Tasted #340: Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whisky 100 Proof

Moving onto something a little bit simpler for a change - Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whisky (Bottled in Bond). I actually bought this for cocktails (I've always enjoyed it in a Manhattan, Sazerac etc.. and find the 50% ABV holds up well), but it's a highly regarded rye on its own, so thought I'd spend some time with it neat, and post up my thoughts.

Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whisky100 Proof (50% ABV, NAS, Kentucky, USA, ~$350HKD / £29.99 / $82.99AUD)

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Colour: Copper-brown.

Nose: Treacle, maple syrup, lots of vanilla pods and some peppercorn.

Palate: Smooth, slightly viscous, spicy (pepper and cinnamon). There's orange rind and cinnamon sticks, with a dusting of icing sugar and a fair amount of oak. Simply, but tasty.

Finish: Medium to long in length, peppery.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale):  88/100. No-one's suggesting this is an earth-shatteringly complex whisky - it's not. It's a simple rye done very well. All the flavours you want in a rye are there, with a bold, solid backbone. The ABV feels spot on and it serves well as a neat dram, or a great base for a booze-forward cocktail.


Cheers,
Martin.

Bar Review #17: The Brandy Library (New York City, USA) (Tasted #204-209)

Steph and I recently returned from a 3.5 week world trip, taking in (amongst other places) Scotland and the US. On a similar trip with my dad in 2009, I'd stumbled across a great little bar in New York City's Tribeca, Brandy Library, and was impressed with both their selection of whiskies and the friendliness (and knowledge) of the staff, not to mention their unique decor - very much a "library" of spirits.

Fast forward to 2015, and it turns out not only is Brandy Library still thriving, it also now boasts the the very capable, very knowledgable Marlon. Marlon (a good friend) previously lived in Hong Kong (where he ran The Whisky Library) and prior to that, Singapore (where he manned the bar at The (old) Auld Alliance). Quite the International man of whisk(e)y. Marlon moved to NY recently and it was great to catch up and share a few drams, and re-visit a favourite New York whisk(e)y bar.

Located in the heart of Tribeca (and literally across the road from the Ghostbusters Fire Station), Brandy Library is an intimate space offering a variety of spirits, but with a large focus on both brandy and whisk(e)y. The whiskey focus here is definitely American, but with an enviable selection of Scotch, Japanese and other whiskies, and an especially impressive selection of miniatures on display.

Most bars have the majority of spirits behind the bar, perhaps another cabinet or two for particularly well-stocked bars, and maybe (in the cases of bars like Sydney's The Baxter Inn, or Sydney/Melbourne's Eau de Vie) a separate room. At Brandy Library though, the spirits envelope the room, with the walls quite literally covered in rare bottles (and ladders for those hard-to-reach bottles, emphasising the "Library" aspect).

So...with an incredible selection of spirits from around the globe, where to start? Well we'd spent our time on this trip in Japan and Scotland already, so I figured it was time to really explore some American whiskies. Marlon was quick to suggest a custom "Librarian's Craft" flight, and who was I to argue?

Bernheim Original Small Batch Kentucky Straight Wheat Whisky (45% ABV, 7yo, Kentucky, USA)
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Colour: Orange gold.
Nose: Marmalade, cloves and some oaky spice. A little pepper.
Palate: More marmalade but even more spice and oak. Thin on the palate, but with a citrusy sweetness that makes it enjoyable to drink neat. Not overly complex and not likely to knock anyone's socks off, but a very sippable, enjoyable dram.
Finish: Short to medium, some oats.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100.

Angel's Envy Port Finished Bourbon (43.3% ABV, NAS, Kentucky, USA)
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Colour: Red amber.
Nose: Sweet, rich berries. Not that far from a decent, somewhat sherried Scotch.
Palate: Roasted hazelnuts, spicy vanilla, and some toffee. A bourbon, yes, but a richer, more rounded one. Some raspberries round out the enjoyable if not overly complex palate.
Finish: Short and spicy - none of the port influence evidence on the nose or palate.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100.

"The Spirit School Series" Bourbon bottled for Brandy Library by Prichards Distillery (44% ABV, NAS, Kentucky (distilled, matured) and Tennessee (further matured), USA)
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This was is an interesting one. The label states both "Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky" and "Hand-bottled exclusively for Brandy Library by Prichards Distillery, Kelso Tennessee". A little digging reveals that whilst Prichards make much of their own whisky (and rum), this particular spirit is someone else's Bourbon (distillery unknown), and I believe has been re-barrelled for a time at Prichards in Tennessee before bottling.
Colour: Deep red amber.
Nose: Paprika and oak tempered with sweet, velvety caramel and burnt demerara sugar.
Palate: Huge spice, but herbal, vegetal. Creamy and syrupy mouthfeel.
Finish: Long with some sound cream and chives! Not expected, but welcome.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. Who cares where it comes from, it's good whiskey!

Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Co "Barterhouse" (45.1% ABV, 20yo, Kentucky, USA)
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There's been much written about Diageo's well (over?) hyped "Orhan Barrel" series, but the one line version is: Diageo "uncovered" a bunch of rare, old Bourbon casks at Stitzel-Weller in Louisville, Kentucky, and bottled them in Tullahoma, Tennessee (presumably at George Dickel). This is one of their first releases.
Colour: Bright gold.
Nose: Vanilla, toffee, some sugar but with orange peels and grapefruit.
Palate: Very spicy - could be confused for a rye, it it wasn't for the overwhelming sweetness - marshmallow, vanilla toffee and still some citrus notes, again, orange peels.
Finish: Medium length, spicy. Warming but slightly hot at the very end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100.

Parker's Heritage Collection Original Batch Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey (63.4% ABV, 13yo, Kentucky, USA)
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Colour: Deep red copper.
Nose: Creamy pecan and pumpkin pie, without any cream or sugary sweetness.
Palate: Huge. Hot, spicy, almost no sweetness, but a touch of rich vanilla and sour lemon at the end.
Finish: Sour and hot, and very long. Sour to the very end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100.

Jim Beam "Distiller's Masterpiece" Bourbon (50% ABV, NAS, Kentucky, USA)
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Now this was a surprise. I knew Jim Beam made a few rarer / older expressions (and I knew they were better than regular Jim Beam White Label, of course), but this was a huge delight. 10-12yo Jim Beam finished in PX Sherry Casks, bottled at 50% ABV? They even sold it at Dan's for a time!
Colour: Red copper.
Nose: Sweet American cherry (you know that flavour that's in everything? Yeah, a hint of that). Very, very sweet, but certainly not unpleasant.
Palate: Maple syrup, cherries, hints of oak and a touch of rye spiciness. Incredibly smooth throughout. Balancing that fine line between sweetness and spice, and managing to be incredibly smooth without feeling "thin" or watered-down.
Finish: Medium length with lots of red berries.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. A winner. A bourbon I'd consider buying, even.

Brandy Library can be found at at 25 North Moore Street, New York, NY and is open:

• Sunday through Wednesday 5 pm to 1 am
• Thursday 4 pm to 2 am; and
• Friday and Saturday 4 pm to 4 am

Go say hi to Marlon and the gang, and try some of the most interesting American whiskies you're likely to come across.

Cheers,

Maritn.

Smoked Meats and Whisk(e)y at the Eastern Hotel (Sydney) (Tasted #117 - 124)

Please join me in welcoming Hendy to his first official post for the blog.  -Martin.

When I first heard of this event, I got curious as I'd never paired or even thought about pairing whisk(e)y with meat. Though when you think about it, it does make sense to pair a smokey charred meat dish with, perhaps a peaty, smokey whisky (and they don't come a whole lot more peaty than some of Bruichladdich's offerings).

The event was a collaboration between the South Trade and Eastern Hotel teams, and was a rather interesting night, as it introduced what is, in my view, the contrasting nature of different whiskies; low parts per million (ppm) to crazy phenol-laden mega-ppm, Islay to Kentucky, barley to grain, whisky to whiskey.

There were a total of eight whiskies from two distilleries being showcased on the night;

Four Scotch whiskies from the Bruichladdich distillery in the Islay region of Scotland:

• Bruichladdich Laddie Classic
• Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Scottish Barley
• Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10yo
• Bruichladdich Black Art 3

.. and four bourbon whiskies from the Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky, USA:

• Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Eagle Rare 10yo
• Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel
• William Larue Weller Bourbon

The line up was great, though the ever famous Octomore was absent from the Bruichladdich range, having its peaty self represented on the night by its slightly less peaty brethren; the Port Charlotte Scottish Barley.

The night began quite nicely with the original Buffalo Trace bourbon, also once known as George Stagg. This original feature bourbon from the Buffalo Trace distillery was rather enjoyable, exhibiting sweet flavour notes including toffee and caramel - a good start to the night.

One interesting fact with this bourbon and the distillery from which it came - the name of the bourbon and the distillery have both been adapted from the group of buffaloes that would migrate through the Kentucky river close to the distillery, leaving their marking 'trace' or trail. 

The striking aqua Bruichladdich "Laddie Classic" followed the Buffalo Trace bourbon. Welcoming itself into the night as the first Scotch, this minimally peated whisky was quite balanced. A touch of iodine presented itself on the palate, and it was sweet on the nose and long on the finish. Johannes from South Trade explained the story behind the striking blue colour adorning this 'laddie. Supposedly, the aqua was based on the colour of Loch Indaal, a loch by the distillery. Jim McEwan (Master Distiller) would see the colour each time he gazed out the Bruichladdich distillery window. One does wonder whether the creation of the darker bottled Black Art or the Octomore were done, perhaps, late at night...

