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Whiskey War Double Oaked COWS Pick “D.O. or Die” Review

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Sunday Evening Review

 

There is only one time you can be first and the COWS got that chance and took it. The COWS are the first public barrel pick with the High Bank Distillery. The group got to pick a Whiskey War Double Oak barrel and now it is time to let you know what we picked taste like. Stay tuned until the end with information of when and where you will be able to get yours.

 

Make sure you put in the comments any bottles that you would like me to review.

 

NAME – Whiskey War Double Oak Single Barrel – “D.O. or Die”

 

PROOF – 100

 

AGE – 5+ years (oldest juice to come out of High Bank so far)

 

COLOR – Dark Amber (1.6 mahogany, henna notes on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – The signature Whiskey War ginger note along with vanilla crème, saddle leather, aged oak, butterscotch, raisins and toasted almonds.

 

TASTE – Right away you notice that this whiskey coats your tongue like a thick syrup. The ginger is still there but it climbs into the backseat to let sweet caramel, vanilla bean, raisin and leather drive. The aged oak is still there along with a hint of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, and cinnamon.

 

FINISH – I would call this a long finish. Sit back for awhile as this finish lingers for a good bit of time. The dark chocolate, caramel and rye spice linger and linger.

 

REVIEW – This is a very good double oaked whiskey that doesn’t get overly sweet like some do from other distilleries. There is enough spice and earthy notes that ride along with the sweet notes to make it very interesting and highly enjoyable. The finish is something to behold on a 100 proof whiskey that isn’t even 6 years old yet. It is long and very enjoyable. In my opinion the best double oaked Whiskey War to come out of High Bank Distillery.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – If this review isn’t enough for you, here is the tasting notes from Adam Hines the Master Distiller of High Bank Distillery:

 

Sweet vanilla caramel nose with notes of leathery oak. Accompanied by a sugary white pepper caramel that ends with a raisin and mint tea finish.

The COWS have been honored and lucky to get some pretty exciting experiences. This is one of the biggest honors when the distillery comes to you and ask you to be the first to do a barrel pick with one of, if not the, hottest distillery in America after winning best blended whiskey at the San Francisco World Spirits competition 2 years in a row. This will absolutely be a bottle that you will want to have in your collection for numerous reasons. The price for the bottle is $69.99 plus tax and the link to purchase this will hit the COWS Facebook group page at 11am on Friday, October 21st. There will be a limit of 1 bottle on the first day to give everyone a chance to get this special bottle. The nice part is you can go to High Bank Distillery right after purchasing online and pick up the bottle. All bottles will need to be picked up at High Bank Distillery and there will not be any special arrangements for pick up or delivery that can be made by High Bank Distillery or the Central Ohio Whiskey Society.

High Bank Distillery June Barrel Select Releases Reviews

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Sunday Evening Review

 

“Twice as nice” is something we have all heard. This week I get to see if that holds true in a couple different ways as I review 2 different whiskies from High Bank for an upcoming release. High Bank is doing a limited release of Whiskey War Barrel Select Spanish Madeira Wine Barrel Finished and 2nd Aged Sangiovese Wine Barrel Finished. Let get into it and see what this is all about.

 

Make sure you put in the comments any bottles that you would like me to review.

 

NAME – Whiskey War Barrel Select Spanish Madeira Wine Barrel Finished

 

PROOF – 113.5

 

AGE – non-age stated but was told 3 years in the original whiskey barrel and 18 months in the wine barrel for a total of 4 ½ years

 

COLOR – Beef Bourguignon (1.8 old oak on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Balsamic reduction, dark cherries, vanilla extract, pipe tobacco, toasted oak, and cinnamon sticks. Very luxurious nose with deep and dark notes. One of those pours you could just nose for hours.

 

TASTE – The same balsamic reduction note to start but as it lingers changes over to a grape jelly. Other than that, the nose doesn’t lie. You still get the dark cherries, vanilla extract, pipe tobacco, toasted oak, and cinnamon sticks. The Madeira barrel has a pretty big influence with both the wine notes but the sweetness that you get is coming from the Madeira barrel.

 

FINISH – I would call this a long finish. I hadn’t mentioned it but this whiskey coats the mouth and the finish lingers with the grape jelly note as well as aged oak and dried tobacco.

 

NAME – Whiskey War Barrel Select Second Fill Sangiovese Wine Barrel Finish

 

PROOF – 120.5

 

AGE – non-age stated but was told aged 27 months in the wine barrel for a total of 5 years of aging

 

COLOR – Autumn Straw (1.2 chestnut, oloroso sherry on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Ginger, cooked honey, vanilla wafers, apple pie spice, there is a wine note but is so faint I can’t distinguish what style I am smelling.

 

TASTE – This has all the traditional Whiskey War Barrel Proof notes of a gingersnap cookie which not only includes the ginger but the vanilla, Brulé sugars, baking spices but there is this whisper of a wine note that swirls though that adds a slight complexity and holds the 120.5 proof at bay. Not to say there isn’t a Kentucky hug at the end but with a high rye mash bill along with 120+ proof, if not done right, could absolutely torch your palate and this does not.

 

FINISH – I would call this a medium to long finish. Certainly not as long as the Medeira finished but certainly hangs around a good bit. Ginger, cinnamon and rye spice stay until the end.

 

REVIEW – First want to thank High Bank Distillery for providing these samples to review.

 

The Madeira finished is really something special but I would say that if you don’t like sweet red wines along with whiskey then this may not be a fit. If you got the chance to taste or get High Bank’s Midnight Cask Barrel Proof then this is that on steroids both in over all experience and flavor. The flavors are deeper and richer and then the mouth feel along with a nose that should be made into a candle, you have something that you want on your shelf. This would pair extremely well with a steak when everyone heads for the red wine, pull this out instead.

 

The 2nd Fill Sangiovese finished is for those whiskey drinkers that appreciate the subtly of a finished whiskey where the finishing barrel doesn’t have to punch you in the face with the flavor profile that it is trying to be installed into the original whiskey.  If you are a lover of the Whiskey War Barrel Proof and want additional aging and wine nuance added into the juice, then this is for you.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – From High Bank Distillery about the releases:

Our Barrel Select program is one of my creative outlets as a distiller. It’s an awesome opportunity to experiment with unique barrels and various aging techniques to achieve flavor profiles outside of our typical Whiskey War line.

The limited releases are fun for our distillery team and fans of High Bank. We really enjoy hearing feedback on which batches are fan favorites and the unique notes and flavor profiles each bottle offers.

– Co-founder and Master Distiller Adam Hines

All bottles will go on sale Friday, June 10th at 11AM. Online purchases only. Limit 1 bottle of each product per person. Pickup at our Grandview location only (1051 Goodale Blvd.).

 

Obviously this is not a gin review nor do I confess to be an expert but I have come to enjoy High Bank’s Statehouse gin on warm summer days as it taste like Sprite. Add a cube and you are good to go. Along with the whiskey releases they are also releasing a Statehouse gin release that used the Cabernet Sauvignon wine barrel from the Barrel Select Whiskey Batch #2. The gin was aged in that barrel for 27 months and comes in at 82 proof. It has all the citrus (Sprite) notes that you know from Statehouse but not as sharp and then adds this pleasant sweet cooked down grape along with a toasted oak note to it. This may be my summer drink for 2022.

 

 

To find out more you can check it out here – High Bank Distillery June Releases

 

You can look at all the past Sunday Evenings Reviews and I would still love to hear what your personal reviews are from each of the whiskies reviewed.

 

Whiskey War Double Oaked Batch 3 Review

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SUNDAY EVENING REVIEW

 

I love it when I start seeing double…double oaked that is. Ever sense Woodford popularized the concept of double oaking whiskey, it has been done by many. High Bank’s master distiller Adam Hines also is a big fan of the process and the results that come from it. Hines has now come out with his 3rd batch of Whiskey War Double Oaked and I am fortunate enough to get to review it before it goes on sale this coming Friday. Let’s see if Batch 3 is like one of the first 2 (which were very different) or will it have its own profile.

 

Make sure you put in the comments any bottles that you would like me to review.

 

NAME – Whiskey War Double Oaked Batch 3

 

PROOF – 100

 

AGE – non-age stated but I do know that it spent 18 months in the 2nd barrel, and this is still from the early batches of Whiskey War that were aged at 2 ½ year or so. So, this is about 4 years old.

 

COLOR – new tanned leather (1.5 auburn, polished mahogany on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Honey, vanilla, anise, canned pears, sweet oak, and ginger

 

TASTE – Caramel, browned butter, rye spice, charred oak, white pepper, and some slight ginger

 

FINISH – I would call this a medium finish. The charred oak, white pepper and ginger stick around along with some tobacco comes out in the end.

