What makes a great whisky tasting?

I’ve been lucky to attend plenty of whisky tastings. The latest was a tour through the new batch of Diageo’s Special Releases hosted by whisky educator Colin Dunn – and it was superb. But as it came to an end, it got me thinking: what are the key elements for a great whisky tasting?

Diageo whisky ambassador Colin Dunn (‘Everywhere you look, whisky is coming at you’)

1. Get the audience involved

The best tastings go beyond the standard teacher-pupil set-up, because the audience aren’t sat in a classroom waiting to be lectured to. They are as much a part of the event as the host, something Colin is aware of. The whiskies were all lined up from one to seven. Which one did we start with? Number four, naturally. Colin picked an audience member at random, they chose the first whisky, and off we went.

2. Pour great whisky

We tried seven of the 2016 Special Releases, including bottlings from Auchroisk, Brora, Cambus, Cragganmore, Lagavulin, Linkwood and Port Ellen. The highlight for me was the Linkwood, an exceptionally classy 37-year-old bottling that oozed notes of oranges, cloves and black pepper. It was subtle and elegant; a real standout. My other pick was the Cambus, a 40-year-old that was impossible to dislike with its rich, toffee-like character and notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and toast.

3. Throw in some memorable one-liners

Soundbites and gags are always a safe bet for a whisky educator, and Colin had a few up his sleeve. Here are five of his best one-liners on the night:

‘I used to use Rosebank as air freshener in my house… ah, those heady days!’

‘The Lagavulin warehouse is the eighth wonder of the world!’

‘This Port Ellen is full of minerally peat. It’s the kind of whisky I’d clean my teeth with’

‘The Cambus is almost like perfume’

‘Laphroaig is dirty peat; Ardbeg is sweet peat; Lagavulin is oily peat’

4. Share your knowledge

Colin talked about the last days of Port Ellen, which was mothballed in 1983 (never to reopen). To illustrate how differently it was viewed at that time, he explained that on the day before Port Ellen closed, Andrew Symington of independent bottler Signatory Vintage went to the distillery and snapped up five casks. In hindsight, this looks a smart move. But was it a get-rich-quick plan? Not exactly – Andrew sold them the following year for just £35 a bottle…

5. Don’t just talk about your own products

At the end of the tasting, Colin revealed his four desert-island whiskies. Refreshingly, he didn’t toe the party line, as three of them were not from his employer, Diageo: ‘I’d have a 5-year-old Clynelish from the 1960s,’ he said, ‘as well as a 1965 Auchentoshan, a 1965 Springbank and a bottle of Black Bowmore.’

This was a great whisky tasting, upbeat and engaging, and packed full of delicious drams. It even ended with a song courtesy of Colin’s friend Tim Hain. Colin has hosted Whisky Exchange events for us many times in the past, and it’s obvious why we keep asking him back. If you’ve never seen the man in action, you’ll find him at our Whisky Show in the autumn.

Originally published on The Whisky Exchange Blog

Malt of the Month

Our Malt of the Month for February is the superb Springbank 10 year old. A great introduction to the Springbank range, created from whisky matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, bottled at 46% vol.

Springbank 10 Year Old Tasting Notes

Nose: Orchard fruit (pear) with a hint of peat, vanilla and malt.

Palate: Malt, oak, spice, nutmeg and cinnamon, vanilla essence.

Finish: Sweet, with a lingering salty tingle.

BUY NOW!

SPRINGBANK 15 Year Old  Exclusive Web price £58.45!

Springbank 15 year old has an almost bewildering array of flavours: dark chocolate, figs, marzipan, brazil nuts and vanilla are just some of the notes on show. Absolutely top-class! Take advantage of our web exclusive price while stocks last.

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Milroy’s of Soho
Milroy’s of Soho
3 Greek Street
London, England W1D 4NX
United Kingdom

Meet Kindred Spirit Iain Burnett, The Highland Chocolatier

Highland Perthshire: it’s about as close as you can get to Scotland’s bounty of natural ingredients. So where better for Iain Burnett to spend years perfecting his truffles – and win his reputation as one of the world’s finest chocolatiers? A true Kindred Spirit, his pursuit of exceptional flavour has earned him some of the highest accolades a master chocolatier could wish for – including the World’s Best Dark Chocolate Truffle.

