Dad's Hat Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey

Just a little over five years ago, I took my first look at a product from Dad’s Hat. It was a nine-month-old rye whiskey that had been finished in Vermouth barrels. I wasn’t really a fan. I rated it a meh and said the following:

Not being a fan of really young ryes, this is not quite to my palate. That said, it feels like it was a nicely crafted rye before the barrel finishing and I hope they have some stuck away in big barrels for the future.

Honestly, it was the vermouth that threw me on the last one as much as the age. (Turns out, I’m not really a fan of vermouth.) So when I noticed this four-year-old version sitting on the shelf of my local Total Wine during a recent “content run” I knew that I’d need to take another look at the brand. And of course, I picked one that had been aged long enough that it no longer needed an age-statement, even though they were kind enough to put one on the label anyway.

Dad's Hat Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey

Purchase Info: $59.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.00

Details: Aged a minimum of four years. 47.58 ABV. Mash bill: 80% rye, 20% malt. Aged in 53-gallon barrels.

Nose: Cedar greenery and mint.

Mouth: Cedar, oak, mint, caramel, ginger.

Finish: Medium and warm. Lingering notes of pine needles, anise, and greenery.

Thoughts: Lots of cedar and mint on this one. A good hit of rye malt flavor on the finish, even though the mash bill doesn't list malted rye in it. This pairs very nicely with the Summit "Juicy" IPA I'm having with it. There are similar pine/cedar flavors in them.

Fun fact, I like this better when tasting in a Glencairn glass than I do while drinking it out of my usual old fashioned glass. That’s kind of a knock against it for me as I don’t like drinking out of a Glencairn. Overall I like this because it is interesting but I don’t know that I’ll be reaching for it frequently. Definitely a “change of pace” neat pour for me. It makes a hell of a cocktail though. That said, I’m not sure I’m willing to dish out another $60 for a product I’ll mainly be using as a mixer.

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Old Tub Bottled in Bond: Revisited

I’d like to thank the PR folks at Jim Beam for providing a review sample to me with no strings attached.

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It has been a little over two and a half years (943 days) since I last took a look at Old Tub Bourbon from Jim Beam. And honestly, I don’t usually revisit things this soon. But then the announcement came out that Beam would be doing a limited edition national release of the product. And since I didn’t have an overly positive reaction to it last time around, I decided to reach out and see if they’d send over a sample instead of spending my own money on it. They were happy to do so.

Now, I never used to have the best opinion of Jim Beam. I think I was influenced by both the low opinion of others as I got into bourbon. That and I’ve come to realize that I had a definite lack of appreciation of grain forward bourbons. However, in the last three or four years, I’ve learned an appreciation for a well-crafted grain-forward bourbon. One where the barrel hasn’t entirely taken over. And honestly, there have been a lot more Beam bourbons on my shelf because of that.

So based on my previous rating of “meh” (as a reminder meh means fine whiskey just not to my tastes). I decided that with more people being able to sample this Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, it would only be intellectually honest if I also gave it another try. If my palate had evolved to the point where I liked it, it would be doing a disservice to you to not inform you of that fact.

Plus…free whiskey.

Old Tub Bottled in Bond: Revisited

Purchase Info: This was graciously provided by Jim Beam for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $22.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $1.53

Details: Non-chill filtered. Non-carbon filtered. Bottled in Bond. 50% ABV.

Nose: Nutty with notes of caramel and mint/menthol.

Mouth: Warm in the mouth with notes of cinnamon candies, oak, and roasted peanuts.

Finish: On the shorter side of medium length. Peanut butter, milk chocolate, and oak.

Thoughts: When I am relaxing, I usually drink bourbon out of an old-fashioned glass. I had my initial pour in one of these glasses, it was delicious. To me, this bourbon doesn't fare as well in a Glencairn glass. But that's ok, I hate drinking out of a Glencairn. I'm upgrading this to a like.

