Hochstadter’s Family Reserve 16-Year-Old Rye Whiskey Review


In this current whiskey craze we’re living through, it’s hard to find a well-aged straight rye whiskey. If you’re lucky enough to run into a bottle at a store, the price tag will most likely give you a heart attack. At the very least, your wallet will give you the cold shoulder for a while.

Enter The Cooper Spirits Company.

A couple of years back they released the 13-year-old Lock, Stock, and Barrel Rye for just over $100. A 16-year-old sibling of hit shelves last year at a slightly higher price. For 2017, Cooper Spirits Co. has unveiled Hochstadter’s Family Reserve, a cask-strength (123.8 proof), 16-year-old rye. All of it is sourced from Alberta Distillers Limited in Canada, and it’s distilled from a 100% rye mash bill. Like the other two ryes I mentioned earlier, Hochstadter’s Family Reserve is a limited edition. Only 7,500 bottles have hit the market for a suggested retail price of $199.

Don’t be turned off because this whiskey was distilled in Canada. The bold nose explodes with hints of dark caramel, nutmeg & cloves, buttered rye bread, and cigar box. Some burnt orange peel shows itself with some airtime. Air helps this whiskey. It’s a bit closed off at first. The all rye grain mash bill shows on the palate. An initial burst of rye spice hits and quickly calms, allowing other notes to shine – spice cake, dark caramel, and a touch of red fruit. Mid-palate is where aged tobacco leaf and some oak spice and tannin start to develop. The finish is long and warm with nice citrus and spiced honey notes.

What’s in the glass is really nice.  In fact it’s one of the better rye whiskies I’ve had in recent memory.  It is robust and shows off the complexities of the rye grain nicely without a big oak character normally found in older whiskies.  It’s priced about where it needs to be priced.  Those looking for better value should try to find last year’s Lock Stock & Barrel 16-year-old expression. It’s priced $50 cheaper and comes in at 107 proof.  9/10

Hochstadtersfamilyreserve.com

Highland Park Valkyrie Single Malt Whiskey Review


There's something about the way Highland Park intermingles sherry casks and their signature heather-filled peat that excites me. It's one of my favorite flavor combinations. With their new Valkyrie release, the folks at Highland Park have ramped up the smokiness with the addition of more peated malt. Though Highland Park traditionally use only ex-sherry casks for its whiskies, Valkyrie sees a majority American Oak sherry-seasoned casks and ex-bourbon casks.

The bottle was designed by Danish designer Jim Lynvgild, who turned to Viking mythology as inspiration. Orkney, Highland Park's home, probably has more in common with its Nordic ancestry than it does with its Scottish one. Highland Park has fully embraced the Viking culture over the last several years, even redesigning its core bottles in 2017 to reinforce its Nordic heritage.

The nose here carries the classic HP aromas of sweet malt, dried fruits, heather and some freshly squeezed lemon juice. A touch of orchard fruit pops out of hiding from time to time. Those smoky and fruity notes are alive and well on the palate as well. An initial burst of red fruits lead to spice, dried fruit, figs, heather, and fresh ginger. A moderate wisp of smoke builds. The finish is long, with lingering notes of spiced fruit and light smoke.

Wonderful. Simply wonderful. Cranking up the smoke characteristics over the sherried malt base simply works. I like this NAS offering more than Dark Origins. Valkyrie doesn't come across as vibrant as that other expression, mainly due to its slightly lower abv (it is 45.9% here, by the way), but feels richer and more complex. It reminds me most of the 12-year-old expression with a little more zing. Nicely done! 8.5/10

highlandparkwhisky.com

Barrell Bourbon Batch 012 Review


Following its award-winning Batch 011, Barrell Bourbon has unveiled its latest – the 9-year-old Batch 012.  Following in the footsteps of several previous batches, Batch 012 was distilled and aged in Tennessee.  The youngest stuff in the bottle is 9-years-old, but the company says there are “selected older barrels” blended into this batch.  Proof-wise, we’re looking at a strong but not overpowering cask strength of 108.5 proof.  Batch 012 was distilled from the same mash bill as Batch 011:  70% corn, 25% rye, and 5% malted barley.

Batches 005 and 006 were close to the same age, and they’re still my favorites of the bunch.  How does this new batch stack up?

The nose carries a vibrant citrus note that brightens up dark caramel, baking spices (especially cinnamon), vanilla and a slightly earthy note and something else (cigar box?). It sort of recalls a fantastic Four Roses single barrel I had once.  Don’t ask me the recipe – I don’t remember.  On entry, creamy caramel and vanilla cake create a wonderfully rich bed.  Waves of spice build, while dark chocolate arrives on the mid-palate.  Some oak tannins and leather show up late to the party.  Nice.  Complex.  The finish is long and warm, with hints of fresh squeezed citrus, a hint of wood smoke, and slightly astringent oak spice.  

I rather enjoyed this batch.  A lot.  To my tastes, whatever Tennessee distillery Barrell Bourbon sources these barrels from, they hit their peak around the 9-year mark.  The spirit is complex but extremely easy to drink.  Well done! 9/10

Barrellbourbon.com