Tag: Bourbon
Van Winkle 12-Year Lot “B” Bourbon
As much as I enjoy rye whiskey, when it comes to bourbon my allegiances lie squarely with the “wheated” camp.
“Wheated” you say? Remember that bourbon is defined as having at least 51% corn in its mash bill. Most distilleries end up using 70-75% corn, filling in the rest with 11-13% rye and 10-12% malted barley. But there are a few whiskies that use wheat instead of rye to fill out that 11-13%. The result is a much different whiskey.
Rye lends a spicy, minty, resinous quality to bourbon that gives the whiskey a vibrancy in the glass that can be really alluring, and also enables bourbon (and rye whiskey as well) to go great in cocktails. Wheat on the other hand lends a softer, gentler, and more rounded quality to bourbon, bringing out the sweetness and giving it body and depth. Picture making caramel sauce and at the last moment having to choose between adding salt to make a salted caramel sauce, or adding another couple tablespoons of butter to add more richness. This is similar to choosing between a rye bourbon or a wheated bourbon.
And when I say that there are just a few wheated bourbons out there, I mean it. The readily available ones are Van Winkle bourbons, W.L. Weller bourbons, Maker’s Mark, and Old Fitzgerald. Maker’s Mark is certainly the most ubiquitous of these, and is a decent whiskey, just a bit young (~6 years typically). But it’s the Van Winkle and Weller bourbons that are the real showcases for wheated bourbons.
First, a little bit of history about the two labels. For several decades, both were made at the fabled Stitzel-Weller distillery, run by Pappy Van Winkle himself. The distillery closed in 1992, after which Buffalo Trace purchased the W.L. Weller label and began producing it at their Frankfort distillery. At the same time, production of Van Winkle bourbons moved to the Bernheim distillery, before Julian Van Winkle reached an agreement with Buffalo Trace to also produce the Van Winkle bourbons at their facility. So now both are produced at Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, KY.
Whiskies from the Stitzel-Weller distillery are an increasingly rare and sought after species. Just look at the prices for a bottle of Van Winkle 20 or 23 year-old! But while some folks may argue that the whiskey distilled under these names at later distilleries isn’t quite as good as the Stitzel-Weller distilled whiskey, the fact is that these are two excellent bourbons, no matter their age or where they were distilled.
As for which is a “better” bourbon, this entirely comes down to personal taste. I love wheated bourbons for how voluptuous and full-bodied they are, and how much depth of flavor they have. There are some great rye bourbons out there, but in my book wheated bourbons really take the cake. We even keep a bottle of Maker’s Mark around since it’s such a good, accessible wheater.
The Van Winkle bourbons in particular have a deservedly legendary reputation, and I’ve written about this here before. Suffice to say that the more you learn about Pappy Van Winkle and the history of this distillery, the more you appreciate the whiskies themselves!
This is the Van Winkle 12-year Lot “B”. Despite the name, there never was a Lot “A”, and there’s much open debate about what the Lot “B” means. This batch of the Lot “B” was distilled at the Bernheim distillery, sometime after 1993 and before distilling at Buffalo Trace began.
Tasting Notes
The color of this bourbon is coppery gold with nice, thick legs running down the sides. The nose has mellow notes of dark honey, marzipan, caramel, and caramelized onions. The palate is smooth and soft while still being light and lively. The alcohol is a bit hot and sharp, lending a vibrant, striking tone to the flavors that encompass classic wheated bourbon tones of vanilla, caramel, honey, and toasted almonds. On the finish, a note of citrus winds its way into the mix, alongside similar flavors as the palate, with honey and almonds being the most prominent.
A classic wheated bourbon. Surprisingly it feels a bit young on the palate, largely on account of the heat of the alcohol (despite it’s being just 45.2%). But the spectrum of wheated bourbon flavors are all there, and the result is a great sipping whiskey that won’t break the bank.
Related Posts:
Wathen’s Single Barrel Bourbon, Barrel #818
The story of Wathen’s bourbon is a bit of a puzzle that I put together after scouring far too many websites and whiskey forums. Here’s how it goes:
The Wathen and Medley families are intertwined in the production of Wathen’s Single Barrel, and both have long histories of distilling in Kentucky, generations in fact. They’ve intermarried several times, and thus their distilling histories and paths began to overlap at some point. I’ve even read that a Medley has been a master distiller somewhere in Kentucky from 1812 until 1991, not a bad stretch of time. The Medleys at one point owned three distilleries in Owensboro, and the current Charles Medley Distillery site is one of these.
Charles Medley, the owner and master distiller of Wathen’s Single Barrel, is the former master distiller at the Glenmore, the former distillery located in Owensboro that was closed after its purchase by United Distillers in 1991. After the purchase, United sold the property and brands to Barton Brands (makers of the 1792 Ridgement Reserve bourbon), but neither company wanted the existing stock of aging Glenmore whiskey. So Charles Medley purchased it and transferred the barrels to a warehouse at the old Medley Distillery. He later began bottling this whiskey under the Wathen’s Single Barrel label, hand-signing each bottle.
Today, the whiskey is bottled and distributed by a company in Missouri, but it is distilled in Kentucky. It doesn’t appear that the whiskey being bottled under the brand is still from the old Glenmore stocks, but it’s not clear where it does come from in this case. Speculation has it that the source is the Medley distillery, but I haven’t seen this confirmed anywhere.
So there you have it – a brand of whiskey named Wathen’s Single Barrel, begun by bottling stocks of whiskey distilled at Glenmore Distillery that were purchased and later bottled at the Medley Distillery by the master distiller who oversaw their making. Oh, and named after the Wathens, a historic distilling name in Kentucky, but none of whom are directly involved in the making of this whiskey.
My only wish is that I knew the answer to the following questions:
- Where the whiskey in this bottle was distilled
- What the different proportions of corn, rye, and barley were
- How old this whiskey is
In fact, the last one is my biggest question, how old is this whiskey? Buy a bottle and you’ll be asking the same question. On the one hand, I have this naive assumption that any single-barrel bottling is going to aim at the higher-end of the market, and therefore be a shade older – at least 8 years for instance. But having tried this whiskey, I’m not so sure that’s the case here. I may be wrong, but you come away with an impression of youth after drinking this bourbon.
In any event, this bottle contains whiskey from barrel #818, and was bottled on July 14, 2009. It’s bottled at a respectable 47%.
The appearance is a light amber gold, and lightening considerably at the edges. The nose has notes of lemon curd, citrus rind, oak resin, and a hint of vanilla, with citrus the dominant note. The mouthfeel is very light and spry, lightly textured, without much oiliness, and quite dry. The citrus theme continues, with lemons, limes, and oranges providing a surprising amount citrus acidity. This is underscored by flavors of butterscotch and pecans. The alcohol is pretty hot, giving a sense that this is a young whiskey. The citrus begins to wane a bit on the finish, giving way to vanilla, caramel, and resin.
On the whole, the flavors give the impression that this is a fairly young whiskey. How young I don’t know, but if I had to guess I’d say right around 5-6 years. It doesn’t have much of the body or depth of sweet flavors that other bourbons typically bring to the table. But in place of this is a pretty refreshing bourbon that has lots of citrus underscored by a layer of austere sweetness that helps to round it all out.
Yet, in the end the alcohol is much too hot and rough around the edges, and the citrus element a bit too bracing for my tastes.
I have to admit though, I like the label, with the look of old paper, the simple graphics, and the printed handwriting talking about the whiskey…
Related Posts:
George T. Stagg Bourbon 2009 Edition
George T. Stagg Bourbon is one of those rare spirits that leaves you in a state of awe after you’ve tried it. This is due as much to the staggeringly high percentage (70.7%) as to the incredible quality of the whiskey itself. I still remember the first time I had the chance to try Stagg. It was the 2007 release, and I remember being immediately taken with its deft combination of finesse and power, like a velvet glove cast in iron. It rolled across your palate, teetering on the edge between delivering powerful waves of flavor and obliterating your taste buds completely. Absolutely spellbinding.
The Stagg bottling is part of Buffalo Trace’s annual Antique Collection that also features the Eagle Rare 17-Year, W.L. Weller Cask-Strength, Sazerac 18-Year Rye, and Thomas Handy Sazerac 6-Year Cask-Strength Rye. There’s good reason that these bottles are in high demand upon release, and very hard to find. Each offering in the Collection is a reliably excellent whiskey, and on most occasions outright brilliant. Of them all, the W.L. Weller remains my favorite, but it’s a tough call, as they’re all so good. But among them all, the Stagg really does stand out.
One element that I’ve always found interesting, is how Stagg’s percentage is always so high, 70.7% this year. In past years it has ranged from a low of 65.45% to a high of 72.4%. This is striking to me, considering that a cask-strength scotch typically weighs in somewhere between 55-60%. Why the difference?
When Scotch producers fill barrels with new-make spirit, they typically dilute it 63.5%. This has long been considered the optimal percentage at which to initiate a whisky’s aging process. Over the course of time then, the amount of alcohol in the whisky drops. If we assume that Buffalo Trace fills their casks with 63.5% whiskey too (I haven’t been able to find a source indicating the strength of the whisky when it is put in cask), then we’re witnessing the opposite phenomena here. The amount of alcohol in the whiskey is rising, not dropping. We see the same thing happening with the W.L. Weller and Thomas Handy bottlings as well.
The difference is the result of the different humidity levels in the environment that the whisk(e)y is aging in. The air in a warehouse full of casks in Scotland is more humid than the air in one of the buildings that Buffalo Trace is aging their whiskey in. The more humid the air is, the less water will evaporate from the whisky. Instead, alcohol evaporates from the whisky. Thus, while scotch ages, it loses more alcohol than it does water, in effect lowering the alcohol level of the whisky. In contrast, because the air is drier in a bourbon warehouse, more water evaporates from the whiskey than alcohol, and the exact opposite takes place – the alcohol percentage of the whiskey rises because more water is evaporating than alcohol.
So it basically comes down to humidity levels. More humidity – as in Scotland – results in dropping alcohol levels. Less humidity – as in a warehouse in Kentucky – results in rising alcohol levels. Now, there are sure to be exceptions to this. But from what I have seen thus far, this is a general pattern.
In the end, we have a bottle of George T. Stagg bourbon that weighs in at 70.7%. The first question is: is it drinkable at this percentage? In my experience it is only just drinkable at 70+%. Very, very small sips. But fortunately, it’s great whiskey, and takes well to a bit of water to mellow it out. So make sure you have your dribbler handy when you pour a glass of this elixir.
The whiskey pours the color of mahogany. The nose is very sweet, with rich, warm notes of caramel and vanilla, crushed almonds, and grade B maple syrup. The palate kicks off with caramel and brown sugar, slowly opening up to include walnuts, spicy resin and a shade of wood smoke. The texture is rich and luxurious, with a definite bite to it, even after adding water. The finish concludes with flavors of salted caramel and mesquite honey.
A very big whiskey, that brings loads of flavors to the table. I don’t think it’s overly dynamic, but it makes up for with the sheer power of the flavors that it conveys. You’ll likely need to ease your way through a glass of this, but it will be a very enjoyable journey.
Related Posts:
W.L. Weller 107 Antique 7 Year
In preparation for another tasting at Amherst Coffee, I’ve been doing a lot of research into American whiskies lately, most of it related to bourbon. It’s been remarkable to realize just how little I knew! Beyond the standard elements that make bourbon “bourbon” (i.e. the mashbill must contain at least 51% corn, and the whiskey must be aged in new oak barrels for two years), I really didn’t know much of anything.
In reality, there is a lot to learn about bourbons, and American whiskies in general. The problem is that if you have an occasional bourbon while mostly drinking scotch, you risk overlooking bourbon’s nuances. It’s just too easy to dismiss all bourbons as tasting the same when confronted with the wide array of flavors that different scotches display.
The reason is that most often the differences between one bourbon and the next are built on subtlety. Because the recipes for all bourbons are very similar, and the methods used to produce them (both distilling and aging) are also nearly the same, different expressions tend to draw on the same flavor profile. Common flavors repeatedly spring to mind, such as butterscotch, toffee, vanilla, honey, leather, and tobacco.
But when you can try a handful of bourbons next to one another, a whole new set of flavors emerges to accompany that core profile. With one expression there’s plums and red fruits; with the next hints of citrus and papaya; another has linseed oil, almonds, and melon; and the last presents spices, clover, and rich caramel. The entire spectrum of flavors that you are introduced to at a bourbon tasting can be spellbinding.
This began to make sense once I began to do some research. Bourbon is typically made using one of three recipe types. While laws stipulate that there must be a minimum of 51% corn, most producers are using about 75%. Corn provides for most of the sweetness and lush texture that bourbons have. After that, most recipes use about 12% barley. This lends some more body to the bourbon, while also adding enzymes to the mash that help to convert the sugars from the corn into alcohol. Lastly, the distiller can choose whether to use rye or wheat for the remaining 13%. The majority of distillers use rye, but a couple of bourbons on the market use wheat instead. Rye will add a lively spiciness to the bourbon. Wheat will smooth out and soften them, adding some depth in the process.
W.L. Weller, distilled in Frankfort, Kentucky by Buffalo Trace is one of only a few wheated bourbons on the market. The Weller is actually one of their two wheated bourbons, along with the Pappy Van Winkle collection. In fact, the Weller and Van Winkle bottlings are one of only three wheated bourbons I’ve uncovered thus far, the other being Maker’s Mark.
Ever since I first tasted the W.L. Weller 2007 Antique Bourbon I was entirely impressed. The bourbon was loaded with layers of flavor while being lusciously mellow and smooth. Since then I’ve been fortunate enough to try the Weller 10-Year Centennial bottling and the 2008 Antique bottling. Both were excellent, and amply displayed the difference between wheat versus rye when making bourbon.
This was the first time I’d had occasion to try the W.L. Weller 107 Antique 7 Year, one of the two young offerings from Weller, along with the Special Reserve 7 Year. The difference is the strength of the bottling, the Special Reserve coming in at 45%, and the 107 Antique at 53.5%. I was admittedly purchasing the bottle for purposes other than drinking straight-up, and so wanted to get something simple, but at the same time was interested in learning more about these very budget-friendly bourbons.
