February LCBO Vintages Releases

I'll apologize in advance, as this may end up being slightly shorter than expected, there were some pressing things in my life this past month.  On the other hand, there weren't many bottles put out his month and the bottles that were released aren't actually that deep sort of brooding Whisky.  In fact this month has been all American Whiskey, and all the bottles are simple everyday drams at reasonable prices.  As a matter of fact I've reviewed two of the three bottles already, so I'll use those reviews as reference.  Let's take a look into what was released to us at the start of the Month.


February 02, 2013 Vintages Release:

The first bottle up is Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey.  This is a richly flavoured Rye, lots of fruit and spice and quite sweet in the American Whiskey tradition.  This was released previously in June 2012 (Review can be found HERE).  I recall it being quite fruity and peppery hot, which I previously liked very much, but now I'm not quite sold on.  It is still a great Whiskey, but I feel it could use some further years of aging and mellowing.  Check your local LCBO <HERE> for a bottle to call your own.  Priced at $46 it's not a bad deal and served at at 45% ABV it's quite the punch.

Now that I look at the LCBO site, scratch that last remark.  I don't see any bottle listed for item #205666.  Maybe I really am that far behind the 8 ball and completely missed this bottle, or maybe that speaks to the spirit within.

Okay in light of that situation, the next bottle has no fear of leaving our shelves anytime soon as it seems to show up yearly in the releases.  Eagle Rare 10 year old is a wonderful introduction to American Bourbon.  This was reviewed twice previously by myself in both October 2011 and July 2012 (Link <HERE>).  I do adore this bourbon as it exemplifies the American bourbon nose.  There is a ton of cherries and woody vanilla.  It's so incredibly smooth which may be dangerous when tasting as a bottle seems to disappear faster than you realize.  There really is quite a lot going on the bottle and I really suggest you grab one; at $48 and 45% ABV they are well worth the investment as an everyday bourbon.  Check your local LBCO <HERE> for a bottle.  Now also to note, I see the earmark for the Eagle Rare 17.  I have no idea when it will be in, but you can bet I'll be on that one as soon as they show up.

February 16, 2013 Vintages Release:
That sums up the first release, and in the second batch there is only a single bottle.  Don't fret as this bottle is a sort of overlooked and well worth it kind of bottle.  What may come as a surprise to most and a disappointment to others, we receive W.L. Weller 12 year old.  I have to admit, I saw the W.L. Weller come up in the searches and just about lost my marbles; but sadly this is only the 12 year old variant and not the Sazerac Antique version.  I have had the antique collection variant and will vouch that is is beyond amazing; but let's not loose focus here.  What we have is a 12 year old 45% ABV Kentucky Straight wheated Bourbon.  This isn't the prettiest bottle on the shelf, but what dwells within is a rich and hearty trip to the south.  Loads of fruit on the nose, cherries, apricots and melons.  There is also a ton of fruity vanilla (Mexican vanilla seems to bear this trait to my nose), with a heavy hit of burnt toffee and creamy milk chocolate.  In the palate there is even more to love, chocolate and wood spice mingle easily over the tongue with cherry cough drops and prosciutto melon hors d'oeurves hinting in the distance with a vanilla cream sauce paving the way.  There is a rich earthiness (but not a dirty note), more like mineral oiliness that makes the mouth feel seem thick and rich.  The finish shows another side though, very light, crisp and short making this a very easy to drink bourbon.  There is a the warm oak and more vanilla caramel in the finish with some hints of new leather, but nothing quite as heavy as you'd think (it is a wheated Bourbon and as such tends to be a bit lighter in the body department).  This is a star in disguise, and should be on anyone's shelf or bar.  Served at 45% ABV and priced at only $45; I'd strongly suggest you search out a bottle at your local LBCO <HERE> because once you've tasted it, you'll want more.  I had mentioned that this might disappoint some people, and by that I mean the collectors that snatched up every bottle of Van Winkle Lot 12B that appeared on our shelves within a week.  Now the secret to this is that Julian Van Winkle is their master distiller.  That name is sending up flags for collectors everywhere as they drained the LCBO of stock a while back including the standard 10 year old variant.  This is very, very, very similar to the famed Lot 12 'B' bottling and exhibits the same remarkably wonderful nose and drinkability.  So should you have a bottle of 12B sitting that you don't want to open, try this and know what you're missing... then open your Van Winkle bottle and compare.  I do have a bottle myself of both Van Winkle offerings that came in last year, and I will be doing that comparison myself at some point.

So that does it for the February offerings, some good Bourbons to be had, and much more to come for March.  The usual St. Patrick's collection of Cooley bottles will be back and some new interesting bottles.  Keep your stick on the ice and the ice out of your glass and I'll be seeing you sometime soon.

