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Greg Sinadinos

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Whiskey Review: Orphan Barrel Forged Oak

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forged-oak

I will admit to you all, I am a tad partial to Orphan Barrel products. It was in the basement-level bar of a local brewery in a dark and crowded space that I tasted Orphan Barrel Barterhouse. This was my first taste of a “higher-end” (for me at the time anyways) bourbon. It was with the first successful hunt for a bottle with a close friend of mine that my love for bourbon really kicked-off. As such, I have successfully completed my mission to taste each of these Orphan Barrel products. So, without further delay, my review of Forged Oak for your entertainment.

Spirit Info

Distillery: ORPHAN BARREL Whiskey Distilling Co
Spirit: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: 15 Years
ABV: 45.25%
Purchase Price: $79.99

Nose

True to the name, you immediately get a strong oaken scent. So strong in fact, you have to search for others. If you do though, you’ll find vanilla bean, caramel, and molasses intertwined.

Palate

The sip starts with a spicy kick of charred oak, dried berries, and fades into dried vanilla bean and maple. It’s a rather straightforward flavor that wood-punches your taste-buds.

Afterglow

Again, a rather straightforward flavor of orange-blossom honey plays on the tongue while a very slight woody burn sits in the back of the throat.

Conclusion

If you like woody bourbons, this one is one for your cabinet. It isn’t the easiest to find, but worth a pick-up if you’re into that sort of thing. I will admit the price is a tad high for such an on-the-nose bourbon when it comes to flavor, but with a name like “forged oak” you more or less know what you’re getting yourself into when you swipe your credit card.

Grade: B-

Scotch Review: The Macallan 12 Year

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the macallan 12 year

So, my usual bourbon aficionados and I were checking out at our usual store in Tampa when we spotted this prominently placed on a display. The red box immediately caught our eye, and we’ve had some good experiences with sherry cask finishes, so, we picked it up and enjoyed it so much we thought it deserved its own review.

Spirit Info

  • Distillery: The Macallan Distillers LTD
  • Spirit: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskey (matured in selected sherry oak casks from Jerez, Spain)
  • Age: 12 Years
  • ABV: 43%
  • Purchase Price: $57.99

Nose

A strong peat, charcoal, and sweet sherry scent immediately overtake the nose, followed by a light aroma of orange peel and floral-honey.

Palate

The sherry immediately hits you full-force and recedes into the typical Macallan single malt flavors of oaky-peat and smoky-charcoal. Undertones of citrus and dried cherries make a pleasant appearance, peaking at the middle of the taste.

Afterglow

For having such a bold flavor, the afterglow is surprisingly light. Honey and floral flavors stay on the tongue with slight tones of sherry and charcoal in the background.

Conclusion

Overall, it was a rather enjoyable pour. The depth of flavor and complexity added by the sherry oak cask finish is a wonderful addition to an already established selection. There is a very slight bite that comes a second or two after it hits the tongue, but it fades quickly and with it comes that beautiful complexity of competing flavors.

Grade:A-