The result? This is a very tasty bourbon, and coincides well with my impression that bourbon has worlds more to offer than I’ve previously given it credit for. The appearance is amber gold. The nose has caramel, citrus, a bit of vanilla, a whiff of smoke, and a sweet astringency that I’ve found before in younger cognacs. The texture is soft and slightly viscous, with flavors of caramel, bittered orange peel, clove and cinnamon stick. The alcohol is hot and peppery, an indication of the whiskey’s age. The finish brings spices and a hint of caramel and simple syrup, with the alcohol leaving a slight burn. Both the palate and the finish had a slight astringency that drew attention away from the bourbon’s flavors.
In the end, this is not a bourbon that I would choose as a sipping whiskey, but for the price it would be a great one to have on hand. It would go great as a mixer in cocktails, or as a flavoring in creme brulee or whipped cream. In my case, I’m using it to soak oak cubes that I’ll later put into a maturing imperial stout. A simple way of emulating a bourbon barrel-aged beer for those of us who don’t brew 55 gallons at a time. After tasting this whiskey, I’m convinced that it’ll be the perfect bourbon to marry with a deep, dark stout.
Related Posts:
W.L. Weller Antique Collection 2007
About a year ago I was fortunate enough to be offered a tasting of a W.L. Weller cask-strength bourbon from Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection. I’d had Weller before, but only in their no-age-statement basic bottling (notably a great bargain at $14) and had found it be pretty good for a low-end bourbon. And while I’ve been intrigued by bourbon for quite awhile now, I hadn’t yet been excited enough to pursue it with much emphasis.
So I wasn’t prepared for how incredible that tasting of the Weller cask-strength was going to be. So much flavor literally exploding in your mouth, the aroma just jumping out of the glass. Classic bourbon flavors of butterscotch, vanilla, and caramel, but amplified many times over.
Since then I’ve kept my eyes open for a bottle of Weller from the Antique Collection. The thing is, all of the bottlings in the Antique Collection are very rare and hard to find. So when I recently happened across one, I didn’t hesitate to take a chance on it. And now, having tasted it a couple of times since opening it, it’s clear that it was worth the wait.
This bottle is from the 2007 Antique Collection. It’s a 10-year old bourbon bottled at cask-strength (although I don’t believe it is a single-cask) at 58.95%, and is unfiltered. Weller is unusual from most bourbons in that it is what is referred to as a wheated bourbon. All bourbons must contain a minimum of 51% corn, but the remainder is often a blend of differing amounts of rye, barley, and wheat, and additional corn. In the case of the Weller, wheat makes up the largest component of that additional 49%. The result is a bourbon that lacks the spicy character that rye provides, but amply makes up for it by creating a voluptuous backdrop against which the bourbon’s flavors play out.
The Weller is the color of lustrous, deep gold. The nose speaks volumes: browned butter, caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, and a hint of raspberries. The palate is amazingly rich with layers of sweet vanillas and caramels, and a slight smokiness. The wheat character provides a great canvas for all of these flavors with a mouth-coating butteriness that is the foundation for the finish that just drags on and on. The layers of flavor give way to a distinct vanilla and smoke character on the finish that is really quite spellbinding. Interestingly, for a 58% bourbon, this needs no water at all. It is incredibly smooth.
The most amazing thing to me about this bourbon is that the three separate components, the nose, palate, and finish are all spellbinding in their own right. Each step is a great experience, making the Weller just a fabulous bourbon start to finish. You could even add the beautiful color of the bourbon to that matrix if you wanted to.
In sum, this is one helluva bourbon. The 2008 Antique Collection just came out, so it must be time to start keeping my eyes peeled once again.
A note about the Antique Collection: Each Fall Buffalo Trace Distillery releases the Antique Collection, their collection of special one-off bottlings of rare whiskies. Each year this includes the W.L. Weller Cask Strength, George T. Stagg (also cask strength, and often in the 17 year range), Eagle Rare (usually in the 18 year range), Sazerac Rye (usually in the 18 year range), and Sazerac Thomas Handy (a young, cask strength rye). The bottles are always quite limited, very hard to find, and very good. The Malt Advocate reviews of them rarely go much below an 88, and that is rare. Most usually get a score in the 90s.
I’ve tried the Stagg, which was a 17 year bourbon bottled at 72%. It was, needless to say, staggering in many respects. I enjoyed the Weller more on account of its greater smoothness and drinkability, but the Stagg was quite remarkable. I’ve also tried the Eagle Rare 18 year, which was quite good, but I was not overly impressed. Realistically though, this was in a tasting scenario that I don’t believe did the bourbon justice.
Oh, and they are all incredible values, usually priced by Buffalo Trace in the $60 range.
Basically, these are all reliably great whiskies, and well worth the trouble of making some effort to find.
Related Posts: