My Handcrafted Opinions on Whiskies, Distilleries and Other Related Stuff
This bottle was labelled #3031 from Batch 0887 and bottled at 45.2% ABV. The nose was very nice, herbal tea with mint and sweet vanilla notes. The mouthfeel is fresh, light and oily, bittersweet on palate with more vanilla, candy, black coffee and dark chocolate. The finish has peppermint, wood and grassy rye notes. With water it gets sweeter, even honeyed, while heat builds in the finish with chilli spiced dark chocolate. Overall very delicious; a light and subtle of straight rye.
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Location: Islamorada, Florida, USA
Date: November 2020
Price: $6.00
Recipe: Rye Whiskey, Sherry, Bitters
Garnish: None
Served: Rocks
Comments: Manhattan in a can.... made with Sherry? Seemed to work however and a good price.
What is this about? Check out http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii
Bravo! Bra - Fucking - Vo!
Finally someone North of Hadrian's Wall has decided to "grow a pair" and just be honest and transparent about selling a young whisky. Usual marketing tactic is to put no age statement, create a weak back story and slap on an unpronounceable Gaelic name for the younger stuff. I am extra delighted that it is a distillery I happen like a lot. In fact I am a little reluctant to post the review because it is not my favorite Ardbeg... and I really don't want to say anything negative. The nose is smoky bbq with orange peel and even floral notes. The taste is creamy at first with barley sugar, black tea and more bitter, slightly burnt, orange peel. The finish is peppery, smoky with more strong tea tannins and yes there are some grainy (ie young) spirit notes. Not super complex but balanced, flavorful and pretty punchy. Lives up to the name.
Location: Katz's, Houston, Texas
Date: September 2020
Price: $12.00
Recipe: Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth and Angostura Bitters
Garnish: Luxardo maraschino cherry
Served: Up
Comments: On the larger side which as it was served "up" in a tumbler warmed a little too quickly
What is this about? Check out http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii
The third expression in this series is, like the other two, bottled at 40% ABV. The nose has lots of dried fruits, prunes, raisins, digestive biscuits and a slight farmyuard, vegatal funkiness. The taste is more dried fruit, prunes, bitter dark chocolate and citrus peel. The mouthfeel is quite creamy, chewy and even oily. The finish is spicy with fresh cut jalepenos and black pepper. Not massively complex... consider if Macallan had an off day. However Macallan's bad days are still better than many distilleries good days.
This is the second whisky in this range I have tried. Like the others it is a 40% ABV, NAS, private label bottling for Total Wines with little clue to it's origin other than Scotland.... there is no Grangestone distillery (although the rate at which distilleries open now it is not impossible that I could be wrong about that). Vanilla hits you immediately in the nose, along with sweet caramel and ripe bananas. The taste has more banana, butterscotch and some pepper. The finish get slightly bitter and oaky. Not spectacular, but a solid "bourbon" cask expression.
Location: Ristorante del Lago, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs
Date: July 2020
Price: $14.00
Recipe: Padua Manhattan which according to menu is ... Michters Rye, Green Chartreuse, Aperol, Orange Bitters
Garnish: Lemon Peel
Served: Up
Comments: Good cocktail, but not a Manhattan
What is this about? Check out http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii
This Japanese plum flavored whiskey is bottled at 30% ABV. There is sweet, and then there is "have the number of a good dentist handy" sweet. This one falls into the second category. The nose is sweet but also delicately floral. There are some plum notes are in the taste, more sugarplums than The Nutcracker aand some prunes and jelly babies. Imagine a whiskey flavored Jelly Bean. The finish is a thick coating of sugar on the teeth combined with some mint from the toothpaste you will have to keep nearby.
Location: Fogo de Chao, Denver, CO
Date: July 2020
Price: $13.50
Recipe: Buffalo Trace, Carpano Antica, Blood Orange, Angusturo Bitters
Garnish: Orange peel
Served: Rocks
Comments: A little Orange peel or Triple sec or Orange bitters is good, but this was overpowered by Orange juice. It was fine, but not a Manhattan.
What is this about? Check out http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii
Location: The Tavern, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs
Date: July 2020
Price: $14.00
Recipe: Spencer's Manhattan which according to menu is ... Rye Whiskey, Drambuie, Bitters
Garnish: 3 cherries
Served: Up
Comments: Drambuie in a Manhattan? No Vermouth? That was a first. The color strongly suggests that vermouth was in the recipe.
What is this about? Check out http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii
This is a 45% ABV Colorado produced straight rye I was able to try on recent family trip to Denver. The nose is sweet and fruity, candy and fresh cut grass and after some time some grainy notes (suggesting it is probably quite young). The taste starts spicy and sweet; Hot Tamales, cinnamon and cola. With time some sweet dried fruits like prunes develop as well. The finish has peppermint which fades to leave a signature herbal note. Overall a classic young rye, fresh, fruity, peppery and sweet all at the same time.