And the 2018 Whiskeys of the Year are...

 

About this time of the year, reviewers and publications start announcing their choice for Whiskey of the Year. Generally speaking, I’m not the biggest fan of these types of lists. Why? Because usually, they involve whiskeys most folks will never get their hands on. They seem to be more of bragging points stating, “Haha! Look what I got!” and less of providing a useful recommendation.

Last year, I penned (or typed) my inaugural Whiskeys of the Year list. And, because I want my list to be useful, you will never find anything allocated and no store picks. Moreover, as I’m not a millionaire, everything making the list must be reasonably priced (this year, all are $60 or less). In other words, to qualify, it has to be something that anyone can get their mitts on without having to pay secondary prices or burning through a few tanks of gasoline hitting store after store trying to locate.

These whiskeys are the best in their categories that I’ve stumbled across this year that meets the above guidelines. Last year, I had a broader range of categories. This year, I decided to limit it to three: Bargain Whiskey of the Year, Barrel Proof Whiskey of the Year, and, finally, my overall Whiskey of the Year. If you’re a long-time follower and my palate has led you in the right direction on a regular basis, then you’ll probably enjoy what’s on my list. If you have a different list, that’s okay. There’s a whole big, wide world of whiskey out there.

Without further ado, let’s get started...

BUDGET WHISKEY OF THE YEAR

Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut - 50% ABV / 100° - $22.99

Reviewed January 23, 2018

The newest whiskey folks seem to be chasing down is Jim Beam Distiller's Cut. Jim Beam? Am I serious?

Absolutely!

The newest incarnation of Jim Beam is a 100°, non-chill filtered Bourbon aged anywhere between five and six years. If you caught the words, "non-chill filtered," and understand the term, the excitement suddenly becomes clear. If unfamiliar with the term, it means the fatty acids that naturally occur during distillation haven't been filtered out. Aside from affecting the taste, chill filtering brings clarity to the appearance of lower-proofed whiskeys.

The mash is the standard Jim Beam bill: 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% barley. If you're looking at the mash and proof and you're thinking this is just a relabeled Jim Beam Bonded, let me set the record straight right now. I keep a bottle of Jim Beam Bonded around, and these are two very different Bourbons.

The appearance is a deep, clear amber that may be unexpected by those familiar with non-chill filtered whiskeys. There can be cloudiness, especially if adding water or ice, but once you get above 92°, that no longer becomes an issue. Swirling it around in my glass leaves an almost non-existent rim so thin it takes a bit to find it. But, once found, it produces very slow, fat droplets that eventually fall to the pool.

Aromas of nut are predominant, and at the first sniff, it is all that can be picked up. Underneath that comes pepper, a hint of apple, and finally, oak. Inhaling through my mouth brings a bubblegum quality.

The mouthfeel is thick and oily. It does coat the palate and is incredibly smooth. Flavors of cinnamon and pepper are up front, with an immediate follow of caramel and vanilla. Underneath that is a very light pear. Bringing up the rear is oak.

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: If you're not a fan of Jim Beam, this is the version that will change your mind. I'm loving it, and not only do I recommend picking up a bottle, but I will also suggest two, especially for the $23 price tag.

Allegedly, this is a limited-edition Bourbon. I don't know how many bottles are available, but they're easy to find. If Jim Beam is listening, you need to make it permanent.

BARREL PROOF WHISKEY OF THE YEAR

Old Ezra 7-Year Barrel Strength - 58.5% ABV / 117° - $39.99

Reviewed October 17, 2018

Every so often, something in the whisk€y world hits the market and generates excitement. I’m not talking about BTAC or Pappy Van Winkle. I’m talking about things you and I and everyone else can find and actually afford.

Luxco has just released Old Ezra Barrel Strength Bourbon. It is slated to hit shelves nationwide very soon and has a suggested retail of $39.99. Considering this is a barrel-proof, seven-year-old Bourbon, Luxco definitely piqued my curiosity. Of course, age is just a number, there are bad barrels out there, and an attractive price won’t ever make up for a poor product.

How does Old Ezra Barrel Strength fare? Before I spill the details, I’d like to thank Luxco for providing me a sample with no strings attached.

In my Glencairn, the appearance was a very appealing, clear copper color. It left a thin rim on the wall of the glass which produced thin droplets that never became legs. They simply hung on the rim.

When I lifted the rim to my chin and inhaled, sawdust and caramel permeated my nostrils. I raised it higher to my lips, and the caramel became bolder, and I also picked up cinnamon. Letting it hover under my nose changed up the cinnamon to almost Red Hots candy. When I breathed the vapors through my mouth, cinnamon and vanilla flavors raced over my tongue.

The mouthfeel was thin but coating. For 117°, it packed far less of a punch than I anticipated, especially after the nosing.

Cinnamon and oak were definitely upfront on the palate, but it toned down quickly with flavors of caramel and creamy vanilla. On the back, a blend of clove and thick caramel led to a lasting finish that allowed the clove to continue and warm the throat. There was also a very slight stone fruit that came several minutes after the swallow.

Although it wasn’t necessary, I added water to see what would happen. I always use an eyedropper to add exact amounts (two drops). Caramel exploded on the nose, and when inhaled through my mouth, it was all vanilla. The mouthfeel became creamy, and the prevalent pepper on the palate soon transformed into strong cinnamon on the tip of my tongue. The finish was still warming, but that fruit never appeared. Interestingly enough, the clove didn’t manifest but pepper with water was stronger than the clove was on the finish when neat.

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Overall, I found Ezra Brooks Barrel Strength Bourbon enjoyable. I would have preferred that hidden fruit to be less so, but I must take the whiskey at face value. I also found the proof to be surprising considering the mouthfeel. There just wasn’t much in terms of “burn” that you’d expect. For $39.99, I would happily add this to my whiskey library and as such, will rate this as a “Bottle.”

WHISKEY OF THE YEAR

Auchentoshan Three Wood Single Malt Lowland Scotch - 43% ABV / 86° - $59.99

Reviewed October 28, 2018

I first tasted Auchentoshan early this year. It was a 17-year independent bottling sold exclusively at Vom Fass, and I fell in love. I felt an immediate need to find other expressions of Auchentoshan to taste what I’d been missing. I went to my favorite whiskey bar and tried the American Oak, the 12-year, and the Three Wood.

Of the three, I opted to buy the Three Wood. I honestly wanted to buy all of them, but alas, my wallet suggested otherwise that day.

What makes this Lowland Scotch stand out? Scotches are commonly twice-distilled. Auchentoshan uses a triple-distillation process, much like the Irish do, which creates a higher alcohol content with fewer impurities in the distillate. The Three Wood implies exactly that - Auchentoshan uses three barrels to age and finish the whisky. First, it is aged a dozen years in ex-Bourbon barrels. It is then transferred to age again in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks. Finally, it is transferred again for final aging in ex-Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks.

While all of that is nice to know, the end result is what’s truly important. In my Glencairn, the whisky was a deep, dark amber, and left a very thin rim on the wall. After several minutes, it created slow, fat legs to drop back into the pool.

Aromas of honey and vanilla exploded on my olfactory senses at chin level. When I raised the glass to my lips, orange citrus jumped in, and when I let it hover under my nostrils, the orange and sherry notes dominated. When I inhaled through my mouth, it was all honey.

The mouthfeel was thin but coated my palate. At the front, dark chocolate, a major food group of my food pyramid, blasted through. Mid-palate brought out sweet orange, which was quickly followed by vanilla and thick honey. It was sweet but not overwhelming.

The honey continued and was joined by oak that produced a long-lasting, building finish.

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Some folks find medicinal or peaty qualities in some Scotches as something they don’t enjoy. Neither will be found in Auchentoshan Three Wood. I love peated Scotches. I love unpeated Scotches. This one is something very special, and so long as it isn’t radically changed down the road, it will have a permanent spot in my whiskey library. Buy this bottle. It isn’t a limited edition, but thankfully, is widely available, and very affordable.

A FINAL WORD…

I’ve tasted some delicious whiskeys this year and made a lot of new friends in this wonderful industry. Big things are already planned for 2019, including some amazing whiskey workshops, Whiskeyfellow-logoed Glencairn glasses, hats, clothing, and more barrel picks. Thank you so much for your support, and I wish you all a very happy holiday season. Cheers!