Review: Kentucky Owl Rye Whiskey (Batch 2)

Shortly after receiving a lot of generally positive buzz from its initial offering of rye whiskey, Kentucky Owl has released batch two. The sourced whiskey, a Kentucky straight rye, is 11 years old and bottled at 101.8 proof, or 50.9% ABV. The company does not disclose which distillery (or distilleries) the whiskey came from. A bottle of this batch of Kentucky Owl should cost you about $200.

I do love a nicely aged rye whiskey, and this one doesn’t disappoint. The nose features hints of toasted rye grain, toffee, cherry and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Those notes carry over onto the palate. Juicy red cherries and toffee kick things off, developing into a melange of baking spices. The very notable rye grain character is ever present. Things start to become a touch dry on the back palate, with hints of leather and oak being added to the mix. The long finish is dry, warming, and a bit spicy.

All in all, Kentucky Owl rye whiskey batch two is a wonderful example of a well-aged rye whiskey, a category that doesn’t include many entries these days. My only concern is the whiskey’s suggested price of $200. It’s a big increase in price from batch one.

Keep in mind that, while price does not influence the score, it’s hard to justify a purchase at that price. I paid $135 for my bottle, which is well below the suggested retail price and much, much lower than the secondary market price. I know older rye whiskies are hard to come by these days, and people are happy to pay for them. Just good old capitalism at work, I suppose. As for me, it’s a hard pass at $200. But at the $135 price I paid, I’d happily purchase another.

8.5/10

Review: Flaviar Frérot XO Cognac

New from Flaviar is, well, a bit of a welcome surprise. Frérot, an XO cognac, is the result of a crowdtasting. This non-chill filtered (!!!) cognac is 20-35 years old (aged in cold, humid cellars) and is a blend of all six crus. Simply based on this information, I might be in love. Let’s see how it tastes.

The nose features hints of baking spices and fruit, both candied and dried. The spirit’s age shows, adding a touch of tobacco and rancio. Bottled at 42% ABV, which is slightly higher than most cognacs, Frérot XO provides more of those fruit and spice notes on the palate. Add to that an earthiness in the form of cigar box and the cognac becomes a bit more complex. The finish is medium in length and a bit dry.

What a delectable pour! Frérot checks all the boxes in terms of what I enjoy in a cognac. I prefer them rich, spicy, and robust, and all that is delivered here in spades. Beautifully done. Frérot is available Flaviar members for $98 a bottle. The price for non-members is $130.

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

Tabasco Diamond Reserve and a Whiskey-based Bloody Mary

So, a Tabasco post on a whiskey blog? Yes, and you’ll soon see why…

For as long as I can remember, there has always been a bottle of Tabasco on the dining room table. My dad put the Louisiana hot sauce on everything. I remember trying it on a cracker once when I was young. It was just a drop or two, but it lit my mouth on fire. I stayed away from it for years. But as I grew up, I found myself using Tabasco more often. In fact, I refuse make scrambled eggs without it.

And Tabasco’s been around long before my memories. This year mark’s their 150th anniversary. To commemorate the milestone, they’ve released their Diamond Reserve. It contains peppers aged up to fifteen years in oak barrels, whereas the peppers in the standard Tabasco sauce age for three. By the way, those oak barrels are ex-bourbon barrels, but none of the trapped whiskey makes its way into the pepper mash. This limited release sauce also uses sparkling white wine vinegar instead of standard white vinegar, hence the champagne-looking bottle.

Tabasco’s normally a nice balance of spicy and tart. The Diamond Reserve almost comes across as aged balsamic vinegar on the nose. Taste-wise, the heat seems slightly reserved compared to the standard,which is more heat up-front. The flavors here come across as much more rounded and complex.

I wanted to use this Tabasco release in a Bloody Mary, but with whiskey instead of vodka. I don’t like a heavy Bloody Mary, so no horseradish here. George Dickel No. 12 is the base spirit, along with a little George Dickel Tabasco Barrel Finish. I also added a bit of Lagavulin 16 to add some smoky complexity.

  • 1oz George Dickel No. 12
  • .5oz George Dickel Tabasco Barrel Finish
  • .5oz Lagavulin 16yo
  • 4oz tomato juice
  • 3-4 dashes Tabasco Diamond Reserve
  • 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
  • Juice of half a lime
  • Dash of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add all ingredients to a highball glass. Fill glass with ice and mix. Garnish with a celery stalk.