Few types of housecleaning are fun, but whisky housecleaning definately qualifies! The best part...tasting a wide range of scotch, bourbon, whiskey, & rye
Fun housecleaning...with whisky
My confession…I hate housecleaning. I don’t mind cooking (obviously), doing laundry (as long as I can get through it in one day), and ironing (“iron” is a four-letter word, according to my Mother-in-Law). But housecleaning? No, thanks. Luckily I have a wonderful husband who doesn’t mind cleaning (and we have a small apartment)…it’s a division of labor that works for us. There is one kind of housecleaning that I do enjoy, and that’s when Ken Gordon of Gordon's DTX decides to “clean out the drawer” for Whisky Wednesday. That’s when he takes out bottles that have been opened and are less than half full, and we help finish them off (it’s a sacrifice, I know). This is my version of whisky housecleaning, and the biggest decision is what to choose!
Last week was one such whisky housecleaning Whisky Wednesday...there were many choices on the counter (and several favorites), but this time I decided to sample expressions that I haven’t tried before (well, I maybe had a couple of favorites at the end). I went from scotch to whiskey to rye, as diverse a range as you can get. Well, see for yourself!
Hmm...what to choose... (Photo credit: Billy Torres)
Winter Whisky Housecleaning
At Gordon’s DTX, January 2, 2019
Chivas Regal Mizunara Finish
Tasting Notes
- Nose: light aroma, dust, cedar
- Taste: brown sugar, vanilla, wood shavings
- Finish: cinnamon and cloves, cedar
- Comments: very woody, some sweetness
Glen Moray Elgin Heritage
Tasting Notes
- Nose: flowers, clover honey, dried hay, potpourri
- Taste: flowers and toffee, honey
- Finish: caramel sauce, light baking spices
- Comments: sweet and floral, bright, delightful
Monkey Shoulder Batch 27yr
Tasting Notes
- Nose: nutmeg, brown sugar, light smoke
- Taste: thick body, oily, caramel and cinnamon, wood smoke
- Finish: cinnamon lasts with wood smoke underneath
- Comments: interesting, the thickness and body help the wood flavors develop
Gordon Graham’s Black Bottle Blend
Tasting Notes
- Nose: light caramel, hay, heather
- Taste: light body, bright hay, caramel, thyme
- Finish: light nutmeg to thyme and heather
- Comments: so many different flavors and aromas to tease out, interesting because you have to really pay attention
Rebel Yell Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Tasting Notes
- Nose: caramel, vanilla, corn sweetness, grass, dried pears, cereal
- Taste: medium body, vanilla fudge, light baking spices, bread grains
- Finish: ends with vanilla, toffee, hint of pears
- Comments: isn't cloyingly sweet.. mellowed with caramel
Masterston’s 10yr
Tasting Notes
- Nose: caraway, corn, salted caramel
- Taste: mediumbody, cloves, rye spice, caramel, slight smoke
- Finish: rye lingers, then cinnamon
- Comments: has a dark flavor
Putnam New England Rye Whiskey
Tasting Notes
- Nose: corn, brown sugar candy, light rye
- Taste: dark rum, brown sugar bars, light anise, cardamom
- Finish: cloves, cardamom, brown sugar
- Comments: not a strong rye, actually quite nice
I generally don’t post these whisky housecleaning notes (the last time I presented you with random tasting notes was Cleaning up), but I think the next time Ken decides to empty his drawer, I’ll do it again. It’s a great way to try a truly diverse lineup…and a few favorites!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
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