The Tasting Panel magazine

November 2018

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november 2018  /  the tasting panel  /  85 e Sum of Its Parts: Ransom Spirits The road to making a good whiskey is paved with a million little decisions, as selecting the right ingredients and equipment while executing the proper timing will produce a spirit's desired character and flavor profile. Understanding the importance of each seem- ingly minor choice, Ransom Spirits has spent years perfecting its mash bill, finding that diversification creates more nuanced and complex layers of flavor in its whiskeys. As a result, Ransom Spirits' Rye, Barley, Wheat Whiskey ($60) blends unmalted rye, malted two-row barley, malted wheat, unmalted estate-grown six-row barley, crystal malted barley, and malted rye. Another spirit, The Emerald ($90), draws inspiration from a 1865 Irish mash bill and features malted two-row barley (including a percentage of crystal malt), unmalted six-row barley, oats, and rye. Both whis- keys rest in previously filled barrels, which impart flavor without overpowering either expression. tasting notes Ransom The Emerald 1865 Straight American Whiskey Meant as a modern interpretation of a mid-1800s Irish whiskey, the sumptuous aromatics of sweet oatmeal, spice and honey-maple are indeed reminiscent of the Green Isle's best spirit. On the palate, husky notes of cedar and black pepper merge into a character of roasted walnut. It's a charmer at 87.6 proof. 94 —M.M. Ransom Rye, Barley, Wheat Whiskey Aromas of clove and peach guide the nose down a long, resin-laden path. On the palate of this 93.4-proof pot-still spirit, sweeter notes of stone fruit emerge as high-toned and vibrant chocolate mint leans in mid-palate, eventually smoothing into an elegant vanilla-wafer finish. 93 —M.M. RANSOM SPIRITS New York Native: Cooper's Ransom Rye Whiskey A 100% New York–made rye, Cooper's Ransom Rye Whiskey ($50) sources its rye and corn from a small family farm a short distance from the distillery in Canajoharie. With a mash bill of 80% rye grain and 20% corn, the spirit begins its journey in small- to medium- sized new American oak barrels and is produced using a blending process of one- and two-year-old rye whiskeys. The cask-strength, 102-proof spirit completes the aging process in used Cabernet Sauvignon barrels from a winery in Long Island. Featuring notes of dark rye bread, caraway, and peppery spice, Cooper's Ransom Rye Whiskey recently took home a Gold Medal from the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition. It will certainly have your guests proclaiming their love for the Empire State from the East Coast and beyond. COOPERSTOWN DISTILLERY From the Irish Garden: Barr an Uisce Whiskey Ian Jones followed in the footsteps of his great-grandfather by opening a pub in Redcross Village, a small town nestled in the green rolling hills of County Wicklow, Ireland. To further build on that legacy, Ian decided to become the first owner of a rural Irish pub to create his own Irish whiskey, launching Barr an Uisce Whiskey with co-founder Jason Stubbs in 2016. Their small-batch Wicklow Rare ($52) Irish whiskey, which blends 80% grain and 20% ten-year-old malt, ages in bourbon barrels for four years before spending an additional six months in Oloroso casks. The 1803 Single Malt ($79), meanwhile, rests for ten years in first-fill bourbon barrels, which lend notes of spice, tropical fruit, and ginger with a touch of oak. Regarding these distinctive flavors, Stubbs notes the company uses well water from county Wicklow to cut their whiskeys, giving Barr an Uisce spirits their "unique taste profile [that] has led to multiple awards for [the brand's] products." NICHE IMPORT CO.

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