Jump to content

Whiskey


Recommended Posts

I saw a Collingwood whiskey of some sort at the Vienna, VA ABC store last week.

Yeah, since posting I've been able to find the standard black-capped Collingwood, but not the green one.  It is a Brown-Forman product distilled at the Canadian Mist facility, so it's not exactly a micro-spirit.  The 21 one year old is a real treat, though, if you can find it.  I haven't tried the standard version yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And here's why everyone should come by my store.  Found this just sitting on the shelf at the ABC store three doors over.  The clerk said they got three bottles, and I can't believe the first person didn't buy all three of them.  They were at normal retail price, which was spectacular.  And yes, I do now own two bottles of this gem.

post-3189-0-06132100-1415508535_thumb.jp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If so, can I get some Rye recommendations? I have found I really like rye and would like to try some different types to see what producers I like.

My affordable list is (somewhere around $40):

Catoctin Creek's Roundstone Rye

Bulleit Rye

My one splurge was Corsair's "Ryemageddon" ($55 at Arrowine). It wasn't bad, but I don't prefer it.

Redemption & Templeton Ryes are nice too.

My all-time favorite so far is from the Koval Distillery in Chicago, but I haven't found it out here yet (apparently now sold at Arrowine DC!).

Hope this gets you started...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My affordable list is (somewhere around $40):

Catoctin Creek's Roundstone Rye

Bulleit Rye

My one splurge was Corsair's "Ryemageddon" ($55 at Arrowine). It wasn't bad, but I don't prefer it.

Redemption & Templeton Ryes are nice too.

My all-time favorite so far is from the Koval Distillery in Chicago, but I haven't found it out here yet (apparently now sold at Arrowine DC!).

Hope this gets you started...

My sister does tastings for them around the Chicago area. She went to HS with one of the owners. I haven't seen many other distilleries make spelt and millet whiskey. The oat I really like, and that also seems rare. I like many of their liqueurs even more than the whiskeys. Though not all--they don't sell it to retail much, but I tried a sunchoke brandy at the distillery last summer. Totally bizarre. They also occasionally make a beer brandy, using mash from a brewery next door (Metropolitan). They've also recently started making vodka and gin, though if I'm going to drink an Illinois gin I might go with that from North Shore Distillery--really like their gins, though I'm not a big gin drinker.

Speaking of whiskey, my sister at a recent liquor store tasting bought me a bottle of Kentucky Vintage bourbon for Hanukkah. I don't keep much liquor at home; my other bottle of bourbon in the house at present is a bottle of Old Granddad I bought several months ago, which is almost finished. Quite the contrast from the spicy, high-rye grandpa to the very sweet, vanilla-y KBD product, though I like both styles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just happened to be walking by Batch 13 and not only do they stock Koval they're actually doing a tasting right now!

So I finally got to visit Batch 13 and was not very happy being there. I felt a bit ignored after the salesperson asked me what I was looking for (Breckenridge Whiskey) and in a very quiet mumble he said "we ran out." And then we stood there with ellipses inside the little bubbles over our heads for quite a few seconds. After asking "do you know when you might get more in," and the person shook his head, he next went off to help another customer that could make a sale. That and the Koval they had seemed slightly overpriced.

Oh, well.

The priceless moment in Colorado, though, was clunking up to the bar (versus saddling) in ski boots, ordering a shot of Breckenridge Whiskey (on the blind--I had just fallen 5 times skiing, so I needed something to calm my nerves and didn't see anything familar brands), then seeing this guy give me "the look" (as in, are you going to take the shot or is that for someone else?), and me looking right back at him as I downed it. And that was when my head said, "well, you really need to buy a bottle of that," in response. It was overpriced in the ski village (yes, of course, I knew it would be), and then I didn't have the time to go elsewhere, so I am hoping to find it nearby (apparently, it is also at Arrowine, where I might purchase the Koval as well).... I foresee this being a very expensive way to start of 2015....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found the bottle pictured below in my mother's basement, after she died.

