Bookster Sonoma Pinot Noir 2005

2005
Bookster Sonoma Pinot Noir 2005 (750ML)

Varietal: Pinot Noir
When first tasting this extremely exuberant 2005 someone said...”Now that’s what great Vosne Romanee smells like!,That's what I'm talking about!” With a fruit profile in the nose of wild raspberries and crushed flowers it draws you straight in to the glass. A dark and rich palate of juicy bing cherry and red plum flavors will make you an INSTANT fan of this Pinot, leaving you craving more due to the intense flavor profile!!

Australian Chardonnay 2005

2005
Trevor Jones Virgin Chardonnay 2005 (750ML)

Varietal: Chardonnay
Also we tried this wine the same evening and was extremely impressed with the consistency of one of the world’s best non-oaked, or “Virgin” Chardonnays, Trevor Jones’s offerings attain a laser-like precision without sacrificing any of their rich, white peach, pear, and honeyed citrus fruit. The medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure, charming, tasty 2005 Virgin Chardonnay will be very flexible with a variety of cuisines if drunk during its first several years of life...90" WA 11

California Chardonnay Foxglove 2005

2005
Foxglove

Varietal: Chardonnay
We had the chance during a wine tasting this past saturday to sample this new offering, the 2005 Foxglove is basically a second label. It is a combination of estate grown fruit blended with Edna Valley grapes. About 15% is barrel fermented in old oak. The result is an outstanding white wine possessing attractive aromas of lemon oil, white corn, crushed rocks, and white currants as well as a steely crispness reminiscent of a top-notch Chablis. Drink it over the next 1-3 years...90." WA 12/06

Talisker 10yr Single Malt Scotch

The nose was very richly sherried with plenty of wonderful organics. Dry roasted almonds. More like a Macallan 18yo than a Talisker 10yo . A fabulous experience. The taste was very sherried as well, with plenty of excellent wood. A real sherry monster that goes on and on and on. This is the battery bunny of single malts. I'd have to say this beats any Macallan 18yo or 25yo I've had so far. That's especially impressive when you consider that the bottle was freshly opened. I gave it 92 points

Some Select Gins

Value Brands:
Aristocrat- United States, 80 proof, $9
Barton London Extra Dry- United States, 80 proof, $9
Taaka Dry- United States, 80 proof, $9
Booth's London Dry- England, 90 proof, $10
Glenmore London Dry- United States, $10
McCormick Dry- United States, 80 proof, $10
Fleischmann Extra Dry- United States, $11
Gordon's London Dry- United States, 80 proof. $11
Seagram's Extra Dry- United States, 80 proof, $12
Burnett's London Dry- United States, 80 proof, $13
Premium Brands:
Broker's London Dry- England, 94 proof, $20
Boodles London Dry- England, 90.4 proof, $21
Beefeater- England, 94 proof, $22
Bombay Dry- England, 80 proof, $22
Tanqueray London Dry- England, 94.6 proof, $22
Beefeater Wet- England, 70 proof, $24
Tower of London- England, 80 proof, $26
Bombay Sapphire- England, 94 proof, $27
Hendrick's- Scotland, 88 proof, $28
Super-Premium Brands:
Bafferts- England, 80 proof, $27
Junipero- United States, 97 proof, $27
Tanqueray No. Ten- England, 94.6 proof, $28
Cascade Mountain- United States, 95 proof, $35
Mercury London Dry- England, 94 proof, $37
Van Gogh- Holland, 94 proof, $37
Zuidam- Holland, 89 proof, $38
Kensington London Dry- Scotland, 94.4 proof, $40
Magellan- France, 80 proof, $40
Old Raj- England, 110 proof, $60
The prices listed in this article are based on the average price of 750mL bottles found at various online retailers.

