Review: Jack Daniels Gift Set Sampler

The Jack Daniel's line-up of whiskeys

Over the holidays I received the Jack Daniel's gift set sampler. I only drink Jack Daniel's sparingly and even then it's typically mixed with Coke (or Leonard's if you're at a non-Coke/Pepsi affiliated bar in the Metro Detroit area). I figured my lack of familiarity would make for a good blind tasting. The Honey Jack would obviously be detectable, but I was hoping the other 3 would give me a pleasant surprise.

Here is how I ranked them:

1 - Jack Daniel's Single Barrel

2 - Jack Daniel's Old No. 7

3 - Gentleman Jack

4 - Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey

The honey was easily identifiable both on the nose and palate. It was almost like a blend of honey and honey-flavored Kool-Aid. Definitely a light sipper for someone with a sweet tooth. Coming in only slightly ahead of that was Gentleman Jack. I was surprised this finished as far behind Old No 7 and the Single Barrel as it did. While it was very smooth and mellow, it was also boring and bland. Not a whole lot of flavor but that might actually make the Gentleman Jack a nice introductory pour for someone looking to get into American Whiskey. On the other hand, this might even be a bit non-descriptive for that task while something like an Evan Williams Single Barrel would probably be a better (and cheaper) choice.

As for the final two, the flavor profiles were similar. Slightly smooth, with some caramel and corn notes but the charcoal filtering likely takes away some of the character typically seen in quality bourbons (obligatory clarification between bourbon and Jack Daniel's can be seen here). I ended up picking the single barrel as my favorite sample of the night, but just barely. It seemed to take some of the overly subtle flavor notes and amplify them just a bit. The higher proof (94 vs 80) probably gave it the edge in flavor, but really the difference wasn't that pronounced. Plus, since it's a single barrel it can (and likely will) vary a bit from from barrel to barrel.

All in all, if I were spending my money on a bottle I'd lean towards the flagship Jack Daniel's Old No. 7. Even though I liked the Single Barrel slightly better, I wouldn't be able to justify doubling my investment to upgrade from the Old No. 7.

Review: Hudson Single Malt Whiskey

I've long been unexcited about trying anything from the Hudson family of whiskeys. There isn't much that entices me about a whiskey bottled at 375ml and priced higher than many 750ml bottles. However, I saw it on the menu at a local restaurant for $8 and figured what the hell... it's a fairly low price compared to what is normally seen in bars and a hell of a lot better than forking over $45 for 375ml. The bottle claims it is made with 100% malted barley and aged for under 4 years. I assume this means more than 3 years, but really it could be younger than that.

Hudson Single Malt Whiskey

Hudson Single Malt Whiskey - Tasting Notes

Nose: Initially sweet, light and fruity. Other reviews have mentioned some cinnamon, but I didn't detect that. While not very layered, the nose is pleasant. Maybe my pre-conceived notions on this were wrong...

Palate: Initially sweet an fruity, reminiscent of a lighter scotch or Irish whiskey. Then comes some spicy heat and oak with heavy malt flavor all intermingled with the flavor of a young spirit. The palate starts enjoyable but the end is rough and offensive.

Finish: A tough one to get through. The finish on this wasn't extremely long, but I wish it had been shorter. Young alcohol burn and taste complete the descent of what was a promising start.

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)
Price: $45


Ugh, whiskeys like this kind of make me angry. I'm sure there is a market for these as it seems to have been around for a while, but I just don't see the appeal. They are aged in small barrels which may help the aging process in the eyes of some, but this was tried by Buffalo Trace and declared a failure. If you cut the price in half and doubled the size of the bottle ($22 for 750ml), I'd probably give this something in the mid-to-high 7 range. But with the price and size as is, this seems like a borderline criminal offering.

Hudson Single Malt Whiskey Rating: 6.7/10

Angel's Envy Cask Strength Review

Angel's Envy Cask Strength (Merry Christmas!)