December 8th/2012 Vintages Releases

So I missed my December deadline (Yeah, yeah so shoot me... I'm a busy guy sometimes), but then again there wasn't a whole lot that you would have missed with it.  This was the last release before the new year arrives for the LCBO, and in it is only a single new bottle.  Let's check into what was released and what's returning to the shelves.

First up is the re-stocking of 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Kentucky Bourbon.  This was reviewed in February of last year (Link Here).  It's an 8 year old beauty, with an equally great mouth filling rye rush of fruits, pepper and punch.  I still think it's a great deal even at the $50 asking price.  Lots of flavour to be found in this bottle and the nose alone is almost worth the price of admission.  Check your local LCBO <HERE> for a location near you.

Next up is a new pricing on The Balvenie 21 Portwood (Reviewed March 2012).  Somehow, even without ordering more stock, the LCBO has found it in the infinite wisdom to increase the price to $244.95 on this bottle.  That's clearly out of the range of most buyers, and should be off your radar to buy... trust me that's too much for too little whisky.  In stead I strongly suggest that you check around for a dram at your local bar or mooch one form a friend.  It's a worth dram, just not worth what they are asking IMO.  Now if it were non-chillfiltered and cask strength.... that's a different story.  Sigh, the wishes of a small time blogger against a global drinks giant.  A man can dream.

Last up is the only new bottle for this release.  The Benriach 12 Sherry Wood finish.  This is from an artisan run distillery, which means that there is no chillfiltration and a slightly higher ABV (46%).  This means that for you, the connoisseur, you'll get slightly more from your bottle.  More flavour and more value are two things close to my heart being an Ontarian; I need to get the most for the least from our liquor stores.

The colour is deep and rich amber with mahogany highlights.  The nose is thick with rich sherry red fruits, caramel and baking spices, rum soaked raisins and hints of dutch cocoa powder.  The mouth feel is good, a little overly sweet for my tastes lately, but still very good.  Loads of sherry sweetness comes across right away, followed by more sweet malt and then countered with nutmeg, roasted figs and more cocoa powder (not dutch this time, meaning no acidity).  The finish is medium and still adeptly sweet, but much better balanced with the spicy oak notes and vanilla residue.  This is a great introductory dram to how good a whisky can but it's going to lack challenge for experienced drinkers.  This to me sits perfectly as an after dinner dram, something about the sweetness is a little over powering for my regular drinking palate.  Check your local LCBO <HERE> for your bottle, priced a little on the high side at $67/bottle.

So that sums up 2012; lots of good news for everyone including a new blog spot, new Whisky group, and tonnes of new friends of twitter.  It's a great feeling to look back at what I started off hand and realize that what was a single point of interest has become so much more with so much to offer our Whisky community.  I feel privileged to be included in (to quote a fellow blogger @WhiskyLassie), the #Whiskyfabric.  Keep your eyes peeled to our blog as there is so much more coming down the pipe including destinations, bar reviews, bottle reviews, rare whisky and so much more.  So in conclusion (and you should know this by know); keep your stick on the ice and the ice out of your glass.

LCBO Vintages Release for July 2012

Well this month, there isn't a whole heck of a lot to report on in the magazines and public releases.  There are however many more items in the LCBO that deserve your attention and hard earned money.  So let's start into this with the public Vintages releases.

July 07/2012 Release:

Only a single bottle in this round.  Wemyss Malts brings the LCBO a 15 year old Caol Ila from their private collections.  Wemyss (said like 'Weems'), is a long standing family with a heavy passion for good Whisky.  Barley from the Wemyss estate is still prized today by many of the big distillers for both its quality and flavour.  They offer both independent single-cask  bottlings of major distilleries and a range of hand-crafted blends.  Currently the LCBO has one of each of their midst, the 8 year old blend known as 'Spice King' and the new arrival of the single cask Caol Ila 1996.  They specify right on their website: "All of our single cask offerings are non chill-filtered and free of artificial colouring, such as caramel." 

Delving into the Caol Ila we find a rich and creamy nose.  Filled with notes of big peat and smoke (both peat and wood smoke), hints of caramel and undertones of brine and minerals wash back and forth. Subtle notes of cinnamon and cloves peek through in the background.  Mouth-feel on this is fantastic,  deep and rich with similar notes from the nose carried on a gentle baking spices (cardamom, cloves and cinnamon) palate with hints of barley sugar.  Finish is medium-long and drying.  The peat in the finish carries you to rubbed oak nose with gentle notes of detritus vegetation and roasted nuts (seriously good stuff in this bottle).  So things are looking really up, 46% ABV, no colour, no chill filtration, and one hell of a Islay dram.  In fact possibly one of the best modern Caol Ila's I've had to date.  The quality and time taken in this dram shows itself over and over again, and the whisky becomes more-ish very quickly.  Not a bad deal for $150 for an indie bottling of an Islay king.  Check your local LCBO <HERE> for your bottle, and you may also want to search out the Spice King <HERE> as it's an excellent example of a well-crafted blend.

