whiskey review

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

Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye Whiskey (2014) Review

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Earlier this year I wrote about the 2013 release of Sazerac 18 year old rye whiskey.  There was so much depth of flavor and elegance, it easily became one of my favorite rye whiskies.  Now, Buffalo Trace has release this year’s Sazerac 18 year old rye, along with the rest of their Antique Collection.

For the last few years, Sazerac 18 year old comes from the same well…er, vat of whiskey.  This whiskey was distilled in 1985 and aged 18 years in barrels.  When it came of age, it was taken out of barrels and moved into stainless steel vats, thus killing the aging process.  Presumably, this should keep the whiskey the same or very close year to year.  Some folks say oxidation is starting to play a part.  I’m not sure – maybe I can compare the 2013 to the 2014 edition in a future post.

Buffalo Trace supplied a review sample.  The smell is, to me, the most complex of all the Antique Collection and very similar to last year’s.  I get oak, caramel, molasses, rye spice, cinnamon and nutmeg.  In the glass, there’s a subtly spicy entry, followed by oak and caramel.  Then there’s cinnamon  and even a little mint.  The finish is long and dry.

Sazerac 18 year old rye whiskey can be best described as elegant.  It’s like wearing your favorite old jacket when the weather starts to cool.  The flavors work together too well.  The last few years this has been a standout whiskey, and this year is no exception.  This one comes with my highest recommendation.

9.5/10

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey (2014) Review

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The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection contains three bourbons and two rye whiskies.  Of those two rye whiskies, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac rye is the younger barrel proof whiskey.    Thomas H. Handy Sazerac is basically an uncut and unfiltered version of Sazerac 6-ish year old 90 proof rye whiskey.  This year’s edition comes in at 129.2 proof.

According to Buffalo Trace’s website, Thomas H. Handy was the first bartender to use rye whiskey in a sazerac cocktail instead of cognac.  This happened right here in New Orleans.  The whisky’s label lovingly reflects its New Orleans heritage.  So, how does it taste?

Buffalo Trace Distillery provided a review sample.  Right off, there’s a grassy/grainy smell.  Beyond that there’s some cinnamon and a little burnt caramel.  This whisky tastes quite oaky, more than what I was expecting.  There’s some rye spice and caramel.  I even get a little fruit cake.  The finish is long, spicy and dry (probably because of the oak).

This year’s Thomas Handy rye is good, but I like last year’s better.  I found a bottle of the 2013 this past spring just sitting on a shelf at a local supermarket.  What are the odds?  The 2013 edition seemed to have all the flavors come together better than the 2014 edition.  That isn’t to say the flavors are all over the place.  Put it like this, if I could buy all 5 whiskies of this year’s Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, I would.  If I only had the chance to buy 4 of the 5 whiskies, I’d leave this one on the shelf.

7.5/10