Indholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2021 i Whisky Advocate

If you’ve ever set foot in a bar, you’ve likely seen many jiggers. These small but mighty tools are practically an extension of a bartender’s hand; markings within both sides of the jigger denote measurements ranging from half an ounce to two and a half ounces, allowing for ultimate precision pours. As home bartending continues to take off, a jigger is a crucial tool—and we’ve rounded up some that are as pretty as they are practical.…

When David Jennings was in college, he didn’t particularly like Wild Turkey: It was the inexpensive stuff, a shooter to throw back before going out, something to mix with Coke. So he was as surprised as anyone to discover a few years ago that, actually, Wild Turkey is delicious. That realization has led him down a life-changing path to extreme fandom, which has so far yielded a successful blog, a book, and a following of paying Patreon supporters called Russell’s Renegades who get access to Jennings’ private barrel picks and other benefits. It all started around 2013 with a pint of Wild Turkey 101 that Jennings bought on a whim. He was just getting into whiskey seriously and wanted to try something new—or retry it, years after his first casual…

The arrival of a new baby in your life will change your world forever. Whether you are the proud parent, grandparent, relative, or friend, here are a few ideas that make great gifts or simply a fun way to celebrate the joyous occasion with whisky. Propose a Toast BUDGET $45-$130 BUY THIS A sentimental whisky for toasting. While this is certainly a time to open a bottle you’ve been saving for a special occasion, you might also celebrate the little one’s arrival with one of these aptly named whiskies. Balcones Baby Blue 46% • $45 Whether a boy or a girl, go blue with this Texas whiskey made from heirloom corn. Little Book Chapter 4: Lessons Honored 61.4% • $125 An annual release crafted by eighth-generation Beam distiller Freddie Noe; a new…

THE BLOCK DISTILLING CO. Denver, Colo.; 225 Club; theblockdistillingco.com BRECKENRIDGE DISTILLERY Breckenridge, Colo.; The Dark Arts Society; breckenridgedistillery.com HERITAGE DISTILLING CO. Seattle, Wash.; Spirits Club; heritagedistilling.com HIGH WEST Park City, Utah; High West Whiskey Club; highwest.com KO DISTILLING Manassas, Va.; PlanKOwners; kodistilling.com MALAHAT SPIRITS CO. San Diego, Calif.; Malahat Barrel Club; malahatspirits.com MARBLE DISTILLING Carbondale, Colo.; Barrel Club; marbledistilling.com MCMENAMINS Ore. and Wash.; Whiskey Club; mcmenamins.com NELSON’S GREEN BRIER Nashville, Tenn.; Coopers Club; greenbrierdistillery.com NEW RIFF DISTILLING Newport, Ky.; New Riff Whiskey Club; newriffwhiskeyclub.com OREGON SPIRIT DISTILLERS Bend, Ore.; Distiller’s Choice Club; oregonspiritdistillers.com R6 DISTILLERY El Segundo, Calif.; Member Spirits Club; r6distillery.com RANGER CREEK BREWING & DISTILLING San Antonio, Texas; Texas Whiskey Club; texaswhiskeyclub.com ROD & HAMMER’S SLO STILLS San Luis Obispo, Calif.; The Spirits Club; slostills.com SONOMA DISTILLING CO.…

The best place to start a story is at the beginning, which must have been the sentiment behind Glenlivet’s recent release, Glenlivet 12 year old Illicit Still. Glenlivet, famously licensed to distill since 1824, says it has drawn inspiration from “Glenlivet’s illicit past as well as from its founder George Smith, who began illegally distilling whisky in the 1800s.” While we occasionally like to root for the baddie in stories, this isn’t a redemptive tale of bad guy makes good. There’s no hell-raising yippee-ki-yay George Smith, the scourge of the glen, striding across the heather with a pair of smokin’ shotguns crossed behind his head. If George Smith is remembered for one thing, it’s his prowess at filling out a distillery license application form in the wake of some decent…

SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALTS 92 Glen Grant 15 year old Batch-Strength, 50%, $79 See Editors’ Choice, page 99 90 Glen Grant 18 year old, 43%, $135 Floral notes flit among the shortbread, vanilla, almond flour, banana peel, and lemon aromas of the nose, while the palate is sweet with lemon curd, shortbread, toasted almonds and coconut, and honeydew. Water brings out fresher, fruitier flavors, but add it sparingly. The soft finish has toasted nuts, shortbread, oak, and ginger. A delicate dram that showcases elegant maturity.—SSB 90 Glen Grant 12 year old, 43%, $47 Lily of the valley, sweet almonds, and light tropical fruit notes—mango and kiwi—on the reticent nose. The palate’s oily texture belies its light body, but both characteristics work in tandem to advance lemon and orange, toasted almonds bathed…

