whiskeyfortheages, Author at Whiskey for the Ages

Brian’s Dry Fly Port Finish Wheat Whiskey Review

Posted on 29-November-201927-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Dry Fly Port Finish Wheat Whiskey Review

original review written on 25-July-2019

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

I have been intrigued with the idea of “finishing” bourbon in old wine barrels ever since I first heard of 1792’s Port and Angel’s Envy releases a couple of years ago. And as a fan of wheaters, I thought it would be a nice marriage. I’ve enjoyed Dry Fly Straight Wheat Whiskey, so when I saw this iteration on the shelf, I secured a bottle for the bunker.

But how does one rate such a thing? Strictly speaking, the juice is whiskey, but this confection is unlike anything else I have tasted. Dry Fly’s Port Finish Wheat is good – maybe even better than good – but I would not want more than a couple of ounces at any one time as it is quite sweet. Is there such a thing as a “dessert whiskey”? Read the Dry Fly Port Finish Wheat Whiskey Review here!

DRY FLY PORT FINISH WHEAT VITAL STATS:

Dry Fly Port Finish Wheat Whiskey Review Bottle

– Region: Spokane, WA, USA
– Distiller: Dry Fly Distilling
– Classification: Straight Whiskey
– Mash bill: 100% local soft white wheat from eastern Washington
– Process: Twice distilled
– Age: 3 years plus another 6-12 months in the huckleberry-infused port barrels
– Casks: New 53-gallon American Oak barrels
– Barrel Char: #3
– ABV: 45 (90 Proof)
– Price: $34.95 USD in Idaho
– No batch or bottle number identifiers

From the Dry Fly website: “Dry Fly Port Finish Wheat Whiskey is the same whiskey as our Washington Wheat, aged 3+ years in American Oak and then moved to a Port Wine barrel for an average of 6-12 months. It has a soft port finish and a slightly higher tannin level from the port barrel.

“Dry Fly utilizes port barrels obtained from Townshend Cellar, a neighbor … in Washington who produces Huckleberry Port. The port … offers ‘aromas of dried black currant, huckleberry, fig and black cherry with a hint of licorice. The huckleberry, chocolate, coffee and black currant linger with a long satisfying finish.'”

Data from dryflydistilling.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

NOSE:

Fresh ripe huckleberry explodes from the bottle even before the juice is nosed in the Glencairn. Dry Fly Port Finish Wheat has a distinct, deep, red wine fruitiness and packs a Port punch. Further nosing brings soft wheat, figs, red grapes, plums as well as dried prunes, and raisins. There are hints of mulling spices, sweet, yet slightly citrusy vanilla, and bursts of maple which mix with an ever-so-slight touch of oak.

PALATE:

On the tongue, sweet syrupy dessert wine dominates and hides any acidic tones of whiskey. The wheat base adds smoothness. This is a fruity juice: berries, dates, figs, ripe grapes, plums, and loads of plump, gourmet raisins. As noted on the nose, mulling spices and maple sugar sweetness coats the tongue.

Dry Fly Port Finish Wheat Whiskey Review Glass

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Dry Fly Port Finish Wheat is a loaded and well-balanced fruit train and has a port-style mouthfeel which coats the tongue in syrupy goodness. The slight whiskey heat is a welcome addition to the rich and smooth creaminess. The juice clings to the inside of the Glencairn in oily sheets.

In a glass (and in the bottle), this wheat looks darker than most others, taking on a reddish, copper hue.

FINISH:

Dry Fly Port Finish Wheat has a short finish but offers a lasting warmness of huckleberry syrup infused with spices of nutmeg and cloves.

MY RATING: 85/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
But it won’t be a must have in the bunker.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 85/100 to access other whiskeys with this score. However, this whiskey should not be selected in place of these or other drinks. Dry Fly Port Finish Wheat stands in its own light.
Click Dry Fly to read my thoughts on other whiskey from this distillery.

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Dry Fly Straight Wheat Whiskey Review

Posted on 29-November-201927-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Dry Fly Straight Wheat Whiskey Review

originally reviewed 01March2019-Oct

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

For this Dry Fly Straight Wheat Whiskey Review, I enjoyed Dry Fly Washington Wheat Whiskey more after the bottle had been open for a week and the first pour was gone. The whiskey wasn’t real complex at first, but with time, hints of grainy sweetness and nuts came through. It is a nice warm pour.

DRY FLY STRAIGHT WHEAT WHISKEY VITAL STATS:

– Region: Spokane, WA, USA
– Distiller: Dry Fly Distilling
– Classification: Straight Whiskey
– Age: 3 years
– Mash bill: 100% local soft white wheat
– Casks: New 53-gallon American Oak barrels
– Barrel Char: #3
– ABV: 45 (90 Proof)
– Price: $36.95 USD in Idaho
– No batch or bottle number identifiers

https://dryflydistilling.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I drank this spirit neat, from a Glencairn glass.

NOSE:

Dry Fly Washington Wheat Whiskey has no noticeable alcohol on the nose. Its draughty clean freshness is like trees in the full leaf of summer which then mellows into bitter-sweet dried harvest grain.

PALATE:

A clean alcohol burn hits the tongue and roof of the mouth at first, then dissipates quickly into spicy warmness. A faint hint of citrus can be detected, but in no way could this whisky be considered fruity. There is the typical pepperiness one finds in many whiskeys, but also a nice wheated sweetness which couples nicely with dry dusty corn and a surprising (but welcome) taste of peanuts.

Balance, Body, Feel, and Look:
This whiskey is blended well and its flavours are challenging to detect. Dry Fly Washington Wheat has a creamy mouth feel, and leaves a nice warming sensation in the throat. Its small droplets form in the Glencairn when tipped then extend down the glass in long, clinging legs into the tawny reservoir as the dram is enjoyed.

FINISH:

As noted above, this is a mouth and tongue warming whiskey, which also offers an enjoyable simple burn when swallowed. Dry Fly Straight Wheat finishes subtle and long. When gone, there is a dry but subtle oakiness left in the empty glass not detected on the nose or in the mouth.

MY RATING: 86/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

To access other whiskeys with this score, click 86/100.
Click Dry Fly to read my thoughts on other whiskey from this distillery.

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Four Roses Single Barrel Review

Posted on 29-November-201924-August-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Four Roses Single Barrel Review

review entry 24-December-2017
ameneded 02-September-2021

FOUR ROSES SINGLE BARREL REVIEW:

What a nice bourbon … Was in to pick up a bottle of Four Roses Small Batch and found Single Barrel (4RSiB) on the shelf. I secured a bottle and am glad I did. More depth and complexity than the Four Roses Small Batch … This is a solid bourbon.

FOUR ROSES SINGLE BARREL VITAL STATS:

– Category: Straight Bourbon
– Company: Kirin Brewery Company
– Region: Lawrenceburg, KY, USA
– Distillery: Four Roses
– Mash Bill: 60% Corn, 35% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
– Barrel Char: #3/#4
– Barrel entry proof: 120
– Warehouse: R (North side of Rickhouse)
– Barrel #: 12-M
– Age: nas
– ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
– Price $45.95 (USD in Idaho 2021)
($40.95 USD in Idaho 2017)

Four Roses has 10 different bourbon recipes. The 10 recipes are based on different yeast strains and mash bills. The distiller uses two different mash bills, identified by the letters “B” and “E”. Mash Bill “B” is 60% Corn, 35% Rye, and 5% Malted Barley. Mash Bill “E” is 75% Corn, 20% Rye, and 5% Malted Barley. Four Roses also uses five different yeast strains, identified by the letters “F”, “K”, “O”, “Q”, and “V”.

The standard 100 proof single barrel is always OBSV, and consequently if it is a Four Roses Single Barrel and 100 proof then it must be OBSV, consequently 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley with delicate fruit, spice and creamy notes.

Learn more at Four Roses Single Barrel.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed this spirit neat, from a Glencairn with daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Hannah.

Check out her review of this bourbon here!

NOSE:

A little burn of light ethanol at first waft but the sensation fades quickly into light fruit tree blossoms and roasted sweet corn. The come fruits in the form of red berry nectar, subtle sweet Maraschino cherries, dried currants and fresh dried ruit leather. The fruis are backed by allspice, cinnamon, powdered ginger, and rye. 4RSiB has a yeasty component, but it’s more wine-like than bread but I do sense a bit of brown sugared pastry along with some vanilla custard, buttery caramel, maple sugar, and pecan toffee. There is wood too, sweet light oak, toasted wood and fresh barrel spice.

PALATE:

After my mouth aclimates to the first sip, 4RSiB offers fruit tree blossoms, roasted corn and drying grain. As on the nose, its fruit comes as berry nectar, dried currants and dark fruit leather and the spices are almost savory; ginger, pepper, and rye. Sweets are there but subtle. I get chocolate chips, vanilla, slightly buttery caramel, and dark toasted pecan toffee and the woodiness is of dry seasoned old oak, hazy toasted barrels and an earthy note of old dry leather.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look
4RSiB prickles the tongue at first but easy to hold. It begins viscous, but as I salivate it becomes oily and warm. This bourbon is solid and well blended. After each sip is taken, a curtain of liquid breaks into long clinging legs inside the Glencairn to return the liquid to the honey colored pool leaving behind droplets in an ill-formed crown.

FINISH:

I get an almost a light medium to medium long, dry warm finish. It is hard to believe this is a 100 proof bourbon. As each sip fades, currants and dark fruit leather mix with cinnamon, ginger, and pepper. There are also faint traces of bittersweet chocolate, burnt caramel, dark roasted nutty toffee in 4RSiB’s dry seasoned old oak and hazy toasted barrel finish. This bourbon leaves my mouth with a feeling of of barrel tannin.

MY RATING: 90/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
I first reviewed Four Roses Single Barrel in December of 2017. I’ve had pours since then, and even bottles in the bunker. I will be reaching for this one again … soon.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 90/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Four Roses.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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