Donna and Todd hosted once again for a tasting down in St. Augustine at the Kenwood Inn for their wedding anniversary. Having just won a charity auction at the Florida Theatre, Todd graciously shared some of the bounty. There were some Scotch whiskies and American bourbons with a Canadian Whiskey (produced by Hood River Distillers of Hood River, Oregon – wait. Canadian?) Interesting history is wrapped up in these whisk(e)y expressions and I tried to touch on points of each one as Todd did when introducing them.
Terms Defined
American Bourbon Whiskey: distilled in U.S. to maximum 80% ABV, minimum 51% corn in mashbill, aged in new, charred white American oak barrels at maximum 62.5% ABV, bottled at minimum 40% ABV. There is no specific duration for aging of bourbon.
Straight Bourbon Whiskey: all of the above and aged a minimum of two years. [Any Straight Whiskey aged under 4 years must be labeled with the age of the youngest whiskey in the bottle.]
Bottled-in Bond Bourbon: sub-category of Straight Bourbon, aged a minimum of 4 years in a federally bonded warehouse
American Rye Whiskey: like American Bourbon but with 51% Rye in the mashbill
Straight Rye Whiskey: like Straight Bourbon but 51% Rye in the mashbill
Sour Mash Whiskey: process common in bourbon production where spent mash (already fermented grain mixture) is saved and added to the next mash for fermentation. It insures pH level and flavor consistency. Often used in production without mention in name or label of product.
Lincoln County Process: filtering distillate through sugar maple charcoal before going into barrels for aging.
Terms Defined
American Bourbon Whiskey: distilled in U.S. to maximum 80% ABV, minimum 51% corn in mashbill, aged in new, charred white American oak barrels at maximum 62.5% ABV, bottled at minimum 40% ABV. There is no specific duration for aging of bourbon.
Straight Bourbon Whiskey: all of the above and aged a minimum of two years. [Any Straight Whiskey aged under 4 years must be labeled with the age of the youngest whiskey in the bottle.]
Bottled-in Bond Bourbon: sub-category of Straight Bourbon, aged a minimum of 4 years in a federally bonded warehouse
American Rye Whiskey: like American Bourbon but with 51% Rye in the mashbill
Straight Rye Whiskey: like Straight Bourbon but 51% Rye in the mashbill
Sour Mash Whiskey: process common in bourbon production where spent mash (already fermented grain mixture) is saved and added to the next mash for fermentation. It insures pH level and flavor consistency. Often used in production without mention in name or label of product.
Lincoln County Process: filtering distillate through sugar maple charcoal before going into barrels for aging.
*Cragganmore 12yr 40% ABV Single Malt Scotch Whisky
-smelled sweet caramel dessert
-tasted sweet w/tinge vanilla/oak, very little alcohol burn
-w/water smelled less sweet
-tasted oak with a tinge of bourbon
This is a note from a 2012 tasting most likely at Todd’s house.
-smelled sweet caramel dessert
-tasted sweet w/tinge vanilla/oak, very little alcohol burn
-w/water smelled less sweet
-tasted oak with a tinge of bourbon
This is a note from a 2012 tasting most likely at Todd’s house.
*Pendleton Whiskey 40% ABV
-smelled slight pepper w/sweet lemon
-tasted citrusy vanilla wafer/Necco wafer
-w/water smelled orange sherbert ice cream
-tasted very light orange wafer
-smelled slight pepper w/sweet lemon
-tasted citrusy vanilla wafer/Necco wafer
-w/water smelled orange sherbert ice cream
-tasted very light orange wafer
*Jim Beam Double Oak 43% ABV
(Aged 4 years in charred White American Oak, then “aged to taste” in new, charred Am. Oak)
[Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey]
-smelled sour vanilla oak
-tasted sweet oak/vanilla
-w/water smelled floral, vanilla oak
-tasted light vanilla and trailed slight peppery oak
This was sweeter than I thought it would be. I am not sure what maturing in a second barrel added since I have not tasted Beam aged normally.
