By Randall H. Borkus Rating: B+ Heaven’s Door Calvados Cask Straight Bourbon is the first expression in the Heaven’s Door Exploration Series, a sourced and limited edition expression series showcasing distinct finishing cask stock. This first release in the series is a blend that marries the complexity of a toasted oak barrel and a French …
By Richard Thomas Rating: For more than a decade, American Malt Whiskey has been the unquestioned domain of the craft distiller. The mixology-driven Rye Crunch of 2011-12 gave small whiskey-makers some space to carve out a niche in reviving moribund rye whiskey styles, but most rye sold is still made by big distillers in Canada …
By Kenrick Thurston Wilcox Rating: B+ If anyone has wanted to try their hand at being a blender, infinity bottles are an interesting way for consumers to do so, with many articles on websites how to start your own at home blend. With its roots in the wine world via the solera aging system, the …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B- California distiller Redwood Empire embraces their titular theme fully, with their releases named after the oldest and tallest of the state’s famous sequoia trees. Foggy Burl is a 347-foot tall skyscraper of a tree, the name coming from its especially burly base and one of its main sources of water. …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Glenglassaugh’s location has its interesting features, starting with where it fits into the traditional regions of Scotch whisky. It’s so close to the boundary dividing Speyside from the Highlands that one wonders if the reason the eastern border of Speyside was placed as it is was not to exclude it …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Jack Daniel’s may be the crown jewel of the Brown-Forman empire, but its foundation is Old Forester. Several years ago, the company decided to give that foundation a much-needed brand extension into the premium direction, introducing four new expressions. Each entry in this Whiskey Row series had a year name–1870, …
By Douglas Fraser Rating: B+ Old Elk Distillery is based in Fort Collins, Colorado, just sixty miles from Denver. This expression is sourced from MGP’s very high wheat, wheated bourbon whiskey, with a mash bill of 51% corn, 45% wheat and 4% malted barley. As with many brands, sourcing from MGP is a staple of …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B When a brand like Glenglassaugh releases what is essentially a new entry-level run in their line-up or revamps their look, it’s a good guess that the powers that be behind that brand are making a marketing and sales push or repositioning the brand. Something to that effect. Glenglassaugh owner Brown-Forman …
By Alex Southgate Rating: B+ I’m the sort of person that loves to try new things and this is absolutely true when it comes down to Scotch. The thing about Scotch Whisky is there is so much to try and always something new to learn, and for me this is very true when it comes …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B While I know it has been many years since Jack Daniel’s made their initial foray into rye whiskey, it sometimes seems like it was only the other day when Jack Daniel’s released their rye counterpart to Old No. 7. In reality, that was also several years ago, six and a …