This year's Angel's Envy Cask Strength distribution was limited to 1,500 bottles according to the official Angel's Envy site. This version of the bourbon has had plenty of praise heaped upon it, so when I happened to be in a store on the day it arrived, I figured it was worth the gamble (albeit an expensive gamble $150 + tax). I was a bit hesitant to give this a go considering I'm not a huge fan of their standard bourbon offering, but the Angel's Envy Rye made me give this brand another look. It comes in one of the coolest packages I have seen for a whiskey under $200... this was both enticing and discouraging. Enticing because the wood casing is decidedly impressive and discouraging because I'm typically wary of overly-elaborate packaging (I'd prefer to buy the steak, not the sizzle). No more rambling... on to the notes.

Angel's Envy Cask Strength 2013 - Tasting Notes

Angel's Envy Cask Strength descriptions,
tasting notes, and an invitation to a
special event accompany the bottle.
A very nice presentation

Nose: Initially sweet with some vanilla and alcohol from the high proof. Give it a minute and this guy settles in. The Port finish is present as there is a presence of sweet, red wine with toffee and chocolate. Some good complexity here as I'm also picking up spice and very faint wood. After revisiting I even get a hint of red licorice (think Twizzlers strawberry twists). Let this one sit for a bit and you'll be rewarded.

Palate: Chocolate, vanilla, and sweet candy (something I can't quite put my finger on, but in a good way) come in at the front, followed by a noticeable presence of oak. A little bit of burn, but not as much as you'd expect from something over 120 proof.

Finish: Plenty of heat and spice on the finish, though a little water will help tame the heat if it's not your thing. The spicy heat lingers for a good 60 seconds and is followed by some of the port and sweet flavors from the nose and palate.

Proof: 123 (61.5% ABV)
Price: $150


Well, mixed emotions here. On the surface the tasting notes above make for a great pour, but the price point is much more difficult to swallow. I have trouble spending this much on any bottle in general and while I think it's very good, I likely wouldn't buy it again at this price. The casing is pretty cool, but I'm buying the steak for how it tastes, not the plate it's served on. However, if the pricing was around $100 I might pull the trigger annually and I likely would have graded this in the low 9s, rather than mid-8s. With all of that being said, if you are a fan of their bourbon, you should give the Angel's Envy Cask Strength a try as I found it much more enjoyable than the standard offering.

Angel's Envy Cask Strength Rating: 8.4/10

Review: Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon

You'll have a hard time finding a better priced single-barrel whiskey with or without an age statement. The fact that Eagle Rare (produced by Buffalo trace) continues to offer a readily available single-barrel product with a 10-year age statement is pretty impressive. Unfortunately the bottle doesn't offer any information regarding which barrel or warehouse the product came from. So if you find a bottle you love and want to get as many as you can from that barrel or area of the warehouse you're out of luck.

Eagle Rare Single Barrel Bourbon - Tasting Notes

Eagle Rare Single Barrel Bourbon

Nose: A little sweet and musty. Initially a lot of smoke and leather but as it opens up there is a strong presence of orange that makes this quite enjoyable.

Palate: First sip comes across very sweet and oily, highlighting the orange on the palate. A couple more sips show some depth though - oak, leather, even a hint of pine. Many reviews call out cocoa or caramel but I am not getting much of this (could be barrel variation, could be my awful palate). I remember previous sips of this being very leather & smoke forward, so this pour has been quite a pleasant surprise and change of pace.

Finish: Fairly sweet and fruity, with light spice and oak underneath. The finish lingers for a good minute or two.

Proof: 90 (45% ABV)
Price: ~$30


Honestly, I was prepared to rank Eagle Rare in the high-7 to low-8 range based on previous pours. Not sure if my palate has changed or giving the bottle a bit of air has made a difference but I really found today's pour quite enjoyable. What previously seemed too heavy on oak and leather suddenly has a much better balance of flavors. As a result Eagle Rare might become a regular on the shelf if today's tasting proves to be the norm.

Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon Rating: 8.6/10

Review: Angel's Envy Rye

Angel's Envy Rye Whiskey

Angel's Envy Rye is a relatively new and somewhat limited offering. It comes to us from the Henderson family who launched the Angel's Envy brand. Similar to their bourbon offering, the AE Rye takes what would likely be a relatively standard whiskey and gives it a unique finish. In this case, they have taken a 6 year rye (95% rye, 5% malted barley) and finish it for up to 18 months in Caribbean rum casks. Their website can be found here and it offers a good amount of information on the product as well as the brand.

Angel's Envy Rye - Tasting Notes

Nose: If you didn't know this was finished in rum casks before, the nose leaves little doubt. Powerful maple syrup smell that is only amplified when the glass is empty. Looking a little deeper the nose offers some coconut and very faint hints of spice behind that.


Palate: Slightly sweet on entry but the 95% rye mashbill is what shines. The rum presence doesn't disappear, but it plays the role of the Miami Sound Machine to the rye's Gloria Estefan.

Finish: Slight spice, but not much burn. The cinnamon spice of the rye lingers while a slight presence of the rum finish returns. A relatively short, but enjoyable finish.

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)
Price: $70

I was first introduced to this at a whiskey tasting in Metro Detroit. My enjoyment of the pour quickly had a wet blanket thrown over it as I found out it isn't available in-state (which is a recurring theme in Michigan). Luckily I had a couple out-of-state trips around the corner where I was lucky enough to track down a bottle. Overall this a really tasty and unique sipper. I'd like to see the price come down a bit but the whiskey market prices don't appear to be slowing down any time soon. This one is definitely worth trying and is a great change of pace if you've got a sweet-tooth.

Angel's Envy Rye Rating: 8.7/10

Searching for the Best Sazerac in New Orleans' French Quarter

So originally I was going to write a recap of some cocktail bars in New Orleans. Having never been to NOLA before and being filled with ambition I thought this was an attainable task. The Big Easy quickly humbled me with its seemingly unending list of bars and since we were staying in the French Quarter I decided to narrow my scope. Since the Sazerac is the iconic cocktail of New Orleans, and the French Quarter was the entirety of NO when it was founded, I figured this was a good place to start. While this list is far from complete it was all I could squeeze in during my 2+ days in town. For anyone curious I've got some general info on the Sazerac at the bottom of this post. And with that... let's get to the rankings!

Kingfish - F

Let me start off by saying that Kingfish is an excellent restaurant. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was outstanding. With that in mind I was shocked by the poor quality of the drink. Maybe I caught them on an off night or maybe the bartender fudged the drink but I wasn't seated at the bar so I couldn't tell. The first sign of trouble was when I asked the waitress what type of rye was used in the drink and what was available. She told me she didn't know and came back with the underwhelming answer of Old Overholt and Bulleit. The drink came and I couldn't even finish it... I've never not finished a Sazerac before. This place probably deserves another shot, but it was by far the worst Sazerac I had while in the French Quarter and was thus given a failing grade.

Rotating bar at Carousel

Carousel Bar - C

The draw for this place is the rotating bar. Yes, the circle bar you sit at slowly rotates around the staff and bottles in the center. It's a pretty cool gimmick and a pretty cool looking bar. Their Sazerac appropriately uses Sazerac Rye. Unfortunately it was a little subpar. From a bar this nice I was expecting more.

Old Absinthe House - B

The name of this place does it justice... it's very "historic". Football helmets hanging from the ceiling and middle-aged women dancing to Pat Benetar were the snapshots I took away from my time there. The Sazerac was pretty good, though I wish the whiskey was a little more prominent. Using a low proof, low rye whiskey (Old Overholt) was probably the main culprit here.