July 27/2012 Release:

Making it's return this month is a fantastic Kentucky Bourbon.  Eagle Rare 10 (not really so rare if it's been released for the last three years consecutively...), is a big meaty 10 year old Bourbon.  Wonderfully rich dark, and complex; yet still wonderfully affordable.  The nose is heavy, laden with Cherries (all types [dried, macerated, overripe, fresh etc...]), vanilla is present, but muted whereas the oak and southern style sweet tea (look that up and make that for yourself one day; trust me on that) permeate.  Buried underneath there are hints of medicated rub (bay leaf , eucalyptus, and hints of camphor), also I found molasses and sweet corn.  The palette is just as good, featuring many of the same notes from the nose but with a little more vanilla and oak in the package.  Honey, herbs and worked leather make an appearance in the mouth too, making the palate on this pretty intense.  The finish is slow and drying, starting with a baking spice hint and turning up to 11 with a full on trip into a oak sawmill!  That's a hard one to explain, but think of worked leather (like horse bridals), old sawdust, linseed oil, the actual smell of the horses (animal but not bad animals), fresh cut lumber and old lumber drying in the sun, and so much more.  This is a great buy to get into American Bourbon, I know I've turned a few colleagues on with this particular dram.  Served at 45% ABV and  of course no colour added by law, check your local LCBO <HERE> as these bottles don't seem to last long at $48.

Last up is another Speyside single malt.  This time it comes from an independent group by the name of Lombards.  Pebble Beach is one of the most iconic golf courses in the world (or so I'm told as I have a hard enough time completing a 9 hole mini golf course).  As such, it commands one of the other great Scottish innovations be presented in its name.  Pebble Beach 12 is a beautiful dram that emphasizes all things Speyside whisky; rich fruitiness, malty sweetness, and excellent finishes with drying notes making your mouth yearn for more.  The nose on this is fantastic, rich pralines and caramels dominate with notes of  coconut and hints of tropical fruits interspersed.  From a second fill Bourbon cask, this presents more of that rich toffee and floral palate and subdues the oak to the finish.  The palate is quite dry, contrary to the nose, and has the same caramel and red fruit flavours but with a hint of tobacco leaves and sweet candied orange peels.  Dutch cocoa powder and candied ginger come across in the finish with the oak playing second fiddle and some wood smoke buried in the distance.  This is a great dram for a great price from an exciting newcomer to the LCBO shelves.  I strongly suggest you check your local LCBO for anything Lombards as they certainly seem to take care in their bottling; and at $67 and 43% ABV (NCF NCA), this is a very good bottle to delve into the Speyside mystique.  Check you local LCBO <HERE> for your very own bottle.

In the non-publicized Vintages release there is so, so much more to be found.  I have noted bottles from Lombard's, MacArthur's, Dun Bheagan, and Berry Brothers to name a few.  Let's list a few that have come in and I'll get to posting some more notes here shortly of the few that I've tried.

Lombard's:

• Teaninich 12 Year Old ($67) <-- Not my favourite, but an excellent expression of Teanninch.


• Pebble Beach 12 ($67)


• 1989 Macallan 14 CS ($135) <-- Incredible deal on a CS Macallan.


• 1979 Balmenach 21 CS ($255)


• 1979 Edradour 21 ($590) <-- I've lost my marbles over this one, hardly see Edradour this old.

MacArthur's:

• 1998 Glen Ord 12 ($95) <-- You'll never see another one like this, Glen Ord is a secretive distillery.


• 1996 Miltonduff 13 ($96)


• 1992 Glen Grant 19 CS ($125) <-- Light in colour; a non-sherried Grant?


• 1997 Glendullan 12 CS ($128) <-- Excellent representation of the distillery.


• 1998 Linkwood 12 CS ($137)

Dun Bheagan:

• 1998 Mortlach 13 ($90)


• Bunnahabhain 24 ($179) <-- Excellent deal on an old Islay, can't go wrong at this price.


• 1987 Miltonduff 24 CS ($195)


• 1990 Rosebank 20 ($230) <-- Skip this bad Rosie and put you money down on either one of the other 24 year olds

Berry's Selection:

• 1998 Blair Athol 13 ($100)


• 1997 Clynelish 14 ($105) <-- Iconic Clynelish notes, rich, waxy and very fruity. Excellent!


• 1974 Glen Grant 37 ($357) <-- Incredible stuff always, colour of pipe tobacco.  Will be trying!

Okay, so that about wraps up most of this round.  I'll be posting some notes for some selected drams above soon and as always: Keep your stick on the ice, and the ice out of our glass.

LCBO Vintages Release for May 2012

Well I return from the dead, apologies for not posting this sooner but it's been a jam packed month.  The pickings are slim for the May releases from the LCBO, but as the Spirit of Toronto show also followed suit, there are many hidden gems on the shelves.  Only 2 bottles publicly noted for the Vintages magazine, one for each release.  Let's take a gander at what was offered.

May 12,2012 Vintages Release:

A single Irish bottle from The Irishman distillery group; the second released by the LCBO (last month their Single Malt was premiered).  The Irishman 70 is a blended Irish whiskey, matured in bourbon barrels and blended at 40% ABV.  This is a difficult one to write about as this is the domain of the world largest whiskey brand (quick hint... think yellow label/green bottle...... yeah green... real original for Ireland).  All that aside, flavor & quality will prevail; and this blend beats the pants off the National Brand.  The nose shows hot pepper and spices, with hints of toasted grains and nuts.  In the mouth is where this shines.  Very, very smooth with notes of dried peaches, more grains (toasted, with hints of rye prevailing), aromatic wood (like cedar or hemlock), and wet slate (not a bad thing, but a very nice mineral contrast to the sweetness).  The finish is smooth and creamy with hints of wood, raisins and pepper.  The balance across the dram as a whole is fantastic, very well built with a great harmony of heat, sweet and finite details (like the fruits and minerals).  Check your local LCBO for Sku #135186, and priced at $41.95, this won't be around too long when word gets out.

May 26,2012 Vintage Release:

The only bottle in the second round is a Kentucky Whisky (not a bourbon... corn doesn't play first chair in this orchestra!).  This isn't just any whisky though, this is Bernheim small batch straight wheat whisky.  Made from 51% soft winter wheat, with the remainder being mostly corn, and aged about 5 years (that's what my sources tell me). Incredible mouth-feel dominates this treasure, and backs up an excellent flavour profile.  Initial nose shows floral notes backed up with toffee, pepper and hints of vanilla and cloves.  There is a lot going on in this glass (a lot of it being subtle and muted), further swirls give off notes of more vanilla (extract this time), hints of floral wildflower honey, wheat crackers, and white pepper.  In the mouth incredible balance of wood, wood smoke, sweet grain wheaty-ness, spice blends (like for spice cake),  and more wildflowers in the background.  With water it almost becomes creamy and smooth, losing the spicy notes and hot pepper tartness and gaining a rounded more floral and sweet palate.  The finish is long, warming and very satisfying.  Subtle hints of wood smoke intersperse with the honey, spice and oak notes.  This is a fantastic bottle, and the LCBO seems to think that you should pay heavily for its delicious contents. At $75/bottle and 45% ABV, I think it's still a great choice for a premium American whisky. Get your bottle at your local LCBO for $75/bottle [Sku #278077].  Served at 45% ABV, this is a hell of a whisky to add to your collection!  This is a very light whisky, and would be excellent on those hot summer days coming to your neighborhood soon.

Well that sums up the Vintages releases, but there are a few others to report on.  The first coming to us, announced in shining letters via eMail from the LCBO.  This came via pre-order only.  Kavalan Soloist Sherry cask.  This interesting dram hails from Taiwan from the King Car distillery.  It deserves commendation as they proudly display the unchillfiltered and no colour added banners on  ALL of their whiskies from the Kavalan range.  But the thing that held me back was the price!  The LCBO wants you to chance your hard earned cash (actually $214/bottle), on an untested and UN-tasteable Taiwanese whisky.  Now that aside, this is a multiple award-winning, Whisky Bible commended, and much heralded Taiwanese whisky.  I'll be the first to say, that I don't do what the books tell me and neither should you.  I gladly tried the Kavalan 'Concertmaster' Single Malt whisky at the Spirit of Toronto show, in hopes that the main attraction coming would blow me over.  Instead what I got really rubbed me the wrong way.  The way the LCBO employees were pimping out this spirit; like it was a Macallan 1955 single cask, made me frustrated.  "Oh sir you would love this, it's a limited production... blah blah blah... (he now proceeds to pour slightly less that than 1/8 of an ounce into my Glencairn) ..... blah blah, made from the tears of orphans struck down by Chuck Norris himself (continues rambling on).... and finished in only the best port pipes from the 14th century hand sealed by King Louis the 573rd himself that money can buy.  Seriously.  This is good whisky at best, but if your trying to use this to sell me a $215 of single cask CS Taiwanese whisky, boy have you got another life lesson coming.  The concertmaster was alright whisky, simple, well balanced, good nose and generally a good International bottling.  But if you're trying to sell me a Maybach by showing me your mom's 1995 Chevy Cavalier with a fresh coat of paint on it, yeah I'm gonna be a little ticked off.  I did enjoy it and found myself asking for a triple pour so I could actually taste something (which after some judging looks and sour faces, I finally got).  I'll level with you though, I found this no more appealing than say a Glenfiddich 15 Solera (if it were at Cask Strength).  It's a great whisky, but  it shouldn't come with strings attached.  That aside, $214 for a Cask Strength single malt is a bit out of reach even for the most eager whisky drinker.  There are many better offerings from better known distilleries that I adore (eg: Isle of Arran Single Cask, Springbank 12 CS to name a couple).  All my petty bitching aside, I am informed that the standard bottling (I think it's the Concertmaster one), will arrive sometime this fall. We'll keep an eye out and review it as it comes up.

Second up is a craft distillation from Rogue brewery.  The Rogue Oregon Single Malt 'whiskey' (not sure why the 'E' in whisky, that is a debate for another day), comes from the illustrious Rogue brewery.  Makers of such odd named brews as Brutal IPA, Dead Guy Ale, Mogul Madness ale and few other comical names, I can assure you these are all serious beers.  This spirit is built from 100% first growth Oregon Malt on their own 257 acre farm.  12% of the final product is hand-smoked, by a 40 year veteran of Rogue Brewery, with local Maple and Alder chips to give it a hint of wood smoke.  40% ABV, no mention of filtration or colour added, the clear bottle reveals rich copper highlights and an interesting haze when cooled.  I'd like to think there's nothing added or removed, but I'm honestly not sure.  The nose on this was fantastic, rich and fruity with notes of wood smoke, caramel, ripe apricots, hints of peaches, and coffee.  In the mouth the fruity notes continue and bring caramel overtones, with notes of toasted oak, roasted grains, malt syrup and hints of red fruits.  The finish is fairly short, but rewards the tongue.  Notes of oak and caramel are peppered with hints of fruit, hot pepper and vanilla mixed throughout.  It's on the expensive side at $89/bottle and a bit thin, being on the low end of the proof scale, but I think this is a very good single malt from the US with great potential.  I also don't believe that this is whiskey either... you do actually have to age it slightly longer than a couple of months (again another debate for another day).  Check your local LBCO for Sku #272302, and grab yourself one before they're gone, and while you're there you might want to grab yourself an Orange Honey Ale or Brutal IPA to go along with it.

Well that's about it for this update.  I've got the working proofs of June's listings too and some more information from the Spirit of Toronto to write up.  Also a couple more tasting note reviews are coming down the pipe and hopefully a special event coming up will net some nice notes.  So for the time being, keep your stick on the ice and the ice out of your glass.

LCBO Vintages Release for February 2012

Well, that month seemed to blow by quickly!  Then again at only 28 days + 1 for a leap year, is a quick month.  That being said, the releases are short on numbers, but big on flavor!

February 04/2012 Release:

First up is a Kentucky bourbon! 1792 Ridgemont Reserve is a barrel select Kentucky straight bourbon.  Straight bourbon is legally defined as being over 2 years old, this one hits 8 years before it's released to the masses.  With a high rye content in the mashbill, it brings up the spice notes in the nose.  Very spicy up front (causes salivation.... even while I'm writing this now thinking about it).  Nose features spice cake, sharp rye, cracked pepper and loads of fruits and pickles (that's the rye again).  Mouth feel is very different, rich and creamy, with hints of apples and licorice in the background.  I think it's a pretty good buy, and for only $50/bottle,  it's really hard to go wrong.  Check your local LCBO [Sku#208918], for a location near you.

Second is another bottling from Welsh distillery Penderyn.  Wales is a small country located between the Irish sea and England, also holds the records for the wettest place in Europe.  That being said, there is a golden ray of light under the gray skies: Penderyn distillery.  Penderyn Sherrywood  is an excellent representation of a cask finish gone according to plan.  Buffalo Trace bourbon casks are used in conjunction with an Oloroso Sherry wood cask to create a sum greater than both parts.  Penderyn tends to be a light and floral sort of wysgi (Welsh for whisky), and marrying it with rich sherry casks brings out rich fruity notes with a wonderful smooth finish.  The combination of casks give wonderful sweet raisins, dates, caramel and custard notes on the nose.  This develops well in the glass, but the palate speaks for itself.  Creme caramel and almonds dominate, raisins and sherry soaked red fruits with a hint of bitter ginger at the end to balance it all out.  The finish is mid-length and very smooth (hence it is a favorite of mine).  Check your local LCBO [Sku #270611] for a bottle, priced at $85 and served at 46% ABV I think it's an excellent treat.

Next up is a island monster! Isle of Jura 200th Anniversary (21 Years old).  This monster comes to us courtesy of the 1963 Gonzalez Byass sherry casks that were specially selected to represent the year that Jura was reborn.  In '63, the distillery was rebuilt, and new life was breathed into both the island and the spirit.  The 21 year old spirit holds its own as an excellent example of Island whisky at it's best.  It's got a rich (assisted), golden colour that already gives me that warm fuzzy feeling inside.  The nose reveals macerated orange peel, slight hints of peat, and buried depths of dark chocolate mixed into a briny ocean spray (characteristic Isle of Jura).  The sherry influence comes in with notes of marzipan and golden raisins, rich worked leather notes.  It coats the mouth like velvet but remains dry.  The palate fills out with walnuts, dark chocolate covered almonds, roasted seaweed (think of the nori that covers your sushi), and cracked black pepper on the finish.  Excellent stuff, and served at the Jura's usual 43% ABV makes this an excellent bottle to grab and stash away for that special date.  Check you local LCBO [Sku #266700] for a bottle, priced a bit on the high side at $147, but as it's a rarity, well worth the price.

February 18/2012 release:

Only a single bottle in this round!  Many of my friends know that I'm not a big fan of The Balvenie; only going for the 21 Port wood cask (LCBO seriously over priced at $216), and the 14 Caribbean cask (much better choice at only $99).  Making a reappearance at the LCBO is the 15 year old Single Cask.  This is an excellent representation of the Balvenie signature spirit.  Offered at 50.5% ABV, this is an excellent cost/value ratio ($135/bottle).  Honey and floral notes gently waft through the nose, vanilla and gentle polished oak weave a fantastic nose that melds into the palate.  Rich honeycomb and gentle wildflowers mingle with the dry worked oak notes and toasted malt on the palate.  The finish is subtle and complex with notes of heather and more worked oak with a subtle hint of anise/licorice.  Normally I'm not a Balvenie fan, but at the price/value you'll get from this bottle at only $135, you're not going to find a better chance to get into a Bavlenie with such an excellent palate.  Check your local LCBO [Sku #366963], for your bottle.

Well that sums up the February releases.  Seems like we got spoiled this round, which leaves me wondering why? (naturally pessimistic I guess).  I have a feeling that March will be showing us the usual Irish malts in a toss out to St. Patrick's day (some of which I am a big fan).  Until next time, keep your stick on the ice and the ice out of your glass.  I'll be posting some tasting notes from my tasting experience with the guys from Scotchblog.ca, take a trip by and check out what they have to offer.

LCBO Vintages Release for December 2011

Well 'tis that time of year, and the Vintages releases are short (just like the days).  The last release for this year was done on December 10th, and the rest of this year is dedicated to their Christmas cheer book and sparkling wines for New Years.  What came out during this release?

Blanton's Single Barrel Special Reserve Bourbon:   This is a fantastic single barrel bourbon from the deep south!  Blanton's specializes in single barrel bourbon production.  This is a premium bourbon that comes from only a single warehouse in the Buffalo Trace distillery.  In fact they only come from the 'centre cut' of Warehouse H (very centre), when the aging seems to take place perfectly for the spirit.  Since 1984 Blanton's has been producing single barrel bourbon and was one of the first to offer such a product.  Their website has some of the best laid out information I've ever seen and can be found by clicking the distillery name at the start of the article of HERE for the Special Reserve.  I'm not crazy over the chill filtration in Scotch (but I've never seen a non-chillfiltered bourbon), but I really appreciate the forward information.  If I get my hands on any samples I'll be more than happy to provide the review.  Check your local LCBO for Sku #558320, bottles are $76 each.  There is also a Blanton's single barrel standard available for $65 under LCBO Sku #255349 (it's also 45% ABV).

Second in this short release is Glenfarclas 12.  Glenfarclas is one of my absolute favorite distilleries as they provide an appealing spirit geared towards Whisky lovers.  All malts are presented without colour added and served at 43%! Though special bottlings like the 15 & 40 are 46%, and the 105 is a whopping 60%.  Sadly though they still chill filter the whisky (confirmed via Ralfy), but that can easily be changed to create a full craft presentation.  Run by an independent distiller (J & G Grant), they produce some of the best sherry casked Scotches available in my personal opinion.  The 12 year old is no exception to this rule! Fresh and light, the sherry influence is still young but I found lots of oak notes (worked, toasted, and some fresh or green wood), cereals, a twist of a sour note, an interesting brine/salty note, heather and almond.  A little hot on the palette, this will benefit from an addition touch of water to open the nose.  I'd call this a good deal at $64, so check out your local LCBO for Sku #142182.

Sadly, this is actually the last post of the year, and I will resume sometime after the Holidays.  I'm off to the Dominican for a much needed vacation, but I promise to come back and work up some more spirits for review.  Most importantly, I do want to thank you (on the other side of the screen), for reading my blog as this actually means quite a lot to me!  Enjoy your holidays, and your whisky responsibly.

Keep your stick on the ice, and the ice out of your glass!

Vintages Release for October 2011

Well here we go again!  Another belated but good round of releases for October!

First up: Longrow CV makes a return to the LCBO shelves (although I don't really recall it ever leaving at any of my stores).  With a lightly peated, peppery and iodine notes on the nose.  This Campbelton malt features a fantastic finish with a depth that is hard to match.  Check your local LCBO for SKU#180158 and grab yourself a bottle for $85.  My personal suggestion though is to hold out and shoot for the Longrow 10 year old single malt (LCBO Sku #735688 for $125/bottle).  I find it a bit less structured and a little more enduring as it's not quite as intense as the CV blend.  The CV blend features a mix of the 7, 10, and 14 year old singles with the finishes varying from Port casks to rum finishes.  Either choice is an excellent foray into a small, family run distillery that showcases the hallmark of an independent distiller - unchillfiltered and higher proof allowing the end user more flavour and better value.

Second to the purchases list is not actually a Scotch at all, but rather a Cognac.  Léopold Gourmel is a well known Cognac house that is renowned for its embrace of the natural process.  No additives, no colour, no caramel... nothing.  this is pure unadulterated Cognac from non-toasted barrels.  This allows the user a chance to peek into the realm of the spirit itself and experience the spirit for what it is, not the aging process or the special French wood used, or the super rare colonized bee with gold feet that taste like angle tears which pollinates the grapes.  With no chill-filteration and no colour added, this became my next step into the world of spirits and I'll let you know what I think of it soon enough.  The 6 Carat (for 6 years), VSOP is a prize to behold in a quite pretty decanter with a gift box.  Tasting notes show a rich and varied spirit with vanilla bean, coffee and smoke wrapped in dried fruits and chocolate.  Check your LCBO for availability at your local shop ($66 SKU #258848).

The second release features a mix of old and new whiskies.  We have the return and price increase of the Glenfiddich 21 Rum Finish (albeit never leaving the shelves, just increasing again by $10).  Check this LCBO SKU#981381 for available locations.  At $174.95, I don't feel like this is such a good value anymore, you might be more inclined to try the limited edition Snow Phoenix release for $89.50 (Check this SKU #236752).  Don't get me wrong, it is excellent whisky, but at that price there are many other bottles I would choose over that first.

LCBO pricing aside, the other returning bottle is the legendary Eagle Rare 10 Year old Single Barrel.  It has returned to us at only $47.95/bottle this time ($2 dollars cheaper), and what a bargain for such a monster bourbon.  This was my second bottle of single barrel bourbon, and what an introduction it was!  Sweet cherry, butterscotch, oranges and vanilla permeate the nose with spice cake, apricot/orange marmalade, rich heavy American oak and dark corn syrup building the body.  The finish is long and incredible, soft and slow with pepper and ripe fruits permeating the finish.  This is a definite purchase for the bourbon lover in your life, and if you aren't one, this whisky may change your mind.  Check your local stock using LCBO SKU#604785.  At less than 50 dollars, this is a must have for any whisky enthusiast.  Just writing about it makes me want a glass, and I really want to get my hands on the 17 year old version!

What's new in this round (although I admit I've seen this before on the shelves), is Royal Canadian Small Batch.  This is from the masterminds at Sazerac Distillers.  They brought us the Buffalo Trace lineup, Old Rip Van Winkle's Bourbon, and many other incredible American bourbons.  The Royal Canadian is an offshoot of the greater project in which Sazerac purchased a lot of Canadian whisky barrels.  They have since been releasing small batch and single barrel releases.  The first one I saw was Caribou Crossing Single Barrel hit the LCBO shelves late last year.  On a whim at an LCBO tasting bar, I got my chance to taste the spirit.  It was really something!  When time and patience meet Drew Mayville's nose, magic happens.  It was a real eye-opener for Canadian whisky.  This second bottling is a blend of some more of the selected barrels to create an iconic Canadian whisky flavour.  With rich oak and fruits hitting your nose right away, it really is a heck of a whisky.  Sweetness carries through the spirit bringing hints of oak, hot pepper, spice cake, rich fruits and so much more.  This is a rich and robust example of what Canadian whisky really can be  (now if only the other manufacturers would allow the spirit to age longer into something like this instead of bottling it young and harsh).  Check your local listings using LCBO SKU #224071. A bottle at $37.95 with this kind of flavour is a rare find indeed.

Also in the mid October release is Springbank  CV Single Malt.  A single malt from the Campbelton region, the CV is a no age statement bottling.  This allows drinking without the prejudice of the number staring you in the face ('Was that 10 year old really as good as a 10 should be?'  'That 25 year old was excellent, but the 18 was better.').  These are the things I hear all the time, and this bottling allows the user to attest to the spirit without judging the book by it's cover.  That being said, Springbank is a vibrant spirit.  The CV shows a subdued sherry nose interspersed with peat, menthol and eucalyptus.  Leather and sherry on the tongue with notes of hard oak, spice and pear in the mouth.  The finish is medium, but reveals many layers of sherry, fruits  and leather.  This is a heck of a dram for $74.95/bottle.  Check your local LCBO using SKU#250142.


Also included in this release is the Johnnie Walker Blue mini bottle.  Now I'm not a huge advocate of mega-produced over priced malts, but for a 200 mL sample of the good life, I think it might be worth the $69.95 asking tag.  It really showcases the art of the blender with incredible depth, smoothness and balance - something to be tried and savored.  Check the LCBO using SKU #255778 for locations near you; it's worth a snap up, if for nothing more than a rewarding dram.



In the final release (yes, 3 releases for October!), there are a few more malt mentions.

First up is a Canadian single malt of a special pedigree.  Glen Breton Ice 17 Cask Strength.  This is a real malt monster, and something I've been looking forward to trying all year.  The 17 Year old Canadian malt is finished in Jost Wineries award-winning Icewine casks,and served at cask strength.  This gives incredible rich and bright fruits to the nose, but expect a heck of a bite when served at 57.5%.  This will be added to the collection for sure, and will definitely be sampled and reviewed at a later date!  Check SKU #250183 for the product information.

Also released in this issue is a newcomer to the Canadian scene, Deanston 'Virgin Oak' from Burn Stewart in Scotland.  Finished in virgin American oak barrels, I'd expect the oak to play a front-runner to the Scotch.  It sounds like it would be worth a try, and at only $39.95/bottle, it would be a pretty safe bet for a good fall dram.  Unchillfiltered and served at 46.3%, this looks to be a good independent style bottling.  All that heavy oak mingling with the honey sweetness of the barley is sure to please.  Check SKU #254235 at your local LCBO.

Last and most certainly not least, is another release from Edradour.  The 10 Year old distillery edition.  If their other lineups are anything to go upon, this is a real cracker.  This is the smallest distillery in Scotland (check out their website for the quick virtual tour HERE), is still family owned and run.  Producing some excellent scotch in the way it should be produced.  By hand, with no chillfiltration and no colour added.  The distillery edition at only 10 years is a fresh and rich dram, that should be hunted down for a taste.  Almonds and sweet barley sugars take centre stage, with hints of sherry in the background.  An excellent dram, and well worth the investment.  Check your local LCBO for stock #904995 for a bottle  ($79.95).



Well that sums up the massive release for October!  In fact, this post has taken me a week to create off-and-on, due to the size of the release.  I will be off too Whisky Live and hope to see some of you there, and will post about that again soon.  Until the next post, keep your stick on the ice, and ice out of your Whisky.

LCBO Vintages - Preview for March 19/2011

As usual for all LCBO Vintages members we get the sneak preview of the upcoming release.  My main interest lays in the Spirits section (obvious isn't it).

Saturday March 19/2011 brings back Eagle Rare 10-year-old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon (Say that 5x fast).  A single barrel bottling from Old Prentice Distillery (now known as Buffalo Trace Distillery), aged 10 years served at 45%.  This is an excellent foray into quality American craft bourbon.  Excellent rich mahogany color and fantastic lush vanilla, caramel, oak and root beer flavors dominate this Kentucky straight bourbon.  A good buy at $50 [LCBO Sku #604785].  American bourbon has an excellent reputation amongst quality spirit drinkers.  It is stipulated to made from a minimum of 51% corn, aged at least 2 years (4 years to earn the 'Straight' moniker), only in new American Oak charred barrels.  When withdrawn from its woody cache, it cannot be colored or added to in any way shape or form.  This means no e150a caramel to give it that marmalade perma-glow orange (much the same as Snooki has a seemingly impossible Oompah-Loompah orange glow about herself).

Also featured in the mid-March release is a newcomer to the LCBO:  Smokey Joe Islay Malt.  I've heard many good things about this particular blend, particularly noting that at 46% and non-chill filtered provided a complete flavor palate for the taster.  Produced by Angus Dundee Distillery, this a new and welcome import to the LCBO.  This is a vatted malt (malt-blend or blended malt [meaning no grain whisky added]), providing a much richer and narrower flavor profile.  I personally find that grain whisky (corn, wheat, rye or otherwise), tend to broaden, flavor, and sweeten the spirit.  This isn't necessarily bad, but it's nice to see the depth that a bunch of malts can create when they play nicely together.  If you're a fan of Islay Scotch or would like to try something smokey and fantastic, or know of a 'peat-head'.  Give this a try. $65 for a bottle, served @ 46% ABV with no chill-filtering.  You can't really go wrong.  LCBO item number #223719 should be sought after, but I think it's almost all gone.  Recently; Ralfy did a quick review on this vatted malt; and can be viewed here.

That's all that we got, but not all is lost; more is to come soon enough whisky mates.  Until next time enjoy a dram for me.