Category Archives: Bourbon

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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Gordon and MacPhail’s Auchroisk 10 year 43%

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I had a plan. It was a good plan. A deliberately selected quartet of Gordon & MacPhail Discovery series was bought for a future session. And then plans changed.

With the move from Germany back to India, I needed to radically reduce my carefully constructed whisky collection. It was a tough choice which to let go…. I knew this Auchriosk was great value for money, so more likely to find a friendly buyer… With a sigh, it joined the list of closed bottles available for new homes.

I was exceedingly fortunate that the new owner is a friend who generously opened it for us! I had a feeling this would be a classic quality dram. The reality? Read on!

Auchroisk 10 year Bourbon Cask 43% (Gordon & MacPhail Discovery) GBP 57

  • Colour – Pale straw
  • Nose – Happy times! Honey, vanilla, crisp Granny Smith green apples, faintly floral… As it opened up, it became creamier, even more floral – delightful!
  • Palate – Gentle, refined, balanced, malty with sweet mashed bananas, a hint of black pepper, and oak to give substance
  • Finish – Long, lovely, and elegant….
  • Water – Even fruitier and floral – like frollicking in a meadow!

This was a classic summer dram. A perfect example of quality ex-bourbon cask maturation. Whilst not complex, it had a lovely fruity floral quality, joined by creamy vanilla pudding. We absolutely loved it! And settled in to simply enjoy. It was just perfect for our Nürnberg August evening.

Here is what the folks over at Gordon & Macphail have to say;

  • Colour: Lightest Yellow
  • Aroma: Vanilla is followed by apple and poached pear, toasted almonds give way to pineapple and hints of lemon blossom.
  • Taste:  Sweet and creamy honey combines with ripe banana and zesty orange. Apricot comes to the fore, balanced by cracked black pepper.
  • Finish:  Medium-bodied finish with lingering tropical fruit and oak.

What a treat! I’m so lucky that I didn’t miss sampling this Auchriosk!

If you are curious about other Auchroisk tasting experiences… read on:

As for the quartet from Gordon & Macphail Discovery series? I had originally planned the following:

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Ireland’s Dingle Single Malt 2021 46.3%

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Sometimes when you order whiskies online in Germany, a little “extra” is thrown in. Such was the case with this wee Dingle mini.

Now it isn’t my first brush with Dingle, back in 2019 it featured in an evening of Irish whiskies – where we sampled Dingle Triple Distilled Batch 3 46.5%. As for this sample, I’m not sure which batch it is, however I understand it was matured in PX-Sherry and ex-Bourbon casks.

Dingle Single Malt (2021) 46.3%

  • Nose – Much like my earlier experience, I found it quite vegetal, an odd approach like compost and old leaves. It became sweeter, with cereals, minerals, and fresh seawater. A hint of cinnamon… over time it also revealed some herbs and perhaps even a touch of lime? Also a bit “dusty” for lack of a better way to describe
  • Taste – A prickly spice to start (it was the 1st dram after all!), after the harshness settled down a bit, revealed some raisins, mixed with bitter nuts
  • Finish – Peculiar… closest I could think of was rancid walnuts.. bitter and not very pleasant

It did not excite or delight. I set it aside to see if and how it changes with more time. Nope. Not for me.

What do the folks at Dingle have to say? Well… without knowing exactly which batch, can’t say for certain. As for what would it set you back? If you picked it up at Whic.de, you would be looking at Eur 45.

I must admit that though it was nice to get a sample, this would not have been my pick! However, that’s the whole point of a “bonus” – an opportunity to tease you into trying something you may not have selected off the shelf!

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Aberlour without sherry? Could it be true?!

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“How many drams do you have still in you?”

That was how we were greeted when we reached one of the whisky stands late in the day at  London’s Whisky Show 2023, It was a legitimate question. There is a point where whiskies and impressions begin to blur, and appreciation of the one becomes challenging in the cacophony of the many.

However, the temptation to keep exploring was strong and I am so glad that we did not miss the Aberlour stand. I was recently reminded of how enjoyable their Sherry Bomb A’Bunadh is, so was rather intrigued by their new line of ex-bourbon casks – with no sherry in sight!

We were in excellent hands as Master Distiller Graeme Cruickshank guided us through a lovely pair which led to a 3rd option too!

Aberlour A’bunadh Alba ex Bourbon Batch 7 58.9%

Much as I enjoy a good sherry-matured whisky, my heart falls for a brilliant ex-bourbon! The A’bunadh Alba was fruity, honeyed, a touch of vanilla on the nose – basically the kind of nuanced sweet that gets me every time. On the palate, I found pineapple – bringing a bit of zip and zing! It was nicely rounded and closed with a sweet slightly peppery finish. My last scribble? “Super fab!” So… clearly I enjoyed this one!