post-554-0-42078500-1426339412_thumb.jpg

It appears someone had given it to my father on the occasion of my birth (you can't see the far right side of the bottle, where it says "bottled in 1965").  For years I'd been planning on opening it on my 50th birthday, but as luck would have it I was on the other side of the planet that day.  So instead I surprised some friends by opening it last night, after dinner.  I can't say it's the finest whiskey I've ever tasted, but it was damn fine.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found the bottle pictured below in my mother's basement, after she died.

attachicon.gifIMG_6448.JPG

It appears someone had given it to my father on the occasion of my birth (you can't see the far right side of the bottle, where it says "bottled in 1965").  For years I'd been planning on opening it on my 50th birthday, but as luck would have it I was on the other side of the planet that day.  So instead I surprised some friends by opening it last night, after dinner.  I can't say it's the finest whiskey I've ever tasted, but it was damn fine.

Now that is truly special, and the Bourbon could have been incredible; that it wasn't is only of secondary importance. I hope you save some for anniversaries, etc., and that bottle itself is one heck of a keepsake. I'm learning to take digital photos of things such as this - bottles break; the cloud is forever.

That's the one thing about perishables: they're perishable. Unfortunately, that includes us - I know how much you cared for your mom, and I hope this brought back some fond memories of your parents - the very existence of this bottle says a lot about how important you were to them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a bottle of Redemption high-rye bourbon that's running low. This is my most recent favorite for bourbon heavy cocktails (things like a Manhattan) where you want the good stuff, but when I don't want to bring out the really good stuff. At $25ish a bottle I think it's a steal.

Anyway, I went looking to see where I might find a replacement and their website doesn't seem to be working. According to Total Wine's website my store carries their rye whiskey so I will ask them about whether the high-rye is still available and if so, if they can order it, but does anyone know anything about the company? I wonder if they went out of business and Total Wine just has some left in stock? I hope not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow!!   My whiskey/whisky single malt scotch sipping and experimenting days are long since over, but the above thread pulls out a hellova lot of winners over many years.  Nice reading. 

Today for nicer whiskies I have a bottle of bulleit bourbon and rye and they suffice, but the thread covers a helluva lot of tasty alcohols. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/18/2016 at 10:22 PM, ol_ironstomach said:

Pedestrian, 80 proof, 3-year-old, white-label Pikesville Rye is being discontinued; only the recently-released premium version will remain.  Although the contents weren't that special, it marks the end of the traditional label style, which was adapted from the old Pikesville Maryland Rye design.

Clearly 2016 has sucked for a lot of reasons, and I care about those other issues a lot more, but wow it keeps piling on.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today I found Weller 107 Antique bourbon at the VA ABC store on Gallows near Tysons.  At $21, it's a steal for anyone who likes wheated, high proof bourbon.  Legend has it that it has the same mash bill as Pappy Van Winkle.  It compared favorably to the Old Rip van Winkle ten year that I purchased for $75 last fall.  The ten year ORvW was maltier with a deeper taste of char while the Weller was sweeter, and thinner.  Certainly easy to sip and, and, at that price, mix.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/21/2016 at 11:26 PM, DaRiv18 said:

Clearly 2016 has sucked for a lot of reasons, and I care about those other issues a lot more, but wow it keeps piling on.  

Agreed. I still found some of this recently and am quite enjoying it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, ol_ironstomach said:

Just felt a need to bump this legitimate question about the desirability of Pappy 20 in 2006.  Time flies.  :-)

It's not a bubble, either - prices of blue-chip whiskeys are going to stay high: Whiskey has followed wine by about twenty years.

Classic supply and demand: The demand has become worldwide, but the supply has (at least in theory, and on paper) remained relatively static.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We fell in love with mainly Speyside Scottish Wiskys..,We'd already loved Balvenie before ever going to Scotland. But we discovered a love of Glenfarclas, Old Puteney and Dalmore. We also like Highland versions of whiskey. mmmm.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...