My Wandering Eye: The Laird's Apple Brandies That I Purchased in 2021 and Then Forgot About.

My Wandering Eye is an ongoing series reacting to the rising prices in the bourbon world. We’ve reached a place where even average products have hit the range where they compete price-wise with other types of aged spirits. If I’m going to be asked to drop $40 to $70 on a mid-range bourbon, I might as well see what else I can get for that money. I hope to see if another spirits category offers something downright tasty in that price range. The goal isn’t to find cheap spirits but to maximize the quality I’m getting at a particular price point. The reviews in this series will all be written through a bourbon drinker’s lens.

I’m known amongst friends and family as the “absent-minded one.” Now, mind you, most of them don’t say it to my face. But you can tell that it is common knowledge among my family that if you want Eric to remember something, make sure that you tell his wife too. Or skip Eric entirely and just go straight to his wife.

Nothing proves my point on this more than the posts for this wee… Wait just a damn minute. This seems awfully familiar.

So now that you’ve gone back and read all about the history of Laird & Co that I wrote last week, I can tell you that these two bottles were actually purchased quite a while ago. See, I was watching a lovely cooking/history channel on YouTube called Tasting History with Max Miller when he put up one of his “Drinking History” episodes. That’s right, history, cooking, and drinking. If you know me, you know why I like this show. My wife likes it because, apparently, he has the prettiest blue eyes and she likes to look at them.

So in this particular episode, that I can’t remember the details of, he was using a bottle of Laird’s Old Apple Brandy in a historical cocktail. Laird’s Old Apple Brandy is a seven and a half year old apple brandy that is bottled at 80° proof from Laird & Co. out of New Jersey. I was smitten with the drink and the idea of having a bottle of said brandy in my house. So smitten, that I immediately went to his sponsor, Curiada.com who coincidentally carried the exact brandy that he was using.

What are the odds?

I also picked up a bottle of Laird’s Bottled in Bond Apple Brandy as well. And then I set them on my shelf, waiting for an opening to come up in the editorial calendar. Then I forgot about them because…well…I’m guessing something shiny entered my field of view and I was consumed with that instead. It really is a wonder that I’ve been doing this for over a decade without getting distracted and wandering away.

So, let’s dig in and see how they taste.

Laird’s Old Apple Brandy – 7 1/2

Purchase Info: Currently $41.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Curiada.com. I paid a little less than that in 2021.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.80

Details: 40% ABV. 7.5 years old

Nose: Apple juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Mouth: Apple juice, nutmeg, and a touch of oak.

Finish: Gentle, yet with a little heat. Notes of apple juice and cinnamon.

Thoughts: This is delicious. Lots of apple flavor. Just a touch of oak, enough to alter the flavor, but not enough to get in the way of the delicious apple. My only quibble on it is that I wish it was a higher proof. It's just a bit too gentle for my tastes. But that is a small quibble. Yum.

Lairds Straight Apple Brandy Bottled in Bond

Purchase Info: Currently $37.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Curiada.com. I paid a little more than that in 2021.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.53

Details: 50% ABV. DSP-NJ-1

Nose: Brown sugar, apple, a touch of cinnamon, and a very floral vanilla.

Mouth: Floral vanilla, cinnamon, and just a touch of apple.

Finish: Warm and medium length. Powerful notes of apple juice and spicy cinnamon.

Thoughts: I think I know why the proof was lower on the 7 year version. The apple notes on this are pretty subdued compared to its lower proof older brother. Which is really the opposite that I'd have expected from an older product. I'd have expected the older one to have less influence from the wine and more from the barrel than the younger one. That said, this is nice and spicy and the apple really comes through on the finish. I like this one. Hell, I like them both.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Jefferson's Ocean New York Edition and Jefferson's Ocean Rye

I’d like to thank Jefferson’s Bourbon and their PR team for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Jefferson's Ocean New York Edition along with a sample bottle of Jefferson's Ocean Rye

Last week, I got myself a shipment of whiskey from the PR agency that represents Jefferson’s Bourbon. I’ve enjoyed Jefferson’s in the past but as I was often critical of the cost of the bourbon, I was a bit surprised when they offered me a sample of their new releases. But since “too expensive” is relative, I try to not let that stop me from exploring a new bourbon. Especially when they are providing the sample for review.

Tonight’s two whiskeys are again from the Jefferson’s Ocean lineup. Because we have a lot to cover, let’s just let Jefferson’s tell you what they want you to know about each whiskey and then we can discuss what they taste like.

First, Jefferson’s Ocean Rye:

Welcome aboard rye’s first voyage, joining our Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea family as our 26th voyage. This double-barreled rye whiskey travels the world on ships at sea, blending the bold flavor of Rye with the rich caramelization that comes from the unique sea aging process.

And now Jefferson’s Ocean New York Edition

Prior to landing in New York, the barrels of bourbon traveled around the world sailing through rough and smooth seas while experiencing a wide range of temperatures. When they finished their voyage, they arrived at Manhattan’s first distillery since prohibition. From here, New York’s famous water was used to cut the bourbon to a 98 proof and it is non chill filtered creating a bigger and bolder liquid.

Ok, now that that’s behind us, Let’s see how they taste.

Jefferson's Ocean Rye

Purchase Info: This sample bottle was provided at no cost for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $79.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.33

Details: 48% ABV.

Nose: Wintergreen, cinnamon, bubblegum.

Mouth: Cinnamon spice, nutmeg, bubblegum, and cardboard.

Finish: Medium in warmth and length. Notes of bubble gum, spearmint, and baking spice.

Thoughts: Lots of bubble gum on this one. At least to my palate. This isn't a world-beater by any means, but it isn't bad. It just doesn't align with my palate. I prefer my rye whiskies to have a little more ' 'rye" flavor to them. So I'm neutral on this one. I'd drink it if you were pouring, but probably wouldn't choose it off the shelf if I was pouring

Jefferson's Ocean: New York Edition

Purchase Info: This sample bottle was provided at no cost for review purposes. They did not provided a suggested retail price but the Bourbon Review is reporting it as $99 for a 750 mL.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $6.67

Details: 49% ABV. Cut to proof with New York water.

Nose: Cinnamon, vanilla, red berries, and hints of oak and wintergreen.

Mouth: Spicy cinnamon, red fruit, brown sugar, wintergreen, dried grain, and raw almond.

Finish: On the longer side of medium length. Notes of nutmeg, wintergreen, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: I'm very pleasantly surprised by this one. I'm not usually a huge fan of Jefferson's Bourbon, but this one is pretty good. It has a nice spiciness. Unlike the other Jefferson's Bourbons I've had recently, this doesn't stray too far away from the stereotypical "Bourbon" flavor profile. I usually describe Jefferson's as a "change of pace" bourbon because it is a bit different than the other bourbons on the market. This needs no such disclaimer. I'm a fan. Though the $100 price point of the Jefferson's Ocean New York Edition release does leave a bit to be desired. Especially if you are on a dogsitter’s budget like I am.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

My Wandering Eye: Laird’s 10th Generation Apple Brandy – Bottled in Bond

My Wandering Eye is an ongoing series reacting to the rising prices in the bourbon world. We’ve reached a place where even average products have hit the range where they compete price-wise with other types of aged spirits. If I’m going to be asked to drop $40 to $70 on a mid-range bourbon, I might as well see what else I can get for that money. I hope to see if another spirits category offers something downright tasty in that price range. The goal isn’t to find cheap spirits but to maximize the quality I’m getting at a particular price point. The reviews in this series will all be written through a bourbon drinker’s lens.

IMAGE: A Bottle of Laird's 10th Generation Apple Brandy laying in a snow bank.

I’m known amongst friends and family as the “absent-minded one.” Now, mind you, most of them don’t say it to my face. But you can tell that it is common knowledge among my family that if you want Eric to remember something, make sure that you tell his wife too. Or skip Eric entirely and just go straight to his wife.

Nothing proves my point on this more than the posts for this week. I mentioned on Tuesday that I didn’t have a clue exactly when or where I had purchased that whiskey. Well, I have one better today. In doing research for tonight’s post, I was looking for some of the older posts that I’d done for other Apple Brandy releases from Laird’s. I knew that I’d purchased them last year just to review them. There was a bottled-in-bond release and a seven-year-old release. I bought them online after seeing them used in a YouTube cooking show.

The problem was that I never did write about them. They’ve been sitting on my shelf waiting for me. Patiently. Never complaining. Honestly, they seem like a couple of nice chaps. As I said, I only noticed them when I went looking for what I said about the company last year, and…yeah.

So let’s dig into the people who are making Laird’s Apple Brandy and see why this one is called 10th Generation. According to the Laird & Company website, their story starts in 1698 when Alexander Laird arrived in North America from Scotland. It seems he was a distiller back home and took up the trade in New Jersey using locally abundant apples. There is a reason they claim to be America’s Oldest Distiller.

The Laird family had a small operation until around 1850 when a fire destroyed the Inn where they made their AppleJack. Before then, they’d had a reputation for good spirits. They are even mentioned in the diary of George Washington, who requested their recipe for “cyder spirits.” After the fire, they decided that since they were rebuilding, they might as well build big and started to explore a wider commercial production.

Since that time, they have followed the path of many of the distillers. They made due during Prohibition by selling non-alcoholic apple products and medicinal spirits for the government. They helped with the war effort in World War 2, not by making industrial alcohol as other distilleries did (though they may have done that too) but by making pectin from their apples to help preserve food for the war effort. These days they are still run by the Laird family. A member of the eighth generation is currently the president of the company.

Ok, so why is tonight’s whiskey named after the tenth generation? Well, here it is straight from the product description:

For over two centuries, nine generations of the Laird family have been intimately entwined with the production of America’s oldest spirit, Applejack. To commemorate the historic event of a tenth generation Laird continuing our legacy, we proudly introduce “Laird’s 10th Generation Apple Brandy”. We invite you to celebrate with the Laird family and enjoy a taste of American history in every sip of this artisanal, hand crafted brandy.

So, now that we know the story let’s learn about the important part. How does it taste?

Laird’s 10th Generation Apple Brandy – Bottled in Bond

Purchase Info: $45.49 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.03

Details: Five years old. 50% ABV. Bottled-in-Bond. DSP-NJ-1.

Nose: Dried apple, brown sugar, cinnamon.

Mouth: Nice and spicy. Dried apple, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Finish: Medium to long and warm. More apple, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: This might be my favorite apple brandy I've had yet. It features a strong apple flavor throughout that is missing from many other apple brandies that I've had. Plus, unlike many that are bottled at 80° proof, Laird’s 10th Generation is Bottled-in-bond and has enough proof and heat to keep this BourbonGuy happy. Big fan of this one.

Look for the “forgotten two” next week to see if this is better or worse than those.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Bernheim Barrel Proof, A223

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: The new Bernheim Barrel Proof. 118.8 proof. Batch A223

I have the distinct pleasure of watching a puppy this week. He’s only about five months old, so there is a lot of energy. So much so that his usually energetic older brother was asleep shortly after arrival as other pups took over the duty of playing with the baby. It also means that I am saying a lot of things like: “Get out of there.” “Where did you get that?” and, of course, “Get that out of your mouth!”

I have to be on my toes. If things get too noisy, I get nervous. I get even more so when they get quiet. Which, as you might have guessed, makes tasting whiskey a little hard to do. And explains where I was on Tuesday. Well, that and it was Valentine’s Day, so I spent the evening with my wife, chasing the puppy around to get “whatever it was that he found this time” out of his mouth. Puppies are a lot of work, but at the end of the day, my reward is a sleepy little puppy who resembles nothing more than a wet noodle.

But you aren’t here to hear about my new little buddy. You want to know about the newest barrel-proof release from Heaven Hill. Well, as you might expect, Bernheim Barrel Proof is a barrel-proof version of Bernheim Wheat Whiskey. Being a wheat whiskey means that the mash bill used to create it is at least 51% wheat. In this case, it is exactly 51% wheat, with the other grains used being corn (37%) and malted barley (12%). The press release claims that, just like the standard bottling, this is at least seven years old.

This looks like it will be a twice-yearly release, with the second installment coming in the fall of 2023. But enough of that, let’s see how it tastes.

Bernheim Barrel Proof, A223

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $64.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.33

Details: 59.4% ABV. Mashbill: 51% Wheat, 37% corn, 12% Malted Barley. 7 to 9 years old (per the press release).

Nose: Brown sugar, spearmint, caramel, and a nutty note.

Mouth: Hot and spicy. Notes of caramel, cinnamon, spearmint, almond, and a bready note (that last especially with a bit of water).

Finish: Hot and medium to long. Follows the mouth with notes of cinnamon, almond, and spearmint.

IMAGE: This made me smile, so I gave it a smiley face.

Thoughts: When neat, I think this is just a little too hot. That isn't such a big deal for me since I usually enjoy a small piece of ice in anything over 100° proof. Speaking of water, a little water accentuates the "bread," notes, and tames the heat. I like it, but not as much as the Elijah Craig or Larceny Barrel Proof whiskeys. My wife disagrees and says it is just as good as the other two.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, A123

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

On tap tonight, we have Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. We looked at the whiskey’s stable-mate on Tuesday going in-depth on what Larceny Barrel Proof is and what the labeling means. Tonight, I think we are going to jump right into taking a look at the whiskey. By the way, according to the press release, this is the start of the 11th year of Heaven Hill’s line of products. So Happy Anniversary to them! Can you believe it has been that long? Man. I’m getting old.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, A123

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is: $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 12 years old, 62.8% ABV. Non-chill filtered. Mash Bill: 78% corn, 10% Rye, and 12% Malted Barley

Nose: Cinnamon, chocolate, leather, red fruits, nutmeg, and oak.

Mouth: First Sip is hot and oaky. Notes of caramel toffee, nutmeg, cinnamon, and leather

Finish: Long and warm. Notes of leather, oak, nutmeg, and red fruits.

Comparison to C922: A123 has a much more vibrant nose. By comparison, C922 guards its secrets much more closely. A123 is hotter and focuses on leather and baking spice notes when compared to the dark chocolate and nougat that C922 is showing. Both finishes are long and warm and basically follow their mouths. Both are excellent and I'm having a hard time choosing between them. Can’t I just have both?

Thoughts: Another home run in a long line of them. If a bourbon could be put into a hall of fame, the entire Elijah Craig Barrel Proof line-up would go in on the first ballot.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Larceny Barrel Proof, A123

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Welcome to January folks. Sure, I know that it’s almost half over, but as far as I’m concerned January starts when Heaven Hill drops the first of their three-times yearly batches of Larceny Barrel Proof and Elijah Craig Barrel proof. I always look forward to these releases. Any why might that be, you ask? Because they’re always delicious. And it is nice to look at things that you know are going to be tasty. Since it is the first drop of the year, let’s go over a little basic info as to what this is.

Born as an offshoot of Heaven Hill’s Old Fitzgerald line of wheated bourbons, Larceny bourbon uses wheat instead of rye as the “flavoring” grain. In this case, Heaven Hill tells us that the recipe is 68% corn (remember to be bourbon it needs over 51% corn in the mash bill), 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. This release being barrel-proof means there is no water added to the batch. They dump, blend, and bottle at whatever strength it comes out of the barrel. Now, of course, that sometimes leads to a very hot product. The first batch of this was so hot that I was worried as to what they were trying to accomplish. In the intervening years, it has calmed itself a bit.

Speaking of different batches if you run across this in the store, how do you know which batch you have? Heaven Hill has nicely given us the key to knowing what is in our hands as we hold that bottle of the precious liquid. The batch code is made up of three parts. The first part is a letter, A, B, or C. This corresponds to if it is the first, second, or third batch of the year. The second part is a number, to this point it has always been 1, 5, or 9. This is the month of the year the release came out. The final part of the code is made up of the final two digits which indicate the year. So in this case A123 means it is the first batch of the year and it was released in January of 2023. Simple.

But unless this is your first time learning about the Barrel-Proof releases from Heaven Hill (in which case: welcome! the bar is in the corner. pour yourself something nice), you actually just want to know how this one tastes. So let’s dig in.

Larceny Barrel Proof, A123

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $59.99.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.00

Details: Heaven Hill’s wheated mash bill (68% corn, 20% Wheat, and 12% malted barley). 6-8 years old. 62.9% ABV.

Nose: This is a caramel bomb on notes of oak, vanilla, and a hint of wintergreen.

Mouth: Very warm but not uncomfortably so. Notes follow the nose with caramel, oak, and wintergreen.

Finish: Warm and on the longer side of medium length. Strong cinnamon candy notes.

Thoughts: Normally if I see this on the shelf I pick it up because it is delicious. However, I don’t usually get too bent out of shape if I don’t run across it because in this market Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is usually easier to find. This time however, I really hope that my local store gets their hands on a bottle because if I see this one, it is coming home with me. This might be my favorite release of Larceny Barrel Proof yet.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.