 Hey Everybody,
I thought it was time you all got to know me, Eli, the new Maestro of Mixology over here at Bag & String Wine Merchants. After all, there’s only so many times I can take the credit for Nick Dean’s fabulous work before it gets embarrassing for both of us.
So who am I?
- If you asked Sam, he’d tell you I’m the bartender they rescued from dead daytime shifts at the bar I previously worked at.
- If you asked Sasha, she’d tell you I’m the guy who spends way too long trying to play Tetris™ with the various bottles of spirits Sam keeps bringing into the store; that I’m the guy compulsively trying to keep some sort of order to the chaos we call the liquor shelves.
- If you asked fellow bartender Nick Dean, he’d tell you I’m the brightest young mind in mixology today... And promptly laugh, struggling to keep the laughter in.
Truth be told, I’m just like you: Someone eager to get the very best out of what I drink, how I drink it, and (most of the time) how I can do so without literally throwing money out of my wallet as if it was on fire. Which is kinda the topic I’m supposed to be getting around to.
We talk and advertise bourbons and whiskeys often, but most of the time we’re talking about special allocations and whiskeys that everybody else is talking about, which unfortunately come with a price tag and scarcity to match that interest. Hopefully this list of whiskeys (and whiskies) can help you find some new favorites or even discover a whole new side to the whiskey you already prefer.
BOURBONS
Everyday it seems like more and more people are getting into whiskey through bourbon and it’s not hard to see why: Generally “sweeter” in taste than their American counterpart rye (which we will get to), bourbon’s notes of vanilla, cream, caramel, maybe a slight nuttyness… all the classic notes of a dessert with some toasty oak thrown into the mix. Plus, less calories!
Extremely versatile in classic cocktails like The Old Fashioned or a Mint Julep, most bourbon purists would argue that you’re wasting it if you aren’t drinking it straight or with, at most, a single annoyingly geometrically perfect ice cube. These bourbons, I think, do well in either situation, though remember: all taste is subjective.
 Larceny Small Batch Bourbon
750ml • $26.99
Often overlooked, which is surprising given how popular wheated bourbons are right now on the market: despite being comparably priced with the apparently “go-to” wheated bourbon Maker’s Mark, this bourbon has a lot more to offer in my opinion.
NOSE: Notes of caramel and nougat, combined with more herbal and savory notes like dried grass, hay, and cracked peanut shells up front; orange rind, dried cranberries and bread underneath it all. And that’s just the nose!
PALATE: On the palate, the same notes that you find in the nose greet the taste buds, with the added addition of subtle cinnamon and other wood spice. Milk chocolate notes float underneath the other flavors, instead of the more common bitter raw cacao powder, which is a nice change. Some people taste peach and a hint of citrus, but if it’s there, it’s not defined enough for me to pick out, but maybe you’ll have better luck.
ASSESSMENT: Great on its own, and (possibly heretically) great in a simple cocktail like an Old Fashioned.
Click HERE to shop for this whiskey online at our website!
 Elijah Craig Small Batch
750ml • $30.99
A bourbon from Heaven Hill Distillery that is satisfyingly complex without being unapproachable: a very drinkable bourbon that you don’t need to have had much experience drinking bourbon to enjoy.
NOSE: A sweet nuttyness on the nose, along with dry grassy notes and carmel, citrus, and cold-brew coffee. Swirling the whiskey in the glass (not just for wine folks) brings out more sweet notes of honey and vanilla, maybe some cinnamon, possibly even some more herbal notes like clove and oak.
PALATE: On the palate, the caramel and vanilla are first in line, followed closely by cherry, citrus, that same unidentifiable nuttyness and a bit of cinnamon. Again, others taste things like clove, licorice, apple, peach and other flavors that I guess my palate isn’t yet sophisticated enough to distinguish.
ASSESSMENT: But even without getting everything it apparently can offer, I still really enjoy this bourbon: if you’re putting it in a cocktail, let me know how it stands up to something more complex like a Mint Julep or a Whiskey Sour made from scratch (not sour mix).
Click HERE to shop for this whiskey online at our website!
RYES
Rye whiskey seems to be rather divisive in the whiskey world, where people either like it or they don’t. Often, when offering a rye whiskey to someone, I’ll most likely be rather politely turned down, which is a real shame because the characteristic spiciness of rye whiskey is a real pleasure to work with or imbibe by itself. Often, because it is so strong (if not aggressive), it plays beautifully in cocktails with stronger liqueurs and flavors: Like a Sazerac where the rye won’t get lost behind the heavy anise and wormwood of the absinthe. Drinking rye straight or on the rocks can be a bit of a roller coaster, but with the right rye, it’s one you’ll be lining up for again and again.
 Middle West Spirits Dark Pumpernickel Straight Rye
750ml • $35.99
This is America’s first Dark Pumpernickel Rye… I’m not sure there was a lot of competition in the field for something that specific but maybe that’s just my ignorance of the landscape of American Rye.
