Reviews

Review: 2018 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection

Antique Collection 2018 Group Shot

The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection has just started shipping out, which means stores will start holding lotteries or calling a handful of loyal customers with the news.  Three bourbons and two ryes make up Buffalo Trace Distillery’s most anticipated special releases.  Suggested retail pricing is $99 for each bottle, though I think the number of stores offering these bottlings near that price dwindles with each passing year.

GEORGE T. STAGG

Usually my favorite of the bunch, George T. Stagg is a 15-year-old powerhouse of a bourbon.  This year’s proof is one of its lowest ever at 124.9.  Barrels were laid down in 2003 in warehouses C, H, I, K, P, and Q.  The batch consisted of 284 barrels, but with a 51.15% evaporation loss, there’s not a lot to go around.  The nose features dark sweets, cocoa, cigar box, and oak spice.  Dark and potent, Stagg starts with a dark chocolate-flavored caramel chew which then develops lovely notes of nutmeg and allspice, toasted oak, and coffee liqueur.  There is sweet tobacco on the long finish.  Big, dark, and chewy while remaining balanced is how I’d describe this Stagg release.  Don’t let the lower proof deter you from a purchase.  9/10

EAGLE RARE 17-YEAR-OLD

Harkening back to the brand’s launch proof, this year’s Eagle Rare 17 is bottled at 101 proof instead of the usual 90.  Only 45 barrels from three floors in Warehouse C were selected for this release.  89.5% of the original whiskey was lost to evaporation.  Is there a lot to go around?  You do the math.  Eagle Rare 17 (actually 18 years old at the time of bottling) features hints of spiced caramel, butterscotch, orange curaçao, and old oak on the nose.  Taste-wise, this bourbon plays it dark and dry – and not in a bad way.  A bittersweet dark chocolate kicks things off, with oak spice and vanilla pod following.  French roast coffee beans develop soon after, ushering in a wave of drying oak.  The finish is dry, with sweet oak and a touch of fresh mint.  The higher proof has made a special whiskey even better.  Beautifully aged and exquisitely bottled, Eagle Rare 17 is simply delicious.  9.5/10

SAZERAC 18-YEAR-OLD RYE

Some bottlings of this ultra-aged rye whiskey can be very special.  This year’s release, distilled in 1998 and assumingely tanked for the last couple of releases, is bottled at 90 proof.  That means Sazerac 18 is the lowest proof whiskey in the entire collection.  On the nose, rye spice combines with a slew of baking spices, along with hints of brown sugar and oak.  The palate is stately and dry, with hints of toasted oak, tobacco, vanilla pod, and oak spice.  The finish is dry and spicy.  This year’s release is nice overall, but falters a bit on the palate – which seems a bit too oaky compared to past releases.  That said, I’d still look for a bottle.  8/10

WILLIAM LARUE WELLER

It seems that in recent years, this barrel proof Weller has been one of the most sought after whiskies of the collection. This year’s edition comes in at 125.7 proof. One hundred forty nine hand-picked barrels make up this release, though slightly more than half of the original whiskey was lost of the angel’s share. The nose reminds me a bit of a confectionary shop, with hints of dried fruit, vanilla toffee, brown sugar, and spice cake. Weller tastes of brown sugar, fruit preserves, oak spice, cinnamon, and vanilla pod. The long finish carries a hint of slightly burnt sugar and mint. Wow. I agree with Fred Minnick in that Weller might be the star of this year’s superb collection. 9.5/10

THOMAS H. HANDY SAZERAC RYE

The youngling of the collection, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye is no slouch. This year’s release is comprised of 73 barrels. At only 6-years-old, does it really belong in something called the Antique Collection? Nonetheless, the 128.8 proof rye is pretty good. The nose is full of aromatic rye spice, vanilla, and some botanicals. Aromatic bitters, even. Taste-wise, brown sugar and spice lead the charge, followed by waves of vanilla, cloves, and allspice. There’s a vibrancy here missing in the rest of the collection, but it’s not as “green” as the couple of past releases. The long finish features black pepper, cardamom, and a touch of caramel. 8/10

For this year’s collection, the bourbons shined. Weller is phenomenal and top of the class, Stagg remains steadfast, while an improved Eagle Rare 17 is exquisitely matured. The two rye whiskies were just a notch below, but still utterly delicious. All five whiskies of the 2018 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection come highly recommended.

Thanks to Buffalo Trace for the samples. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review: The Balvenie Peat Week 14-Year-Old Single Malt Whisky

US_Peat Week 14_bottle & tube small.jpg

The Balvenie is known for its honeycomb-led flavor profile.  One week a year, The Balvenie distills a heavily peated malt.  That week, known as Peat Week, leads us to this wonderful whisky.  Distilled back in 2002, this 14-year-old expression from the famed distillery utilizes only peated barley – no non-peated malt here.  That whisky matured in American oak casks.

In addition to being bottled at a modest 48.3% abv, Peat Week is also non-chill filtered.

Let’s dig in, shall we?

The nose is exactly what you’d expect.  Notes of honeyed malt, wood smoke, lemon peel, and sweet oak abound.  More of the same on the palate.  A quick explosion of rich, sweet honeycomb and vanilla followed by a wave of tempered smoke.  Some sautéed mushroom on the mid palate is accompanied by toffee and wood spice.  The finish is clean and lovely, with hints of burnt orange peel, toffee, and peat smoke.

I love this “heavy” side of The Balvenie.  I use the quotations for a reason.  The Balvenie’s standard profile is generally that a lighter style whisky, though it still has some richness.  The peat here is not heavy handed.  Rather, it nicely balances with that honeycomb nature generally found in The Balvenie.  Peat Week’s a great way to experience The Balvenie.  At $99 a bottle, this is an easy recommendation.  8.5/10

thebalvenie.com

Thanks to The Balvenie for the sample.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Store Pick Review: Calandro’s Supermarket 1792 Full Proof and Knob Creek Single Barrel Rye

Calandro’s Supermarket in Baton Rouge, Louisiana just released a couple of store picks they thought I’d be interested in trying. Who am I to turn down whiskey? Mark Calandro and his son Taylor taste and choose the barrels for their stores. Let’s get to tasting.

First up is 1792 Full Proof. This goes into the barrel at 125 proof. After maturation, the whiskey is proofed down to that same proof. Because that could just mean a couple of proof points, this is basically barrel proof bourbon. The nose is rich with hints of caramel, red fruit and spice. Taste-wise, we’re talking about layer after layer of decadent caramel upfront. Additionally, hints of graham cracker and red fruits develop alongside some baking spice and leather. The finish is long, with lingering notes of barrel char and sweet oak. Calandro’s 1792 Full Proof is big, rich, and worth every penny of its $49.99 cost. 8.5/10

Next up is their Knob Creek Single Barrel Rye, currently one of the first of these releases in Louisiana AND the supermarket chain’s first rye whiskey picks. Knob Creek Single Barrel Rye is bottled at 115 proof. The nose is a touch muted at first, but becomes a bit livelier with a little airtime. Aromas of rye spice, fruit, vanilla, and lightly roasted coffee abound. On the palate, a sweet brown sugar entry develops hints of toasted rye grain, cherries, and wood spice. The finish is long and warming, with hints of sweet vanilla and spicy rye. $39.99 8/10

Great picks from Calandro’s! I am excited to see what they bring into the store next.

Thanks to Calandro’s for the generous samples. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.