Gin Classifications ' Why don't you slip out of those wet clothes and into a dry martini? ' - Robert Benchley

London Dry Gin is the dominant English style of Gin. As a style it lends itself particularly well to mixing. London Dry Gin is the dominant Gin style in the United Kingdom, former British colonies, the United States, and Spain.
Plymouth Gin is relatively full-bodied (when compared to London Dry Gin). It is clear, slightly fruity, and very aromatic. Originally the local Gin style of the English Channel port of Plymouth, modern Plymouth Gin is nowadays made only by one distillery in Plymouth, Coates & Co., which also controls the right to the term Plymouth Gin.
Old Tom Gin is the last remaining example of the original lightly sweetened gins that were so popular in 18th-century England. The name comes from what may be the first example of a beverage vending machine. In the 1700s some pubs in England would have a wooden plaque shaped like a black cat (an "Old Tom") mounted on the outside wall. Thirsty passersby would deposit a penny in the cats mouth and place their lips around a small tube between the cats paws. The bartender inside would then pour a shot of Gin through the tube and into the customers waiting mouth. Until fairly recently limited quantities of Old Tom-style Gin were still being made by a few British distillers, but they were, at best, curiosity items.
Genever or Hollands is the Dutch style of Gin. Genever is distilled from a malted grain mash similar to that used for whisky. Oude ("old") Genever is the original style. It is straw-hued, relatively sweet and aromatic. Jonge ("young") Genever has a drier palate and lighter body. Some genevers are aged for one to three years in oak casks. Genevers tend to be lower proof than English gins (72-80 proof or 36-40% ABV is typical). They are usually served straight up and chilled. The classic accompaniment to a shot of Genever is a dried green herring. Genever is traditionally sold in a cylindrical stoneware crock. Genever-style gins are produced in Holland, Belgium, and Germany

Iceberg Vodka So Pure

Pollack first thought of extracting water from 12,000-year-old icebergs in 1990 but it wasn't until 1995 that the dangerous job of harvesting icebergs commenced. Pollack's Canadian Iceberg Vodka Corp. harvests masses of ice that are so pure pesticides, herbicides and other organic pollutants can't be detected even when measured by parts per billion.
This pure water is combined with triple-distilled, neutral-grain spirits produced from the highest-grade Ontario sweet corn. The vodka is then blended and bottled by the Newfoundland Liquor Corporation, which maintains the highest standard of product quality control.
A check with a local liquor store found that Iceberg Vodka is mid-priced at $16 for 750 ml, compared to Smirnoff, which retails at $11.99, and Grey Goose, distilled and bottled in France, at $29.99.
The average size of an iceberg is 100,000-200,000 tons — around the size of a 15-story building.
Icebergs are so pure that pesticides, herbicides and other organic pollutants can't be detected even when measured by parts per billion.
Sweet corn grain is shipped from Ontario, Canada and blended with the iceberg water.
A good vodka should taste soft, creamy and smooth. It shouldn't be bitter or burn your palate.
To enhance your vodka experience:
Put the vodka it in the freezer overnight, and pop your glass in the freezer for an hour.
Pour a healthy shot of frozen vodka.
Let the vodka warm up slightly by holding the glass in your hand, which will take off a bit of the freeze. If vodka is too cold, it will freeze your taste buds and you won't get a good tasting. If it is too warm, the flavor mix becomes too complex and the dominant flavor less discernible.
Taste the shot a couple of times, first just a sip that sits on your palate as you exhale through your nose.
Cleanse your palate with lukewarm water, and then take a shot straight down.
Compare the two experiences and the aftertaste--you'll be surprised at how complex vodka really is!

Small Batch Bourbons a Taste of Heaven

The common practice when tasting whiskey (whisky) is to cut the spirit with water. In my opinion, these Bourbons were distilled to drink neat, thus water was not used to dilute any of the whiskeys.

Baker's / Kentucky Straight Bourbon / 7 Years Old / 107 Proof
Medium-tawny amber color; grainy/oatmeal aroma with floral and spice notes; creamy caramel flavors, smooth, vanilla accents; long finish with some heat. [Jim Beam Brands]
Booker's / Unfiltered Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon / 6-8 Years Old / 125.3 Proof
Deep, tawny amber color; deeply set vanilla, caramel and charred smoky oak aroma; woody flavors, some wood tannins over a pleasant and inviting honeyed flavor; long, powerful finish; not for the weak of heart or constitution. [Jim Beam Brands]
Elijah Craig / Kentucky Straight Bourbon / 12 Years Old / 94 Proof
Medium, nut brown color; spicy aroma, low-intensity, roasted nut and floral accents; creamy texture, nut and caramel notes; some bite in the finish. [Heaven Hill Distillers, Inc.]
Basil Hayden's / Kentucky Straight Bourbon / 80 Proof
Pale, golden amber color; delicate, brown sugar and honey aroma with roasted nut and spice accents; soft and smooth entry, brown sugar notes, spice and tea; medium-smooth finish. [Jim Beam Brands]
Knob Creek / Kentucky Straight Bourbon / 9 Years Old / 100 Proof
Medium-tawny amber color; fruity aroma with spice, vanilla and nutmeg notes; soft entry, creamy caramel, slight sweetness; long, persistent, easy-drinking finish. [Jim Beam Brands]

