Old Overholt Bonded Rye

For an inexpensive rye whiskey finding a bottle of Old Overholt Bonded Rye was a bit of a pain. With a regular price of $23 it is certainly affordable, I think I picked up this one on sale at sub 20 beans. I’m a sucker for Bottled In Bond so finding this 100 proof Rye was a necessity. Reviews were mixed, but I didn’t let that deter me in snagging a bottle and I am sure glad I ignored the masses. This rye is subdued, but quite nice. The aroma is filled with spicy rye with light aspects of alcohol coupled with sweet caramel. The flavor is more of the same with light oak characteristics, very slight leather, and restrained alcohol. The finish is light with a low alcohol presence, rye spice, pepper, leather, and caramel. My suggestion is to ignore the snobbish reviews and go snag yourself a $25 bottle of rye. This can have a slot in my bar day and day out. Give it a whirl for yourself.

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Mellow Corn

I’m a sucker for anything Bottled In Bond and have been trying to work my way through many of the old standards. One which had proven elusive in NC is Mellow Corn which is a Heaven Hill brand. NCABC has it on the special order list, but you cannot go to the ABC store and pick it up. I happened upon a bottle at a crappy liquor store in Tennessee and brought it home. From the get go this was not a favorite which may explain why it has hung out in the bar for so long. It lacks complexity and seems to be defined by an alcoholic nose which is filled with corn. The flavor is very similar with the addition of sweetness, oak, and leather. The finish lingers with more light oak and leather and an alcohol burn which seems a bit high for only 100 proof. If you are willing to order a case of 12 you can get MC from NCABC for $10.55 per bottle. I think at the crappy TN liquor store I paid $13. While I don’t hate it, it’s just not a go to for me and it just a bit difficult to consume. Of course if you want a complete journey through Bottled In Bond you cannot overlook Mellow Corn.

The Quiet Man Traditional Irish Whiskey

I happened to notice NCABC was having a sale on The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey and searched high and low and finally snagged a $25 bottle a few months back. Turns out the search was worth it. This 40% abv Irish Whiskey is matured in Oak Bourbon Casks which may explain why I liked it so much. The aroma was filled with fruit, light pepper, oak, and a sweet citrus note. The flavor had a delicate sweet malt character with light citrus, fruit, pepper, oak, and hints of leather. The finish had just enough alcohol to remind you this was a spirit, but enough residual sweetness to keep you reaching for the glass to take another sip. As far as Irish Whiskeys go this one actually showed some complexity and was quite interesting. It doesn’t appear to be going on sale anytime soon so snag yourself a bottle at full NC retail which is currently $30 and enjoy. Now I’m on the hunt for the 8 year old version!

Slane Irish Whiskey

Not long ago NCABC put Slane Irish Whiskey on sale for $28 so I decided to snag a bottle. From what I can gather the whiskey is blended from malt and grain whiskey and matured in three different casks including Bourbon, Tennessee Whiskey, and Sherry.  The age is unknown, but at least three years to be Irish Whiskey from Ireland. While some reviews seemed mixed I found it to be quite delicious. (Please note I find almost everything aged in Sherry to be delicious.) It is sweet on the palate as are most Irish Whiskeys, but had a nice backbone of oak and hints of delicious Sherry. It has a mild aroma and flavor of leather and despite being on the sweet side is balanced by the oak and barrel aging. The only hints of alcohol are post consumption and the dark fruit flavors make this quite delicious although not especially complex. I know if I find it for $28 or less it will find it’s way back home again. Give this one a whirl, I think you will enjoy the ride.

Glen Moray Single Malt Sherry Cask Finish

Yet another deal on Scotch surfaced when Glen Moray Single Malt Sherry Cask Finish went on sale at NCABC for $25. Very similar to the Port Cask Finish the Sherry Cask Finish starts on the sweet side and then exhibits oak and leather. I expected this to have more Sherry character, but those flavors were muted in the grand scheme of this whisky.  Oak and chocolate dominated with leather and cinnamon spice following up behind. The 40% ABV alcohol was not hidden either, but never became hot. What this was missing was complexity, but at 25 beans I can overlook the lapse of character. This was smooth and easy to drink, but unlike the Port Cask I will probably not revisit it in the future. I would suggest you try this for yourself as the oak and leather might be just what the Doctor ordered.

Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Several years ago we posted a note on Connemara Peated Irish Whiskey and it’s about time we revisit it. Back when we originally penned some notes our knowledge of Irish Whiskey and Scotch was not quite as advanced as it is today. Peated whiskeys are a rarity in Ireland and Connemara is one of the few. This 80 proof whiskey gets it’s name from an insanely beautiful area in Ireland which you should visit at some point in your life. Unfortunately the whiskey is made nowhere near it’s namesake, but that should not stop you from visiting the area and certainly should not stop you from trying this whiskey. The peat has the interesting characteristic of being both strong and subdued at the same time. The sweetness of the malt shines in both the aroma and the flavor and as the peat lessens with time and consumption the complexity of the aroma and flavor keeps you engaged.  It has the sweet characteristics which are the hallmark of many Irish Whiskeys and the peat which permeates the region from chimneys during cooler times. If you have ever visited Ireland you would be a fan of both and if you have not visited the Emerald Isle yet, plan your trip now as it is a magical place. I recommended you give this a try a few years ago and now this is a solid buy. At 45 beans a bottle it is worth a spot in your bar.

Old Pulteney 12 Year Single Malt

Not long ago the ABC system put Old Pulteney 12 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky on sale for $39.95 so I picked up a bottle. It took a bit of searching to even find the bottle in the first place and so I was rather excited when I finally had a chance to crack it open. That was where the joy ends, this one just wasn’t exciting or flavorful enough to keep me interested. It has a very light aroma and flavor of peat which was not off-putting, but just didn’t bring much to the party. The post consumption alcohol warming was similarly out of whack. It was just a bit hot for only being 86 proof.  The sweetness which you normally find in a Single Malt which is not peat centric was MIA and the finish was darn close to bone dry. This is the Whisky for someone looking for a touch of peat and a dry alcoholic finish. If that is what you are after than snag a bottle of this, however if you are like me, this is going to be a pass, especially at a 40 bean price point.

Paddy Irish Whiskey

Found a bottle of Paddy Irish Whiskey at the local liquor store, probably on sale, and decided to bring a bottle home. The 40% ABV Irish Whiskey is triple distilled and the aged on oak according to the label. Unfortunately that is where this one diverges from really great Irish offerings. The aroma and flavor does contain the oak as promised, but it lacks depth and actually has an odd off characteristic of plastic which I attribute to the oak aging. The plastic character is present in both the aroma and flavor and even without that being present this would not be worth the price of admission. My suggestion is to let this remain on the shelf for some other unsuspecting rube and to spend your hard earned money on something better. Sorry folks, this one is a pass.

Bushmills Black Bush

Not long ago I spotted a bottle of Bushmills Black Bush for around $30 a bottle and decided to give it a whirl. It came with a free bottle of Red Bush and everyone should now know I think that Irish Whiskey is rubbish. Black Bush is a much different story. This 40% ABV Irish Whiskey is aged in Oloroso Sherry casks and it is actually quite taste. The aroma is filled with Sherry, brown sugar, and hints of leather. The flavor follows suit with an alcohol presence which is understated and well-balanced. I works very well in so many ways and I’ve found myself recommending this Whiskey on more than one occasion already. At first on the palate it presents a bit too sweet, but after a few sips that impression passes and the complexity of the Whiskey draw you in and leave you with a very enjoyable aftertaste. I know I’m going to keep my eye out to find this one at a great price and once I do I will restock the bar. Give it a try, you will not be disappointed.

The Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Not long ago I happened upon a fifth of The Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey with a tag along bottle of Bushmills Red Bush. At less than 30 beans for a Single Malt I figured why not give it a whirl. The 40% alcohol by volume Irish Whiskey came in a really cool bottle, but unfortunately that is about where the love affair ends. Turns out this really cool hexagonal black bottle is a pain in the butt to pour from and the color makes it near impossible to tell how much remains after pouring. While that is a minor annoyance, the monkey juice ester which is prominent and everlasting is just a bit off-putting. I am not a fan of bananas as a fruit so why the heck would I want them to overpower the aroma in my Irish Whiskey? Oh well, after you get past the jungle juice vibe you can pick up caramel, brown sugar, peppery spice, and a hint of leather. The flavor was middle of the pack with more brown sugar and leather and a nice presence of spice. Had this been a 20 bean bottle of Irish Whiskey I might have had a different impression, but I can think of several bottles which have a lower price point and better aroma/flavor. For me it’s a pass on a second bottle and as I mentioned earlier the airplane bottle of Red Bush, even at free, was too high a price. I’d suggest you skip it unless you really want a cool bottle to have an hold which really shouldn’t be used for housing Whiskey or pouring.