I asked the PR guy and he assured me that this is the same juice that they sell at the gift shop, just now more widely available. I guess it just goes to show that our palates are constantly evolving. Two and a half years ago, I was just starting to like grain-forward bourbons. But as I tried more of them (everything from some of the Willett brands to Beam to a lot of the more inexpensive Heaven Hill stuff), I developed an affinity toward them. Sure I don’t like them nearly as much as a $100 15-year-old barrel-proof bourbon, but I totally grade on a curve. This makes a decent everyday sip when neat and a more-than-decent mixer. They recommend an Old Fashioned and I will happily concur with that.

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Knob Creek 15-Year-Old Bourbon

It was Father’s Day this past weekend and I got the exact thing I wanted: no projects for the day. I figured that it was only fair since I spent a month building the garden my wife wanted for Mother’s Day. A month of work for her present, a weekend of rest for mine. It was glorious. I just sat in my chair and read a book. (More on that in the coming weeks.)

Of course, my wife is a wonderful lady who felt that a lack of something that needed to be done wasn’t enough of a present. Instead, she completely spoiled me. She went to get takeout for both lunch and dinner (the purchase of which was a nice gift from my daughter). And while she was out getting the takeout, she stopped off at our corner liquor store to get me something special.

She walked in and saw this attractive bottle of Knob Creek on the shelf. She hadn’t heard of it and had no idea what the price should be so she asked the kid behind the counter how much it was. When they looked it up and found out it was about $100, they decided on a whim that she needed to get a 15% discount on it.

I thought that was really nice. Never had that happen there before. Sometimes it is good to be a regular at your local place.

Knob Creek 15-Year Limited Edition

Purchase Info: $84.59 for a 750 mL bottle at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN (They gave us a 15% discount randomly on the purchase, which was nice.)

Price per Drink (50mL): $5.64

Details: Release number: KC001, 15 year age statement, 50% ABV.

Nose: Vanilla custard with cinnamon and nutmeg, oak.

Mouth: Strong oak. Notes of ginger, vanilla and mint.

Finish: Warm and long. Nice spicy heat that lasts a while right down in the center of your chest. Lingering notes of oak, brown sugar and baking spice.

Thoughts: This is delicious! Rich and thick. Lots of oak and spice. I'm not sure I'm super happy with the $100 price point, but since it was a Father's Day present from my wife, I don't have to worry about the cost too much. Plus as a limited release, I know that it will cost more than if it became a regular release just because they made less. And heck, even $100 is still better than the outrageous price that Brown-Forman just announced for this year’s Birthday Bourbon ($130!!!).

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Uncle Nearest 1884

I’ve been dealing with the side effects of Depression for a long time. I was first diagnosed well over a decade ago and in hindsight had been suffering for a lot longer than that. Today has been what I call one of my “down days.” I’m not having a full-blown depressive episode, but I know that without care it could easily turn into one.

Mental illness fucking sucks, my friends.

One of the ways that I cope is by finding things that make me happy. Like a lot of people, I spend my morning coffee time catching up with what is going on in the word. And as we all know, there has been a lot of bad news in the past few months. So tonight, I decided that I needed to find some actual good news. And since I am mentally in no condition to actually write any original works, I thought I’d share the good news that I’ve found with you.

• Kentucky Tattoo Parlor is Creatively Covering Up Hate Tattoos For Free I think this one is pretty cool. Not having any tattoos myself, but really liking them on others, I can see where a person might have done something dumb when they were younger. In fact, the thought of a poorly done, painful, and permanent piece of art on my body is one of the major anxieties that have lead me to not get one myself. So it’s nice to see someone try to help those that did go ahead and do something dumb.

• Nature Conservancy buys Sheep Bridge to protect ‘pristine’ Virgin River, Zion National Park habitat Zion National Park is one of my favorite places on Earth. I’ve never been more “at peace” than the two times I visited this park. Anything that helps protect it and the wildlife it helps to protect is good news in my book.

• Engineers find neat way to turn waste carbon dioxide into useful material They found a way to turn waste carbon dioxide from the use of fossil fuels into the raw materials for fuel and plastics. Minimizing the use of raw materials is a good thing and if it helps with climate change? Even better.

