A simple recipe for apple pie “moonshine” – this time made with some Tennessee “white lightnin” from Ole Smoky in Gatlinburg. Yeehaw!
Scenes from a Scotch Extravaganza
I can’t claim to possess much knowledge of Scotch Whisky, other than an unshakable faith in the peaty smokiness of a dram of Lagavulin 16 year old. Bourbon and rye are more my thing – after all, this is “Thirsty South,” not “Thirsty Scotch” (note to self: register domain name for www.ThirstyScotch.com). But our friends at Tower Beer, Wine & Spirits invited me to attend the Atlanta stop of the Single Malt & Scotch Whisky Extravaganza® (notice the trademark, very important) put on by the the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. They hold these in about 13 cities across the country, and Atlanta is fortunate to be one of them. The event is basically an opportunity to taste a staggering array of both common and rare single malts, blended Scotch whisky, and some other fine whiskies from around the world (notably Japan).
For a bourbon drinker, what is most striking when tasting through these is the incredibly wide range of expressions – from light and floral, to deep smokey peat – as well as the creative variety in barrel aging approaches – from Spanish sherry to Caribbean rum to French sauternes, and, of course, the mainstay of Scotch: bourbon barrels (it’s true!). Scotch is kinda like an older brother to bourbon – more worldly, more experienced, a bit more confident in his roots, so to speak. And you know I’m not knockin bourbon, I’m just trying to provide some flavor for the distinctions between the two. I don’t think anything I tasted quite knocked me out like a whiff of Pappy Van Winkle 23 year old Kentucky straight bourbon, though several came close.
Given the depth of the subject, I won’t even try to give you an education on Scotch – you can start to get that here or here or (if you have a mustache) here – but I will leave you with photos of some of the more remarkable tastes of the evening, and hopefully provide a spark to get a few more bourbon drinkers to at least venture down one of the many mysterious alleys that Scotch inhabits. Enjoy…
A true highlight of the night was this spectacularly good Single Grain Whisky from Suntory of Japan, “Chita,” hard to find, but worth seeking out. There is no better student of the Scotch masters than Suntory. A closer up shot below, beautiful color…
Love Lagavulin. Another highlight of the night was a 12yo cask strength Lagavulin (not pictured), a serious symphony of peat. Interestingly, most of the tables waited until the event was half through to break out the REALLY good/rare stuff, that Lagavulin cask strength included.
Laphroaig 25 year old, cask strength, finished in Oloroso Sherry casks, killer stuff.
I have no recollection what this was, but the label and bottle were cool ; )
The Balvenie 14 year old Caribbean Cask brought the unmistakable sugary coconut notes of Caribbean rum, really nice.
Bowmore 18 year old is an excellent Scotch. Islay Single Malt.
Highland Park 18 year old may be an even more excellent Scotch…
One of the single cask bottlings from the Society, “Gradual Seduction,” one of 181 bottles.
The name alone made this Scotch worth tasting – “Master and Commander” – another small bottling from the the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
An Irish whiskey cocktail seemed a bit out of place amongst the single malt beasts, but this cocktail by the ever-impressive Eric Simpkins was a highlight of the evening, with a strong whiff of fragrant thyme kicking things off.
Men in kilts acting randy, a 35 year old Scotch, and the venerable Kevin Mulcahy, a true ambassador of the world of Scotch. Good times.
Beware men in kilts, especially blurry ones…
Apparently there’s a law that says events like these should employ a bevy of beautiful ladies to pour the whisky…
… and another law that states that meat must be carved off the bone in the presence of such copious amounts of Scotch.
This may look like a pile of crap, but it’s actually Scotch’s very good friend, Peat.
This about sums it up for the whisk(e)y devotees out there… a T-shirt seen at the event.
For a more educational take on the evening, please check out Whisk(e)y Apostle’s well-written notes. Now back to my bourbon ; )
Unknown Substance in a Mason Jar
Unmarked mason jars are full of mystery.
Is it sweet tea? Apple juice? Electric kool-aid??
Moonshine? Apple pie?
Could it be from Blount County?
Or is it from the dusty fields of Mexico??
We’ll never know.
Scenes From H&F Bottle Shop, Atlanta
There is joy and there is pain. Joy, in the faces of those who have endeavored to open the doors of a long-awaited bottle shop. Joy, in the faces of those who enter and discover an air of tranquility and character that is not often enough seen in purveyors of wine and spirits. And the pain? It’s there, underneath it all, in the not-yet-filled shelves that know they were destined to bear bourbons, amaros, house made magic. The labyrinth of hurdles that must be traversed to open a store such as this is still somehow shocking in this city that sometimes likes to keep a good thing down. It’s enough to turn a man to drink…
H&F Bottle Shop is open now, stocked with wonderful wines, vermouths, cocktail goods, glassware. The vinyl is playing loud; today it was the Ramones. Greg, Andy, all the familiar faces from Holeman & Finch are there to get things rolling. And in a few more weeks, finally, the whiskey and rye will also grace the shop’s shelves, barring any further hurdles thrown their way. Even today though, it’s clear that H&F Bottle Shop will be something special. From the stunning style present in every little detail, to the artfully chosen selection of wines, to that quirky stack of LPs in the back corner – this is indeed a bottle shop like no other in Atlanta, nor elsewhere for that matter.
We’ll let the photos speak, just crank up some Ramones and sip some farmer fizz as you scroll on through…
H&F Bottle Shop
2357 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30305
404.841.4070
Three Fine Ryes: Bulleit 95, Rittenhouse 100, Russell’s Reserve
Rye has been on a steady upward swing over the past several years, driven in large part by the similar upward trajectory of classic cocktails. The notion that a proper Manhattan should be made with rye has taken hold, rightfully so in our opinion – the spicier profile of rye just balances so well with sweet vermouth and a touch of bitters. Of course, savvy distillers and marketers are looking to take advantage of this trend. Just this week, the folks behind Bulleit Bourbon introduced a new rye, Bulleit 95, Small Batch American Rye Whiskey. Bulleit 95 is 90 proof, 95% rye mash and 5% malted barley, and, according to Bourbonblog.com, is aged between 4 and 7 years. It’s also rumored (now confirmed) to be sourced from LDI in Indiana, whose production of Templeton Rye has impressed many. At $25-$30, Bulleit 95 competes squarely with the Russell’s Reserve 6 year old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (also a “small batch”) – a level in price well above Old Overholt and well below the big bad boys like High West Rendezvous Rye, Thomas Handy and Van Winkle Family Reserve. We decided to undertake a “taste test” between the Bulleit 95, the Russell’s Reserve, and the Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond (100 proof, at least 4 years old), a much-lauded bargain bottle ($15-$22) that is increasingly hard to find.
These three ryes make a fascinating lineup. In the glass, neat, the Russell’s Reserve has the lightest color, a light golden amber, despite the fact that it’s the only one that states its age – a solid six years. The Bulleit 95 kicks it up a notch to a delightful amber hue, and the Rittenhouse moves into deep copper territory, with a clearly thicker viscosity. On the nose, the distinctions are also clear. The Bulleit 95 is laden with sweet caramel, vanilla, oak and cherry, but evolves nicely in the glass, with layers of buttered popcorn weaving in and out of the toasty wood. The Russell’s Reserve instantly hits your nose with grassy, herbal notes, certainly more rye-like in character. And then the Rittenhouse brings the full on rye spice – heady, full, a touch of heat (it is 100 proof), and a molasses-y depth that calls to mind rum raisin.
Sipped neat, the Bulleit 95 has a lovely, lingering mouthwatering presence. The rye spice emerges here, and stays through for a long finish with a kick. This is a nice sipper, enough rye that you know what it is, but very well balanced. The Russell’s Reserve absolutely kicks it up a notch, more spice, more burn, more rye character. Not better per se, but definitely more of a prototypical rye. The Rittenhouse is a bit of a beast, and definitely benefits from a touch of water, with softens and smooths out its rough edges. As a sipping whiskey, the Bulleit 95 wins the round, though does not bring the combination of deep rye character that you will find in more expensive ryes like the High West Rendezvous.
The ultimate rye cocktail in our book is the Manhattan. Simple. Classic. Superbly balanced. We tried these three ryes in a classic combination of 2 parts rye to 1 part sweet vermouth, with two dashes of bitters and a twist of lemon. Here, the Bulleit 95 came across as a bit too mellow, allowing the vermouth to grapple away the drink. The Russell’s Reserve produced a very nice balance, but the assertiveness of the Rittenhouse really kicked the drink up a notch. We’re not saying that it will work better in all cocktails (or even with other variations of a Manhattan), but the Rittenhouse rye really makes a great Manhattan (and is a bargain to boot).
These three fine ryes are all worthy of a place in your bar – depending on what you’re looking for. Cheers to Bulleit for making a rye that stands apart, though it won’t be the rye that seizes the cocktail crown. The Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond is a stellar bargain and a superb cocktail rye. The Russell’s Reserve offers a solid middle ground, and if your tastes veer to the herbal, grassy edge of rye, this is the one for you. So… what’s your favorite rye… and why?
Bulleit 95 Rye, Straight American Rye Whiskey
90 proof
Approx. $25 retail
Tasting Date: February 28, 2011
Good Stuff – a very nice sipping whiskey, though somehow lacking in the full-on rye character despite the 95% rye mash
Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond Rye, Straight American Rye Whiskey
100 proof
Approx. $15 retail
Tasting Date: February 28, 2011
Good Stuff – a GREAT value for rye-based cocktails, sips nicely with a bit of water
Russell’s Reserve 6 year old, Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
90 proof
Approx. $28 retail
Tasting Date: February 28, 2011
Good Stuff – very nice overall rye for the price
For further reading, here’s a good little read by Greg Best of Atlanta’s Holeman & Finch: Rye: The resurgence of the other American whiskey
Update 1/4/2012: For those ready to step up to the big time, check out our BATTLE RYE between Van Winkle Family Reserve and High West Rendezvous Rye