Whisk Review: Virginia Black American Whiskey

Virginia Black is an American whiskey (not made in Virginia) that tastes like it aged in the time it took to be driven by transport truck from its bathtub distillery to the liquor store.

While it is made up of 2, 3 and 4 year old bourbons, there must be something else blended in because the bottle makes no mention of being a bourbon.  Maybe flavoring was added that disqualifies it from meeting the legal requirement of being a bourbon.

I have a bottle of Virginia Black and when I opened it, it was poison.  Not the 80's hair metal band, but poison from the Periodic Table.  But, a couple of nights later it settled down into cologne that might have been left on the set of Boogie Nights.

Un-cheerfully yours!



Jason Debly

Review: Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Before I ever tasted bourbon, I associated that particular type of American whisky with a stream of images like: the Alamo, tumbleweed, cowboys and late night John Wayne westerns. Countless great, as well as utterly forgettable, westerns have actors like John Wayne or Clint Eastwood saddle up to the bar and order a bourbon that came in a little shooter glass. They would gulp it down and promptly wince in pain that would flash momentarily across their face.

Nick Passmore in an article entitled “The Kings of Bourbon” for Forbes magazine recounts the history of bourbon following the end of prohibition:

“When repeal of Prohibition came in 1933, people could start drinking again (legally), and the distillers could start making whiskey again (legally). But it takes a long time to make good whiskey. In the interim, imported Scotch, imported gin and imported Canadian whiskey all came flooding in, and imbibers soon developed a taste for them.

As its customer base deserted it, bourbon struggled. Instead of trying to refine it, distillers were forced push their whiskey out the door as quickly and as cheaply as possible. And pretty awful whiskey it was too.”

Given the above cultural mosaic that cluttered my spotted brain, coupled with the above checkered history of bourbon, it is understandable that I did not have an overly positive view of bourbon.

My opinion changed when I tried Jim Beam Black bourbon during a visit to the United States. I always make an effort to try the libations of the locals wherever I travel, and so I found myself, much like those cowboys in the western, sitting at the bar staring at amber liquid in a glass. Ahh, a legend in my own mind.

Besides Jim Beam Black, I have also reviewed Knob Creek. It get’s a big thumbs up too! So, when my brother showed up at my place at Christmas time with a bottle of Wild Turkey 101, as per my request, I knew I was in for a treat.

Wild Turkey 101

The ‘101’ in the name of this brand is an allusion to the 50.5% alcohol/volume or 101 proof! Not a trifling amount. Now, I know what you are thinking “. . . this is gonna taste like battery acid!” Not at all. You will be surprised if you give this Kentucky bourbon a taste.

At this point, I just have to tell you the quaint Norman Rockwellesque story of how the Wild Turkey 101 brand name came about.

In the 1940’s, Thomas McCarthy, the president of the Austin Nichols company (the company that owns this particular bourbon distillery), was going on a wild turkey hunting trip. He decided to select some choice 101 proof bourbon, from the company stocks, that would be shared with his friends during the trip. In subsequent years, McCarthy’s friends “always requested that Wild Turkey bourbon” and so a brand was born.

Nose (undiluted)
Classic bourbon bouquet of big time vanilla and sweet corn rising up from the bottom of my brandy snifter. The scent of red licorice also makes an appearance. I like this!

Palate (undiluted)
A rip roarin' entry of sweet corn and warm caramel, reminiscent of the hardened top surface of crème brûlée explodes across the palate. Mid-palate is where the spiciness of the rye says: “Hello!” or maybe “Whatcha doin’ there neighbor? C’mon over!” Besides the rye is that hickory wood smoke that is present, but not over-powering.

Mid-palate transitions to dark French toast drizzled with maple syrup, some old-fashioned molasses, charcoal, oak and of course, lots of vanilla. While the initial entry upon the palate was distinctly sweet corn, the middle and final stages of the tasting are dry, concentrated layers of oak, vanilla and cigar smoke.

Finish (undiluted)
The longest lasting flavors left lingering are of spicy rye, uncrushed peppercorns and, to a much lesser extent, vanilla. The flavors hang upon the palate for a considerable amount of time, about as long a rodeo cowboy on a bucking bull.

General Impressions
Big bodied, concentrated, powerful. Somewhat smoother than Knob Creek, but don’t worry, this is by no means a Plain Jane whisky. Plenty of flavors kick that palate into high gear. Please note, I am not saying Knob Creek bourbon is rough, but rather a more robust flavor profile than Wild Turkey 101.

Wild Turkey 101 delivers a robust, challenging bourbon to the palate that must be savored in small sips if consumed neat. In a nutshell, you will enjoy flavors of oak, vanilla and charcoal. Wild Turkey is among the most powerful bourbons, as opposed to the very delicate, ethereal ones like Four Roses and Basil Hayden’s.

As much as I like it, I would not recommend it to someone who is not familiar with bourbon. This is a big drink with a lot of punch. At the very least, if someone was interested in trying this as their first venture in the bourbon world, I would strongly recommend trying it with two big ice cubes in a tumbler, wait two to three minutes and then sip. The ice will tame the wild aspects of the flavors that roll into the palate like a Mac truck.

I am astounded that it is 50.5% alcohol/volume, and at the same time delivers an enjoyable taste without a nasty bite of alcohol. Matter of fact, you do not taste any alcohol. No need to add water in order to tame the flavor profile. If you prefer to add ice, it will be a beautiful marriage that you just arranged!

Value for Money?
“Uh huh, you betcha pardner . . .” The price is very reasonable. Good value for your dollar spent. Wild Turkey 101 can be purchased for as little as $19.99. It does not come in a fancy, cardboard sleeve like many whiskies or scotches (i.e. Johnnie Walker Black), and so it does not carry the cachet or snob appeal of those others. The marketing of this bourbon no doubt is like the philosophy of many Americans of Kentucky, unpretentious, honest and to the point.

Cheers!

Jason Debly

© Jason Debly, 2010. All rights reserved.

Knob Creek Bourbon

Rodney Dangerfield & Bourbon
The late, great comedian, Rodney Dangerfield, and bourbon share at least one common characteristic: “No respect.”



A lot of my scotch drinking friends and the whisky media regularly scoff at the idea of bourbon being a spirit that can be used in the same sentence as scotch. “Why?” you ask. They claim bourbon lacks the ‘complexity’ of flavors that scotch can deliver. While I will concede bourbon is probably less complex than top end scotches, nevertheless, it can offer complexity that beats out many scotches and provides a most enjoyable drinking experience.

It all comes down to how much you want to spend. Famous Grouse or J&B blended scotches are hardly complex in terms of flavor profile. Similarly, Jim Beam White Label is not complex. However, if you move up the Jim Beam product line (premium bourbon aged 8 yrs), complexity emerges. Jim Beam Black has some complexity but not a lot. Move into the ultra premium bourbons like Knob Creek (owned by Beam Global Spirits) and you will discover impressive complexity.

Knob Creek bourbon is aged nine years in new charred American white oak barrels. Nine years is around the very high end of aging for bourbon. There are very few bourbons aged longer than nine years. When bourbon first goes into the barrel it is white, crystal clear. The longer it ages, the darker it becomes, taking its’ color from the wood of the barrel. Those barrels are subjected to fire in order to char the wood. This is done because sap or sugars of the wood become absorbed by the bourbon resulting in color change and that charcoal / caramelized sugar taste that is unique to bourbon. Hence, the longer it ages, the sweeter the bourbon.

Bourbon Ingredients
Barley, corn (at least 51%) and rye grains make up bourbon plus pure water and a particular strain of jug yeast (the type of yeast is unique to each distiller and contributes to the signature taste). In the case of Knob Creek, a much higher percentage of corn is used than the minimum 51% requirement. No other additives are permitted. Also added to such a mash is a bit of mash (called the ‘setback’) from a previous distillation, which functions to ensure consistency of flavor and a signature flavor profile. These basic ingredients, by law, must originate in the United States.

All of the grains used in this bourbon come from within Kentucky. Specifically, within about 80 miles of the distillery.

Price
Ultra premium bourbon like Knob Creek is about twice the price of its entry level brethren. However, even at its price, it is still cheaper than most, if not all, entry level (ie. Glenlivet/Glenfiddich 12yr) scotch. From that perspective, it’s a bargain, as entry level scotch does not have the complexity exhibited by Knob Creek.

You also have to appreciate that a standard bottling of bourbon only has to be aged for two years. Naturally, aging additional years drives up costs.

Shortage?
All 2009 Knob Creek has been sold by the distiller. Apparently, no further orders to the distillery can be filled. Next year’s Knob Creek bottling commenced in October.

The Jim Beam group that owns this brand ran advertising in the Wallstreet Journal and the Washington Post about this ‘shortage.’ Much was made of this shortage, but I would not read too much into it. Their definition of such scarcity is a little self-serving. Oban, Lagavulin and many other single malt scotches have a limited production run each year and typically sell out too within the same calendar year. These distillers do not describe the sold-out situation as a ‘shortage.’ I guess the Jim Beam people just have more creative advertising/marketing people.

Nose (undiluted)
Sniff deeply, tilt the glass, so the bourbon almost touches the bottom of your nose. Big yellow dandelion flower up front, followed by minty, honeyed, rye and orange scented marmalade aromas. Southern refinement and sophistication is what you are enjoying.

Palate (undiluted)
The secret to drinking bourbon (and enjoying it) is a tiny sip. Very tiny! Take a big swig of this and you will instantly regret it as you feel a nasty burn triggering thoughts of air sickness. By taking a little sip the burn is limited or eliminated and in its place are many warming flavors to savor like: sweet corn, crème brule, maple sugar, slightly burnt caramel (but in a most pleasing manner!), a little dark chocolate, big oak, expansive smoked hickory and of course classic Jim Beam charcoal and vanilla.

Finish (undiluted)
Sweet honey/caramelized sugar and vanilla play a tug of war with drying charcoal/oak that eventually wins, as it evaporates across the palate with impressive spiciness.

Add Ice?
Add ice and you have a great party drink! I had a little Christmas party and was pouring this with ice and it was the surpsise hit of the night. Most of the guys were skeptical, but I urged them to try it and within a couple of sips I was hearing "That's good . . ." I must admit that drinking it neat is more for the serious bourbon fan, but with ice, it becomes enjoyable by anyone who likes a little hard stuff on the rocks.

General Impressions
A total pleasure! Big bodied with larger than life flavors of smoked hickory, vanilla, oak, charcoal and maple sugar just impress the heck out of me. This is refined, sophisticated, and balanced. Every element of the flavor profile fits. I wouldn’t change a thing, even if I could.

That being said, I think if you are new to bourbon, this would not be suitable as your first ‘toe in the pond.’ Why? For the novice, if they make the error of taking to big a sip of this spirit, they will likely find it revolting and forever after never try bourbon again. That would be a terrible mistake! I want you to discover the secrets and wonderment of bourbon. So, if you are novice, start with Jim Beam White label or Wild Turkey, add a little ice and take a sip. Once you become accustomed to the standard bottling, it will be time to move on to Black label and other premium bourbons before finally arriving at Knob Creek, Wild Turkey 101, Woodford Reserve and others. A process that would take several months in my opinion if not a year.

Woodford Reserve is direct competition for Knob Creek. I tasted them both side by side and preferred the Knob Creek by a wide margin.

Bottom Line
A fantastic, big bodied bourbon, serving up maple sugar, vanilla and charred oak flavors with sophistication and charm that the American south is known for! This is the reason Knob Creek is the No.1 selling ultra premium bourbon in the world.

Cheers!

© Jason Debly, 2009-2011. All rights reserved.

Woodford Reserve - A Great American Bourbon!

Bourbon - A less than stellar reputation

A lot of people shudder at the thought of having a drink of bourbon. This is understandable because a lot of what is available on the market tastes like rubbing alcohol distilled by some unclean mountain boys out of The Deliverance for the sole purpose of intoxication. Sipping some bourbons involves submitting to a burn down the throat, headed to the stomach and immediately you have to fight the urge for it to bounce back up from whence it came.In general, Woodford Reserve departs from such negative experiences. I say "in general" because it is a distillery which has been plagued with chronic quality control problems. Specifically, one hand crafted batch (each batch is numbered) can be divine, while the next belongs with its bretheren in the previous paragraph. Please understand that not every other bottle is flawed. I am just highlighting past issues with quality of production. I believe the distillery is keenly aware of this issue and is addressing it. So, bearing that in mind, if you sample this bourbon and you find it flawed, then consider taking it back to the store and exchanging it for another.This bourbon we can drink today has a long history (don't they all) that starts back in Versailles, Kentucky in 1812. Bourbon is an uniquely American invention and Kentucky is the state that put it on the map. In fact, the Woodford Reserve distillery is one of nine of the oldest in Kentucky and the US for that matter. It hasn't always operated under the name of Woodford Reserve, that is a recent development of 2003.Anyway, lets move to the most important topic, the taste!

Nose

Vanilla and charcoal

Palate

Lots of vanilla! More charcoal, spice and ginger accompanies, sweetness (but not too sweet) that flows towards a floral finish. There is a "burn", slight, not too bad, but rather characteristic of bourbon. If this is an aspect that bothers you, the solution is ice, couple of cubes takes the burn away. A complex arrangement of flavors that can appropriately be described as sophisticated and rich. I initially tried this bourbon at a whisky tasting and days later, I was still thinking about. So, I bought a bottle and enjoyed a very refined drink of complexity I never imagined was possible from bourbon.

Finish

Oak and rye linger on the palate in a highly refined manner.  Please note that when you first open the bottle, there may be a unpleasant burn lingering in the throat but this should become less of an issue after a couple of weeks open.

Impressions

I have had Woodford Reserve on several occasions. What I have noticed is that the quality can vary depending on the "batch." Each bottle is numbered. Some batchs are very good while a flawed bottle can be a little off or even dreadful. I have tasted perfection in one bottle and poison in another. It is not just me making this observation, reviewers on other sites like Whiskey Magazine's website have threads that note quality variation issues. Of several bottles purchased, only one was flawed. I would not allow this quality assurance issue dissuade you from purchasing it.When its good, it is great. When its bad, it can range from tolerably flawed to an impossibly metallic, copper burn of a dram.My suggestion is that if you buy this bourbon, make sure that you can return it if it turns out to be flawed. You are probably wondering why I would recommend this bourbon in light of the above comments about quality consistency issues. Well, the simple reason is I believe the distiller is tackling the problem and the risk/reward ration makes it worth it if you can return a flawed bottle. How will you know if it is flawed? It will taste metallic like it sat in a copper vat too long with an awful burn across the palate and down the throat upon swallowing. When its a good bottle, it is something to behold.  Another drawback is the price. It is a little high compared to others. I think there is a value for money problem.  Competitors like Knob Creek and Maker's Mark are the same price but better over all.  So, in conclusion, if you like bourbon or know somebody who does, this might be an interesting alternative to the traditional mainstream bottles you or your friend usually go to. It also happens to be the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby!

Cheers!

© Jason Debly, 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

P.S.  I have an updated review available at this link.