After hitting up Costco I had to go to BJ’s to try their Wellsley Farms Irish Whiskey.
Wellsley Farms Irish Whiskey
If you aren’t familiar, the big box grocery stores basically have their own budget versions of different types of alcohol, including Irish Whiskey.
The Nose
I poured my normal dram into a Glencairn Whisky Glass and the alcohol was the first thing that my nose appreciated on this Irish Whiskey. Once I took several long breaths in I did appreciate a note of butter cookies and malt but it was really mild.
The Palate
There are pleasant but faint notes of butter cookies but the rough notes on the finish really cost this whiskey major points, along with the headache. I don’t get a hangover from better quality Whiskey, so I know if I wake up with a faint headache the next day that I was probably drinking a lower quality offering, which is exactly how I would describe this bulk purchase.
The Score – Wellsley Farms Irish Whiskey
They are incredibly similar, maybe even identical, and I am giving Wellsley Farms Irish Whiskey the same score of 65/100. Save it for Mixed Drinks Only or parties where quantity is more important than quality.
At this price point I’d go for Paddy’s Irish Whiskey. Sure, you don’t get the same volume, but Paddy’s quality more than makes up for it.
Color
Light brown.
Proof
40.0% ABV
Pros:
At just $28 there is a lot of whiskey per dollar here.
Aged 4 years.
Cons:
The rough edges make it less enjoyable to sip.
This definitely gave me that Cheap Whiskey Hangover.
We hit up the Iron Hill Brewery for lunch before seeing the new Batman movie yesterday. We were seated in one of the long wooden booths as we were a party of five, and the only reason I comment on it is that the table and seats were so tight as to be just barely comfortable. My son and his girlfriend are each like 100lbs, and they sat on on side while the bigger adults sat on the other. Even with the table against their chests, the adults just barely squeezed it. So if you are a bigger person, don’t get a booth.
I had the Baja Fish Tacos, which are my favorite.
The fix is light and the coating nice and crispy, while the slaw and other toppings just blend so well together.
For my libation I selected the Kentucky Connection.
It is made from Maker’s Mark, Amaretto, and expressed orange peel. Is it technically a Manhattan? I’m not sure, but I’m going to consider it a Manhattan for the purposes of this review.
The Kentucky Connection itself doesn’t look like much. It is ice, the drink, and two mixing straws. It doesn’t even have the orange peel as a garnish, so not overly visually appealing.
Kentucky Connection
On the flip side the drink is tasty. I normally consider Maker’s Mark to be an easy to get, but moderate quality bourbon, so I was skeptical about how this Kentucky Connection would fare and I was pleasantly surprised. It is a tad sweet, but it sips very smoothly and ends with a nice orange finish.
I might just have to get get me a bottle of Maker’s Mark and some Amaretto to see if I can reproduce this.
Iron Hill Brewery Scoring
This Kentucky Connection scores an 71/100, making it very Sip Worthy. What cost Iron Hill some points?
Overall there is not a huge selection of bourbons at Iron Hill Brewery, which kind of makes sense as they focus on beer.
It can get pricey very quickly.
Some of the booths are oddly tight. Like my son and his girlfriend are under a hundred pounds each, and they could barely squeeze into the one edge of the booth. (Maybe it was just that booth?)
The roofing on the first floor is metal and it gets so loud you can’t have a conversation if you are inside.
Overall, the Kentucky Connection is worth the trip, and I absolutely love their Baja Fish Tacos!
Harry’s Savoy Grill is one of our favorite restaurants for special occasions. The prime rib is my usual, and I’ve never had a bad meal there. It is expensive, but sometimes you actually do get what you pay for.
The food is always was amazing, and is clearly the primary reason to go to Harry’s. The prime rib and the short rib are my personal favorites.
On the Whiskey front, they have a standard bar with standard quality. I usually start with a Harry’s Manhattan. You can see here that a year can change how a Manhattan is made. The example from a year ago (left side )was a bit watered down. A year later (right side) and the Manhattan actually tasted like bourbon, which is a good them. While it is an improvement over the last time we were there, there was still nothing special about it. It was good, it just didn’t have any pizazz.
Harry’s Manhattan over the Years
Next I tried the Boulevardier.
Harry’s Boulevardier Cocktail
I enjoyed the Boulevardier cocktail a lot. It has a little more sweetness than the Manhattan but not so much it hides the bourbon. The finish is smooth with a nice citrus zing. I’ll start with the Boulevardier next time.
Harry’s Savoy Grill Scoring
If you are looking for good food and have deep pockets, you can’t beat Harry’s. If you are looking for a Whiskey Bar with lots of choices, there are better options. Harry’s is earning itself a 67/100. The atmosphere is great, and the service is amazing. There are just limited whiskey options.
The Creekside Inn is a restaurant and bar just off the golf course in Woodstown New Jersey.
The inn is a great place to grab a bite to eat and have a drink while sitting outside overlooking the gold course. They also host events with catering. My brother in law had his 50th birthday party there and everyone had a good time.
We had dinner there Friday night, and I went with my standard Basil Hayden’s Manhattan. It was served in a nice Martini Glass and presented as a little bit light in color.
Creekside Inn Basil Hayden’s Manhattan.
The Manhattan was good, but I think they shook it too long and let it get just a tad watered down. My cousin had a Maker’s Mark on the rocks, and he said his was exactly what you’d expect.
I would describe this as a nice family restaurant. The servers are nice and the atmosphere is slightly upscale when compared to chain restaurants. If you are in the area and are looking for something that didn’t come out of an industrial chain kitchen, it is definitely worth a visit.
Creekside Inn Scoring
Overall, I’m giving the Creekside Inn a 60/100 and putting it in the Moderate Cost Price Scale. If you skipped the drinks it’s Low Cost, so you can get by with spending less.
The food is good and drinks aren’t bad, so why the 65/100? For me its the limited Whiskey and Bourbon selection, which is why I went with my standby, Basil Hayden’s. If your looking for a larger selection of Whiskey, your going to have to drive a bit further.
My bottle of Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon ended up on my shelf almost by accident. I’m always on the lookout for new Bourbon, but my local liquor stores are empty wells at this point. I went in to get some beer for the SO and saw the cardboard tube hiding out behind some Jack Daniels – almost as if someone was trying to hide the last bottle of bourbon I haven’t already tried from my local store. Was it planned, I have no proof, but someone was trying to keep that bottle for themselves, and or deny me from getting it.
Colonel E.H. Taylor
Thankfully I was curious and moved a few bottle of Jack to find my prize, and what a prize it is.
Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon
The Nose
The nose of Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon is really brought out by swirling it in a Glencairn Whisky Glass. There is a pleasant caramel, cherries, and black pepper that swirls and mingles with citrus and cinnamon. The woody notes float throughout. It is very enjoyable nose.
The Palate
My personal preferences are for 40% to 45% alcohol bourbons. I do like some higher alcohol content bourbons, and usually let them open up with an ice cube or a splash of water. While this Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch is 50% alcohol, it is so well balanced between vanilla, caramel and spices that it is just a treat to sip.
The Score – Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon
It became my new favorite whiskey on the first sip, and now I have to find another bottle because my OCD won’t let me drink this one until I have a backup.
Part of me really wanted to give this Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch a perfect score of 100, but the real challenge for me is that I want to believe there is something even better, maybe even six bottles that are better. Hopefully I have another twenty years to find those bottles. If not, I’ll come back and update my score on this Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch to a 100 at some point in the future.
If you can find it, let me know if you agree with my score of 94/100.
Color
Dark and sweet.
Proof
50.0% ABV
Pros:
Well balanced vanilla nose that is enjoyable just to breath in.
Perfect mix of spices that light up your palate.
Amazing value for the dollar if you can find it at the price I paid for it at $45. I now see bottles going for $150!
Baha Founders Reserve is a blended Irish Whiskey that is aged four years in total. The majority of that time is spent Virgin Oak Casks before final finishing is completed in Sherry Casks.
Baha Reserve Irish Whiskey
Baha Founders Reserve is being positioned as a premium product. It is hard to find in my area, and the price is steep, especially when you consider the bottle is 50ml shy of what a normal bottle contains.
The Nose
I poured a dram into a Glencairn Whisky Glass and slowly swirled before sniffing gently. The first thing I appreciated was sweet toffee which quickly turned to vanilla and leather. It is one of those noses that keeps me coming back to try and understand it better. But at the same time I’m not sure if I like it or not.
The Palate
Baha Founders Reserve
The sweetness on the nose comes over on the first sip, but it is quickly overpowered by the vanilla and leather. The finish however is a little rough and the leather lingers on the tongue. While I really struggled to understand if I liked the nose, the palate drove the nail home. The answer is no.
The Score – Baha Founders Reserve
This bottle of Baha feels like a very carefully constructed business plan. A business plan focused on driving profit while ignoring one really important piece. The whiskey just doesn’t live up to its premium hype. It has a rough finish and a funk that just lingered on my tongue.
While I am glad I received this bottle as a gift (thanks Dad and Ginny!) it is not one I’d pick up again as it is best suited to have its flavors hidden in a mixer. Baha Founders Reserve scores a 30/100, making it best for Mixers.
Instead of purchasing a bottle of Baha, I’d explore a few of the other tried and true Irish Whiskey offerings.
Color
Deep brown with a transparency set at about 30%.
Proof
43.0% ABV
Pros:
I love to try new whiskeys.
Cons:
Baha Founders Reserve is being positioned as a premium product but it just can’t hold up to the competition.
Its sold at a premium price and its only a 700ml bottle.
How long have I had this bottle of Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon? It’s been hiding on the back of my “to be reviewed” shelf for almost two years. Since then I’ve been trying to alternate between an American Whiskey/Bourbon and Irish Whiskey/Scotch every week. Old Forester in general is one of my go to bourbons. I’m not sure how I left this unopened for so long!
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon is a strong offering. It is bottled at 115 Proof and a mashbill of 72% Corn, 18% Rye, and 10% Malted Barley. Based on the distiller’s lore, this bourbon was created during America’s experiment with making alcohol illegal . Or at least mostly illegal. Apparently there was a medicinal use exception, and Brown-Forman applied and was granted for Kentucky Permit KY – 3. This allowed Brown-Forman to create Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon and legally sell it for “medicinal” use, even during prohibition.
The Old Forester brand has the distinction of being the only bourbon sold before, during, and thankfully, after, prohibition. There is a lot of history in every sip of Old Forester, which is likely one of the reasons it never disappoints.
The Nose
The nose on this Old Forester 1920 is rich, deep, and layered with fruit and concentrated brown sugar just on the verge of burning. The nose ends with a swirl of alcohol and sweet fruit that is really surprising for how balanced it is. I was expecting a strong alcohol burn based on the proof, but this is such a well crafted whiskey that it all just fits together perfectly.
The Palate
The first sip was an explosion of flavor. Sweet brown sugar mellowed over oak char and black chocolate. That sweetness continues and melds with ripe fruit on the swallow that does hint at the 115 proof, but in a good way. Yes, you can appreciate this is a higher proof, but it is just so well made that it never smacks you in the face.
The Score – Old Forester 1920
While this Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon isn’t something I’d pour for a new whiskey lover, for the advanced class who can appreciate all its complexity, this is just a pleasure to sip. It not only scores a 96/100, tying it for top honors with Red Breast, but it of course made it into my Whiskey Safe, meaning I will always keep a bottle locked up to enjoy during the Apocalypse.
Color
Deep amber and brown.
Proof
57.5% ABV
Pros:
Awesome back story that dates to prohibition.
Complex, multi layered nose.
Lovely sweet brown sugar and fruit on the front of tongue.
Cons:
At local prices (east coast) ranging from $59.99 to $69.99 this can take a bite out of your whiskey budget.
Easy to over enjoy, and at 115 proof it might catch up to you.
Not for the new whiskey lover. Save it for when you are more experienced.
Normal Redbreast 12 is bottled at 80 proof. Redbreast Cask Strength is bottled at 115 proof. The whiskey is not diluted with water nor chill-filtered. This leaves both a stronger taste profile and slight murkiness in color. Don’t let it scare you though! This bottle is about smooth sipping, not burning your tongue with a high proof.
Redbreast Cask Strength
I live out in the sticks and don’t have access to a good liquor store unless I’m willing drive an hour or so. That means that when I see a bottle I feel like I need to buy it because I’m not sure if I’m going to find it anytime soon again. I was with my brother when I saw this bottle of Redbreast Cask Strength. His reaction was shock. He drinks beer, so a $100 price tag was just crazy for him. He’s not a whiskey snob (that’s what my wife calls me) but I had to get it when I saw it. I should have gotten two bottles, because now that I’ve tried it, I know I’m going to want more.
The Nose
The nose on this Redbreast 12 Cask Strength is deep and rich. There is a hint of malt just under rich dark fruits which is perfectly balanced against the vanilla from the bourbon barrels. I can sit and sniff this dram all day. It is just as good as the sip. If you want to up your Nose game, this is a great bottle to appreciate. Pour a dram into a Glencairn Whisky Glass and enjoy.
The Palate
The mouth feel is crisp and clean. The front of the tongue is sweetness that immediately turns to dryness and fruitiness that finishes with a charred oak from the time spent in the bourbon barrels that coasts to a very subtle smokiness. It is complex and lovely. It is not for new drinkers, or at least I don’t think most new Whiskey drinkers will appreciate it, but I could be wrong.
The Score
This cask strength Redbreast is all the goodness of Redbreast 12 but concentrated and powerful, but in a refined, balanced way that really just hits it out of the park.
This Redbreast Cask Strength is all the things I love about Redbreast 12, without the overly wooded notes from Redbreast 15, on steroids.
Redbreast Cask Strength scores a 97/100, making it the all time best whiskey I’ve ever had, and it earned every point.
Color
Deep amber with just a touch of murkiness.
Proof
55.8% ABV
Pros
Nose full of fruits and vanilla that is balanced perfectly by the oak from the bourbon.
If you like Redbreast 12 this is going to nock your socks off.
Perfectly balanced flavors that make for easy sipping.
Cons
Can you find it!
If you are on a budget, these bottles can hurt your wallet.
While in Richmond Virginia for business I was lucky enough to get a reservation ate Alewife. It is a small corner restaurant with a unique menu that can also adjust to make various vegetarian dishes. The staff were both knowledgeable and nice. I’m not a wine drinker, but others in my party were asking questions and our server was able to list off the tasting notes with ease to help them make a selection.
For starters we had Virginia Oysters as well as a potato dish. The oysters were amazing and had just the right touch of hot sauce to give them a kick.
For dinner I selected the Duck Breast. The duck was amazing. I have no idea what it was on, it looked like a sea based plant. I tried eating that but it was just a bit tough so I left it alone after devouring the Duck Breast. My only criticism of the food was the portion size. I’m a big guy and after going to dinner I don’t really like having to go get a snack. That could be a “me” problem, but even one of my fellow diners who is petite commented on the portion size.
You will note that the drink menu is relatively small:
Alewife Drink Menu
I selected the Linecaster as it was described as a type of Manhattan by the Alewife team.
Linecaster
The Alewife Linecaster was a definite highlight of the meal. I don’t like sweet drinks, and while the Linecaster has a touch of sweetness on the finish, it has wonderful notes of citrus that blend with the bourbon in delightful way.
Scoring
If you are in the Richmond area I would hit Alewife for appetizers and a few drinks. The duck was great, but needed to be paired with a better, more filling side. As a restaurant Alewife scores high marks, as a Whiskey Place it scores a 63/100 because of its minimal whiskey options.
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey is a 50/50 blend of malt and grain whiskies. The mix contain a majority of 4 year old grain whiskey blended with 7 year old malt whiskey. After aging in bourbon barrels two whiskies are blended and finally finished for 6 months in ex-Flor de Caña rum casks.
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
The Nose
The nose of Teeling Small Batch hints at deeper levels, but doesn’t quite get all the way there. There are ripe fruits that ebbs and flows with each sniff. It would have been more enchanting but the grain whiskey washes out a lot of the notes of the malt whiskey. A buddy gifted me these Irish Tuath Glasses and I have to say they are perfect to sip a bit of Irish Whiskey from.
The Palate
The palate is clean with no oils. The front of my tongue appreciates some sweetness and malt that turns to a hint of leather on the mid tongue. The funk left on my tongue cost this whiskey some points.
The Score
The blend of grain to malt whiskey might just be too heavily weighted to the grain whiskey for me to enjoy this. I feel that the grain whiskey washes out a lot of what I like in Irish Whiskey. There is just a bit of funk hiding in this whiskey where those two blends just don’t quite go together 100%.
I still enjoyed sipping it, but I kept thinking about the $40 price tag. Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey scored a 70/100, making it just barely Sip Worthy. The real issue with the price is that I scored Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey the same 70/100, and I can get it for $20 a bottle.
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
Color
Light honey brown amber.
Proof
46.0% ABV
Pros
There are some nice sweet and malt flavors hiding in there.