It’s not only Iain’s guiding principles that make him a Kindred Spirit. His chocolates and our whisky are a perfect match: just ask anyone who’s been on our whisky and chocolate tasting tour.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Personalised whisky. Exceptional chocolates. Valentine’s Day, sorted.

Forget bashful teddy bears. Leave out the heart-shaped balloons. Nothing quite says ‘I love you’ like a bottle of Glengoyne and a box of perfectly matched chocolates. It’s quite a romance: a sip of single malt, a bite of Dark Velvet Truffle. An intensity of flavour rolling across on the palate. How do you make it happen? Order a bottle of the Glengoyne 15 Year Old or 21 Year Old, and we’ll include award-winning chocolates from the Highland Chocolatier. You can even add something a little special to the label with a personalised bottle of Glengoyne 15 Year Old. Slàinte! Free UK delivery. Just order in time for Valentine’s Day.

Last order date for UK delivery: 9 February

Last order date for international delivery: 6 February

BUY THE PERSONALISED 15 YEAR OLD

Dear Society Members,

Mairi has given me the following information to pass onto you. It is regarding details of the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2017 which I’m sure you will be extremely excited about.

Please make sure you read to the end of this before contacting Mairi with your bookings. There is a separate PDF attached which lists the available tastings in a simple table to save you having to scroll too much. Enjoy!

———-

We are pleased to announce the first details of the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2017. As you may know, the Campbeltown Malts Festival will take place from Wednesday 24th – Friday 26th May 2017 and once again we will host events in celebration of the whiskies produced here in Campbeltown.

Please find details below which includes an outline of our events on each day of the festival and information on booking the various events. All booking enquiries should be sent to Mairi Paterson who can be contacted by email to mairi@springbank.scot (please note this is a new email address) or by phone call to +44 (0) 1586 552009.

Wednesday 24th May 2017

On the first day of the festival, there will be a range of events taking place including an exclusive Springbank Society Tasting and a special dinner at Springbank Distillery. Additional events to be confirmed.

Springbank Society Tasting

To kick off the festival, we will be holding an exclusive tasting for our lovely Springbank Society Members. The tasting will take place on Wednesday 24th May at 11:30am in the Malt Barns at Springbank Distillery and will be free for members to attend. Please note that we cannot allow any non-members into this tasting.

The tasting will involve choosing the next Society bottling (due for release in Autumn) but will take a slightly different format to previous years which we are very excited about. That’s all we can say at the moment but we promise it will be a fun way to start the festivities.

The Society Tasting will be limited to a maximum of 60 people and places are likely to fill up very quickly so please email mairi@springbank.scot or call +44 (0) 1586 552009 asap to book your spot and make sure you don’t miss out.

The Springbank Distillery Dinner

For the fifth year running, we will be hosting an exclusive dinner at the distillery on the eve of our Open Day. This year, guests will be treated to dinner in the surroundings of our unique Bottling Hall. This will take place on Wednesday 24th May 2017 at 7pm.

On arrival to Springbank Distillery, you will be greeted with a champagne reception which will also feature a range of locally sourced canapés. 

Following this, you will sample a selection of whiskies, hand drawn from the cask by a member of our senior production team. The most popular choice will be bottled for you to take home on the night. 

You will then be led to your table to enjoy a four course meal with a specially selected wine to accompany each course. 

To end your unique experience, each attendee will be presented with their own exclusive 70cl hand drawn bottle, chosen earlier in the evening. 

Throughout the evening, staff from J. & A. Mitchell & Co. Ltd. will be present to chat to and share some drams with. 

The cost of the dinner is £250.00 per person and payment is required upon booking to secure your place.

Numbers are limited to 50 people so please book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

There will be a set menu so please advise us of any dietary requirements you have when booking.

To book your place, please email mairi@springbank.scot or call +44 (0) 1586 552009.

Thursday 25th May 2017

Springbank Open Day

The Springbank Open Day will take place on the second day of the Campbeltown Malts Festival. The day will start at 11am and will include a wide variety of activities such as free distillery tours, a range of tastings and masterclasses, local craft and food stalls, exclusive bottlings, the famous warehouse whisky bar and much more. In the evening, look out your dancing shoes as we will move into the Malt Barns for live music.

The tastings and masterclasses for the Springbank Open Day are now available to book and details of each can be found below:

11:30am: Kilkerran Masterclass: It’s come of age, now get to know it a bit better 

Familiarise yourself with the house style of Kilkerran, some of our bottlings to date and perhaps one or two of the early experiments from Glengyle Distillery. We’ve got lots to talk about and taste so why not join in?

(1 hour  /  65 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

11:30am: The ‘uber-geek’ Tasting

Explore the technicalities and science behind our production process. “What’s the flow rate of your spirit? What is the effect of your fermentation time? Why don’t you buy a computer to do that for you?” Warning – this could be very detailed but we’ll provide plenty of drams to help get your brain cells running! All production-related questions welcome, especially if you want to submit them in advance…

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

12:30pm: Springbank Warehouse Tasting 

Sample a selection of the finest whiskies from Springbank, hand drawn from the cask in one of our traditional warehouses.

(45 mins  /  30 people max  /  £20 per person)

1pm: Springbank Masterclass: New and recent releases 

A chance to try some of the most recent limited release bottlings from Springbank Distillers. February, March and April will see a number of new whiskies appearing and this may be your best chance to try them all in one place, unless you’ve got a very nice bar at home.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

1:30pm: Springbank Masterclass: New and recent releases

A chance to try some of the most recent limited release bottlings from Springbank Distillers. February, March and April will see a number of new whiskies appearing and this may be your best chance to try them all in one place, unless you’ve got a very nice bar at home.

(1 hour  /  65 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

2:30pm: Springbank & Fyne Ales Tasting: Beer and whisky gang thegither

We’ve been working pretty closely with our neighbours Fyne Ales (they’re only 75 miles away) on various projects over the last few years so it seemed only natural to pair the fruits of some those projects with the whiskies that influenced them. Representatives of both Springbank and Fyne Ales will take you through a joint beer and whisky tasting and will be happy to answer any questions.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

2:30pm: Springbank Warehouse Tasting

Sample a selection of the finest whiskies from Springbank, hand drawn from the cask in one of our traditional warehouses.

(45 mins  /  30 people max  /  £20 per person)

3:30pm: Cadenhead Masterclass: Current bottlings and future releases

A chance to try some current releases from Cadenhead’s along with samples of upcoming releases.  As has become tradition, a cask will be rolled into the Malt Barns to be sampled straight from the cask – this whisky will only be available at this tasting.

(1 hour  /  65 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

4:30pm: Springbank Warehouse Tasting

Sample a selection of the finest whiskies from Springbank, hand drawn from the cask in one of our traditional warehouses.

(45 mins  /  30 people max  /  £20 per person)

6:30pm: An Introduction to J&A Mitchell Tasting

Get to know our company and our core products a bit better – these are the drams, from Springbank, Glengyle and Wm Cadenhead, that provide the foundation to our business. Perfect for those just getting into whisky or who want to go back to basics.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £15 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

The 11:30am Kilkerran Masterclass, 1:30pm Springbank Masterclass and 3:30pm Cadenhead Masterclass will take place in the Springbank Malt Barns at Springbank Distillery (meet at the Springbank Malt Barns 10 minutes before tasting begins).

The 11:30am Springbank ‘Uber-geek’ Tasting, 1pm Springbank Masterclass and 2:30pm Springbank & Fyne Ales Combo Tasting will take place in Warehouse 10 (meet at the Springbank Distillery Office 10 minutes before tasting begins).

The 12:30pm, 2:30pm and 4:30pm Springbank Warehouse Tastings will take place in Warehouse 3 at Springbank Distillery (meet at the Springbank Distillery Office 10 minutes before tasting begins).

The 6:30pm Introduction to J & A Tasting will take place in the Bottling Hall at Springbank Distillery (meet at the door of the Bottling Hall 10 minutes before tasting begins).

