Tag: Whisky Review (Page 1 of 4)

BSG Review: Rabbit Hole Boxergrail Rye Whiskey PLUS Bonus Bespoke Gin Tasting

May 18, 2020 / BSG / 0 Comments

Distilled By: Rabbit Hole Distillery

Location: Louisville, KY

Parent Company: Pernod Ricard (as of June 2019)

Class: KY Straight Rye Whiskey

Proof: 95 (47.5% ABV)

Age: 3+ years

Mash bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley

Boxergrail rye whiskey was named in celebration of Louisville’s rich boxing heritage. Rabbit Hole says this Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey is bold and unexpected like the prize fighters that have emerged from Louisville’s neighborhood gyms.

Boxergrail is aged in #3 wood-fired, toasted and charred new American Oak barrels from Kelvin Cooperage and has a barrel entry proof of 110. It is aged just under four years and is non-chill filtered. This rye whiskey has a SRP just under $50 per 750 mL bottle.

BSG REVIEW:

Color: Caramel

Nose: Vanilla, baking spices, oak, leather

Palate: Baking spices, oak, light caramel, lemon zest

Finish: Medium-long, lemon tea and baking spices

Boxergrail starts with an aroma that is mostly spices and leather. The vanilla is there up front, but subtle. Not at all unexpected for this 95/5 mash bill. When it hits the palate, those baking spices are dominating with hints of oak and the lightest of caramel flavor coming through the mid-palate. It then pulls in some lemon zest at the end before going down. The finish is medium-long and stays on the baking spice note before fading away into a nice lightly refreshing lemon tea. As with the Heigold high-rye bourbon from Rabbit Hole, I experienced almost no Kentucky hug with this finish, which made for an extremely easy sipping rye whiskey.

I enjoyed the familiar “95/5” baking spice notes from the nose to the palate. That is exactly what I would expect from just about any rye using that mash bill. However, the lemon tea finish was a nice way to round this one out that I don’t normally get on other rye whiskeys of the same 95/5 mash bill. This is a solid rye whiskey in the Rabbit Hole lineup and puts a nice little spin on the typical 95/5 flavor profile for me.

Buy/Try/Pass?

BSG Recommendation: Buy

BSG Score: 84/100

Disclaimer: Rabbit Hole provided this product in exchange for an honest review with no strings attached.

BSG Reviews: Scoring Explanation

BSG BONUS TASTING: Rabbit Hole Bespoke Gin

On April 27, 2020 Rabbit Hole announced that Bespoke Gin would be the newest addition and first non-American whiskey spirit added to their lineup. Bespoke Gin is 89 Proof (44.5% ABV) and it has a SRP of $49.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

I’ll be the first to admit that gin is not my forte when it comes to tasting spirits. However, this one grabbed my attention because of how it’s finished. I regularly venture into the realm of barrel finished whiskeys, but have recently been jumping in to see what other spirits can gain from being finished in whiskey barrels. I love beer aged in whiskey barrels, so why wouldn’t I try spirits aged in whiskey barrels, too?

Bespoke Gin starts its life as a London Dry Gin made using botanicals of angelica, coriander, juniper, lemon peel, licorice, orange peel, and orris root. Rabbit Hole imports this gin into Louisville and puts it to rest in thier Boxergrail rye whiskey barrels for 9 to 12 months. Anyone who has read my past reviews or heard me speak of my flavor preferences and dislikes will know that licorice is one note that turns me off of a whiskey faster than any other note. After reading the recipe for the London Dry Gin, I had a preconceived notion that this might not be the right barrel finished spirit for me.

I won’t pretend to be a gin expert, so there will be no full scale review of the spirit like I have done with the whiskey, but I will give you my thoughts from the perspective of a whiskey enthusiast.

