BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

90
Corsair Ryemageddon (USA: Corsair Artisan
Distillery, Nashville, TN). The name
says it all: it’s bright and energetic, leaning toward riotous.
The complex aroma includes apricots and lemon
peel mingled with sarsaparilla, honey, and vanilla. On
the palate, vanilla dominates, sparked with baking spices,
black pepper and a creamy, citrusy note. It’s a little
hot straight up, but would be dynamite in a Sazerac or
other cocktail.
abv: 46% Price: $45
90
Paddleford Creek Bourbon Whiskey
(USA; W.J. Deutsch & Sons, White Plains,
NY). This bright golden small-batch Bourbon would
make for a top-notch whiskey sour, with its surprisingly
delicate fragrance. Its touches of lemon peel and
creamy vanilla, and smooth character make it one worth
noting. Best Buy.
abv: 41.5% Price: $24
89
Corsair Small Batch Triple Smoke American
Malt Whiskey (USA; Corsair Artisan
Distillery, Nashville, TN). A good local alternative
for peaty Scotch-lovers, made with a unique blend of
three batches of whiskeys smoked with cherry wood,
beech wood and peat. Given some time to open up, a
waft of smoke mingles with the fruity, malty scent. On
the palate, the smoke really builds, but manages to hit
the brakes before it overwhelms everything, fading into
a burnt-orange, caramel finish. Pair with aged cheeses.
abv: 40% Price: $45
89
Hancock’s President’s Reserve Single
Barrel Bourbon Whiskey (USA; W.J.
Deutsch & Sons, White Plains, NY). Despite the
mild apple and chamomile tea scent, the flavor of this
Kentucky small-batch Bourbon is surprisingly big. The
honey notes really linger, and even amp up through the
finish into a crescendo of cinnamon and clove.
abv: 88.9% Price: $43
89
Smooth Ambler Yearling Bourbon (USA;
Smooth Ambler Spirits, Maxwelton, WV).
Aged 6 months, this small-batch wheated Bourbon is
a good choice for cocktails. Although a resiny note in
the aroma overwhelms the ribbon of caramel, otherwise
this bright amber spirit is warm and inviting.
abv: 46% Price: $27/375 ml
89
St. George Single Malt Whiskey Lot 11
(USA; St. George, Alameda, CA). This sunny
gold single malt feels so beautifully light and smooth,
it threatens to float right off the tongue. The fresh aroma
mixes honeysuckle, lychee, pineapple and vanilla.
On the palate, a beer-like hoppy note plays against a bit
of vanilla and hazelnut. Well balanced.
abv: 43% Price: $70
89
Watkins Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Whiskey (USA; W.J. Deutsch & Sons,
White Plains, NY). This Bourbon has mellow finesse,
from its warm, inviting honey and peaches aroma to elegant
flavors that start toffee-like, then fade to leather
and black tea notes.
abv: 40% Price: $20
89
Wild Turkey 81 Kentucky Bourbon (USA;
Campari America, San Francisco, CA).
Aged 6–8 years in “alligator charred” oak barrels, this
Bourbon has a sweet crème brûlée aroma, with a bit of
fruity freshness behind it. Despite the sweet scent, it’s
dry and bracing on the palate. This is a great light Bourbon,
perfect for mixing, and it would do well topped up
with ginger ale and a squeeze of fresh lime.
abv: 40.5% Price: $20
88
Balcones True Blue Cask Strength Corn
Whisky (USA; Balcones Distilling, Waco,
TX). This unique artisan whiskey from Texas is made
with roasted Hopi blue corn, then matured in lightly
charred new American oak barrels. The result is bold
vanilla, cream soda and brown sugar aromas, and a
sweet profile with lots of toffee and orange peel. It’s delicious,
but a bit hot and rough, and some will find this
too strong altogether, even with significant dilution.
abv: 62.9% Price: $59
88
Black Eagle Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Whiskey (USA; W.J. Deutsch & Sons,
White Plains, NY). Golden and bright, this aromatic
Bourbon has an exceptionally fresh fragrance mixing
apples and lily of the valley with just a delicate touch of
vanilla and a faint minty tinge. Soft, creamy and light
on the palate.
abv: 40% Price: $15
88
High West Whiskey Double Rye (USA;
High West Distillery, Park City, UT). This
light and perky rye has a warm, soft baked-apple scent.
On the palate, look for citrus layered with lingering vanilla,
cinnamon and nutmeg.
abv: 46% Price: $35
87
Balcones 1 Texas Single Malt Whisky
Special Release (USA; Balcones Distilling,
Waco, TX). Finished in ex-Bourbon casks, this
dark amber Texas single malt has a thick, syrupy scent,
evoking caramel and root beer. Although the alcohol
level is palate-numbingly boozy, the flavors are interestingly
complex and dry, showing cocoa, leather and
espresso.
abv: 52.5% Price: $69
86
Charbay Whiskey Hop Flavored Whiskey,
Lot R-5. (USA; Charbay Distillers,
St. Helena, CA). A whiskey for beer-lovers: Distilled
from Racer 5 Beer, and aged in French Oak barrels.
The spirit has a peppy scent of fresh apple and pear,
plus touches of honey, pepper and smoke. On the palate,
it’s hot and astringent, though it mellows with plenty
of water to show a beer-like note, a wash of honey and
a sprinkle of black pepper and cinnamon on the finish.
abv: 49.5% Price: $75
86
Kansas Clean Distilled Spirit Whiskey
(USA; Fabulous American Beverages,
Rochester, NY). Despite its odious hipsters-only ad
campaign, there’s some merit to marketing this as an
alternative for whiskey-haters. Drink this blindfolded,
and you might swear it’s a coconut-flavored vodka. It’s
nearly transparent, with just the faintest golden tinge, it
smells like coconut and marshmallow, and it has a pronounced
coconut cream flavor with a hint of vanilla and
a smooth finish. It’s not that this product is bad—it’s
not—but it’s not really whiskey, either.
abv: 40% Price: $30
85
John B. Stetson Bourbon Whiskey (USA;
Vision Wine & Spirits, Secaucus, NJ).
Honey-colored with vibrant orange highlights, this
Bourbon is aged at least four years. Give this spirit some
time and space to breathe. The aroma has an almost
gamy, meaty quality, laid over with vanilla, almond and
caramel. On the palate, almond flavors give way to a
rather hot and brawny but long caramel finish that dries
to a pleasingly leathery tone.
abv: 42% Price: $27
84
Early Times 354 Bourbon (USA; Brown-
Forman, Louisville, KY). Surprisingly fruity,
with notes of apples and pears, and a caramel note that
accelerates into the finish. Despite a jarring resin note
in the aroma, this is a decent mixer for cocktails, and
you’re not going to beat the price.
abv: 40% Price: $16
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