Lochside 20YR Single Malt

The Lochside 20yo 1965 (40%, G&M CC, 5cl) was another 'golden oldie'.
It came from a silent distillery (Highlands) and was released in the 1980's.
I couldn't find the '20yo' age statement mentioned on the label, but
it does state the vintage (1965) and this label is seems a lot older than the
oldest ones I've ever seen on a few bottlings from the early 90's at De Still.
Anyway,this was bottled around 1985. A blast from the past.
Nose: Oooaah. Sherry and furniture polish. Much more sherry with time.
This is far more extreme than many 'identikit' CC bottlings from the 1990's.
Not a hint of the oil I found so disturbing in the 10yo MacNab bottling.
It's not the most extreme or most complex sherry monster I've ever tried,
but it's very approachable, especially when it sweetens out after a while.
Is that rubber? Oh, boy - this just keeps getting better and better.
This is a malt that calls for a lit fireplace and a good book.
Taste: Oy, that's too bad. A little bit flat and woody at first. No body.
Fortunately, it develops into a mellow, fruity centre. Easy on the tongue.
Menthol freshness with maybe a hint of coconut. Sweeter with time.
Definite improvement over time, gaining more gravitas and complexity.
But then it falls apart again in the finish, losing one or two points.
Score: 89 points. It's no olympic athlete on the palate - it has a false
start and some weak moments before it reaches a fairly exhausted finish.
But the nose redeems the Lochside and earns the distillery an extra star .

Old Potrero- Single Malt

Malt whisky doesn’t have to be distilled from barley. Rye will do very nicely as well. Proof of this can be found in San Francisco, just a few miles south of the Expo. At Anchor, using a small pot still and a mash of 100% rye malt, Fritz Maytag aims to recreate the Mohongahela-style rye whiskeys of past centuries. Since the establishment of the distillery as part of Anchor brewery in 1993, several versions have been bottled and released, including a 1 y.o. ‘single malt spirit’. Nowadays the focus is very much on two expressions.

The “18th Century Style” version of Old Potrero is matured for 2 years in barrels which have not undergone any charring, but only light toasting. The idea behind this version is that in the 18th century extensive maturation nor charring of barrels would have been a common phenomenon. In contrast, Old Potrero “19th Century Style” is matured for 3 years in charred barrels. Both are bottled at cask strength, which is about 62% abv.

The differences in maturation give rise to two very different whiskeys. The “18th Century Style” Old Potrero (sub-labelled ‘single malt whiskey’), from toasted wood, is pale gold in colour and has mint and spices (especially on the nose), subtle whiffs of fruits covered in icing sugar, and clear woody notes. The slightly oily mouth-feel is followed by a dry finish.

In contrast, the “19th Century Style” 3 y.o. Old Potrero ‘single malt straight rye whiskey’) is a dark red-copper. Same kind of minty nose, but the body is richer, almost luscious but also quite oily. The palate is peppery, with vague hints of vanilla and a touch of citrus-like acidity. It’s sweeter, has less woody notes and the finish is not as dry.

As you might expect, both Old Potreros are pretty flavour-intense when tasted at cask strength. For my taste, and to fully appreciate their flavour, neither of them really need addition of water. Feel free to disagree with me on this, but do make sure you get a chance to sample this pair of really unique malt whiskeys.

Non-Celtic Whiskey

When you think malt whisky, you may think Scotland, you may think Ireland, you may even think Wales, Brittany or Cornwall. But almost surely you will think Celtic. Still, malt whisky is distilled on every continent bar Antarctica nowadays. Some of these malt whiskies are interesting because of their production methods, some have just come on the market and show a lot of promise, and some are simply as good as the best Celtic malts. Dismissing malt whiskies from non-traditional whisky countries is something you do at your own loss ….

This new series on the booze hound will travel around the globe in search of these ‘other’ malt whiskies. Every month we will introduce a distillery and its malt whisky (or whiskies, as many have different expressions). We will keep going around the world, year after year, until we’ve covered every non-Celtic malt distillery (tough job, but,I'll Drink to That!). So fasten your seatbelts, keep an open mind and enjoy the ride on The Booze Hound!

Single Malt Scotch

The Macallan 25yo 'Fine Oak' (43%, OB, 2004) was the first in this range of new Macs that really made my heart beat faster. Wonderful complexity - even thought it's definitely not a sherry monster.Nose: Sweet and polished with a good deal of sherry, it seems. Smoke and organics.Ah, now I get some fruits in the background. More 'bakery aroma's and 'good grain' later.A lovely rich fruit cake sweetness fills the room. Next: leather and meat. Quite spectacular.Then the organics reappear in full force - a nice surprise. Spices. That means extra points.Taste: Not quite as big and sweet as I expected. Light, dry and ever so slightly fruity.The palate doesn't really match the nose and I'm afraid it loses one or two points here.Score: 85 points - I had it in de lower eighties until the nose caught a second wind.Phew, finally a 'Fine Oak' expression that's sort of up to the 'old' quality standards.
Technorati Profile

Small Scale Bourbon

An approach to producing and bottling high quality Bourbon is to make sure that all the Bourbon you take from the barrel and bottle is of the highest quality. Such uniformity of product and consistently high quality can be difficult to attain on a large scale. This philosophy of Bourbon is exemplified by Maker's Mark Distillery, which at around 54 barrels of Bourbon a day undoubtedly ranks as the smallest Bourbon distillery in operation -- well, at least the smallest legal Bourbon distillery. You could think of Maker's Mark as the "micro-distiller" of the Bourbon industry.

Small Batch Bourbons...Oh So Good !

By using two different grain formulas (the regular Jim Beam formula and the 'high rye' Old Grand-Dad formula), different ages, different bottling proofs, and different filtering techniques, Jim Beam has come up with four distinctive small batch Bourbons: Basil Hayden is from the high-rye formula, bottled at a fairly standard alcoholic content of 40%. Knob Creek shares the high-rye formula, but is well-aged and then bottled at a higher proof -- 50%. Baker's uses the standard Jim Beam formula, but is aged for seven years and bottled at 53.5% Finally, there is Booker's Bourbon. Booker's Bourbon uses the standard Jim Beam formula and is aged for six-eight years, but what makes Booker's unique is that it is the only Bourbon on the market that is then bottled unfiltered and without any added water at whatever the barrel strength happens to be -- usually around 125° proof. It goes straight from the barrel into the bottle. As Booker himself puts it, "this is the way it was a hundred years ago, the way my grandfather, Jim Beam, made Bourbon before Prohibition. Back then they didn't go through all this chilling and filtering. So Booker's Bourbon is different, it's got more natural barrel flavor in it." I'll Drink to That! http://media.jimbeam.com/video/jimbeamheritagealt56k.wmv

2005 BORDEAUX The Perfect Vintage

Here are my final thoughts after an intensive week of tasting over 200 wines:
2005 is, across the board, an exceptional vintage. One very rarely seen in Bordeaux. The best two regions were Margaux and Pomerol but all of the Medoc did exceptionally well. Both St. Emilion and Graves also made some extraordinary wines but I found less consistency in these two regions. Sauternes were quite impressive and so were many of the .Click here to read more about the 2005 vintage!
Click here to see our Bordeaux Samplers! -->
Click here to download our COMPLETE 2005 Bordeaux Offer!
2005 Bordeaux is NOT a vintage that you want to be late on. Check back periodically for updated information on the 2005 vintage!

New Found Taste

I admit, in the past I was one for the shot and a cold beer. The shot, well it was something that basically burned on the way down. The beer, cool refreshment, a chaser so to speak, or was the beer the height of the experience? Times have certainly changed, not with-standing myself alone. The industry has made a dramatic shift towards the distilled beverages and the brews are becoming the lagards. In the past the taste of choice was that of Seagrams 7 or Winsor as of now the cutting edge is that of a Small Batch Bourbon, the times have changed or is it the fact that we have acquired a more refined taste for these distilled beverages. Time will only tell, in the mean time I'll be drinking to That! see ya'll

At The Start

This is the beginning of what I would hope to be an open forum on the various forms of alcohol delights on the market. Maybe the answer to the question of which is better a single malt or a top-shelf blended scotch. We hopefully all will find the answers to this and much, much more as the days go by and the stories unfold, on the Booze Hound. For we will all Drink to That.