The time in the rye barrel gives the spirit its golden color and imparts some very non-gin flavors into the spirit that seem to make it fit down my alley for the flavor profile. Surprisingly, I did not get any licorice notes, nor an overpowering juniper note that I had really expected to have dominated the flavor profile. I did get those citrus zest notes on both the nose and the palate, but also some honey and baking spices that undoubtedly were thanks to the Boxergrail rye barrel. So, what would my recommendation be for the Bespoke Gin from a whiskey drinkers perspective?

Buy/Try/Pass?

BSG Recommendation: Try

If I’m going to imbibe a gin-based cocktail or even a rocks pour, I would say give me this barrel finished gin all day over another non-barrel-aged London Dry Gin. Try it out in a bar first before jumping in on a whole bottle. You never know, maybe barrel aged gin is just what you need to open up another door in your journey.

Disclaimer: Rabbit Hole provided this product in exchange for an honest review with no strings attached.

BSG Reviews: Scoring Explanation

Help support the site by checking out the items available for purchase in the BSG Shop!

Do Whiskey Review “Scores” Matter Anymore to Today’s Whiskey Consumer?

May 6, 2020 / BSG / 1 Comment

When I decided to start keeping track of tasting notes for myself, and then eventually adapting that into leading tasting events for others, I couldn’t quite make up my mind exactly how I wanted to categorize my final thoughts about what I was tasting. I wanted to be able to quickly look back at anything I have tried and be able to tell exactly how I felt about it without having to read back through the details about everything I had written. More about how and what I decided to include in my own reviews, later.

I’m a big fan of watching, reading and listening to what others think about the spirits I’m trying as well. With the vast number of whiskey options we have to choose from today, and the many sources of media available for us to be able to absorb information about those options, finding multiple reviews isn’t too difficult of a task these days. With taste being so subjective, finding opinions from various reviewers before deciding to spend your own money on something unknown is a great way to potentially help you save some money or potentially steer you toward something you may not have picked out on your own. Once you find other people that have similar taste preferences, you are probably going to keep referring to their judgments over those from other reviewers with different preferences.

The scoring topic piqued my interest again as I was hosting a virtual tasting event a few weeks ago during this COVID-19 stay-at-home order and again while watching Fred Minnick’s “Taste Along With A Bourbon Expert” segment during the Whiskey From Home simulcast event on May 2, 2020 that was organized by the Bourbon Pursuit Podcast team. Fred mentioned something about his recent thoughts regarding the 100 point scoring system that is widely focused on in the industry. He mentioned that he has been considering lately whether or not he should just stop using it when he reviews spirits because so many people get hung up on that number rather than focusing on the content of the tasting notes. Fred stated that he now feels scoring is more of crutch for the category.

Now, how did I make my decision on how to judge what I’m tasting? What were my options? There are countless podcasts, blogs and video review channels that have great content. What methods were other reviewers using to convey their final judgments?

I really enjoy watching several Youtube channels to see what others are saying about what I’m currently drinking, thinking about buying or simply wishing I had the opportunity to taste. There are so many methods that are used to convey the final judgment by different reviewers I like to follow (point scores, letter grades, thumbs up/down, recommend or not, etc.) In no particular order, from whiskey nerds to the everyday casual enthusiast, here are few of the Youtube channels that I enjoy. With some being more serious and others more light hearted, they all use different methods to convey their final thoughts.

As I was still trying to figure out exactly how I wanted to categorize or classify my final judgments on what I had already been writing tasting notes about, I ended up being asked to co-host the Rickhouse Reviews Podcast on the ABV Network. It was decided that the 100 point scale was going to be used for the final judgment when we were reviewing whiskeys for this podcast. Once that happened, I went ahead and started scoring my other reviews that were not part of the podcast using the 100 point scale as well for consistency in my tasting notes. Again, my interpretation of the 100 point scale is also unique to me.

Because of the lack of a universally accepted definition across the industry on what it takes to earn a certain score, I always felt that this wasn’t enough for me to keep track of when making a final judgment that could be shared with friends, readers, listeners and clients regardless of their whiskey tasting experience level. So, I started including a very simple one word judgment after the score line (see below) on my tasting notes sheet that I share with others when we have a tasting event. I found that most people I interact with care nothing about the number score, but are really more interested in the actual tasting notes and the final judgment.

My Final Judgment Classifications and Definitions:

Buy (would purchase a bottle to keep at home)
Try (would drink at a bar, but not keep a bottle a home)
Pass (*would not bother drinking again… not a good fit for my palate) *Unless it’s free, of course!

I still use a score in my reviews that are posted here on the BSG website, but I have been considering incorporating the final judgment here as well. Or, maybe I should take Fred’s advice and only report that final judgment along with my tasting notes instead of having a number score at all. What do you think? Do whiskey review scores really matter anymore to today’s whiskey consumer? If you are reading this, you are probably one of them! Chime in with your thoughts in the comments section below. Who knows, maybe you will help pique my interest with something new to consider. Cheers!

Don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly newsletter at the bottom of the page to get notified about all new BSG posts for the week!

Help support the site by checking out the items available for purchase in the BSG Shop!

BSG Review: Willett 4-Year-Old Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye

March 5, 2020 / BSG / 0 Comments

Distilled By: The Willett Distillery, Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD)

Location: Bardstown, KY

Parent Company: N/A

Class: Straight Rye Whiskey

Proof: 106.2 (53.1% ABV)

Age: 4 years

Mash bill: Barely Legal Rye (thought to be 51% Rye, 34% Corn, 15% Malted Barley)

This Willett Family Estate Bottled Small Batch 4-Year-Old Straight Rye Whiskey is a continuation of Willett’s own product that has been coming out with a new older variant each year since the 2-year-old was released in the summer of 2014.

BSG REVIEW:

Color: Amber

Nose: Black pepper, cinnamon, oak, vanilla, orange zest

Palate: Black pepper, orange, blackberry, cinnamon

Finish: Dry, cinnamon, orange zest, oak

This 4-year Willett is a rye that didn’t disappoint. The nose started things off with some black pepper and cinnamon that eventually gave way to that familiar oak and vanilla before uncovering a citrus note that presented as orange zest. The taste kept the black pepper and orange notes alive right up front. Then, it veered off of the citrus note and came across the mid-palate with blackberries and cinnamon. The finish dried up with the cinnamon, orange zest and oak notes sticking around all the way through a mild Kentucky hug. If you are a fan of barely legal rye whiskies, I definitely recommend that you give this one a try.

BSG Score: 90/100

Don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly newsletter at the bottom of the page to get notified about all new BSG posts for the week!

Visit the BSG Shop to check out great whiskey themed apparel and other items along with our new BSG logo etched Glencairn glasses!

BSG Review: J.W. Dant Bottled in Bond Bourbon

February 12, 2020 / BSG / 0 Comments

Distilled By: Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc.

Location: Distilled in Louisville, KY; Bottled in Bardstown, KY

Parent Company: N/A

Class: KY Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Age: NAS (at least 4 years)

Mash bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley

J.W. Dant bottled in bond bourbon is named after Joseph W. Dant, who started distilling at the age of 16 the mid-1830’s. The Dant family has a long history of distilling, however, the J.W. Dant brand name was sold to Heaven Hill in the 1990’s. Joseph started out distilling using two halves of a hollowed out log that was filled with fermenting mash and had copper steam pipes running through the log to start the distillation process. This family history has inspired Joseph’s great-great-grandson J.W. “Wally” Dant to announce in the Summer of 2019 his purchase of 220 acres to build Log Still Distillery on the old property that was most recently home of Gethsemane Distillery (shut down in 1961). Due to Heaven Hill’s J.W. Dant brand name ownership, his name isn’t expected to ever show up on a bottle produced by the new Dant family distillery.

BSG REVIEW:

Color: Amber

Nose: Heavy oak, sweet corn, citrus zest, hint of banana

Palate: Caramel, corn, heavy oak

Finish: Long, black pepper, oak, slightly medicinal

J.W. Dant is a budget-friendly offering coming in around $15 for most consumers. It starts with a nose that is heavy on the oak with some sweet corn trying to come through. There is some citrus zest and a hint of banana as well once the big oak aroma passes. The taste brings some caramel and corn flavors but still with that big punch of oak dominating the palate over everything. This bourbon finishes pretty long with some black pepper spice to go along with all that oak. I did pick up a slight medicinal note that pops out at the very end that could be off-putting for some people. Though I find this bottle to be a decent everyday budget bourbon offering, I do believe I would give the edge to another comparable Heaven Hill product, Evan Williams Bottled in Bond (White Label).

BSG Score: 78/100

Don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly newsletter at the bottom of the page to get notified about all new BSG posts for the week!

Visit the BSG Shop to check out great whiskey themed apparel and other items along with our new BSG logo etched Glencairn glasses!

BSG Review: Angel’s Envy Finished Rye

January 23, 2020 / BSG / 0 Comments

Distilled By: Sourced for Angel’s Envy

Location: Louisville, KY

Parent Company: Louisville Distilling Co. (Bacardi Ltd since 2015)

Class: Rye Whiskey Finished in Caribbean Rum Casks

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Age: NAS (6-7 years old, finished up to 18 months)

Mash bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley

Angel’s Envy rye spends up to 18 months in Caribbean rum casks. According to the distillery, the team that created this finished whiskey sampled over 100 rums before deciding on the right flavor to use in complimenting the sourced rye whiskey. This is released in limited quantities twice per year. However, their bourbon finished in Port wine barrels is released year round. As you will see in my review, I think this rye expression is a much better finished whiskey than the standard finished bourbon.

BSG REVIEW:

Color: Bright copper, long thin legs on the glass

Nose: Pancakes, maple syrup dominant, caramel cream candy

Palate: Black pepper, rum, oak, lemon zest

Finish: Long and dry, maple syrup, oak

Angel’s Envy finished rye is bright copper in color and leaves very long thin legs all the way down the side of my Glencairn glass. The nose is nothing short of a pancake breakfast platter smothered in maple syrup. Once I got past the syrup, I picked up what seemed to be a caramel cream candy note. The palate hit first with the spiciness of the rye coming across as black pepper. Then quickly presenting the taste of rum and oak across the mid palate before uncovering a hint of lemon zest on the back end. The finish was long and dry with the maple syrup and oak notes sticking around the longest. This screams to be an after dinner dessert whiskey.

This is a very well done finished rye whiskey that should please both rye and rum fans alike. It balanced both spicy and sweet perfectly and kept me coming back for more. I’ll keep this on my list of limited releases to keep looking for as the years go by. This is one whiskey that should definitely be shared with family and friends as this bottle was shared with me. Check out my review of the Angel’s Envy Finished Bourbon to see how I think it compares.

BSG Score: 95/100

Don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly newsletter at the bottom of the page to get notified about all new BSG posts for the week!

Visit the BSG Shop to check out great whiskey themed apparel and other items along with our new BSG logo etched Glencairn glasses!

Tag: Whisky Review (Page 1 of 4)

BSG Review: Rabbit Hole Boxergrail Rye Whiskey PLUS Bonus Bespoke Gin Tasting

BSG REVIEW:

BSG BONUS TASTING: Rabbit Hole Bespoke Gin

Do Whiskey Review “Scores” Matter Anymore to Today’s Whiskey Consumer?

BSG Review: Willett 4-Year-Old Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye

BSG REVIEW:

BSG Review: J.W. Dant Bottled in Bond Bourbon

BSG REVIEW:

BSG Review: Angel’s Envy Finished Rye

BSG REVIEW:

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Please follow & like us :)

Patreon

Please follow & like us :)

Patreon

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Enjoy the BSG site? Please help spread the word :)