Whiskeys and Other Fine Spirits: A Journey Into a Wabbit Hole

[Red Team]

After much deliberation and procrastination, and in the spirit of National Bourbon Day, I gladly share with all fellow Wabbits my personal descent into madness.

....or to be more politically correct, my recent journey into the world of Whiskey. I started my hobby shortly after the start of the pandemic, which happened to coincide with finishing grad school and entering an decidedly inactive job market. Needless to say, I felt both figuratively and literally in limbo. My hobby started as an extension of my budding pastime of cooking for friends, as I took pride making delicious food/drink pairings. Even in the Vodka/Fireball/Jello shots phase of my early 20s, deep down I believed that alcohol should be enjoyed as a medium for delicious, exciting flavors.

One day during a farewell dinner for my friend's moving away party, I had the task of making a meal worthy of such a send-off. For this, I had chosen to undertake Beef Wellington, with classic sides of Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze. For drinks, the ladies in my friend group opted for their usual selection of Reds and Whites, and usually us guys followed suit. However on this night, the occasion demanded something more...robust.

Macallan 15 year old Double Cask




This fine bottle was a perfect finish after a rich Beef Wellington dinner. Smooth, with fruit pastry sweetness married with a gentle touch of oak and a peppery spice leading to a lingering finish. Indeed, this was a good Scotch. However, to a financially challenged individual in his late 20s, good Scotch was also a bank breaker. My friend, being somewhat of a Scotch supremacist, swore that the spirit was more than worth the price of admission. Perhaps more boldly, he claimed that we would find no cheaper bottle of Whiskey that could match its value.

And with that fateful bet, did my love affair with Bourbon begin.

[Albany Rifles]

I was about 4 years ahead of you in going down the Brown Liquor Trail. While I do like a Macallan's and few other single malts I am very much more a bourbon guy. There are some very good bourbons which are reasonably priced. Bulleit, Buffalo Trace, Angels Envy and Elijah Craig Small Batch. The high ends I've been able to taste are Whistle Pig, Pappy Van Winkle, Wild Turkey Rare Bird & Castle & Key Small Batch.

But experiment and find your favorite...both by taste & budget!

[Red Team]

I was about 4 years ahead of you in going down the Brown Liquor Trail. While I do like a Macallan's and few other single malts I am very much more a bourbon guy. There are some very good bourbons which are reasonably priced. Bulleit, Buffalo Trace, Angels Envy and Elijah Craig Small Batch. The high ends I've been able to taste are Whistle Pig, Pappy Van Winkle, Wild Turkey Rare Bird & Castle & Key Small Batch.

But experiment and find your favorite...both by taste & budget!

AR,

All of the above are tremendous selections! I would add as a general recommendation, and as a foreshadowing for my next post, to explore some of the offerings from Four Roses. Their approach to Bourbon Distilling is truly unique in the sense that they have 10 (!) proprietary recipes (2 mashbills, and 5 yeast types) which they blend into their base label and small batch products. And if you're lucky, you may be able to find a Single Barrel offering that exclusively features the unique flavor profile of one of those ten recipes...at Barrel Strength.

[DOR]

Single Malt Whisky, Speyside if possible (but please, keep the peat to a minimum), generally starting with “Glen…”

[Albany Rifles]

AR,

All of the above are tremendous selections! I would add as a general recommendation, and as a foreshadowing for my next post, to explore some of the offerings from Four Roses. Their approach to Bourbon Distilling is truly unique in the sense that they have 10 (!) proprietary mashbills which they blend into their base label and small batch products. And if you're lucky, you may be able to find a Single Barrel offering that exclusively features the unique flavor profile of one of those ten recipes...at Barrel Strength.

Thanks for the heads up! I know I've had 4 Roses but I don't remember having bought. May give it whirl soon!

[Red Team]

Thanks for the heads up! I know I've had 4 Roses but I don't remember having bought. May give it whirl soon!

My first bottle from them was the Four Roses Small Batch, which is an absolute delight as a neat pour due to its overall gentle nature. And while you can't go wrong with this offering, for about $20 more you can get the Small Batch Select if you want higher proof, spice, and bolder sweet notes.

[Albany Rifles]

My first bottle from them was the Four Roses Small Batch, which is an absolute delight as a neat pour due to its overall gentle nature. And while you can't go wrong with this offering, for about $20 more you can get the Small Batch Select if you want higher proof, spice, and bolder sweet notes.

I think I was confused with 4 Roses with Wild Irish Rose, a rotgut wine from my teens!!!

[Red Team]

I think I was confused with 4 Roses with Wild Irish Rose, a rotgut wine from my teens!!!

Now you've piqued my curiosity, as it sounds like your generation's version of "Fireball Whisky", at least as far as its role goes.

[Bigfella]

After much deliberation and procrastination, and in the spirit of National Bourbon Day, I gladly share with all fellow Wabbits my personal descent into madness.

....or to be more politically correct, my recent journey into the world of Whiskey. I started my hobby shortly after the start of the pandemic, which happened to coincide with finishing grad school and entering an decidedly inactive job market. Needless to say, I felt both figuratively and literally in limbo. My hobby started as an extension of my budding pastime of cooking for friends, as I took pride making delicious food/drink pairings. Even in the Vodka/Fireball/Jello shots phase of my early 20s, deep down I believed that alcohol should be enjoyed as a medium for delicious, exciting flavors.

One day during a farewell dinner for my friend's moving away party, I had the task of making a meal worthy of such a send-off. For this, I had chosen to undertake Beef Wellington, with classic sides of Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze. For drinks, the ladies in my friend group opted for their usual selection of Reds and Whites, and usually us guys followed suit. However on this night, the occasion demanded something more...robust.

Macallan 15 year old Double Cask




This fine bottle was a perfect finish after a rich Beef Wellington dinner. Smooth, with fruit pastry sweetness married with a gentle touch of oak and a peppery spice leading to a lingering finish. Indeed, this was a good Scotch. However, to a financially challenged individual in his late 20s, good Scotch was also a bank breaker. My friend, being somewhat of a Scotch supremacist, swore that the spirit was more than worth the price of admission. Perhaps more boldly, he claimed that we would find no cheaper bottle of Whiskey that could match its value.

And with that fateful bet, did my love affair with Bourbon begin.

When it became clear that COVID restrictions were going to continue in 2021 I decided to do something that I could enjoy at home - a mail order whisky tasting course. Every month for a year three 60ml bottles of whiskey turned up with some tasting notes. There was stuff from all over the world - Scotland, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Canada and the US. Most were single malts, but there were also blends, a few Bourbons, the occasional rye & spectacular range of variations in age and casks. The first box came with a little book to make notes and there was a website where you could watch the guy who runs the thing taste the whiskies and buy whole bottles.

Fair to say that 18 months or so on from that I have REALLY gone down the whisky rabbit hole. With a lot of the things I would normally spend money on either inaccessible or less accessible I have now purchased a truly spectacular collection of whisky. I have a feeling that some time in the next 10 years a doctor is going to tell me I can't drink any more and a LOT of that whisky will still be there. Better get drinking. :)

What have I learned? A shit tonne:

*Whisky tasting notes are 90% wank. If you tell me you can taste 'cut grass' or 'kiwi fruit' in a whisky I doubt your sanity. That said, once you crack the code they can be helpful;
*Age statements aren't as important as I used to think. They can be helpful with scotch, but many great whiskies don't have them (few Australian whiskies do) and older doesn't necessarily mean you'll like it;
*The type of barrel you age something in can be REALLY important. Often more so than age or region;
*There is great whisky being produced all over the world (France produces a LOT of whisky. Who knew?);
*Single malts are great, but blends can be great too;
*You won't get much below $AU50 ($US35) worth drinking, but there are a TON of whiskies between $AU50 & $AU100 ($US70) that are as good as you will ever need. There is plenty of great whiskies worth more, but you don't have to drop a huge wad of cash to buy a good one.

I also learned what I do & don't like. Turns out I like some peated whisky, but I LOVE 'sherry bomb' whisky. Stuff that is aged in wine, fortified wine or even bourbon casks can be AWESOME. I'm not so keen on Bourbons & Ryes, though there are some good ones. However, there is some regular American whisky that is brilliant (Westward makes a single malt I would travel for). Turns out I generally like Irish whiskies more than Scotch ones (which is appropriate given my heritage) and that Australia makes some of the best whisky in the world.

