Reviews

Review: John Walker & Sons King George V Scotch Whisky

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This past November, I left my job of nearly nine years for a promotion at the competition.  Scandalous!  The night I accepted my new position, I celebrated by opening my bottle of John Walker & Sons King George V.  Notice it’s not Johnnie Walker.  I guess once it surpasses a certain price threshold, Johnnie becomes a more formal John.  King George V costs around $600, though I’ve the price as high as $800.

John Walker & Sons King George V is part of John Walker & Sons Exclusive Blends, which also includes Odyssey, The John Walker, and the annual Private Collection.  The whisky commemorates the Royal Warrant awarded by the late British monarch.  According to the brand’s website, the blended whisky only uses whiskies from distilleries that were in operation during George’s reign (1910 – 1936) and blended to “reflect the distinctive Johnnie Walker style of the era.”  That includes Port Ellen, among many others.

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The nose features hints of stewed fruit, toffee, wood smoke, and a light touch of earthy peat.  Bittersweet dark chocolate and peanut brittle hit the palate first. A bed of light smoke complements rich notes of honey, figs and blackberry jam.  Hints of spice and leather appear on the back end and into the long, slightly smoky finish.

I like Johnnie Walker whiskies, but I love when they are bottled at more than 40% ABV.  King George V is slightly higher at 43% ABV.  A little alcohol can go a long way in terms of flavor and mouthfeel.  King George V turned out to be a superb choice for a celebratory pour of whisky.  Because of its high price, this whisky won’t be poured a lot at my house.  I say that, but a third of the bottle is already gone.  This luscious whisky will most certainly be replaced by another once the bottle is empty. 9/10

Review: Southern Comfort
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Photo courtesy of Sazerac Co.

Back in May of 2017, Sazerac Co. released its then-recent acquisition Southern Comfort.  The New Orleans-based company purchased the brand from Brown-Forman, returning the beverage to its NOLA roots.

Sazerac Co. has made distinct changes to Southern Comfort.  The first was reintroducing whiskey back into the recipe, which was slowly phased out by brand’s prior owners.  This is going to be very young whiskey.  I can’t imagine Sazerac Co. using two, three or even four-year-old whiskey here.  But, whiskey is whiskey, and it has to be better, assuming grain neutral spirit was added before.  Flavoring and caramel coloring is still added.  Secondly, Southern Comfort now comes in three proofs, a new “whiskey-forward” 80 proof version as well as the original 70 and 100 proof releases.  The packaging was also updated, highlighting the brand’s New Orleans ties.  Southern Comfort is still still similarly priced as before: 70 proof is $15.99, 80 proof is $17.99, and the 100 proof comes in at $19.99.

Unsurprisingly, it still smells like Southern Comfort.  Caramel, orange peel, cherry liqueur, spice, and a splash of lime juice.  Taste-wise, Southern Comfort features hints of fruit juice (especially lime and cherry), caramel and a touch of cinnamon.  The whiskey-based beverage still exists in the sweeter side of the flavor spectrum.  The 80 proof version is slightly richer on the palate than the Original, but features some bite on the finish.  You can kind of taste the whiskey.

Fans of Southern Comfort should probably reach for the higher proof versions, especially when drinking over ice.  The 100 proof seems to be made for a big glass of ice and a citrus twist.  But, the new 80 proof addition plays up the whiskey flavor a bit more than the others, and that makes it my favorite of the bunch. Nicely done.

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

Review: Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut Bourbon

Every blue moon, a value whiskey comes around that’ll have me doing a double take.  This is one of those whiskies.  Jim Beam just released their limited release Distiller’s Cut.  The straight bourbon is aged five to six years, un-chill filtered, bottled at 100 proof, and priced at $23.  Let me restate that.  Aged five to six years, un-chill filtered, bottled at 100 proof, and priced at $23.  Yep, a double take whiskey.

Distiller’s Cut is five to six years old, which puts it in Jim Beam Black Label territory in terms of age.  Black Label used to be eight years old, but lost its age statement a few years back.  Chill filtering is applied to most whiskies.  It’s done to keep the whiskey clear when adding water or ice.  Skipping the chill filtering allows the whiskey to retain all those fatty acids that help contribute to flavor and mouthfeel.  So, when you add some ice and your whiskey clouds up, it’s completely normal.  Jim Beam didn’t mess around when it came to proof, leaving Distiller’s Cut at a hearty 50% ABV.  This just about guarantees a big, bold flavor.  The surprise is the price.  A bottle will set you back $23, but you’ll most likely find it for less than that. That’s even cheaper than Jim Beam Black Label!

The nose is signature Jim Beam, full of caramel and vanilla with a touch of nuttiness, spice and oak.  Here the aromas are a bit more cohesive than the standard Jim Beam White Label and more robust than the Black Label, thanks to the higher proof.  Taste-wise, we’re talking about hints of caramel chews, grilled corn, charred oak, vanilla bean and a sprinkling of baking spice and herbs.  The finish is medium-long with a sweet and spicy cinnamon cake note.

Wow.  The whole experience for $23 or less?  Is this an answer to the criticism of late concerning some of  Beam Suntory’s high-priced releases like Knob Creek 25th Anniversary or Booker’s Rye?  If so, Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut is a proclamation that great bourbon doesn’t have to cost a lot.  Off the top of my head, the only other options that comes to mind when I think of a big, robust bourbon at around $23 is Elijah Craig Small Batch or Henry McKenna BIB.  And generally those are priced a few bucks higher.  If you know of a better value than Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut, I’m all ears.  Keep in mind this is a limited run, so find a bottle sooner than later. Jim Beam should consider making this a permanent entry in their lineup.  Highly recommended!  8.5/10

Jimbeam.com

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