Tag Archives: rye

Bottles’ Limited Edition Private Barrel Selections

One of the things we’re most proud of at Bottles is our ever-growing selection of private single casks of bourbons, ryes and malts. Hand-selected by our team, they bear the Bottles stamp of approval for taste, quality and distinctiveness. They are truly one-of-a-kind, and are available only in limited quantities, and only to our loyal whiskey-loving community.

Herewith, our latest arrivals. Come check them out in store before they’re gone. If you’d like to sip before you shop, visit our sister bar The East End where they’ll be on the menu, while supplies last.

Four Roses
Barrel #7 OESV
111.4 proof
Selected by Liam and Kayleigh in May of 2018

It’s always difficult to select a barrel from Four Roses, it’s like picking a favorite child. So this time we chose three! This, the first that we’re releasing in 2018, is the 7th that we’ve purchased from the distillery, It’s an OESV, meaning it has a high corn content (and lower rye content than other Four Roses recipes) and it utilizes their proprietary “Delicate Fruit” yeast strain. Oh, it’s also 10 years and 6 months old, which means it has a well-integrated toasty, oaky flavor that you can only get from barrels that have been carefully aged for a loooong time.

FLAVOR PROFILE
Toasty & tasty. We were drawn in by the aroma of baking cocoa and toast, but fell in love with the long, dry finish. There’s a little nuttiness in there, too.

SERVING SUGGESTION
This is a civilized bourbon for the connoisseur and novice alike. Wants nothing more than a bit of cool water to temper the heat.

Knob Creek
Single Barrel Bourbon
120 proof
selected by Liam, Eric & Dan in March of 2018

We’re always happy to bring in a barrel of Knob Creek. It’s guaranteed to be at least nine years old, it’s always 120 proof, and it’s always very well priced. It’s not easy to find bourbon this good, this old, anymore. But here you go. This particular bottle was filled in February 2008 (making it 10 years old!) on the 3rd tier of the 4th floor of warehouse “E”. This means it was right smack-dab in the middle, the sweet spot where bourbon doesn’t age too quickly and hot, or to slowly and cool.

FLAVOR PROFILE
Hot & uncompromising. We don’t know if you can handle this bourbon. It’s like getting socked in the mouth with a nerf ball steeped in bourbon, caramel, dried fruit & more bourbon.

SERVING SUGGESTION
Add a cube or a splash of water to get that classic Knob Creek flavor of fruity, oaky, bourbon. Also great for robust cocktails, like a Reanimator or Boulevardier.

Knob Creek Single Barrel Rye
115 proof
Selected by Liam, Eric & Dan in March of 2018

Dan is our new spirits buyer, and one of his first duties was to help us select the first private barrel of Knob Creek Rye to come into Rhode Island. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it. This is a relatively new program of Knob Creek, so the barrels aren’t quite as old as we get for bourbon, but rye’s brash flavor more than makes up for its youth. This barrel was filled in November 2011 and aged at the very tippity top of warehouse “Z”. That’s where things get the hottest, and traditionally where the whiskey evaporates and concentrates the quickest.

FLAVOR PROFILE
Spicy & warming. You’ll find in-your-face grainy rye flavor with a pleasant char and long, throat-warming finish.

SERVING SUGGESTION
Makes a killer Old Fashioned. Good job, Dan!

Maker’s Mark
Private Select
112.2 Proof
Created by Liam & Kayleigh in May of 2018

It’s here – the first Maker’s Mark Private Select in the State of Rhode Island! Maker’s private barrel process is an unusual one: we were given the chance to customize the barrel in which our bourbon would spend the final stage of the aging process by choosing from a menu of distinct oak staves, each with its own name, and each adding flavor and nuance to the finished product. After several hours of sampling different combinations, we went with a recipe that used the “Toasted French Spice” and the creamy “Seared French Cuvee,” with some “Toasted Oak” and a pinch of “Mocha” staves. The bourbon was put into our barrel, then allowed to mellow in a very cool warehouse. We’re thrilled with the final result: it’s dangerously drinkable for something that’s 112 proof.

We hand-signed every label, and may have left some secret messages on the back!

FLAVOR PROFILE
Unique & confectionary. There is, quite literally, no other Maker’s Mark like this in the world. Full of rich cocoa and mocha flavors, with a healthy dose of cinnamon and clove. Deceptively smooth and drinkable for such a high proof!

Weller Antique 107
107 proof
Selected by Liam & Kayleigh in May 2018

This is incredibly rare. A hand-selected, six-and-a-half year old barrel of the coveted Weller, a wheated bourbon much in demand. This one is going fast, so in an effort to spread as much love as we can, we’re putting a cap on the number of bottles one can purchase. It’s great liquid at an amazing price. There’s nothing more to say. It’s Weller. Enjoy!

Compass Box Great King “Marrying Cask”
98 proof
Selected by Liam in May of 2018

This is very exciting for us whisk(e)y geeks at Bottles. Compass Box is one of our absolute favorite producers. Great King Street Artist’s Blend is their entry-level whisky, made up of a specific blend of whiskies and “marrying casks.” What you have here, though, is a limited release of a single “marrying cask.” We purchased the entirety of one French Oak cask, the one that adds ALL of the rich baking spice flavors and creamy texture to the final blended product.

FLAVOR PROFILE
This single cask is rich, bold, and full of comforting baking spice flavors. 100% Highland Scottish Single Malt matured for 2 years in a custom French Oak cask. It’s single malt on steroids.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS
This is the perfect dram for a cold winter’s evening (or day). Grab one for the Scotch lover in your life, grab two for you!

For more coverage of our Private Barrel Program, be sure to check out last year’s additions.

For pricing and availability on all of our selections, visit us in store or speak to one of our team members by calling (401) 372-2030.

Cheers!
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Mad River Distillers: Spirits With a Sense of Place

mad river barn

photo courtesy of Mad River Distillers

We’re mad about Mad River Distillers.

Maura Connolly, a co-founder of the Warren, Vermont-based craft distillery, visited Bottles on an unusually warm day in January to talk about and taste our team through the line of Mad River small-batch spirits.

Her distillery, a red-roofed, renovated horse barn, is cradled in the heart of the Green Mountains. In that quintessential New England structure, their craft Mueller still (designed specifically to make brandies, rums and whiskies) produces spirits that are distinctly of their place. That is, they are all made by hand and from scratch using raw materials from Vermont and neighboring regions. Nearly all ingredients — from the water drawn from a nearby mountain spring, to the corn in their bourbon and the apples in their brandy — are from local land, farms and orchards. And for those ingredients that aren’t indigenous, such as cane sugar, Mad River purchases from fair-trade certified, sustainable sources.
madriver_group
We started with their First Run Rum, which is distilled from fair-trade demerara sugar, and like their bourbon and rye, is aged in charred barrels. We all agreed that with its rich bourbon-like texture, and smooth, caramel finish, it was indeed how Maura described it: a rum for whiskey drinkers.

Next was the Mad River Maple Rum which is as good as it sounds. Like the First Run it has whiskey-like qualities. Its unmistakable maple flavor comes from a secondary aging in oak barrels that once held pure Vermont maple syrup. Maura suggested that it makes a terrific Old Fashioned on the rocks, and that it’s also great just out of the freezer, on ice.

The Mad River Bourbon is a four-grain wheated bourbon, made from a special strain of a non-GMO corn grown in VT just for the distillery, as well as wheat, oats and malted barley. We were all impressed with the strong though not overbearing corn flavor, and could imagine how great it would be served in front of a roaring fire with a bowl of popcorn.

The Mad River Rye made from 100% organic rye grown in nearby New York was a hit with the team as well. We all agreed it would make a great sipping rye, with classic pepper and winter baking spice flavors, all complemented by a surprising, subtle mocha note that we were told was from a dark chocolate roasted rye in the mash bill.

We ended our tasting with Malvados, Mad River’s flagship apple brandy. A wink and a nod to the classic French apple brandy Calvados, Mad River’s tart, sour and sweet version is made from eight varieties of Vermont-grown heirloom apples and cider. It recently won a highly coveted Good Food Award – we can see why.

Because Maura and her team are so focused on quality and small-batch production, their spirits are only available in three states. We’re so glad Rhode Island is one of them and are honored to currently be the state’s exclusive purveyor of the entire line of Mad River spirits.

Here are a few Mad River cocktail recipes that we love. Visit their website for others, and enjoy!

madriver_maple
Russell Warren Old Fashioned Created by Ashish at the Russell House Tavern, Boston
3 oz Mad River Maple Rum
.5 oz Honey Syrup
1 dash Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters
Optional: Club Soda
Stir all ingredients with a pinch of mint. Serve over ice. Garnish with Mint.

madriver_campari
1794
1.5 oz. Mad River Rye
1.5 oz. Campari
1.5 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
Stir Rye, Campari and vermouth over ice. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with an orange swath.

madriver_lux
Fancy Pants
2 oz. Mad River Bourbon
1/2 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
2 dash orange bitters
dash Angostura Bitters
orange twist
Combine all ingredients except orange twist in a pitcher and stir. Pour over ice into a rocks glass and garnish with the twist.

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Bourbon 101

Whether we’re turning neophytes onto bourbon or introducing new finds to long-time aficionados, we at Bottles love talking about bourbon. We love talking about it, writing about it, sipping it, mixing it, discovering new distillers and re-discovering old distillers. We just flat out heart bourbon.

To spread the love to team members that are new to the store, we give them a crash course in the beloved brown spirit. A “Bourbon 101” to prime their palates for the joys ahead.

And given the sheer volume of questions we get in-store about bourbon we’re sharing our primer with you. What follows is meant to give you the basics on what it is and how it’s made. Once you’ve got that down, come in to the store or give us a call for the fun stuff: the flavor differences between styles and producers, which is sweetest, which is strongest, how best to enjoy bourbon and which makes the best Manhattan (just our opinion , of course).

Did we mention we love talking about bourbon?

Cheers!bourbon101_info-color

 

 

Learn All About Heaven Hill Distilleries – Small Batch Bourbons, Bottled-in-Bond, and Beyond!

heavenhillIn the spirit of welcoming in the fall season, we are having a new Bourbon Special at Bottles! We’re featuring a wide range of whiskies by Heaven Hill Distilleries: America’s largest independent family-owned producer of Bourbon, who holds the second largest inventory of bourbon in the country. They make great bourbons like Elijah Craig, Evan Williams 1783, Rittenhouse Rye, and much, much more. Below we’ve outlined some of the featured whiskeys from our display. So take a read, soak it in, and swing by the store today and grab a bottle or 5 off our new display!

henrymckenna1 copyHenry McKenna 10 Year, Bottled in Bond 
By law, a Bottled in Bond whiskey must be bottled at 100 proof, aged for a minimum of four years in a government warehouse, and must contain whiskey from a single season of distillery production. Henry McKenna is one of our all­-time favorite whiskies, from anywhere in the world. Bold without being pushy, and deceptively boozy, you’re gonna want Henry in your corner on a night out (or in)!
bernheim1 copy

Bernheim Wheat Whiskey
A straight whiskey that utilizes winter wheat to bring out extremely soft, sweet, slightly herbal flavors. Very good on its own and eminently mixable, this is a truly unique whiskey!
elijahcraig_12yrsmallbatch copyElijah Craig 12 Year
These days, you don’t see a lot of 12 year old Bourbon out there, and certainly not at an affordable price. Elijah Craig 12 is a truly small batch bourbon ­ each batch is blended from no more than 70 hand selected barrels. The result is a clean & bracing whiskey, with clear vanilla & oak notes.
evanwilliams_1783_1 copyEvan Williams 1783
1783 was the year the first official distiller opened in Kentucky, and this Bourbon pays tribute to that Kentucky spirit. A small batch version of Evan William’s Black Label, it’s dry & toasty, with a beguiling zesty & spicy finish.

 

evanwilliams_2004singlebar copyEvan William Single Barrel
Bottled from a barrel aged near the top of Heaven Hill’s rickhouse, where the average temperature is much higher. The resulting whiskey has penetrated deep into its barrel, picking up remarkably nuanced flavors of cocoa, black tea, vanilla, cedar, and a light citrus quality.
evanwilliam_whitelabel1 copyEvan Williams White Label, Bottled in Bond
By law, a Bottled in Bond whiskey must be bottled at 100 proof, aged for a minimum of four years in a government warehouse, and must contain whiskey from a single season of distillery production. This antiquated system helped protect farmers and distillers in the past, giving them a government backed cash crop and tax breaks on warehousing. Now­a­days, it just means good, quality Bourbon.
rittenhouserye1 copyRittenhouse Straight Rye
A spicy rye whisky that smells and tastes like running through a field on a warm summer day. This 100 proof expression loves to be mixed, though it can be consumed on the rocks if you want to put some hair on your chest!

Cheers!

 

Great Bourbon for a Bargain!

Bourbons for a Bargain

Who doesn’t love bourbon? If you’ve indulged during the holidays, you may be looking for a whiskey that doesn’t decimate your wallet. That’s why we’ve put together a list of great bourbons, all of which are under $20. Stop by our store, shop our bourbon display, and treat yo’ self!

Old Grand Dad Bottled in Bond Bourbon Whiskey
First distilled by Basil Hayden himself, Old Grand Dad is a high -rye bourbon with a spicy, robust finish. $18.99


Evan Williams Bottled in Bond Bourbon
Full of juicy grain & vanilla notes with a long, dry finish. $17.99
Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond Bourbon Whiskey
Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond – 100 proof
A wheated bourbon with a lighter, more floral finish than it’s high-rye cousins. $11.99

What does Bottled-in-Bond mean?
Bottled-in-bond refers to American spirits that have been aged and bottled according to a set of specific US regulations. The spirit must be the product of one distillation season and one distiller at one distillery and stored in a government warehouse for at least 4 years. The purpose of the 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act was to create a standard of quality for Bourbon whiskey. The Act created incentive by allowing distilleries to delay tax payment until the aging of their whiskey was complete.

Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon Whiskey
Produced by blending Four Roses proprietary 10 recipes of bourbon for a full, round, & lush experience. $19.99
W.L. Weller Special Reserve Bourbon Whiskey
A Bottles favorite! A wheated bourbon perfect for mixing; light & floral. $16.99

Watch Liam, our whiskey expert, talk about W.L. Weller Bourbon: http://youtu.be/XNc4LbbEpOw

Old Heaven Hill Very Rare Old 8 yr Bourbon Whiskey
Old Heaven Hill Very Rare Old 8 yr (Liter) – 86 proof
Rare, out of production, and crazy cheap. Get it while you can! $14.99
Rebel Yell Bourbon Whiskey
Rebel Yell – 80 proof
Based on W.L. Weller’s original wheat recipe – it’s long & smooth with a clean finish. $14.99
Hochstadter's Slow and Low Rock and Rye Whiskey
Ok…so this isn’t Bourbon. But, it’s a cocktail in a bottle that uses Rye Whiskey. Basically, an Old Fashioned in a bottle! Serve over ice.  $19.999 – 750ml, $11.99 – 375ml

 
Looking for Bourbon Cocktail Ideas? Click below: