A nice reward for a job well done: Smooth Ambler Old Scout Rye

March 10, 2015 Eric Burke

Some days you just want a good whiskey. Something to relax with after a job well done. For me today is one of those days. My wife recently informed me that the washing machine wasn’t working. It wouldn’t advance through the cycles on its own. Though I know next to nothing about washing machines, we decided that it was worth it to pick up the offending part and give fixing it a shot.

I like fixing things. If it’s already broken, what’s the harm? The worst that can happen is that I still have something broken. So I pulled it out from the wall and took a look. The control area was accessed by removing three screws and sliding the front to one side until it popped free. After that it was just a matter of removing the old timer and plugging in the new one. Easy enough. I put everything back together and it worked. The machine advanced through the cycles just fine…except…

Why wasn’t the water stopping where it should? I shut the machine off and had myself a think. I seemed to remember that at one point my mother-in-law was house-sitting for us and had the washing machine break down. It wouldn’t agitate. The solution, once the repair guy got there, was to clean a hose leading from the pressure sensor to the bottom of the tub.

Well, I guess there is nothing more to do than take the front off and take a look at it. Coincidently enough, it was plugged with gunk. I guess there were two things wrong with it. After cleaning out the hose and getting all the gunk out, I reattached it and tried it out. Worked perfectly.

Now that deserves a nice whiskey. And boy did I choose a good one. I’ve sung the praises of Smooth Ambler before. I respect the hell out of those guys. They distill their own stuff, but they are also merchant bottlers. And unlike a lot of the more notorious companies out there doing this, they have no problem telling you this. It’s right on the bottle. It’s on the website. They’ll even tell you when you visit without being asked. Good whiskey sold by good people. Can’t think of a better whiskey with which to celebrate a job well done.

Smooth Ambler Old Scout Rye

Purchase info: Ace Spirits, 750 mL bottle, $36.99

Details: 49.5% ABV, 7 years old, Batch #38, Bottled on 6/6/14

Nose: Mint, dill, sweet cinnamon, vanilla and a hint of oak

Mouth: A nice heat. Black tea, mint, bubblegum, black pepper and cloves

Finish: Nice and long with a good warmth. Lingering black pepper, dill and baking spices

Thoughts: I love this one. It’s spicy, sweet and delicious. It’s a very nice MGPi Rye, and I tend to really like those (especially as they get in the 6+ year range). This batch is highly recommended.

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Rittenhouse Rye v. Rittenhouse Rye (DSP KY 354 v. DSP KY 1)

February 26, 2015 Eric Burke

You don't need to be a bourbon fan for very long before you hear about the Heaven Hill fire. And for good reason, it took one of the biggest producers of Bourbon and almost knocked them out of the space. The fire destroyed warehouses and even the distillery. If you've seen it, you know that the footage is heartbreaking to watch. But the stories, the stories are just the opposite. They tell the uplifting tale of competitors coming together to help. Sure, it's possible that there may have been money involved. But in any other business, how many competitors would be willing to help out even with selling inventory or renting time on machines, etc. Most of them would be happier to help out by picking up the customer base instead.

One of the legacies of the Heaven Hill fire is that for many years Brown-Forman was the contract producer of Heaven Hill's Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond Rye. We know this because of one of the benefits of buying bottled-in-bond whiskey. You need to have the actual distillery on the label. You'll find it listed as D.S.P. (Distilled Spirits Plant) a couple of letters and a number. In the case of Rittenhouse, up until recently it said D.S.P KY 354. Brown-Forman. Within the last year or so, the label changed and it now says D.S.P. KY 1, the Bernheim distillery owned by Heaven Hill.

Since the source of the whiskey has switched, and I had recently finished a bottle of the old and opened a bottle of the new, I figured it was time to do a blind head-to-head comparison.

Rittenhouse (D.S.P. KY 354) vs. Rittenhouse (D.S.P. KY 1)

Purchase info: 354 at Blue Max, Burnsville, MN. 1 at Cellars Wine and Spirits, Eagan, MN

Details: each 50% ABV, 354 produced at Brown-Forman distillery, Louisville, KY, 1 produced at Bernheim distillery, Louisville, KY.

Rye A:

Nose: Big hit of alcohol initially. After that settles down it’s muted. Sweet toffee, cinnamon and ginger predominate. Grassy. Rye Bread.

Mouth: Cinnamon, brown sugar, oak tannins, cayenne, citrus and rye bread

Finish: long and warm. As the warmth fades it is replaced by a lingering sweetness.

Thoughts: Meh. This is hot, as is to be expected from a 100 proof whiskey, but the flavor and nose seem sort of muted. Especially when compared to Rye B. Hopefully A is the old one…

Rye B:

Nose: Savory. Cilantro, wet rock, caramel and bubblegum.

Mouth: Sweet caramel/toffee, savory grassiness, slight smokiness.

Finish: Medium finish. Sweet. Cinnamon and other baking spices linger.

Thoughts: This is a rye that mimics a bourbon. As it is assumed to be a barely legal rye, that is to be expected. It’s full flavored and round in the mouth. Sweet. Not too hot even with water. I like it. It's certainly the nicer of the two.

Comparison thoughts:

So it turns out that rye A was the new Heaven Hill produced Rittenhouse and that Rye B was the Brown-Forman version. As such, I plan to see if I can find an old bottle of the BF version still hanging around somewhere. It’s a whiskey that has a nice enough mouthfeel that it is suitable for drinking neat. Though in past reviews of it, I’ve recommended saving it for cocktails so there is that.

The Heaven Hill version tastes more of the rye than the Brown-Forman version, but it is hot. Very hot. It’s a rye that I’ve been happy enough with in cocktails, but wouldn’t want in a glencairn again.

One thing that I did realize after this head to head is that Brown-Forman can make a decent rye. It kinda makes me excited to see what the upcoming Woodford Rye will be like even though it will probably be an entirely different mashbill.

Review: Knob Creek Rye

February 19, 2015 Eric Burke

In my life, I’ve had two amazing Manhattans. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a bunch of good ones, but amazing ones seem to be rare. For the first, I was out with some friends from work, the boss was there, so it turned into a brainstorming session. The drink was made with Booker’s. It was rich, well balanced and wonderful. Wonderful in spite of working after hours.

The second was just the opposite. I was out with a friend. We work together, but it’s a rare treat to be out having a drink with him. We were having a beer while chatting. I ordered some food. He did the same. It was good. About halfway through my Mac and Cheese, I noticed a cocktail menu nearby. After looking, I ordered a Manhattan. The bartender asked what whiskey I wanted in it. I looked up at the shelf and told him.

“Nice,” he said. Even though I already knew it was a good choice, I still felt slightly better about it when the bartender agreed. It is really amazing what a little affirmation from a stranger will do.

So we sat there, chatting. My friend with his beer and me with my Manhattan. We did the normal things. Bitched about work. Told gossip. Talked about our kids. it was fun. One of the nicest times I’ve had out with a friend.

Good conversation, good company, rich Mac and Cheese and a drink. To be honest, that drink would have been good even if it had been made with Cabin Still. The fact that I chose Knob Creek Rye just bumped it into the amazing realm. Good company will raise a mediocre drink to good and a good one to amazing.

Knob Creek Rye

Purchase Info: $31.99 for a 750 mL at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Details: 50% ABV, “patiently aged”

Nose: Dried Apricot, black pepper, clove, cherry, almond, and strong oak with a touch of vanilla.

Mouth: Dry and spicy. Black pepper, mint, cherry and almonds mix with herbal oaky notes.

Finish: Dry with mint, cherry/almonds, herbs and occasional brief flashes of pickle.

Thoughts: I’m conflicted. I want to say I like this a lot, because I do. But I’m thinking I like it better in a cocktail than on its own. When neat, it is almost too herbal. But as a part of a cocktail that exact same flavor works extremely well. Especially when mixed with a vermouth other herbal infused liqueur.

The Toronto Cocktail

February 17, 2015 Eric Burke

Unasked for, Fernet Branca’s PR firm sent me two free 50 mL bottles of their product. I thank them for the generosity even if it was forced upon me.