What do the folks at Aberlour have to say?

Meaning ‘the original’ in Gaelic, A’bunadh Alba is made in homage to Aberlour’s founder, James Fleming. Abunadh Alba is matured in ex American Oak resulting in an aroma of ripe red apples, along with honey, vanilla and a hit of cinnamon. Abunadh Alba is bottled at cask strength resulting in a sweet whisky with a creamy texture.

Aberlour 18 year Sherry Cask Finish Batch 1 48%

Then from ex-bourbon, we shifted back into the traditional Aberlour territory of sherry. Here I found plums, toffee, and all the lovely sherry elements of dried fruits, berries, and sweet spices. On the palate, the dried fruits carried through – particularly dried figs, more toffee, and sweet Christmasy spices – especially cinnamon, can also see the oak influence. I’ll be honest, I wish I had more time and quantity to slow down with this one. Here my closing note was “Comfort food!”

I tried to find out more on their website, however, it doesn’t seem that the 2023 expression has further details published yet. We understand it began with American and European oak casks and then it was finished in Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. 

Aberlour Casg Annamh 48%

My immediate reaction was – what a wonderful classic sherry Speyside whisky! It simply had the perfect balance between all the expected elements. I particularly enjoyed the liquorice – which I had found in either the ex-bourbon or mature 18-year-old just experienced.

As my notes stopped at this point, I thought to see what more the good folks at Aberlour have to say about this new expression? 

Translating as ‘Rare Cask’ in Gaelic, Casg Annamh is created from a limited number of carefully selected casks. These Spanish oak Oloroso Sherry casks/butts have a significant influence on the non-chill filtered liquid and perfectly complement Aberlour’s distillate flavour, bringing sweet and rich notes. Casg Annamh is a distinctively rich Single Malt providing adventurous malt lovers with the ideal introduction to Sherry cask matured whiskies.

  • Nose – Rich and sweet with fruity notes of tangy orange, glazed cherries, raisins and a hint of ginger. 
  • Palate – Sweet and fruity flavours of apple and cinnamon crumble and ripe peaches balanced with spicy notes of liquorice and cloves.
  • Finish – Long and rich. Fruity with a touch of dry spice.

It retails in the UK for a very reasonable GBP 65.

What a treat to spend a bit of time with Graeme and be introduced to three lovely whiskies. Thank you London Whisky Show 2023!!

Are we Aberlour fans? Yes! Over the years we have enjoyed :

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Gordon + MacPhail Discovery: Aultmore 10 year 43% 

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We began our “proper” tasting with a distillery known for its lighter style – Aultmore.  Part of the Bacardi family, it is known for a lighter, fruity nose and more substantial palate, this Speyside distillery has both official bottlings and can be found in select independent bottlings – like this one from Gordon & Macphail.

So… what did we discover?

Aultmore 10 year 43% 

  • Colour – Yellow gold (0.5)
  • Nose – A lovely fresh green apple, later joined by a pear too. As it opened further, revealed soft French vanilla and cereals, lightly floral – especially jasmin, gentle lemony cream
  • Palate – Delightful crisp pears, fresh wood, some spice – primarily cracked black pepper, more of that cereal (lightly toasted?), then pineapple and apricot, creamy mouthfeel, very smooth and balanced
  • Finish – Sweetwood, fresh herbs, and light spice with a faintly bitter close
  • Water – No inclination to add! It was perfect exactly as it is!

A perfect fresh spring-like dram – a lovely balance, nuanced and most enjoyable. Even going back, it stood the test – remaining a delightful, fragrant, easy-sipping dram with just enough “oomph!” and depth going on to make it interesting.

This was a clear “hit” of the evening – as evidenced by more of a ‘dent’ made into this bottle than the others! And as we are in the summer months, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more occasions to dip into it again!

What do the good folks over at Gordon & Macphail have to say about this expression?

Green apple, vanilla custard, and hints of jasmine, smooth and creamy flavours of ripe peach and pineapple.

A hint of cracked black pepper is followed by a finish of underlying herbal notes and fresh citrus lemon.

All in all, a great start to an evening exploring Gordon and MacPhail’s Discovery range.

Our evening explored a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

And what about other experiences with Aultmore? Check out the following:

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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 10 – USA Bulleit Frontier 10 year 45.6%

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I thought to kick off a quick quartet of North American whiskies with a Kentucky Straight Bourbon from Bulleit… in this case their ‘Frontier’ 10 year...

USA – Bulleit Frontier Whiskey 10 year Kentucky Straight Bourbon 45.6%

  • Nose – A dusty granary, sweet corn, wood shavings
  • Palate – A bit sharp, raw… a bit sour
  • Finish – Minimal

Not such a bad way to ease into an evening of American drams… didn’t stand out but didn’t turn off either.

After tasting the other three whiskies, I returned…. to find it had become pure sour mash!

What about the Bulleit official tasting notes?

Aged in charred American white oak, select Bulleit Bourbon barrels were set aside to age for 10 years. The result is a special expression of Bulleit that provides a rich, deep, incredibly smooth sipping experience.

  • Deep russet in color, rich oaky aromas. Consistently smooth taste with vanilla, dried fruit, and a long, smoky finish.
  • 91.2 proof (45.6% ABV) • 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley

Would I agree? Not really, but then this also isn’t the style of whisky I gravitate towards either, so don’t mean to be uncharitable.

Curious about the other minis sampled in December 2020? Check out the Vita Dulcis 2020 Advent Calendar.

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BMC Bourbon – Bib + Tucker 10 year 66.6%

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Can I admit sometimes I find the American whiskey industry just a tad confusing? Rather than distinct distilleries, we stumble across brands which may (or may not) be from a particular state and/or distillery or possibly a blend of several, made from barley or corn or rye or wheat a mix of many grains. Throw change in ownership or associations into the mix and it becomes even more confounding.

Such is the case with Bib & Tucker... Is it American? Yes… It was originally the brainchild of California’s 3 Badge Beverage Corp (previously 35 Maple Street with a Canadian connect), initially reputed to be bourbon from an undisclosed distillery in Tennessee… or was it Kentucky?

Fast forward to 2017 and you will see it is part of a Connecticut based Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits. As for where the golden liquid is actually from and how was it made and from what? I found both TN and KY on the bottle in small print but beyond that… tough to tell…

A different cask bottled at 64% was reputed to be from Kentucky Springs Distilling Co with a mash of 70% corn, 26% rye and 4% malted barley. The grains were distilled twice – through a column still and an old-fashioned copper pot still – then matured in No. 1 charred American white oak barrels… in other words charred for the least amount of time ie approx 15 seconds.

Whereas the one we tried clocked in at whopping 66.6% and I certainly couldn’t track it down… which isn’t so surprising given there are only 159 bottles of this particular expression in existence!

Setting aside my clearly inadequate detective skills, what matters most to us is what did we think? (as I can practically here the gents chaff with “Would you stop your blathering lassie so we can get on with the tasting??”)

Bib & Tucker 10 year Cask C130712 133.2 Proof 66.6%, Bottle 017 / 159

  • Colour – Burnished copper orange
  • Nose – Burnt caramel, tea leaves, toasted grain, dates and prunes, sweet spices particularly cinnamon, apricot salt tart, plum liqueur, a Chinese sour cherry, a bit of leather… as it opened, it became increasingly sour, cinnamon, almost camomile, then sweet with vanilla cream custard
  • Palate – Wow! There was no mistaking the 1st hit of alcohol and power behind this bourbon! If you had any taste buds remaining after the 1st singe, the embers continued to burn… however just as the nose evolved and opened up, so too did the palate… after time it even took on a lovely apricot too
  • Finish – A slightly bitter nutty edge came out after the spice dampened down
  • Water – A few much preferred it with water finding it brought out the tart sourness
  • Ice – Whereas others found it best with a nice chunk of ice

Overall? We thought it has quite an interesting nose that evolved as it opened up. And what a reaction to the 1st sip! The first gent to dive in had taken a good swig – burst out with “Woah!” and looked like he had been kicked by a mule. I kid you not. But slow down and take a wee sip? And be rewarded with a lovely flavourful rolling spice fire in your mouth.

This one certainly grew on us… and after the cigar was part-way through, most switched to the Bib & Tucker to pair and puff away the balance of our evening.

And what do the Bib & Tucker folks have to say? Well… this particular 10 year expression doesn’t seem to have on-line tasting notes however the 6 year is described as:

  • aroma  BIB & TUCKER leads with a strong vanilla scent along with fresh cut sweet grass, wet stone and old leatherbound books.
  • taste  With a smooth entry, the bourbon is nicely balanced with a hint of sweetness. It fulfills the promise of its nose before evolving into a warm, lightly crisp,spicy sensation.
  • finish  BIB & TUCKER lingers in the mouth with a complex, yet balanced chestnutty taste.

While not the same expression, can certainly see some similarity in profile between the standard 6 year vs the 10 year one we tried.

