Bourbon

Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Sonoma-Cutrer Finish Review

For the past several years, Chris Morris, the Master Distiller at Woodford Reserve, has been tinkering with his bourbon.  He plays around with the different aspects of making whiskey, be it the mashbill, distillation process, aging or the finish.  These experiments are released each fall as a small batch whiskey under Woodford Reserve’s “Master’s Collection” umbrella.

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This year’s release sees Mr. Morris playing around with the finish again.  He finished fully-matured Woodford Reserve Bourbon in barrels that previously held Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir.  Back in 2007 he did something simliar – finishing Woodford Reserve in Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay barrels.  From what I remember reading years ago, that release got mixed to good reviews.   How does this year’s release taste?  Woodford Reserve provided a tasting sample.

So… how does it taste?  In a word:  interesting.  It’s got a deeper color than standard Woodford Reserve.  On the nose, this whiskey is a bit oakier than I was expecting.  Past that, I can make out separate typical bourbon aromas and pinot noir aromas.  Taste-wise, just like in the aroma, there is a lot of oak.  More so than you’d think for a bourbon less than 10 years old.  I really wanted a “big fruit” bourbon with a prominent dark cherry flavor.  What I got didn’t quite meet my high expectations.  The fruit definitely comes out, but it seems to be competing with the traditional bourbon flavors of caramel, vanilla and spice.  There’s obviously more flavor and boldness here versus traditional Woodford Reserve.  What I like about this is that, given the pinot noir influence, it isn’t too sweet.  The finish, however, is sweet, dry, and moderate in length.

I’ve only tasted one other “Master’s Collection” release – their Seasoned Oak Finish from 2009 (which I just picked up last month on my honeymoon.)  That particular bourbon was outstanding.  This one I’ll leave at “interesting.”  At a MSRP of $99.99, I’d suggest you try it before you buy it… although I have a feeling most of you will really like what you taste.

7/10

Barrel Aged Jeans… seriously.

I like bourbon as much as the next guy.  Scratch that.  I like bourbon more than the next guy.  Then again, bourbon is as popular as ever.  My hope is that it’s not just a trend.  Nevertheless,  everybody seems to want to be involved with bourbon in some form or fashion.  Everything from reclaimed bourbon barrel-turned furniture to bourbon-scented candles is available for the bourbon-loving consumer.  My fiancee Carly bought me a bourbon scented candle from Bath & Bodyworks.  Smells like butterscotch and caramel.  Kind of nice. Anyway, I’d seen it all… or so I thought.

A few weeks ago I got an email asking if I wanted to be a part of a new program from Bulleit Bourbon & Noble Denim wherein they are overdying 50 pair of Noble raw denim jeans in a used Bulleit Bourbon barrel, then aging the jeans in said barrel for a month.  A pair of jeans would be sent to me right before the holiday season.

“Well, that’s silly,” I thought.  Then I thought some more.  I like Bulleit Bourbon.  I like wearing jeans.  This could be interesting.  Maybe the jeans pick up some of the charcoal color from the charred barrel?  Maybe the jeans pick up a little of that bourbon color?  This could be really interesting.

Below are a couple of videos from Noble Denim as the jeans start their “journey.”  I’ll update this post as Noble posts more videos.

Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon Whiskey Review

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My earliest memories of Wild Turkey began in college, when the mere mention of  bourbon made people scrunch their faces.  I suppose bourbon wasn’t too popular back then.  Fast forward several years and I come back to it in the capacity of a bourbon enthusiast.

Wild Turkey is 101 proof.  From what I understand, while other bonded bourbons were being released at 100 proof, Wild Turkey tried to best them by one proof point.  That “101” on the label really stands out.  The company has a long history that can be traced back to 1855.  Master Distiller Jimmy Russell has been in the business for 60 years, and his son Eddie is following in his footsteps as Associate Master Distiller.  I’ve read Jimmy prefers his bourbon around the 6 year mark, and that’s about what you get with Wild Turkey 101.  It’s a blend of 6, 7, and 8 year old bourbons.

On the nose, Wild Turkey 101 gives me lots of caramel, cinnamon, and vanilla.  The first sip lets you know it’s bold (partly due to the high proof).  This tastes like what I’d consider to be an excellent example  of standard bourbon – lots of caramel, a little spice (like nutmeg), some vanilla and a little citrus.  The finish is sweet, a little oaky and long.  Delicious.

Wild Turkey 101 is an inexpensive delicious bourbon at about $22.  I’ve had this neat and I’ve had this in an old fashioned cocktail.  Wild Turkey makes an 81 proof bourbon.  At a couple of dollars more, I’d suggest you get yourself a bottle of 101.   You won’t regret it.

8/10