There are times as a blogger that people send you things. If I’m asked, I always tell people that I do not accept samples for review. I did this for the PR firm that Fernet Branca uses. They sent a box anyway. In that box were two 50 mL bottles of Fernet Branca along with a keychain and something else that I can’t remember.

I was convinced that I wouldn’t be saying anything about this on the blog. For one thing, it’s not whiskey. Secondly, they sent it to me even after I told them that I wouldn’t review it on the blog. I wasn’t upset, but I figured there was no ethical way I could say anything without it being something that I absolutely loved.

I was going to do a tasting for a review of Knob Creek Rye tonight. But, I got home from work and decided to make a drink. I looked into the cupboard, and noticed that small bottle of Fernet Branca that has been sitting there for a few months. I opened it and was intrigued. It tasted a bit like NyQuil. What on earth could this be used for?

I looked online and found a seriouseats.com article that had a list of cocktails you could make with this darn thing. There was only one on the list that I had the ingredients to make and that was one called the Toronto. (Hmmm…I have friends in Toronto.) It has rye whiskey, Fernet Branca, bitters and simple syrup.

And. It. Is. Fantastic. Baking spices and herbs with just a hint of menthol. In spite of myself, when these two little bottles are gone, I’ll be buying another. And very slowly (each drink only takes a quarter ounce) I’ll work my way through it. Here’s how I made it:

the Toronto Cocktail

2 oz Knob Creek Rye
1/4 ounce Fernet Branca
1/4 ounce Simple Syrup
2 hard dashes Fee Brothers Aromatic Bitters

Then I just stirred that with ice and poured into a rocks glass (they recommend an up glass, but I wasn’t feeling that fancy).

The cookie made me do it: Chocolate and Chai infused Rye Whiskey Liqueur

February 12, 2015 Eric Burke

I have a new way of drinking my tea.

“Your tea?” You may ask.

Well, yes. But I wouldn’t bring it up if it weren’t pertinent.

Every Christmas one of my coworkers makes a chocolate chai cookie. It is delightful and honestly one of the highlights of the holiday season. The first time I tried it, I thought to myself that it would feel even more decadent if it were also alcoholic. So I set out to figure out how to create it.

Being me, I have a lot of whiskey on hand. Some of it amazingly high proof (high proof being better for infusing than low proof, think the difference between making tea using hot water and cold water). So having a lot of suitable whiskey on hand, I decided that it would need a whiskey base. But bourbon or rye? I ended up choosing rye for two reasons. One, I had a high proof rye that was a bit young that I wasn’t enjoying neat. And two, I thought rye flavors would play nicely with the chocolate I was planning on using.

So I started with 1.5 cups of Rye whiskey, I used Willett distilled 2 year old rye because it was really high proof and relatively replaceable. You never know what is going to come of infusing so using something that you can't buy again isn't recommended. I added 4.5 tablespoons of loose chai tea blend to an infusing bag and let that steep for two hours. Buy a good loose tea (not powder) that you'd like to drink on it's own. I bought Reena's Chai from local tea vendor TeaSource.

The chai infused rye was really spicy and very bitter at this point. It might have worked nice in a cocktail as a substitute for bitters...I might need to remember that idea. After removing the tea, I added the cacao nibs. About half a cup. I then let that sit for three days.

After three days, strain out the cacao nibs. Let it drain really well. Between the tea, the nibs and the tastings, I lost about half a cup of liquid by this point even though I thought I was squeezing everything really well. If you taste again at this point you will be convinced that what we have made is a bitter mess. A high proof bitter mess that's also really spicy. Think of it, tea and unsweetened chocolate. Yeah. Come to think of it, maybe this would make a better bitters...

So what counteracts bitterness? SUGAR!!! (though a little salt wouldn't have hurt either, but I just thought of that...) I dissolved half a cup of organic sugar into 3/8 of a cup of water. By my back-of-a-napkin calculations, this should bring it down below 80 proof, a nice gentle spot for a liqueur. Add that to the infused whiskey, give it a shake and you get a nice frothy liquid in your jar.

But one thing was missing. The taste is right, the smell is right, but the mouth feel is off. This is a chai tea inspired drink, even if it did travel down the inspiration road through cookie town. One of the best ways to enjoy chai is with milk. And so I tried that. I went 2 ounces of the liqueur and 1 ounce of the milk.

It was very good. Creamy, chocolaty, spicy. Not too sweet but sweet enough to bring out the flavors of all the ingredients. I think this one is a winner.

Chocolate and Chai Rye whiskey liqueur

1.5 cups rye whiskey (the high the proof the better)
4.5 tbsp loose chai blend tea
0.5 cup Cacao nibs
0.5 cup sugar
.375 cup water

Canadian Club Chairman's Select 100% Rye

January 13, 2015 Eric Burke

In early October, Whisky Advocate ran a story by Canadian Whisky expert Davin De Kergommeaux about a new 100% Rye being released by Canadian Club. In the story, Davin mentioned that like many of the 100% Rye Canadian whiskies this was a product of Alberta Distillers. Well, that perked my curiosity. I’ve discovered that I like this particular style of whisky. But then I noticed that it wasn’t being released in the US.

Drat.

So I did what any self respecting man would do. I went online and whined about it. Of course, I expected that next summer when I travel to Canada I would try to bring some home. But still, you always want what you can’t have. And then I was reminded of something. My Canadian friends are amazing people.

See, some time passed. I went to work and back. I bought some Christmas gifts and had them delivered. But one day when I got home from work, I noticed a box on my front step when I didn’t remember ordering anything. Upon opening it, I saw it was an amazing Christmas gift from my friend Rick. Inside were two bottles of Canadian whisky only available in Canada and the little mini I reviewed last week.

One of those whiskies was Canadian Club 100% Rye. Though there isn’t an age statement on the bottle, Davin says it is aged for 7 years. That got me to thinking, this comes from Alberta Distillers. I still have a little of that 1910 rumored to come from there at 12 years old. And after doing a little digging in my samples I found a sample of the Alberta Premium 30 year old. I had to test these next to one another.

This was not a fair test.

In my opinion, it just got better as it got older. The 1910 12 year was better than the Canadian Club, the 30 year was better than the 12. Ok so intuition was correct, but how does it do when it isn’t being unfairly tested. I mean, this is a $25 whisky. It would be extremely unusual if it could hang with $40 and $50 versions.

Canadian Club Chairman’s Select 100% Rye

Purchase Info: A very generous Christmas gift from my friend Rick. Available at LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) for ~$25 Canadian

Details: 40% ABV. Distilled and aged at Alberta Distillers.

Nose: Initial caramel that fades to reveal pine, brown sugar, ethanol, and green cardamom pods

Mouth: Thin. White sugar, spearmint, oak, cinnamon, clove and then caramel as it moves to the back of the mouth.

Finish: Medium length. Warm with lingering spearmint, cinnamon and clove.

Thoughts: This is your classic good, but not great situation. It’s delicate, I get a bit more minty ethanol than I’d like. But the sweetness and spice are decent enough. I feel like there are better options both in the Canadian Whisky and in the Rye realms.

That said, it was fun to taste something that I can’t buy in the US and to share that with friends. Sadly if it was available, I probably wouldn’t find myself buying it very often. There is nothing wrong with this whisky. I mean, I wouldn’t turn down a pour. There just isn’t much that’s drawing me in. It’s good. Not great.

A Happy 2015 Cocktail

December 30, 2014 Eric Burke

It’s New Year’s Eve. The one night of the year when tradition says that you need to break out the cheap bubbly wine and raise a glass to the fact that you survived yet another turning of the world’s odometer.

And before you get all: “Wait just a damn minute. I like bourbon. I want bourbon. There is very little I like more in this world than bourbon and dammit I’m going to ring in the New Year with bourbon.” Let me reassure you, I’m with you. But, no one but a killjoy would tell you that on New Year’s Eve, you can’t have both.

In fact, I took it upon myself to come up with at least one way you might want to try to combine them into one glass. This specific recipe uses the Cranberry Apple Shrub I made from the Shrubs book I reviewed a couple weeks ago. But the idea can be adapted much wider.

A Happy 2015 Cocktail

2 oz Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
1 oz Cranberry Apple Shrub
Aromatic bitters (use your favorite, a few dashes, I used 1821 bitters from Atlanta)

stir ingredients in a mixing glass with ice
pour into a wine glass or wide mouth cocktail glass and top with 3 oz or so of sparkling white wine.

My basic idea here was to use a classic whiskey cocktail as a base and move forward from there. I love a Manhattan so that’s where I started. But I really liked the way that the shrub and bourbon played together. Topping it off with champagne made it a bit more delicate and a bit more fun. The fruit and vinegar flavors in the shrub were easier to pick out, but at the same time subdued enough that they weren't overpowering.

Could you use vermouth? Orange bitters? Sure! In fact why stop there? Maybe you’re a rye whiskey fan? Maybe mix up a Sazerac and pour it into a absinthe-rinsed cocktail or wine glass and top with sparkling wine. My wife loved this one. I had a cold so I needed to trust her judgement.

Maybe you are a Canadian whisky or Irish whiskey fan and like the occasional whisky and ginger-ale highball? Make up some ginger syrup, squeeze some lemon juice in there and mix with the whiskey or whisky of your choice. Top that with the bubbly society wants you to consume and enjoy.

The point is to have fun with it. And if you are into this sort of thing, all of these drinks feel just a little bit more sophisticated than that five dollar four-pack of mini bottles of “champagne” that you bought from the liquor store end cap (even though I bought the same stuff when shopping for these).

"Baby Saz" Sazerac Rye

December 11, 2014 Eric Burke

That is one pretty bottle, isn’t it? Reminds you of the cut glass and etched lettering of those old decanters you find in antique stores or on Those Pre-Pro Whiskey Men. It really is nice looking. It’d look nice on your shelf, looking old and sophisticated.

But what if I told you, you couldn’t have this? That there were going to be places and times when this wouldn’t be available. If you were smart, you’d probably grab a Rittenhouse Rye or maybe a Bulliet. If you were a human on the internet, you’d probably run all around the city you live in and a few of the surrounding ones to go hunting for one.

Well it’s true, it can be hard to find.

WAIT! Don’t go running out to the car or bus yet! Because here is the thing. It depends on where you live and when you are looking. In Minnesota, at this particular point in time, it’s on most store shelves. I recently heard from a guy in Florida that said it was hard to find there. So wait a bit, or look online. Do NOT pay exorbitant sums for this just because it is rare where you live right now. Because, and I’m going to level with you, it’s a good rye but it isn’t a great-ohmygod-I-need-to-get-it-right-now rye.

Here’s a little info. Sazerac Rye is a rye whiskey is produced by, you might have guessed it, the Sazerac Company. It is a non-age stated bottling. (Though if you look on the Sazerac website it’s still listed as six years. Which, while not legally binding, might be close. It is labeled as Straight and doesn’t have an age statement so it’s at least four.) The internet tells me that it is a barely legal rye with a mashbill including 51% rye or thereabouts.

Sazerac Rye

Purchase info: $32.99 at Ace Spirits, Hopkins, MN

Details: 45% ABV

Nose: Soapy. Mint. Dried Grass. Cedar underneath.

Mouth: Thin Mouthfeel. Black pepper. Cedar. Mint. Banana candy

Finish: More Cedar and banana that fade to a lingering bitterness

Thoughts: Weird. Banana. This is passable when neat in a Glencairn glass. OK, nothing more. In a rocks glass, I find it better. Still just good, not great. I’ve used it to make a very tasty Sazerac cocktail. Which though it was spicier than with Rittenhouse, wasn’t actually better. If this were around $25 like it was when I first started buying it, I’d recommend it. But after creeping up to about $35, I’m not sure that you wouldn’t be just as happy grabbing one of the more readily available ryes out there. Maybe try one of those Canadian 100% Rye ones. I like it, but not enough to miss it if I can't get it.

Blog

Smooth Ambler Old Scout Rye

Rittenhouse (D.S.P. KY 354) vs. Rittenhouse (D.S.P. KY 1)

Knob Creek Rye

the Toronto Cocktail

Chocolate and Chai Rye whiskey liqueur

Canadian Club Chairman’s Select 100% Rye

A Happy 2015 Cocktail

Sazerac Rye