Category Archives: American

Whisky Ladies’s Bourbon Pairings

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When hosting, each Whisky Lady curates their evening. They chose the whiskies, how they want to approach the tasting, keep it simple or explore a pairing, and how to close the evening with light bites or a proper meal.

One Whisky Lady just so happens to be an exceptional gourmet chef. The passion she brings to her profession is infectious and we are the happy beneficiaries!

Her choice for the evening? A theme of bourbon – with a twist. Her approach? To pair each with a fruit/nut, a cheese, and a sweet treat.

It was more than a whisky tasting, it was a complete experience.

She also introduced a “calibration” dram – a readily accessible Indian single malt.

Dōaab ex-Bourbon cask 42.8%

  • Nose – Warm, honey, very sweet, spices, waxy, some fresh paint and rubber
  • Palate – Woody, a peppery spice, raw banana peel, a bit bitter
  • Finish – Clove, wood, a hint of charcoal

It was a more substantive start than we would have with our calibration dram in Germany. There we chose a relatively neutral whisky, something light to whet our whistle before the main attraction. Here, we had a much more desi style. A dram of sufficient power to hold up to generous pours of cool water and ice that is the norm with whisky in our considerably hotter climate.

We then moved on to our planned trio…

  • Iwai Mars Tradition Blend 40%
  • Wild Turkey Longbranch 43%
  • Buffalo Trace 15 year 41%

We began with the Japanese blend… It made the Bourbon theme as it is touted to be “inspired by bourbon”. How? It uses a high-corn mash bill with light malt and aged in ex-bourbon, sherry, and red wine casks.

Iwai Mars Tradition Blend 40%

  • Nose – Floral, fruity, a burst of juice from peeling an orange, bright, yet also gentle and fresh – like dew drops after the rains, creamy milk chocolate, popcorn
  • Palate – Surprising depth given the floral aromas, lots of flavour, was that even a hint of peat?
  • Finish – A gentle whisper

Well that was a rather nice start! With the revisit, we found the delightful floral aromas remained, joined by even more citrus – this time lemon instead of orange.

Our pairing experience?

  1. Grapefruit – Pairing enhanced the zesty element in the whisky, a light bitterness and enhanced the peat
  2. Camembert – What a contrast! Made the whisky so much sweeter, cloves, delicious!
  3. Chocolate with a touch of salt – A lovely harmony and interplay between the light salt in the chocolate, brought out a cigar smoke in the whisky – delightful!

Each enhanced and contrasted in unique ways – bringing out distinct elements in the dram. In short – the pairings worked very well!

Our host picked this expression up in Hong Kong airport.The Mars Shinshu Distillery was founded in 1985, with the Iwai Tradition blended expression launched in 2010. And whilst we perceive it as Japanese, the whisky is actually was produced in both Japan and UK.

Here is what they have to say:

Created using the “Iwai Pot Stills” that have been in operation for half a century, this blended whisky pays respect and gratitude to the “Father of Mars,” Kiichiro Iwai.
It features a complex, pleasant aroma and a gentle, soft texture, balanced by a solid body and a mature character.

I’ll admit I poured a bit more of this one to revisit later. Another lady did the same, adding three drops of water. Hers? Lost all the aromas that made it interesting. Mine without water? Lovely! So definitely say no to adding water!

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this whisky.

Next up was a bourbon from Wild Turkey. A special expression, Longbranch, created in 2016 as a partnership between Master Distiller Eddie Russell and actor Matthew McConaughey.

Wild Turkey Longbranch 43%

  • Nose – Interesting… not a typical bourbon… dusty grains, fruity yet farm fresh, Szechuan pepper, pine cones, mountain air, then more and more corn husk, joined by something pungent, one even described it as jalapenos
  • Palate – We dubbed it a “baby” bourbon, as it was more relaxed and toned down than a typical bourbon, easy sipping dram, sweet with some roasted pepper corns
  • Finish – The black peppercorns continued

It was an easy sipping bourbon, rather than knocking back shots.

And now for the pairing..

  1. Hazelnut – Brought out the black pepper, cayenne red chilies, extended the sweetness
  2. Bavarian Blu – Gentle combination, balanced the bourbon character, bringing out a touch more spice, lengthened the finish
  3. Cream Cheese Cake – First off, the mini home made cheesecake was beyond delicious. Distractingly so. As a combination? Reminded me of a rich Irish coffee, creamy and indulgent – largely due to the incredible cheese cake!

Each on its own was excellent. The pairing was overall balanced – neither detracting nor enhancing – yet still well worth trying like this!

What more do the folks at WildTurkey have to say?

Nothing says, “Welcome to the family” like Longbranch.

Longbranch Bourbon was created in 2016 by Wild Turkey Master Distiller Eddie Russell and cultural tastemaker Matthew McConaughey. United by a shared curiosity and love of great whiskey, Eddie and Matthew wondered what would happen if a Kentucky Bourbon took a road trip to Texas. They set out to create a product that did just that. Their creation, a small batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon, refined with American Oak and Texas mesquite charcoals -was named Longbranch, a reference to an extension of a hand or an invitation for friends to become family.