BOURBON & FINISHED BOURBON 93 Barrell Cask-Strength Blend of Straight Bourbons (Batch 026), 56.32%, $90 A rich and fragrant nose of mince pie, baking spices, figs, cherry pie, sweetened ice tea, candle wax, and an earthy note of warehouse floor. The palate is dense and chewy, with rich flavors of chocolate-covered raspberries, cooked cherries, honeyed almonds, licorice, and black tea. Water unlocks more fruit notes, spice, and a hint of cafe au lait. The finish is lengthy, offering dark chocolate, allspice, licorice, and balanced oak.—DF 93 Four Gate Andalusia Key Oloroso and Dark Rum Cask-Finished (Batch 9), 60.6%, $199 Pleasantly earthy cellar floor and cola spices weight the sweet aromas of butterscotch ripple ice cream, cherry pie, blackberry cobbler, and chocolate chip-blueberry pancakes. There’s equal breadth on the palate, with…

A CLUB COMES INTO ITS OWN Dear Whisky Advocate, Since we were featured in your Tasting Club issue, I just wanted to check in and let you know how the [Monmouth Whisky Club’s] Lift Our Spirits! events are doing. We started virtual events in March of 2020, and just held our fifteenth event in January. Each event has been fantastic, but the virtual format has enabled us to have speakers including Maker’s Mark master of innovation Jane Bowie and master distiller Denny Potter; Tamdhu distillery manager Sandy “Big Mac” McIntyre; and Ian Macleod Distillers international brand ambassador Gordon Dundas. Our February event was Lift Our Spirits Glenfiddich! with master distiller Brian Kinsman. These events have become so popular, and have opened up new possibilities that we could not have hoped…

Walton Goggins remembers his first sip of alcohol. He was 14, living in Georgia, and working on a roofing crew during the summer. The other guys had taken him under their wing and on a trip together, they offered him some moonshine. “It was white lightning,” he recalls. “My eyes did roll into the back of my head and they looked and laughed and supported me, and I got sick and all the rest.” But Goggins recalls the experience fondly, and today he speaks of whiskey with a deep reverence. He has come a long way from sipping 'shine in the Georgia sun, and that’s due in part to the role he’s most associated with. For five years he played Boyd Crowder on FX Networks’ “Justified,” earning himself an Emmy…

For whisky lovers, Japan conjures images of rare whisky and effervescent Highballs. Given its mastery of whisky, it’s worth taking a closer look at the nation’s traditional drink, sake, which had a 1,000-year head start on whisky. A fermented beverage with an average alcohol by volume (ABV) of 15% and usually no carbonation, sake is often referred to as rice wine. But this complex beverage is a much closer cousin of beer because it’s brewed, and it also shares similarities with whisky since it’s made from rice, a grain. In some cases, distilled alcohol is used in its production, and a handful of sakes are even aged in wood. “Sake is, for lack of a more in-depth definition, an alcoholic beverage that’s made by taking rice, polishing it, and letting…

DAILY DRINKER Russell’s Reserve 10 year old THE ONE HE DREAMS OF TRYING The first bottling of Wild Turkey 101 (ca. 1942) or the Master Distillers’ Unity, a blend of bourbons from seven Kentucky distilleries, including Wild Turkey, created by Heaven Hill’s master distiller emeritus, Parker Beam THREE WORDS THAT BEST DESCRIBE HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH WILD TURKEY Bold, genuine, true; the whiskey’s tagline. (“Of course,” Jennings says.) MOST MEMORABLE WILD TURKEY MOMENT “Sipping bourbon straight from the barrel with Eddie, Bruce [Russell, Eddie’s son], JoAnn [Street, Eddie’s niece], and ten of my good friends in Wild Turkey’s legendary rickhouse A. I’ll never forget that wonderful day and look forward to a time when we can do it again.” MOST EXTREME THING HE’S DONE FOR WILD TURKEY Traded a bottle of…

