Kamiki and Umiki Japanese Whisky

I would like to thank Kamiki Whisky for providing tonight’s samples with no strings attached.

As I write this, it is election day in the United States. Theoretically, election season will be over after tonight. But since I was still getting emails and texts from people either asking for money or threatening me with a loss of “Law and Order” as of 15 minutes ago…I’m not convinced that this is the end of anything. All I can say is that over the course of the next week, I hope that half of you get what you want and that half of you do not. All the while, knowing that almost half of you don’t care one way or the other.

God, I love how statistics can be both accurate and complete nonsense at the same time.

Anyway, on to something that has nothing to do with the election, or even the United States: a couple of Japanese Whiskies. In this case, provided by Kamiki Whisky. Just so that we have it all out on the table, I know next to nothing about Japanese Whisky. Over the years, I’ve gathered that it is closest in style to Scotch whisky.

“But wait,” you are asking, “don’t you hate Scotch whisky? Why are you reviewing this then?”

Well, no. I don’t hate Scotch whisky. I’ve just found very few that I enjoyed. But I requested these samples mostly because I have tasted whiskies from Japan that I didn’t mind, and I thought the finishing on these sounded interesting. Both Kamiki and Umiki are malt whiskies that have been finished in casks made of non-standard wood. According to Master of Malt, the Kamiki is “a unique blended malt whisky made using Japanese malts whiskies combined with specially selected malt whiskies from around the world.” That blend is then finished in Japanese Cedar casks. Umiki, on the other hand, is cut with purified ocean water and then finished in Japanese Pine casks. Never having had the opportunity to taste a whiskey finished in either pine or cedar, I requested samples when they sent me a press release.

Let’s see how this goes.

Umiki Japanese Whisky

Purchase Info: Kamiki Whisky graciously provided this sample for review purposes. They do not list a suggested price, but Total Wine in Denver, CO lists it for $45.49

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.07

Details: Blended malt using purified ocean water for dilution and Japanese Pine casks for finishing. 46% ABV.

Nose: Clean and fresh with dried apples and malted grains.

Mouth: Cinnamon, dried fruit, and malted grains.

Finish: Medium length with a gentle heat. Cinnamon, malted grain, and just a hint of smoke linger.

Thoughts: I'm of two minds about this whiskey. While on one hand, I think that I would happily drink this all night if I was with a friend that wanted it, I also think that it won't be one that I reach for very often. It isn't quite to my palate. But I still kinda like it.


Kamiki Japanese Whisky

Purchase Info: Kamiki Whisky graciously provided this sample for review purposes. They do not list a suggested price, but Total Wine in Madison, Wisconsin lists it for $65.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.40

Details: Blended malt made using malts from Japan and around the world. Japanese Cedar casks for finishing. 48% ABV.

Nose: Antiseptic and metallic. Sugar sweetness underneath.

Mouth: Sweet, antiseptic, Caramel and malted grains.

Finish: Sweet and long. Antiseptic and metallic notes dominate.

Thoughts: I do not like this one. And it is for the same reason I don't like many Scotch Whiskies. I don't like antiseptic or metallic flavors. There is also a numbing sensation to this that I'm not thrilled with. I can accept that there are many people in the world that may love this. However, I am not among them.

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Yellowstone Limited Edition 2020

I’d like to thank Common Ground PR and Limestone Branch for providing a review sample to me with no strings attached.

If you aren’t from Minnesota and you want to know what the “normal” weather is like in the fall, just know that we got a foot of snow at my house last week and that last year I was sitting out on the deck with a drink during the same timeframe. That is to say, there is no “normal” fall weather in Minnesota. It may snow, you might be in shorts (even if those shorts are protesting the fact that you really shouldn’t be wearing shorts any longer).

But, in the words of the great Pauly Shore in the classic film Encino Man: “That’s boring dude, normal.”

I guess that’s what I like about many of the limited releases I get sent. There is no “normal” to them. They tend to change every year. Take the Yellowstone Limited Editions, in the past three years, there have been editions finished in wine casks, bourbons with no finishing and this year’s Armagnac cask finished bourbon. Here is what the distillery has to say about this year’s release:

“When I began working on this limited edition, I knew I wanted to finish our bourbon in a cask and I was looking for one that would add complexity and a dimension that expands the flavor profile,” says Steve Beam, master distiller at Limestone Branch Distillery. “Armagnac is a rustic, full-bodied spirit that contributes dark fruit notes, complementing the vanilla notes in the bourbon. Just like a chef adds spices to enhance flavors, I believe cask-finishing should be similar, where it simply enhances the natural flavors in the bourbon.”

Yellowstone Limited Edition 2020

Purchase Info: This sample was generously proved to me for review purposes by Common Ground PR and Limestone Branch Distillery. Suggested retail price is $99.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price Per Drink (50mL): $6.67

Details: 50.5% ABV. Finished in Armagnac casks. 7 years old.