 

REVIEW – I am fortunate enough to still have Batch 1 and Batch 2 of Whiskey War Double Oaked and to best describe this in a nutshell is this Batch 3 is like the first 2 batches had a baby. There is the caramel and butter notes from Batch 1 and the spicey rye and peppery notes from Batch 2. This is interesting and not overly sweet as some double oaks can get. The only thing missing in the palate that was in the nose was fruit notes. The canned pears on the nose didn’t come out in the palate.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – First, I want to thank High Bank for allowing me to sample this before the release. This is another very good double oak by High Bank. It is sure to be a very quick seller when it is released this Friday. You can tell when someone has a passion for something and double oaked whiskey is that for Hines. It is why it is some of his very best releases and highly sought after. I would set an alarm for Friday or you will most likely be out of luck.

You can purchase Whiskey War Double Oaked Batch 3 on Friday, February 25th at 11AM ET at https://www.highbankco.com/double-oaked. There will be a limit of 1 bottle per customer in an attempt to allow as many people as possible to get a bottle.

To find out more check it out here – High Bank Distillery

You can look at all the past Sunday Evenings Reviews and I would still love to hear what your personal reviews are from each of the whiskies reviewed.

 

Whiskey War Barrel Select #5 and #6 Review

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Aging like a fine wine, High Bank Distillery has two more releases ready to come out in their Barrel Select line. These releases have more twist and turns than a Cedar Point rollercoaster and that’s before you even taste it. Let’s get into Whiskey War Barrel Selects “Left Zinfandel Barrel” and “Right Zinfandel Barrel.” High Bank is also suggesting doing a 50/50 blend of each that will create a completely separate experience. Make sure your hands and feet remain inside of the car at all times as these are sure to be a ride.

Make sure you put in the comments any bottles that you would like me to review.

NAME – Whiskey War Barrel Select Batch #5 Left Zinfandel Barrel Aged

PROOF – 119

AGE – non-age stated but the distillery let me know that is a total of 4.6 years old with 21 months of that in a Zinfandel wind cask

COLOR – chestnut thoroughbred horse (1.5 auburn, polished mahogany on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

NOSE – Sourdough bread toast with grape jelly, musty oak, slight bit of dried apricot, cinnamon and leather.

TASTE – Right at the front of the palate has the taste of a sweet balsamic reduction but immediately transitions into dry oak tannins and cinnamon.

FINISH – I would call this a medium to long finish. A musty oak and cinnamon lingering until the end.

 

NAME – Whiskey War Barrel Select Batch #6 Right Zinfandel Barrel Aged

PROOF – 118.5

AGE – non-age stated but the distillery let me know that is a total of 4.6 years old with 21 months of that in a Zinfandel wind cask

COLOR – dark Sangria (1.5 auburn, polished mahogany on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

NOSE – Dark caramel with grape jelly along will aged oak. I don’t think you can smell creamy but that is the essence I get. I do get a slight blueberry Greek yogurt if that helps to give you the idea of a creamy smell. Visually it has legs on the glass that linger forever.

TASTE – Dark caramel and then that blueberry yogurt taste comes out. Definite vanilla bean, blackberry, and then later in the palate a rye toast.

FINISH – I would call this a medium to long finish. A rye toast along with cinnamon and the berry blend of blueberry, blackberry and raspberry continues to hang around.

 

NAME – Whiskey War Barrel Select Batch #5 and #6 50/50 blend

PROOF – 118.75

AGE – non-age stated but the distillery let me know that is a total of 4.6 years old with 21 months of that in a Zinfandel wind cask

COLOR – dark auburn hair (1.5 auburn, polished mahogany on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

NOSE – Dried blueberries, dark caramel, some milk chocolate, aged oak, and a dash of cinnamon.

TASTE – Interesting from the start where it seems the dryness from the Left Barrel hits the roof of you mouth and the back of your throat, but the creamier Right Barrel takes over the tongue. Caramel, aged oak, vanilla, cinnamon, a bit of grape jelly.

FINISH – I would call this a medium to long finish. The grape comes out the most in the finish. Oak tannins, some leather and a bit of the caramel hangs on.

