Wild Turkey Rare Breed was one of the best bourbons I discovered while trying all the 101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die so iIwas very interested when I saw this 112 proof (or 56% ABV) expression in a Texas liquor store.  The nose was dominated by alcohol with sweet grainy notes of corn and rye and some butter.  The taste was oaky at first with caramel, vanilla and sweet brown sugar.  The finish was a little hot and spicy with grassy rye notes.  With a little water it became sweeter and mellow with some black pepper notes.

Location: The Club at Sea Lounge,  Seattle Airport, USA

Date: June 2016

Price: Free ($0.00 USD)

Recipe: Jack Daniels, sweet vermouth, orange, blood orange bitters

Garnish: Maraschino cherry

Served: Up

Comments: Not sure what the "orange" listed in the recipe was but it was a solid cocktail and the price was right!

What is this about? Check out  http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii

Location: Skyview, La Cigale Hotel, Doha, Qatar

Date: April 2016

Price: 65 QAR ($17.85 USD)

Recipe: Np recipe

Garnish: None

Served: Rocks

Comments: Not bad. Well balanced with the biiters coming through to balance out the sweetness.

What is this about? Check out  http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii

Location: Emirates Lounge, Johannesburg Airport, South Africa

Date: April 2016

Price: Free ($0.00 USD)

Recipe: 2 x Jack Daniels, 1 x Martini Rosso and Angosturo Bitters

Garnish: None

Served: Rocks

Comments: Unable to find a Manhattan on my Jo'burg hotel cocktail menu I improvised one for myself at airport lounge.

What is this about? Check out  http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii

If you are reading this and surprised about the fact there is good Indian whisky then stop reading.  Enough has already been written (here and other places) that if you are still reading this blog (and god only knows why) you don't need to hear anymore about how Scotland is not the only country now making very good single malt whisky.   This expression from the Goa based Paul John Distillery is bottled at 46% at ABV and has a fruity and bready nose.  Reminded me of malt loaf with fresh butter.  The mouthfeel is crisp and the flavours bright with nougat, milk chocolate, Terry's Chocolate Orange, vanilla and some spice.  More vanilla and herbal notes in the finish.  With a little water it loses some body and gets sweeter.  My note book says "David Beckham whisky.... very well put together but perhaps a little simple?"

I was quite blown away when I tried the Batch 5 (http://www.somanywhiskies.com/reviews/item/802-glendronach-cask-strength-batch-5) so when I saw the Batch 4 on shelf in in the only decent whisky store I have found in the UAE outside of Dubai Duty Free (another story for another day) I had to buy it.  And I did.   This one was bottled at 57.4% ABV and had a sweet nose with fresh baking and fruits.  The taste had more black fruits, bitter dark chocolate, chilli and citrus oils (even a hint of Lemon Pledge).  With water it became sweeter with some biscuit notes as well oak and tannin notes.  Based purely on my notes and general enthusiasm it appears I may have preferred Batch 5, but this is still good.

Location: Pacos, Hilton Al Ain, UAE

Date: April 2016

Price: 32 AED ($8.71 USD)

Recipe: Canadian Club, Martini Rosso and Angusturo Bitters

Garnish: Orange slice

Served: Rocks

Comments: A little washed out, the CC did not stand up well against the ice and vermouth.  Good price though.

What is this about? Check out  http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii

Ahhh… the internet! A quick glance at the excellent Dartmoor distillery website and you might think this is a fully functioning distillery in a part of England I know well as I grew up in Devon. In recent years I had often thought Dartmoor would make an excellent home for distillery, a sort Scotland-Lite (without the desire for independence with clotted cream teas instead of haggis and shortbread. However a short drive from my sister’s home to the old town hall building in Bovey Tracy reveals that this is still very much a work progress and as the attached photo shows not even a sign on the wall.  If it was not for a little copper visible through a first floor window you would not even know this was a distillery. Still something to look forward to on another trip.

Location: Roast, Borough Market, London, UK

Date: March 2017

Price: 12 GBP ($14.85 USD)

Recipe: Buffalo Trace, Dubonnet and Peychaud's bitters

Garnish: Mashed up Blackberries

Served: Up

Comments: Technically this was a little "off piste" as a Manhattan with blackberries and Dubonnet but I liked it....

What is this about? Check out  http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii

When the much revered Mortlach distillery released a series of No Age Statement whiskies it caused quite a little online kerfuffle (OK…. It was outright pissing and moaning) due to price point and bottle size.  This one comes in 500 ml and this is the travel retail expression from the series bottled at 49% ABV, hence the name. The nose was rich and spicy with candied orange peel and some alcohol. However for me at least none of the famous “meat” notes that other find.  The taste is a little sharp at first (a drop of water does not this one) and then gives way dried fruits, cinnamon and black tea. There is also some oak that becomes smoked and even candied bacon (meaty I guess). The finish has brown sugar, coca cola and spice. With some water the spice in the taste goes down and some more wood notes and sweetness comes up with some lemon peel as well.