This rye has a very nice sweet-savory balance in both the nose and the palate, not unlike pumpernickel rye bread itself. Vanilla, caramel, cinnamon and smoked oak, closely followed by tarragon and caraway: This whiskey is deep, dark and flavorful without being yeasty or bready as rye whiskey can sometimes become. An interesting and tasty pumpernickel spice on the finish, really highlighting that characteristic “otherness” you find in really nice rye whiskeys.
This one might be a bit much for a Manhattan… or maybe it’s just the right amount of much for a truly memorable one. Let me know.
Click HERE to shop for this whiskey online at our website!
 Redwood “Emerald Giant” Rye
750ml • $39.99
This is one of those bottles I recommend to everyone who comes in the shop (if they don’t like rye, well, Redwood Empire makes a mean blend as well). Besides the fact that the very absolute least I can do for conservationism is to try and sell bottles of whiskey which represent one tree planted per bottle sold, I really like this whiskey.
NOSE: On the nose, you get notes of pine and anise, oak and of course, rye spice. But it’s the faint notes of dill which really interests me and showcase how much of a true adventure a rye can be.
PALATE: The palate is much the same: the standout being the vegetal touch of green pepper that strikes the right balance between the sweet oak-derived notes and the rye spices. The finish has a lingering heat of white peppercorn.
ASSESSMENT: This is an easy sipping rye. There’s nothing here that is truly, gamechangingly unique, but sometimes making a great quintessential spirit is all you can ask for. Perfect, in my opinion for a Sazerac, so break out the absinthe.
Click HERE to shop for this whiskey online at our website!
IRISH
According to most experts in the field, Irish whiskey was the first whiskey (though as in any field which involves lots of drinking as “research”, not everyone will agree): the monks who distilled it originally called it uisce beatha, or water of life, which was then later anglicanized to “whiskey”. This history, while interesting, can be an afterthought when people are deciding what type of whiskey to purchase, when faced with the variety of choices out there thus making all Irish whiskey seem “traditional” or “un-innovative”.
But what those people are missing out on is a truly expansive and amazing palate of whiskey to explore: from light and delicately floral to an almost fruity sweetness, Irish whiskey is so much more than that one shot of Jameson you do on St. Patrick's Day or dump into a cup of coffee with some Baileys. Though that’s not to say that you can’t mix it up in a few classic cocktails as well.
 The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey
750ml • $34.99
This is a collaboration between The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog (an Irish whiskey bar in NYC, forerunners of the Cocktail Renaissance of the early 2000s) and The Dublin Liberties Distillery. The result is an amazing example of an Irish whiskey. A blend of single malt and grain whiskeys, aged 5 years in seasoned bourbon barrels and finished in virgin American oak, it’s got a lot to offer.
NOSE: The nose is fruity sweet: Apricot, strawberry, orange juice, practically a whole jar of fruit cocktail. Yet, it continues to unfurl like a flower, or better yet, it seems to constantly turn the pages of an old book, never quite settling for just one note.
PALATE: The taste is completely different yet just as intriguing: Some spice and menthol at the finish is preceded by an almost perfume-like sweetness that always reminds me of those slightly chalky mints and candies in the dish at your grandmother's house. Some people are hit with the woody notes of the barrels the whiskey was aged in, getting big hits of vanilla and creme caramel, so I’d recommend trying it and finding out for yourself which camp you are in.
ASSESSMENT: Though I made fun of those drinks not three paragraphs ago, I feel like this would be excellent in a classic Irish coffee, or even with just a bit of ginger syrup and lemon juice over ice.
Click HERE to shop for this whiskey online at our website!
 Busker Triple Cask Blended Irish Whiskey
750ml • $25.99
Busker Triple Cask Blended Irish Whiskey is truly extraordinary in the fact that, though it is a blend, it is a blend of their three other whiskeys aged in three different types of barrels (So the truly adventurous could actually see if they are or are not greater than the sum of their parts).
NOSE: On the nose you get honey and pears with a touch of toasted oats and oaks, but in a lighter way, rather than the cloying sweetness a description like that could invoke. It’s warm and fruity rather than sickly, the casks having softened some of those sugars rather than having added their own.
PALATE: On the palate you get much the same notes as you do one the nose, just in a heavier way: dried orchard fruit, brown sugars and butterscotch. A more complex, sometimes subtle sweetness that again doesn’t feel cloying or sickly. The finish is where the oak really shines though, seemingly imparting some tannin to really help draw out a satisfying end to the taste.
ASSESSMENT: Honestly, drinking this one straight might be the way to go, rather than in a cocktail, but subbing it into an Old Fashioned or Manhattan is an intriguing proposition.
Click HERE to shop for this whiskey online at our website!
SCOTCH
Before I start, let's get one thing straight from the beginning: no, I did not list any peat-heavy scotches on here because if there is anything that is as divisive (if not moreso) than rye spiciness, it’s the intense “why does the smoke always follow ME around the campfire” taste of peaty scotch. The two scotches I listed here are more approachable for the person who doesn’t like or has not tried that peaty goodness, but I’d be more than happy to revisit that topic in a future blog post.
That being said, there’s a lot to like about non-peat-heavy scotches and blended scotch: they're approachable, still complex and easy to mix with. Adding to that last benefit, if you mix with a blended scotch, you don’t get yelled at by pretentious well-meaning patrons at the bar like you do if you make a cocktail with a nice single malt…So everybody wins.
 Glen Moray Elgin Classic
750ml • $32.99
Unassumingly complex. It's perfectly happy to be light and refreshing, but also isn’t afraid to really show off: like that one friend you have that hardly ever speaks up but really brings the house down on karaoke night. All the hallmarks of a classic summertime dram.
NOSE: The nose is fresh and fruity, with lots of green thrown in: underripe green apple, green grapes, kiwi and gooseberry which transitions into other green notes of grass and a touch of winter mint. Some sweet vanilla from the cask as well.
PALATE: The taste mirrors the aroma: some icing sugar and fudge at the start, then more herbal notes of freshly brewed tea and ginger, all surrounded by those same green notes with added vegetal notes and even some lime peel.
ASSESSMENT: Light and crisp, this whisky (no “e” in Scotland) is perfect for the summertime Scotch & Soda, but would work equally well in something more complex like a Blood & Sand.
Click HERE to shop for this whiskey online at our website!
 Compass Box “Orchard House”
750ml • $49.99
A fruity Scotch. There’s no getting around that. Hence the name “Orchard House”. Compass Box is a blend house, blending different whiskies from different distilleries and bottling them for sale, a proud tradition practically as old as scotch itself (Johnnie Walker being the most famous blended scotch in the world). Generally Compass Box’s releases are very limited and high priced, but this release aims to provide quality for its approachable price.
NOSE: On the nose, it’s fruit: sultanas, fresh and dried apples and banana chips, with some honey and marzipan to tie it all together. A slight floral note whips by in a blink-and-you’ll-miss it sort of way, but fruit is the main attraction here.
PALATE: On the palate, surprise, it’s fruit: almost the exact same aromatic notes you’ll find in the taste, with the addition of some baking spice and (in my opinion but not many others online apparently) some actual smoke that doesn’t overpower the whisky at all. This is a well-balanced, silky scotch with a finish of, you guessed it, more fruit in the form of apples and the final kiss of oak.
ASSESSMENT: I mean, it’s a pleasure to drink all on its own, and even just adding water to it can help you experience new dimensions. But if you wanna mix something up, try experimenting with some simple syrup, egg white (or substitute), lemon juice and spicy bitters (ginger or chili) to make a really cool Scotch Sour.
Click HERE to shop for this whiskey online at our website!
JAPANESE
Japanese Whisky is a lot like Scottish Whisky… so much so that they spell it the same (a story for another post). Production is heavily based on the Scottish method, with most distilleries even importing their ingredients from Scotland.
What makes Japanese whisky different are the minutiae of production: the water, the shape of the still, the wood of the barrels. Some experts even claim that the yeasts used can be the same as the yeast used in Sake production, adding a slight touch of distinctness that can only come from Japan.
Truth be told, I’m not super well versed in mixing with Japanese whisky, but as it shares a lot of characteristics with scotch, I imagine in ten years I’ll be yelled at just as much for putting a “really nice” Japanese whisky in a cocktail as I would be for putting in a single malt scotch… no, I’m clearly not bitter.
 Suntory Whisky “Toki”
750ml • $43.99
For us… I mean for the U.S. Specifically marketed and only sold to America. This whisky is a blend of three different whiskies from three separate distilleries and is a testament to what beauty can come from careful and thoughtful blending.
NOSE: On the nose, there’s grain and lemon oil up at the front signaling the crisp, light nature of the whisky, with caramel and honeysuckle lending sweetness and depth, allowing the aroma to linger rather than fly away on gossamer wings.
PALATE: There’s more citrus on the palate, surprisingly, supported by golden raisins and honey. All of these held together by sweet malted grain notes belying their Scottish roots. The grain can really be brought out by adding just a bit of water to the whisky, and the finish is light and crisp, making it all too easy to go back for another sip.
ASSESSMENT: Stay simple when mixing: a classic highball with a lemon twist showcases this fine whisky perfectly, not needing too many frills to be something you’ll want to make again and again.
Click HERE to shop for this whiskey online at our website!
IN CONCLUSION
So there you go, nine whiskeys/whiskies that I feel people should look out for. Or, you know what, keep looking for your Pappy VAn Winkles and Buffalo Traces…
Leave more of these exceptional bottles for me. |