REVIEW – Once going over these you understand why High Bank Distillery and Master Distiller Adam Hines decided to separate these. Even though it was the same juice that went into barrels that held the same wine from the same wine producer, vastly different. It is another example of the power of the barrel and the influence it has. If you like a dry whiskey with a ton of interest, then Left Barrel is for you. If you like a sweeter whiskey with a lot of berry influence then Right Barrel is for you.

FINAL COMMENTS – Would like to thank High Bank Distillery for giving me these samples to review.

This makes the 4th and 5th editions of wine barrel finished whiskey in the Barrel Select line (the other was a Double Double Oaked). In my personal opinion I still think the Cabernet Sauvignon finished from last year is still the king, but Right Barrel is a close second and Left Barrel is right there in third. There is also the interesting dynamic of blending both of them to come up with an entirely different experience. It is an easy 3 pour blind tasting you can put together for friends and watch their heads explode when you explain what they are.

To find out more check it out here – High Bank Barrel Select

You can look at all the past Sunday Evenings Reviews and I would still love to hear what your personal reviews are from each of the whiskies reviewed.

Whiskey War Barrel Select Batch #3 and #4 Reviews

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This week you will be getting a special two-fer for your Sunday whiskey review enjoyment. This week I go over the 2 whiskies that High Bank Distillery will be releasing this coming Saturday. Barrel Select Batch #3 Pino Noir Barrel Aged and Barrel Select Batch #4 Double Double Oak Barrel Aged whiskies are the latest releases of High Banks Barrel Select series. Let’s find out what are sure to be very interesting additions to the series.

 

Make sure you put in the comments any bottles that you would like me to review.

 

NAME – Whiskey War Barrel Select Batch #3 Pino Noir Barrel Aged

 

PROOF – 116.75

 

AGE – non-age stated (but distillery disclosed that it is a total of 4 years old with 10.5 months of that spent in a Pinot Noir Wine Barrel)

 

COLOR – aged cherry desk (1.5 auburn, polished mahogany on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Cherry taffy, honeysuckle, sweet oak and crème brulé

 

TASTE – Grape jelly, aged oak, cinnamon, clove, wine barrel tannins

 

FINISH – I would call this a medium finish. The barrel tannins and cinnamon ride out until the end

 

REVIEW – This hits you with that jelly sweetness right up front and then quickly moves into oak and spices before the wine barrel tannins take over. I did go back and compare this against last years Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Select and the Pinot Noir Barrel Select has less wine influence than the Cab did. This is a spicy whiskey where the wine added both an upfront sweetness but also the unique wine barrel tannins at the end. The whiskey still is the foundation of this pour but the Pinot Noir barrel added the accents.

 

NAME – Whiskey War Barrel Select Batch #4 Bouble Double Oak Barrel Aged

 

PROOF – 115.5

 

AGE – non-age stated (but distillery disclosed that it is a total of 5.2 years old with 21 months of that spent in a second new oak barrel and then another 6 months in a third new oak barrel)

 

COLOR – antique brown leather chair (1.6 mahogany, henna notes on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Smells instantly like you walked into an old rickhouse. Dark brown sugar, browned butter, aged leather and a touch of pecan.

 

TASTE – Aged oak, caramel, very slight bit of chocolate, barrel spice, rye spice, cinnamon, aged leather and cigar tobacco.

 

FINISH – I would call this a long finish. The oak, barrel spice, rye spice and leather last and last for a long finish.

 

REVIEW – The distillery tells me it is 5.2 years old but if I didn’t know that I would think this is an overaged bourbon. It drinks more like a 15+ year whiskey. The oak influence is undeniable but there is just enough caramel sweetness to make it an enjoyable pour. It really reminds me of an Elijah Craig 18 year but replace the cherry cough syrup that EC18 has in it with a caramel sweetness instead and a high proof.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – Adam Hines, master distiller at High Bank Distillery, is obviously intrigued with what barrel finishes will do to his San Francisco World Spirits Competition award winning Whiskey War Barrel Proof. The wine barrel finishes seem to be where he is finding his niche as last year’s Barrel Selects that were finished in Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon sold out quickly and were highly praised. This Pinot Noir will certainly be the same.

 

If you know Hines then you know his love of the product that comes out of double oaking whiskey. He went ahead with a Spinal Tap method and turned it up to 11 with the double double oak this year. This dark and bold whiskey will sure to be one that is talked about for some time.

 

I appreciate High Bank Distillery for giving me these samples to review. You can reserve your bottles of both of these this Saturday, November 19th at HighBankCo.com/barrel-select-whiskey. There is a limit of one per person per product.

Whiskey War DO Batch 2 - Does it stack up

Whiskey War Doubled Oaked Batch 02 Review

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For a couple years whenever, someone said there was no good bourbon coming out of Ohio. First, I would look at them a bit sideways but then I would tell them to go to High Bank and get a pour of the Whiskey War Double Oaked. That ended the discussion. For me it was the bar for all Ohio whiskey to measure to. Now Master Distiller Adam Hines is ready to put out Batch 2 of the Whiskey War Double Oaked. The big question now, will it stack up?

 

I’m going to compare it to Batch 1 Whiskey War Double Oaked (Batch 1) and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition Blended Whiskey of the Year Whiskey War Barrel Proof Batch 12 (BP Batch 12). I know, I have a hard job.

 

Make sure you put in the comments any bottles that you would like me to review.

 

NAME – Whiskey War Doubled Oaked Batch 02

 

PROOF – 100 (Batch 1 – 100 proof and BP Batch 12 – 117 proof)

 

AGE – no age statement – website says 2 1/2 years old in original barrel and then spends another 18 months in a new oak barrel for a total of at least 4 years.

 

COLOR – reddish bronze (1.5 tawny on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart) (Batch 1 is identical color and BP Batch 12 is a shade lighter 1.4 copper)

 

NOSE – This is rye forward on the nose. Caramel drizzled pretzel, Madagascar vanilla bean, toasted oak and Grenadine.  (Batch 1 nose is very different. Butter, caramel, deep oak and even a balsamic note.  BP Batch 12 has more in common than Batch 1 on the nose. Batch 2 has just a bit more oak and overall, slightly deeper notes than BP Batch 12)

 

TASTE – Hello caramel and oak. Big blast of both right up front. Then comes the cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, peanut shell and cigar tobacco (Batch1 has different sweetness. Closer to butterscotch. It is buttery and more of a cherry note. BP Batch 12 again similar notes to Batch 2. Batch 2 just has just a deeper profile and fuller taste profile)

 

FINISH – I would call this a long finish. The oak stays along with cigar tobacco dipped in simple syrup. Very pleasant finish that leaves no bitterness at the end. (Batch 1 also has a long finish but is more leather, tobacco and caramel.  BP Batch 12 again with a long finish with more of charred oak, tobacco, and some peanut)

 

REVIEW – If you know Hines, you know he doesn’t want to do the same thing and is always tinkering in an effort to find something even better. Its why a 3-year-old distillery won arguably the most prestigious whiskey competition in the world. Its why this Double Oaked product is not a carbon copy of Batch 1. Its different no doubt, Hines knew that and was fine with it. If you have been trying to find, now one of the hardest to find bottles in the game, Barrel Proof Batch 12 and just want the knob turned up to 11 on the flavors and an even longer better finish, this is your jam.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – I appreciate High Bank for giving me this bottle to review. What I also appreciate is what Hines has done for Ohio whiskey. He has forced all Ohio whiskey distilleries to up their game and force them not to be happy with the status quo. I will also tell you another thing, the next batch of Double Oaked won’t taste like the other 2 and to me that is fine. As a consumer if I want the same, I will buy Wild Turkey 101 and know it will taste the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. One of the reasons a lot of people reading this has more than 1 bottle of whiskey on their shelf is because they like variety. That is what Hines has done with all of his different varieties. He has the guts to try things like blending whiskey with port wine, finish whiskey with a wine barrel no one has ever heard of in the Sangiovese finished and, in this case, not put out a facsimile of a previous batch. To me that’s the way I like things to stack up.

 

If you would like this product, it will be released to the public for sale online and in our retail shop starting at 11:00 AM on Thursday, July 22nd. The bottles must be picked up in person at our retail shop located at High Bank Distillery Co. in Grandview at 1051 Goodale Blvd. The price per bottle is $64.99 with a limit of 2 bottles per person in what is an expected high demand. Find out more here Double Oaked Batch #2 Release — High Bank Distillery Co. (highbankco.com) 

To find out more check it out here – High Bank Distillery

You can look at all the past Sunday Evenings Reviews and I would still love to hear what your personal reviews are from each of the whiskies reviewed.