My Favorite Bourbon

Three days before Christmas I got a phone call from our friend Greg telling me that he had a guy that he really thought I should meet.

"Greg, the store is packed with customers" I said. "This is not a good time."

Now, I trust Greg and when he pushed for me to take a few minutes with this guy I finally agreed to "5 minutes and not a second more".

A little while later this guy Joe walked in to the store for his very rushed visit and a little face time to introduce me to his company. I very hurriedly introduced myself and with the store buzzing wasn't a very good host but I did shake his hand and force a bit of a smile. He could feel the obvious tension and told me that he was just going to drop his card and introduce himself and he would be out of our hair in no time.

"Phew" I thought.

As he dropped his backpack on the table and began to tell me about his company I realized why Greg had made the call. This guy wasn't really trying to sell me something, He was opening a door and extending an invitation to join him in a mutual passion. He presented a bottle of Barrell Bourbon Batch #3 and asked if I had time for a quick taste and not knowing what was about to happen, I curtly said "Yes, a quick one though".

The next few minutes were very memorable...

Now there are a lot of good Bourbons out there and we have a nice selection along with a pretty good allocation of the hard to find ones but even in the upper echelon of great Whiskey, this one is unique. I don't want to over sell it but it shows so many great layers of flavor that I don't think I will.

Just looking at its deep mahogany color I immediately took notice. The way it moved in my glass got my attention next, there is a viscosity to it, an almost oily texture as it swirls in my glass. I hadn't smelled it or tasted it yet but I was already feeling like this needed more than 5 minutes because it was fast approaching and I was slowing down dramatically. The nose was next and as Renzo and I tasted it we both just sort of looked at each other and started naming its components. Dried Orange peel, Caramel, dried grass, Chocolate, Vanilla, Melted Butter, and the list went on. I'm not sure how long it was before we actually tasted it but that 5 minute rule was in the rear view mirror.

Let's taste...

Wow! What a monster... Very spicey, hot, high in alcohol are the only things I could think as I felt my eyes start to water up and my whole face flush from the high alcohol. Err... not a delicate or pleasing first sip. "Wow Joe" I said through my breaking voice that had just been accosted by his Bourbon "Thats Big".

"Yes it is" He said with a smile, "I bottle everything at proof" (this one is 122 proof) "Taste it again".

I have to admit that I wasn't really looking forward to it but I did my job and went back to it. To my amazement some combination of my palate adjusting to it and I think the viscosity made that second sip completely different. It was soft and feminine, warm and inviting and all of those layers that I was smelling started to come through on my palate. This was very interesting. What was more outstanding was the long finish. It seemed to go on forever and While Joe and I talked that glass just kept whispering to my to taste it again. I tasted it again and again and every sip was better that the previous on. It was like drinking a great wine that keeps opening and evolving in your glass.

Soon he was talking about some of his other projects and talking about the differences in white whiskey's as they come off the still and, with the store buzzing around us, he had me captivated with his easy style and great knowledge. My "no more than five minutes" had turned in to 45 minutes and it wasn't long enough.

We did have to stop the meeting but I have asked him to do a guest appearance for us and lead us through all of the things we touched on at our first meeting in a class format. He has agreed and anyone lucky enough to get a seat is in for a real treat. He is going to let us tasted a few of his selected Whiskies (I have since found out that they are all very good). Talk about and try some other styles and producers and he will bring along some white Whiskey for us to taste and learn from.

Here is the information for those that are interested:
http://www.harryswine.com/main.asp?request=EVENTS&event=458&

This very special Bourbon is also on our shelf right now and very well priced at $82.99. That may sound high but this bottle earns every penny of it!

Cheers

Upcoming Classes: Turkish - Saké - Bourbon

Turkish Wine Class
Wednesday, March 11 from 7-9pm
$35 one session

 

Turkey played a pivotal role in the early history of wine and is likely to have been one of the earliest wine-producing regions of the world. Today this region has become the center for high quality boutique vineyards with impressive terroirs such as those of Suvla Vineyards.

Guest Teacher Selim Zafer Ellialti, Owner of Suvla Vineyards will be taking us through this remarkable country and its wine characteristics, discussing not only its rich history and geographical influences, but also giving insight into the modern Turkish wine industry, and the challenges they face.

His vineyards are nestled in the historical Peninsula of Gallipoli, between the North Aegean coast and the Sea of Marmara. The 60 hectares of certified organic vineyards produce a wide variety of vines; cultivating international and indigenous varieties, including Kınalı Yapıncak and Karasakız. Though he is one of the newest and brightest entrants into the rapidly modernizing Turkish wine industry Ellialti has received numerous gold medals as well as notable 90 point ratings by leading wine critics.

 Saké & Cheese Class
Wednesday, March 18 from 7-9pm
$35 one session

Saké is a fine accompaniment to many different cuisines, often even more so even than wine. Saké does not have a single flavor but many profiles ranging from sweet to dry, fruity to floral, bold to elegant, earthy to herbal, and much more! 

This class begins your journey of understanding that foods such as cheese which is certainly not a traditional Japanese food, pair beautifully. We will explore this style of brewing that is reflective of its skilled artisans who have insight into the subtleties of minute changes in climate, rice and water. In addition we will challenge your palate with delicious cheese pairings to show its wonderful versatility.

