More New Things (I wasn't really interested in at first)
Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 06:28PM 
We just brought in the new Michters Sour Mash Whiskey $44.99, a bottle of booze I was truly not excited about tasting.....at first. When my sales rep came in with an open sample, I acquiesced and did my duty, however. Wow! That's actually really good. There's something rather honeyed and slightly round about the Sour Mash that I quite enjoy. It's almost like Dickel #12, but without the woody, pencil shavings-like undertone. The more I taste whisky for a living, the more I feel like drinking things like the new Michter's after work when I get home. It's easy and delicious, yet with a flavor profile beyond what's readily available. It's pleasing to the senses and it doesn't really require me to focus much beyond that.
A new Temperance Trader? Whooooooopie. Actually, not whoopie. I was being sarcastic. "Hold on before you blow this one off, too," said my sales rep. Fine!! Sip, swish, spit. Hmmmm....you're right. It's actually really nice. Oregon's TT bottling outfit managed to lockdown some nice barrels from everyone's favorite Indiana distillery and they put a nice little marriage together. Bottled at 56% cask strength, the Temperance Trader Cask Strength Bourbon $39.99 brings spice, richness, and balance. It drinks very much like a young Willett's whiskey and is priced accordingly. If you're in the mood for something like that you'll be pleased.
I have to admit that I haven't been as impressed with the latest batches of El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum, formerly one of my favorite value bottlings. It's been my go-to sticky rum for over a year (meaning the sweet, sherried, sipping rums that come in at around $30 or so). When we tasted the Kirk & Sweeney 12 Year Old Dominican Rum $33.99 I figured it was just 12 year old Brugal in a different bottle. Whether it is or not, I'm unsure, but I can tell you that it's soft, sweet, rich, and it goes down like a spoonful of molasses. It does its job and it does it well. Bye bye, El Dorado. I'm moving on.
Just a few fun things to pass on today.
-David Driscoll