To book any of the above tastings or masterclasses or for more information, please email mairi@springbank.scot or call +44 (0) 1586 552009. Please note that payment will be required to confirm booking.

Friday 26th May 2017

The final day of the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2016 will be dedicated to Mitchell’s Glengyle Distillery and Cadenhead’s Independent Bottler.

Our Friday events will be centered around Mitchell’s Glengyle Distillery where there will be hourly free tours of the distillery, local stalls and the return of the popular Cadenhead Lucky Dip Bar which was a huge hit last year.

As 2017 marks the 175th anniversary of Cadenhead’s, most of our tastings will be focused on celebrating this as well as one main Kilkerran Masterclass on the day.

The tastings and masterclasses for Friday 26th May are now available to book and details of each can be found below:

10am: Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting 

Sample a selection of the finest Cadenhead whiskies, hand drawn from the cask in one of Springbank’s traditional warehouses.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £30 per person, includes Cadenhead glass)

10:15am: Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting 

Sample a selection of the finest Cadenhead whiskies, hand drawn from the cask in one of Springbank’s traditional warehouses.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £30 per person, includes Cadenhead glass)

10:30am: The Cadenhead Alternative Tasting

Cadenhead’s for the last 175 years have bottled more than just excellent whisky – this is a chance to try some of our alternative spirits. The tasting will include a selection of Gin, Rum and Cognac from current bottlings and possibly some surprises.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £20 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

12pm: Kilkerran Masterclass: It’s come of age, now get to know it a bit better

Familiarise yourself with the house style of Kilkerran, some of our bottlings to date and perhaps one or two of the early experiments from Glengyle Distillery. We’ve got lots to talk about and taste so why not join in?

(1 hour  /  60 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

1:45pm: Cadenhead 175th Anniversary Tasting

A first chance to try several casks of whisky bottled to celebrate Cadenhead’s 175th Anniversary – you will be the first people in the world to try these releases along with an extra release only available at the tasting.

(1 hour  /  60 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

3:30pm: Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting

Sample a selection of the finest Cadenhead whiskies, hand drawn from the cask in one of Springbank’s traditional warehouses.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £30 per person, includes Cadenhead glass)

3:45pm: Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting

Sample a selection of the finest Cadenhead whiskies, hand drawn from the cask in one of Springbank’s traditional warehouses.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £30 per person, includes Cadenhead glass)

The 10am, 10:15am, 3:30pm and 3:45pm Cadenhead Warehouse Tastings will take place in various warehouses at Springbank Distillery (meet at the Springbank Distillery Office 10 minutes before tasting begins).

The 10:30am Cadenhead Alternative Tasting will take place in The Tasting Room at Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop (meet at Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop 10 minutes before tasting begins).

The 12pm Kilkerran Masterclass and 1:45pm Cadenhead 175th Anniversary Tasting will take place in Warehouse 10 (meet at the main gate to Glengyle Distillery 10 minutes before tasting begins).

Events at Glengyle Distillery, including the Cadenhead Lucky Dip Bar will conclude at 4pm.

Cadenhead 175th Anniversary Dinner

To conclude the 2017 festival, we will be hosting a dinner in Campbeltown Town Hall to celebrate the 175th Anniversary of Cadenhead’s.

The evening will begin at 7pm where guests will be greeted with a champagne reception before being seated for dinner. There will be a delicious 2 course meal provided by local catering company Argyll Bakeries followed by live music to dance the night away.

There will be a licensed bar throughout the evening and guests will also be treated to a couple of whiskies and wine during the evening.

Tickets are priced at £55.00 per person and the event is limited to 100 people.

If you would like to book onto any of the tastings or events listed above then please let Mairi know as soon as possible. There has been extremely high interest in this years festival and we imagine the events will sell out in record time. It would be best to initially email Mairi at mairi@springbank.scot and she will get back to you as soon as possible. Please note that it could take a couple of days for a reply but she will be working through all enquiries as quickly as possible. You can also call Mairi on +44 (0) 1586 552009 to make your bookings.

Payment will be required upon booking any of the above events so please be aware of this when emailing or calling.

If you are making a group booking on behalf of your friends then we will require the name of each person you are booking for. Please include this information when making your booking.

In addition to the events which we are hosting, we are delighted to announce that local business Whisky Impressions will be hosting 3 exciting events during the festival. Please see attached poster for more details and contact Kate by emailing info@whiskyimpressions.com to make your bookings.

More information on the festival will be released in due course – less than 4 months to go!

NBA AND JACK DANIEL’S ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP 

— Jack Daniel’s Becomes Official Spirit Brand of the NBA — 

NEW YORK, Jan. 27, 2017 – Jack Daniel’s and the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today a new multiyear partnership making Jack Daniel’s an official marketing partner of the NBA, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), the NBA Development League (D-League), and USA Basketball.  This marks the largest partnership with a professional sports league in the brand’s history.

Jack Daniel’s will tip off the partnership during NBA All-Star 2017 in New Orleans with Jack Daniel’s House No. 7 – its hospitality and experiential event, which will be open for two nights bringing local fans and NBA guests together for musical performances, guest rooms with unique programming, eclectic eats inspired by southern cuisine, and basketball-themed activities.  Jack Daniel’s will also serve as a partner of the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

“We are proud to partner with Jack Daniel’s, an iconic brand with a rich history and a reputation for unique and innovative marketing,” said Emilio Collins, NBA Executive Vice President, Global Partnerships.  “Our new partnership creates a wealth of opportunities for us to connect with new and longtime fans and celebrate our game.”

“We are thrilled to be entering into this partnership and look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with the NBA for years to come,” said John Higgins, VP Jack Daniel’s Brand Director for North America.  “The NBA is a perfect fit for Jack Daniel’s as we both share the same values of integrity, loyalty and community.  We couldn’t be more excited for our fans and consumers who love the great sport of basketball.”

Jack Daniel’s, which celebrated its 150^th anniversary in 2016, will host a variety of events, media and hospitality programs throughout the NBA, WNBA, NBA D-League and USA Basketball.  Jack Daniel’s will also develop NBA-themed programs at retail stores and create custom marketing and advertising campaigns.

Jack Daniel’s is currently a partner of five NBA teams: Atlanta Hawks, Denver Nuggets, L.A. Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs.

Jack Daniel’s, the first registered distillery in the United States, is based in the quiet town of Lynchburg, TN where every single drop of the world’s Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey is produced.  

About Jack Daniel’s

Officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tenn., the Jack Daniel Distillery, Lem Motlow, proprietor, is the first registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Jack Daniel’s is the maker of the world-famous Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select and Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails. Today, Jack Daniel’s is a true global icon found in more than 170 countries around the world and is the most valuable spirits brand in the world as recognized by Interbrand.

About the NBA

The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League.  The league has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 49 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2016-17 season featured a record 113 international players from 41 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com and the NBA App, which achieved record viewership and traffic during the 2015-16 season.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 1.3 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

Best Canadian whisky of 2017

VICTORIA, B.C., Jan. 23, 2017 /CNW/ – As the popularity of Canadian rye whisky continues its meteoric rise worldwide, the best of the best for 2017 has been crowned. Masterson’s 10 Year Old Rye has been named the Canadian Whisky of the Year. Such is the judgment of the seventh annual Canadian Whisky Awards held this weekend in Victoria, B.C., where distillers, blenders and fans alike came together to celebrate and raise a glass to the passion and craftsmanship of Canadian rye whisky.

Chairman of the judges, Davin de Kergommeaux, described the winner, “as that rare combination of balance, complexity and robust flavour that exemplifies the best traditions of rye whisky. It is at once spicy, muscular, with an ever-so elegant nose and palate. It is this combination that has spurred the unprecedented interest and demand for Canadian whisky. Indeed, when the rye whisky renaissance took off in the US five years ago, it was Canadian distillers who supplied much of the whisky, and of these, Masterson’s is one of the best.”

As the country’s preeminent Canadian whisky competition, the independent and blind judging panel, served up some surprise honours to relative newcomers like Toronto’s Stalk & Barrel Rye and Twelve Barrels from Ottawa, which took home top spot as the Domestic Value Whisky of the Year. Long-established brands like Crown Royal, Gooderham & Worts, and Forty Creek were also well represented, taking home numerous distinctions for their continued innovation and well-established commitment to quality.

If this year’s record setting submissions are any indication, Canadian whisky fans the world over have an extremely exciting 2017 to look forward to.

The list of all the winners is now available at http://www.canadianwhisky.org

Note to editors: About the Canadian Whisky Awards The Canadian Whisky Awards recognize the very best Canadian whiskies and encourage distillers to maintain the highest standards for making whisky. To qualify, the whisky must be distilled and matured in Canada. An independent panel of whisky writers, bloggers, and journalists selects the winners after tasting each whisky blind. Operated on a not-for-profit basis, the Canadian Whisky Awards are fully independent of the Canadian whisky industry.

RELATED LINKS www.canadianwhisky.org

Glenmorangie: the Glen of Tranquility

You’ll be anything but tranquil when you hear about our new whiskies from Glenmorangie! Today marks the release of the latest addition to the Private Edition collection, Glenmorangie Bacalta, and to mark the occasion we also have two rare bottles that showcase the distillery’s pioneering work in cask finishing and the first release in the Bond House No. 1 Collection.

Free delivery on UK orders over £100 Next day delivery available on UK orders

Glenmorangie Bacalta

The eighth release in the Glenmorangie Private Edition collection, Bacalta (meaning baked in Gaelic) has been crafted from Glenmorangie matured in ex-bourbon casks and then extra-matured in bespoke casks baked under the sun that once held Malmsey Madeira wine. This Highland Single Malt created by Dr Bill Lumsden is presented non chill-filtered at a strength of 46% abv.

Light gold in colour, the nose is fragrant with sweet honey, apricots and white chocolate. The palate brings a burst of mint toffee with caramelised oranges, apricots, honeycomb, almonds and dates, before a rich, syrupy finish with more citrus, pears, creamy fudge and a touch of eucalyptus in the background.

£84 Buy Now

Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1990

The first release in the Bond House No.1 Collection from Glenmorangie, this Highland Single Malt has been nurtured for a quarter of a century in ex-bourbon and a small parcel of ex-sherry casks to produce a floral, fruity expression with an extraordinary level of finesse and vibrancy.

£500 Buy Now

NEW TO THE PARTY

Wyoming Bourbon TPS Private Selection – $47.99

With the closing, suspension, or cutting of so many barrel programs in recent years, we are always excited at the prospect of a new private barrel program opening. Wyoming Whisky offered us some samples and we were pleased. This barrel is young but has great character. With a youthful nose and palate, it has notes and flavors of fresh oak, some vanilla and nuts, is very smooth mid-palate, and finishes with a kiss of spice. It’ll be great around a fire, or in an Old Fashioned.

OYO Dark Pumpernickel Rye Whiskey – $51.99

This Rye from Middle West Spirits in Columbus is made from dark rye grown in the Ohio River Valley. It’s a nice addition to their already excellent lineup. As a good rye should be, it maintains a nice balance of sweet and heat, all held together by a backbone of oak and spice. It sips smoother than the proof and will be great in cocktails.

Watershed Old Fashioned – $41.99

This is a bottle we’ve been waiting for since mid-2016. According to Watershed, the idea behind this bottle is to make a classic, delicious, and balanced cocktail available to anyone, and at any time. Premium bitters, raw sugar, Ohio cherry juice, and of course Watershed Bourbon combine to make exactly that. All you need is a glass, some ice, and some orange peel to garnish.

Revel Stoke Root Beer Whisky – $16.99

This is the newest flavor from the Canadian flavor masters of Revel Stoke. With flavors of vanilla, licorice, and molasses it really is a root beer for adults. Try with some nice vanilla ice cream for a big kid float!

Hartfield & Co. American Whiskey – $18.99 (375 ml)

Hartfield pride themselves on their bourbon, and on the fact that they do things a little different than most. Primarily, they distill to a much lower proof than most, and then age in small 5.8-gallon white oak barrels for months instead of years. This American whiskey is 62% corn, 28% Rye, and 10% malted barley and aged in their used bourbon barrels.

thepartysource.com

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