Bourbon Review: Michter’s Bourbon

December 2, 2016December 2, 2016 ~ Bill Thornley ~ 2 Comments

I am sure many you have seen Michter’s on the shelf and wanted to try it. I was in that same boat and I decided to pick up a bottle at Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa (they also have a great website you can buy their products from). They have almost everything you ever wanted to add to your bourbon collection.

Michter’s was established in 1753 and know as Shenk’s and later Bomberger’s. It was founded by John Shrek a Swiss Mennonite in Pennsylvania. It is one of the oldest distillers and George Washington even requested it for his men in the Revolutionary War. From their website I got the following. Michter’s US 1 Bourbon is made from a carefully selected mashbill that features the highest quality American corn. It is then matured to the peak of perfection, with barrels often aging in excess of eight years. Truly “small batch,” each batch of our US 1 Bourbon is typically composed of no more than two dozen barrels, leaving no margin for “blending out” imperfection and thus necessitating excellence from every barrel. Reflecting the spirit of the Bluegrass State, Michter’s US1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is nuanced, mellow, and earthy.

Now for my own tasting experience. It has a wonderful warm, rich color to it. It is bottled at 91.4 proof. That puts it between smack in the middle between Basil Hayden at 80 proof and Wild Turkey 101 at 101 Proof. Not sure if that tells you much but it tells me it’s going to have a gentlemanly grasp when you take your first sip. But it’s not too strong for any woman that appreciates good bourbon. I poured a small glass to take my pictures and noticed immediately how much aroma it exuded. It has a strong caramel taste with vanilla overtones and some stone fruit notes. It has a good smoky oak finish as well.

I was very impressed with it as I tried my first sips neat. I then put a small ice cube in it and the caramel jumped out of my glass. I would highly recommend you try a bottle of Michter’s Bourbon. They say they bottle their US 1 bourbon in excess of 8 years. They also bottle a 10 year and 20 year bourbon. I hope to try the 20 sometime. Pick up a bottle and give it a try. You will be glad you did!

Age: 8 years
Proof: 91.4
Color: Warm Golden Brown
Aroma: Caramel, Vanilla, Smoky Oak
Taste: Caramel, Vanilla, Stone Fruit
Price: $36.99 at Hi Time Wine

3 Bourbons for Thanksgiving

November 22, 2016 ~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

Now that our children are grown, the Thanksgiving meal has evolved into being about more than just turkey. The boys generally enjoy a little bourbon before and/or after we eat (we still stick to a light red wine for dinner). With Thanksgiving just two days away, I thought I’d share with you three bourbons great for serving on Thanksgiving.

1. Buffalo Trace

buffalotrace This is a bourbon that is good for both mixing or sipping. At this price point, you don’t have to watch the bar to make sure your good sipping bourbon isn’t ending up in mixed drinks, but also can easily serve it to a large crowd to enjoy on the rocks. Buffalo Trace is an outstanding distillery which makes premium brands such as Pappy Van Winkle and Blanton’s.

Price: $25.99 for 750mL from BevMo!

2. Basil Hayden’s
bottle This is a great bourbon for serving both on special occasions or at an impromptu gathering with friends. It is a lower proof, well priced sipping bourbon. I recently picked a bottle up from our Costco for $39.98. We pulled it out on Sunday at Friendsgiving and it was a crowd favorite. I’ve written before about this making a great gift – consider taking this to your Thanksgiving host as well!

Price: $44.99 for 750mL from Total Wine

3. Jefferson’s Reserve Groth Reserve Cask Finish

To go with some of the bold, tanniny red wines you will be drinking over the holidays, I suggest Jefferson’s Reserve finished in Groth Cabernet French Oak barrels. This bourbon is a superpower sipper and will be well received by all your friends and family. If you follow this blog, you know I’m a big fan of Jefferson’s Reserve bourbons. This one is perfect for a holiday – unique, smooth, easy to like.

Price: $73.99 for 750mL from Mr. Hi Time

Bourbon AND Bourbon Bar Review: Bourbon House and Pinhook Bourbon

November 4, 2016 ~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

When you are Bourbon Bill, and in New Orleans, you end up in a bourbon bar on Bourbon Street (Note: I did not go at night time!).

If you have been reading my blog you know that some historians give New Orleans credit for coining the term “bourbon.” When they would ship their whiskey down the Ohio River from Kentucky, specifically much of it from Bourbon County, the barrels were marked bourbon. New Orleans residents starting asking for that “bourbon” whiskey. They liked it better than other whiskey they were importing.

Wee walked from our hotel in the French Quarter to 144 Bourbon Street and Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House. The food looks outstanding and it has gotten great reviews. But we didn’t go there to eat.

We went there for the incredible bourbon selection. As you can see by the picture of the list on the wall, it is quite extensive.

Lynn immediately ordered a Manhattan. Her Manhattan made with Blanton’s was excellent. I tried a sip but I had to spend some time looking at the list. I looked and looked for something I had not tired. Then I spotted 2 bottles on one of the back bar shelves. They had racehorses with jockeys on them on the labels. I had to find out what bourbon was in those bottles. It turned out to be Pinhook Bourbon.

First think to note about Pinhook Bourbon is the name. A “Pinhooker” is an individual who buys a young racehorse with the express purpose of reselling the horse for profit. They do this through some training, fixing some flaw to enhance its value. The term is also used for speculators in tobacco, produce, or today even yard sales. Derived from the Spanish verb “pintar,” to paint or ripen.

Now back to the bourbon. Pinhook is crafted from a mash of 75% corn, 20% rye and 5% malted barley. It has been aged at least 6 years in American oak and bottled at 90 proof. The 20% rye helps make it very smooth. It has hints of vanilla, salted caramel, and finishes with the warm taste of toasted nuts. If you can find it, buy a bottle. They only produce about 5,000 bottles each year. The bottles labels showcase a horse owned with by Bourbon Lane Stable LLC.

Having enjoyed sitting at the bar at Bourbon House and talking with other bourbon lovers was a kick. What a great atmosphere, wonderful selection, and, as I said before the food looks amazing. Plan to spend more time than we did and enjoy a Pinhook bourbon with some of their authentic southern seafood.

Catoctin Creek Distillery (Purcellville, Virginia)

October 5, 2016October 5, 2016 ~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

While in Northern Virginia a couple weeks ago, we decided to visit Catoctin Creek Distillery in Purcellville in the heart of Loudoun County. Virginia was the birthplace of American Whiskey so it we had to go visit! Right in the heart of Purcellville in an old automobile dealership is Catoctin Creek Distillery.

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It is a very inviting setting with the tasting room in the old showroom part of the building. They have set up the room with a horseshoe shaped bar and tables to accommodate lots of visitors. I have to admit I had not heard of them until we did some research prior to our visit. I know a lot more now and suggest you look them up.

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The distillery lives where the shop used to be located. This isn’t the distillery’s first home and, with the growth they have experienced, probably won’t be their last. The distillery was founded in 2009 by Becky and Scott Harris. They have set up a first class operation with 2 stills. They use the larger still for making their Rye and whisky (I have dropped the “e” from whiskey as have they in respect to their Scottish heritage). The smaller still is used for making their gin and other distilled products.

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They use locally sourced grain and materials. Their products include: Roundstone Rye, Roundstone Rye 92, and Roundstone Rye Cask Strength. The Roundstonne line has built their reputation for their outstanding quality. Their Rabble Rouser Rye is a lower proof and very vivacious. Mosby’s Spirit is an unaged whisky with a refined taste for a white whiskey. They have their Watershed Gin which is packs a punch of flavor and really grab’s you with its intensity. Their product line then goes to their 1757 Virginia Brandy and their fruit brandies. With a line up like this it is obvious why they run their stills almost every day.

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They make the award winning Roundstone Rye, which I thought was outstanding.

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I had a whisky flight in the tasting room. In the tasting room they have a few old rye bottles on display that pay homage to the old ryes. Their rye is in that tradition and a must have for any serious bar keep, collector who wants likes to mix drinks, or serve to a serious whisky drinker neat, or on the rocks.

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Lynn and our son-in-law Carter had cocktail flights (our daughter Taylor was busy getting ready for a friend’s wedding). As much as I enjoyed my whiskey flight after seeing their cocktail flights I was jealous. They change the cocktail flights seasonally. If you take a look at the “Enjoy” tab on their website there are lots of very creative cocktails.

I can’t say enough about their friendly and helpful staff. They made us feel at home, and gave a very relaxed honest tour. It is well worth the drive to enjoy an afternoon of fun and learn about whisky. Go enjoy, have some cocktails, and a bite while learning about Catoctin Creek, and Virginia spirits.

Distillery Tour: Woodinville Whiskey Co. (Woodinville, Washington)

September 13, 2016September 13, 2016 ~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

Lynn and I were in Washington for a wedding a couple weeks ago and while there toured Woodinville Whiskey Co., a bourbon distillery. You say bourbon has to be made in Kentucky. Well, as I’ve talked about before – it doesn’t! Yes, Bourbon can come from anywhere in the USA.

We met our friends Tim and Susan at Woodinville Whiskey Company. It’s a small craft distillery that was established in 2010. It’s a really attractive building close to Chateau Ste. Michelle and across the street from Columbia Winery. We took the tour which gave an informative introduction for those who don’t know much about whiskey, bourbon, or distilled spirits.

Woodinville Whiskey Co. is a small, well designed, and efficient distillery that makes a very good product. All their grain comes from a contracted farm in Quincy, Washington. They can control the quality and supply this way. They also age their barrels on the farm. Quincy is in eastern Washington and a much better environment to age the bourbon because they get the climate and temperature swings you need to get the bourbon in and out of the oak in those barrels. That helps to enhance the flavor.

They have a very fun tasting room with a friendly knowledgeable staff. Kaytlyn greeted us as we walked in the door and helped us with our tasting and got us on a tour. You get to taste their Rye, Whisky, Bourbon, and Vodka. In addition to that, you get to taste what turned out to be one of my favorites – their Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup. Wow, what a great maple syrup! I saw they had a gift pack with a bottle of their bourbon, 2 bottles of maple syrup, and 2 logo Glencairn glasses (I could not resist the gift pack).

After tasting we had lunch in The Hollywood Tavern which has been in that same spot since 1947, and is next door to the distillery. It has inside dining and a fire pit on the patio. The food is amazing. They have a good selection of wine and beer. It hit the spot on an overcast cool day.

I highly recommend you visit Woodinville Whiskey Co. You can’t buy their product outside of Washington State. If you are in Seattle it’s worth the time to see Woodinville. You can also tour some of the surrounding wineries. It makes for a great weekend!

Bourbon Review: Starlight Distillery’s “Carl T” Bourbon (Borden, Indiana)

August 23, 2016August 23, 2016 ~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

Growing up in Jeffersonville, Indiana my parents would go to Huber’s Farm to pick peaches. When Lynn and I would go back to Indiana to visit my parents they would take us, and later our kids, to Huber’s for the farm experience. I received a package in the mail this week from my college roommate, Jeff, and his wife Sandy. It was a bottle of Starlight Distillery’s Carl T Bourbon. Yes, bourbon can come from Indiana. (If you thought that was a misprint then you didn’t read my blog a couple weeks ago about bourbon and what makes it “bourbon.”) This bourbon is from Borden, Indiana.

So what do peaches have to do with this? Starlight Distillery’s Carl T Bourbon is appropriately named after the grandfather of 6th generation co-owners Greg and Ted Huber. The Huber’s felt it only fitting to title this signature blend after their 4th generation grandfather “Carl T” who had a love for bourbon.

This signature blend of bourbon is comprised of 58% corn, 27% rye, and 15% malted barley. Distilled in Huber’s 80 gallon copper pot still from Germany and then transferred to 53 gallon charred, American White Oak barrels from three different cooperage companies and four different barrel styles, continue to add quality and complexity to this signature blend.

They have been offering their Bourbon for a couple of years now. It has been aged for 2 years and is bottled at 95 proof. The color is a light amber. This is a result of the bourbon only being in the barrel for 2 years. I bought a bottle of the “Port Finished 1792” this week. When you set them side by side the 1792 is a deep mahogany color as a result of more aging and the Port barrel finishing.

