2024 Q3 Spirited VA - 13

FEATURED SPIRIT
High-Proof
Whiskeys
Get ready for bold and robust tastes.
H
igh-proof or barrel-strength whiskey
has a high alcohol content (more than
40%) and is characterized by bold, intense,
complex flavors. It's bottled directly from
the cask without being diluted with water.
The result is an amplification of the spirit's
natural caramel, oak, fruit and spice flavors.
If you're looking for something with more
taste, purity and nuance than your typical
whiskey, try one of these:
Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Rye Barrel Proof
750 ml, 62.5-70% ABV, $69.99
This spirit has a rich, dark caramel color and
a potent aroma of tree nuts, cocoa, graham
crackers, raspberry and a touch of mint leaf.
The taste is sweet with notes of stone fruit,
marzipan, ripe apples and brown sugar. This
is a sophisticated, well-balanced whiskey.
Larceny Small Batch Wheated Bourbon
750 ml, 46% ABV, $29.99
From Heaven Hill, this spirit is made from
corn, wheat and malted barley. Larceny's
small batch bourbon is refreshing and fruity
with subtle hints of peach, tangerine and
sugarcane on the nose. On the tongue, you'll
get allspice, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg
with an undertone of sweet blood orange
and butterscotch. The mouthfeel is delicate
and evenly balanced.
Lost Whiskey Club Barrel Proof High Wheat
Bourbon 375 ml, 60% ABV, $49.99
From Fairfax, this is a straight bourbon whiskey
with a traditional aroma for the spirit
category: understated notes of honey, vanilla,
brown sugar, caramel and tobacco. The taste
is corn-forward with elements of pear, molasses
and a dash of black pepper.
Barrell Seagrass Rye Whiskey
750 ml, 59% ABV, $79.99
With a striking gold color, Barrell Seagrass
Rye is finished in ex-rum, Madeira and brandy
casks. This is a light and refreshing whiskey
with a fruity taste and smell. The finish is
warm and moderate in length with notes
of rye bread, tropical fruit and salted nuts.
Belmont Farm Special Reserve 10 Year
750 ml, 58% ABV, $79.99
From Culpeper, this is a full-bodied bourbon
that has a rich vanilla, butterscotch and oaky
taste with a bit of spice on the back end. It's
produced from corn, barley and rye in a copper
pot still, aged for 10 years in a single barrel
and cotton filtered.
Blue Run High Rye Bourbon Whiskey
750 ml, 55.5% ABV, $99.99
This whiskey has a bold, distinctive aroma
of toffee, honey, candied orange peel and
dark chocolate. The flavor profile includes
mineral, nutty, rye and oaky notes along with
a peppery bite in the long, creamy finish.
Breckenridge Distiller's High Proof Blend
750 ml, 52.5% ABV, $59.99
Aged for at least two years, this is a blend
of straight bourbon whiskeys. The distillate
is comprised of 56% corn, 38% rye and 6%
malted barley. On the nose, this spirit is sweet
and spicy with a touch of pine. The taste is
a mixture of vanilla, caramel, espresso bean
and fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies with
a thick mouthfeel.
Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
750 ml, 50% ABV, $26.99
Distilled by Heaven Hill in Louisville, this
bottled-in-bond rye is named after historic
Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia because
this is a " Pennsylvania " or " Monongahela "
rye, an iconic style dating back to the 19th
century. Rittenhouse Rye is an award-winning
liquor that matures for four years. The taste is
clean and rich with the taste of maple syrup,
nutmeg and cocoa.
Garrison Brothers Texas Straight Single
Barrel 750 ml, 47% ABV, $119.99
Made in Texas, Garrison Brothers Single Barrel
has a fruity aroma with a suggestion of oak
and heat. On the tongue, you'll get herbal and
smoked caramel notes along with the taste
of stone fruit and butterscotch.
Clyde May's Straight Bourbon Whiskey
750 ml, 46% ABV, $33.99
This is an award-winning Alabama-style whiskey.
It matures between four and five years in
new oak casks. The spirit is non-chill filtered,
which enables the distillate to have a wider
array of flavors and a richer, more complex
taste. The distiller recommends drinking it
over ice or in a Manhattan.
-Andrew Madigan
SPIRITED VIRGINIA | JULY | AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2024 13
2024 Q3 Spirited VA

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