Bulleit "95" Rye American Whiskey Review:

"If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck,
I'd dive to the bottom to get one sweet suck.
But the ocean ain't whiskey and I ain't a duck,
I'll play Jack O' diamonds and trust to my luck.”

- Tex Ritter in Rye Whiskey

Founded in 1897 and released in 1999, Bulleit Bourbon (I reviewed that here) has been climbing the ranks ever since. As my go-to bourbon, its high rye mash bill gives it a unique palette to remember. I've been a fan of Bulleit since the first time I tried it and when I heard about a rye version the Bulleit Distilling Co. was working on I was pretty excited. I Definitely had some high hopes. In development since 2004, Tom Bulleit’s Rye was due to come out being that rye is today's current trend whiskey. Yet for the very reason of rye's popularity, this release would need to rise one above the rest, holding its own as a reasonably priced rye. 

Released nationally just this May, and the second spirit to be released by Bulleit thus far, Bulleit “95” Rye has a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, making it again unusual for its own class which legally only requires 51% rye in the mash bill. Aged a minimum of four years and as long as 7 in new white oak barrels, charred at a level 4 (the highest level char), and sourced from German, Swedish, and Canadian grains, Bulleit Rye is produced by the “infamous” and “illusive”(..?) company, LDI – the same producer of Redemption and Templeton Rye.

The label does say this whiskey is "small batch" but how "small" that is, coming from LDI, I don't really know. It is really a catchphrase today which means nothing, unless the producer is completely transparent. LDI, nor Bulleit, are companies that are very transparent so I would simply disregard the claim, true or not. Unless some of you know the answer?

Bulleit "95" Rye Whiskey Review:

Price: Around $28 for a 750ml bottle.

Packaging/Labeling: Brilliant as Bulleit always is. I think it was the right choice to stick with the “classic” bottle while simply changing the color of the label. No complaints. I just hope they don’t change it like so many other producers are doing right.

Alcohol Content: 90 Proof, 45% ABV.

Color: Golden Straw.

Nose: Dark cherry, aromatic tobacco, with mint and spice. Honey, leather, milk chocolate (no bitter dark cocoa) and caramel in the background.

Tasting: Enters softly, almost flat. Progresses into a spiced cherry and apricot. There is a minty and creamy airiness which rounds off with maple syrup, Red Hots and a very dry oak.

Conclusion: Whether I am having an off day or not, the front is not very impressive. At least it isn't as strongly built as I think it should be. I will keep trying this for an update later - I really want to like the whole thing.  You do get the spiciness from the rye but not nearly what I would expect from such a high rye mash bill.  Being that it contains whiskeys between 4 and 7 years, I would guess there is more 4 year old whiskeys than 7. I suggest some higher aging to possibly round out the front, though it is what it is. I will also update this on how it works in a cocktail. Either way, despite the arrival I could still sip this neat (with a little water).

Imbibe Monday: How To Make A (Good) Gin and Tonic

“I never drink anything stronger than gin before breakfast.” - W.C. Fields

There is definitely something to be said about a complex cocktail, finely and delicately built to perfection. But I also am one who leans towards simplicity. Give me a cocktail with a few good ingredients over a Vieux Carre any day. That’s why I think the Gin and Tonic is such a wonderful beverage. Perfect as a summer drink, it only takes two ingredients and some ice. Done! Easy.

Initially introduced in the 18^th century by the British East India Company, Gin and Tonics were utilized for medical purposes for the British colonies in India. In the 18^th century tonic contained large amounts of quinine, used to prevent malaria, which held a very bitter taste. Thus gin was used to offset the acrimony. Just as dry vermouth harmonizes well in a gin martinis, the quinine (smaller amounts used today) complements the juniper and botanical green notes used in the production of gin. And the very reason it was consumed in the warmer Indian weather led to it becoming a favorable summer treat.

You might be asking yourself why I would even bother writing a whole blog on how to make such an "easy" cocktail; however, even the simplest of cocktails can go down the wrong path. I would have three suggestions to enjoying a good Gin and Tonic: 

First use good gin. Today, there is a much larger market of gin, and some really good stuff is showing up in the micro-distillery sectors. Up and coming distilleries, such as Dry Fly and Breuckelen Distilling Company Inc. (as well as many others) are producing some very complex and intricate gins.  

Second, though it might sound strange to even bring this up, is to use fresh tonic. The worst thing to experience is an offering of Gin and Tonic where your host is using an old half-empty bottle tonic for your cocktail. Buy the small cans if you are not going to finish the tonic in one sitting. It's worth it.

Lastly and most importantly is what kind of ice you use. I am not necessarily a Gin snob but I will admit to being somewhat of an ice snob. My biggest disappointment when I order an Old Fashioned at a bar is when it’s brought to me with crushed or small cubed ice. Different kinds of cocktails use different kinds of ice. When it comes to Gin and Tonic I think large ice is best. This is not a beverage which needs to be diluted quickly – you just want it cold. 

Gin and Tonic Recipe (1 Serving):

2 oz gin

4 oz tonic water

Adjust to taste if needed, don’t ever think it, just use the best ingredients you’ve got. Maybe throw in some lemon (or lime) and juniper berries if you want.

Mad About Whiskey: AMC's Mad Men, Drinking, and Other Things…

"All credibility, all good conscience, all evidence of truth come only from the senses." 

– Friedrich Nietzsche

I love the show Mad Men. Recently I introduced my wife to it through Netflix. Now she's addicted. So about once a week, or twice depending on how badly we want the next few episodes (since we only get one disk at a time), she and I sit down on the couch and delve into the world of advertising for about 2 to 3 hours. And without much thought, before we even get to the start menu, my mouth starts to water. I get up and walk to the bar, pouring myself a double of whatever happens to be on hand. Finally ready to relax the night away I sit back down next to her and press play. 

And during those three to four 45 minute episodes something happens. I forget about everything I had done that week. I forget about everything I have to do tomorrow. I am transported into a world which is so different than mine - a past I never knew. Yet somehow everything is familiar to the point that one of my largest emotions is nostalgia. Nostalgia for something that has passed, a time that will never be. I find myself yearning to live in a world where the cars are classy, the restaurants are swanky, where all the women dress in beautiful clothing, and where the men order Scotch instead of beer. A place where smoking actually has sex appeal.

But then I sit back and think about what I’m watching. Don Draper (Jon Hamm) the star and face of the show is an identify thief. As a married man he sleeps with every woman he can get into bed with. And he is a complete alcoholic who lives by the motto, “I’m living like there’s no tomorrow, because there isn’t one.” And speaking of egotistical self-loving narcissists, almost everyone else in the show seem to exhibit much of the same characteristics. Sleeping around, drinking too much, lying, cheating… the list goes on. Everyone is striving for a life they believe will fulfill them, the epitome of the American dream, in a world speeding forward at a pace no one can quite keep up with. So the natural question to ask would be: Why do I enjoy the show so much? Why does it make me nostalgic? Why is Old Overholt getting an overhaul in the real  world – rye Old-Fashioned anyone? Why are more men wearing suit vest again? Why is Don Draper so cool?

I guess my questions are not necessarily about drinking, per se, as much as the way people used to drink. The way in which Scotch used to be enjoyed. A cultural essence of sorts. Where have the classy bars gone? When did playing video games and cheap beer replace drinking Scotch and playing cards? Have we lost something, in spite of the rampant prejudice, sexism, and tumultuous times of the 60s, which was worth having? Somehow Don Draper in all of his folly, exudes a quality which people admire.  “What,” asks Lauren M.E. Goodlad, “is it that makes this odd blend of Jay Gatsby, American Gigolo, and the Man in the Gray Flannel Suit so captivating a figure for today?” 

Maybe Don Draper, with our hindsight of the impending world crisis to be had in the next decade, just makes falling look good.

An Education: Does Bourbon Have to Come From Kentucky?

Just a small post: On reviewing answers from wiki.answers.com and answers.yahoo.com it seems there is still a lot of confusion on where bourbon comes from and what is the distinction between it and Tennessee whiskey. Simply bourbon comes from the United States. The country provides the boundaries, not the state of Kentucky. Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, often confused to be bourbon, is not. It is not bourbon because it goes through an extra process of charcoal filtration, called the Lincoln County Process, and it is made in Tennessee. Tennessee whiskey is made in Tennessee, bourbon is made anywhere. Bourbon production has nothing to do with the water, the county, nor the state it is distilled in. To legally be called bourbon the spirit must be made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn, it must be aged in new, charred oak barrels and it has to be made in the U.S. (anywhere in the U.S.).  From what I have read, to give the post "expert validation," John Hansell also seems to believe that Tennessee whiskey is not bourbon because of charcoal filtration - a fairly strong statement which essentially labels Tennessee whiskey as an entirely unique product apart from bourbon, rather than a class under bourbon.

To Note: Not all Tennessee whiskey goes through the Lincoln County Process, but as a general rule, when most people say Tennessee whiskey they mean a bourbon which has undergone the process. A similar distinction could be made between Scotch and Irish whiskey. Historically what was considered Irish whiskey, now called pure pot still whiskey, was a mashbill of malted and unmalted barley, compared to scotch with 100% malted barely. Not all Irish whiskey has both malted and unmalted barley but when speaking of Irish whiskey in the traditional sense one should think malted/unmalted barley. Though I'm sure some of you will debate this.

Imbibe Monday: Introducing Jeffrey Morgenthaler and the Barrel-Aged Cocktail

"Coughlin's diet: cocktails and dreams." 

- Doug, from a horrible movie called Cocktail

So my wife and I have been exploring a few cocktails and whiskey treats I have been wanting to add to Imbibe Mondays, but none of them turned out like I wanted so I thought I would cheat a little and post some videos I've been "keeping to myself" about an interesting development in the cocktail world. An exciting time for cocktails, mixologist, and those who love to drink their makings, new ideas and creations are literally being poured out from coast to coast. One of the current trends taking over bars across the U.S. is the barrel-aged cocktail. Literally a cocktail aged in used whiskey barrels these beverages are generally consumed in bars, however, because of the ease and personalized touch anyone can add to these aged cocktails, I wouldn't be surprised to see them start popping up at larger events and weddings.

The creation of this new and innovative idea originated from none other than Portland's own, Jeffrey Morgenthaler of the fabulous Clyde Common, located in downtown Portland one block south of Powell's City of Books. Tending neighborhood taverns, college nightclubs, fine restaurants and upscale lounges since 96, Morgenthaler began writing and blogging in 2004, yet since his move to the Clyde Common his image has grown considerably. Now considered one of the leading mixologist in the world his recipes and mixologist musings have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Wine Enthusiast, Wired, and Imbibe magazines. Forbes Traveler labeled Morgenthaler one of the "Cocktail Movers and Shakers" of 2007, while the Tasting Panel Magazine knighted him as the "New Leader" in 2009. 

Below are two videos explaining the barrel-aged cocktail process: The first is a Chow.com video of Morgenthaler and another Portlander Evan Zimmerman, the bar manager of Laurelhurst Market, and the second video is Morgenthaler at Tuthilltown Distillery explaining the process using Tuthilltown’s unaged corn whiskey in a barrel cocktail.

One can purchase a barrel-aged cocktail from the Clyde Common for $10, but from a New York Times article I read, in a place such as New York prices can be between $13 and $25! Such high prices are justified, say many bar owners, because of the limited quantities and the actual time invested in creating the cocktails, which have to be constantly watched, tested, and gauged until considered ready to serve.

Click here for barrel-aged cocktail directions straight from Morgenthaler's great blog - a must read for any mixologist.   

*Photo provided by Imbibe.com.