Reviews

Review: Uncle Nearest 1856 Whiskey

As we move forward into the future, it is important not to forget our past. After all, the past is what shaped our present. The whiskey industry has taken that creedo to heart. Countless whiskies are named after their founders or important figures in the history of the spirit here in America.

One in particular stands out as of late – Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Whiskey. It’s a tribute to Nathan Green, a name you might not be familiar with. Nathan, who went by the name Nearest, was the man who taught a young Jack Daniel how to make whiskey back in the mid-1800s. That’s important enough, but what makes this story special is that Nathan Green was African-American. CBS News produced a great piece on the story, which I highly encourage you to watch.

As for the whiskey itself, it is distilled in Tennessee, maple charcoal filtered, and bottled at 100 proof. There is no age statement on the label, but the website states the whiskey is aged for a minimum of seven years. The producers of Uncle Nearest 1856 utilize two unnamed Tennessee distilleries. The SRP is $59.95. Though the brand is growing, as of the writing of this post the whiskey’s only available in select markets.

The nose is rather robust, thanks to the whiskey’s high proof. Hints of caramelized sugar, peach, vanilla, orange peel and minerals fly out of the glass. Taste-wise, Uncle Nearest stays in the same area as its nose. Candied stone fruits and flint sit on a bed of sweet maple wood. Some spice, cinnamon stick especially, pops up mid-palate. The long finish sees that spice intensify and introduce semi-sweet barrel char.

If I was a betting man, I’d say Uncle Nearest is sourcing whiskey from Jack Daniel’s and George Dickel. The former because of Green’s impact on the brand’s founder. The latter because of the slight minerality found in the whiskey, something I usually associate with Dickel.

Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium whiskey is an enjoyable pour. Its maple charcoal filtering smooths the rough edges, making the whiskey drink more like 90 proof than 100 proof. The whiskey’s stone fruits and minerality really stand out compared to others I’ve tasted, making Uncle Nearest’s flavor profile somewhat unique. Unique, though not utterly complex. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The more complex a whiskey, the more time you should spend dissecting aromas, flavors and the way those notes evolve. Sometimes you just want to relax with a pour of nice whiskey. For those occasions, Uncle Nearest fits the bill. 8/10

unclenearest.com

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

My Favorite Whiskies of 2017

In my reflection of the past 12 months, I commend the whiskey industry for another year of wonderful whiskies. The majority of what I sampled in 2017 was generally pretty solid. Sure, there were a few duds, but a handful of whiskies really stood out. What follows are releases that have stuck with me this year. While they aren’t necessarily the highest rated here on the blog, the whiskies have brought the most enjoyment while tasting after their reviews were posted. There were some releases that weren’t included here, like Laphroaig Cairdeas, Tyrconnell 16-year-old, Knob Creek 25th Anniversary and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. I thoroughly enjoyed these but haven’t had the chance to go back and revisit.

Before we get to the list, I’d like to end by sharing a couple of things. First, the most viewed post on the blog this year, for the second year in a row, was Jim Beam Black Label. It shows that not everybody is spending hundreds of dollars on bottles of whiskey. One of my goals for 2018 is to feature more affordable whiskies.

Lastly, people always ask me about my favorite whiskey. I simply don’t have one. It’s like asking a parent about their favorite child. Instead, I’ll share with you the whiskey I drank the most of this year – Knob Creek, neat. No ice. No water. Just good ole bourbon. It always hit the spot.

I want to thank each of you for another wonderful year. I’m looking forward to the year ahead. On that note, have a safe and happy new year. Cheers!

FAVORITE BOURBONS

PARKER’S HERITAGE COLLECTION – Simply put, this bourbon is flawless. One of my Top 3 releases of the year.

BARRELL BOURBON BATCH 012 – It’s been a great year for Barrell, but this 9-year-old bourbon fired on all cylinders.

GEORGE T. STAGG – I know, why put a bourbon that’s so difficult to find on a year-end list? I enjoyed it that much, and this is only after two pours.

BOOKER’S BATCH 2017-04 – One of the best batches of the generally consistent Booker’s of the last couple of years.

FAVORITE RYE WHISKIES

MICHTER’S TOASTED BARREL FINISH RYE – Loads of richness and spice. The toasted barrel finish elevated an already strong rye into the stratosphere.

MINOR CASE RYE – A 2-year-old rye on this list? I’m as surprised as you are, but the skillful hands (and palates) of the folks at Limestone Branch Distillery have crafted a beautiful sherry cask finish to the sourced rye whiskey. It’s good, folks!

A MIDWINTER NIGHTS DRAM – If ever there was a perfect Christmas whiskey, this would be it. This year’s was as good as ever.

FAVORITE BLENDED WHISKY

JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL GHOST AND RARE – A luscious blend crafted primarily around whiskies from Brora and closed distilleries, Ghost and Rare stayed with me long after the glass was empty. In my Top 3 releases of 2017.

FAVORITE SINGLE MALTS

HIGHLAND PARK FULL VOLUME – The distillery takes a side step away from its sherry-cask maturation for a release that used exclusively ex-bourbon casks. Absolutely love what they’ve achieved with this release.

BRORA 38-YEAR-OLD – Technically this was released in 2016, but I didn’t taste it until this year, hence the inclusion in this list. An amazingly elegant expression from the closed (but soon-to-be reopened) distillery. The last of my top 3 whiskies of the last year.

LAGAVULIN 1991 SINGLE CASK – As brilliant a release as 2016’s Lagavulin 25-year-old.

Yellowstone Limited Edition 2017 Bourbon Review

Photo courtesy of Limestone Branch Distillery

My last post of the year is a look at Yellowstone Limited Edition 2017, the third release of the annual series from Limestone Branch Distillery. I thought the first two limited edition expressions were pretty solid. This one is a blend of 7- and 12-year-old sourced bourbons and 4-year-old bourbon distilled at Limestone Branch Distillery. Yellowstone LE 2017 marks the first time the distillery has released their own distillate. The bourbon is then finished in charred wine barrels and bottled at 101 proof.

The nose is quite nice, with hints of dark fruits, toasted oak, corn pudding and caramel. On entry, the bourbon shows is richness with waves of rich, chewy caramel and baking spice. Following closely are bold splashes of dark fruit. Some oak tannins appear on the back palate, along with a touch of tobacco. The finish is long, sweet, and dry. Hints of black cherry and oak spice linger.

This may be my favorite of the three limited editions from Yellowstone. It is by far the richest, but I would argue that it is also the most complex. The development of flavors makes for an interesting glass of bourbon. My nitpicking in this case has less to do with the actual whiskey and more to do with the pricing, which sits at $100 a bottle. A little high if you ask me. Then again, only 7,000 to 8,000 bottles are being released, which is a tiny amount. And with today’s whiskey market, $100 is the new $50. So maybe it is priced where it needs to be. Either way, pricing aside, Yellowstone Limited Edition 2017 is a wonderfully rich and engaging bourbon that comes with a high recommendation. 8.5/10

yellowstonebourbon.com

Thanks to Limestone Branch Distillery for the sample. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.