Stranahan's Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt

Taste: This is Kenwood Liquors Barrel #12-1171. Sampled 1.5 oz neat in a tasting glen cairn. Nose: (3.5) Dusty corn and cream soda on the nose. There's also some spearmint, but it's a bit artificial, like those jelly spearmint leaf candies. It has a noticeable sweetness, but not overwhelmingly so. It smells like it might be a younger spirit, but it's well put together, giving the impression there's depth to explore. Palate: (3.25) Thicker consistency with a waxiness. It has a waxy flavor similar to Vernor's Ginger Ale. I found it interesting, but it might be off-putting for some. This is a sweet whiskey, with a very prominent creamed corn or corn pudding flavor. Finish: (3.25) A quicker, candy-like finish. The dominant note at the end is Halloween candy corn, with artificial spearmint leaf in the background. Overall: First, I'm not typically a fan of malted whiskey, as they are often too earthy and grainy for my palate. This one, however, was not like that. Despite some vegetable-like notes, it didn't have that 'spilled on a dusty silo floor and hastily put back in the bottle' taste that usually deters me. The sweetness was another aspect. It's very thick and reminiscent of candy corn! It's definitely a dessert option and will likely be popular with those who enjoy sweet drinks. The unusual jelly candy spearmint is a bit jarring and seems slightly out of place. To me, this is an unusual one. One needs to be open-minded about what it is and what it isn't. It's not a traditional whiskey, but it is a sweet, thick, young spirit that cleverly incorporates malt in the mash bill. It strongly reminds me of Greg Metze's Old Elk. I don't dislike it, nor do I love it. It's simply different, but that doesn't make it bad. It certainly piqued my interest.

Stranahan's Single Barrel Cask Strength Barrel #15-757 @ 108.74 Proof (I'm guessing the '15' in the barrel number indicates the year, suggesting this is around 5 years old.) After enjoying Stranahan's Blue Peak, I found this one on sale for $50 and thought it was worth trying... NOSE: Initially, it presents simply with fruit notes (Pineapple, Pear, Apple, Kiwi) and a background of leather. With some air, it becomes more complex; the leather moves forward, and the fruit notes are joined by a general floral scent, dry barn wood, warm oatmeal with strawberry jam, and a hint of maple. NEAT: A substantial, rich mouthfeel leads to intense fruit sweetness upon tasting, again with Pineapple, Pear, and Crisp Red Apple. My first impression is a smoother, unpeated Highland Park. The mid-palate offers leather and a slight nuttiness with a hint of tannins. A heavy cherry flavor characterizes the medium-length, slightly warming finish. A smooth coating of kiwi, cherry, leather, and oak remains and deepens with each sip. SPLASH: A few drops of water add a 'soapy' note to the nose and a pleasant, dry sweetness that's hard to pinpoint. The mild tannic sensation on the palate disappears. Fruit notes become dominant on the palate, making it even sweeter. VERDICT: Wow. This is good. I believe it would satisfy those with a strong sweet preference while also appealing to Scotch, Bourbon, and Rye enthusiasts. An American Whiskey that isn't dominated by vanilla and caramel, but offers comparable sweetness through tropical/jammy/syrupy fruit notes? Sign me up.

Tonight I'm enjoying a glass of Stranahan's Cask Strength Single Malt. This is a single barrel selection chosen for a liquor store and bottled at cask strength, 55.62% ABV. I had previously enjoyed another single barrel Stranahan's bottled at 47%, so I was eager to try the higher proof version. Bought at a liquor store while visiting family in Colorado Springs for $54.99, which seems reasonable for a cask-strength single-barrel these days. The bottle provides no details on age, filtering, or coloring. My detailed impressions and score are below: 🥃 Stranahan's Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt - 55.62% ABV Nose: Apples. Brown sugar. Pie crust. Bright spices, such as cinnamon and peppermint. Taste: A complicated blend of holiday baking spices, fruity sweetness, a good amount of oak, black pepper, and some heat! Truly delicious and powerful. Excellent for a cool evening. The palate is far more robust than the nose, which is more subtle. The oak is drying and intense on the palate, but still feels appropriate. The texture is silky and the finish is quite long, leaving your mouth tingling and warm. Compared to the Stranahan's bottle I reviewed earlier, this one is much spicier and more influenced by oak. Additionally, the texture here is less oily than the previous bottle, but that might be partly due to the ABV. Overall, this is another excellent single barrel by Stranahan's and it makes for a wonderfully delicious winter drink (even though it was 70 deg F here in San Diego today). Cheers to Stranahan's and cheers to the store! Current rating: 87/100

(#5) A fellow distiller recently shared their top 5 Whiskeys of 2020, and I found it to be an excellent concept, so I'm adopting it. To be eligible, a whiskey didn't have to be a new release, just new to me in 2020, so my list includes established favorites alongside newer offerings. I quickly narrowed down my 14 contenders to 7, but selecting the final 5 from that group was more challenging. Honorable Mentions will follow the top pick. I'll provide a general impression rather than a full re-review. If you wish to read the complete review, you should be able to find it easily within my tasting notes. So, without further delay, I present my Number 5 Whiskey of 2020... Stranahan's Single Barrel Cask Strength Barrel #15-757 at 108.74 Proof (I'm assuming the '15' in the barrel number indicates the year, suggesting an age of approximately 5 years.) Ironically, if I hadn't sampled this particular spirit, Stranahan's Blue Peak might have secured the #5 position. It's rich in fruit notes, and I likened it to a smoother, unpeated Highland Park. It offers considerable sweetness, oak, and leather alongside the fruit. This ranks among the finest American Single Malts I've experienced. Their Single Barrel Program is relatively new, but this offering comes with a strong recommendation. 4.25

A special pick from Gilbert, AZ, with a proof of 116.68. An amazing aroma of banana bread, mango, custard, melted butter, apple, almond, and orange candy. There's a slightly earthy note underneath that becomes more noticeable as it sits but isn't unpleasant. Surprisingly little ethanol for a spirit near 120 proof. The taste is rich and bold, featuring orange marmalade, vanilla cream, strawberry jam, honey, and cereal grains like oats. The flavors settle on the middle of your tongue and stay there. The finish takes a sudden turn towards cinnamon, pepper, and baking spices, concluding with a dry, oaky, buttery character akin to Chardonnay. It's of medium duration. Honestly, I'm unsure if the finish complements the palate; it doesn't so much evolve as it shifts dramatically. The texture is rough and resinous. A big plus. Overall, a truly solid product that has me somewhat captivated due to its distinctiveness. It's not flawless, but if you appreciate vibrant, fruity whiskies, this might be for you. With many other single barrel store picks of this available locally, I'd gladly spend $59 to try another. Definitely in the rebuy category.

From a barrel designated VA-ABC 18-0693. The liquid presents as golden copper with amber undertones. Its legs descend the glass with considerable slowness. The aroma offers golden raisins, toasted white bread, mild caramel, subtle milk chocolate, a whisper of spice, and vanilla pudding. It evokes a caramel malted milkshake. On the palate, it feels soft, starting with a pleasant note of caramelized pear tart, complemented by caramel and malted barley syrup. The warmth spreads quickly, leading to an early surge of spice, dry oak, and a touch of heat that detracts from the initial sweetness. The finish is medium to long, proving intriguing and quite drinkable for a cask strength selection. I'm pleased enough with this to acquire another bottle for aging. It resembles a blend of bourbon and a Speyside Scotch. The barrel influence is substantial for a 6-year-old, evident in both the oak and char, yet it doesn't lack the delicate essence of malted barley. I'm inclined to rate this a 3.9... it's closer to a 4 than a 3.75.