Category Archives: American

Whiskey Cocktail – Old Fashioned

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I’m in Canada for a week and I thought while I’m off gallivanting, may as well post a few whisky cocktails – a bit of a departure from my usual style.

These recipes all came from a few hours one Friday afternoon in a sultry hot Mumbai May day where I joined a cocktail making class…

We began with a classic – Old Fashioned – full of ice!

Old Fashioned recipe

  • 45 ml Bourbon/Tennessee
  • 1 sugar cube
  • 3-5 drops aromatic bitters

In an old fashioned glass, drop a sugar cube and add the bitters. Break the sugar and mix well. Pour in the whiskey and fill with ice. Gi e it a quick stir to mix well and add more ice if necessary. Release the oils from an orange peel and drop.

These all came courtesy of a session with DISCUS in May 2017, Mumbai.

Other American whisky experiences:

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Bonus Bourbon… Willett Pot Stilled Reserve 47%

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Our Whisky Ladies evening closed with a Kentucky bourbon and chocolate – how fitting! This was a completely unplanned enthusiastic “I just so happen to have this great bourbon!” addition to our tasting!

The folks over at Willett (aka Kentucky Bourbon Distillers) claim a family history that harkens back to John David Willett (born in 1841) who was part of the master distiller for the Moore, Willett & Frenke Distillery. However, truth be told, these folks have actually only recently re-entered the distilling game in 2012, having stopped operations in the 1980s.

It is speculated that this particular whisky may actually be a product of Heaven Hill Distilleries – the folks that produce Elijah Craig amongst many others – using copper stills with only a pot still used for the doubler stage. Confused much?

All that matters to the Whisky Ladies is what we thought when we sampled it…

Willett Pot Still Reserve 47%

  • Nose – Well hello bourbon! Nice herbs, bubblegum sweet, slight mustiness too
  • Palate – Nice warm bourbon. some nuts, honey…
  • Finish – Great finish – a bit spicy

This was a bourbon that cried out for a cube of ice! When added? Voila! Lots of bright floral elements – overall just made it fab, Fab, FAB!!

And what do the Willett folks have to say about this whiskey?

  • Nose – Floral notes – jasmine and orange blossom, ginger, cinnamon with lots of bananas when water is added
  • Palate – Lemon, black tea, butterscotch, charcoal, citrus, nutty, honey. With water added – bananas and milk chocolate
  • Finish – Medium length, eucalyptus, herbal, rye, spicy, pepper, barber’s shop…with water added, light toffee & pecans

Very floral on the nose with wonderful citrus notes; more citrus on the palate with loads of honey & then turning quite herbal on the finish. An incredibly different and inviting array of aromas & flavors when water is added!

What else did we sample that “risky whisky” evening?

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Risky whisky? Virgil Kaine 2016 Ashcat 45.6%

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Our trio of potentially ‘risky whisky‘ closed with a shift from old world France to new world US of A – with a “low country” whiskey from Charleston, South Carolina!

Virgil Kaine was started by two chefs – David Szlam and Ryan Meany. The idea behind Virgil Kaine was to draw on culinary “know-how” to blend, infuse and tinker in order to craft whiskeys like a ginger-infused bourbon, a ‘high-rye’ bourbon blend and a ‘robber baron’ rye… and more recently their limited edition “Ashcat” which is what we sampled.

Virgil Kaine 2016 Ashcat 45.6% Bottle #0612

  • Nose – Dusty, sawdust, cologne, spirit, dark honey, bitter, beeswax, caramelized honey, light raisin
  • Palate – Bourbon with a sherry twist! Warms, direct, spice
  • Finish – Finally a finish! Raisins, chocolatey hazel nuts

From practically the first sip, our birthday whisky lady gave an unequivocal announcement “I like this very much!”

This was no single malt, definitely a bourbon, yet we appreciated that it had other elements too.

In our Glencairn vs Norlan glass comparison, we found the Norlan brought out much more raisins, dark heavy honey on the nose and made it much more rounded on the palate, pumping up the slightly bitter quality.

Here is what the folks from Virgil Kaine have to say:

Virgil Kaine’s first detour from our three original whiskeys. A limited edition that strikes a balanced blend between the sweetness of a wheated bourbon, the spice of High-Rye bourbon and tannins derived from sherry casks. Which is all just a fancy way of saying we created a great tasting bourbon we hope you love as much as we loved making it. Savor this one. When it’s gone, it’s gone.

