Kirkland Signature Aged 16 Years Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Bourbon Cask Matured

Sometime last year I spotted the 16 Year Old Kirkland Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky for $49 at a Costco liquor store. I passed on the opportunity for a purchase on a few occasions, but finally succumbed to curiosity during a recent visit to a Costco liquor location. Reviews had been mixed and the price point was very good for a 16 year old scotch. At 80 proof the Scotch was never hot and worked quite well neat in a glass.  The Scotch was aged in Bourbon casks, but most of that character IMO was contained in the alcohol presence which was not overwhelming. The flavors which came to mind were chocolate, honey, leather, tobacco, vanilla, and a bit of oak. The aroma was floral, with chocolate, caramel, honey, and leather. While it was a quite enjoyable glass, it really didn’t seem complex enough to command the 50 bean price point. The sweetness was enough to balance the alcohol and perhaps just a tad bit high. I liked the whisky, but cannot see purchasing another bottle when a handle of 12 year old blended is better more than double the volume and a $38 price of admission. Give it a try if you are the type of whisky aficionado who has to try everything, otherwise I’d suggest you find something more interesting and spend your money on that.

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Glen Moray Single Malt Aged 12 Years

Quite some time back I noticed 12 Year Glen Moray Single Malt was on the NCABC discounted price list, but in the meantime I found it for less in South Carolina. I seem to recall the price landing somewhere between $25-$30. Now I would not expect much out of a $25 bottle of single malt scotch and while this will not blow your socks off, it ain’t a bad bottle of scotch by any means. To me it had subtle hints of oak coupled to honey, caramel, and a floral/herbal nature. I found myself tipping the bottle on and off and found it to be quite enjoyable neat. At 80 proof it is smooth and never hot and with an underlying sweetness balances well on the palate. While I would not run out to find another bottle, I would not pass it by if I spy it for 25 beans again. I wish it had more complexity, but when I remind myself of the price point I shrug it off as no problem at all. Give it a whirl if you find it at a great price!

No Sunday Morning Libations For Kure Beach

In a bonehead move Kure Beach has denied Sunday morning alcohol sales. We knew somewhere in North Carolina a governing body would stand on religious principal and the evils of alcohol, but I wouldn’t have suspected it to be a tourist area. It is their prerogative to decide if Sunday morning sales should be allowed to happen, but it is ridiculous to put it in a religious context. Someone should remind them religious organizations meet all the time, not just on Sunday morning. The mayor, Craig Bloszinsky, cited traffic getting worse in town if alcohol sales were to occur beginning at 10am. I guess Craig has realized what I learned long ago, they only put those fish symbols on the back of cars who cannot drive in the first place. I think they have a meeting at church to decide who gets a fish and who doesn’t and they want the highest possible visibility so it goes on the car who drives the worst and is most likely to draw attention to the symbol. I’m kidding of course, but to say it will add to traffic is quite short sighted. People having a bloody with 10am brunch are not apt to get sloshed by noon when the neighborhood churches typically let out. Anyway, I know where I won’t be visiting when planning my next vacation if that is the attitude of Kure Beach. Sounds like they didn’t want visitors there in the first place.

Happy 4th of July!

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

NCGA House Alcohol Beverage Control Committee

You know how they say a picture is worth 1,000 words. How about several photos which demonstrate a point. I got to wondering the House ABC Committee and their decision to gut House Bill 500 and why that might have happened. Then I took a few minutes and looked at the campaign contributions they have received from the NC Wine & Beer Wholesalers and it paints a picture of pay to play politics. Take a gander at the screen shots below and see if you come to the same conclusion.

It should be noted a few are not in the pocket of the NC Wine & Beer Wholesalers, but it should be obvious a majority of the committee are on Tim Kent’s payroll through campaign contributions.

McClelland’s Highland Single Malt Scotch

When McClelland’s Highland Single Malt Scotch went on sale in NC I decided to give it a whirl since it was a single malt for $22 a fifth. Unfortunately every inexpensive whiskey cannot be a winner. This one was rough around the edges and everywhere else. It did work well after having other palate numbing foods and beverages, but had a rough raw oak/wood character which had undertones of cedar. It just did not trip my trigger and for the same price I can pickup a blended Scotch or Bourbon which would be more enjoyable. I tried it neat and with water and never found the secret sauce to making this wonderful other than having it once your tastebuds had been beaten to submission by another alcoholic beverage. The finish was acceptable, but the harsh wood character is just a bit much for my tastes. At $22 it is a pass and so if you find it for more, it is even more of a pass. The wood also made the alcohol present as almost hot. At 80 proof it really should be easier to consume. Pass on this one if your tastes are similar to my own. It really is not worth the price of admission.

