Beer
Speakeasy Scarface Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout (2014), ABV 9.5%, Imperial Stout, California
I bought this back in 2015 and I finally have the chance now to open this and give it a try. Wrapped in glitter-adorned seal, the bottle packaging is just beautiful, especially that stabbing glance right below the seal. On first pour, the beer is jet black without any trace of carbonation. Even the head is just a short quarter of an inch thick and dissipates quickly without any retention. The nose smells of burnt sugars, whisky, coffee, roasted malts, graham crackers and vanilla. Although the profile and nose is reminiscent of the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, the palate is anything but. My first thought is that this is infinitely many times more drinkable than its higher strength cousin. On the palate, the beer is light (for such a profile, at least), focused and super linear. That is not to say it is worse than the BCS, but just vastly different in approach to the same style. The flavors are all there - cocoa nibs, bourbon, roasted coffee beans, roasted malts and caramelized sugars. The finish is somewhat astringent, thanks to the alcohol, and and even smoky. This is a really well made imperial stout, in terms of balance and in particular drinkability. Well worth seeking out. 92
Dogfish Head Fort (2015), ABV 18%, Fruit Beer, Delaware
Yet another "slippery slope" beer, one which makes an appearance again in 2015 after a hiatus since 2011. At 18%, this boozy beer pours a hazy, amber orange color with a pinkish hue, much like a beer aged in red wine barrels. This Fort has a Belgian base which follows a similar high-strength fermentation process like that of the 120 minute IPA. The head, as expected for such a high alcohol brew, is minimal, as is the amount of carbonation in the beverage. On the nose, the first impression I get is wheat toast with copious amounts of raspberry jam. With time, I do pick up some malt, spice, burnt sugars and honey as well. On the palate, the first thing that hits is the alcohol heat. Surprisingly however, the beer drinks rather cleanly with its thin, vinous body, no less because of the acidity. Berry fruits, like that from a concentrate, cherries, yeast and malts are all there in the taste profile. As the beer subsides, the tongue-puckering heat remains with a slightly metallic aftertaste in the finish. Not sure about this one. While the sweetness and fruit-forwardness are certainly pleasures, the body is too thin to carry the high alcohol percentage. As a result, I find myself drinking this far more quickly than I would have for a bourbon county stout, which is a problem if it clocks in at 18%. I wonder how this would turn out if it is allowed to age for a few years. It certainly has the potential. 91
Sake
Daishichi Minowamon 【大七：箕輪門】(ABV 15.5%, Seimai-buai 50%, Brewed 2013), Fukushima Prefecture
If the Daishichi Masakura 【大七：真櫻】 is of any indication, the Minowamon further adds onto the previous in almost every aspect. As a daiginjo, this brew pours a crystal clear color with just the slightest of milky whiteness and very thick long legs. Aired for a good two hours before drinking, the nose of this is just incredibly concentrated and just leaps out from the glass. There is a thick fruitiness in there - cantaloupes, melons, ripe peaches, white grape and even bananas. Just as the nose suggests, the mouth feel is just as textured, velvety and creamy. The flavors are just as layered too - first comes the fruits and flowers, melons and jasmine in particular. This is followed by tertiary flavors of rice, minerals and graham crackers. The flavors are just so pure! As for the finish, the kimoto brewing method surely adds to the suppleness and length. This sake ends in a soft chewiness with just the slightest astringency to boot. Very ripe. Very good. 92
Hoyo Yamadanishiki Daiginjo "Last Chance at Love" 【鳳陽：大吟醸 ほうよう】(ABV 16.5%, Seimai-buai 35%, Brewed 2014 - 平成 26 年), Miyagi Prefecture
As one of the handful of recipients to have received the gold medal award in the 2015 Annual Japan Sake Awards, this sake is truly a spectacle. Brewed with Yamada nishiki rice sourced from Hyogo Prefecture, the sake boasts a rice polishing of a mere 35%, a ratio which imparts a distinct clarity in the brew. It pours a clear-like-water color with very thick long legs. On first whiff, the concentration of the nose significantly stood out as the aroma just leaps out from the glass. The bouquet is filled with muscat grapes, peaches, anise, and even some smoked meats and floral notes in the end. On the palate, the sake is surprisingly supple with a viscous, chewy texture. Despite the relatively high alcohol strength, there is no discernible heat either. Flavor-wise, the fruity sweetness comes first, which is then followed by delicate, vinous acidity and a great burst of umami towards the end. Everything is in constant, harmonious balance with nothing sticking out. What is truly remarkable, in particular, is the finish as it flips between smoky sweetness and umami with much guile and length, both testaments to the additional maturity and aging the bottle has gone through. It is, after all, brewed in 2014. This is a truly remarkable brew and certainly a gem to drink. 94
Wine
2005 Langoa Barton, St. Julien, Bordeaux