What was originally created as a limited-edition bourbon has today become a beloved whiskey brand. Master Distiller Eddie Russell and his family continue to helm Longbranch and bring this exceptionally smooth bourbon to the world.

Our host picked this bottle up in Istanbul airport. I have a feeling she will find this quite a pleasant and versatile bourbon, lending itself well to cocktails or simply sipping.

Our bourbon evening closed with a classic – Buffalo Trace. What many folks may not realise is that a lot of Scotch whisky owes a debt to Bourbon maturing in virgin American oak barrels – then making these barrels available to Scotland! Buffalo Trace is certainly a popular supplier!

We understand that this expression was matured for 11 years in new American oak barrels, then another four years in ex-Bourbon barrels. Whilst maturing for 15 years was once a standard for Scotland, it is quite a long time for bourbon, which typical ages for a couple of years at best.

Buffalo Trace 41%

  • Nose – Super sweet! Orange, perfume, maple and brown sugar, bacon, dried apricot leather, sweet mint
  • Palate – Bitter roasted almonds, betel nuts, sweet spices, pepper, birchwood bacon, one even found fennel
  • Finish – A super sweet finish

I enjoyed revisiting Buffalo Trace after a decade! This expression was overall quite sweet, yet also had enough going on to make it interesting. I could imagine it making a rather fine Old Fashioned too!

And our pairing experience?

  • Peach – Delicious! Ginger and peach sweet ice tea
  • Smoked Aged Gouda – The cheese was particularly pungent, which meant the pairing was more a battle than harmoniously in balance! When I combined with a salty pretzel, it then settled into a lively mix and match experience
  • Pecan Tart – Completely home made and simply delicious on its own. When combined with the bourbon, it was creamy, crunchy, spice, sweet and enhanced the dessert even more

In the case of Buffalo Trace, I thought the whisky enhanced the pairing items… For the Wild Turkey Longbranch, for the most part, they simply went side by side… Whereas the Iwai Mars pairings perked up the whisky and focused attention more on the dram. What an interesting experience!

Overall, our bourbon evening was a kinder, gentler, more nuanced approach to the whiskey category than I had anticipated. And the dinner that followed? With more desserts!? Let’s just say we were thoroughly spoiled and left completely satisfied and stuffed!

And there you have it, another most enjoyable Whisky Ladies tasting experience – this time not just the whiskies!

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Gimmick or Gold? Gold Bar Whiskey 41%

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After an enjoyable evening over T’s European Travels drams, another bottle was brought out. It was a conversation piece – given as a gift from a San Francisco friend.

While the gold bar bottle is hard to miss, what about this American whiskey? Distilled from three grains (88% corn, 9% rye, 3% barley), finished in former Napa Valley wine barrels. In our case – Cognac casks with toasted oak staves. In other words – with high liquid to wood contact to extract more intense flavours fast.

Gold Bar Whiskey Blend #273 41% (82 Proof) Bottle 151370 ~USD 50

  • Nose – Smells like Valentines Day – milk chocolate and roses
  • Palate – Like the kind of waxy artificial chocolate one gets in the US
  • Finish – Nothing much

It was largely dismissed, however, after a sip or two, quiet mummerings of “not bad” could be heard.

Their official tasting notes describe it as;

Gentle body with notes of honey, fruit and subtle spice. Highly versatile and a true crowd-pleaser, delicious served neat or in cocktails.

Gimmick or not, it is always fun to try something novel.

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2025 Whisky Show – The Heart Cut

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Every Whisky Show has something that really stands out – be it a remarkable bottle that one remembers for years, a masterclass that brought deeper insights into the drams, or a new distillery to discover!

Sometimes the “Oh wow!” isn’t a new distillery; it is a new blending company or independent bottler. For my tasting companion and I, the 2025 Whisky Show will be remembered as the year we discovered The Heart Cut husband and wife bottling team – Georgie and Fabrizio.

Bursting with enthusiasm and a quest for unique and interesting expressions, we were so impressed that we walked away with three bottles from the show and ordered a fourth from The Whisky Exchange – picked up shortly before my flight to Mumbai!

What did we try? It was a bit of an around-the-world tour! From single malts to rye and spirited experiments! The casks reflected a wonderfully eclectic range – from wet red wines to ex-Islay, 250+ year old European oak to new American oak. And the biggest surprise? A Californian Ale Cask! Here are the expressions we experienced:

** Identifies the bottles purchased for a Bombay Malt & Cigar club future flight.

Our journey began at the Mainstage session about the Future of Independent Bottlers. Even though technically the St George is a spirit rather than whisky, we were simply blown away and had to have it!

You can read about our experience as part of the Mainstage session soon! In the interim, here is a bit of an introduction!

St George Spirits California Ale Cask (25 Jul 2016 / 17 Nov 2023) 54% (The Heart Cut #08) 

St George is a distillery based in the Bay Area of San Francisco, California, USA. It was founded in 1982 by Jörg Rupf and produces a range of spirits, including some rather fine Gins that I received years ago as a gift! I was also introduced to their unique single malt (Lot No 16) expression from 2016.

Here are their official tasting notes for their spirit:

Delicate notes of dried chamomile, ripe stone fruit and juicy mango lead the way, followed by a rich burst of apricot jam. The finish is all toasted brioche and the creamy, caramel-chocolate goodness of Rolo’s.

The description was further “distilled” on the label to a few succinct words! Dried chamomile, candyfloss, apricot jam, toasted brioche, Rolo’s.

They call this an “Experimental Malt” due to the addition of hops during brewing. It began as a 100% malted barley, sage-infused, heavily hopped IPA, then was matured in a cask that previously contained Bourbon, Reposado Tequila, and a Californian Ale.

They further share why they selected it:

Adventurousness is next to fearlessness, and the team at St. George skirts the line between the two – and if there were ever a cask to epitomise this ethos, this would be it. From a production standpoint, it’s absolutely unique – an unprecedented combination of malted barley and both hops and bay added as hot-side aroma additions during brewing.

It’s utterly delicious, and we can’t get enough of it!

Neither could we – hence why we selected this experiment for a further tasting with the BMC!

At The Heart Cut stand, we were first directed to a Thomson… As we stopped by New Zealand’s Thomson booth last year, we skipped over it this year. However, this expression was irresistible!

Thomson (6 June 2019 / 25 Mar 2025) Fresh NZ Pinot Noir 50.8% (The Heart Cut #19)

Here’s what we found…

  • Colour – Bright red, almost impossibly so!
  • Nose – The aromas were bursting with jammy yumminess! We found warm strawberries – like picking them from the backyard on a summer day! Lots of figs, plums, and Christmas treats. There was something more that was very enticing too!
  • Palate – It was full of red plums, ripe dark red cherries – like the ones you get in Germany! Beyond the fruits was a nutty element, some salted caramel
  • Finish – I didn’t take specific note – perhaps as we were just enjoying the whisky so much!

Just wow! We were a bit blown away by this dram. I’m so happy we didn’t miss sampling this expression! This was absolutely up my alley – whisky-wise. And that’s exactly why it made the “pick” to bring from London back to Mumbai!

The Heart Cut official tasting notes share:

‘Holy wow’ on the nose (thanks to H from our tasting panel for that one!). First comes spiced plum jam and wild strawberries, then sesame snaps and a hint of sandalwood. On the palate, sweetness unfurls: salted caramel, fig rolls, and a nutty Brazil nut note. With a splash of water, the whisky blooms into stewed apples, dried apricots, and candied pecans, with a long, warming finish.

Key Takeouts: Spiced Plum Jam, Wild Strawberries, Dried Cherries, Salted Caramel, Figs

I have to admit to being a bit amused by reading their notes. They were totally in keeping with our brief experience – right down to the wow! I’m looking forward to revisiting it in an upcoming session – including adding water to see its impact. Unfortunately, knowing us, it could be in a few years!

What next? We shifted to Germany… While living in Nürnberg, I kept thinking I would take a trip to Berlin and check out the Stork Club’s “House of Rye”.  Somehow that visit didn’t happen; however, I have tried their rye whiskies a few times! And their single malt once too!  Made for memorable cocktails, my last Stork Rye bottle was used for a rather tasty Old Fashioned at a Mumbai birthday party!

So what did we try and what did we think?

Stork Club (28 Jun 2019 / 5 Nov 2024) German Napoleon Oak Cask 55% (The Heart Cut #13) 

Dubbed as “Black Forest gateau in a glass”, what did we think?

  • Colour – Bright gold
  • Nose – Hello rye! Lots of cereals, initially a bit musty, umami, then sweetened into caramel, cherries, a cross between a ginger spice and chocolate cake with creamy icing
  • Palate – Candied ginger, jalapenos, toasted rye bread… roll around a bit more, and there is some mocha, evolving into rich chocolate, roasted nuts
  • Finish – A tasty coffee close

My main recollection was how it was surprisingly rich, indulgent, and rewarding – in many ways unlike any Rye I’ve had! I could completely understand the black forest cake moniker!

Don’t believe me? Check out The Heart Cut’s tasting notes:

Rich and indulgent, the nose bursts with black forest gâteau – ripe cherries, dark chocolate, and a hint of sponge cake – layered with chocolate-covered candied ginger and a touch of baking spices (cinnamon, clove, and allspice). On the palate, toasted cacao nibs and dark chocolate Bounty bring a deep, roasted intensity balanced by the exotic sweetness of candied mango and the savoury-sweet depth of koji. A warming hint of white pepper and subtle woody spice add complexity, leading to a smooth, lingering finish of vanilla cream.

Key Takeouts: Black Forest Gâteau, Candied Ginger, Toasted Cacao Nibs, Koji, Vanilla Cream

From our brief sniff and swish, we would certainly agree. Whilst it didn’t make our “cut” for purchase, it certainly made an impression!

I love how Georgie and Fabrizio share their thinking. This is why this cask made their “cut”:

We’ve been talking with Bastian at Stork Club – Germany’s first Rye Whiskey Distillery – for years (literally), exploring casks and sampling different options. Then one day, he sent us this cask. A malted rye whiskey, matured in a Napoleon Oak Cask – something we’d never come across, and that got us excited! Rich, decadent, and so chocolatey, this whiskey is unlike anything we’ve tasted in all our years. It’s Black Forest Gateau in a glass, and we love it.

PS – Napoleonic oak means the tree is made from 250+ year old oak (ie survived the Napoleonic wars, WWI, and WWII). Coopers X-ray the wood for shrapnel to ensure past conflicts haven’t left lead traces behind!

From New Zealand to Germany, we moved to Australia. Starward is known to use quite “wet” red wine casks, marrying a bit of wine with whisky. We’ve had a few explorations with this distillery and were curious what The Heart Cut chose and why!

Starward (18 Jun 2019 / 29 Aug 2024) Fresh Red Wine Barrique – American Oak 55% (The Heart Cut #14)

What did we find?

  • Colour – A darker ruby red
  • Nose – Rich and juicy, loads of ripe raspberries, molten dark chocolate
  • Palate – Easy and approachable, yet with substance. More of that raspberry – think of raspberry brownies
  • Finish – Some roasted coconut and spices

I was a bit sentimental about this one. Why? The nose reminded me of my mother’s raspberry jam made with berries picked in their backyard. She’s long past her jam-making days; however, the last jar was such a treat!

My final tasting note? “Their tasting notes are perfect!”  So what was I agreeing with?

LIKE CHOCOLATE-COVERED RASPBERRIES? THEN YOU’LL LOVE THIS.

Starward Distillery has firmly put Melbourne on the Whisky map. Matured in a fresh red wine cask from the Barossa Valley (crafted from American oak), this single malt is all about juicy red fruit and indulgent sweetness – guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

The Heart Cut couple shared that it tastes like:

Bright redcurrants and dried apple slices lead the nose, lifted by delicate rose petals and a whisper of hay. On the palate, a burst of chocolate-covered raspberries meets the comforting crumble of digestive biscuits, layered with rich vanilla and a drizzle of golden syrup. There’s a soft, malty warmth – think porridge laced with dates – and a long, satisfying finish of desiccated coconut, toasted spices and a lingering echo of a raspberry dessert.

Key Takeouts: Chocolate Covered Raspberries, Redcurrants, Digestive Biscuits, Rich Vanilla, Dried Apple Slices

Whilst this one didn’t make the final cut for our quartet, it was definitely a contender!

That was one hard act to follow! So why even try? We went in a totally different direction, returning to Rye, but this time with a new English distillery – Fielden.

Fielden English Rye (7 Jun 2019 / 4 Jul 2023) New American Oak Cask, Coastal Solera Oloroso Finish 56.6% (The Heart Cut #16) 

What did we discover?

  • Colour – Dark copper
  • Nose – An unmistakable aroma – Li Hing Mui – a Chinese dried sweet, sour, and salty dried plums! This was joined by salty caramel
  • Palate – Churan – a distinctive Indian Ayurvedic powder blend made from spices and herbs like mango powder, fennel, cumin, ajwain, ginger, black pepper, and black salt. This was joined by fruits
  • Finish – A bit savoury – think sea salt and roasted nuts

For an English Rye, our impressions veered towards Chinese and Indian flavours! How did that compare with our merry bottling duo?

They described it as a salty caramel bomb! Here’s what more they have to say:

You’re wrapped in warmth from the first nose of this whisky — salted caramel melts into golden honeycomb and a whisper of honeysuckle. On the palate, that saline-sweet caramel deepens, layered with vanilla ice cream and overripe apricot, before thickening into pecan pie richness. Banana chips bring a crisp, tropical chew; there’s also nostalgic notes of warm waffles with maple syrup. To finish, a playful fizz of kola cubes is grounded by toasted walnuts, oak sawdust, and a flicker of smoked Maldon sea salt.

Key Takeouts: Salted Caramel, Honeycomb, Kola Cubes, Walnuts, Banana Chips

We love their approach to exploring and sharing impressions. We weren’t familiar with this distillery, though we spotted that they were at The Whisky Show. So here’s what the Heart Cut has to say about them:

Fielden is shifting the conversation from the stillhouse to the field, championing regenerative farming and heritage grains to create whisky that’s not only great to taste but good for the land. Learn more about Fielden here.

And with that, we moved on to our next expression…

In keeping with a theme of “new”, Lochlea from the Lowlands certainly fits the bill. In 2023, we spent time with the folks behind Lochlea, exploring their family-run approach to whisky making. As for the whisky?

Lochlea (25 Sep 2019 / 14 May 2025) Ex-Islay Cask 54% (The Heart Cut #17) 

  • Colour – Bright yellow
  • Nose – A lemony peat, fresh, with a bit of crisp green apples and lemon zest, joined by honey
  • Palate – Sweet, balanced with a great mouthfeel, more sweet peat and smoke on the palate than nose
  • Finish – Flavourful finish of sweet peat

There was a bright coastal feel to this expression. Quite a contrast to the others – standing out for this very reason!

The Heart Cut couple had this to say about their bottle:

A summer night’s bonfire, wrapped in shortbread sweetness. On the nose, you’ll find freshly cut grass, barbecued pineapple and delicate coastal smoke – all underpinned by buttery apples and soft green pepper. The palate glows with barbecued citrus, runny honey and creamy hazelnuts, before the smoke thickens into birchwood and burnt embers. The finish is long, bright and creamy, with sherbet candy (flying saucers!), bitter orange peel and a wisp of sea salt.

Key Takeouts: Sweet Smoke, Baked Apples, Creamy Hazelnut, Next Door’s BBQ, Sherbet Candy

It made our “cut” as the closing dram for an upcoming session – with a deliberate decision to end on a smoky note!

Westward (22 Mar 2018 / 9 Aug 2023) New American Oak 50% (The Heart Cut #07) 

  • Colour – Dark copper
  • Nose – Dessert in a glass! Tropical fruits, creamy vanilla pudding, vibrant and intoxicating
  • Palate – Fun and sweet, veering towards marmalade and nuts
  • Finish – Dry

Most enjoyable!

Here are their official tasting notes:

Bursting with juicy passion fruit, rich vanilla, panettone, and a zing of bitter orange, this whiskey’s sweetness is beautifully balanced by toasted almonds and a pleasing dryness reminiscent of cacao nibs. This is American Single Malt, but on a whole other level.

And why they chose to bottle this cask:

The newly emerged American Single Malt Whiskey category is gaining momentum, and there’s one distillery we’ve had eyes on since the start. Westward Whiskey brew like a craft ale, distill like a Single Malt and age like a Bourbon to create something otherworldly delicious, and this single cask blew us away with its super juicy and tropical character.

It’s a whiskey that just gets better with every sip. Enjoy!

I’m certainly interested in exploring more!

Bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange’s Whisky Show 2025, this is the most recent expression from The Heart Cut. You can read more about our tasting experience here:

Kanosuke 5 year (Nov 2019 / Apr 2025) Ex-Bourbon Quarter Cask 54%

Was I in love? Most certainly! However, I felt such a delicate and nuanced dram might be lost with the bolder choices we were making for our future The Heart Cut tasting evening. Additionally, at £125 for 500ml, the price was a bit beyond what we would normally spend for a tasting flight.

What did the folks at The Heart Cut say about this expression?

Our first Japanese release is a once-in-a-moment cask: a single malt from Kanosuke Distillery, matured in a rare ex-bourbon quarter cask. It’s a whisky of concentrated elegance – all ripe apricots, toasted marshmallows, and refined black tea.

I love how they also share their thinking about why this cask made their “cut”:

Kanosuke is everything we look for in a partner distillery: a new generation of makers, respectful of tradition yet unafraid to shape a bold future for Japanese whisky.

Together with the Kanosuke team, we identified this cask as a once-in-a-moment find – one that captures the distillery’s spirit in crystalline detail. Matured in an ex-bourbon quarter cask from a renowned American distillery, it delivers concentrated flavour and texture, layering ripe apricots with the charred sweetness of toasted marshmallow, all wrapped in a signature elegance that is unmistakably Kanosuke.

And there you have it! A fabulous introduction to a great new team putting out some lovely spirits!

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Detroit’s Grass Widow Straight Bourbon Madeira 45.5% 

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A bonus is just that – something you didn’t plan for or expect. And when that bonus is a completely unknown yet quite decent bourbon? Bring it on!

None of us were familiar with “Grass Widow” – including our host – who received it as a gift from Corktown, Detroit! Turns out this bourbon comes from Two James Spirits, and is described as:

An homage to a pre-prohibition Detroit brand, Grass Widow Bourbon contains a high-rye mash bill and is then finished in Madeira casks to give it a long finish.

Truly a Wine-drinker’s bourbon.

As it was a ‘bonus’, we didn’t do a structured tasting, however, overall we found it to be a good, fun, bourbon!

On the nose, there was a freshness, clearly grain yet with a sweet grassy element – perhaps we were influenced by the name! On the palate, we found it just a great example of an enjoyable bourbon, with a nice herbaceous element that we enjoyed! As for the finish? Whilst not long and lingering, it was a warm comforting close with a hint of fresh tobacco leaves.

Two James Spirit’s official tasting notes:

  • Nose: Red Apple, Dried Orange, Praline
  • Palate: Apple, Walnut, Salted Brown Butter, Caramel, Peppermint
  • Finish: Leather, Pipe Tobacco, Orange Peel

Would we agree? Overall yes! Whilst we didn’t specifically note the citrus, we were more focused on just enjoying how what was in the glass supported convivial conversation. I could also see it making a great base for a quality whisky cocktail.

We tasted it after a delightfulful Whisky Ladies of Mumbai evening featuring two whiskies from Germany and a third from Japan!

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Introducing 10th Street American Single Malts

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These days, a Canadian enjoying an American whisky is considered highly unpatriotic! However, back in 2024 when this trio came to me, we were still cordial neighbours. Setting politics aside, it has been some time since I was intrigued by whisky from “south of the border,” like 10th Street….

10th Street is the brainchild of a IIT grads from India who built successful careers in San Jose, California. Over the years, they discovered a mutual love whisky and, like all good Silicon Valley stories, started tinkering with making their own spirits until the experiments evolved from curiosity into a business!

I brought the 10th Street Triple Cask to a January 2025 evening with the Whisky Ladies and Bombay Malt & Cigar gentlemen. I then took a sample to Nürnberg to try alongside two minis.

10th Street Triple Cask “Dragon” STR Single Malt (2024) Barrel No 476 55.6%

  • Colour – Deep ruby red, almost like coffee
  • Nose – Jackfruit, perhaps even a hint of citrus to start? Another thought dragon fruit. Bottom line, there was fruit but not your typical orchard or tropical fruits. Grainy, jeera powder, more like rye than whisky at first, then opens to sweet bananas, walnuts, rum cake, loads of ginger… over time the bananas became overripe. It then shifted into a caramel custard… and finally a lovely floral aroma emerged – apple blossoms on a warm sunny day…
  • Palate – I’m awake now! Powdered garam masala, cinnamon, and black pepper. Lots of body, syrupy chocolate-filled liqueur – Williams pear? Oily with a great mouthful. The spice was joined by something almost like chewing on coffee beans.
  • Finish – When first opened, we experienced a big flavourful finish with great staying power… however, in the sample tried months later the finish was much shorter
  • Revisit – We set this aside and returned to candy floss on the nose with fruits and nuts on the palate. Yum!

One person remarked that the aromas reminded him of a beef brisket! Another thought the finish was like breathing “thick air”. We particularly enjoyed how the nose evolved and the contrast of sweet aromas with a substantial body.

Here’s what the folks at 10th Street have to say:

We were not surprised that our Triple Cask was crowned the best whisky at Whiskies of the World, beating several renowned whiskies. You can learn more about the competition here. First released in the 2024, the year of the Dragon, our pot still distilled, non-chill filtered single malt has spent time in three different casks. After aging in STR casks, it was finished in Wine Casks followed by Port Casks. The result is a delicious whisky with complex layers and a lingering finish. Enjoy the Dragon.

Tasting Notes: The nose is rich and aromatic, with prominent notes of dried fruit, caramel, and toasted oak. Subtle hints of spice, dark chocolate, and a touch of citrus add depth to the aroma.

This whisky is full-bodied and intense on the palate, delivering bold flavors of toffee, dark chocolate, and roasted nuts. The influence of the triple cask aging adds layers of spice, charred wood, and a slight smokiness, balanced by sweeter notes of vanilla and honey.

What fun! This was certainly an interesting start. A few months later in Nürnberg, I sat down to revisit the Triple Cask “Dragon” together with the Port Peated and STR. Here is what my tasting companion and I found…

10th Street STR Single Malt 56.2% 

  • Nose – Cloves, semi-dried dates, baklava, raisins, red licorice, cranberries, aamchor, a hint of herbs like a mix of fresh mint and basil
  • Palate – Nice and spicy, a bit sour like sour cherry or plum – it reminded me of li hing mui, some oak, as it continued to open, it became sweeter and sweeter, revealing a Linden flower honey
  • Finish – Like on the palate, it sweetened the more as it lingered, then shifted into something a bit sour and herbal

I couldn’t help myself – though I was tasting in Germany, I kept having associations with distinctly Indian elements – from raw mango powder (aamchor) to a bit sour (khatta) and also Chinese with li hing mui. Fascinating!

10th Street Port Cask Peated Single Malt 58.2%

  • Nose – A sea salty maritime peat, balsamic, kalamata black olive brine – think of a delightfully dirty martini! Over time, the balsamic element disappeared to be replaced by smoked meats, and then finally, a hint of port emerged
  • Palate – Surprisingly soft, a lovely cinnamon peat, dry yet balanced, a gentle sweet peat
  • Finish – Here we have a finish where the peat lingers

There are so many different kinds of peat. This one clearly fell into the more ‘maritime’ category. And like all the 10th Street expressions, we found it sweetened over time.

Whilst the STR and Port Peated expressions were interesting, we returned to the “Dragon” Triple Cask – enjoying both the complexity of its aromas and leisurely sipping.

You can tell this is a passion project combined with engineering precision. No shortcuts. Deliberately narrow cuts. Experimentation? Sure! The technical geek side mingles with artistry. Focusing purely on the domestic US market – that too only a few states – it will be interesting to see how 10th Street continues to evolve in the coming years. In the interim – bravo for a solid start!!

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St. George Gins

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Years ago a fabulous friend and former Whisky Lady came for a visit to Mumbai from the US… she brought along some treats!

These California beauties patiently waited for the right opportunity… cracked open to help bring in the new year, in hopes that 2022 would break the COVID cycle!

So what do we know? Well… this isn’t our 1st brush with St. George… We first explored this American craft distillery’s Single Malt – more specifically from their Lot 16. It was a positive experience and I was certainly looking forward to discovering more from these folks.

Enter these St. George Gins – Terroir, Botanical and Dry Rye…

Rather than detailed tasting notes, I’ve shared overall impressions…

St. George Terroir Gin 45%

Love this one! It has a fabulously fresh and clean quality – like stepping into a forest during a spring rain. Could completely catch the fir, sage, sweet bay leaf… intoxicating in a delightful herbal way.

Personally, I preferred this one straight on the rocks… letting the chilled water heighten the bright cheerful experience.

What more do we know?

Forest-driven and earthy, Terroir is a profoundly aromatic gin with a real sense of place. We wanted to make a spirit that conveyed what we love about the monumental groves of trees, moist and misty glens, and sun-baked chaparral of our favorite local parklands.

With Terroir Gin, we try to take you there with Douglas fir, California bay laurel, coastal sage, and other evocative botanicals. 

St. George Botanivore Gin 45%

Super sweet and summery, this gin is amped up on botanicals – a cornucopia of scents.

If Terroir was a cool fresh spring rain, Botanivore was hot summer sunshine, bursting with a garden of herbs, flowers and spices….

For me, this one worked well with a slightly bitter tonic which acts as a nice counter-point to the sweet abundance of aromas. I also suspect it could make a mighty fine dry martini. 

What more do we know?

Botanivore, our “botanical eater,” is comprised of 19 different botanicals working in concert. Think of a meadow in bloom—herbaceous, fresh, and elegant.

What’s in it? Count with us… angelica root, bay laurel, bergamot peel, black peppercorn, caraway, cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, citra hops, coriander, dill seed, fennel seed, ginger, juniper berries, lemon peel, lime peel, orris root, Seville orange peel, star anise!

St. George Dry Rye Gin 45%

OK… This one surprised me. I don’t quite know what I was expecting but imagined it would have just a hint of rye? I certainly hadn’t dreamt of a full-force rye battling with juniper, a curious cross-breed which is neither rye nor gin!

As I sipped and sniffed, I found the Rye side was quite grain forward. Yet it was paired with equally bold gin elements – clear juniper, black peppercorns, citrust twist… 

I confess that I struggled with the Rye Gin. When I first tried it, I had only tonic water and soda as mix options. Frankly either ocmbination didn’t quite work for me.

If anything this made me think of a Canadian rye & ginger ale. So many days later, I pulled Dry Rue out to try again.. this time with the right mix! 

The result? Much better! It was still curious but worked well with ice and ginger ale – something brighter than a standard Rye and deeper than a typical Gin.

The folks at St. George also recommend using it as a base for an Old Fashioned or Negroni. Hmm… perhaps the next try!

What more do we know?

A base of 100% pot-distilled rye makes this a gin for whiskey lovers—and for gin im-purists willing to take a walk on the rye side.

Think genever, then think again—and brace yourself for a gin with structure, spice, and an impossibly rich mouthfeel.

…for Dry Rye Gin we chose just six botanical ingredients: Juniper berries are the star here (50% more than in either of our other two gins), complemented by black peppercorn, caraway, coriander, grapefruit peel, lime peel—which were all selected to play up the peppery nature of juniper that we love so much.

Once again, many thanks to our lovely lady (you know who you are!). We miss you like mad!

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Vita Dulcis 19 – USA Knob Creek Straight Rye 50%

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Next up… another from the US  in my Vita Dulcis 2020 International Advent Calendar… And I’m in the home stretch with just a few more to go!

USA – Knob Creek Straight Rye Whiskey 50%

  • Nose – Sweet grains, then sour mash, herbal, ginger
  • Palate – Yup! There is that distinctive rye spice! Packs a bit of a whallop… then settles down, brown sugar
  • Finish – A bit of pepper

To me, this is a clear rye. 

I admit, I sampled it on two occasions – once on its own and I realized I simply wasn’t in the mood, so set it aside after a sip. And again this evening after sampling Heaven’s Door Straight Rye Whiskey.

When you think of a classic American rye… it is something like Knob Creek. At first it comes across as direct, no finesse… yes it isn’t just rye spice, there are herbs, wood elements and other things… that start to grow on you…

Distillery official tasting notes?

  • Colour : Shades of gold to light amber.
  • Nose : Expansive notes of herbs and rye with nuances of oak.
  • Taste : Bold rye spiciness with undertones of vanilla and oak.

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Vita Dulcis 18 – USA’s Heaven’s Door Straight Rye Whiskey 43%

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Back in the day, this guy sat on a chair and started crooning out of tune. Family friends caught him in a Greenwich Village cafe in the 60s and… having no clue of what impact this singer songwriter would have on music and culture… I’m speaking of Bob Dylan.

And now? Whiskey…

I remember when 1st launched, friends reached out to ask what I thought?

My response? I won’t know til I try… and that’s what is fun about buying whisky advent calendars… chock full of samples you might not otherwise have an opportunity to try.

So what did I think?

USA – Heaven’s Door Straight Rye Whiskey 43%

  • Nose – Definitely rye, but with a lighter touch, sweeter… a bit of honey, vanilla, cream some wood, maybe a touch of mint or basil? Some cream
  • Palate – Again – clearly rye, yet has a lighter touch, less bite… mellows more readily, a bit of apple with a rye spice chaser….
  • Finish – A bit of citrus and licorice then mint

OK, I confess… I’m not a big rye fan. But this one worked. And I honestly didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I did!

What do the producers have to say?

Breaking with tradition, we finish our Straight Rye Whiskey in toasted oak cigar barres, air-dried in the low-lying mountain region of Vosges, France. This proprietary finishing results in a smoother, ore approachable rye with notes of orange peel, coriander, and spice.

Would I agree? I’m surprised to admit, yes…

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Vita Dulcis 12 – USA’s Legent “Two True Legends” 47%

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This is my first encounter with Legent bourbon, which brings together Fred Noe (think Jim Beam 7th generation master distiller) and Shinji Fukuyo (Suntory), combining bourbon and blending of bourbon, sherry and red-wine casks.

It was third sampled in an evening of north american whiskies… what did I think?

USA – Legent “Two True Legends” Finished in Wine and Sherry Cask 47% – Kentucky Straight Bourbon

  • Nose – Young, granary, old spilt red wine
  • Palate – Alcohol kick. Brash spice, cloves and cinnamon, mash
  • Finish – Warm spice

They indicate it has been matured in sherry, but no hint of it in the whisky. As for the wine? Reminded me of some whiskies I have tried that are partly matured in Merlot or Pinot Noir – which to be honest, doesn’t tend to work for me. And this case? Hmm…. not really.

I must admit, I simply wasn’t in the mood so stopped after one sip.

So I decided to come back and give it another go… better… definitely better… or perhaps I calibrated to a different style.

What do they have to say?

Legent™ is a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey partially finished in wine and sherry casks. But it’s more than that. It pushes the boundaries for how bourbons can be created while remaining true to the core of bourbon’s principles. It’s a collaboration between two whiskey legends – Fred Noe & Shinji Fukuyo – and two unique styles of whiskey making.

They speak of a three cask strategy:

  • Bourbon barrel aging. From these barrels, Legent absorbs char notes and rich, traditional bourbon cues like layers of caramel, oak and vanilla.
  • Sherry Cask finishing. Sherry casks add complex layers of spice, raisin and heavy dried fruit labor. These casks also help give Legent its deeper, reddish colour.
  • Red-wine cask aging. French oak wine casks impart different oak notes than traditional white oak bourbon barrels. These red-wine casks also give Legent mild, fruity undertones and a light acidity.

Now… back to the next in my Vita Dulcis 2020 Advent Calendar!

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Vita Dulcis 11 – USA’s Corsair Hydra 42%

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Next up, a trip to Tennessee with a whisky from Corsair…. These folks are all about experimentation… Starting with beer, Darek Bell and Andrew Webber founded Corsair Distillery in Bowling Green, Kentucky in 2008. Two years later, Corsair shifted and became the first craft distillery in Nashville since prohibition, since expanding to two centres – both beer and spirits.

I first encountered Corsair in 2015 with their Triple Smoke… which happens to make a great old fashioned.

So, what about the Hydra?

USA – Corsair Hydra 42% – American Malt Whiskey

  • Nose – Started with smoked bacon, shifting into hickory then cedar, herbal, changing again… more like a balsam, with a drizzle of maple, a dash of cinnamon, some ripe apples, black current, hint of tea?
  • Palate – Spice but then mellows, more of that balsam wood, a bit of resin with smoke
  • Finish – Limited

Increasingly interesting as I sipped…. it was distinctly different. Clearly not Scottish and not a typical bourbon either. There is a freshness to the aroma. An interesting array of wood elements… came across as well crafted.

To be honest, I knew nothing about this before tasting…. just dove in ‘nearly’ blind.

What could I find out?

It is pot distilled from five hardwood smoked malts –  pecan nut, apple wood, sugar maple, black walnut wood and persimmon (fig/plum), matured for just 12 months.

And distillery official tasting notes? They are no longer included in their website as this was an expression from 2018, but rumour has it that their description was simple:

Smoke, Leather, Firewood

If you are interested in finding out more, I’d recommend checking out Whisky Jason’s video comparing Hydra and Triple Smoke in English or German.

Curious about other minis tried in December 2020? Check out how far I’ve reached in my journey through the Vita Dulcis 2020 Advent Calendar.

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