• A 9-year-old and her friends have raised nearly $100,000 selling bracelets to help black-owned businesses The daughter of a former University of Minnesota Golden Gopher football star and her friends came up with a way to help the people of Minneapolis.

• They Recycle Electronics – And People’s Lives – By Giving Ex-Felons Good Jobs to Imagine a Better World Giving people just coming out of jail a leg up and giving them a job that helps keep plastic out of the landfill. Wins all around.

• Nearest and Jack team up again with $5 million whiskey diversity initiative This one ties directly into tonight’s review. Uncle Nearest and Jack Daniels have pledged five million dollars to improve diversity in leadership positions in the American whiskey industry. Mark does a nice job reporting on it too.

Uncle Nearest 1884

Purchase Info: $40.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.73

Details: No age statement. 46.5% ABV. Distilled and Aged in Tennessee. Bottled by Uncle Nearest.

Nose: Delicate and floral. Notes of mint, baking spice, and oak.

Mouth: Mint, bubblegum, baking spice, and just a touch of oak.

Finish: Warm and medium length. Lingering spice and honey notes.

Thoughts: I really like this. This may sound weird but this makes me think of sitting in a rocking chair on the back porch, watching the sunset while listening to the sounds of a quiet country evening. It’s a whiskey that makes me happy.

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I.W. Harper: Revisited

It has been one thousand, eight hundred and six days since I last reviewed I.W. Harper. It was right after the brand was brought back to the US. I’d just found a sealed 1960s/70s dusty in an antique store and had fallen in love with it. I was cautiously optimistic that, though different, it would be as good as the old one. Oh, the naivety I showed. Here are my thoughts from the 2015 review:

Thoughts: Very disappointing. The nose was light, fruity and delicate. The mouth was flat and full of wood. When I first nosed it I thought I was getting one whiskey. I ended up getting another that I didn't like as much. As far as quality, this is a solid meh. It's not terrible, but for almost $30 you expect something more than a mixer. I'd give this one a pass.

Earlier this year, I was finally making a list of the things I had reviewed, I realized that I hadn’t purchased this one since that initial review. I had no idea if it had gotten better, worse, stayed the same. And so I bought it again. Let’s see how things have progressed.

I. W. Harper: Revisited

Purchase Info: I lost the receipt as I bought this back before the Pandemic hit, but I bought it at Total Wine in Burnsville, MN and it currently sells there for $28.49 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $1.90

Details: 41% ABV

Nose: Mint, sweet cherry, and oak.

Mouth: Cinnamon, almond, nutmeg, mint, oak

Finish: Medium length and dry. Lingering notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, mint, and oak.

Thoughts: I had to do a double-take when I looked at the proof just now. This does not taste like a proof in the low 80s. It has too much flavor, especially spice for that. I was impressed before, but I’m even more impressed now.

So, I’m not sure if I changed or if I.W. Harper changed in the last five-ish years. Either way, I like this so much more than I did when it first came out. The mouthfeel isn’t thin, the spice is very prominent and there is just enough oak to keep me happy without being overwhelming. And to top it off, it is still under $30. Good enough to enjoy neat, but cheap enough to use in a cocktail. I’ve upgraded this one to a like.

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George Dickel Barrel Select

And so, here we are. I’m at the end of my long overdue run through the George Dickel line of whiskeys. Well, except for the Bottled in Bond, which doesn’t seem to be distributed to Minnesota or any of its neighboring states. And also for the unaged Dickel version which, let’s be fair, I’m probably not doing unless someone else is buying.

I probably shouldn’t say this, but if anyone really wants me to review that one, reach out. If I can find it, and you Venmo me the money, I’ll do it. I just really don’tr want to spend my own money on something I’m unlikely to drink. (Shit, I probably shouldn’t have said that. The last thing I need is for someone to buy me a bracket’s worth of TerraPure as a prank.)

Anyway back to the topic at hand. George Dickel Barrel Select. This was honestly the first Dickel I bought. I bought it long enough ago that I was still posting photos of every new bourbon purchase to Twitter because I still had faith in humanity and still used Twitter as more than glorified advertising. I’m guessing it was in the 2010/2011 timeframe. I didn’t remember liking it. The Dickel, not the Twitter. Well, not enough to buy it in the decade or so since.

