Beer
What a dream lineup.
Transmitter Brewery Bierre de Garde Ale Buckwheat Version, ABV 7.1%, Bière de Garde, New York
New stuff from a new brewery that is just across the river in Long Island City. The beer pours a dark, hazy caramel color with a heady foam that quickly dissipates, leaving a fine lacing. No doubt to the haziness in the color as the beer is bottle conditioned. The nose is very clean, almost linear, with a concentrated smack of buckwheat, malts, spice, pears and grass, almost Belgian in fact. Despite the brew clocking at high strength, the body is quite light, no less because of the bottle conditioning that gives the brew a distinct, vivacious carbonation, much like that of a happoshu. Just like the nose, the beer drinks very cleanly with malty flavors supported by stone fruits and wheat. The finish is somewhat short and lacks complexity. More like a thirst quencher then a ruminative, Belgian brew. 83
Westvleteren 8, ABV 8.0%, Dubbel, Belgium
Just like the Westvleteren 12, I have been hunting this for a long time and I am so glad to be able to finally try this. This brew is bottled on 10/10/2014, which means it has seen at least a little more than a year in the bottle. Unfiltered and unfined, the beer pours a dark, hazy caramel brown color with a thick head that just laces around. The nose is incredibly complex, with a malty, caramel core supported by notes of Christmas cake, preserved plums, nuts, dried fruits, beurre noisette, coconut and Asian spice. With time, the beer even displays more dried fruits. The body itself is thickly structured, which is balanced by the lightness from the carbonation. On the palate, the flavors do reflect the nose with a raisin, nut bran core. What is remarkable is that the beer develops in the glass. After half an hour or so, more and more flavors develop and I even get sherry, bread, caramel and malt. As expected, the finish is super long with a smoky and spicy kick. Despite the strength, the alcohol is barely perceptible. Incredible stuff, and possibly be one of the best Belgians I have ever had. 97
Westvletern 12, ABV 10.8%, Quadrupel, Belgium
This is it. The Holy Grail. What a treat it is to taste this side by side to the Westvleteren 8. This beer is even crazier than its weaker cousin. Just like the 8, the 12 pours a hazy caramel, dark mahogany color. The nose is even more complex with the higher alcohol strength. I get a concentrated yet balanced bouquet of nuts, caramel malts, dried fruits, honey, cloves, oatmeal and doughy yeast. Everything is in the right proportion - the alcohol barely detectable while the sweetness balances well with the spice and malts. On the palate, the structure is thick and unctuous, almost like that of a winter warmer yet not as carbonated as the 8. The flavors are just so potent! I get a smattering of spice, Christmas cake, yeasty malts and caramel supported by tertiary notes of smoked cinnamon, cloves, bread and honeyed nuts. The finish is long and complex as it flips between sweet, bready yeasts and spicy smoke. What strikes me with this beer is the development potential, complexity and balance. Just like a great Burgundy, eerything is in perfect proportions - not too sweet nor spicy. Moreover, despite the alcohol strength, I do not feel the slightest heat. This is simply incredible. Fame well deserved. 100
2015 Goose Island Burbon County Stout, ABV 14.3%, Illinois
Strong. Very strong. The beer pours a jet black color akin to oil fresh out from a well - without any head nor carbonation noticeable. The nose is just what you would expect from BCS - vanilla icing, chocolate cake, charred oak, cocoa nibs and caramel all tied together with a good hit of bourbon smoke. On the palate, the alcohol hits first with discernible heat. As expected, the texture is thick and almost somewhat cloying. Nonetheless, the alcohol brings forth flavors of smoke, chocolate, cloves, roasted coffee beans, cinnamon, caramel, bourbon and vanilla. Especially prominent are the flavors of vanilla, chocolate and smoke. Finish is quite long with indescribable complexity yet also with distinct alcohol heat. Undoubtedly, this beer is strong, undrinkable in large amounts, even. Yet despite the limitation, the beer is still mind-bogglingly great. 97
Wine
2009 Bouchard Pere et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Beaune du Chateau, Beaune, Burgundy
After airing for 3 hours, the wine pours a clear ruby color with medium legs. On the nose, the wine is quite robust and definitely shares some similarities with the l'Enfant. It displays a musty, robust core supported by notes of red fruits, notably cherries and strawberries, truffles, leather and Asian spice. The palate is similarly robust, with the youthfulness showing its edges through minerality, high extraction levels and a somewhat tannic, astringent entrance. Just like the nose, the palate is fruit-forward and jammy with notes of red fruits, spice, earth and hazelnuts. The finish is quite long as the wine takes its time to dry out and ends in a peppery, smoky end. Decent acidity to give it a cut. Very decent Burgundy for the price. 88
2005 Lucien Le Moine Fixin 1er Cru Clos du Chapire, Fixin, Burgundy
My first and definitely an interesting wine to taste from Lucien Le Moine, as no wine making is involved as the Saouma couple buys the post-fermentation wine from suppliers. Despite being made in such a stellar vintage, and possibly requiring cellaring, the wine is surprisingly approachable at its current age with no indication of infanticide. It pours a dark garnet color with a crimson core and very long legs. On the nose, the wine is concentrated and predominantly fruit-forward, with a supporting cast of hay, cinnamon, strawberries, oak and currants. While the nose indicate a rather feminine profile, the palate, however, tells a different story. The wine is highly extracted with copious amounts of tannins. There is an explosion of flavors consisting of new oak, jammy strawberries, prunes, salted plums, macerated blackberries and smoky tar. The finish is quite long and lingers in the mouth, alternating between jammy sweetness and astringency. This is certainly a bold style, as the tannins do rival those from Napa cabs. Despite this, I still find it quite enjoyable. A couple more years of cellaring may help to resolve those brazen tannins, hopefully. 92
2009 Paul Jaboulet Ainé Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhone
This wine pours an inky black color with a dark garnet core and very long legs. Just the faintest of purple on the rims. Judging by the color alone, this may possibly be a wine of high extraction. And the nose certainly confirms it as it boasts such a powerful, concentrated bouquet of currants, bacon fat, spice, black fruits and earth. This is quite the fruit bomb. The palate is just as unyielding and strong as the body is laden with glycerin to provide an unctuous, coating mouth feel. More flavors of currants, menthol and truffles dominate. Meanwhile, tannins are well-resolved and deftly supple. Finish is quite long as the wine ends on a smoky, astringent note. This wine is forward, beautiful and harmonious, and is surprisingly approachable at such an age. 91
Whisk(e)y
2013 Old Rip Van Winkle Aged 10 Years, ABV 53.5%, Kentucky
The first year Old Rip Van Winkle 10 is released in the long, thin bottle instead of the stubby one. At cask strength, this whiskey pours a deep golden amber color like that of honey along with long legs. On the nose, the alcohol hits first and foremost. But with some dilution, the nose really opens up and reveals a floral bouquet of honey, caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, burnt oak and candied citrus. On the palate, the alcohol hits first just like it does on the nose. As the heat dissipates, the structure is more clearly defined with a chewy, honeyed and fruity backbone. Flavors of charred oak, honeyed fruits, maple, toffee, cloves and Asian spice are all there. The finish is quite long, with a good amount of wheat, oak and honeyed fruits in the end. Aside from the alcohol heat, there is decent balance in the whiskey. This is rather enjoyable. 88