On that last one, a story I have told elsewhere on WAB. My maternal grandfather spent his life working in a bakery in a tiny town called Howlong, on the north bank of the Murray river. His mother ran it before he took over some time in the 1930s and ran it until retirement in the mid 70s. He used to bake in the morning and deliver bread in the afternoon to farms etc. outside the town. He also had a contract to deliver mail to those places. One of this customers for 40 years was Morris Winery, famous for its fortified wines. A few decades ago (probably 25 years after grandpa died) I randomly spoke to one of the ladies who runs the winery. I mentioned my grandfather and she instantly remembered him. She also mentioned that when his old bakery was knocked down they took some of the bricks & built a toilet out of them for the tourists. Cool. :) So, it turns out that the folks at Morris discovered some old distilling equipment in the barn and started making whisky. Even better, they age it in fortified wine casks! So, I now have multiple bottles of their product and it is one of my favourites. Woo Hoo! I know its a small connection, but I feel a little bit of my family is in there somewhere. :)

I will just add that I have tasted over 100 whiskies in the past 18 months of all different types & price points. If anyone wants some suggestions I am happy to share what I know.

Slainte.

[Albany Rifles]

Now you've piqued my curiosity, as it sounds like your generation's version of "Fireball Whisky", at least as far as its role goes.

Ours was Boone's Farm!

[Albany Rifles]

When it became clear that COVID restrictions were going to continue in 2021 I decided to do something that I could enjoy at home - a mail order whisky tasting course. Every month for a year three 60ml bottles of whiskey turned up with some tasting notes. There was stuff from all over the world - Scotland, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Canada and the US. Most were single malts, but there were also blends, a few Bourbons, the occasional rye & spectacular range of variations in age and casks. The first box came with a little book to make notes and there was a website where you could watch the guy who runs the thing taste the whiskies and buy whole bottles.

Fair to say that 18 months or so on from that I have REALLY gone down the whisky rabbit hole. With a lot of the things I would normally spend money on either inaccessible or less accessible I have now purchased a truly spectacular collection of whisky. I have a feeling that some time in the next 10 years a doctor is going to tell me I can't drink any more and a LOT of that whisky will still be there. Better get drinking. :)

What have I learned? A shit tonne:

*Whisky tasting notes are 90% wank. If you tell me you can taste 'cut grass' or 'kiwi fruit' in a whisky I doubt your sanity. That said, once you crack the code they can be helpful;
*Age statements aren't as important as I used to think. They can be helpful with scotch, but many great whiskies don't have them (few Australian whiskies do) and older doesn't necessarily mean you'll like it;
*The type of barrel you age something in can be REALLY important. Often more so than age or region;
*There is great whisky being produced all over the world (France produces a LOT of whisky. Who knew?);
*Single malts are great, but blends can be great too;
*You won't get much below $AU50 ($US35) worth drinking, but there are a TON of whiskies between $AU50 & $AU100 ($US70) that are as good as you will ever need. There is plenty of great whiskies worth more, but you don't have to drop a huge wad of cash to buy a good one.

I also learned what I do & don't like. Turns out I like some peated whisky, but I LOVE 'sherry bomb' whisky. Stuff that is aged in wine, fortified wine or even bourbon casks can be AWESOME. I'm not so keen on Bourbons & Ryes, though there are some good ones. However, there is some regular American whisky that is brilliant (Westward makes a single malt I would travel for). Turns out I generally like Irish whiskies more than Scotch ones (which is appropriate given my heritage) and that Australia makes some of the best whisky in the world.

On that last one, a story I have told elsewhere on WAB. My maternal grandfather spent his life working in a bakery in a tiny town called Howlong, on the north bank of the Murray river. His mother ran it before he took over some time in the 1930s and ran it until retirement in the mid 70s. He used to bake in the morning and deliver bread in the afternoon to farms etc. outside the town. He also had a contract to deliver mail to those places. One of this customers for 40 years was Morris Winery, famous for its fortified wines. A few decades ago (probably 25 years after grandpa died) I randomly spoke to one of the ladies who runs the winery. I mentioned my grandfather and she instantly remembered him. She also mentioned that when his old bakery was knocked down they took some of the bricks & built a toilet out of them for the tourists. Cool. :) So, it turns out that the folks at Morris discovered some old distilling equipment in the barn and started making whisky. Even better, they age it in fortified wine casks! So, I now have multiple bottles of their product and it is one of my favourites. Woo Hoo! I know its a small connection, but I feel a little bit of my family is in there somewhere. :)

I will just add that I have tasted over 100 whiskies in the past 18 months of all different types & price points. If anyone wants some suggestions I am happy to share what I know.

Slainte.

I am so jealous, Pete!!!

