Penny for Your Thoughts - Grease Burger Bar
I have a ton of reviews to cover today, which I suppose is what happens when I neglect the blog for a few weeks. Between the great happy hour at Grease in West Palm Beach and a few sample acquisitions, I've tried a wide range of memorable whiskies recently.
Macallan 18 Sherry Wood (43% ABV) - This is a legendary bottle of whisky, perhaps a little too much so. There's a reason Harvey Specter drinks it on Suits, and it's not because it's the best -- it's because it's the best at marketing. It's also outrageously expensive at $250+ a bottle, while the superior GlenDronach 18 is readily available for about $150 or so. With all that being said, they should bottle the aromas of this scotch and make it into a perfume. Just lovely. There's an alluring combination of chocolate and cherries here, with my only criticism being that it can be a bit too sugary or syrupy at times. The surprise is that the palate is a little thin and mild in flavor; however, given the ABV, perhaps that's to be expected. I found some light honey flavors and fresh, crisp orchard fruit. The finish emphasizes the sherry aging, and redeems the boring palate to some extent. Overall, this whisky plays it too safe. The Volvo of single-malt scotches. B
Old Rip Van Winkle 10 (53.5%) - Well, whatever one can say about the hype surrounding the Van Winkle line of bourbons, this certainly beat the pants off of Macallan 18. This 10-year old wheated bourbon is not, strictly speaking, "Pappy," the name that attaches to the 15-year and older expressions. But I don't see this one needing much more aging. Vanilla frosting and sweet corn stand out on the nose, followed by a classic caramel and vanilla profile on the palate that already features a lot of barrel char and burnt oak notes. There are some cereal grains as well. This bourbon leans to the sweeter side and doesn't feature much spice. The finish is all dry oak and tobacco leaves. This goes for crazy prices on the secondary market, $500+ in many places. It's obviously not worth that, but it is a great exemplar of wheated bourbon. A
Springbank 1992 Single Sherry Cask (47.1%) - This one's going to be blasphemy to a lot of my whisky buddies, but my palate and Springbank just do not get along. Single casks of any distillery are prized, 24-year old ones even more so. People consider themselves lucky to find such an example from the independently owned, Campbeltown stalwart Springbank for $300 a bottle. In a way, that makes me regret trying this one -- it should have gone to someone who could appreciate it! The sherry influence in this whisky is faint, and the Springbank distillery character dominates. Malt, leather, grape, and slight brine are its main scents. There's some ripe plums on the palate, but not as much as I'd hope, but a heavy dose of that bitter, dry Springbank earthiness that reminds me of chanterelle mushrooms. The finish is moderate in length and intensity, with some sherry influence, but its bitterness builds over time and is reminiscent of biting into apple seeds. B-
Old Pulteney 21 (46%) - Yet another renowned whisky whose time in this world has passed. Earlier this month, the distillery announced a revamped lineup that replaces the old 17-year old and this one with the more standard 15- and 18-year old expressions that many other distilleries do. Time well tell if that's a good decision or a boon for customers. For me, the 17-year old was the sweet spot in the old lineup. Its older brother has a great start with some scents of chocolate eclair, strawberry, and spicy oak, but its palate falls into a slightly generic sherry-and-spice combination. The finish has some chili kick to it, and a bright, lively berry note. The 17-year old had some of the same notes, but was more unique and memorable. I'd recommend trying this one if you can find it, especially because it's no longer in production. B+