It's Been A While...

I hope everyone is doing well! There's been a bit of a lapse between my last review here on my website and it's for good reason. I'd like to personally assure you there plenty in store. I'm in the process of revamping my reviews, my IG Posts and most importantly, my Educational Experiences. There's been a great deal that has happened since the beginning of the year and it's finally time to start rolling back out some fun content and plenty of reviews. Be ready! The website will soon have a new look with updated photos, events and plenty more. I hope y'all continue this educational whiskey journey with me and I look forward to interacting on more regular basis.

Cheers! 🥃📖🥃

Anthony - The Bourbon Whiskey Library

Rare Hare Spirits - The Tempest 20 Year - Review

Stats

Rare Hare Spirits

The Tempest

Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky

Finished in Port Casks

Distilled by: Undisclosed

Aged 20 Years

84 Proof

Mash Bill: Undisclosed

Retail Price: $999

Poured Neat in a Stölzle Nosing Glass

Color: Golden

Nose: Ripe Dark Fruits, Sweet Cream, Honeysuckle

Palate: Cream, Fig, Plum, Slight Smoke and Tobacco, Cocoa

Finish: Lingering and Viscous with a Warm Sweetness

Overall: The few expressions from Rare Hare Spirits I've had the opportunity to try have been very impressive. This is at the top of the list though. A super well-rounded pour with so much to offer in terms of complexity, flavor and balance. This was the first Single Malt I've had from Tasmania and I'm digging it.

From the Rare Hare website: "A rugged little island off the southeaster coast of Australia, Tasmania boasts a unique ecosystem that conspires to create some of the best whisky in the world. 

The temperate maritime climate of Tasmania, with its long hot summer days, short cold winter days, plentiful sunshine, and low humidity, provides the perfect storm for creating this exceptional single malt whisky - The Tempest.

Produced in very small batches using pristine Tasmanian water and locally sourced malt and barley, The Tempest employs a centuries-old pot still distillation process that spans nearly three days, followed by a secondary slow still distillation to yield a whisky of unparalleled quality and character."

As far as the bottle, it's currently sold out on the Rare Hare Spirits website, but snoop around a bit to see if others intrigue you as well.

Thank you kindly, to the folks at Rare Hare Spirits for providing this amazing sample.

Library Rating: 8.8 / 10

The Reverend Sour Mash Whiskey - Review

The Details

The Reverend

Sour Mash Whiskey

Aged 4 to 6 Years (at least 4 Years)

Maple Charcoal Filtered (Lincoln County Process)

Distilled: Not Specified

Produced by: Call Family Distillers

Wilkesboro, North Carolina - DSP-21031

45% ABV / 90 Proof

Mashbill: 76% Corn, 19% Rye, 5% Malted Barley

Barrels Used: New Charred American Oak and First Fill Bourbon Cask

Price: $35.99 (750mL)

Poured Neat in a Glencairn Glass

Appearance: Honey/Light Amber

Nose: Honey, Light Fruits and Charred Citrus, Toffee

Palate: Bright Fruits, Brown Sugar, Toffee, Honey

Finish: Extremely smooth sweetness turning into a touch of rye spice. Medium linger and viscosity.

Overall: It's no surprise how much of a Jack Daniel's history buff I truly am. So when the folks from Call Family Distillers reached out to me about this particular bottle, my senses kicked in to high gear. There's a story. There's a great story. Dates all the way back to the mid 1800s. This story is where I get drawn in. This story is one where I want to sip and read. Here, check this out from The Reverend:

"The Reverend is a small batch, hand-crafted sour mash whiskey that pays homage to seven generations of American distillers and whiskey makers. The Reverend, Daniel Call, mentor to a young Jasper Daniel and friend to trailblazing distiller Nathan Green, gave up his stake in the old No. 7 distillery to live the life of a preacher. However, his descendants carried on his early legacy of moonshining and whiskey making in Wilkes County, North Carolina, where they produce spirits to this day. This premium whiskey is aged for over four years in new charred oak and first-fill bourbon casks before using the same maple charcoal filtration process that was made famous in Lincoln County, Tennessee, to refine and enhance the spirit after it leaves the barrel." - Check out the website HERE

Sounds like the Call Family are continuing on in a process that got me hooked on whiskey very early on. That Lincoln County Process, I tell ya. I have so much respect for the attention to detail and the patience with this added step. Filtration through Sugar-Maple Charcoal brings a smoother mouthfeel and taste to the forefront while not adding, but yet subtracting impurities. It's not just the Lincoln County Process that has me comparing to Old No. 7, the fact the distillate age is 4 to 6 years also has me sitting here with a smirk on my face.

But regardless of the similarities and the lineage to such a historic brand in Lynchburg, this whiskey certainly stands on it's own. It has flavor. Check. It has age. Check. It has a "smooth" finish. Check. And now, it has a new fan. And at the SRP of $35.99, this is hard one to say no to a couple of bottles and make it a daily sipper.

"Preacher, Farmer, Grocer & Distiller" - The Reverend Daniel Houston Call, 1836-1904.

A great big thank you to the great folks at Call Family Distillers for allowing me to try this and weigh in on my notes. NC Proud!

Currently available in: North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Michigan.

Awards: Gold Masked Double Blind Tasting - 2023 Pr%f Awards

Library Rating: 7.9 / 10