This English-style ale is light in body, in keeping with the Newcastle house style. Designed for Spring drinking (on sale through April), it is lightly sweet and lightly hopped, offering toasty bread, light caramel, and easy malt notes. Honestly, it’s a pretty mild brew, a bitter sweeter than off-the-rack Newcastle but not full of a lot of definition beyond that. Certainly the least bitter of the Newcastle brews I’ve sampled to date, it has an interesting fruitiness to match its barely-there burnt sugar finish.

4.8% abv.

B / $8 per six-pack / newcastlebrown.com

Need previous coverage or a baseline of what this experimental series is all about? Find it here:
Round One (including all the basics of the approach to this series)
Round Two
Round Three

We won’t waste time this quarter going into the basics. This round focuses on the differences between two warehouses at Buffalo Trace, one with wood floors (Warehouse K), and one with concrete (Warehouse L). You’ll find both rye and wheat whiskeys here, plus the usual variety of wood grain in barrels, but otherwise the details are the same: 125 entry proof, #3 char, level 12 seasoning, and bottom half of tree used for the barrels. As usual, all Bourbons are bottled at 90 proof.

My results: I found the Warehouse K whiskeys to be better than their otherwise identical Warehouse L counterparts 4 out of 6 times. I gave them tie grades once and scored the Warehouse L whiskey higher once (and I think the Warehouse K whiskey on that comparison was simply off). Wood ricks are of course traditional in Bourbon country, and maybe this is why: They seem to produce better booze.

That said, on the whole, I found this round to be very worthwhile — in fact, taken as a group, it’s probably the best set of releases to date. Not sure if it’s me, but there’s a lot of sweetness in this batch… for the most a good thing.

Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project Barrel #10 – Interesting texture, almost like dissolved sugar. Great body and good balance, with flavors of apricots, tangerines, aged wood, and a long vanilla cream finale. Smooth, silky finish. One of the best from this series to date. A (rye, 125 entry proof, level 12 seasoning, tight grain, wood ricks, #3 char, bottom half of tree)

Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project Barrel #14 – More syrupy, and more wood influence. Bit of raisin in the body, giving this a touch more interest. Not a bad whiskey at all. B+ (rye, 125 entry proof, level 12 seasoning, tight grain, concrete, #3 char, bottom half of tree)

Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project Barrel #42 – A bigger whiskey than the previous, more sweet, and a bit of burn. Cedar box and evergreen notes. A solid Bourbon, especially for the sweet tooths (sweet teeth?) out there. A- (wheat, 125 entry proof, level 12 seasoning, tight grain, wood ricks, #3 char, bottom half of tree)

Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project Barrel #46 – Heavy wood influence, a bit overcooked. The finish redeems with a powerful cinnamon character. Plenty of vanilla here, too. Solid, woody Bourbon. B+ (wheat, 125 entry proof, level 12 seasoning, tight grain, concrete, #3 char, bottom half of tree)

Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project Barrel #74 – Pure vanilla and caramel, a lovely Kentucky approximation of creme brulee. The wood makes an appearance at the end, which somewhat mars the fun. Still like it. A- (rye, 125 entry proof, level 12 seasoning, average grain, wood ricks, #3 char, bottom half of tree)

Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project Barrel #78 – Lots of wood here, but that fades with time in the glass. Beneath that there’s some sugar. Caramel character, to be specific. That sweetness grows as the finish rumbles on. A- (rye, 125 entry proof, level 12 seasoning, average grain, concrete, #3 char, bottom half of tree)

Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project Barrel #106 – Nice orange character, which grows stronger as the finish builds. A sizeable wood influence in here, too, but the balance is not as full-formed as with other Bourbons in this collection. B+ (wheat, 125 entry proof, level 12 seasoning, average grain, wood ricks, #3 char, bottom half of tree)

Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project Barrel #110 – Smooth caramel in a glass, with some unusual herbal notes on the finish, plus some dark chocolate character. Quite a departure from the other whiskeys in this collection, particularly its sibling, #106 — and really quite enjoyable with its complexity. A (wheat, 125 entry proof, level 12 seasoning, average grain, concrete, #3 char, bottom half of tree)

Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project Barrel #138 – Evergreen notes on the nose lead to a somewhat traditional and sweet whiskey. The finish is a touch sour compared to the others in this round, but on the whole it’s another solid Bourbon. B+ (rye, 125 entry proof, level 12 seasoning, coarse grain, wood ricks, #3 char, bottom half of tree)

Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project Barrel #142 – Perhaps the first miss in this collection. Not much happening on the nose, and on the tongue it fades quickly. Over-wooded, with the flavor sucked out a bit. B- (rye, 125 entry proof, level 12 seasoning, coarse grain, concrete, #3 char, bottom half of tree)

Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project Barrel #170 – Pure nougat on the nose and the palate, but a touch on the alcoholic side, leaving a hot finish lacking in most of the other whiskeys here. B+ (wheat, 125 entry proof, level 12 seasoning, coarse grain, wood ricks, #3 char, bottom half of tree)

Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project Barrel #174 – A touch of menthol, some cherry notes, then a lingering, lasting sweetness. Great balance. Lovely Bourbon. A (wheat, 125 entry proof, level 12 seasoning, coarse grain, concrete, #3 char, bottom half of tree)

$46 each (375ml bottle) / singleoakproject.com

Pouring a clear amber color, Avery’s IPA is capped with a bubbly head, which leaves behind thick clumps of white foam as it recedes. The nose on this exudes hops from the start, with a strong grapefruit and citrus beginning with traces of pine as well. I was taken aback by the potency of the malt bill in this, as you get a brown sugar-esque sweetness in the finish.

The taste brings on a two-sided attack on the palate. At once you get a strong sweetness from the malts which serves as an excellent foil to the bitterness that come sweeping in shortly after. The Cascade and Centennial hops are the most prominent, delivering a triple threat of spicy, floral, and citrus flavors, all the while piling on more and more bitterness. The finish seems to blend a nice proportion of both sweet and bitter, with a subtle alcohol heat.

This finishes pretty clean, but leaves a bitterness on the palate and the hops numb the tastebuds after a while. This is an IPA that doesn’t focus on being a hop bomb, but is still able to promise a lot of hop flavor while balancing it nicely with the malts. One of the downsides of Avery’s IPA, however, is that as you drink, the bitterness begins to pile on and take away from the drinkability.

B / $9.99 per 6-pack / averybrewing.com

Unlike the Rose, C is a full Cognac, blended from spirits produced from grapes from 50 winegrowers in the Fin Bois Cru, a somewhat lesser Cognac region surrounding Grand Champagne and Petite Champagne. That’s understandable: There are only so many grapes in Grande Champagne and they must cost a fair Euro these days, so Courvoisier can make a less expensive Cognac by stepping into nearby areas. The resulting spirit is double barreled in both young and mature barrels. No age statement is offered.

The results are unfortunately a bit tepid. The deep amber, almost burnt orange color is enticing, and the nose offers lots of citrus and apple fruit character, with a touch of floral element to it. On the body, lots of heat. In a vessel that curves in at the lip, this traps a lot of alcohol in the glass, and it quickly becomes overwhelming. Let it dissipate (or try a different drinking implement) and you’ll get lots more of that apple/orange fruit, plus a healthy slug of wood. Not a whole lot of balance here, as the fruit and wood notes just don’t mingle well. I think Courvoisier did this intentionally with those new wood barrels to produce a more flavorful and “brash” spirit, and there it succeeds — this is not a delicate Cognac — but it comes at the price of smoothness and complexity.

80 proof.

B- / $35 / courvoisier.com

What is Golden Promise? A special type of barley developed in 1965, and one of the most popular in Scotch whiskeys. The Golden Promise used in this bottling was grown at Drumin Farm in Glenlivet. It’s considered one of the best barleys in the world and has won the prizes to prove it. This whiskey is made exclusively with this barley instead of a blend of lots of varieties, which is common.

The whisky is 9 years old, bottled in 2008. Otherwise the production is pretty par for single malt.

So, can you really “taste the barley” here? You can. As grain character goes, there’s plenty to go around. I’m not sure I know what raw (un-whiskyed) barley really tastes like, but I imagine it’s a lot like this. Big cereal character, with toasted grains, much like you’d get in a young American whiskey. Spicy and racy on the finish, it’s more convoluted than complicated.

Ultimately I think this whiskey feels a bit undercooked, and the grain character is too far in the foreground. More time in oak (possibly much more time) could temper some of that toast character, or a sherry cask finish might have rounded out the flavor profile.

But as an experiment, this is quite interesting: Pure grain, virtually no peat influence, and limited time in the barrel make for a curious whisky experience that’s worth a sample dram.

100 proof. (Batch #3 is shown below, but the bottles are nearly identical.)

B+ / $50 / benromach.com

2010 Pali Chardonnay Charm Acres Sonoma Coast - Surprisingly restrained for California Chardonnay. Lemon and grapefruit on the nose, buttery and rich body, but minimal oak influence and a really light finish that fades fast. Easy drinking and, while not exactly complicated, refreshing for Chardonnay. A- / $20

2010 Pali Pinot Noir Huntington Santa Barbara County – Very jammy for Pinot, particularly for a wine from the typically denser Santa Barbara region. Big strawberry and raspberry character, with minimal tannin. So much fruit you’d think you’re drinking grape juice. I don’t mean that in a bad way. I rated the 2009 vintage the same. B+ / $21

2010 Pali Pinot Noir Riviera Sonoma Coast – Even jammier, almost cloying. Massive strawberry character here, strawberry syrup and candy-like, with a touch of chocolate on the back end. Too sweet for my tastes. B- / $19

paliwineco.com

Liber & Co. sent us samples of their new product and it’s certainly nothing like your bottle of Schweppes. A ruddy orange, and indeed a tonic syrup, not a tonic “water.” Made with crushed herbs, spices, and cinchona bark, it is filtered down to 25 microns, “the lower threshold that the human tongue can detect,” per the company, to remove particulates. Agave nectar is used for sweetening.

The results are impressive if overwhelming. Tasted alone the syrup is a gut-puncher, full of orange peel and clove character, sweet at first, then fading to bitter in the way you might expect tonic to taste. There’s a vague quinine aftertaste that reminds you what it is you’re drinking.

Naturally this is not meant to be drank solo, and I tried it in the Save the Countess cocktail recipe (below), with great results. Here the tonic syrup works well with its fellow spirits, creating a fun and balanced — if quite flavorful — cocktail. (Do not omit the grapefruit juice and shake it long and hard if you make one. A little melted ice is essential to get this down to the right booze level.)

Overall, this is a fun mixer that will make you think wildly differently about  what G&T night can be.

Currently available in Austin, Dallas, and Washington, D.C.

A- / $10 for 8 oz. bottle / liberandcompany.com

Save the Countess
3/4 oz. Spiced Tonic Syrup
1 1/4 oz. gin
1 1/4 oz. Lillet Blanc
splash grapefruit juice
2 dashes Peychaud bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.

Happenstance has brought him home to France where he’s overseeing 80,000 cases of wine from Vidal-Fleury’s 19 AOCs each year. His approach: New World meets Old World, as Sarton du Jonchay focuses on wines which are ripe and fruit-forward but also balanced and expressive of their terroir. How does he do it? By aging his wines well before they are released: The current release of Vidal-Fleury’s Cotes-du-Rhone is actually from the 2007 vintage.

We sat down over lunch to taste through five current releases, from inexpensive table wines to the fancier stuff. Thoughts follow.

2010 Vidal-Fleury Cotes-du-Rhone White – 75% Viognier, 15% Grenache Blanc, and 10% other grapes. Lots of melon with a pineapple finish. A tough vegetal at the end, but very mild for a heavy Viognier blend. Really easy-drinking, paired well with all manner of seafood. B+ / $14

2007 Vidal-Fleury Cotes-du-Rhone Rouge – 65% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre. Somewhat thin for what should be a burly wine, lacking in power and minimally spiced. Not my favorite wine of the day. B- / $14

2007 Vidal-Fleury Saint Joseph - 100% Syrah. A rarity — 100% Syrah — from an AOC we rarely get in the U.S. My favorite wine of the day, rich with raisiny character, huge depth, and some gaminess to give it interest. Great body. A / $29

2005 Vidal-Fleury Cote-Rotie Brune et Blonde – 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier. A more delicate wine with more acidity, but peppery and lively. Not enough body for my tastes, which is strange because 2005 was a banner year for the northern Rhone Valley. A- / $74

2009 Vidal-Fleury Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise – A fortified 100% Muscat, bottled at 15% abv. The usual sweetness and orange blossoms are tempered with herbs and earth. A surprisingly drinkable and not cloying dessert wine. A- / $19 (half bottle)

vidal-fleury.com

Mandarine Napoleon is a Grand Marnier clone, a blend of straight orange liqueur and Cognac. The mandarins used are sourced from Sicily and Corsica. The Cognac used is a 10-year-old edition, which is quite aged and which, I would imagine, is used sparingly in the blend due to its relative cost. Artificial color is used to give it a deeper orange character.

