Peated Bourbon is that even real – Oh yes and for a peat head like me this is incredible stuff.

When I saw the bottle of Peated Bourbon I simple had to have it. I had never heard about Peated Bourbon and I was thinking – what in the world would this would be like and I actually had a picture in my head of corn being smoked over peat. Yes, I know crazy to think like that.
Well what is Peated Bourbon and is it actually a bourbon when peated?
Peated Bourbon from Kings County in New York is the first of it’s kind, of what I can find. It is made on a mash bill of 75% Corn and 25% Malted Barley.
So far so good.
The Corn is Organic New York grown and the Malted Barley is from Scotland. Here the barley has been malted and dried with the smoke from peat fire to a level of about 15 ppm.

It is normal that bourbon mash bills are made with malted barley to set off the fermentation proces and in this case we get the peated malted barley to do the job. To legally call American whiskey Bourbon you have to have 51% or more Corn in the mash bill, mature for at least 2 years in new oak barrels. It is not allowed to add colour or flavour. In this case all the bourbon meet all the requirements. The use of malted barley that has been dried over peat smoke is a natural way of drying, so everything is in order.

I bought this bottle in New York in september 2019 – Wow time flies fast, and I really wanted to visit Kings County Distillery, but time was to short for a visit at that time. Then we wanted to go to The Big Appel again in 2020 – but you know too well what happed in 2020 so we didn’t go. I really hope that I one day get the chance to visit the distillery. It has a great history to it, based in a old Navy Yard in Brooklyn. Founded in 2010 and is the first legal distillery since the Prohibition. I will write more about the distillery later and hopefully after a visit

It has taken me some time to open the bottle – Why? – I don’t know, but now it is open and I really like what I am tasting.
This is not very old bourbon, it is at least 2 years old, but you dont get that feeling when sipping it. One of the reasons for this is the use of small casks. They are American New Oak and the sizes used are 5 Gallon, 10 Gallons and 15 Gallons. That will be something like 19 litre, 38 litre and 57 litre. That size cask made of new oak will give you a lot of colour and taste in a short time. A 50 litre cask will in normal Scottish weather mature the spirits in year equal to about 4 years in a 225 litre barrel. So this Bourbon could be tasting like a 8-10 year old bourbon!

It is not a very peated whiskey but the smoke notes are there and the combination with the corn gives it a special experience in taste which I havn’t taste in other peated whiskies.

Would I buy this again? Yes I will

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮: (5/6)

🅼🆈 🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🆂🆈🆂🆃🅴🅼

– 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧
– 𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛
– 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 – 𝙈𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢
– 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 – 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮
– 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣
– 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩

Hunting season is almost about to begin and I am looking forward to the mornings and evenings where I will be waiting or walking around for a deer. Observing the animals and nature.
This picture is from a hunt back in January. I had a great day in perfect weather, it was cold but beautiful. The riffel was unloaded and the sun was setting. I poured my self a dram of Bowmore 12 year old and enjoyed the moment of silence, the warming whisky and good day in nature.

Bowmore 12 years old is a fine core range whisky if you like peat smoke. It warmes you up and give you a very pleasant after taste.

I know we can divide whiskies into categories of when you can drink what in which type of weather, time of the year and so on, but I like peated whiskies and can enjoy then all year round and in any weather.
With this Bowmore 12 year old it is the same. It is a nice core range whisky at a fair price and I could sip it every day. Just one of those whiskies you have to have in the cabinet.

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮: (4/6)

🅼🆈 🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🆂🆈🆂🆃🅴🅼

– 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧
– 𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛
– 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 – 𝙈𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢
– 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 – 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮
– 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣
– 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩

It is so refreshing to taste whiskies where it is not just the standard methods that have been used and wupti, 10-12 years after we have a whisky that tastes a bit like all the others from the same area. It’s put up very square, but I think you get my point.
At a tasting not so long ago, the program was on 8 whiskies from GlenAllachie and it was a fabulos experience. I have previously tasted GlenAllachie 12 YO – PX-Oloroso sherry, finished in Virgin Oak. It was good but not a surprising experience so I may not have looked quite as much in the direction of GlenAllachie and it has been a clear mistake.

For this tasting conducted by Peter Kjær, Lars Gregersen and guesting from Scotland was Juliette Buchan. We tasted some fantastic whiskeys, but the one that caught attention was this one, which have matured in ex-bourbon casks and got an finish of approx. 18 month in an oak that has not been used much before.
The traditions have been to use American Oak for barrels, these are primarily the Oak called “Quercus Alba”, but here they have used an Oak, for their finish, which is not very common. It is called Chinquapin Oak and the Latin name is; “Quercus Muehlenbergii” and which is not a European Oak (Quercus Robur), but a species also from the United States.
Chinquapin Own comes from an area of ​​Missouri in the Northern Ozark region. Chinquapine is a subspecies of Quercus Alba, but it gives some other aromas to the whiskey which are more spicy than the slightly sweeter vanilla that come from Quercus Alba.
That’s what makes this GlenAllachie special and a whisky just to my mind and taste. It’s a little different, it’s exciting, it sticks out from the familiar and yet we know it as a good Speysider

It has the sweet vanilla from the first more than 10 years in regular Ex-Bourbon casks, but gets expressions of sweet licorice, orange, a little cardamom and rose hips. It has a wonderful sweet finish where the rose hips taste hangs for a while.

A wonderful whisky from the GlenAllachies Virgin Oak Series which is now on my whisky shelf. Classic and yet different, exciting. Soft and round in the taste.

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮: (4/6)
Might actually be a 4.8/6 but I’m not running the od numbers

🅼🆈 🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🆂🆈🆂🆃🅴🅼

– 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧
– 𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛
– 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 – 𝙈𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢
– 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 – 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮
– 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣
– 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩

Glendronach is sherry cask matured whisky and you are in no doubt at any time. If we’re talking about sherry bombs, then Glendronach needs to be in the conversation.

There are many that have favorite distilleries, and it could be fun to do a tasting with Macallan, Aberlour, Glenfarclas and Glendronach just to name a few and taste the difference – They all have a 12 year old in the core range bottlings.
I know there is a difference, but can we taste it?

Glendronach, like several other distilleries, was challenged in the 1980s and 90s, but has recovered well.
In 1996, the distillery was shut down and started production up again in 2002.
In 2005, production is shut down for a period to upgrade from direct coal fire under the pot stills to indirect steam heating.

In 2009, Glendronach is ready to relaunch their 12, 15 and 18 year bottlings. The distillery changed owners in 2008 and now the owners of the Benriach distillery are making more different whiskies to the range, including peated editions, until 2016 when Brown Forman buys the distillery and they are keeping up the good taste og Glendronach.

Pyha, it became a bit of a history lesson just to say that this is a wonderful whisky with a good sherry taste.

Glendronach is one of the whiskies one should have in the home bar.

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮: (4/6)

🅼🆈 🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🆂🆈🆂🆃🅴🅼

– 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧
– 𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛
– 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 – 𝙈𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢
– 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 – 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮
– 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣
– 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩

I am sitting in the Bar at the lovely family owned Hotel Spreeblick in Lübben, Germany. It is a well stocked bar and Thomas, the owner, knows something about whisky. We have had some great talks about whisky all the times we have been to the hotel.
Hakushu caught my eye and I had to try it. This was my first whisky from the Hakushu distillery and if I know my self, it will not be the last one to warm my throat.

It is a fine peated whisky but I am not blown away in smoke and tar but more quiet that turnes this whisky into a fine everyday dram.

We don’t get too many information on the bottle on the cask used, colour, filtration or when it is distilled and bottled – Maybe it is my lack of Japanese language understanding

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮: (4/6)

🅼🆈 🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🆂🆈🆂🆃🅴🅼

– 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧
– 𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛
– 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 – 𝙈𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚
– 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 – 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮
– 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣
– 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