  • Nose – Cane sugar & sherry
  • Taste – Butterscotch, orange peel & dried figs
  • Finish – Smooth, long finish

What else did we sample that “risky whisky” evening?

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Whisky Ladies Risky Whisky

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Our Whisky Ladies are generally an adventuresome set. Which is why our whisky explorations are not limited to your standard Scottish fare… not to say we don’t thoroughly enjoy a solid Scottish dram, just that our predilections lean to the off-beat rather than well trodden paths.

Which sometimes leads to some rather stellar flops! Most recently the AD Laws Triticum + Hordeum stand out as whiskies we would never ever chose to repeat. On the other end of the spectrum, that very night Canada‘s Shelter Point was an instant hit and another evening Finland‘s Teerenpeli 10 year was just yum!

We know when you take risks with your whisky choices there will be some delicious surprises mixed in with some unmitigated disasters!

When we began our evening, we had no idea how our selection would fare… just that we wanted to continue our whisky explorations to seek out new distilleries! Here is what we tried:

Then we added brilliant bonus drams… Our whisky lady host of the evening was celebrating her 40th birthday. What better way than with a 40 year old Auchentoshan!! And her whisky lady mother then decided we simply must have an extra desert treat of a rather bonus bourbon Willlett.

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AD Laws Hordeum Straight Malt 42.5%

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Last in our “out of the ordinary” North American evening was the 2nd in a pair of AD Laws grain experiments.

After trying the AD Laws Triticum, we weren’t quite sure what to expect with Hordeum.

ad-laws

What did our ladies think?

AD Laws Hordeum Straight Malt Batch 1B, 2 years 42.5%

  • Nose – Still quite raw like the Triticum, yet sweeter, hints of flowers like rose or bluebells, more hay-like than uncooked porridge, woodsy with dry sawdust, a hint of varnish, liquorice and maple
  • Palate – Grain sweet, grassy, hay, corn syrup, becoming almost aggressively grainy
  • Finish – Grassy, grain
  • Water – Anti-climatic

Overall we found it “better but….” One joked that this whisky could be a muscly farm man on his tractor!

After trying Triticum on ice, I thought to see if the same trick worked with the Hordeum. What did I find? Quite sharp, brings out the spice and looses the maple sweet twist.

While this particular whisky may not be to my taste, I love that they are experimenting I also absolutely love their bottles! The 375 ml is just the right size as a decanter and no doubt will find future use.

ad-laws-hordeum

Here is what the folks over at AD Laws have to say about their Hordeum:

One of the world’s first cultivated grains, hordeum, or wild barley grass, grew from an agricultural staple to ultimately reach its pinnacle in whiskey making. Every bottle of A.D. Laws Hordeum Straight Barley Whiskey is a nod to this ancestral grain and its singularity. Our atypical on-grain, sour mash style, coupled with Colorado mountain barley, imparts a unique character to this whiskey. Locally roasted artisan malts lend a nutty flavor, while hints of stewed fruit complement its sweet malt backbone. This grain forward, single malt whiskey showcases the native terroir of Colorado.

  • 99% Colorado-grown malted barley with a splash of rye
  • Aged 3 years in full-sized 53 gallon new American white oak barrels
  • Classic open air, sour mash fermentation
  • Distilled twice through our Vendome 4-plate pot/column still
  • Bottled at 85 Proof

We sampled their recipe B and our bottle indicated it was aged for 2 not 3 years.

What all did we try in our “out of ordinary” evening?

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The trouble with tribbles – AD Laws Triticum Straight Wheat 50%

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Next up in our “out of the ordinary” North American evening was a return to AD Laws. A few months ago, we sampled their core AD Laws Four Grain Bourbon – enjoying its robust character.

So when an opportunity arose to try a pair of their grain experiments, thought why not?

When this bottle was pulled out and the type of wheat declared… speculation ran rife that triticum just might be the grain mentioned in Star Trek’s “Trouble with tribbles“… Turns out it was triticale – which is a hybrid of triticum wheat and secale rye. Bravo for our Star Trek trivia lady! And amusingly, the AD Laws folks also have a Secale Straight Rye too.

ad-laws

What did our ladies think?

AD Laws Triticum Straight Wheat Batch 1B, 2 years 50%

  • Nose – Initially sour curd, uncooked porridge, soaked wheat, dry powdery quality, mulch, fermaldahyde, wheat, wheat and more wheat, slightly sweet, husks, mould
  • Palate – Grain, sweet grains – like chewing on raw grains til it becomes ‘gum’
  • Finish – Grassy, grain
  • Water – Even more grassy if that is even possible!

Overall we found it exceedingly rustic. Like returning to farm life.

One lady reached for taco chips and found the salt mixed well with the grainy quality of the whisky.

Another joked that this is the kind of whisky that… if it was a blind date, at some point you politely excuse yourself to go to the washroom… and escape without returning!

One wondered… if tribbles had got into this triticum wheat, would they have so rapidly bred and multiplied?

Needless to say, while we admired the ingenuity and effort to craft something unique, we were underwhelmed by the result.

In their recommendations of how best to sample the Triticum, the bottle notes to have with a splash of water and cube ice. Wanting to give it another chance, I tried just this the next day at home.

What did I think? A significant improvement. Sunshine and honey sweetness with the overwhelming grainy quality subdued. Not such a bad recommendation.

triticum-on-ice

Here is what the folks over at AD Laws have to say about their Triticum:

A.D. Laws Straight Triticum (Trit-e-come) Whiskey is our homage to wheat, the “Grain of Civilization.” Skillfully mashed, fermented and distilled to accentuate the welcoming character of this high-mountain, Colorado-grown wheat, Triticum is exceptionally smooth and approachable with fruit, caramel and baking spice notes.

  • Classic open air, sour mash fermentation
  • Distilled twice through our Vendome 4-plate pot/column still
  • Aged no less than than 3 years in full-sized 53 gallon new American white oak barrels
  • Bottled at 100 proof

There are apparently two recipes:

  • Recipe A – 100% Colorado-grown wheat
  • Recipe B – 96% Colorado wheat, 4% Colorado barley

We sampled Recipe B and our bottle indicated it was aged for 2 not 3 years.

What all did we try in our “out of ordinary” evening?

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“Relax my love, just drink me now” Westland Single Malt 46%

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Next in our “out of the ordinary” North American evening was another offering from Westland.

Westland distillery is based in Seattle, Washington and I’ve tried their Hand Filled and more recently their Sherry Wood. In both cases, I was quite impressed with the quality and character.

So when our American “mule” asked what he could bring this time from the US – Westland was definitely on the list! He picked up their flagship ‘house style’ whisky made from five different barley malts (Washington Select Pale Malt, Munich Malt, Extra Special Malt, Pale Chocolate Malt, Brown Malt).

And what did we find?

westlandWestland Single Malt 46% 

  • Nose – Caramel, marmalade, banana, chocolate, praline
  • Palate – Subtle, very smooth, buttery, woody, orange peel, bursting with different elements – creamy, slightly salted, toasted wood chips, a little raw paper
  • Finish – Slightly spicy

For many ladies, they simply didn’t even try to describe what they found – too caught up in simply enjoying. Clearly a good sign!

And one who did?

“Relax my love, just drink me now.”

So while we were light on observations and comments, we were high on appreciation. In short it was a whisky that satisfied.

Here is what they have to say:

The initial nose provides lemon and orange custard backed by freshly produced waffle cone. Shortly after, a rich creaminess emerges with creme brûlée and chocolate custard while a hint of jasmine hides just beneath the surface. The first sip confirms the creamy and rich fruit custard notes of the nose, adding an element of rainier cherries. After five minutes, melting swiss chocolate is revealed with a hint of almond. Extended tastings brings out bananas and cream with Turkish coffee.

In keeping with new generation new thinking distilleries, the Westland team disclose full details on their approach – from yeast strain to fermentation time. You can find more details here.

What all did we try in our “out of ordinary” American evening?

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Whisky Ladies “Not your ordinary North American” whiskey – Shelter Point, Westland + AD Laws

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Our Whisky Ladies of Mumbai are no strangers to North American whiskey… we’ve had other evenings checking out offerings from both Canada and the US.

What distinguished this evening is that we eschewed big brands to opt for newer  players…ad-laws

What did we try?

shelter-point

Other American themed evenings:

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American Adventures – Woodford Reserve 43.2%

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The Whisky Ladies American adventures last whisky of the night represents a proper Kentucky bourbon – Woodford Reserve.

It seemed a fitting close to our American whisky evening…

woodford-reserve

Woodford Reserve (2015) 43.2%

Batch 133, Bottle 1814, bottling date 05/2015, Lot Code 2020964

  • Nose – Honeycomb, cinnamon, toffee,
  • Palate – Bannana cream pie, sweet spices, mellow
  • Finish – A slight burn then mellows into sweetness

We found the nose far richer than the palate, with it being a bit average. A few comments included “Mild and cuddly” and “Very inoffensive” with a sigh of “No spark”  and gasp – “Watery.”

Clearly our ladies prefer their drams with a bit more oomph!

When sampled solo later, I realized this was in large part as it was overshadowed by all the whiskies that proceeded our tasting. On its own, it is a classic bourbon – which isn’t for everyone’s taste but is a good representation of what Kentucky has to offer without the harshness found in some.

Here is what the folks over at Woodford Reserve have to say:

  • Appearance: Clean, brilliant honey amber.
  • Nose: Heavy with rich dried fruit, hints of mint and oranges covered with a dusting of cocoa. Faint vanilla and tobacco spice.
  • Taste: Rich, chewy, rounded and smooth, with complex citrus, cinnamon and cocoa. Toffee, caramel, chocolate and spice notes abound.
  • Finish: Silky smooth, almost creamy at first with a long, warm satisfying tail.

There is also some debate out there to what extent there is batch variation. Some have found earlier  batches much more robust, well-rounded than current batches.

Having only tried Woodford once before… and that to long before recording any tasting notes… can only say this isn’t bad but isn’t something to make me run out and buy.

I do wonder if it would make a brilliant base for some experimental American style cocktails. Perhaps for another evening!

Other whiskies sampled in our American evening included:

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American Adventures – AD Laws Four Grain Straight Bourbon 47.5%

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The Whisky Ladies American evening began its next set shifting from single malts, cut with a moonshine, to break to enter into bourbon territory.

ad-laws

AD Laws Four Grain Straight Bourbon 47.5% (Batch No 8)

  • Nose – Honey! Butter, covered salty honey sweet nuts, a bit herbal, becoming almost floral, a little curd or even mild horseradish, then cinnamon sweet
  • Palate – Curiously floral, particularly lavender, so smooth with no rough edges yet was no mild creature either with toasted slightly bitter nuts and a dash of chilli, there is an earthy substance here too
  • Finish – Buttery yumminess

After the disappointing Colorado single malt (Stranahan’s Original) we had pretty low expectations… What a treat to be more than just pleasantly surprised.

We found the nose quite remarkable and unique. Which followed through on the palate and even finish. This is no shy retiring miss, nor is it a brash young swashbuckler. While young, it has character.

One comment that captured this sentiment perfectly was “A potpourri on the palate! Flowery without being too sweet!” 

It may not sound like it would work, but it does. It also falls into the category of being dangerously drinkable.

Must say, we also rather like the bold clean lines of the square bottle.

Here is what the folks over at AD Laws have to say:

Our flagship whiskey is crafted from all four of the “American mother grains”: corn, wheat, barley and rye. There aren’t many four grain bourbons on the market as they are very difficult to make.

We utilize a stepped cooking process — each grain variety requires a different cooking temperature to maximize its flavor and character. The grain requiring the most heat is milled in and cooked first; the temperature is then lowered gradually as we add the smaller flavor grains, and then complete the cooking process with the malts.

This painstaking, 6.5 hour, labor-intensive process is critical to capturing the character and quality of each grain.

During aging, we strive to create harmony between this complex whiskey and the vanilla and caramel notes from the newly charred, American white oak barrels to create a classic bourbon with Colorado character.

They further share that it is a blend of 60% corn, 20% wheat, 10% of barley and 10% rye, aged for at least three years in new American white oak barrels.

However we would not consider it a ‘classic bourbon’ in line with what we’ve come to expect. And in our books, that is actually a good thing!

Other whiskies sampled in our American evening included:

You can also find Whisky Lady in India on: