Wild Turkey Rye.............

As several of us on Straightbourbon have found out, Wild Turkey is going to be releasing a new version of the famous 101 rye- called 81 rye. Yes, 81 proof. Yuck. Seriously. Why? My first thought was maybe the love loads of hate mail, but that certainly can't be it. See, rye is gaining popularity as people look for something that has a strong flavor. Wild Turkey is running in short supply of their rye, so to get 20% more out of each barrel, they are cutting the proof down to a childish 81. The 101 rye will still live on, but in obscurity and in very, very limited supply. The watered-down rye will now be the main rye Wild Turkey makes. Needless to say, I don't plan on drinking this watered-down excuse of a whiskey, so I've been steadily stocking up on the 101 rye before it disappears off the State Store shelves. The name has already been changed on the PLCB lists so it's only a matter of time until the 81 appears. I'm sitting on a good 15 bottles, so that should hold me over until I can find more 101 rye in the future. With the new distillery up and running, Wild Turkey has much more capacity. I expect down the road a few years the tight supply of rye will loosen and the 101 rye to become more prevalent again. Until then, I've got my stash to weather the lean years with!

To follow the Wild Turkey 101/81 saga, click here: Wild Turkey Rye 81

Wild Turkey 80 VS. 81

Yes, Wild Turkey now makes an 81 proof bourbon. It is a subject of debate as to whether the 80 proof version will now go away or not. I snagged the last bottle of 80 proof off the Manheim state store shelf a few weeks ago and I finally got around to purchasing a bottle of 81 so I can do an official review. I actually have both bottles and 2 shot glasses in front of me as I write so I can do this most accurately. So other than 1 proof point and the look of the label, what's different between the 80 and 81? The 80 proof is aged about 4 years, while the 81 is aged 6 to 8 years like its 101 proof brother. The idea was to make a lower proof twin of the famous 101 that would be easier to mix and sip. So how do they stack up? Well.....


Color: The 80 proof is a nice light caramel color. You can see it does not have much age. The 81 proof, when put directly beside the 80, is a slightly deeper reddish-brown, indicative of the extra 2-4 years of aging.

Aroma: The 80 proof is strong in the grain smells. Very little evidence of the sweet tannins of barrel aging. Some alcohol smell and a fruity simple odor. The 81 smells sweeter, but is very similar with a mild aroma. A bit of the tannin influence can already be noticed here.

Mouth feel and flavor: The 80 is not unpleasant, but also very simple and un-complex. Grainy with some alcohol bite. Some light tannins and a slight leathery flavor let you know it's Wild Turkey. The higher rye content is also evident. Again, simple, sweet, and grainy. This is where the brothers start to really go in different directions. I just sipped the 81 after finishing a few sips of the 80. Wow. Much more complexity and thickness. It's still only 81 proof, so don't look for flavor you can cut with a knife. This expression has much more barrel richness- more leather, vanilla, smoke. It's smoother and more refined. I'm impressed! The nice extra rye flavor is still there, but it's like drinking my beloved 101 proof in a lighter form. Yum!

Finish: The 80 proof reminds me of Mellow Corn's finish- Sweet and "...where the heck did it go?" Not unpleasant, but nothing to write to mom about. The 81 is honestly about the same here. There is a light sweetness that lingers and then it's gone. But what should you expect from an 80 or 81 proof whiskey? This isn't Wild Turkey American Spirit!

The results: The 80 proof shows its youth, but it's by no means a bad whiskey. Both the 80 and 81 would mix well, but for sipping, the 81 is certainly your winner. If you're looking for something simple, inexpensive, and nice to sip, hit the 81. Well, both glasses are empty so it's time to end this review!

Pennco days....

As I was going through more of my collection the other day, I came across a sizable chunk of Pennco photos and other items. With all the attention Michter's drew for the 15 or so years it ran, the distillery's former owners got lost in the dust. Pennco owned the distillery from sometime in the mid-1950's (I've seen several different dates) until 1974, when it shut down and Louis Forman bought the distillery with a group of local businessmen. Pennco was not like Michter's. Pennco was an industrial operation, making whiskey under several of it's own names and also producing whiskey under contract for other distillers and bottlers. The world-famous A.H. Hirsch bourbon was distilled under Pennco in the spring of 1974. I also have suspicion that Pennco may have somehow been linked to Continental Distilling in Philadelphia as well. Not only were Pennco's offices in downtown Philadelphia, but Pennco did fill some of its products with Continental whiskey. Michter's, before Louis Forman bought Pennco and gave the brand a permanent home, was also sometimes bottled at Continental's Kinsey bottling house. Yes, Pennco was a very different operation than the tourist operation that Michter's became. No tours, no copper pot stills, no decanters, no mule rides, no colorful history, no merchandise. But there was one thing that was the same- both made some darn fine whiskey. And if you don't believe me, search EBay for bottles of Hirsch bourbon! To give you all a small taste of what Pennco was like, here are a few photos from my collection:

Some Michter's photography.......

I was contacted by Luke who wanted to display his photographs of Michter's Distillery on the blog. After looking through his photos, I will put a link to his website here so you can all see not only his great photos of the distillery, but also his other works. I especially like his Michter's set because it sets a certain mood. Dusk has set on the once busy distillery and it is now being slowly demolished. His photos almost seem to capture not only the last of the sad distillery, but also the overall mood of those of us that love the little distillery. So without further introduction:

Luke Walmer Photography- Michter's Set

And To Complement My Michter's Barrels.....

.....I got a Continental Distilling barrel! A big thanks to Dave Z. and the guys at the local landscaping business for getting me one! Here are 2 pictures of it as received. I'm going to fully recondition the barrel so it is preserved.

Heaven Hill's Corn Whiskies- A Corny Review!

Heaven Hill is one of the last major distillers to produce corn whiskey. What was once the predominant "moonshine" whiskey, corn whiskey has all but disappeared in the US. As whiskey is once again finding an audience, drinkers are looking for all sorts of variants to try. Corn whiskey is quite different than traditional American whiskies as the rules of aging are a bit more lax. While Rye and Bourbon must be aged in new, charred white oak barrels, Corn Whiskey can be aged not only in the new, charred white oak barrels, but also used Bourbon or Rye barrels, or un-charred barrels. It is also generally not aged nearly as long- usually only a few months up to 2 years. So I got my hands on some variants of the Heaven Hill Corn Whiskies. The only thing that really varies here is proof and age. 2 are bottled by McCormick Distilling in Weston, MO, while the other is bottled by Heaven Hill.

Platte Valle Corn Whiskey:
-$25 for a 750ML ceramic decanter via PLCB State Store.
-80 Proof, 30 months old and bottled by McCormick Distilling
The coolest thing about this whiskey is the nifty decanter it comes in. Very cool and reminiscent of a whiskey crock from the 1800's. The whiskey itself is almost colorless. It has a slight yellow tint, as if someone put a drop of yellow food coloring in your shot glass. It has very little nose. What is there smells of alcohol, sugar, and a hint of fresh corn. It's very earthy and has no indications of oak smells from the barrel. It's light and sweet on the tongue with almost no depth in the flavor. It's just plain smooth. The corn blasts through and once again, there is no evidence of oak notes. Once it's down the hatch, there is really no finish. It's gone! My assessment: A very unique product that is easy to drink and would mix really well in place of gut-rot Vodka. Mixing this with a Bourbon or Rye to lighten the flavor wouldn't be out of the question and may yield some interesting results. An overall good product.

Hirsch Selection Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Corn Whiskey
-$37 for a 750ML bottle from WineSource in Baltimore, MD
-90 Proof with no age statement. Aged in used barrels.
This is a dead-ringer for the Platte Valley and was even bottled by McCormick also. The difference is the proof and barrel selection. These barrels were specifically chosen by Hirsch Distillers for bottling, so you're getting a little better pick (Hopefully!). The nose is the same, but more intense. Almost like someone turned the volume from 5 to 8. With it comes an increase in flavor and alcohol bite. With being aged so little, it's very "moonshine-esque." It's getting high enough in proof that you can get a bit more flavor on the tongue and the sweetness is much nicer. The hardest part to get down my throat is the price tag! Ouch! A small hint of the barrel aging is present, but the whiskey is still a very pale yellow color. Once down the hatch, the sweetness lingers for seconds and then it too is gone. There's a certain sweetness and flavor to this one that is not in the Platte Valley. Overall, a better whiskey than the Platte Valley, but the price ruins it. I keep it around for its unique character, but that's about it. Pick a bottle up if you can get it for a good price!

Mellow Corn Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Corn Whiskey
-$10 via a friend.
-100 proof and aged for at least 2 years. No age statement.
This is straight Heaven Hill. Mellow Corn is an awesome value- if you can find it. I can't emphasize this enough! The 100 proof and longer aging gives this a totally different profile than the McCormick-bottled products. The color is no longer a lemon yellow, but a light brown. In the shot glass, it's like watered down apple juice. The nose is wonderful- corn, light oak, fruits, with a tiny hint of cocoa and leather. On the tongue it's heaven. The moonshine flavors are dialed down and a slight oak flavor has now entered. The corn takes center stage and the 100 proof has brought the flavors to a blasting "10." It's still smooth and drinks like a young Bourbon but with no rye bite. It's all sugar and sweets. The finish is heavy towards the corn side (as usual), but has more complexity with a hint of syrup and oak. It lasts for a few short seconds and is gone- just like the others. This whiskey is amazing. As long as I have friends that can find it and provide it for me, I'll take it! If I could buy it by the case, I would! At ten bucks a bottle, this is one whiskey that should be in every collection! Buy it, you won't be disappointed!

Michter's decanters- a possible hidden danger!

Recently, a thread was started on Straightbourbon.com about the possibility of lead leeching from the glaze of whiskey decanters into the whiskey over time. While it does seem like a stretch, after the a sample was sent to the lab, it turns out it's not. The sample registered over ONE THOUSAND times the acceptable limit of lead! So there is certainly an issue here. I do not know what the glaze is on Michter's decanters, but I would assume it would be the same. Most decanters were glazed with leaded glazing through the 80's. So this is a warning- be careful about consuming too much whiskey out of old decanters! Try to find full, sealed glass bottles instead as the whiskey should have a lower amount of lead, oxidation, and contaminants. For further reading, here is the link to the thread on Straightbourbon:


Lead In Decanters