(Aged 4 years in charred White American Oak, then “aged to taste” in new, charred Am. Oak)
[Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey]
-smelled sour vanilla oak
-tasted sweet oak/vanilla
-w/water smelled floral, vanilla oak
-tasted light vanilla and trailed slight peppery oak
This was sweeter than I thought it would be. I am not sure what maturing in a second barrel added since I have not tasted Beam aged normally.
*Winchester Double Oak 45% ABV
(Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished “With Sherry Cask Staves”)
-smelled vanilla, oaky, lemon
-tasted sour oak with pepper
-w/water smelled sweet citrus dish soap
-tasted cookie but not overly sweet
-no bitter or pepper or oak
Did not taste any sherry at all.
(Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished “With Sherry Cask Staves”)
-smelled vanilla, oaky, lemon
-tasted sour oak with pepper
-w/water smelled sweet citrus dish soap
-tasted cookie but not overly sweet
-no bitter or pepper or oak
Did not taste any sherry at all.
*Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch Whiskey 7 yr 46.5% ABV
(Named for Nathan “Nearest” Green, the first African-American distiller on record who perfected the Lincoln County Process. Green knew and taught Jack Daniels the Process, named for the county where they lived, and served as master distiller at Jack Daniels Distillery.)
-smelled caramel/vanilla/oak w/tinge of sour
-tasted sweet, light oak w/floral, grassy
-w/water smelled lemon cookie/raisin
-tasted light, sweet citrus w/pepper
-trailed peppery
The find of the evening! I was very surprised with the sweetness and grassiness. If I remember correctly, Jack Daniels has some similar flavors but does something to give it a sour note that I do not like.
(Named for Nathan “Nearest” Green, the first African-American distiller on record who perfected the Lincoln County Process. Green knew and taught Jack Daniels the Process, named for the county where they lived, and served as master distiller at Jack Daniels Distillery.)
-smelled caramel/vanilla/oak w/tinge of sour
-tasted sweet, light oak w/floral, grassy
-w/water smelled lemon cookie/raisin
-tasted light, sweet citrus w/pepper
-trailed peppery
The find of the evening! I was very surprised with the sweetness and grassiness. If I remember correctly, Jack Daniels has some similar flavors but does something to give it a sour note that I do not like.
*Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey 50% ABV
-smelled cherry, bourbon sweet
-tasted vanilla oak
-w/water smelled light oak
-tasted peppery oak and trailed quickly!
Not much to this after the last one. The Knob Creek website describes this as having a “high corn mashbill” which is typically the counter grain to rye’s spiciness. This definitely was not a bitter rye whiskey. Even Todd drank some, I think.
-smelled cherry, bourbon sweet
-tasted vanilla oak
-w/water smelled light oak
-tasted peppery oak and trailed quickly!
Not much to this after the last one. The Knob Creek website describes this as having a “high corn mashbill” which is typically the counter grain to rye’s spiciness. This definitely was not a bitter rye whiskey. Even Todd drank some, I think.
*Bushmills Blended Irish Whiskey NAS 40% ABV
-smelled light rubber, grassy
-tasted peppery citrus
-w/water smelled light citrus
-tasted light, bitter oak
A very light blended Irish.
-smelled light rubber, grassy
-tasted peppery citrus
-w/water smelled light citrus
-tasted light, bitter oak
A very light blended Irish.
*Talisker Storm NAS 45.8% ABV Peated Scottish Single Malt
(Labelled as the only distillery on the Isle of Skye, which was true until recently. Torabhaig joined the club in 2017. There is also a distillery in Portree called Isle of Skye Distillers. A neighboring island, Raasay, has a distillery operating as well.)
-smelled lemony, peat, grassy
-tasted peaty w/pepper
-w/water smelled citrusy
-tasted peppery peat w/light oak
-trailed quickly!
This is one of the few peated whiskies that my wife likes. It’s not a sharp peat bite.
(Labelled as the only distillery on the Isle of Skye, which was true until recently. Torabhaig joined the club in 2017. There is also a distillery in Portree called Isle of Skye Distillers. A neighboring island, Raasay, has a distillery operating as well.)
-smelled lemony, peat, grassy
-tasted peaty w/pepper
-w/water smelled citrusy
-tasted peppery peat w/light oak
-trailed quickly!
This is one of the few peated whiskies that my wife likes. It’s not a sharp peat bite.
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