whisky

Review: Michter’s 10-Year-Old Bourbon (2023)

This review’s a little late, but better late than never! Earlier this year, Michter’s has once again released one of my favorites of their whiskies – the venerable 10-year-old single barrel bourbon.

My sample bottle provided by Micther’s comes from barrel #23A0276. It’s bottled at 47.2% abv, or 94.4 proof. Over the past couple of years, I’ve found myself reaching for barrel proof offerings less. I find whiskies aged between 8-10 years and bottled at between 90-100 proof my current sweet spot. This expression certainly ticks all boxes.

On the nose, hints of cinnamon roll, nutmeg, and vanilla show at first. A little airtime reveals lovely oak spice. Things feel rich on the palate. Maple syrup kicks things off, with waves of brown sugar and spice washing over the palate. A touch of oak tannins on the back of the palate lead to a medium-length finish.

No surprises here. What’s lovely about these single barrel offerings from Michter’s is the level of consistency from release to release. I find much less variation with this brand than others. That’s not a bad thing, just an observation. That said, this 2023 release keeps the flavor profile of their 10-year-old bourbon very well. Love the waves of brown sugar sweetness combined with baking spices. Makes for an extremely balanced whiskey. Highly recommended!

$185 | michters.com

Review: Muckety-Muck 25-year-old Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Photo courtesy of Orphan Barrel Whisky Distilling Company

The Port Dundas distillery was demolished a little more than a decade ago, but the remaining stocks continue to age. Luckily, on occasion, we get to enjoy those aging stocks. Muckety-Muck 25-year-old, the latest Orphan Barrel release, is the follow-up release to a 24-year-old bottling. And my goodness, this single grain whisky just gets better with age.

Bottled at 95.5% abv, Muckety-Muck is comprised of American first-fill casks, allowing for the character of the distillate to shine through.

The nose is full of brown sugar, vanilla, and orchard fruits with a slight citrusy (orange) top note. Dessert-like on the palate, Muckety-Muck 25-year-old comes across like an apple pie – ripe apples, brown sugar, sweet dough. Caramel adds to the rich sweetness, which continues through to the finish. There’s a refreshing minty note that pops up on the end, sort of cleaning the palate for the next sip.

I’m a fan of great single grain whisky, especially when its well aged. Muckety-Muck 25 checks the boxes for me. It’s rich and sweet and delicious, making for a great after-dinner choice. But because it’s so rich and sweet, I wouldn’t drink this on a regular basis. Not a knock on the whisky, just my preference. I hope Muckety-Muck becomes the new Rhetoric, with additional releases being put out every year. With a $250 suggested retail price, Muckety-Muck 25 isn’t overpriced for what it offers.

Recommended!

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

Review: Game of Thrones Six Kingdoms Mortlach 15-Year-Old Single Malt
Photo credit: Diageo

At last we have arrived. The HBO epic Game of Thrones is complete. Say what you will about that divisive last season (I’m on the ‘it was okay’ camp, BTW), it was a game changer in the current TV landscape. Diageo celebrated by releasing their Game of Thrones Single Malt Collection, which ranged from pleasant to very good.

The final entry in that collection is here – Six Kingdoms. According to press materials, it “pays tribute to the fate of Westeros, whose long-held Seven Kingdoms ultimately became six at the conclusion of the show’s climactic battle for the Iron Throne.”

Diageo has chosen to create a new Mortlach expression this time. The famously meaty whisky has matured in first fill sherry casks for 15 years followed by a short secondary maturation in ex-bourbon casks. The whisky has been bottled at 46% ABV and is available in limited quantities for an SRP of $150. I really like Mortlach’s recently released range of whiskies, so I’ve been anxiously awaiting this bottling. Let’s get to it.

Aromas of dried fruit, vanilla bean, toffee and oak spice characterize the nose. Taste-wise, a rich toffee sweetness coats the palate, giving way to hints of vanilla cream and dried fruit. A slight nuttiness also appears, thanks to the sherry cask maturation. A wave of baking spice. leather, and toasted oak increases in intensity through to the long, fruity, and slightly dry finish.

Of all nine whiskies of the Game of Thrones Single Malt Collection, Mortlach 15-year-old is by far the richest and most complex. The ex-bourbon barrel finishing period adds layers of creamy vanilla and caramelized sugar. Combined with Mortlach’s big and fruity nature, the result is a whisky made for toasting a special occasion, after dinner, or any time you want a damn good whisky. This is easily my favorite of the collection.

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