Whisk(e)y
Newsletters 2022 

 

The free whisky newsletters listed below each have the first page shown.

 

To read the full newsletter, click on the issue number in bold Blue type and it will open in a pdf.

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"A hangover is just your body telling you that you are an idiot."

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Issue 273 Tullamore DEW 14-year-old

As this will be my St. Patrick’s day issue, I now give my thoughts on Tullamore DEW 14-year-old triple-distilled single malt.
This whisky is finished in 4 different casks; Bourbon, Port, Madeira and Oloroso Sherry casks.
As you would expect with those cask finishes the flavor profile is varied and complex, it is also smooth and delicious.
Something you may not know about Tullamore DEW is that it is owned by William Grant and Sons, makers of Glenfiddich, Balvenie etc. Yes, they are Scottish but the whiskey is made in Ireland and as
We all know William Grant and Sons make superb whiskies.
So, would I buy it? Yes, I would. I don’t buy a lot of Irish whiskey, not because I dislike it, quite the reverse, there are many fine Irish whiskies. I just get distracted by scotch and latterly by Bourbon.
You can buy Tullamore DEW 14-year-old for around $80.00 a bottle.
 

Tasting Notes

Nose - Citrus, pineapple, and vanilla.
Palate - Apple, grape, and vanilla.
Finish - Sweet and fruity.

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Issue 272 Leiper's Fork Tennessee Whiskey

I now give my thoughts on Leiper’s Fork Tennessee Whiskey.
My wife and I were in Franklin, Tennessee and dropped in to a bar called “O B Joyful” for lunch. When I asked to try the Leiper’s Fork Tennessee Whiskey. The barman “Matt” told me that he generally prefers drinking Bourbons, but that he was very impressed with this Tennessee
whiskey.
I have to agree with him, as you know the bulk of my whisky drinking has been Scotch, and when anyone mentions Tennessee whiskey I think of Jack Daniels, which I find overly sweet (update, on a tour of Jack daniels Distillery, I was told to try the JD Single Barrel, Barrel Proof, as it is not as sweet, I’ll try it and let You know). 

This whiskey is not overly sweet and is a fine dram that I really enjoyed.
At this point, I think it only fair to mention that I had an interview at the distillery the next day and was offered a job, which I accepted. That however does not influence my comments. This is a very nice high end Whiskey and I can highly recommend it.
So, would I buy it? Yes, I would, I like this one.

You can buy Leiper’s Fork Tennessee Whiskey for around $85.00 a bottle.
 

Tasting Notes

Nose - Cherry, honey, mocha and plums.
Palate - Baking spices, caramel and red berries.
Finish - Dark Cherry, plum and a hint of spice.

 

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Issue 271 Evan Williams Black Label

I now give my thoughts on Evan Williams Black Label, a Kentucky straight Bourbon by Heaven Hill, who have been producing Bourbon since 1783.  That’s up there with some of the world’s oldest

distilleries and is a testament to their product.

I think that if you buy this, that you will be pleasantly surprised that a Bourbon this cheap, can taste this good. 

It certainly surprised me, I think in part, because of my background with Scotch, when they are that cheap, they are usually terrible.

So, would I buy it?  Yes, I would, it’s not only a good Bourbon, but is inexpensive and goes very well with a nice cigar.  I usually recommend that you try a whiskey before buying a bottle, but I’ll

make an exception with this one, the price is ridiculously low, I have frequently paid more for a dram of scotch, than I had to pay for a bottle of this.  As always, it’s down to personal taste, but I like this one.

 

You can buy Evan Williams Black Label for around $20.00 a bottle. I have actually seen it for as low as $14.00 a bottle.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Nose  -  Caramel apple, vanilla & baking spices.

Palate  - Apple, ginger vanilla & black pepper.

Finish  - Long with Spicy oak & citrus.

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I now give my thoughts on Four Roses Bourbon, as you can see on the bottle to the right Four Roses was established in 1888, so they must be doing something right. This particular bottling has been aimed at the European and Japanese markets so should be readily available to many of you who
follow this newsletter. If you go to the Four Roses website (page 3) you will find they do many different expressions of this whiskey.
All you Scotch drinkers out there may deride the fact that many Bourbons are not aged as long as Scotch and this is the case with this one, having been aged for around 5 years. However the hotter summers in Kentucky tend to mature the whiskey faster than whiskies in Scotland especially in the upper levels of the Rickhouses.
This Bourbon has been winning medals and garnering accolades for decades and the price is ridiculously low, so what’s not to love. If you haven’t yet, go on and give it a try.
So, would I buy it? Yes I would, it’s not only inexpensive, but a very nice Whiskey.

You can buy Four Roses Bourbon for around $20.00 a bottle.

Tasting Notes
Nose - Caramel & Orange marmalade.
Palate - Cinnamon, honey & marmalade.
Finish - Spicy oak.

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Normally in my first newsletter of the year I list my top ten whiskies of the previous year. I don’t know if it’s because I’m in a funk right now or because the whiskies I tasted last year were just not that impressive, but I can’t muster the enthusiasm to do that this year.
So instead here is what I thought of the Glenlivet 12-year-old.
I remember many years ago, I had around 40 whiskies on my bar and after work one evening I picked up the Glenlivet 12 and poured a dram. I was so unimpressed with it, I went to the kitchen and poured it down the sink and was inclined to pour the whole bottle down there as well.
Then I thought, no someone might drink it. About a week later I thought, it can’t really be that bad and poured another dram. WHAT THE HELL was I thinking it was delightful? Lesson learned, some days, whether it be a bad mood, stressed, or what I had just eaten, things can affect how your whisky tastes, so always give it a second try.
So, would I buy it? Yes I would, it’s not only inexpensive, but a very nice
Whisky.

You can buy Glenlivet 12-year-old for around $35.00 a bottle.

Tasting Notes
Nose - Apricot, pineapple & citrus.
Palate - Apricot, pineapple, citrus & vanilla.
Finish - Malt, oak & apple.