May 8, 2014

Young Americans – Part Un

Aaaaaaaall night, she wants the young Americans, young Americans, young Americans, she wants the young Americans. Aaaaaaaall right, she wants… Okay, okay, let’s have a few…

Seagram's Seven Crown (40%, OB, American blend, +/-2014)

This baby used to be a huge seller in the old days (Wikipedia tells us that the brand sold thirty-two million cases in 1970 – while Johnnie Walker sells twenty million cases today). Not too sure about what’s inside, have said that, but it’s meant to be ‘a blend of distinctive character’. Colour: bronze-ish amber. Nose: I find roasted nuts, dry caramel, corn syrup and some kind of rawish alcohol, but it’s not unpleasant, just pretty bland. Mouth: weak and caramely, with virtually no body but no foul tastes either. Touches of roasted nuts and corn syrup again, a little cake, some alcohol… I find this acceptable. Finish: none, which means that there’s no bitterness either. That’s the whole point, I guess. Comments: I could drink this when there’s nothing else around and let’s be honest, it’s probably not meant to be drunken straight. Very average, so… SGP:220 – 50 points.

Early Times (40%, OB, Kentucky whisky, +/-2013)

A Brown-Forman brand that's exported as 'bourbon', but sold as 'Kentucky whisky' in the US. Yes, not whiskey with an 'e'. Love this line on the label, 'a taste worth the wait'. Let's not wait any further... Colour: gold. Nose: more happening than in the Seagram’s, with more freshness, yellow flowers, vanilla and maple syrup, then a little chocolate. After twenty seconds, it’s the vanillin that stands out, or rather vanilla sugar. Mouth: light and soft, sweet, rather oaky, probably a little light but not off-putting. Oak and vanilla, touches of sour apples… but all that tends to fade away, leaving only a little bubblegum and two or three tannins. Finish: very short, with touches of cinnamon and ginger. Comments: a very light bourbon-style whisky that calls for ice. I haven’t found many flaws. SGP330 - 65 points.

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel (47%, OB, Tennessee whiskey, +/-2013)

I don’t quite know why owners Brown-Forman call this ‘whiskey’ while their Early Times is ‘whisky’. Is it only a tomatoe-tomatoh case? I don’t quite know either why this is bottled at 47% while other Single Barrels are bottled at 45% vol. Colour: deep gold. Nose: it’s sweet oak juice at first nosing, then pure maple syrup and warm praline, with just touches of mint that give it some kind of freshness. It’s very simple, and it’s pleasantly harmless. The relatively high alcohol does not feel at all. Mouth: very syrupy, very sweet, with some wood spices in the background. I find strawberry drops, a lot of vanilla, some burnt wood and, of course, maple and corn syrups. It’s the oak that wins eventually, with some drying cinnamon and black tea. Finish: rather short, not too oaky, but you feel the tannins. The syrups are gone, more or less. Comments: I find this baby rather say correct. Not too sure whether other casks will be different or almost identical. SGP:430 - 73 points.

Jack Daniel's 'Master Distiller Series No.1' (43%, OB, Tennessee whiskey, +/-2013)

A limited bottling that pays tribute to Mr Jack Daniel himself. Not the most innovative idea ever if you ask me, but there. And it’s a 1l bottle. Colour: full gold. Nose: a lighter version of the Single Barrel, that’s pretty all. So it’s nice, rounded, soft, easy, with some vanilla, apricot and peach jam, and maple syrup once again. Actually, I find this very sexily gentle, in a way. Mouth: I think I like this better than the SB, for this No.1 is fruitier and more lively. Nice notes of very ripe kiwis and oranges, peaches again, then the oak’s tannins but it all remains soft and rounded. What I also enjoy is the fact that it’s not a ‘vanilla+maple’ bomb. Finish: of medium length, always fruity and soft, with an aftertaste that resist the tannins. Comments: easy and well made. It won’t repulse anyone in my opinion. SGP:530 - 80 points.

St. George 'Breaking & Entering Bourbon' (43%, OB, USA, bourbon, +/-2014)

This is sourced bourbon, ‘stolen’ (their words) and blended by St George’s proprietors in Aladema, California. Colour: gold. Nose: a little shier than the last JD, rather less fruity and more on soft spices, cakes, vanilla, pies… For example, I find notes of plum pie with quite a lot of cinnamon, white chocolate, then a little menthol, eucalyptus and camphor, which gives it a funny medicinal side. I also find touches of rye but I guess there isn’t any, is there? Mouth: a notch rawer than the JD, with more tannins and something leafy/tea-ish, but the mouthfeel is pleasant. Touches of rye again, geranium jelly, blood oranges, maybe bay leaves and juniper (just hints)… It’s rather complex, and I like the fact that it isn’t too sweet. Finish: rather long, spicy, with more juniper and caraway in the aftertaste, but it all remains sweet. Comments: I find this very nice. Less ‘easily quaffable’ than the JD, but maybe more interesting. Let’s go for the same score. SGP:441 - 80 points.

Check the index of all blends I've tasted so far