Throughout the night, different meat dishes were served including cold meat platters to begin, smokey and sweet BBQ NZ Greenstone Creek short ribs, slow cooked (read:18 hour) shredded Berkshire pork shoulder, and buffalo chicken wings (Ed: I'm getting hungry...). All the dishes were there to get our palates excited, whilst also being designed to complement the drams being served (the focus of the night was clearly on the whisky).

Johannes from South Trade  touched on some details of the Bruichladdich peating process that underpins Bruichladdich's famous super heavily peated Octomore, the less heavily peated Port Charlotte Scottish Barley and other peated range involves (for those unfamiliar with peated malts) the burning and layering of the aromatic peat compounds below the racks of barleys during the barley drying process. By placing below the layers of barleys the barley absorbs as much aromatic smoke from the peat compounds as possible, creating the peated whiskies we all know and love.

It was towards the end of the night, when the decadent slice of chocolate cake was served that I encountered my two favourites - the Elmer T Lee bourbon from Buffalo Trace and the Bruichladdich Black Art (3). Both of these whiskies are wonderfully creamy, rich and complex. The Elmer T Lee was able to carry the sweetness from the oak from the nose through to the palate and beyond. I did wonder whether I was devouring an ice cream from the glass - quite wonderful. 

The Black Art carried similar sweet notes. Being unpeated, the Black Art smelt not of peat, but of rum and raisin and honey. It was quite leathery on the palate, though this might relate to the older age of the (22yo) whisky - nevertheless beautiful. The finish, similar to the Elmer T Lee, excellent. The Black Art and the Elmer T Lee lasted well beyond the palate.

As with all good things, they must come to an end. The end of the night was capped off with a slice of a sweet decadent chocolate cake along with a dram of William Larue Weller bourbon. Both, I have to say, were intensely rich. The bourbon, big and long on the palate and the cake intensely rich and sweet.

So, after all the pairing, was I sold on the pairing between whisky and meat? Yes and no. I still prefer my dram nice and neat, perhaps a pairing with a cigar? Though the line up tonight was indeed very sweet, quite literally for a number of the drams.

Full tasting notes below...

Bruichladdich Laddie Classic (46% ABV, NAS, Islay, Scotland, $87.90AUD)

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Nose: Sweet honey, vanilla, slightly salty
Palate: The vanilla flows from the nose, then peppery spicy, salty, seaweed?
Finish: Vanilla cake, graciously long sweet vanilla finish
Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 89/100.

Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon (40% ABV, NAS, Kentucky, USA, $48.90AUD)

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Nose: Toffee, caramel, very sweet
Palate: Very rich, smooth, caramel, toffee, there's a bit of toasty char in there
Finish: Peppery, long and smooth
Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 92/100.

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Scottish Barley (50% ABV, NAS, Islay, Scotland, $95.99AUD)

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Nose: Good dose of the aromatic peat, iodinish, medicinal, taint
Palate: Whack of peat, full bodied, peppery and spicy
Finish: Medium to long finish, spicy, and the peaty char lingers
Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 90/100.

Eagle Rare 10yo (45% ABV, 10yo, Kentucky, USA, $69.99AUD)

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Nose: Caramel, honey, sweet dessert wine
Palate: Peppery, vanilla, fruity, you can taste the maple wood
Finish: Quite a long and dry finish
Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 90/100.

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10yo (50% ABV, 10yo, Islay, Scotland, ~$77.57AUD)

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Nose: Sweet vanilla mixed with char from the peat
Palate: Caramel, chocolate and peat smoke (surprisingly good balance of sweet and peat)
Finish: Smooth, medium finish, peppery note lingers
Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 89/100.

Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel (45% ABV, NAS, Kentucky, USA, $92.90AUD)

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Nose: Vanilla
Palate: Sweet, honey, vanilla, almost like eating ice cream
Finish: Long, dry and sweet
Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 93/100.

Bruichladdich Black Art 3 (48.7% 22yo, Islay, Scotland, $279.99AUD)

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Nose: Rum, raisin, perhaps honey
Palate: Vanilla, gun powder? quite leathery (might be from the age)
Finish: Very long and exquisite sweet, creamy finish, yum
Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 93/100.

William Larue Weller Bourbon (67.5% ABV, 12yo, Kentucky, USA, $345AUD)

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Nose: Very rich, vanilla, sweet
Palate: Very big hit of peppery spices with a bit of char (almost need that dash of water)
Finish: Very, very long and sweet and rich finish
Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 91/100.

-Hendy.