The Stogie Guys

In recent years, single malt distilleries have introduced a number of new scotches that lack a statement of age, commonly called No Age Statement (NAS) whiskey. It’s easy to dismiss these new introductions as attempts to grab extra dollars from consumers and sell younger whiskey at premium prices.

In many cases, this reaction is accurate. Single malt distilleries don’t have enough properly aged whiskey, so they release NAS whiskey while discontinuing, or raising the prices of, their offerings with age statements.

But there are some genuinely interesting NAS offerings. For my tastes, Talisker Storm is one of them. The distillery on the Isle of Skye introduced Talisker Storm to its line of offerings in 2013. According to reports, Storm is a mixture of single malt between 3 and 25 years old.

The result is a single malt that shows off the light peat and smokiness of the Talisker 10, but with additional intense sweetness. The nose features light smoke and brine along with honey and floral notes.

On the palate, the complexity shines through with classic Talisker smoke and light peat combined with oak, sticky butterscotch, pineapple, and rum cake. The finish features more intense smokiness mixed with honey and pepper.

Talisker Storm is priced similarly to Talisker 10 ($50-60), but it is the better, more interesting (if less classic) single malt.

For those getting into scotch, I’ve often recommended Taliskler 10 as the gateway (as in, if you like it, try these next) to the more singularly peated Islays like Ardbeg 10, Laphroaig 10, and Lagavulin 16. That would make Talisker Storm a slightly different gateway towards some of my favorite Islays (which feature significant sweetness on top of the classic peat) like Ardbeg Uigeadail, Laphroaig Loreor Cairdeas, and Lagavulin Distillers Edition. (In many ways, Talisker Storm reminds me of a slightly less rich, but more affordable and not limited, Talisker Distillers Edition.)

Pair Talisker Storm with a medium- or full-bodied Broadleaf-wrapped cigar like the Liga Privada No. 9 or Tatuaje Reserva Broadleaf Collection Havana Cazadores.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

About this time last year I was singing the praises of GlenDronach 15 Revival, “a rich (but not syrupy), balanced combination of figs, raisins, toffee, orange marmalade, and clove.”

Sadly, GlenDronach 15 has been discontinued (or at least put on hiatus). Now the line jumps from the 12 year to the 18 year, and in price from around $60 for the former to $110 or more for the latter.

GlenDronach named its 18 year single malt after John Allardice, founder of the distillery in 1826. Allardice inherited the land where the distillery was built, and named it after the Glendronac Burn, which supplied water for the operation.

GlenDronach is known for its exclusive use of sherry cask-aged single malt in the 12 year and older varieties (more recently, a peated variety, a dual bourbon, and a sherry cask 8 year GlenDronach have been added to the line). Two years ago, the distillery was acquired by American spirits giant Brown-Forman (owner of Jack Daniels, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, and other brands). You might hope this would lead to wider distribution within the U.S. but, so far, anything beyond GlenDronach 12 is still difficult to find.

The 18 year Allardice is matured exclusively in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks and bottled at 46% ABV. It is not chill-filtered and is naturally colored (without the caramel coloring that some scotch whiskies use). The nose is rich with dried fruit, fudge, and caramel.

On the palate, Allardice is subtle, complex, and rich. Dates, prunes, figs, and especially raisins bring classic sherry notes, which combine with orange peel, roast hazelnuts, and pound cake. The finish is long but soft, with fruit cake and caramel.

Price aside, I slightly prefer the 15 year GlenDronach to the 18. But both are excellent, sherry-forward, sophisticated single malts. I’ve touted GlenDronach 18 as similar to Macallan 18 Sherry Oak at half the price; while the cost of both keeps creeping up, this is still true.

This is a single malt that needs a well-balanced cigar pairing, or else you will miss the subtitles. Think a mild- or medium-bodied cigar like the Davidoff Grand Cru, Illusione Epernay, Paul Garmirian Gourmet, or Cuban Cohiba Siglo.

One of the more interesting, unique rums on the market is Smoked Rum from Stolen Spirits, “the world’s first smoked rum.” It is “the result of an artisanal approach fueled by the desire to reinvent the rum category.” It also doesn’t taste like any other rum you’ve had.

An 84-proof (42% alcohol by volume) 750 ml. bottle sells for about $30. Since Stolen Smoked Rum is basically in a category of its own, I figure it’s best to hear the background straight from the horse’s mouth:

“We start with a column-distilled rum from Trinidad, made from locally sourced sugar cane and molasses. The rum is then aged for up to two years in used American oak whiskey barrels. Capturing the essence of a fresh brewed cup of joe, we infuse the rum using re-fractionated Colombian Arabica coffee, wholly distilled from same-day roasted beans. The warm, roasted flavor is complemented by the creamy sweetness and velvety texture of premium Madagascan vanilla beans and Moroccan fenugreek. The rum is rounded off with notes of American hardwood, acquired through a smoking process called pyrolysis—the burning of hardwood in the absence of oxygen.”

The result is a deep copper-colored spirit with an attention-grabbing nose of charred firewood, molasses, barbecue sauce, milk chocolate, butterscotch, and candied pecans.

Once sipped neat, a smoky mesquite flavor is instantly recognizable and pretty damn dominant. When they say “smoked,” they mean it; this rum has all the subtlety of a massive bonfire. Some of the background notes remind me of barbeque chips, caramel corn, coffee, vanilla, oak, and char.

The finish is medium in length, warm, and sharply focused on the tip of the tongue. The most pronounced notes include cayenne heat, coffee, and molasses.

I would agree with those who have claimed Stolen Smoked Rum tastes more like a smoky coffee liqueur than a rum. And in that regard it’s likely a divisive, love-it-or-hate-it spirit. For me, it’s more appetizing and better-balanced when mixed with Diet Coke—as opposed to enjoying it neat. Fortunately, the affordable price point doesn’t preclude mixing.

Whatever the serving style, conventional wisdom would suggest pairing this spirit with a full-bodied smoke. But I’m going to suggest the opposite approach. In my experience, you’re better off going with a creamy, milder cigar to help offset the heavy-handed flavors of smoke, barbecue, and coffee. I had good experiences with Undercrown Shade, Pinar del Rio 1878 Cubano Especial Capa Natural, and Artisan’s Selection.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In November. the A. Smith Bowman Distillery announced a new addition to its Bowman series of bourbon whiskey: Issac Bowman, a straight bourbon whiskey finished port barrels. The Virginia distillery traces its roots to before prohibition, and relocated from Fairfax County (now a suburb of Washington) to Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Today, it is owned by Sazerac, which owns Kentucky’s famous Buffalo Trace Distillery, home to some of the biggest names in bourbon today: Pappy Van Winkle, George T. Stagg, Weller, Eagle Rare, and Blanton’s. Although details are limited, it is believed that most of the Bowman bourbons were distilled at the Buffalo Trace distillery, shipped to Bowman for additional distillation, then aged in Virginia.

The Bowman line is named after the Bowman brothers, who fought in the Revolutionary War: Bowman Brothers Small Batch Bourbon, John Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon, and Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Bourbons. There’s also a George Bowman Revolutionary Rum, named after their father. While youngest brother Isaac had been left out, the popularity of multiple Abraham Bowman limited edition bourbons finished in port barrels inspired the new permanent addition to the line.

While the Abraham Bowman Port Finish bourbons which were aged for over 12 years, the new Issaac Bowman line is reportedly aged for about half as long. The bourbon is copper in color with short legs.

The 92-proof bourbon features a sharp nose of cherry, vanilla, and wine tannin. On the palate, I find a combination of toasted grains, fresh cut oak, cherry cola, and caramel. The finish has roasted flavors and notes of red wine aged in french oak.

Those flavors pair well with an Ecuadorian Habano-wrapped cigar. Some favorites include: Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu, Sobermesa, Illusione Garagiste, and My Father.

One benefit of living in Virginia is the state-run liquor stores carry Bowman bourbons that would otherwise be harder to find. The new Issaac Bowman port-finished ($40) was released first to Virginia, but is expected to roll out to other states soon.

I slightly prefer Angel’s Envy Bourbon ($50) to Isaac Bowman, but fans of Angel’s Envy should try this bourbon, too. Both prominently display the flavors imparted by finishing the bourbon in port barrels, though Angel’s Envy is more balanced while Isaac Bowman is more forward and brash. Neither is as excellent as the limited release Abraham Bowman Port Finish (pictured right) but, of course, that sold out years ago and is nearly impossible to find.

The Michter’s whiskey brand was created in the 1950s by Lou Forman (the name is derived from his sons, MICHael and peTER). At that time, it was associated with the distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania, which ultimately closed in the late 1980s. (Some of the last whiskey distilled there ended up as the historic A.H. Hirsch bourbon.)

Later, the Michter’s brand was resurrected in the late 1990s, with whiskey made in Kentucky. I first wrote about Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon in 2009. Today, I look at the 2017 release. This limited and tough-to-find bourbon is released each fall, along with a 10-year rye and, depending on the year, 20- or 25-year bourbon.

