Wolves - The Malted Barley Series Lot 1 - Review

The Details

Wolves

The Malted Barley Series

California Single Malt Whiskey

Lot No. 1

7 Years Aged (Distilled in 2015)

11 Barrel Batch

Distilled, Produced and Bottled by Wolves

Ukiah, California

55% Alc/Vol / 110 Proof

Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley

Price: $260

Poured Neat in a Stölzle 1610031T Nosing Glass

Appearance: Deep Gold

Nose: Stone Fruits, Honey, Vanilla, Dark Chocolate

Palate: Cocoa, Dark Fruits, Honey, Vanilla Bean, Lager Beer

Finish: Medium Linger with a Lengthy, Warm Progression

Overall: This caught me by surprise. I started much of my whiskey journey with Single Malts, but none quite like this. There is a certain beer influence that I continue to pull from sip to sip. I feel I'm drinking whiskey from the start, but a lot of the back end falls very much in line with a blonde lager. The marriage of profiles is delicious and welcomed. Warm and lingering honey, dark fruits and even chocolate are co-stars throughout this expression from Wolves.

Not only did the taste surprise me, the luxurious bottle also stands out. "Each bottle is wrapped by hand with auto-grade vinyl and finally with Italian sheepskin. The glass is heavy and French-Cut, allowing the sheepskin label to lay flush against the glass. The cork top is made of maple wood." Truly a gorgeous design and very elegant to the touch.

But let's get back to the whiskey, shall we? This particular release was Wolves' first Single Malt release. 12 Barrels were distilled in 2015 in an antique alembic brandy still, from two-row pale malted barley and fermented with California Ale yeast. This explains much of that undisputed beer influence I was pulling from each sip. I do enjoy reading the stats on particular releases AFTER I try them so my palate isn't influenced. Like I mentioned, this was a great surprise to find that I wasn't going crazy. Various oak treatments were also utilized ranging from light toast to Char level 3 along with alternating Hungarian and American Barrel Heads. Of the 12 Barrels, 11 of those were used in this Lot (Batch). The other was for a specialty Single Barrel Selection. The 110 Proof stretches perfectly across the palate and to the back-end. So much of my gripe with most Single Malts is how flat they tend to fall at 80-86 Proof. Now, I don't consider myself someone who seeks only high-proof / high-alcohol pours, but there is a time and a place. This is certainly that place and the result is exquisite.

"The price of being a sheep is boredom.

The price of being a wolf is loneliness.

Choose one or the other with great care."

I urge you to give a look to what Wolves is doing in California. Check out their website HERE One of their previous releases took my Number 1 spot in the Rye Category last year (2022). An incredible collaboration with Willett Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky.

I'd love to take a moment to thank the folks at Wolves for providing this bottle. As most are aware, all of my reviews are unbiased and I take great pride in being able to try so many different variations on whiskey.

Library Rating: 8.7 / 10

Whiskey JYPSI - "The Journey" - Review

The Details

Whiskey JYPSI

Legacy Batch 001 - "The Journey"

A Blend of Three Fine-Aged Whiskeys

Outsiders Spirits

Nashville, Tennessee

57.5% Alc/Vol / 115 Proof

70% Indiana Bourbon - 99% Corn, 1% Malted Barley - Aged 7 & 8 Years

21% Canadian Rye - 91% Rye, 9% Malted Barley - Aged 20 Years

9% Indiana Single Malt - 100% Malted Barley - Aged 4 Years

Price: $199.99

Poured Neat in a Copita Nosing Glass - Get yours HERE

Appearance: Amber

Nose: Sweet Cream, Cinnamon, Baking Spices, Vanilla

Palate: Creamy Caramel, Soft Fruits, Bold Pepper Spice, Slightly Floral

Finish: Warm and Lasting Linger Highlighting a Pepper Spice

Overall: Long story short: Complex, delicious, sweet, warm and bold. Truly a remarkable "journey" across the palate from start to finish. The sweetness is enough to draw in the bourbon lover. The spice is plenty to appeal to the rye sipper. The single malt is soft enough but certainly noticeable in the form of floral and light fruits. But understand, these flavors and sensations don't follow each other from sip to sip...they dance around the palate and create a unique and delightful experience. This is something Blender, Ari Sussman knows quite well. An incredible addition to this release. Ari is the former head of Spirits Development at the Artisan Distilling Program at Michigan State University, and an award-winning whiskey maker.

The price point on this upcoming release fits the bill, in my opinion. Just let the components speak for themselves. Also, it just won Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition...no small feat.

A little insight from the media sample insert:

Nashville, TN - May 2nd, 2023: Outsiders Spirits unveiled its premiere release today-a bold, new best-in-class spirit that friends and company co-founders Eric Church and entrepreneur Raj Alva have named Whiskey JYPSI - a contemporary interpretation of the "jYPSi Spirit" in all of us that seeks adventure and deeper meaning.

The first release, Whiskey JPSI's Legacy Batch 001, recently winning the Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, is based on a traditional bourbon mash bill. However, instead of blending the grains before fermentation, or sourcing from the usual geographies, Whiskey JVPSI lived up to its name - sourcing individual aged whiskey components from various origins, then scientifically blending them to recreate the mash bill.

The Outsiders partners took a hands-on approach to every aspect of their new whiskey, creating and curating everything from inception to release - from taste, packaging and marketing to point of view.

With Whiskey JYPSI, the brand has set out to not only create the finest whiskey, but also to inspire.

"Whiskey JYPSI celebrates doing things the unconventional way. It's the commitment to the creative spirit, the process and the journey that excite me the most" says Church. "It's meant to inspire others to take chances like we have - follow a different path and enjoy and experience life at its fullest."

This release will be available in limited quantities on ReserveBar.com and in retail stores throughout Tennessee later this month. Be sure to stay connected and subscribe to whiskeyjypsi.com so you don't miss a beat!

A great big THANK YOU to the great folks at JYPSI for providing this media sample. It's the perfect fit in The Library.

Library Rating: 8.5 / 10

Hunting Creek Straight Rye Whiskey - Review

The Details

Hunting Creek

Straight Rye Whiskey

Bottled-In-Bond

Aged a minimum of 4 Years

Distilled, Aged and Bottled by Southern Distilling Company

Statesville, North Carolina

50% Alc/Vol / 100 Proof

Mashbill: 51% Rye / 39% Corn / 10% Malted Barley

Price: $50

Poured Neat in a Glencairn

Appearance: Amber

Nose: Sweet Cream, Honey, Dark Fruits, Baking Spices, Sprig of Mint

Palate: Warm Flakey Pastry, Baking Spices, Creamy Caramel, Cherry and Plum

Finish: Medium Lingered Black and White Pepper Spice with an excellent viscosity

Overall: What can I say that I haven't already about Southern Distilling and their delicious offerings? This Hunting Creek is another fine release in an already fantastic portfolio. A true "bourbon drinker's rye" with plenty of sweetness on the nose and palate, but also a great deal of spice. If I were to recommend a Straight Rye Whiskey to a newer whiskey drinker that's curious about Rye, this would be towards the top of the list. Easy sipping and delicious flavors also provide a beautiful compliment to a medium to full-bodied cigar.

Directly from the Southern Distilling Press Release:

"North Carolina’s whiskey history is as long as the Catawba River, and Southern Distilling Company continues to reignite that rich tradition with the launch of Hunting Creek Straight Rye Whiskey, a bottled-in-bond release that commemorates a celebrated rye whiskey sold at the turn of the century. Southern Distilling Company founders Pete and Vienna Barger hope to introduce more whiskey lovers to North Carolina’s storied distilling legacy with Hunting Creek Straight Rye Whiskey, as it debuts this month.

“Since we founded Southern Distilling Company in 2013, our goal has always been to highlight the state’s long — and sometimes overlooked — history in whiskey making,” Pete said. “The original Celebrated Old Hunting Creek Rye Whiskey was shipped across our early nation using Statesville’s rail lines before being lost to Prohibition. We first distilled and barreled this product in 2018 and we’re thrilled to share it, and the story behind it, with whiskey lovers everywhere.”

In the late 1800s, hundreds of federally licensed farm distilleries surrounded the Statesville region and supported the major rectification companies that were shipping spirits out on the rail lines along the East coast. Prohibition hit Statesville early in 1903, shutting down a robust industry — but the spirit lived on. Inspired by the heritage, tradition, and ingenuity of Statesville, Southern Distilling Company obtained the Hunting Creek trademark and set out to restore another piece of local heritage."

As I mention to everyone that visits the Library, EVERY BOTTLE TELLS A STORY - and I'm proud to help share the history of this new release!

Check out what Southern Distilling has to offer and book a tour HERE

Library Rating: 8.3 / 10