswolds 2014 Odyssey and dusty earth. To sip, it’s creamy, cool, toast, and peppercorn. That slight burnt
Barley, 46%, $55 and refreshing, with light mandarin note just creeps into the finish.—JM
It’s quite a tick list for their first single
malt: 100% locally grown floor-malted
barley, long fermentations, unusual yeast white pepper on the nose. The overall im- peppercorn, and chili flakes succumb to
strains, innovative distillation cuts, and pression on the olfactory system is gentle soothing vanilla cream and herbal notes. It
bourbon and shave-toast-rechar red wine and mild. A tasty prospect, with poached leaves a creaminess on the lips and a mouth-
casks. Honey, sugar-sprinkled shortbread, pear, vanilla ice cream, honeydew, peppery coating finish of bonfire smoke and ground
peach tarts, marzipan fruits, glacé apricot, spices, ground almond, custard tarts, lemon pepper. (480 bottles)—JM
finely shredded citrus peel, and young pink zest, malt, and peanut brittle. A little tangy
rhubarb. Flavors of heather honey, chili citrus, deep warmth, and vanilla to finish. GERMANY
flakes, Christmas spices, caramelized sugar, Rather moreish. (480 bottles)—JM
malt; then marmalade, dried red fruits, 92 Pür Geist, 42%, $50
and cappuccino. A great all-rounder. More 88 The English Smokey, 43%, $75 Imagine stepping inside a tropical palm
please! (960 bottles)—JM This lives up to its name with leaf bonfire house: herbs, florals, and waxy foliage. Fresh
smoke, vanilla essence, and ginger preserves. zingy hops, lemongrass stalks, caramel, and
89 The English Original, 43%, $75 Distiller David Fitt chooses malt peated to strawberry bubble gum. Palate is soft, with
Malt barns, cornflakes, some sparse vanilla, the same level as Port Ellen maltings delivers lychee, melon, and white grape supported
redskin peanuts, citrus peel, and a dash of to Laphroaig. Assertive flavors of raw ginger, by spices before it melts into creamy panna

116 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE

 BUYING GUIDE

cotta and ends with citrus, burnt sugar, and milk chocolate and licorice. The finish barrel, not grain. Berries and corncobs add
herbal stems. Finish is spicy, saturating, is relatively long, with citrus fruit, ashy depth to fruit cocktail, with sharp spices
with dark-sugar sweetness. Try this Bavar- smoke, and a lingering herbal note.—GS balancing a lush waxiness. Its syrupy feel
ian whisky from vintage chestnut grappa evolves into kiwi fruit flavors and tartness
casks; it’s really interesting.—JM 89 BenRiach Four Cask Matured on the finish. (Canada only)—DdeK
21 year old, 46%, £125
NETHERLANDS BenRiach’s latest release was matured in SWEDEN
a combination of four diverse cask types:
87 William Wolf Rye, 46%, $35 bourbon, virgin oak, Pedro Ximénez sherry, 89 Mackmyra Moment
This 100% rye has a beautifully developed and red wine. The nose offers tangerines, Körsbär, 47%, SEK1198
nose of roasted coriander seed, white pep- milk chocolate, and spicy vanilla. Peaches, This rufescent whisky evokes aromas of
per, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, though Brazil nuts, raisins, dates, and more cherry blossom, kirsch, white pepper, and
the spices dominate and impede other char- chocolate on the palate, with red berries in wood spices. Light cherry syrup, caramel,
acteristics from shining through. The initial the background. The finish is medium in and toffee, with a strident eruption of black
mandarin and tropical-fruit sweetness is length, with cocoa powder and ginger.—GS pepper and clove that sets the underside of
left behind as the peppery spices roar away. your tongue alight. Körsbär is Swedish for
The finish sees the spices vanish into thin HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT cherry and the fat red berry flavors leave a
air, as if teleported back to the mother ship. lovely warm glow inside. Despite its color,
Ideal for rye-based cocktails.—JM 89 GlenDronach Peated the sweet cherry wine finish has been
Port Wood, 46%, £70 judged to perfection.—JM
International This is non-chill filtered and carries no age

Market
statement. The nose is earthy, with damp IRISH SINGLE MALT
herbaceous borders, quite acrid smoke, and
90 Bushmills Port Cask
Highlights spicy cranberries. Fresh, juicy red berries
on the palate, with background peat smoke Reserve, 40%, £99
becoming ashy, with rich red wine notes. Sweet honey daubed on ripe plums, an
SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT The red wine persists in the finish, accom- abundance of barley notes, black cherry,
panied by prickly black pepper.—GS and a smattering of exotic spices. Juicy
91 Benromach 1977, 56%, £1,250 notes of cherry, plum, peach, and straw-
This 39 year old was matured in a single refill CANADA berry, with undertones of peppery spice.
American hogshead. Orange Jujubes on the The flavor fills out with lovely malty notes,
early nose, with vanilla, honey, and linseed. 90 Crown Royal Blender’s Quaker Oats, and vanilla. The port cask has
Big, sweet, soft fruit notes on the palate, with Select, 45%, $55CAD really complemented the Bushmills char-
pipe tobacco and a hint of background peat Crown Royal develops its bourbon-like acter, and this second edition in the Steam-
smoke. Aniseed and ginger develop, along house style by using an American-style ship collection is the best in the series to
with the merest hint of old oak in the persis- mashbill of 64% corn, 31.5% rye, and 4.5% date. (Global Travel Retail only)—JM
tently fruity finish. (225 bottles)—GS malted barley for one of its many compo-
nent whiskies. From this single compo- JAPANESE BLENDED
90 BenRiach Authenticus nent, blender Mark Balkenende selected
Peated 30 year old, 46%, £400 mature whisky exhibiting sweet flowers, 90 Fuji-Sanroku Small Batch
Following on from 21 and 25 year old pear juice, vanilla, fresh grain, mild barrel 18 year old, 43%, JPY 22,000
expressions of Authenticus, BenRiach tones, clean dry wood, brisk spices, and a A little joy from Mount Fuji: soy sauce,
has now added its oldest variant yet to long, glowing finish. Very floral, fruity, and five-spice powder, grilled pineapple, halved
the lineup. The nose offers orchard fruits, quaffable. (Ontario only)—DdeK passion fruit, and the umami sensation
honey, polished oak, and vanilla-tinged of slightly salty umeboshi. It’s dense and
peat smoke. Full and fruity on the palate, 87 Mt. Logan 15 year mouth-coating, with maple syrup, cin-
with sweet peat having a presence, plus old, 40%, $45CAD namon, and a steady build of rye spices,
Rather than complexity, this all-corn particularly nutmeg and clove, before clos-
You can search the entire whisky showcases softness and a rich ing off with dark baked orange. The spices
database of Whisky creamy mouthfeel—even if it does meet the are short lasting, but the pleasurably deep
Advocate reviews online at Canadian definition of rye whisky. Pep- boiled orange candy sweetness persists for
whiskyadvocate.com
pery spices with a keen bite come from the minutes.—JM n

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 117

 Are You A Whisky Advocate? Then Show Us!
Send us your photo. We’ll run the best ones here, or you might see it online.
Email photos to info@whiskyadvocate.com

The Shaw, Jacobs,

and Douglass families
of Cleveland, Ohio are
pictured with Davin
de Kergommeaux
(seated) at Forty
Creek Distillery
in Ontario.

The Whisky Knights of Mableton, Ga. pictured

at a recent special release tasting.

Tom and Debbie

Clark of Fort
Collins, Colo.
took us along on
their recent trip
to Shanghai.

Friends Dennis Hafeman and Neil Simpson celebrated their

birthdays during a trip to Scotland. Happy belated birthday!

Lori and Ken Cohen

from Atlanta, Ga.
guard their copy of
Whisky Advocate from
the curious camel
outside the Treasury
building in Petra,
Jordan.

Laura Hitchock of
Chagrin Falls, Ohio at
Buffalo Trace Distillery
while touring the Ken-
tucky Bourbon Trail with
her husband Andy.

WHISKY ADVOCATE SPRING 2018 119

 A LIGH TE R DRAM

Annoyed by Dives
by TERRY SULLIVAN

Y
es, I’m still annoyed. Thanks foot closer to the street at the roofline than But the décor. Behind the bottles, the
for asking. This time it’s at the sidewalk. backbar was, well, a mural, I suppose. It
dives, or dive bars, that are Despite the lack of a sign, everyone knew was a wall of Playboy centerfolds taped
doing it. Not that I’ve ever it was Ma’s because Ma was always on the from backbar to ceiling and from one end of
been annoyed by a bar of any other side of the scarred bar. Behind her the place to the other, maybe 35 feet long by
sort, but because (you should pardon the was a row of whiskey bottles, mostly six or seven feet high. Many, many dozens
quotes) “Dive Bars” is now an actual blends, because they were cheaper. It’s of naked women, twice as many secondary
category found in city magazines, travel possible there was some actual bourbon, sexual characteristics, all on permanent
guides, websites, and the minds of today’s display, a 20th century version of the naked
youth (or yoots as Joe Pesci said as Cousin lady paintings in saloons in Dodge City. Ma,
Vinny). And what those yoots think of as a however, was no Miss Kitty. She was a
dive bar is troubling in the extreme, mostly woman of an uncertain age, about the same
because they include virtually all the saloons as the Swede, her partner who worked the
I hung out in when I was a yoot myself. other end of the bar, and they both had
Seriously, if the guy behind the stick been collecting Social Security since before
isn’t wearing a pork pie hat and they don’t the Interstate Highway System. And yes, he
have Death Before Dishonor Double- was called Swede, but with warm affection
Dutch IPA on tap, they think it’s a dive. because he was marginally quicker to pour
Add any customers over 50 and a bottle of a slightly fuller shot than Ma and because
Ancient Age in the speed rack, and they’re this was before anyone thought Swede
texting everyone they know about the could be an ethnic slur. (Nobody hated
joint. What I wish for them is that I could Swedes in 1966).
take them to Ma’s, except that it, like Ma But those centerfolds. Every once in a
herself, está muerto. while, some young soldier would feel

PORTRAIT: JOE MCKENDRY; ILLUSTRATION: GARY HOVLAND

Return with us now to those thrilling moved to comment upon the pulchritude
days of yesteryear. The near west side of of the aforementioned secondary sexual
Chicago, Madison Street, a couple of blocks maybe even a bottle of gin, but I recall characteristics on display. And one night,
west of Western Avenue. One side of the nothing as sophisticated as Irish, rum, or, near closing, Ma had apparently had her fill
street is a National Guard Armory, home bite your tongue, vodka. Bottles of macro of yoots and their concupiscent interests,
every Monday night in 1966 to hundreds of beers, this being pre-artisanality of any and said something like, “Oh, good grief,
patriotic lads practicing close-order drill, sort, and nothing on tap. No glasses you’d think you’d never seen one,” where-
field stripping M-1 rifles, defending Illinois anyway, except shot glasses, and these upon she took...well, it was the closest the
from invasion by Indiana, and avoiding were the old style that held an ounce at place ever came to having a floor show. Just
Vietnam. It was thirsty work, and when best, and then you had to lean your head the one, though, and just momentarily. The
they played “Taps,” a goodly number of the down to them to avoid spilling. If there Swede never even stopped pouring.
troops trooped across the street to Ma’s. A were ashtrays, I don’t remember them; A few months later that front wall gave up
small front window displayed a Schlitz people just dropped the butts to the floor its fight with gravity and collapsed into the
neon sign in lieu of a name and the brick and stepped on them. Yes, everyone street. We never saw the Swede, Ma, or her
front wall leaned some, looming maybe a smoked, all the time. It was the law then. secondary sexual characteristics again. n

120 SPRING 2018 WHISKY ADVOCATE