Showing posts with label neat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label neat. Show all posts

Friday, August 26, 2016

Review of the Corbin Cash Merced Rye Whiskey - A Whiskey from Down on the Farm







Corbin Cash is a distillery hailing from California in the San Joaquin Valley.  Their primary spirit is vodka – produced from the farm’s specialty of sweet potatoes.  They also make a tasty rye using “ultra-rare, 100 percent California native Merced Rye” per the website.  Wrapped in beautiful packaging, CC Rye boasts a whiskey aged roughly 3.5 years.

The nose is typical of 3-4 year rye with bold notes of caramel, tobacco and toffee.  Compared to the myriad of ryes on the market, I think this whiskey has a greater note of caramelization - maybe the unique Merced rye makes the difference.  

The initial palate is sharp with flavors of unripe bananas with a nice balance – neither sweet nor savory.  I got hints of almonds and typical flavors you may find in beer such as yeast. 
We first tried the product neat.  We found a very different experience when we added a small piece of ice.  

Adding ice really accentuated the nose with pronounced aromas of grass and peat.  The front of the palate was no longer as spicy as when we drank it neat – the bite was gone.  However, the flavor still enveloped the tongue.  We still found the notes of almond but now this drank more like a young scotch.  

The finish is brief, short and focused.  There was a bit of residual sweetness on the back of the palate.  

This is certainly a unique product.  I am a huge fan of Rye and to find a product that differentiates itself in so many ways to be a great surprise. 

Corbin Cash also produces gin and a blended vodka/rye bottling of individually aged sweet potato spirit and rye – described by the distillery as “bourbon-esque”.  We will gladly share more on this product shortly.  






Expected Retail Price - $46 - $55 

Monday, April 6, 2015

Review of the Whisky Glass from Denver and Liely - A Glass from Down Under





There’s something to be said about handmade craftsmanship.  In the bourbon and whisk(e)y industry, many companies pride themselves for crafting fine whiskey over a period of time and not something that can be made over night.  Much time and consideration is put into their final product.  This practice can also be found in many other industries and when something is made the same pain staking steps,  perfection is created. When you pair two products like this you get a pure marriage.  Denver and Liely did such that.

Denver and Liely, Their Story -

 After a change meeting at a backstreet Melbourne bar, these two designers found man love in bikes, fine drinks and general appreciation for good thinking.  Their style is a reflection of what their Melbourne home is today – a melting pot of cultures, people and ideas.  Over the many years of experiences, travels and debates, here’s the fruits of Denver and Liely’s labor love.  Man love.  Enjoy. - per the website
  
The Whisky Glass –

Wanting to improve on the drinking experience by exploring the deepest, darkest depths of their whisky collections the Denver & Liely Whisky Glass was born. 

According to D & L, what sets their glass apart is traditionally the tumbler has been see as the vessel of choice for whiskey and or bourbon.  The snifter, relegated the small group of true whiskey lovers.  They looked at both and decided to combine the two.  Being handmade, the Whisky Glass combines the benefits of taste and smell associated with the traditional whiskey snifter with the versatility and style of a classic tumbler.   

The design is wide based to maximize the surface area of the standard measure, and funnels to aromas through the tapered body to the optimally sized opening.  They claim this reveals the whisk(e)y’s full character. 

The D&L whisky glass allows true exploration into depths of your favorite drop.  Neat / on-ice / cocktails – whisky the way you like.



Our Thoughts –

Sure, one could say that you can drink your bourbon / whisk(e)y from any glass or any vessel, but why would you?  You take the time to read reviews and search for that one spirit that you’ve hunted for a season now.  Don’t finish the race by simply choosing anything.  If you care enough about what you drink, you should care enough to have it in the right glass.

A Personal relationship – When you buy something that is handmade, there is a bond created with that company that establishes a relationship.  You know that it wasn’t made by old “soulless” steel, but by a man’s hands that has a vision in mind of what the product is intended for. 

Handmade products do carry a price and carry a longer time to finish.  God didn’t create the Heavens and the Earth in one day.  Craftsmanship takes time. 
 
The glass is beautify made and well crafted.  The balance is near perfect and hard to tell if it’s even slightly off.  There are small air bubbles seen in areas of the glass which is a by-product of the hand-blown process.  The glass sets well in your hand and can be held very comfortably.   With its wide base design, it becomes very deceptive when your pouring your choice of spirit. I found myself thinking I didn’t have enough and in reality, there was plenty. 

The packaging they come in are simple but sets themselves apart from anything I’ve seen before.  You can tell immediately that the same amount of thought and care that was put in the glasses were equally placed in the design of the package.      



Their makers mark is laser etched on the bottom of each glass.  This gives a nice touch and lets you know that you have the real thing.

Overall, it's near the perfect glass to enjoy your whisky or bourbon.  I believe the wide base does help with the surface area and the opening is just the right size to enjoy your spirit through taste and smell.  Like I said, if you care about your spirit, you should care about your vessel.  

Price $50.00 AUD – Yes, that’s Australian currency

Available through http://www.denverandliely.com/




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