The nose is pure orange, undercut with alcohol notes — understandable since this is bottled at 76 proof.

On the body, more oranges, with a rich, lightly oxidized body. Spices including cinnamon, licorice, and cloves, with plenty of sugar to sweeten the pot. The brandy mellows and enriches the concoction, giving it a warming, woody, and more exotic flavor. The body is a bit on the syrupy side — common for orange liqueurs — but it isn’t cloying. The finish is of course quite sweet, and lasting like an orange hard candy. I really enjoy margaritas made with Grand Marnier in lieu of standard triple sec, and I expect this would exceed in one much the same way.

I don’t have any Grand Marnier on hand (surprisingly) to compare this to directly, but if memory serves this is a pretty close approximation. Moderately sweet and enjoyable on its own and as a mixer. The retro bottle is a bit off-putting, but look beyond the tinted, textured glass and to the liquid within.

A- / $30 / mandarinenapoleon.com

Wedding Punch by Jonathan Pogash, The Cocktail Guru

Mixology Version – served warm (serves 8-10)

12 ½ parts Sandeman Founder’s Reserve Porto
8 parts spiced pineapple syrup*
4 parts fresh lemon juice
8 parts brandy or cognac
8 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
16 parts boiling water

Directions: Combine all ingredients (except for boiling water) in a separate container.  When ready to serve, add 2 parts of mixture to 4 parts boiling water.  Serve with freshly grated nutmeg, cinnamon stick, and a lemon peel.

*To make spiced pineapple syrup: In a large saucepan, combine cubes from a whole cut pineapple, along with ½ cup sugar in the raw, ½ cup water, 1 tsp. whole cloves, 1 tsp.  whole allspice, 2 vanilla beans (sliced in the middle), 2 cinnamon sticks, and allow to heat over medium, stirring often, for about 20 minutes.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Once pineapple chunks become soft, crush gently inside of saucepan and stir. When finished, remove from heat, strain out solids, chill and serve.

The at-home version substitutes pineapple juice and maple syrup for the spiced pineapple syrup, and skips the bitters, but like Pogash’s original recipe, it’s truly delicious.

Served warm or cold (serves 8-10)

12 ½ parts Sandeman Founder’s Reserve Porto
8 parts pineapple juice
2 parts maple syrup
4 parts brandy or cognac
4 parts fresh lemon juice

Directions to serve warm: Add the above ingredients to a container and stir or shake to blend. Pour 2 parts of mixture into a hot toddy mug and top off with boiling water. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg and a lemon peel.

Directions to serve cold: Add the above ingredients to a large punch bowl with lots of ice and stir to chill and dilute. Add several lemon wheels to the bowl. Ladle out into punch glasses and top with freshly grated nutmeg and cinnamon stick.

+++

Ruby Sling by Adam Schuman, Fatty Crew

Mixology Version (serves 1)

1 ½ parts Sandman Ruby Port
1 part Batavia Arrack
1 ½ parts pineapple juice
¼ part yuzu juice
2 dashes angostura bitters
2 dashes allspice dram
2 dashes Pernod liqueur
1 ½ parts chilled ginger ale

Directions: Add all ingredients except ginger ale over ice in a highball glass, leaving room for about 1 ½ parts of ginger ale. Top off with ginger ale. Garnish with a skewered chunk of pineapple and a brandied cherry.

The at-home version is made in a punch-bowl style and substitutes lime juice for yuzu juice, and replaces the flavors of the Pernod and Batavia Arrack with spices that may already be in your cupboard for a drink that is just as tasty as the original.

Punch Bowl Version (serves 10-15)

25 parts Sandman Ruby Port
17 parts Jamaican white rum
25 parts pineapple juice
4 parts fresh lime juice
25 parts ginger ale
20 pieces allspice
10 pieces star anise
5 cinnamon sticks

Directions: Simmer 6 parts of port with 20 pieces of allspice, 10 pieces of star anise and 5 sticks of cinnamon. Allow the spiced port to cool and then add it to the rest of the punch. Before serving, add ice and ginger ale to the punch. Lastly, grate or sprinkle some nutmeg over the punch for additional spice.