"Deep Oak II" Blend Project (Cat's Eye Obtainium) 27-Year Canadian Whisky Review & Tasting Notes

 

Today is another instance of a friend in the retail liquor business who requested I try one of his barrel projects. I’m happy to do this for anyone who wants me to review their whisky.

 

Deep Oak II is a Cat’s Eye Obtainium 27-year Canadian whisky single-barrel project created by Sean Wipfli. Initially aged in an ex-Bourbon barrel, its original proofing was 157°. Sean then down-proofed it to 110° over 45 days by placing it in two ex-Rye toasted oak barrels from Great Northern Distilling that Sean also picked. It is available exclusively at Niemuth’s Southside Market at 2121 S Oneida St. in Appleton, Wisconsin, for $110.99 per 750ml bottle.

 

Sean provided me with a sample of Deep Oak II. I’ve reviewed other whiskies Sean has been involved with, and, just like anything else, my reviews are based on how I taste them, not who I know. Not every whisky he’s provided has resulted in a Bottle rating.

 

That said, let’s #DrinkCurious and see how he did.

 

Appearance: I sipped this whisky neat in my Glencairn glass. It looked thick and brassy. A wide rim glued to the wall and released ultra-fast tears, yet left behind big, sticky droplets.

 

Nose: Smells of rye spice, toasted oak, light mint, citrus, and vanilla were easy to identify. Toasted oak and rye spice wafted through my lips as I drew the air inside.

 

Palate: The mouthfeel was thin and oily, contradictory to its appearance. Flavors of vanilla, orange zest, and clove were on the front. My mid-palate encountered maraschino cherry, caramel, and toasted bread. The back was a spice bomb with black pepper, oak tannin, and Red Hots candy.

 

Finish: Medium-to-long in duration, the spices from the back carried through while adding rye and clove to the mix. Its stated 110° drinks more like something ten or so points higher.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I’ve been delving into Canadian whiskies of higher quality than the norm and have started to appreciate them. I like spicy whiskies, and Deep Oak II certainly fits that profile. I’ve not been able to try an unadulterated 27-year Canadian whisky, but I definitely like what Sean did here. You’ll want to pick up a Bottle if you can get to Appleton. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.

 

"Lamboozhound" Blend Project of La Crosse Distilling High Rye Light Whiskey Review & Tasting Notes

Every so often, I have friends in the retail liquor business who ask me to review their barrel picks or blended whiskey projects. Today I’m exploring Lamboozhound, a blended whiskey project created by Sean Wipfli of Niemuth’s Southside Market, located at 2121 S. Oneida Street in Appleton, Wisconsin.

 

Lamboozhound began its journey as La Crosse Distilling Co.’s High Rye Light Whiskey. It contains portions of four of six Niemuth’s La Crosse store picks, which were then aged at least two years in four of ex-Niemuth’s store pick barrels. The cooperage used was:

 

a Heaven Hill barrel used to age maple syrup and Bourbon;

a Driftless Glen third-fill Rye barrel;

a Great Northern Distilling second-fill Rye barrel; and

an MGP barrel that initially held Bourbon, then Stout.

 

Lamboozhound is packaged at 90°. There are 180 - 750ml bottles available priced at $30.99.

 

I hold my friends' whiskeys to the same standards as anything else. It has to pass muster. If you are curious if I’ve ever rated these lower than a Bottle, the answer is absolutely. In fact, I’ve done it with a prior pick or two that Sean did for Niemuth’s. So, let’s #DrinkCurious and discover how this one turned out. 

 

Appearance: I sipped this blend neat in my Glencairn glass. Frankly, it presented similarly to a standard La Crosse High Rye Light Whiskey, the color of pale straw and a thick rim. Slow, sticky tears fell back into the pool.

 

Nose: I found Lamboozhound quite fragrant as it was resting in my glass. I came across vanilla cream, milk chocolate, rye spice, hops, and something minorly astringent. Those last two notes I attribute to the Stout influence. Drawing that vapor through my lips created a blast of orange and tangerine flavors.

 

Palate: A buttery texture greeted my tongue. The front tasted of hops, vanilla, and maple syrup. Midway through, I found rye spice and a hint of cinnamon, whereas the back featured citrus, oak, and clove.

 

Finish: If I didn’t know better, I could wonder if Sean dumped a dollop of orange juice for good measure because that was the first thing I thought of after I swallowed. Clove and hops came next, and while the clove fell off, the hops lasted far longer. Overall, it was long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I’ll start by saying that I’m not a beer guy, and it seemed to me its character dominated the blend. I’ve had beer-finished whiskeys and found some enjoyable, but they were all less hoppy. Lamboozhound should easily appeal to someone who savors a strong beer influence. I believe the fairest rating on Lamboozhound is a Bar. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.