Finally found the time to pull this wine out and try out the blockbuster vintage. The wine pours a dark maroon, inky purple color with very thick long legs. With time and aeration, about two hours, the wine starts to unravel and reveals a complex and concentrated nose dominated by primary black fruits and supported by graphite, earth, sous bois, and tobacco. Although the wine is still in its infancy, this is a very classic Bordeaux nose. On the palate, the wine is surprisingly approachable with impressive viscosity and well-developed tannic structure. Flavors of lead pencils, blackberries, mushrooms and earth particularly shine through. The finish is rather long and ends on a smoky note. This is a well-constructed and masculine wine and should hit its peak with a couple more years of cellaring. But for now, the balance, as well as the power, coupled with great QPR (just 50 USD) truly places this left banker on the map as one of the greats in this stellar vintage. 92
Whisk(e)y
Kilchoman Machir Bay NAS (2014 Offering), ABV 46%, Islay
This is my first ever whisky from the relatively new Kilchoman distillery, which is established in 2005 and only started releasing whiskies in 2009. This particular release, named 'Machir Bay', hits the shelves in 2014. Being a dram made in Islay, this whisky is just exactly what you would expect from this island. It pours a light golden color, evidence of a bourbon barrel maturation, with thick long legs. The nose is concentrated enough and boasts a bouquet of unmistakable peat, lemon zest, spice and floral honey. Surprisingly, the peat is very well controlled and does not go overboard in dominating the nose. On the palate, the dram is well-rounded with a thin, vegetal cut. This is expected given the age of the whisky. Flavors of citrus, vanilla, mint, earth and smoked meats dominate the core. The finish of this whisky is rather long as the end alternates between peat and spice. For a young distillery producing such quality, it is certainly impressive. 88
Ardbeg Corryvreckan NAS, ABV 57.1%, Islay
What better way to celebrate St. Patty's Day other than a dram. Named after the world's second largest whirlpool located to the north of Islay and Jura, this no-aged statement whisky is destined to fill the shoes of the discontinued Airigh nam Beist. At cask strength, the whisky pours a hazy, deep golden color with very long legs. After minimal dilution, the nose starts to unravel a concentrated and pungent bouquet of wax, peanut oils, cream, pineapples, floral essence, citrus and of course, peat. What strikes me actually is the balance in the nose as the peat does not dominate over the more delicate, tertiary notes. On the palate, the dram definitely flexes its strength in both structure and alcohol. This is a very creamy, unctuous, chewy and full-bodied whisky. At first, there are a lot of peat smoke, molasses and pepper, which are followed by tropical fruits, roasted malts, citrus oils, seaweed and medicinal esters. The finish is long and complex as the whisky alternates between a smoky, drying end and sugary sweetness. This is a very well-composed whisky; and despite it having to fill big shoes, it does so with aplomb. 93
Old Pulteney 12 Years Old, ABV 43%, Highland
Truth be told, this is the first ever single malt whisky I have had in my life, and one that opened my door to this style of spirits. And to this day, I find it just as good as it was the first time I tried it. This whisky pours a beautiful golden color with slick, long legs. Aged in bourbon casks, this dram truly shows the shore side location of the distillery, as the nose is teemed with saline notes, supported by a mixture of almonds, honey, spice, caramel popcorn, motor oil and pepper. On the palate, the whisky is viscous and slick, much like oil. Flavors of oak, vanilla, toffees, spice, and rum raisin dominate. The finish is remarkably long for a young whisky as the dram ends on a smoky, saline, oily note. For such an entry-level whisky, the balance is remarkable. The nose, body and palate all work together to paint a very distinctive character of the distillery. And to me, this is what single malt whisky is about - character, which sometimes is lost through lengthy levels of aging or the superfluous use of cask finishings. 92
Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon NAS (Warehouse T5, Barrel 37-4I), ABV 50%, Kentucky
Belonging in the single barrel product line, this bourbon boasts the "OBSV" recipe. This means that the mash bill is comprised of 60% corn, 35% rye and 5% malted barley. In addition, the yeast strain used is intended to impart "light fruitiness, light vanilla, caramel and creamy notes". On first inspection, the whiskey pours a deep auburn, burnished copper color with very thick long legs, a testament to the high alcohol strength. On the nose, the bourbon truly shines with a bouquet of cherries, cola, caramel, spice, honey, maple and bananas. Likewise, the palate is just as impressive. Although the first thing that hits is the heat and sting from the alcohol, the residual structure of the bourbon is textured, velvety and expansive. There are just so many flavors - malts, graham crackers, caramel, citrus peel, vanilla, charred oak and copious amounts of honey. Much like the entry, the finish leaves a discernible alcoholic sting. Nevertheless, it is quite complex and the bourbon ends with spicy, sweet and toasty notes. This is a fantastic whiskey that shows what great bourbon makers can achieve. Although it is different in style, it truly gives Japanese whiskies and single malt Scotches a run for the money. 91