BMC’s Bourbon Night

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BMC Bourbon – Breaker Bourbon Port Barrel Finish 45%

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When I tried to find out more about this bourbon, it turns out it is more a brand than a specific new distillery entering the fray.

The folks over at Ascendant are quiet about the origins and details on their website. While the company is based in California, according to Distiller.com, the bourbon has a mash bill of corn, rye and malted barley which is sourced from  Indiana where it is distilled and aged for a minimum of five years, then blended and bottled in California.

Breaker Bourbon Port Barrel Finish Batch No 5 45% Bottle 727

  • Colour – Burnished ruby
  • Nose – Sweet and sour, yhesty, herbal, basil, dry spices of cardamon and cloves, black peppercorn… increasingly sweet then sour mash
  • Palate – Yhesty malt on the palate, dry, milder than expected, even a bit bitter
  • Finish – Hmm… there but… what exactly?
  • Water – Evens it out a bit

This was a strange one. There was no discernible influence from the Port finish – none of the stewed fruits or dark berries or even grapes of any kind. We simply weren’t sure about it so we set it aside.

And when we returned? No… just no… seriously no.

Let’s see what the folks over at Ascendant have to say:

This special edition Breaker Bourbon starts with fully matured bourbon and is finished in port wine barrels. It boasts a distinct hue and complex flavors of vanilla, cereal grains, oak, spice, and rich stewed fruit leading to a dry finish. Citrus and spice linger on the palate with baked apple notes beneath.

We certainly didn’t find much in common with the tasting notes. Pity.

BMC’s Bourbon Night

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BMC Bourbon – Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon 46%

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Clyde May’s takes inspiration from the story of Clyde May’s moonshine days in Alabama with their Conecuh Ridge style spirit which was essentially corn moonshine matured for a year in charred oak barrels with dried apples.

As for its modern avatar?  Kentucky Bourbon Distillers stepped in to produce the bourbon, though the branding retained a nod to Alabama. Why? Simply put prior to 2013, it was illegal to distill spirits in Alabama! However once the laws changed, rumour has it plans were hatched to build a distillery in Troy Alabama with developments at “an advanced stage.”

But what about the bourbon?

Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon Batch CM0791 Recipe No 2 92 Proof 46%

  • Colour – Caramel red gold
  • Nose – Musty granary then mellows out, mild wood, ripe banana but not the typical bold bananas of a rough bourbon but instead a soft nuanced banana loaf, peaches, then brewed tea chilled to make ice tea with lemon slices, then the wood comes back on top, followed by apples… almost like a honey sweet apple brandy
  • Palate – Back of the tongue banana, sweet, so much more interesting on the palate than we hand anticipated, honey and fruits, simply beautiful, mild and easy sipping
  • Finish – Oolong tea, truly lovely finish
  • Water – For those who gadded, found it became even sweeter, the fruits came out to the fore even more, burnt sugar with a nice peppery finish

The longer is sat in the glass, the more enjoyable the aromas. Particularly with the revisit, we found this a clear desert dram.

And with ice? Banana cream and baked apple pie, simply fabulous! Then shifts to orange blossoms and vanilla cream. However don’t let it get watered down… overly diluted it becomes sugar water and insipid. Instead, keep it topped up and enjoy!

As for paired with our bourbon soaked Gurkha? First half of the cigar was equally sweet and the Clyde May’s was a perfect complement. However by the time we got to the heavier spicier part of the cigar, this was no longer quite the right fit… instead we shifted to Bib & Tucker 10 year bourbon.

And what do the Clyde May’s folks have to say?

Aged 4 to 5 years in new 53 gallon oak barrels and is non-chill filtered. You get dried orchard fruits on the nose and spice on the palate. A full and smooth choice, best either on the rocks or in a May’s Manhattan.

  • Appearance: Rich crimson.
  • Nose: Soft and sweet on the nose with aromas of brown sugar, baked apricot, wild strawberry, and nutmeg.
  • Palate: Wonderfully soft with complex aromas of barrel spice, fruit, and oiled leather.
  • Finishes long and delicious.

When I reached out to what I could find for a contact of Clyde May’s, John Soden,
International Sales Director of Belfast Distillery Company Ltd/Conecuh Brands kindly stepped in to further share details about the bourbon:

  • Mash Bill is 78% Corn, 12% Rye and 10% Malted Barley
  • Char #4 barrels, non-chill filtered, aged for 4-5 years

While the Alabama element is adding apples, this can’t done with the straight bourbon we sampled for it to qualify as bourbon. They also clarified that while they have plans to build their own distillery, currently the whiskey is sourced with a “very strict set of criteria with regard to age/quality, production methods and ingredients.”

Bottom line, did we like it? Why yes we did!

BMC’s Bourbon Night

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