I had almost forgotten about this whisky until we received some more stock back in!! There are plenty of good ryes out in the world, but Rittenhouse Rye has always been a favourite of mine. A fantastic fan favourite from the Heaven Hill family. This is just a quick rundown of my current tipple!

Heaven Hill produces this whiskey to commemorate Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square, crafting the liquid in a classic Pennsylvania rye flavour profile. That profile tends to be a lot spicier and fruitier than a lot of ryes. Rittenhouse is also Bottled in Bond, which has a lot of stipulations to be labeled that. One distiller at one single distillery, and created from one distillation season. In addition to that, it has to be aged in federally bonded warehouses that are under the supervision of the US Government for at least four years, then bottled at exactly 100 proof or 50% ABV. If that is not enough, the label must clearly state where it was distilled and bottled.

Rittenhouse has won multiple awards and accolades, all which are well deserved. Even though this is enjoyable on the rocks, my opinion is that it shines brightest in cocktails. A definite favourite amongst the creative cocktail bartenders I know.

While the expected rye spiciness is definitely there, the spice most definitely plays second fiddle to the bursting fruit flavours! It’s very clean and mellow, but balances the orchard fruits and peppery bite very well.

If you are in the market for a delicious cocktail rye, grab a bottle now!

Slainte

Anthony

There have been 3 new Teeling Irish Whiskey releases this year, 2 of which were released to coincide with World Whisky Day. Brabazon Series 3 and Teeling 28 year old were released together, along with the 18 year old Renaissance Volume 1 released in the UK this year. As a big fan of Teeling, these releases are quite exciting! Showing what premium Irish Whisky is all about.

The 18 year old is the first release in their Renaissance Series. This series to follow up from their highly popular and highly awarded Revival Series. Matured in ex-Bourbon casks, followed by a further 18 months maturation in ex-Madeira casks. This release is limited to 9,000 bottles, bottled at 46% with no chill filtration.

“The new range marks five years down the line. Five years ago we were at a stage where it was the revival of Irish whiskey and now we’re at a stage of the renaissance.” Said Stephen Teeling.

Taste: Silky richness accompanied by toffee apple, dried fruits and rosewater notes with cinnamon and clove spice on the tongue.

The Brabazon Series 3 release sees a 10,000 bottle limited release. The Brabazon series was created as a unique collection of Irish Single Malts to capture the full impact of using fortified wine casks in the maturation. Series 3 is a 14 year old that was finished in Pedro Ximenez casks, which were supplied by a small family run winery.

Taste: Dark chocolate, toffee apples, dates and cinnamon.

Released with Brabazon Series 3 was this magnificent 28 year old! This bottling is a continuation from the much beloved 21 and 24 year old releases, of which took home World’s Best Single Malt! All three come from the same 1991 distillate, this 28 just spending an additional 4 years maturing in Sauternes casks, making a total of 8 years in Sauternes. This expression is limited to 4,000 bottles and is bottled at 46% ABV.

Taste: Velvety smooth with a slight smokiness, fresh picked peaches, and fresh honey.

With all that is going on in the world, Teeling has been doing what it can to help numerous charities during the pandemic. That just makes me like them that much more! It shows their true caring for the community around them.

“We all feel helpless at times like this so do your part by buying some Teeling Whiskey swag with all proceeds bar the tax man’s take going to support the heroes at the front line of the battle against COVID 19. From the people caring for our elderly, vulnerable community to those in the trenches in hospitals around the country, we wanted to do something to support in some way. We chose to create the Teeling Front Line Heroes website to try our best to give back to people who are making huge sacrifices on a daily basis. As we have all been forced to step back they are stepping forward day after day tackling this crisis head on and this website is a small gesture of our appreciation for these true front line heroes.”

Teelingfrontlineheroes.com for more.

Slainte

Anthony

With Father’s Day coming up, we thought a list of some of the team’s current favourite American Whiskies would do everyone some good! Whether you are looking for the spiciness of a rye, the sweetness of a Kentucky bourbon, or the wonderfully unique taste of an American single malt from the Pacific NorthWest! We have some options for you! Grab a bottle for the father in your life… or just yourself.

Westland Sherry Wood

A delicious American Single Malt from Seattle, Washington. Westland uses six different styles of malted barley, four different casks, and Belgian Brewer’s Yeast in the creation of this unique whiskey. Wonderful flavours of maple syrup, stewed fruits, oatmeal, and a mellow spiciness.

Sazerac Straight Rye

A multi-award winning rye from the Buffalo Trace Distillery is tasty and affordable! Named after the Sazerac Coffee House in New Orleans, this rye is aged 4-6 years in the Kentucky heat and bottled at 45%. Great cinnamon notes, carmelised fruits, black pepper, and cloves. Hard to keep on the shelves.

Rowan’s Creek

A fantastic small batch boutique bourbon from Willett Distilling Company. Named after the water source that runs through the distillery grounds. Easily the best seller in the Willett family’s lineup! For good reason too, this is a true Kentucky bourbon. Aged for 12 years and bottled at 50.05%. A very velvety bourbon which hosts oodles of caramel sweetness, slight citrus, and a nice oaky spice.

Weller Antique 107

A wonderful full flavoured wheated bourbon from Buffalo Trace Distilling. The high proof pairs very well in cocktails, creating a bold backbone to the chosen drink! A well balanced bourbon with smooth vanilla, cinnamon apples, and a sharp spiciness.

High West Campfire

A real favourite for something truly outside the box. This one of a kind whiskey hails from the picturesque High West Distillery in Utah. This bottling is a combination of 3 different whiskies; a straight bourbon, a straight rye, and a peated Scottish malt whisky. A big mouthful of rye, raisins, rich honey, smoked almonds, and a bit of peat on the back end.

Slainte

Anthony

Not all blends are created equal and Suntory has always been there to show the world that’s true. Hibiki is what they have been using to show the whisky world how good blends can be. Easily one of the best lines in Suntory’s line up!

Hibiki is Beam Suntory’s premium blend that has been around since 1989 to commemorate Suntory’s 90th anniversary. This highly awarded whisky has come to earn itself a very honoured place in the whisky community. The different bottlings that Hibiki has out are meticulously blended from 3 major distilleries. Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita distilleries all contribute an array of both malt and grain whiskies. The different blends use a variety of ages to make up their unrivaled bottlings, ages all the way up to 30 years old. Using a variety of casks and a special bamboo charcoal filtration gives the whisky a very sweet and gentle flavour. Despite Hibiki having a very rich flavour profile and being marketed to the luxury market, it is still a very accessible whisky for any level of drinker.

Currently Hibiki puts out five different bottlings. Harmony, Harmony Master Select, 17 year old, 21 year old, and the illustrious 30 year old. Each of which containing the same delicious base, but all holding their own complex makeup and delectable flavours!

Until we get our shipments of some of the older bottlings back in, grab a bottle of the Hibiki Japanese Harmony and see what a blend can really be! Harmony was aged in 5 different casks and uses many of the same whiskies used to create the original Hibiki! A light honeyed floral blend with flavours of candied citrus and slight oaky spiciness.

Slainte

Anthony

Almost closing out another week in this very interesting world! Been sending out loads of great bottlings to you lovely folks out there. If any of you have received a bottle you have really enjoyed, please send us a little note to let us know! We very much enjoy delivering small packages of happiness when we can. I also hope you have been coming up with some fun uses for your tasty spirits while at home. Maybe some interesting cocktails, or some delicious recipes using your favourite whisky.

A bottling that I have been enjoying lately that I thought I’d share is a delicious rum from Panama. Ron Abuelo XV “Napoleon”. The “Napoleon” is a cognac finished rum that spent the end of its time in maturation in Napoleon Cognac Barrels.

I have definitely been on a rum kick lately, maybe it is just an aid in the dreaming of a tropical vacation! This Panamanian rum has been putting out wonderful bottlings using some of the best sugar cane. You can easily taste the quality ingredients that is the base of Ron Abuelo, but adding in the uniqueness of the cognac finishing makes it that much more distinct. A very lovely dry rum with notes of freshly roasted coffee and stewed fruits. The boldness of the cognac wood won’t go unnoticed, because it adds a wonderful complexity that lingers with some dark chocolate. Although it is a very lovely sipping rum, it does make for some very interesting and delicious cocktails! If this isn’t your cup of tea, any of the Ron Abuelo lines are worth a try!

So, keep on staying healthy and find those little bits of happiness throughout your day!

Slainte

Anthony