Battle to the Finish or Finish first or Finish Last... either way we win!

It's been a long several months and the BDC has been traveling near and far across the Queens domain. While on shore leave a month prior the BDC joined together to celebrate one of their own crawling kicking and screaming over the top of the hill. During which this Average Whiskey Drinker just simply did what he did best and consumed Whiskey. Unfortunately while there was much material to talk about from said event, it wasn't blog worthy.

So the BDC decided that it was time to saddle up the weekend before Derby Weekend and do another whiskey tasking event. This event was a little different than the past prior events, due to logistics and the desire to see colours, we didn't do a full flight blind. It's probably worth noting that blind tasting really serves a simply yet important role in whiskey reviews, as it removes any potential opinion or bias that a member of the BDC might have towards the specific spirit in the dram. It also enables the BDC to flex their muscles at the greatness of guessing a good pour. However, because the name has been established and the Queen wouldn't wish her loyal subjects to deviate from proper decorum while the Blind Drinking Crew wasn't blind we did her majesty proud.

Now needless to say we weren't just a bunch of hooligans going after the first bottle of hooch we could find after a solid match of football where our local team just lost to Man UFC. We decided that we needed to do a solid line up of Finished Whiskies. Now unlike many of the BDC the finished whiskey had to be double matured in wood from another fermented beverage. This meant that flavored products of the "hellfire" variety need not apply. And let's be honest, that's really just an excuse to get smashed on the cheap, and after all the BDC is a posh gang of whiskey drinkers.

So thus the we set sail across the vast expanse of the Commonwealth of Denver to the eastern plans of near Kansas. This was a awkward journey many of needed to stop for lime to prevent potential issues with scurvy. But once on arrival we were all welcomed with carne asada and wagyu beef burgers. Honestly it could be said that there hadn't been this much meat in one single location since the Sausage Fest of June 18, 1815. Of which the Queen has build many monuments to. 

After establishing a fine base for welcoming a few pours of our favorite spirts, we got down to business. 

In order to preserve our pallets as long as possible, and to align with proper decorum we sampled our spirits based on the order of proof. The first in the line up Stranahan's Blue Peak.

Blue Peak as defined by Stranahan's; a single malt that is distilled at high altitude, aged in new American oak barrels, and then Solera finished. Now what is interesting about Solera finishing is that it's a process basically where the same container is filled with product over a series of equal aging periods. So as they drain off distillent from the barrel they add new to the top and the process simply continues. Blue Peak is a 100% malted barley (sourced 100% from Colorado) and is bottled at 4+ years at 43% APV (86 proof) and was the lowest proof of the lineup. 

The Blue Peak is a bit on the light side as American Whiskey's go, coming in with an almost Tortilla chip light yellow in the dram. The initial nose was clearly single malt in nature to a lowland scotch from the other side of the pond. Elements of light fruit and a nose warming prickle and citrus. But not full on citrus more like that simple spritz you get when someone juices a lime across the table from you. The first sip yielded notes of sweat greens, floral notes, and clear indications of sweat cereals (from the malt). The finish was short with a light smokey / chocolate finish, while appropriately approachable due to the low proof it was overall a damp squib of a drink. The BDC rated this one on an average of 78.5, if this was bottled at barrel proof this would be a much larger contender for sure.

The next spirit for the BDC to march through the city center and wind up was Breckenridge Port Cask Finish. While we were trying batch #10, this sprit has won several awards including the World Whiskey Awards Best American Blended in 2017, Icons of Whisky America 2018, Gold Win at the New York International Sprits Competition in 2021. Needless to say the pedigree here is almost "blue blood". Coming in at 90 proof this spirit is finished in a 59 gallon Tawny Port Cask after aging for 3 years; per Breckenridge, adding aroma and flavor of sultana raisin and maple syrup with an all around spicy finish.

The BDC found this to have a Dirty Blonde Hay Color in the glass similar to Heather Gramm in nature. Strong prickle on the nose with notes of tobacco, leather, and spice. The BDC found that the first sip was quite sweet with diving into dried fruit and vanilla. More than anyone would have expected for their afternoon tea, but while the finish broke into dark cherry and vanilla. This was a hit and run, came too quick and gone just as fast. In the Queens realm the BDC is looking for something that has a longer stay than a one night stand, we left this with a score of 78.75, just inching past the Blue Peak.

Next on our tour of the Finished Commonwealth, we took a trip due south to Texas with Oak & Eden Fired French Cask. After a little digging it was identified as MGP distillent that is then aged at Oak & Eden. At the time of bottling they add a Fired French Oak spiral to the bottle. This is something that across the realm not a single one of her majesties whisky drinkers had seen before. Coming in at 90 proof as well per Oak and Eden's website this wheated mash is a loaded with silky botanicals, vanilla, candied fruit and butterscotch finish. 

The BDC was gobsmacked by the color on this as it was BMW 7 Series interior brown, while we would have been more impressed by Aston Martin brown the juice was still quite fit in the glass. The nose was quite full as well coming in hot with strong oak, tobacco, leather, and what might have been confused for the latest sent from Burberry. The mouthfeel on this was delectable and thick, oily to the max. Cinnamon, honey, vanilla, gave way to toasted marshmallows. The BDC also found this to be a wonderful mid-length finish but would have wished for more as the finish had the whole package similar to a fine plate of chicken and waffles. Coming in at 82.8 the spire was leading best in show, similar to a well groomed yorkie. 

Walking down the sourced whiskey path we decided to stop at Jefferson's Reserve Pritchard Hill, distilled at KAD and bottled at 90.2 proof. This Kentucky spirit was aged Cabernet Cask for an additional 12 months. Per Jefferson's this lends a sweetness to the bourbon by adding notes of dark berry, espresso, and chocolate leaving the impression that Bob's your uncle. On the nose it was pungent with hints of nose warming chocolate and tobacco. The first impression was bitter and salty turning to a sweet honey to almost cake batter flavor. It clearly coated the mouth and had a great medium finish with zero spice or heat. Many of the notes from the BDC highlighted that this was an "excellent pour" which is not typically the norm of this bunch. The ratings reflected a similar story with the average score 84.2.

Running down the pitch back to Colorado we found ourselves trying out Maltbuild made by Farm and Spirit farm co-op. Finished in Oloroso sherry in a Solera style barrel from Jerez Xeres, Spain and

bottled at 100 proof. Mashbuild claims that Oloroso sherry has been party to some of the best single malts in the world and they are trying it here in the US. Laying claim to tasting notes of dried cherries, oak, leather, vanilla, and caramel. 

The BDC jumped in with little reserves the color was very light (again like a well aged scotch) think fall hay in North Yorkshire, or Miller Lite take your pick. The nose was clearly malt pungent through and through. The first impressions you get was spice moving to citrus hay and possibly salty cooked veggies (honey roasted green beans perhaps?). Far cry from the description provided by the distillery, but the finish was LOOOOOOOOONNNNGGG, with malty dried fruit oaky cereal goodness (or perhaps prechewed cheerio?). Average rating: 77.75 with several of the tasters mentioning how there was simply nothing like it.

Moving right along and after a quick walk to the loo, the BDC cleansed their pallets and snacked.

This allowed the tasters to regain some sensory and give the Laws 4-Grain Cognac finish a try. Laws has been a controversial topic in many courts around the country but we kept a stiff upper lip and dove in. Al Laws explained on The Whiskey Wash that they start with Laws Four Grain Straight Bourbon that's been aged a minimum of two years and then finish in either 205 or 400 Liter Cognac casts. Bottled at 95 proof, it showed that the BDC doesn't know how to do math, but comes in with a mash bill of 60% corn, 20% heirloom wheat, 10% heirloom rye, 10% heirloom malted barley and is aged for a total of four years. Lows describes the tasting notes to be stewed fruit, black tea on the nose with flavors of spiced apple butter, toasted wood, and raisin with a lux rich finish. 

The BDC found a nice reliable golden retriever color with a warm nose that clearly outlined wheat and malt. The first impression in the mouth was hay like with sweet honey dried fruits. The finish was medium to long in nature coating the mouth with sweet fruits and casual leather. Laws landed with an 86.25% with many of the BDC highlighting the enjoyment of the higher proof compared to the other finished entries. 

Last up at the 89 minute mark was Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon Finished in Sherry and Cognac Casks, bottled at 100 proof and sourced (from an undisclosed distillery in Indiana *cough* MGP? *cough*). Finished in Oloroso sherry, Pedro Ximénez  sherry, and cognac casks Joseph Magnus has won several awards with notes of layered apricot, roasted nuts, caramel, and beautiful vanilla. 

 

Out of the gate this was fit, many of the BDC decided that after the first .5 oz that we needed another dram just simply to figure out what had hit our pallet. The nose was fruity and inviting, not unlike a warm fire at your local pub. The mouth feel on this was wonderful, light spice giving way to chocolate covered cherries, sherry,  leather and butter. The finish is really where Joseph was brilliant! Super long finish of dark fruits (cherries) turning to silky smooth leather. After the first ounce we gave this an average rating of 91 flat, nothing dodgy about that.

At the 92 minute mark we decided to call it, as the +2 minutes after the washroom resulted in regulated time. While it was well over a fortnight since the last tasting event it was worth taking the weekend to have a gander at what finished products had to offer.

The final result:

1) Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon - 91 of 100

2) Laws Four Grain - Cognac Finish - 86.25 of 100

3) Jefferson's Reserve Pritchard Hill - 84.2 of 100

4) Oak & Eden Fired French Cask - 82.8 of 100

5) Breckenridge Whiskey Port Cask - 78.75 of 100

6) Stranahan's Blue Peak - 78.5 of 100

7) Maltbuild Oloroso Sheery - 77.75 of 100