2 Gingers Irish Whiskey

When it went on sale at NCABC for $16.95, I picked up a fifth of 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey to give it a whirl. I’ve been trying to expand my horizons and to give time to other spirits besides Bourbon and Scotch. Most proclaim Irish Whiskey to finish sweeter than Bourbon and Scotch and thus far I have found that to be true. 2 Gingers is just a tad sweeter than some blended Scotch, but not cloying. I drank it neat and found it tasty neat, but not overly complex and borderline boring. It had honey, citrus, and a light spice attribute. I’m sure it was crafted for mixing and it would be just fine for that purpose. It was a good choice to accompany food and I had several meals and snacks with a glass nearby. I probably would not stock the bar with 2 Gingers, but if you were running out to a party and wanted an Irish Whiskey which would not assault your palate and would pair well with whatever your host brought out it would be an excellent choice. Couple that to a low price and I can see it becoming the life of the party. On the other hand, if you want to sit on the couch and contemplate life I might seek out something with more character because we all philosophize best with a complex beverage in our hand. 😉

Glen Moray Single Malt Port Cask Finish

Anyone who has read the blog more than once knows I am all about a deal. When Glen Moray Single Malt Port Cask Finish went on sale at NCABC in February for $25 a fifth I knew I had to give it a whirl. In truth I wasn’t expecting much out of a cheap single malt, but what I got was surprising. First off this Scotch is a bit on a sweet side, but that makes it so very easy to consume. It has a light touch of oak and the port cask makes you think it might be a Macallan Jr. It has dark fruit flavors and even a hint of chocolate coupled with caramel. It is a decidedly dangerous bottle as it hides all the alcohol and so you then decide to have another glass even though previous glass should have been your last for the night. At $25 or less I’d pick this up in a heartbeat. The sweetness will be off putting for some, but everybody needs a little sweetness in their life so pick yourself up a bottle of this.

Bourbon – Columbia, SC

It’s been rare in the past I have highlighted places I believe you should visit and I’ll try to correct that in the future. Last night I found myself in Columbia, SC at a bar named Bourbon and had an experience worth sharing. Most of the time any bar with a name like Bourbon or including Bourbon has very little Bourbon on the shelf when you actually get there. This place is the exception and was truly exceptional. They have a long list of Bourbons, many of which are near impossible to get even on the secondary market. The pricing on some was out of sorts, but there is a cost associated with procuring those fifths so I’m not going to begrudge them for their pricing. Some Bourbons were downright affordable to even be called cheap. You could get a half pour of any of their offerings and their selection was as good if not better than Front Street in Wilmington, NC which I consider the gold standard for Bourbon bars. They have food and it was very good, but the draw here is the bar and the Bourbon. So get in the car, head to Columbia, and thank me later.

Brunch Anyone – S155

On Wednesday Senate Bill 155 was introduced and while I wish it was more encompassing, it is nice someone finally realized there is no reason to wait until noon to have a bloody mary at brunch on Sunday. This bill addresses two things, one of which is the silly rule to only allow alcohol sales at restaurants after noon on Sunday. The second is to allow off-premise free tastings for those holding a distillery permit. Where it falls short is not allowing alcohol sales in retail stores until noon. I’m not saying everyone needs to have a drink at 10am on Sunday, but how about you are heading to lunch with friends and forgot to grab the wine on Saturday before lunch on Sunday. Now you run to the store to quickly pick up a red for the event and are told you need to wait until noon. Why do I need to wait until noon exactly? Because someone feels my ability to purchase alcohol should be based on their religious convictions? That’s a special kind of stupid considering all the various religions and when they have services. Are we to continue to cowtail to the prohibitionists or can we all agree it is 2017 and the chances of someone getting all liquored up and going to church service is not going to change with a change in the laws. This bill is on the right track, but let’s complete the circle and send a message to people like Rev. Mark Creech that his skewed sense of values is not that of the majority of NC.