But there is a funny thing about a length of time that long. Palates evolve. There are whiskeys I liked 10 years ago, that I no longer like nearly as much (seems this also applies to Twitter). And tonight, I’m going to see if the inverse is also true. George Dickel Barrel Select is the “finest whiskey” that Dickel offers. Well, if you believe their website that is. I’ll let them get their say before I jump in with my thoughts:

Our very finest whisky, for the truly discerning whisky drinker. Only 10 barrels are hand-selected by our Distiller for this small-batch handcrafted whisky. Aged between 10 and 12 years. Charcoal mellowing and our unique aging process form a smooth, premium whisky that stands in a class all by itself. A perfectly balanced, rich and silky taste with hints of vanilla, spice and charcoal.

George Dickel Barrel Select

Purchase Info: $42.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Blue Max, Burnsville, MN

Price per Drink (50mL): $2.87

Details: 43% ABV. Made from 10 bottle batches. The website says it ranges from 10-12 years old.

Nose: Almond, grapefruit, wintergreen, white sugar.

Mouth: Almond, caramel, baking spice, oak, and a light mineral note.

Finish: Medium and gentle on the finish with minimal burn. Lingering sweet caramel, dry oak, mineral, and almond notes.

Thoughts: I was underwhelmed by this during my “official” tasting in a Glencairn glass. I wasn’t getting any of the oak notes that I was expecting from a whiskey that was as old as they say this is. My initial notes say that it was mellow and sweet with a good flavor. I still agree with that but a different day, or a different glass, has allowed me to notice the dry oak notes that I hadn’t noticed on the first go-round. The heat seems to be better too. I’ll officially give this a rating of “like” since I really like it. After the first tasting, I wasn’t nearly as positive on it. Goes to show what multiple tastes will do.

For a little behind-the-scenes info, this is why I like to take multiple passes on a whiskey, in different types of glassware, before reviewing it. The first tasting, the Glencairn one, is basically the first draft. We get a broad outline, but subsequent drinks and tastings help refine the notes and add things that were missed. If you see a small sample bottle in the photo, you can be sure that the notes and thoughts are based solely on the first draft. If you see a bigger bottle, then we’ve had the chance to do a full review of the product.

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Wilderness Trail Small Batch Bourbon (Batch 15D01)

I used to head to Kentucky in order to bring home bourbon that I couldn’t find at home. Minnesota was very much a “you gotta know a guy” sort of place when it came to anything that was out of the ordinary. Which got more than a bit irritating when you are a blogger who very much did not know anyone who would even remotely qualify as one of those “guys.”

These days, I travel there more often to just “get away” and visit with friends and go to great bourbon bars. Sometimes all at once. See, while we here in Minnesota still aren’t usually in the first round of states that brands roll out to, we do seem hit the early-ish rounds fairly often. Which is nice. Driving 1500 miles (round-trip) for what is essentially a shopping trip is ridiculous, even for me.

Of course that doesn’t mean I don’t bring whiskey home with me. There is usually a store selection that makes it into the trunk of my car for the ride home. Or bottles from a growing number of really good craft distilleries.

Well, that last one might need to be scratched off the shopping list since some of those really good craft distilleries have recently started appearing on shelves that are only a couple of blocks from my house. Brands like New Riff and as of last month, Wilderness Trail. Wilderness Trail bourbon has been brought back from Kentucky numerous times. But for some reason, the small batch, black-labeled one has never made the trip. I’m not sure why. I guess even a guy who spends his time trying every new whiskey he can, can gravitate toward those he’s liked in the past.

So aside from the number of barrels that were combined in to make the juice in the bottle, what exactly is the difference between the yellow label with black writing and the black label with yellow writing? Well, the biggest difference is that the yellow-labeled Single Barrel is also a wheated bourbon. Small batch uses rye as the flavoring grain. Both are produced using a sweet-mash process and both are 100 proof and Bottled-in-Bond. Also, both are pretty delicious…though I guess I’m getting ahead of myself here. Let’s see what the distillery has to say about their product before I get into my thoughts:

Our Small Batch release mash bill is 64 percent corn, 24 percent rye and 12 percent malted barley using our yeast strains. We entered the cooper select, toasted and #4 char barrel at 110 proof after coming off the still around 137 proof. Aged in both our Rickhouse A at a mid- to upper-floor and in our Rickhouse B in the center of the warehouse.

Wilderness Trail Small Batch Bourbon (Batch 15D01)

Purchase Info: $47.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN

Price per Drink (50mL): $3.20

Details: 50% ABV. Bottled in Bond. Batch 15D01

Nose: Fruity and floral with baking spice.

Mouth: Fruity and floral with caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, and clove

Finish: Medium length and warm. Fruity Floral, and herbal with caramel, baking spice, and just a hint of dill.

Thoughts: This. Is. Delicious. It reminds me of my favorite Four Roses expressions. (I prefer the floral/herbal ones.) It has enough heat and spice to balance the floral/fruit/herbal notes nicely. Tell you what, I'm headed back to the store tomorrow so I can be sure to grab a couple more from the same batch. It is that good.

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Daviess County Finished Bourbons, French Oak Cask and Cabernet Sauvignon Casks

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

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Last week, I gave you a quick overview of the history of the Daviess County brand along with my thoughts on the Straight Bourbon. Tuesday I gave you a quick overview of the state of my sanity and feelings. Tonight, I think I am going to just let the reviews do the talking. Things are getting better around here, but I’m still having a hard time being witty.

Some would say I never was witty.

But I digress, let’s talk about some whiskey.

Davies County Bourbon finished in French Oak casks

Purchase Info: This was graciously provided by Lux Row for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $44.99.

Price per Drink (50mL): $3.00

Details: 48% ABV. A combination of both wheated and rye-mash bourbons. Finished in French Oak Casks for six months

Nose: Mint, bubblegum, nutmeg, cooked oatmeal, and oak.

Mouth: Dry with cinnamon, mint, vanilla and oak.

Finish: Warm, spicy and of medium length. Oak, cinnamon candies and mint.

Thoughts: Compared to the Straight Bourbon, this is drier and not as nutty, though I am missing the cocoa notes. I'm enjoying the added oak presence. It is a light, but noticeable presence in the mouth, but much stronger on the finish. The cinnamon and mint complement the oak nicely.

Davies County Bourbon finished in Cabernet Sauvignon casks

Purchase Info: This was graciously provided by Lux Row for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $44.99.

Price per Drink (50mL): $3.00

Details: 48% ABV. A combination of both wheated and rye-mash bourbons. Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Casks for six months

Nose: "Berry" flavored candy, earthy oak, a hint of wintergreen.

Mouth: Earthy, dry, berries, wintergreen and strong baking spices.

Finish: Dry and of medium length. The wine makes its presence well known on the finish with what I can only describe as a "red wine" note. It is supported by notes of oak and baking spice.

Thoughts: This is nice and round on the mouth. The berry/wine flavors are very noticeable if you know what you are drinking, but when I had my wife surprise me with it one night, I hardly noticed them. Instead I just tasted a fruity whiskey.

Comparison Thoughts: So which should you buy? Well, that all depends on what you are looking for in a whiskey. Are you looking for round and fruity with a nice spice? Then get the Cabernet finished. If you are looking for a nutty bourbon that feels like a high-end Beam with cocoa notes? Then get the straight. If you want a drier whiskey with a little more oak, then get the French Oak finished. To be honest, I like all three. If forced to choose one to buy, I’d go Straight (based on price), then the Cabernet finished, followed by the French Oak. But it would really depend on my mood.

The fact that I like the Cabernet finished at all surprises me. I usually do not like wine finished bourbons…though to be fair I think I’ve only had ones from Woodford Reserve. As I was tasting it in a Glencairn, I found the wine notes to be very prominent. But with subsequent drams in my normal tumbler-shaped rocks glass, and when I didn’t know what it was, I just thought it was a fruity bourbon. Turns out I am as suggestive as everyone else.

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