whisky review 226 - Wasmund's Single Malt Whisky

[iamthe3rd]

Given any thought to reviewing Woodford Reserve?

I love watching your reviews while drinking whiskey!

[ralfystuff]

@iamthe3rd

not for a while, it should be better than it is.

[whoijacket]

Took a tour of Copper Fox about a month ago. Really a lovely place run by very outgoing and friendly people. It would be hard to find a prettier distillery in the US as it is in Sperryville, VA which is at the edge of one of our great National Parks, the Shenandoah Mountains NP. About a 1.5 hours drive from Washington DC.

My bottle obtained at the distillery is Batch 102 with an age statement of 14 months. Perhaps the older batches are the ones making the trek across the Atlantic.

[YummyPork]

Interesting review. I like the wood idea. I wonder if it has its roots in barbeque fond throughout the south.

PS. Woodinville Whiskey here in Washington State also has the do it yourself kits.

[whoijacket]

@YummyPork Undoubtedly so. That region of Virginia/the US is also noted for its smoked hams.

[constablecomfortable]

Just nipping out for a Wasmunds...

[91gurre]

Hi Ralfy! Lovely reviews=) I know this is really really far fetched, but do u have any thoughts on Swedish or other Scandinavian Whiskys?

Thans alot!

[ralfystuff]

@91gurre

whiskyreview 228

[91gurre]

@ralfystuff HAHA! nice. then i guess ill be tuning in really soon! THX!

[ralfystuff]

@bennymick79

it really is a matter of personal taste, and what I do is share the experience that I have built up over the years with anyone who's interested.

[ReverendBlackstone]

Excellent video! Hope you keep'em coming even more often! 17:09 min. !!! GREAT!

[dvdbloke]

Hi Ralfy.  Can I ask for a recommended whisky to go with a Montecristo (No2/No4/Edmundo) please? Thanks mate.

[ralfystuff]

@dvdbloke

really, don't believe all the hype about what goes and does not go with a cigar.

ANY spirit will do, just make it quality. Rums work well in my opinion.

I prefer coffee with cigars.

[NickLightingale]

Ralf! That's interesting that your batch is 42 months old - my bottle is from batch no. 28 and it proudly states on the back that it is a mere 4 months old! Cinnamon red hots is what I get and not too much else unfortunately. I agree with tagging it as a "wood spirit," so points for originality, but more of a liqueur as you say than malt whisky.

[ralfystuff]

@NickLightingale

only 4 months Nick ! . . . way too young ! even after 42 months it is a heavy wood experience, though a good one. At 4 years we should see something more rounded.

Good to see one of my original malt-mates keeping the faith with ralfy.com ! . . . thanks.

[sevenwarlox]

Wow, how did I miss this? This is my favorite Ralfy review yet. I live in Charlottesville VA, so Copper Fox is my neighbor to the North, while another distillery to the south (Eades) just set their stills this week. Since trying Laphroaig QC I have been thinking quite differently about maturation: is it time or wood? What can be hurried with wood - and what can't be. Wasmund is pushing the envelope, but I think he is a real malt whisky lover at heart.

[sevenwarlox]

Fascinating! My bottle is 13 months old. It is fiery to be sure, but very full of the apple and cherry wood flavors. I'm frankly frightened to know there are 4 month old bottles out there. Ralfy, I'm not sure how you got that 42 month old bottle half a world away, when I can only get a 13 mo half an hour away, but I envy. Anyway, cheers mate, or as we say in VA, take it easy, my man.

[Sob3r777]

very nice my scottisch bredren

[bushmillsrare]

ralfy, if you get the chance to taste maker's mark 46 please do. it has a big cinnamon nose and taste , and their whisky is only 5-6 yrs old .  since it makers only other brand says alot. st. louis mo. has a small dist called j.j. neukomm missouri malt whiskey that uses cherry wood smoke in a single barrel if you can find it. thanks for the videos

[ralfystuff]

@bushmillsrare

done in WhiskyReview 155 a and b !

[henrihenrynl]

its a good point that you mentioned 'seasoning' a barrel, because if ppl dont do that they can get very sick, in large amount some oak elements are toxic due to tannic acid and can cause kidney damage or gastroenteritis. Symptoms include lack of appetite, depression, constipation, diarrhea (which may contain blood), blood in urine, and colic. oak is only nontoxic to humans in processed form, after leaching of those tanins by seasoning it. so thats why u must be carefull with to much wood

[ralfystuff]

@henrihenrynl

sounds terrible.

[Sob3r777]

@henrihenrynl why my friend talk you to much it is like a barrel to much filled

[irishboy2k10]

hi ralfy,

firstly thanks for another great review,

was wondering if you have ever heard of a whiskey ever smoked with tobacco?would be interesting and was also wondering if the cask strenght connemara was any good if you have tried,thanks again.

[ralfystuff]

@irishboy2k10

there are branded 'Cigar Malts' but I find that any spirit will go with a cigar, and a coffee or beer even better !

Connemara cask-strength varies in quality and I have not tasted it recently because of this.

[ralfystuff]

@irishboy2k10

if you mean the malted barley being dried with tobacco smoke, no, I don't think that's happened yet.

[irishboy2k10]

@ralfystuff thanks ralfy,maybe one for the future

[dezztro2006]

I'm looking forward to the Compass Box reviews. I enjoy the Peat Monster, especially the cost for the quality.

[MrJoris0123]

Hey, that 2l cask is very very appealing too me! Does somebody perhaps know any more examples of distilliers that offer these casks ? Thank you :-)

[ralfystuff]

@MrJoris0123

I know of no other providers for 2 litre options.

[MrJoris0123]

@ralfystuff Do you perhaps know small casks like 5liter or so ? (Just guessing). I always wonder where you got that lovely cask from that I always look at on your shelf behind you. I hope I am not too rude asking you. It does not have to be a 2litre version, just anything that is not too big. As I was surfing thinking oh this is an amazing thing, I found dealers selling full casks, with capacity of hundreds of bottles. hahaha , it is a little too much, I had a great laugh. Thank you Ralfy.

[ralfystuff]

@MrJoris0123

try singlemaltsdirectd,com a UK site, but hopefully you can get something nearer you.

[unclebud99]

Maker's Mark bourbon has done something similar lately...introducing Maker's Mark 46...they take a barrel of their regular bourbon then transfer it to a cask with 4 charred staves of No. 46 french oak held inside the cask with dowel rods. The whiskey is left in this barrel to pick up more of the woody characteristics.

[ralfystuff]

@unclebud99

Iv'e tasted it (WhiskyReview 155) and decent stuff too !

[chrish12345]

Ralfy I thought the Ardbeg Alligator whisky was all about adding very heavily toasted oak inner-staves into the barrels?

[ralfystuff]

@chrish12345

no, they second-charred the existing staves.

[keegan1728]

Greetings from Trinidad. Hey ralfy, add this to your lengthy list, "Malt Manicous" Manicou is the Caribbean name for an opossum. Love the reviews although I usually can't get my hands on most of the malts due to location... Keep 'em coming.

[ralfystuff]

@keegan1728

thanks for your malt-mention, it's on the list !

[BrothuhV84]

Speaking of, I liked The Spice Tree by Compass Box a lot actually. On the nose I got a tart Macallan-like sherry with honey, cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, clove, pepper and other lovely spices integrated beautifully in it.. It was 46%abv and non-chill filtered as memory serves. I will have to buy another bottle again someday. Good stuff as always Ralfy!! Cheers! :)

[ThyeWinterGardens]

@BrothuhV84 I too am a big fan of The Spice Tree vatted malt, though I haven't had the pleasure of trying the 'outlawed' version, their new release is one of my favorite bottles. So, yet another review I look forward to seeing from Ralfy... Hope his liver holds up! So many bottles,,, so little time. Cheers!

[fasterischead]

Nice review. The Wasmund's bottles vary hugely depending on the batch. Mine was from 33 (only 19 months old), and the malt character came through hugely - very Lowlandish, with piles and piles of freshly-cut grass. I'll post my notes, if you want.

You emphasize the aging techniques they use, which I understand, but what really excited me is how they (St George, too) smoke the barley with hardwoods instead of peat. As a Yank, I see a real future for this. Hickory-smoked whisky, anyone?

[unclebud99]

@fasterischead I agree, not being a huge peat fan, I'd love to try more malted whiskeys smoked with different woods.

[whoijacket]

@fasterischead Hickory smoked whiskey? That sounds like it would make one heck of an Old-Fashioned.

[MrBlootered]

Very interesting. Strange decision about the Spice Tree when, as you say, e150a is acceptable.

Looking forward to seeing what Copper Fox will do in the future.

[aeroshade88]

! ! !

[ralfystuff]

@aeroshade88

yes, it's 'different' . . a less-subtle version of 40 Creek !