Sazerac at St. Lawrence

St Lawrence - B

Popped into this cozy place towards the Mississippi River side of the Quarter for some small bites and of course, a Sazerac. The dirty rice and gumbo were great and this made for a perfect 3-o-clock in the afternoon stop. The cocktail here used High West Double Rye which was a first for me, but I was already a fan so sign me up. The drink itself was good enough to order again, but something was just a tad off on it. Not sure if it was light on bitters or syrup or Herbsaint but a minor tweak is probably all that was needed to bump this up a grade.

NOLA - A

Emeril's French Quarter restaurant was chosen by my lovely date as our Sunday night meal. I was ready to be let down by the food but it met and exceeded expectations. I hadn't planned on getting a cocktail here, but it was made with the Baby Saz and had a reasonable price so I went for it. I'm glad I did. Great balance of all the ingredients made for a winner.

Sazerac and another cocktail at Bar Tonique

Bar Tonique - A

My favorite bar in the French Quarter checks in at 2nd place. Look, the Sazerac was great and they made it with Sazerac Rye (as it should be). If you like a nice cocktail bar that is a healthy mix of solid whiskey and urban grit, this place is a winner. We popped in the first time on Saturday around 5p and got the last 2 seats in the place. It's crowded for a reason... great prices, great cocktails and an overachieving bartender (1 person serving about 25 in a pretty timely fashion). Sazerac gets an A, the bar gets an A+... will be my first stop the next time I'm in the French Quarter.

...and the winner! The Sazerac Cocktail at Sazerac Bar

Sazerac Bar - A+

Sometimes the #1 seed wins the tournament. Such was the case on my trip to New Orleans. I love an underdog story, but the bar who shares its name with the cocktail and is the home of it's genesis just wouldn't be denied. The birthplace of the Sazerac does it right - a perfect balance of all the components made for my best cocktail of the trip.

Some Brief Background on the Sazerac Cocktail

The Sazerac is one of the earliest known cocktails, pre-dating the Civil War and sometimes referred to as the oldest known American cocktail. It originally was a Cognac-based drink and got its name due to tthe use of Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils cognac. Now it is more commonly made with rye whiskey. In addition to the primary liquor it contains sugar or simple syrup, Peychaud bitters, a lemon peel and is serve in a chilled, absinthe-rinsed glass. Herbsaint is commonly substituted for absinthe, a trend which gained prominence when absinthe was banned in the US (1912-2007).

Review: Canadian Club Dock 57 Blackberry Whisky

Dock 57 Blackberry Whisky

So what am i doing reviewing CC Dock 57? Well I got this bottle a while ago as a mixer and it's been sitting on the shelf for about a year. According to the label this is a "brave new drink inspired by the historic shipping port where the first Canadian Club adventure began." I've never considered myself a brave man, but when faced with this "brave" drink I decided it was time to cast aside my cowardly shackles and man up. Here are my tastings notes...

Canadian Club Dock 57 Blackberry - Tasting Notes

Nose: very sweet and sugary, grape or blackberry jello, a faint hint of Canadian whiskey but you have to look for it

Palate: light, almost syrupy sweet and a little grain-forward. The flavors on the nose come through a little bit, but not as much as one would expect

Finish: some young alcohol & grain flavor show up at first, followed by light notes of the blackberry and grape which stick around for a while

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)
Price: $15

Look, this probably (or definitely) isn't intended to be a sipper. I bought it with the sole purpose of mixing with coke and getting a healthy buzz on during a tailgate (aka - bravery). Guess what... it worked!! Not only that, but it was a delicious combo that others seemed to enjoy. So if a "whatever" & coke is your poison, I'd highly recommend this bottle. But since this site is intended to review the sauce itself as a sipper, we're going to give out a not so flattering rating. It's just too sweet, syrupy and young tasting to have on its own... despite it being the bravest whisky I've ever tried.

Canadian Club Dock 57 Blackberry Rating: 5.5/10