This bourbon could use a little more time in the barrel. Upon opening the bottle you immediately get the aroma of a higher proof bourbon. The first sip had some bite and it opened up as is sat a while. For me it is not a sipping bourbon but everyone’s taste is different. I tried it a second time with one small ice cube and it opened up more. Give it a try, however it may be hard to find unless you are in Indiana. If you are near Borden stop by for a tour and a bottle.

Aged: 2 years
Proof: 95 proof
Color: Light Amber
Aroma: Vanilla, solvent, pear
Taste: Pepper, a little vanilla
Price: $34.99

What makes it “Bourbon”?

August 2, 2016August 2, 2016 ~ Bill Thornley ~ 3 Comments

Barrels

This debate will go as long as there are whiskey aficionados in the room. I believe it takes its name from Bourbon County, located in central Kentucky. There are those who think it comes from Bourbon Street in New Orleans. It’s all in whom, or what, you want to believe.

Bourbon County was formed from Fayette County in 1785 which was still a part of Virginia. It was named to honor the French Royal Family (Kentucky was once part of Virginia – another nugget of information you may not have remembered from grade school). Many cities, counties, streets, and places in Kentucky are named for the French. They love the Fleur de Lis as much as New Orleans.

Bourbon County was the major shipping point for distilled spirits heading down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans. Barrels shipped from its ports were stamped with the county’s name. The story I heard when we toured Old Pogue Distillery was when they got to New Orleans the fine folks there liked the whiskey a little better that had “Bourbon” stamped on the end of the barrels. Kentucky whiskey soon became Bourbon.

Another interesting nugget of this whole shipping on the lazy river is the rocking of the barrels on the trip and the length of the voyage. As the barrels rock they give the bourbon a chance to spend more time mixing with the oak char. When we toured the Rum Distilleries in Barbados last week they talked about how the long sea voyage to England did such a great job of aging the Rum. They would ship off barrels of clear rum and by the time it got to the Mother Land it was an amber color and smooth. This story may sound a little familiar. Jefferson’s Bourbon is making bourbon they call “Ocean Aged” (read my review from February here). Trey Zoeller, Master Blender at Jefferson Bourbon, had an idea to try it and it’s a fantastic bourbon.

It was not the case many years ago, but today most bourbon barrels have a second life in England, Scotland, Ireland, and the Caribbean, to be used with another distilled spirit. By law you can only use a bourbon barrel once. Here is the final lesson for today. What makes it Bourbon?

It all boils down to 3 rules to make it a bourbon. To use that term on the bottle the bourbon must:

Be at least 51 percent of the grain used in making the whiskey must be corn (most distillers use 65 to 75 percent corn).
Age for a minimum of two years in new, white oak barrels that have been charred. There are different degrees of char.
Having nothing added at bottling to enhance flavor, add sweetness, or alter the color.

Enjoy the ride whether it is across the ocean, down the river, or to your local store to pick up a bottle “of that Bourbon Whiskey.”

Bourbon Review: Henry McKenna

April 15, 2016 ~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

Henry McKenna Single Barrel is a lesser-known bourbon and one that I haven’t had in my collection for very long. It’s an extra-aged bottled in bond single barrel bourbon. It is distilled and bottled by Heaven Hill in Bardstown, Kentucky. (Notice in the photo that Lynn’s beloved roses are in full bloom – just in time for the Kentucky Derby!)

Here is a little history from their website:

In 1837, a young man from Ireland known for his remarkable whiskey-making skills, came to America with his family’s whiskey recipe that had been passed down for generations. Young Mr. McKenna settled in Kentucky and discovered the uniquely American drink known as Bourbon. McKenna instantly took a liking to Kentucky whiskey and set out to create a better Bourbon using his family’s recipe. To ensure the highest quality, he insisted that his Bourbon age in oak barrels before bottling. From this process, highly unusual for the time, emerged a remarkably smooth Bourbon boasting a distinctive character.

This is a high proof bourbon without the normal bite you would expect. It has a wonderful aroma delivering a lot of spice and caramel. Some say mint, but I didn’t experience it (guess I should try it again tomorrow). The mint apparently comes from the yeast that Heaven Hill uses. You can really smell the oak in it as well.

I was very impressed with the first sip and it kept delivering flavor with different nuances of taste and experience. The bottle I have has a label that says, “Hand selected by the Staff of Hi Times Wine Cellars.” I am guessing you would get about the same great taste with any bottle but this one was selected by them.

If you have read a few of my posts you know I am a packaging geek. This bottle is very tastefully done. In describing the bottle, the brand says, “Commensurate with its status as a super-premium single barrel product, it features an antiqued strip stamp and a booklet neck hanger that tells the story of Henry McKenna, and explains the terms ‘single barrel’ and ‘bottled-in-bond.’ The face label also graphically emphasizes the ‘Aged 10 Years’ and ‘Since 1855’ statements, and has an area where the specific barrel number and ‘barreled on’ date for each bottle is hand-written.”

I would highly recommend you try a bottle. I was pleased first sip to last. If you haven’t been to Heaven Hill make them a stop on your hike of the Bourbon Trail and get a bottle from the source.

Aged: 10 years
Proof: 100
Color: Deep Mahogany
Price: $24.99 for 740mL at Hi-Time Wine Cellars

Bourbon Review: 1792 Ridgemont Reserve

March 29, 2016March 29, 2016 ~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

For those of you who are not history buffs, 1792 is the year Kentucky became a state. Kentucky was part of Virginia until it became the 15th state. If you do love history you have to love the simplicity of this bourbon’s name. Simply put: 1792.

The following history was taken from Caskers’s website:

In 1876, John D. Willett, one of Kentucky’s original bourbon aristocrats, transferred his interest in the Willett & Frenke Distillery to his son-in-laws, Benjamin Mattingly and Thomas Moore. Mattingly and Moore continued to operate the Willett & Frenke Distillery together until 1881, when Mattingly finally sold his stake in the company to a group of investors.

In 2012, at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, 1792 tied Pappy Van Winkle’s 23 Year Old Bourbon with a score of 95 points.

This is a very good bourbon with plenty of spice to make it interesting. It has a sweet smell and taste to it. It’s definitely different than many other bourbons on the market. I read a lot of older reviews and the reviews get better every year. I have only been drinking it for a few years now and I have enjoyed it from the beginning (as you can see, my current bottle is almost gone!). At $24.99 this is real delight. I got my last bottle at Hi-Time Wine Cellars where you can find just any bourbon you desire.

Here is a nice video for 1792 that Barton Distilling put out in January:

Aged: 8 years
Proof: 93.7
Color: Amber
Aroma: Spice, Sweet Vanilla
Taste: Pepper, oak
Price: $24.99 at Hi-Time Wine Cellars

Bourbon Review: Black Saddle 12 Yr Old Straight Kentucky Bourbon

March 22, 2016March 22, 2016 ~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

I first read about Black Saddle on Caskers’s website. Aged for 12 years, this bourbon was named the “Best Small Batch Bourbon” at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition winning a Double Gold Medal. It’s spring horse racing season. And, even though it has a western saddle on the label, I felt it follows my spring racing theme.

I love Black Saddle’s label and bottle graphics. The seal over the cork is also very well done with an embossed saddle on it. Open the bottle and you immediately smell the spice. – it’s a wonderful aroma. Upon tasting it, I immediately got vanilla and a lot of other spices. The distiller’s notes say crème brulee, pepper, and toasted cinnamon. You can taste and sense all of those.

At 90 proof it grabs your attention in a good way. It definitely says I am going to impress you and hold my intensity and your attention. You get a lot of flavors for the whole experience from first taste to finish. For dinner tonight we had kielbasa simmered in onions and beer served over extra wide egg noodles. I tasted the bourbon prior to dinner, during dinner, and after dinner. It was a “trifecta” and worked all evening.

This is definitely a bourbon I would suggest giving a try. It is a very good bourbon worth you attention and the $50 price tag.

BTW – If you aren’t subscribed to Caskers, you should (you can register here). They get some very good, unique, hard to find bourbons.

Aged: 12 years
Proof: 90
Color: Dark Amber
Aroma: SPICES, lots of spices!
Taste: Vanilla
Price: $55.99 at BevMo

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