The Mile High Bourbon Club - Review of the Breckenridge Bourbon

With the overly growing demand and popularity of bourbon today, many new distilleries (micro distilleries) are popping up throughout the United States.  As we see these new producers of fine American whiskey, we also see new recipes, and methods of making bourbon. One particular distillery, which is located 9,600 ft above sea level, is the Breckenridge Distillery Company, Breckenridge, CO.  

At first look, the bottle itself is very attractive.  From a marketing standpoint, this is very important because with so many whiskeys on the market today, consumers will sometimes try a new bourbon solely on the looks alone.  There bottle labels the age even though it's below 8 years unlike most companies which do not.   Breckenridge is not afraid of letting their buyers know this.  In fact they stand behind it, knowing that such a young bourbon brings a solid punch. Next, there is a beautiful etching of the Colorado Mountains on the backside of the bottle.  Granted, looks are not everything but it can sway the consumer's decision sometimes on whether or not to buy. 

Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey uses a high-rye mash bill, (56% Yellow Corn, 38% Green Rye, 6% un-malted barley) mixed with Rocky Mountain snowmelt in a traditional open-top Scottish fermenter and then distilled using a Vendome copper pot still.  It’s then aged in new American Oak barrels for 2 to 3 years.  For such a young bourbon you would think it would have a high scent of alcohol and little to no flavor.  In this case, you would be wrong.  The bourbon reveals a unique flavor and finish. 

So what makes this bourbon so unique and worth spending upwards to $50 dollars a bottle on a 3 to 4 year old bourbon?  I believe it to be the snowmelt water used to cut the proof.  For me, before there was bourbon there was coffee.  My pallet was refined by good coffee and what made a good coffee.  One of the biggest issues is the use of purified water or exotic water.  Water is the source of life, and the Rocky Mountains have given this bourbon a life of its own.  I fully believe the snowmelt water is what gives it an incredible smooth taste and not the bite that those would think young bourbon would give.   

There are types of bourbon for many bourbons for many occasions and the Breckenridge Bourbon is a not too overly complex or too heavy, but simply a great smooth sipping whiskey.

Awards so far:

Received one of only three gold medals awarded at the 2011 International Wine and Spirits Competition in the United Kingdom.

First Sip:	Very smooth with Oak of course, Caramel and Vanilla.  The rye helps give it strength with it being cut so thin.
Suggested way to Drink:	I highly recommend drinking this neat.  The key ingredient in this bourbon is the mountain top snowmelt water.  Adding any additional water will completely change the taste and with the ABV only being 45% it does not need to be cut any more.
Price:	Average retail price in retail stores, $40 - $50
Website:	Breckenridge Distillery Company

The Four Barrels Final Rating: 4 out of 5 barrels

You have to be young to be in the mile high club and aged at 2-3 years, Breck bourbon does it right.

Experience the NEAT - Review of the the Ultimate Spirits Glass

What makes a glass an ultimate glass?  Is it the design?  It's purity and omission of lead and other elements removed during it's creation? Or simple a combination of everything. The Neat glass has all these features and takes it a sip further.

To call oneself, "The Ultimate Spirits Glass", you better be able to back it up.  After reviewing the neat glass and learning all about the science behind it from their website, I believe they just might have the right to call themselves the Ultimate Spirits Glass.

The Neat glass sets its self from the rest through design and purpose.  Unlike other glasses, the Neat glass was made with functionality in mind so that one can fully experience the aromas and flavors their choice of drink has to offer.

The two bourbons that were chosen for our review was Angles Envy Rye and the Four Roses OBSV.  Both spirits contain a great deal of flavor and amazing fruity notes from simply just removing the cork.  Once we started using the neat glass, per their instructions, it was like using a magical key that unlocked a door of hidden aromas we had never experienced before in the whiskey.  While sipping, we noticed that the bourbons aromas were more inviting and distinct.  Each ingredient was distinguished from one another.  I would like to make note here that before we used the Neat glass, we read their instructions on how to properly use it.  This is a big deal.  They want the user to understand and learn how to fully utilize the glass and get the most fulfillment from their spirit.  On that note, their information and scientific process would make most peoples head spin, but without it I don't think they would arrive to where they are now.  If you have time and want to learn a great deal of the science behind the neat glass, see their Nosing Science page on their webpage.

The glass it's self is very elegant and appealing.  It fits nicely in ones hand and does not take up a great deal of space.  This is a true sipping glass, made to fully review and enjoy what each type of bourbon has to offer.  Personally, I would not use this as my everyday glass, but one specifically to taste new bourbons and compare among others.

Any bourbon whiskey reviewer, aficionado, or simply one who loves good bourbon, needs to have the Neat glass on their shelve.    

    





Their Web Site:  The Neat Glass

Price per glass:  $19.95 price break as you purchase more

  - Good things come at a price -  Enjoy your bourbon the way it was made to be -

A Unique Tasting Experience - Review of the Sagaform Rocking Whiskey Glass

The Sagaform Rocking Whiskey Glass is the first of a few upcoming whiskey/bourbon glasses that I will be reviewing in the weeks to come.

In order to fully enjoy the characteristics of bourbon, a good glass must first be chosen.  Sure, any glass will do but glasses specifically made and designed  for bourbon tasting will help make one's experience more memorable.

Starting off with my personal belief of what one should do before reviewing anything is one must learn and understand its creator to fully grasp the product or creation and why it was made.

The company's philosophy and meaning behind Sagaform is as followed per their website:

 Joyful, innovative gifts for the kitchen and the set table.  Indoors and outdoors.  Joyful gifts for friends or family, or to spoil yourself with.  Sagaform wants its brand and product range to be the obvious gift choice for Saturday nights' dinner hosts, or the new neighbor you want to welcome to the neighborhood, or yourself when you want to brighten your own day.

When reviewing the rocking whiskey glass, I kept all of this in mind.

The bourbon that was chosen to review the rocking glass was Four Roses Single Barrel Barrel Strength OESQ, 54.7% ALC/VOL: 20% rye mashbill / floral essence.  This bourbon has one of the highest complexities any bourbon could offer.  
      
The method of swirling allows oxygen to get into the liquid and evaporation to begin.  This is important as the bourbon has been trapped in a cask or a bottle for a lot of its life until this point.  This will reveal the characteristics of the drink.  Swirling your bourbon, placing your nose just above the rim of the glass and savor the aromas.  Some say you should open your mouth slightly and breathe gently through your mouth and nose at the same time.  Many distillery tours will teach you this method.  I agree, but also suggest trying a number of different methods to get a full experience.  Experience the aroma more than once.

Adding water or ice will effect the complexity of the bourbon.  You should try it multiple ways.  Neat, or natural state then add a drop of purified water, which will help release the locked flavors and complexity within the bourbon.  This is also very true to higher alcohol level or "cask" strength bourbons. 

                                      My take on the Science Behind the Rocking Glass Design
 
When one twirls or swirls a glass, the sugar in the bourbon helps stick the liquor to the walls coating the sides (legs), which then allows for more oxygen to enter the surface of the bourbon.  By doing so, this releases the aroma of the embedded spices, flavors, and unique characteristics the bourbon has to offer.  The Sagaform's design allows this principle to occur.  Instead of the glass being in a state of zero movement until one picks it up, it is free to move on the table when laid to rest or by a simple touch.  I truly feel this design is more then just a "gimmick" or a novelty design.  By simply using this glass, you feel it was made for a purpose.  Going back to Sagaform's philosophy statement, this glass gives one a joyful feeling through innovative design.  With everyone who I shared the rocking glass with, the design and movement put a smile on each face.  If your're sharing a special bourbon with someone, why not  complement it with a unique glass?

Sagaform set out to place themselves apart from the normal design and they did so with the rocking whiskey glass.  If you're looking for something out of the norm to either amplify your enjoyment of a good bourbon, I highly suggest picking up a set of the Sagaform rocking whiskey glasses.

Company Website:
Sagaform

Bar Whiskey Glasses, rounded base, 6 - pack
Glass
Art. No: 5015280
Size: 20 cl or 3/4-Ounces
Type of pack: Gift-box
Retail Cost 24.99 - $57.11

Can be purchased through Amazon or other authorized dealers

Jefferson's Reserve Chef Collaboration Review: A Boubron Created with Food and Friends in Mind

Pairing drinks with different types of food has become very popular in today's dinning experiences and private parities.  Wine pairing has best been known to be the leading example of this trend.  But for those who enjoy bourbon, where do you start.  What food, chocolate, or cheese do you decide to share in an evening of sipping and nibbling?  Thanks to the most recent addition and creation from Jefferson's Reserve, we now have a bourbon that was specifically made for that reason.  Please welcome, Jefferson's Chef Collaboration.

Trey Zoeller, the founder and Master Blender of Jefferson's Bourbon started asking this question of pairing with his good friend Chef Edward Lee.  Chef Edward Lee is the main chef of 610 Magnolia, located in Louisville, KY.  To truly understand the complexity of this bourbon, you must get to know one of it's creators.  Chef Edward is a Korean-American who grew up in Brooklyn, trained in NYC kitchens and now resides in Kentucky.  Lee's culinary style and refined palate draws from his Asian background, New York training, and his love for American Southern cuisine.  Lee's statement from his website states, "I never met a bourbon I didn't like".  For the most part, that's a pretty good statement. 

The collaboration of these two good friends that share a passion for bourbon and food took around nine plus months to perfect.  Like the food that Chef Lee creates at 610 and noted in his cook book, both Tray and Lee wanted their bourbon to complement spicier foods and heat-heavy dishes.  What they came up with was a combination of a 5 year old, an 8 year old an a 14 year old rye bourbon at 92 proof.  The rye addition was key or "epiphany" of what made the bourbon pair so well and their goal to complement those Southern, Asian, dishes.

The final product was a smoother rye mix with an array of flavors.    

My review on the first sip:

The Collaboration is a very smooth and enriched flavored bourbon that releases many different flavors throughout your taste buds.  The sweetness starts from the oak and cherry and then the sour mash gently awakes the middle of your taste buds.  The finish is a smooth, not too spiced, ending before you you complete your sip.

I prefer drinking this bourbon "neat", so that one can enjoy the work behind the combination of flavors and smoothness that I believe was intended during it's creation.    

I give this four and half out of five barrels.

Product Description from the horses mouth:

 Ridiculously small batch limited offering is a marriage of very rare barrels of bourbon and rye. We wanted a blend with harmonious flavors, with smoke and spice. It is just as pretty alone in a glass as it is alongside the supper table. This is a singular, custom blend, the result of our collaboration and friendship. Here now, but gone soon. Drink up. - Jefferson's
 

Price point Nation Wide:  $39.99 to $49.99
Size 750ML
46% ABV  92 Proof


Links:

610 Magnolia

Chef Edward Lee

 Jefferson's Bourbon

Sake and Bourbon Sit Down to Talk Business

In my professional career I deal with many different Japanese companies in the state of Kentucky.  Because of Toyota and that their National Headquarters being located just south of Cincinnati OH, many Japanese based companies have established residency or sister locations to support this giant auto-maker.  To support the ever growing relationship between Americans and Japanese culture, there was is a Japan/America Society that was established in Kentucky in 1987.  To read more about them, see the following link: JASK Their goal is to organize a variety of business, cultural, educational and social programs throughout the Bluegrass.  Their most recent business meeting was called, Bourbon Meets Sake - Perspectives on working with Japanese, working in Japanese, and working in Japan.  Essentially the meeting was a round table format with local businesses that were wanting to learn more about the Japanese work culture.  Also in attendance was Four Roses and Blanton's.  For those who do not know, both companies are Japanese owned.  What you say?  But isn't Blanton's a Buffalo Trace Product?  Well first thing, that's Sazerac and second, no they are not.  Buffalo Trace bottles their product but Blanton's is owned by a Japanese company bought in the early 80's from the Ancient Ancient Age Distillery.  Both bourbons are a single barrel and Blanton's claims they were the first single barrel, but that will be addressed in a later post.
Overall, the meeting was went very well.  I was thrilled to speak with the Blanton's representative and of course have free samples of two of the best bourbons made.  If I only could have made some suggestions, I would have told them to leave info on the bourbons and the sake they brought to sample but because they didn't I can not tell you which sake I tried.  I understand that is not good form, and I will will learn from that experience as I move on, but I hope that what you take from this post is one, don't turn down good bourbon, two grow your network out of your culture, three, doesn't matter who owns the company, and four look for every opportunity to meet and greet anyone that you can.

Four Roses Bourbon

Blanton's Bourbon

A Tale of Two Labels

From the Heaven Hill Distilleries, comes the limited edition Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.  This small limited release bourbon is a "cask" strength and came in 129.7 proof, 137, and 133.2 proof.  When I say comes in three proofs, does not mean you get to choose which one you want.  In fact, when they first bottled this limited release and since it was in a "small batch", it was bottled at 129.7 proof.  The next batch came at 137 and the latest is at 133.2 proof. The most recent batch, Heaven Hill changed the labeling.  Unlike the first two batches which shares the same label as it's sister bourbon Elijah Craig Small Batch at  94 proof.  So for those looking around, keep an eye on the proof, one might be hiding in the regular 94 proof bottles.


Price point: $45 to $60 retail. 

Collectors Market: Around $150


Per Heaven Hill:
Tasting Notes:
Color: Deep Amber
Aroma: Caramel with oak, fruit notes of apple and orange
Taste: Caramel, vanilla and butterscotch along with spices of black pepper and cinnamon in the back of the palate
Finish:  Nice layered finish of all flavors, fades slowly with a hint of cool spearmint

My Take:
Tasting Notes:
Color: Deep Amber
Aroma: Rich caramel with oak of course, Not over powering like some Cask or Barrel Proof Bourbons.
Taste: Hazel with a strong oak Caramel and a slight hint of vanilla.  The spices of black pepper are notably strong.    
Finish:  Strong finish, sure to keep you warm in the winter.

Gone But Lives On

One of my top bourbons that I have always kept in my cabinet is a good single barrel of Elmer T. Lee.  For those who are not familiar with this brand, Elmer T. Lee was the Master Distiller of  Buffalo Trace.  He was a WWII vet, an engineer and an amazing man.  I had the prvillege to meet him myself once and recently spoke with an individual from the Blanton's line of how great a man he was. 
In the early 80's he was honored by the company and given his own single-barrel namesake.  In 2001 he was inducted in the Kentucky Hall of Fame, his receipt of the "Lifetime Achievement Aware" from both Whiskey Advocate in 2002 and Whiskey Magazine in 2012.  Recently this past year, Elmer T. Lee passed away, just weeks before his 94th birthday.  Up till his passing, he was known to still be at the distillery a few times a week, checking in on his batch and the Blanton's batch.  He also greeted those who came to visit.   Many people in the bourbon community has wondered what Buffalo Trace will do to honor this man, and just like like rumors that go with the bourbon industry, I've heard everything from multiple companies putting a batch together, to special bottles, and even not making the batch anymore. But with my recent find, they will be producing a new label and this batch will be at 93 proof.  So, bourbon lovers keep an eye out and have a glass for Elmer T. Lee when it arrives on the shelves.