Ostensibly, it’s the same bourbon; in reality, much has changed. Earlier, Michter’s 10 Year bourbons were known for being excellent picks, including from the stock of Stitzel Weller wheated bourbon that also was the source of earlier Pappy Van Winkle bourbon.

While Michter’s has started operating its own distillery, to date all Michter’s 10 Year has been sourced elsewhere. Although the source has never been revealed, it certainly isn’t Stizel Weller anymore. Brown-Forman (Old Forester), Heaven Hill, and Barton’s have all been speculated to be the source(s).

Michter’s 10 is bottled at 94.4-proof. The 2017 version retails for around $120, though don’t be surprised to find it selling for even more.

The spirit is chestnut brown in color. The nose is an inviting combination of toffee, buttered popcorn, and toasted oak. It has a creamy, velvety texture that features a combination of vanilla, oak, subtle baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg), and brown sugar notes.

More than anything, the 2017 release of Michter’s 10 Year is smooth. The finish is long with soft wood spices and burnt brown sugar notes.

It’s a very tasty bourbon with one significant drawback: a $120+ price tag. Personally, I find it hard to justify this cost when I can easily buy three bottles of very good bourbons—like Eagle Rare 10 Year or Henry McKenna Single Barrel (10 year)—for less, though that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate this, smooth, flavorful, well-executed bourbon.

To fully appreciate Michter’s, you’ll want to pair it with a mild- or medium-bodied cigar that’s well-balanced. Specifically, I’d recommend Cabaiguan, Davidoff Grand Cru, Paul Garmirian Gourmet, or Tesa Vintage Especial.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Once you start exploring Islay single malt scotch whisky, it won’t take too long to find Ardbeg. The classic, non-chill filtered single malt is among Islay’s peatiest, smokiest offerings.

Ardbeg only has a few lines in its core range, which makes it notable when one is added, as the An Oa was last summer. An Oa (pronounced “an oh”) is made by blending Ardbeg aged in different cask types—Pedro Ximinez sherry, virgin oak, and bourbon—and then combining them in a special vatting container.

Ardbeg An Oa (46.6% ABV) pours a gold straw color and the nose features citrus peel, pine, candle wax, and tar. The palate is a whirlwind tour of flavors including raw heat, black pepper, clove, brine, honeysuckle, and ginger. The finish is rather short with graphite, hickory, and light iodine.

At around $60, An Oa costs just a few dollars more than the standard Ardbeg 10 Year ($50) and bit less than Uigeadail and Corryvreckan (both around $80). At a time when new single malts are increasingly expensive, An Oa is fairly priced, even as a NAS (non-age statement) whiskey that clearly uses some younger whisky.

In both price and style, An Oa fits nicely in the lineup. It lacks the intensity and complexity of the Uigeadail or Corryvreckan and, while not as stylistically pure as Ardbeg 10, it is less aggressive and more approachable, making it an excellent whisky for those exploring Islay.

There’s more than enough feistiness in An Oa to stand up to a full-bodied cigar. I’d lean towards pairing it with something spicy like an Arturo Fuente Opus X, My Father, El Galan Dona Nieves, or Cuban Bolivar.

It’s been a very cold winter. If you’re looking for a warming drink (that isn’t actually hot) Ardbeg An Oa fits the bill. And, although it is better neat, it also does well in a hot toddy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Glenfarclas is an independent distillery, owned by the same family for 150 years. That’s a rarity in this era of corporate-dominated liquor brands.

The Speyside distillery features a range of aged single malts, from 10 years all the way up to 25 years old. They also make a cask strength version, the Glenfarclas 105, and a more exclusive Family Cask Range of vintage single malts.

Previously, I’ve praised the Glenfarclas 17, which sells for around $100 a bottle. Today I’m sipping a younger, more affordable offering: the 12 Year, which sells regularly for $50. (I recently picked up a bottle on sale for just $36.)

Glenfarclas 12 Year (43% ABV) is light amber in color, and the nose features classic sherried notes (dried fruit and brown sugar) along with pear and eucalyptus.

On the palate, it’s bright, fresh, and complex with melon, marmalade, pound cake, and honey, combined with resinous oak and clove spice. The finish brings out more sherry influence, with praline, classic oloroso, and candied fruits.

No one is going to mistake the Glenfarclas 12 Year for its 17 Year sibling. It lacks the richness and depth of flavor. But the 12 Year does feature a nice combination of enjoyable flavors, approach-ability, and value. Find it for under $40 (like I did) and it’s a real steal.

Pair it with a mild- to medium-bodied cigar, so as to not overwhelm the single malt.

I’d particularly recommend the Davidoff Grand Cru, Illusione Epernay, Tatuaje Black, or Ashton Classic.

– Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys