New Arrivals: Healthy Spirits Four Roses Private Selection "Dave's Barrel"

Hey all,

Just got in Dave's hand selected barrel from our Four Roses private selection program, my "Nate's Barrel" sold out in a matter of days and I wouldn't be surprised if this one did to. Jim Rutledge hand selected these samples for us, fortunately we've developed a strong relationship with Jim over the years, and he knows exactly what warehouse locations best suit our tastes. Dave and myself heavily scrutinized both barrels we ended up picking, rating them on various criteria including nose/aroma, flavors and taste, and mouthfeel/finish. Dave's pick ended up being from one of the highest tiers in their warehouses, giving it the beautiful color you see in the picture and causing it to gain in proof (63.4% alcohol). The higher tiers are one of the few spots in the warehouses where the barrels gain strength instead of losing it giving it a robust oaky mouthfeel and layer upon layer of depth. The recipe choosen was OESV, the higher corn content recipe which gives the finished bourbon a beautiful creaminess and flavors of bananas foster and delicate berry fruit. Again this will probably sell out fast, beer and bourbon club members may call in to reserve .

Nate

Hey all,

Isle of Jura distillery has long been one of my favorite Scotch producers. The island lies just north east of Islay and has a lot of the same coastal sea air influences and large supply of local peat. Their unpeated single malts remind me a lot of Tobermory and are certainly more complex than your average Highland or Speyside single malts. The offerings most requested though, single malts I simply had to bring into the shop (over flowing shelves be damned), are the incredible Superstition and Prophecy. Superstition is Jura's lightly peated whisky, a great entry level scotch for anyone who's looking to cross over into the smokey-peaty side of things. Has a mild yet intrinsic smokiness, beautiful sea weed and ocean brininess, and finishes with a nice honey sweetness. Prophecy is their big peat monster, peated to a level close to Ardbeg or Laphroaig. Intense flavors of smoke, peat tar, tobacco, stoney minerals and sea salt with a touch of caramel and sherry. Both expressions are dynamic and worth trying. Cheers

Nate

New Arrival: Larceny Wheated Bourbon

Hey all,

Just landed Heaven Hill's newest offering, Larceny wheated bourbon, an off shoot brand from their Fitzgerald line. While I'm told Larceny is in the 6-8 year range I must say I was impressed with the oakiness and depth of flavor I got on this. Definitely tastes a little older, reminiscent of the Old Fitzgerald 12 year, but with the body of something like the Woodford Double Oaked. At under $30 bucks it's a steal for sure. This might just be my new every day bourbon.

Nate

High West American Prairie Reserve!

Hey all,

Just got in the new High West American Prairie Reserve, it comes in at a very reasonable price compared to their other releases and 10% of sales go towards the American Prairie Reserve in northeastern Montana, one of the largest wildlife reserves in the country. Prairie Reserve is a blend of two straight bourbons. The first is a 6 year from the old Seagrams distillery LDI with a mashbill of 75% Corn, 20% rye, 5% barley. The second is a 10 year from Four Roses with a high rye content mashbill of 60% Corn, 35% rye, and 5% barley.

Tasting Notes:
-On the nose I get aromas of peppercorns, rye bread, ginger snaps, peanut butter cookies, mangos, yellow cake, sugar cookies and fennel. Super engaging aromas that are a perfect balance between rye spice and fresh baked cookies. On the palate I get flavors of candy corn, toffee, sweet corn, wild flower honey, milk chocolate and tiramisu. Overall it's incredibly lush and approachable with just the right amount of peppery-earthiness in the finish. You want this.

Cheers

Nate

New arrival from Ardbeg. From the back of the bottle:
"SPACE 1999. Ardbeg has always been right up there, having been voted Best Scotch Whisky in the Worls three times on the bounce. But in October 2011 Ardbeg-crafted molecules went one gi...

ant leap further...out of this world and into orbit. On Earth we created Ardbeg Galileo-a celebration of Ardbeg's first ever experiment in space."
Description:

Aroma:Spicy toffee, tropical fruits and a puff of soot.

Taste: Salty, yet sweet with cream and a burst of smoking apricots.

Finish: Long, lingering and serene.

New Arrivals: Bunnahabhain Toiteach (Heavily Peated Single Malt)

Hey all,

We just landed the first ever peated release from Bunnahabhain called Toiteach! This heavily peated monster of a single malt is extremely limited, only 20 cases for San Francisco, barely a drop in the bucket for the largest whiskey consuming city in the country. What I like about Bunnahabhain these days is their single malts are non-chill filtered and have no added coloring. Couple that with Toiteach's robust proofing at 46% and you have a smoky-peaty-sea weedy beauty of a single malt. You want this!

Nate

New Arrivals: Moylan's American Rye and Bourbon Whisky!

Hey all,

Well isn't that just perfect, one of our favorite breweries is now making whisky. Moylan's brewery, makers of several well crafted beers and our first bourbon barrel aged release, have started working with Stillwater Spirits in Petaluma CA and are now making bourbon and rye whisky. As if we needed even more of a connection between our two favorite things, beer and bourbon enthusiasts can now rejoice!

Moylan's Cask Strength Bourbon Whisky 60.8% Alcohol (121.6 proof)
-I've been told this is in the 2-3 year age range. What I think is clever right off the bat is the decision to leave it cask strength. Younger bourbons can be amazing, but don't necessarily have the depth to maintain their flavor profile when watered down to bottling strength. On the nose I get notes of caramel, vanilla and a touch of toasted coconut. On the palate I get notes of butterscotch, creme brulee, vanilla and white florals. Really delicate-soft flavors even at cask strength, and perilously drinkable!

Moylan's American Rye Whisky 49.5% Alcohol (99 proof)
-Also in the 2-3 year age range. Back of the bottle says: "Before now, an immpeccably constructed rye whisky was impossible to find". Probably a little bit of a stretch but hey, good rye whisky isn't exactly growing on trees these days. This is a great example of a perfectly proofed whisky. Its not cask strength, but you can tell from the concentration of flavors and balance that this was well thought out and tested before bottling. There is a fair bit of spice on the nose: aromas of peppercorns, allspice, roasted nuts, cinnamon and marzipan. As it washes over the palate I get flavors of: aged fruitcake, ginger snaps, cardamom, nutmeg, dates, earth and toasted oak. Super complex and exceedingly well rounded!

Both the rye and bourbon are local, micro distilled and well...... awesome. You want these!

Nate