Come enjoy the experience with Monica Samuels who has more than 10 years of experience in the Saké industry, including 6 years as the Saké Ambassador for Southern Wine & Spirits, the Largest alcohol distributor in the US. Monica has also been profiled in Wine Spectator as one of "Saké's True Believers" and nominated as part of Wine Enthusiast's "Top 40 Tastemakers Under 40" for championing the Saké category.

Bourbon Production, From the Still to Your Glass

Thursday, March 19th from 7-9pm

$40 one session

Join us as Joe Beatrice, Founder of Barrell Bourbon llc, shows us how appreciate Bourbon from the moment it comes off the Still.

You will understand why the specific combination of type, source of grain (the Mash Bill),  and yeast used for fermentation along with a barrels "char" contributes. The Rack House and where the barrel is located in that house along with how much light exposure and whether there is temperature control are also critical components to the whiskey's personality. 

There is a lot to the process and Joe understands it like few people do. He will guide us from the very basics of Bourbon making through the intricacies of making a great one and selecting a winner.

 

Finally, A Pappy Van Winkle story that feels right

As anyone that has asked us for Pappy Van Winkle can attest, The wait is long!

While the wait is long, if you are one of our customers and you are willing to wait, you will be rewarded for your patience with a fairly priced bottle from a reputable store. Recently while we were going down our list of names and passing them out to this years lucky recipients, We contacted one of our long waiting customers and we were able to put a bottle in her hand.

When she got to the store I went back and got her bottle and happily presented it to her. She said "I completely forgot I was even on your list and I didn't even know what you were talking about when you called" As dread came over me thinking that I was giving this bottle to someone that didn't even know what I was handing her, she confirmed my anxious concern...

"I don't even know what this stuff is" she said.  (ugh... I got it wrong, I thought)

But, she followed that statement up with a heart warming couple of sentences...

"It was almost five years ago when I got on your list. My sister was getting married and she wanted so badly to give her new husband a bottle on their wedding day." she said. "He had been looking for it for years and never had any luck".

(Hmm, I thought, Maybe I'm ok)

"I told my sister that if anyone could get it, Harry's would know what to do" (smile) "But then even you guys let me down" (frown). "I called her and told her that you had a bottle for me and she shrieked in excitement!" she continued. "She told me that he had been looking and looking and the only place he could find it wanted nearly $1000.00 for it so it just wasn't in the cards for him".

She went on to tell me that instead of being a wedding present, this was now going to be his 5th anniversary gift! While it is a long time to wait, we do handle it judiciously and fairly among all of our interested customers and a story like that confirms to me that we are doing the right thing.

Phew...

The eagle has landed!

With the interest in Bourbon building through the past decade we have been trying in vane to purchase our own single barrel of something great. Our name has been on "the list" at Eagle Rare for some time and for the first time this past October we finally climbed to the top of that list and a hard to find/get opportunity finally became available to us! The phone call was short...

"Hi Patrick, I understand that you have been trying to get your hands on a single barrel of Eagle Rare."

Yes, I said.

"We have a barrel of Distiller select 10 year available"

Send it! was my reply

Just like that the long awaited phone call and distillery confirmation were simultaneously taken care of. All that was left was the bottling and delivery...

Monday December 29,2014 we got a late Christmas present as our single barrel of Master Distiller Select Eagle Rare 10 year Bourbon arrived at the store. Only 150 bottles of this gem are available and a portion of that has already been put aside to fill pre-orders. Each bottle is hand numbered and will be sold on a first come first serve basis. Below are a few tasting notes from the sample we tasted and the specifics of the barrel that we purchased.

We are obviously very excited to get the 2015 new year started in such an exciting way and look forward to introducing more opportunities in the coming months that will be directly linked to this one of a kind barrel.(More on that as things develop).


Tasting notes:

The nose tells us immediately that this beautifully crafted whiskey is a high rye Bourbon showing lots of spice and grassy notes with underlying leather, almond and orange zest. Quite masculine but delicately balanced with honeyed notes, And that was just the nose! We stood looking at each other while we talked about the nose and soon realized that none of us had even tasted it yet and we were already chattering about all of its complexity.
Now the true test... As each of us tasted, the obvious came right out and that was that the nose did not lie. Spicy Rye right behind your lips with smokey and dry nutty flavors jumping right up. Through the mid palate the sweeter caramel and honeyed tones showed themselves with a nice faint bitter cocoa note at the finish. Orange peel, and warm caramelized apples hang on as the finish lingers.  The sense of classic Eagle Rare showed well and adding a drop or two of water expanded all of these flavors and broadened its profile.

We did very well with our purchase if we do say so ourselves!


Price: $39.99 750ml

Call to reserve yours today
(203) 259-4692

Happy New Year!

Barrel #	04-D-30-I-2-58-075
Fill Date	4/30/2004
Warehouse	I
Floor	2
Dump Date	12/8/2014
Age	10 years 7 months 8 days
Starting Gallons	53
Dumped Gallons	21.5
Entry Proof	125
Dumped Proof	131.9
Mash	1
Flavoring Grain	Rye