We are not allowed to do something like that in Virginia due to our alcohol laws. Virginia is one of 17 states where the state operates our liquor stores as a monopoly. We can get beer and wine just about anywhere but all hard alcohol we have to go to a brick & mortar establishment and but from their selection. And what they have is what you can get. Part of this is the belief it brings in more revenue for the state despite studies showing otherwise. Bars and restaurants have to buy their liquor from state entities. As you may guess, there are booming local liquor stores close to the Virginia border in Maryland & West Virginia to take advantage of that market. NC is in the same boat as VA but for more fundamentalist religious reasons.

VA is also trying to protect a nascent distillery industry so is trying to provide it some protection. There are some fine small batch bourbons and ryes being produced locally. VA is trying to take a bite out of KY & TN bourbon and rye sales.

So we cannot get alcohol of any kind through the mail.

[Red Team]

BF, I will certainly keep you in mind as I continue to branch out of my bourbon safespace into parts unknown. I am currently looking into expanding my palette into Irish and Rye.

For those others who may be considering dipping their toes into the pool, a primer:

[Red Team]

I am so jealous, Pete!!!

We are not allowed to do something like that in Virginia due to our alcohol laws. Virginia is one of 17 states where the state operates our liquor stores as a monopoly. We can get beer and wine just about anywhere but all hard alcohol we have to go to a brick & mortar establishment and but from their selection. And what they have is what you can get. Part of this is the belief it brings in more revenue for the state despite studies showing otherwise. Bars and restaurants have to buy their liquor from state entities. As you may guess, there are booming local liquor stores close to the Virginia border in Maryland & West Virginia to take advantage of that market. NC is in the same boat as VA but for more fundamentalist religious reasons.

VA is also trying to protect a nascent distillery industry so is trying to provide it some protection. There are some fine small batch bourbons and ryes being produced locally. VA is trying to take a bite out of KY & TN bourbon and rye sales.

So we cannot get alcohol of any kind through the mail.

AR,

My sympathies regarding VA's draconian alcohol laws. I make it a point to send photos to my friend in Arlington every time I have a bottle shipped to my door in New York

Bowman Brothers is definitely a Virginian product that has become a bit more ubiquitous here in my parts. I've had a few tastings of their small batch offering and, while nothing super revolutionary, it's some good quality, classic stuff that stands up to your basic Knob Creeks and Old Foresters. I recently also tried their port finished bourbon, and I found the port notes to be even more intense than Angel's Envy.

[Bigfella]

I am so jealous, Pete!!!

We are not allowed to do something like that in Virginia due to our alcohol laws. Virginia is one of 17 states where the state operates our liquor stores as a monopoly. We can get beer and wine just about anywhere but all hard alcohol we have to go to a brick & mortar establishment and but from their selection. And what they have is what you can get. Part of this is the belief it brings in more revenue for the state despite studies showing otherwise. Bars and restaurants have to buy their liquor from state entities. As you may guess, there are booming local liquor stores close to the Virginia border in Maryland & West Virginia to take advantage of that market. NC is in the same boat as VA but for more fundamentalist religious reasons.

VA is also trying to protect a nascent distillery industry so is trying to provide it some protection. There are some fine small batch bourbons and ryes being produced locally. VA is trying to take a bite out of KY & TN bourbon and rye sales.

So we cannot get alcohol of any kind through the mail.

Damn! That is some third world Communist shit Buck. The long shadow of the 18th Amendment.

Alcohol delivery has been available here for years and went into overdrive during lockdown. My brother reckons he was on a first name basis with the delivery guy during lockdown. ;) There are bottle shops that will deliver to my door same day and I can use uber eats & similar apps to get booze inside the hour. Then there are the purely online vendors. We can also order direct from some wineries, breweries & distilleries. I have had stuff delivered from as far away as Sydney & Adelaide - great way to get a bargain and the range available would make you weep. Ain't capitalism great!

Small scale distilleries have taken off in recent years. Its the logical extension in the growth of microbreweries and small wineries. Tasmania kicked off the whisky industry here, figuring that the colder climate & good water was enough like Scotland to work. It did. However, soon enough other places realized that you don't need to be like Scotland to make whisky. Hey presto! whisky being made from Western Australia to NSW. Good news for me.

[Bigfella]

BF, I will certainly keep you in mind as I continue to branch out of my bourbon safespace into parts unknown. I am currently looking into expanding my palette into Irish and Rye.

For those others who may be considering dipping their toes into the pool, a primer:

Can't help you with ryes, but I have tried a few Irish. Happy to share the love.