Getting your hands on whiskeys from your favorite Kentucky distillers just became much simpler—at least for some Americans. A new state law now allows distilleries, along with wineries and breweries, to ship directly to in-state residents, as well as states with reciprocal agreements (currently Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Rhode Island, plus Washington, D.C.). That means that even if you can’t get to a distillery for a special release, you could potentially have a bottle delivered to your doorstep. This is all thanks to Kentucky House Bill 415, which was passed in April 2020 and went into effect in December. Prior to that, Kentucky residents largely couldn’t receive alcohol shipments from out of state, and there were heavy restrictions on beer, wine, and spirits…

When a new distillery releases its first whisky, it can seem like a fantastic opportunity for collectors. But that’s not always true. Here are the advantages and drawbacks of new-distillery collecting. The Pros Ardent collectors like to get in at the start of a new enterprise, become the first to introduce a new whisky to friends, and follow every step of the journey during the distillery’s formative years. Generally, such bottles can be acquired at reasonable prices—avoiding the vast sums needed to assemble a collection of past glories from old distilleries. Whether you join a founders’ club community to get hold of exclusive bottlings or the first general release, your dollars also help to support a new business. Many distilleries display the names of founders’ club members in the visitor…

About three-quarters of the way through the interview, the question I had been anticipating, and dreading, from the start was asked: “So, what do you see trending in beer and spirits over the next year or so?” The truth was that I hadn’t a clue, because if the trials and tribulations of 2020 have taught me nothing else, they have most certainly convinced me of the futility involved in trying to predict what might occur a year, six months, or even eight or ten weeks from the present. But I didn’t say that, principally because that wasn’t what anyone wanted to hear. Instead, I launched into a heavily equivocated spiel about what styles and categories were hot now and how they might fare in the near future. Which is the…

A mid the mountains and jagged cliffs of Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido, lush forests are filled with a curious species of ancient oak. Gnarled and twisted, these trees struggle mightily to grow straight upward, and require 200 to 500 years to reach maturity. But the Quercus crispula, better known as mizunara, has become one of the whisky world’s great obsessions. Mizunara barrels deliver an array of alluring flavors, and are sought by distillers around the globe. Mizunara’s singular character is even more evident in the coopering process, and its porous, brittle nature was at one time considered unsuitable for casks. But with deft hands, nurturing, and dedication, mizunara barrels deliver an array of alluring flavors. Traditionally the province of Japanese whiskies, today mizunara is sought by distillers around…

The Buying Guide provides ratings of whiskies from around the world with an emphasis on new releases available for purchase in the U.S. Complete tasting notes are provided for all whiskies scoring 84 points or more (on the Whisky Advocate 100-point scale). Lowerscoring whiskies are included at the discretion of the editors, and some may appear exclusively on whiskyadvocate.com. RATINGS AND PRICES Ratings are to provide a relative comparison of quality with reference to both directly competing products and whiskies in general. Price is not a consideration when arriving at ratings. Prices shown reflect the suggested retail price or a representative retail price. Actual retail prices may vary. Whiskies sold in the U.S. have prices marked in dollars; any whisky priced in other currency is not presently available in the…

IRISH SINGLE MALT 89 Hinch Peated, 43%, $50 The nose offers antiseptics, Band-Aids, caramel, lemon peel, grassy smoke, and aniseed balls. As it unfurls, the smoke combines with notes of rich chocolate brownie and earthy peat. Honeyed, with sweet smoke on the palate, juicy citrus notes, sherbet, vanilla, ice cream wafers, clementine, and a bright finish of tangy citrus and sherbet. Dangerously drinkable, and one you’ll want to keep within easy reach for a second pour. (6,000 bottles)—JM IRISH SINGLE POT STILL 92 Method and Madness Chestnut Cask-Finished, 46%, $90 Perfumy and earthy aromas dominate the nose: dried roses and orange peel, talcum powder, moss, sandalwood, granola, toast with honey. Flavors of toasted cedar, spruce, and moss, woven with spice and pecans, are juxtaposed with bright lemon, almond cream, orange…

The Mars Shinshu Distillery in Miyada, Nagano prefecture sits 800 meters above sea level, making it the highest distillery in Japan. Its second distillery, Mars Tsunuki, opened in 2016, returning whisky making to Kagoshima, the birthplace of the company. Last September, a 16-month distillery expansion project was completed at Mars Shinshu. A new distillery, visitor center, and 2,500-barrel warehouse were opened, while the original distillery, which dates from 1985, was upgraded. To mark the occasion, the company chose the chestnut tiger butterfly to symbolize the transformation, as Mars Whisky prepares to soar to new heights. 92 Mars 8 year old Asagi Madara (2020 Release), 48%, $106 Bottled to celebrate the refurbishment of Mars Shinshu Distillery, it’s named after the area’s native chestnut tiger butterfly. The nose is beautiful but delicate:…

As a sommelier at two Mandalay Bay restaurants—Aureole for Charlie Palmer and STRIPSTEAK by Michael Mina—Angel Stephenson of Las Vegas gets to sample world-class wine and whisky. Distributor-led tastings have slowed down due to COVID restrictions, but Stephenson will still be able to enjoy some of the best whisky of 2020 as the winner of Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 sweepstakes, which awards him the top-3 whiskies of the year: Larceny Barrel Proof, Knob Creek 12 year old, and Benriach The Smoky Twelve. Stephenson has an appreciation for a wide variety of whiskies, from Jameson to Macallan, and names 1792 as a favorite. His home bar features everything from cognac to tequila, and he’s started to explore spirits aged in port and sherry barrels. “Those are a lot of fun,” he…

Katie Auth, New York City-based bartender and founder of Katie Sips, believes that Bénédictine herbal liqueur is underappreciated by many. “It’s a shame because it plays well with many spirits, but it’s especially known for its compatibility with whisky,” she says. “Bénédictine and whisky is a stunning pairing when done carefully.” With a secret recipe of 27 plants and spices, Bénédictine has a colorful history to match its rich flavor profile. It’s said that Bénédictine monk Dom Bernardo Vincelli developed the recipe at the Abbey of Fécamp in Normandy, France in 1510, but that it went missing after the French Revolution—only to be rediscovered by wine merchant Alexandre Le Grand in 1863. Le Grand chose to distill and age the liqueur, which he named Bénédictine in tribute to Vincelli, in…

FOR SPEYSIDE SCOTCH FANS Heavensake Junmai Daiginjo Yamaguchi, Japan; 16%, $80 With its delicate floral aromas and hints of pears, grapes, and lush tropical fruit, this shares similarities with many Speyside single malts. It is rich and velvety, mixing early summer pears and wild red berries, married with muscat grapes. Born Muroka Nama Genshu Junmai Daiginjo Fukui, Japan; 17%, $50 This is both nama and genshu in style, plus it bypasses the normal charcoal filtering (muroka) and is bottled then aged for 1 year at-10°C/14°F. It features aromas of rose petal, honey, and tropical fruit, not unlike Speyside scotch, and offers plenty of umami to draw in fans of peated whisky as well. FOR LOWLAND OR BLENDED SCOTCH FANS Kamoizumi “Summer Snow” Nigori Ginjo Hiroshima, Japan; 18%, $29/500 ml Lowland…

8 oz. ginger, peeled 8 oz. white sugar 2 cups water 1 pinch mishmish spice (a blend of crystallized honey, saffron, lemon, and other spices) from La Boite, or other seasoning such as cinnamon and sea salt (optional) Using a mandoline, cut ginger into slices approximately 1/8 of an inch thick and 3/4 to 1 inch around, depending on the size of the ginger itself. Combine ginger and water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 15 minutes or until the ginger is soft. While the mixture is simmering, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Strain water from pot, reserving 1 cup. Submerge ginger in the ice bath for 10 minutes. Drain and return ginger to the pot. Add sugar, mishmish spice or…

If you saw any NFL football last fall, you noticed something new on the field and wrapped around the goalposts: unambiguous anti-racism messages like “end racism.” The on-field messaging at Major League Soccer matches included “MLS Unites Against Racism” and “Black Lives Matter.” As a writer, I believe messaging matters. The more in-your-face messaging of 2020 replaced softer-peddled messages of tolerance and unity from the past. Good. The beverage alcohol and related hospitality industries have had their own recent reckonings with racism and sexism, all during the worst pandemic in a century and consequent economic catastrophe. In Illinois, where I live, and where recreational marijuana was legalized a year ago amid much messaging about social justice, there is still not a single licensed marijuana business in the state with a…

92 Angel’s Envy Mizunara Cask-Finished Bourbon 48.9%, $350 A blend of 4 and 9 year old bourbons is finished for two years in mizunara casks, resulting in a sweet sipper with peach tea, soft wood tannins, zesty citrus, tobacco leaf, and exotic spice. 92 Glendalough 17 year old Mizunara Cask-Finished Irish Single Malt 46%, $200 This spends 15 years in first-fill bourbon barrels before a twoyear finish in mizunara. Honeyed, with melon, white grape, clementine peel, and sparkling black pepper and ginger root. 92 Kaiyō - Mizunara 43%, $60 Kaiyo - translates to “ocean.” Fitting, as they send their mizunara barrels on a three-month sea voyage from Osaka to Liverpool. Pastry, egg custard, allspice, and a wave of vanilla creaminess. No. 14 in our 2019 Top 20. 90 Hibiki Japanese Harmony 43%, $80 A…

Best Values Whiskies with solid scores, modest prices, and wide availability. HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT 91 Loch Lomond Original, 40%, $30 Restrained and refined, the nose is bright with orange blossom, honeysuckle, peaches, pineapple, grapefruit, almond, and pistachio. The flavors are consistent, tending toward sweetened fruit—candied grapefruit and orange peel, grilled pineapple, brown sugar-coated almonds—bound in a creamy length of silk. Polished oak offers a savory counterweight to the finish’s sweet-floral notes of citrus oil and rose water. One of the best entry-level single malts on the shelf.—SSB RYE 91 Roulette 4 year old Straight, 50%, $30 A pretty and unusual nose: nutty with toasted grain uplifted by fresh-squeezed lemon, plus chai spices, brown sugar, seasoned oak, and cedar chest. The palate has intersecting layers of citrus wedges, allspice, black pepper,…

Scotland has nearly 800 islands, but just a handful boast their own single malt distilleries, among them Islay, Mull, Skye—and tiny Arran. Though the island has a long history of illicit whisky making, the first legal distillery opened just 26 years ago, but it has made a name for itself through its densely flavored single malts, deft use of cask finishes, and understated yet elegant character. Arran overhauled its range in 2020, debuting new packaging and some new whiskies, though the 10 and 18 year old remain, with additional offerings to come later in the year, including more cask finishes and an allocation of Arran 21 year old. Its peated whisky, Machrie Moor, has been phased out. But peat lovers have plenty to look forward to, as the company opened…

JAPANESE SINGLE MALT 93 Chichibu Ichiro’s Malt Peated U.S. Edition (2020 Release), 55.5%, $340 Icy cool clinical whisky with a precision delivery of peat smoke and icing sugar, vanilla, sponge cake, attractive spiciness, and a touch of mint on the nose. The mouthfeel is effervescent with fizzing spices, buckets of bourbon-cask sweetness, sugary vanilla, and a huge thrust of clove at full strength, becoming richer as the peat smoke blows through. Water coaxes out lime and clementine peel and a deeper, more rounded smoke. (2,109 bottles)—JM JAPANESE BLENDED 91 Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt, 43%, $80 A nose to savor and get lost in contemplation with its array of beautifully layered wood spices interwoven with balanced smoke, polished wood, vanilla pod, and lemonscented biscuits. This new edition has a waxy feel,…

DANISH 92 Stauning Bastard, 46.3%, $78 This 3 year old rye receives a 6-month finish in Oro de Oaxaca mezcal casks and has a great fusion of herbal and spice aromas on the nose, with a touch of cinnamon, almond shells, rye bread, and a gentle smoky haze. Full of hedonistic pleasures, this is sweet but not fruity, with cinnamon, an intensity of rye spices, and more direct mezcal influences and long-lasting flavors.—JM 91 Stauning Kaos, 46%, $79 Named after a 1930s Danish political slogan, this is a combination of Stauning’s unpeated malt, smoked malt, and malted rye whiskies. Give it time to open up and reveal its full beauty: coffee bean, plain chocolate chunks, a warming twist of sweet peat smoke, wood spices, apple, and fresh breakfast pastries. Green…

Meet Johnnie Walker, the email from some Scotland tour outfit said. Love to, I thought, but he’s been dead since 1857, well after my people decamped from a neighboring isle, so it’s unlikely I could even have shaken the hand that shook the hand, that shook the hand, that shook the hand of the eponymous whisky merchant. Used to be a thing, that shook the hand that shook the hand thing. Dates from the days of John L. Sullivan (no relation) and a Broadway musical that featured the notion. My dad used to say it, mentioning that his dad, a railroad engineer, had had John Philip Sousa aboard his Land O’Corn train, and had shaken the hand that shook the hand of five presidents. Sadly, they were Hayes, Garfield, Arthur,…