Smooth Ambler Contradiction is a blend of “a little of the delicious bourbon we source with the smooth and sweet wheated bourbon we distill here in West Virginia”.
Smooth Ambler Contradiction Whiskey
While Smooth Ambler Contradiction does not have an age statement, they do say that the majority of the blend is over 9 years old. The bottle says it is a blend of West Virginia, Tennessee, and Indiana whiskeys.
I really enjoyed the Smooth Ambler Old Scout I tried in July, 2020, so I was excited to cut the seal on this bottle of Contradiction.
My bottle batch is 362, bottled by Sarah. Let me know in the comments if we are bottle brothers:
The Nose
The nose on this Contradiction is nicely layered. It starts with oak that is always there, but as you breath in deeply it turns to wonderful vanilla with just hints of dried fruit.
The Palate
At 92 proof this has a bit more punch than “regular” 80 proof bourbon. Happily, that extra alcohol is so well constructed you don’t really notice it. The mouth feel is clean and crisp and full of wonderful oakiness. I found that ice really opened up this whiskey and let me appreciate all the sweet vanilla just below that oak. Others have told me they also taste dried cherries in there, but to me it’s just a more generic “fruit”. It doesn’t really matter though, this is just a pleasure to sip.
The Score – Smooth Ambler Contradiction Whiskey
Smooth Ambler Contradiction scored an 86/100, making it not only Sip Worthy, but also making its way into my Whiskey Safe, now I just have to find another bottle to put there.
Color
Dark sweet tea with strong earth tones.
Proof
50.0% ABV
Pros:
A great value at $40 a bottle. (Bought at the super store an hour away, but the super store prices make it worth a drive.)
Cons:
With an annual run of just 50,000 bottles to keep all us Whiskey Dreamers happy, can you find it?
It’s a long name, but a good one. This Smooth Ambler Old Scout American Whiskey is made in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, and is both complex, rich, and smooth.
Smooth Ambler Old Scout American Whiskey
I’m actually a little confused as to what this Old Scout is. The bottle I have isn’t on their website, which could be just a change to the bottle packaging, but the fact that they took the “Bourbon” label off my bottle makes me wonder if the mash bill dropped below 51% corn. I’m not sure if that is to make the whiskey taste as good as it does – or due to some other cost factor. The cost piece doesn’t make sense though, as I’d guess that corn is fairly cheap?
The Score – Smooth Ambler Old Scout American Whiskey
In any case, this is an excellent sipper. It is 99 proof, but doesn’t have any alcohol burn. This looks like a very small distillery, but its definitely an up and comer, and there is a ton of buzz about this brand.
Why?
Take the first sip. This is an amazingly earthy, rich dram that balances leather, earth, spice, and sweetness into something that is really impressive. Smooth Ambler Old Scout American Whiskey earned every point of its 84/100.
I’ve ordered a bottle to put in my Whiskey Safe so I always have a Bottle On Hand.
Pros
Subtly sweet.
Complex swirling flavors that mix earth, leather, cinnamon, and cherry pipe tobacco.
Amazingly smooth which is doubly impressive given its 99 proof statement.
Cons:
I liked it so much, and was worried they will run out that I bottle a bottle for my “Whiskey Safe”. Which means I don’t get to drink it until its really old, or I am.
You may not be able to get it as it is a small distillery.
While The Dead Rabbit says its based on five year old whiskey on the bottle, the whiskey itself doesn’t carry an age statement, which means that the blend may have some 5 year old whiskey in it, but we don’t know how much, and the rest of the bottle is a mixture of much more shortly aged alcohol.
The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey
While this whiskey doesn’t have an age statement it does have an epic backstory:
The Dead Rabbits were a notorious Irish immigrant street gang whose sworn enemies were the nativist anti-immigrant Bowery Boys. Their antagonism came to a head in a notorious riot that raged for days in 1857. Up to a thousand gang members were involved before order was finally restored. The leader of the Dead Rabbits was John Morrissey, a notorious figure who would later go on to become a Democratic congressman and senator.
https://deadrabbitirishwhiskey.com/story/
The Nose
The nose sweet vanilla that competes with the ethanol. The nose is subtle and not complex.
The Palate
The palate is clean but there is too much Bourbon Cask to really appreciate what I like about Irish Whiskey. There is just a hint of sweet that might have some malt in it, but it is so overpowered by the time in the Bourbon and New Oak that it leaves me wanting more of the Irish, and less of the American influences.
The Score – The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey
I’m giving The Dead Rabbit a 69/100, making it just a point into Mixed Drinks Only territory. Save it for your coffee!
Color
Light Stray.
Proof
40.0% ABV
Pros:
Awesome backstory that taught me a bit about my Irish roots.
If you love Bourbon with a hint of Irish this might be the bottle for you.
Cons:
At $35 there are better options out there.
If you like Irish Whiskey and butter cookies, don’t come looking to The Dead Rabbit to fulfill your desires.
This Dubliner Bourbon Cask Finished Irish Whiskey is a blend of single malt and grain whiskies. It then spends three years in bourbon casks.
Dubliner Bourbon Cask Finished Irish Whiskey
The Nose
The nose on this whiskey is a wonderful blend of malt and honey that ends with a pleasant apple and floral note. I sat and sniffed at this whiskey in my Glencairn Whiskey Glass between each sip, trying to decide which I liked more.
The Palate
The mouth feel is clean and the front of my tongue is hit by malt that transitions to sweet honey and just a touch of butter cookies. The finish has a pleasant sweetness mixed with the charred oak from the bourbon barrels which imparts a bit of spice, and just a little bit of roughness.
The Score – Dubliner Bourbon Cask Finished Irish Whiskey
This Dubliner Bourbon Cask Finish is a wonderful blended whiskey that really captures the best of a single malt pot still while optimized for this specific price point, which it does really well. Dubliner Bourbon Cask Finish scored a well deserved 80/100, making it Sip Worthy.
Color
Light Straw.
Proof
40.0% ABV
Pros:
At around $40 a bottle, this is a great buy.
A wonderful blended whiskey. The distiller struck gold with this recipe.
Fighting 69th is a blended Irish Whiskey aged 3 years in bourbon, sherry, rum, and port casks. Apparently the Fighting 69th was named during the Civil war. There was an Irish Brigade, and the Fighting 69th unit was named by Robert E Lee, or at least that is what the history books say. Does that make me feel comfortable – nope, not at all. Racism, and that is what the civil war was about, is a stain on our history. Granted, the Fighting 69th continued to fight for our country long after the civil war.
Now onto the whiskey.
Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey
The Nose
The nose has sweetness, malt, with just a touch of ethanol hiding beneath those notes. It is not overly complex, but it is enjoyable.
The Palate
The mouth feel is clean and the first thing that hits me is the sweet butter cookies that hints at the time spent in the rum barrels. The mid tongue and finish are oak, char that transitions to dry fruity sherry as it finishes. For what I would describe as a budget bottle, this is an Irish Whiskey that punches way above its weight class.
The Score – Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey
Fighting 69th scored an 86/100 and made its way into my Whiskey Safe, as I am going to keep a bottle on hand for “Emergencies”. Fighting 69th is an amazing value when you compare what you get to the price. It has hints at that lovely butter cookies of much more expensive bottles, and while it doesn’t get close to competing with the big boys like Redbreast 12, this is just such an enjoyable, affordable bottle, it should be on every whisky lovers’ shelf.
Color
Light Amber and Straw.
Proof
40.0% ABV
Pros:
At the $30 price point this is quality and value combined in a really nice package.
This is the first bottle of whiskey that any of my sons enjoyed enough to go buy a bottle.
Great nose and mouth feel that turns into a very nice sipper.
Cons:
It’s named after a unit that was named fighting for slavery. It it just me or does that not bother anyone else? Granted, they continued to fight for our country long after that, but it does nag at me.
This bottle of Dublin Liberties Copper Alley Irish Whiskey was a birthday gift from my Dad, and I have thoroughly enjoyed sipping it. Dublin Liberties is a single malt that is aged for 10 years and finished in Oloroso Sherry casks.
Dublin Liberties Copper Alley Irish Whiskey
The Nose
The nose on this Dublin Liberties Copper Alley is a wonderful mix of malt and butter cookies. Having a Glencairn Whiskey Glass is a must to enjoy this nose! It is muted compared to Redbreast 12, but still lovely. The butter cookies have just a hint of sherry that is subtle but very enjoyable. This whiskey was made by a master at his craft.
The Palate
The sip is complex and swirling and starts with malt and butter cookies mixed with a pleasant nuttiness. The mid tongue immediately turns to cinnamon that quickly turns to pepper and sherry on the finish. After the swallow you will appreciate the dryness of that sherry.
Some of the other sherry finished whiskeys I’ve had overpower the whiskey, but this is just a masterfully crafted blend and all the tasting notes mesh together beautifully.
The Score – Dublin Liberties Copper Alley Irish Whiskey
Not surprisingly, this Dublin Liberties Copper Alley scored a well earned 90/10. Obviously, if you can find it, buy a bottle and let me know if you agree.
Color
Light Amber and Straw.
Proof
40.0% ABV
Pros:
Single malt and aged 10 year goodness.
Incredibly well created sherry finish.
It was a surprise bottle for my birthday, and it was an awesome present.
Cons:
Can you find it? I’d never seen it in a store and was psyched to get it as a present.
Because its around $75 bucks it can eat into your wallet if you pick up a taste for it.
Ha’Penny is a blended Irish Whiskey that is aged in sherry, bourbon, and twice charred casks. Ha’Penny is bottled at 43% ABV (86°) by the Pearse Lyons Distillery and was $25 dollars. For those who aren’t in the know, a Ha’Penny is a half penny and the modern version was last used in Ireland in 1986.
Ha’Penny Irish Whiskey
The Nose
First I cracked the bottle open, then I poured a dram into a Glencairn Whiskey Glass and swirled it gently to bring out the aromas. The nose is sweet, peppery, and ends on a bit of malt and rough edges.
The Palate
The mouth feel is clean and the front of the tongue is sweet fruit that transitions to malt on the middle of the tongue before finishing with pepper and a few jagged edges.
The Score – Ha’Penny Irish Whiskey
For $25 bucks this is a decent value, but at the end of the day I’m only able to give it a 64/100, putting it into Mixed Drinks Only territory due to its roughness and lack of overall balance. However, for $25 its worth trying, so let me know if you disagree with the score in the comments.
I have a buddy who loves Scotch and keeps trying to convince me I do as well. Unfortunately for him, there is something in my palate that just doesn’t “get” Scotch. I used to hike and camp a ton as a younger man, and drinking scotch reminds me of sitting with the wind in my face right next to a smoky fire. Everything ends up tasting and smelling like smoke. It is not something I enjoy.
Highland Park Magnus
I poured a dram into a Glencairn Whiskey Glass and tried not to let the smell of smoke keep my from taking a sip. I tried it. It just doesn’t do it for me.
All I can say is thank you for the bottle! When I offered to give it back he said to just give it whomever I like. Thankfully my adult sons have a few friends that do enjoy Scotch so I just pour them a few drams when they come over.
Highland Park Magnus Scoring
I just don’t find it enjoyable. Don’t hate me, but I have to give this Highland Park Magnus Single Malt Scotch a 0/100 as I could only take one sip of it before pouring the rest of the dram down the drain.
Pros:
It was free.
If you come over, I have a bottle of Single Malt Scotch you can enjoy.
Stillhouse Black Bourbon scored a 61/100 after I recently re-reviewed it with a good bit more Whiskey Dreams knowledge under my belt. So now that Stillhouse Black Bourbon is in Mixed Drink Only territory, how does it stand up as a Manhattan?
Stillhouse Manhattan
The nose on this Stillhouse Manhattan is all sweet fruity vermouth. Whatever nose the Stillhouse had is completely overwhelmed by the vermouth.
This Stillhouse Bourbon makes an odd Manhattan. At first I didn’t like how the astringency mixed with the sweetness of the vermouth, and it leaves an odd lingering taste on my mid tongue, but the more I sipped it, the less it bothered me – but that was probably the alcohol. I really struggled with whether this was a 51, making it Sip Worthy, or if it was a 50, making it Just Bad.
Stillhouse Black Bourbon Manhattan Scoring
At the end of they day I’m going to settle on 50/100, putting it in the If I Had Limited Choices category. My main reason being that I’d rather drink this whiskey straight than make a Manhattan with it, even if its not perfect there either. I still like this Stillhouse Bourbon for camping though. It comes in a very sturdy metal “can” that is perfect for rough handling.
Our first stop of our trip was the Cadillac Ranch. We were walking along Fleet Street and decided their menu looked the best. The Public House and the Brass Tap menu’s looked too bar food heavy for us.
We had a full meal, and multiple drinks at Cadillac Ranch. Our favorite item was on the appetizer list as they had some amazing taco choices. We also had fried pickles and the tater tots with everything.
We originally thought we’d just get some appetizers and then order some entrees. Once the apps got there we realized there was more than enough food for all four of us.
As we ate and caught up, we tried a bunch of different drinks.
My first drink at Cadillac Ranch was the Blue Suede Shoes. It is a mixture made with Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon and black cherry purée:
Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon & Black Cherry Purée
I took a sip through the straw and my blood sugar spiked. It was almost too sweet. I could barely take another sip. My son (he’s an adult) sipped from the edge of the glass and said it wasn’t too sweet. At first I thought it was just his sugared up generation. Then I realized the drink wasn’t mixed yet. It was still sweet, but after I stirred it I was able to drink it. Just remember that I don’t really like Old Fashioned for the same reason. They are just too sweet and I can’t appreciate the whiskey when there is too much sugar.
My second drink was a Blood Orange Bourbon Sour made with Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon. If you want to make your own you will need this Blood Orange Sour mix. It was very sweet, and moderately sour. Yes, I drank it, but I wouldn’t order it again.
Blood Orange Bourbon Sour
My son’s girlfriend (all adults) got a Black Cherry Rye Cola. She didn’t like it. The rest of us finished it off for her. For me, it was very much lick a Jack and Coke, and I honestly wouldn’t waste good whiskey in Pepsi.
I tried to order the Sazerac Soda with Redemption Rye Whiskey, but they were out of Absinthe. I choose the classic Craig Small Batch Bourbon Manhattan for my final drink of the night instead:
Craig Small Batch Bourbon Manhattan
This Craig Small Batch Bourbon Manhattan was the perfect way to end the night. It is a classic bourbon in a drink that lets the bourbon really shine.
Overall we had a lot of fun at Cadillac Ranch. The staff were friendly, incredibly attentive even though it was crazy busy, and the food was really tasty.
Cadillac Ranch Scoring
Cadillac Ranch is coming in the Moderate Cost Per Person range. Its the National Harbor and everything is pretty expensive though, so keep that in mind. I’m giving them an overall 70/00, mostly driven by the fact that most of the bourbon drinks I tried were just a bit too sweet for me.