Nose: Spearmint, almond, nutmeg, and oak.

Mouth: Nice cinnamon spice, almond, oak, honeydew melon, and brown sugar.

Finish: Long and warm with lingering notes of spearmint, melon, cinnamon spice, and floral herbs.

Thoughts: This is delicious. I really like the light touch that they've used on the Armagnac influence. If I wasn't looking for it, I might not have noticed it, showing up mainly on the finish for me. Regarding the price, my wife (the accountant) says that if she sees one of these, she is buying one. $100 is a lot of a bottle of bourbon, but if you have the means to splurge this one is one to splurge on.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week and Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Cocktail Syrup

The cocktail syrup reviewed below was provided by Heaven Hill as part of a media kit announcing Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week. Also included was branded merchandise which I will be holding onto for a future giveaway. These were provided with no strings attached.

I’ll admit it. I’m late to letting folks know about this. In fact, I’d missed the press release when this was announced and only found out about it when a media kit arrived on my doorstep. I don’t normally reprint Press Releases, but I’ll be quoting the included Press Release below as I think that the cause they are promoting is a good one.

Dear Friend of Heaven Hill Distillery,

Welcome to the inaugural Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week. While we knew the original concept for this week would be great, as 2020 morphed into a banner year of unprecedented times we quickly understood the greater impact we could have on the hospitality industry. Many of our friends and family in this community have felt the effects of COVID-19, so to support them we have committed to raising up to $100,000 for the Restaurant Workers' Community Foundation from this week's events.

You'll see some familiar faces on our schedule at OldFashionedWeek.com, where you can register for events or donate. The event lineup includes 'Old Fashioned Bar Trivia' with Heaven Hill Distillery Ambassadors Bernie Lubbers and Jack Choate, 'The Art of Crafting Ice' with Portland-based bartender and author Jeffrey Morgenthaler, and ‘Elevating Your Home Bar’ with Devin Kennedy, bartender at Pouring Ribbons.

Chef Richard Blais headlines the week as host of an "Old Fashioned Cocktail Hour" on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Included in this media kit are several items to assist in your preparation of an Elijah Craig Old Fashioned, as well as other necessary cocktail accessories for your home bar. The Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Syrup was specifically formulated to highlight the flavor profile of Elijah Craig Bourbon within this classic cocktail. Starting at 8 p.m. eastern time, Chef Blais will take you through a night of discovering the Greatness Within® the hospitality community as he shares recipes, tips and tricks, and Q & A sessions with special guests. This live event will be available on OldFashionedWeek.com, as well as streamed on Elijah Craig's YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

Join us as we raise a glass to celebrating one great cocktail for an even greater cause through Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week.

Though my own businesses have suffered throughout the pandemic, I know that there are others out there that have it worse than I do. I still have the income to pay the bills and even buy whiskey. Many, especially in the hospitality industry do not. If you have the means, please join me in helping out by making a donation to the Restaurant Workers Community foundation at OldFashionedWeek.com.

Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Cocktail Syrup

Purchase Info: This was graciously provided as part of a media kit. Pricing was not included but a google search showed it selling online for about $12.

Details: 4.06% ABV. 40 calories per 0.5 fl. oz.

Mouth: Orange, lemon, ginger, cinnamon, and a bitter note.

In an Old Fashioned: (I followed the recipe on the bottle of 2 oz Elijah Craig to 1 tablespoon of syrup in an ice-filled glass garnished with a cocktail cherry.) Sweet, cinnamon, ginger, Vanilla, mint. As they stated, it plays nicely with Elijah Craig in an old fashioned.

Thoughts: I like but don’t love this. It makes a sweeter Old fashioned than I, personally, care for. But then my favorite Non-Alcoholic drinks are black coffee and soda water with bitters in it. The flavors pair very nicely with Elijah Craig, so if you like a sweet Old Fashioned and don't feel like making a batch of simple syrup, then this is the perfect option for you. I probably wouldn't buy it for my home bar due to the sweetness level, but I can certainly see a place for it for those with a sweet tooth. Or for those who need to make a batch of Old Fashioneds for a gathering... Once we can have gatherings again.

Though when we can have gatherings again, I’ll probably be heading to a bar to have my favorite bartenders make it for me. And tip them generously for their work.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond, Fall 2020 edition

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Well, it finally caught up to me. That thing people have been talking about since Work From Home became a thing? It happened. I spent most of the week with no idea what day it was. This is why there was no post on Tuesday. I realized about a half-hour before I went to bed that it was Tuesday. And I should have known since I had a business call with a freelance client that day…which I also forgot.

I never expected that I would lose track of the days. I mean, I’ve been working from home for over five years now. But apparently, I relied on everyone else leaving the house to set my own internal clock. And it has been happening all week. Monday I thought it was Tuesday. Tuesday I thought it was Monday. Yesterday I thought it was Friday. Which also carried over into today. If this post goes up on time, it will be a minor miracle.

But guess who hasn’t forgotten what time of year it is? That’s right Heaven Hill. They are back with yet another edition of Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond. This edition is 14 years old, was distilled in the fall of 2005, and bottled in fall 2020. the suggested retail price is $140 continuing their trend of $10 per year of age.

But let’s see how it tastes before I forget to finish this thing.

Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond, Fall 2020 edition

Purchase Price: Heaven Hill graciously provided this sample for review purposes. The suggested retail price is about $140.

Price per Drink (50mL): $9.33

Details: Fall 2005, Bottled Fall 2020, 50% ABV, 14-year-old

Nose: Caramel, mint, a stack of dry oak, and a hint of cherry.

Mouth: Strong oak presence. Nice spice. Sweet caramel and vanilla. Cinnamon and mint.

Finish: Sweet and on the longer side of medium. Notes of caramel, cinnamon, and almond.

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Thoughts: This is absolutely delicious. I'm sensing a trend that these might just have delicious as their baseline. I've been happy with every sample I've had. If I ever see one in a store priced anywhere near retail, I plan to pounce. Of course, as that is unlikely to happen in my neck of the woods, I'll be happy with the sample they sent.

Comparison to Spring 2020 edition: Fall 2020 is much sweeter on the nose with more oak. Spring 2020 Shows more fruit notes, whereas Fall 2020 is more oak and caramel forward. Fall 2020 has the butter finish.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2020: Stave Profile SE4 x PR5

I’d like to thank the PR folks at Maker’s Mark for providing a review sample to me with no strings attached. Please note that the proof of the provided sample is slightly less than the finished product will be (110.0° proof vs 110.8° proof).

Sooo…I was really dumb. I’m cold smoking some cheese using the A-Maze-N pellet smoker tray inside my new smoker, right? It smolders at a much cooler temp than the lowest temp I can set the smoker itself for. Well, I wasn’t wearing gloves. And when I went to pick up the tray, I used one hand to grab the cold side and then the other to steady the hot side.

Yeah. I have a nice dimple pattern melted into the tips of the thumb and forefinger of one of my left hand. It’ll be a nice reminder to WEAR FUCKING GLOVES from now on. And since it happened just before I set out to write this, I am going to type as little as possible during the review of the new Maker’s Mark Limited Release tonight. Here are a few pertinent quotes from the Press Release.

“Since the introduction of Maker’s Mark 46, wood staves have become our tool of choice for unlocking and amplifying natural flavors already present in our classic Maker’s Mark – always purposefully and with a specific taste vision in mind,” says Jane Bowie, Director of Innovation at Maker’s Mark. “Where Maker’s Mark 46 was about creating a ‘bolder’ Maker’s, and the 2019 release was all about boosting the notes of baking spice and fruit, our 2020 Limited Release has been a quest to amp up those rich vanilla and buttery-caramel flavors that typically stem from our unique approach to seasoning our barrel wood outside for a full year.” 

This year’s limited offering differs from its 2019 predecessor by utilizing two stave styles – one drawing on vanilla, the other on caramel – that when married together yield a rich Maker’s Mark reminiscent of butter pecan. The multi-stave approach was the result of more than twelve months of experimentation with Maker’s Mark barrel producer Independent Stave Company. The first stave in the 2020 Limited Release, SE4, is made from Virgin French Oak, convection cooked at medium heat with a short toast period and responsible for much of the caramel flavor. The second stave, PR5, is made from Virgin American Oak and convection cooked at low heat very slowly over time to bring out vanilla.

Bottled at 110.8 proof, each 750mL bottle of the Maker’s Mark 2020 Limited Release will retail for a suggested $59.99 and will be available nationwide beginning in September, while supplies last.

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2020: Stave Profile SE4 x PR5

Purchase Price: This was graciously provided by Maker’s Mark for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $59.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.00

Details: 55% ABV (final release proof will be 55.4% ABV). Uses two new staves made from Virgin Toasted American and French Oak (SE4 and PR5, not sure which is which).

Nose: Spearmint, lots of toffee, some oak, and herbal cherry notes.

Mouth: Toffee, herbal cherry, cinnamon, oak, and nutmeg.

Finish: Medium to long and spicy. Strong notes of cinnamon along with herbal cherry and nutmeg.

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Thoughts: This is really good. At first, there is just a ton of toffee. The herbal cherry notes threw me at first, but after a couple of sips, those spicy, herbal notes drew me in. Water amps up the sweetness and tames some of the herbal notes, bringing out even more toffee. I really like this one.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.