I may have remembered part way through to shoot this
The whiskey itself is aged for an undisclosed amount of time. I've heard anything from 3-5 years from the staff, but it seems to be about when they think it tastes good. It is a single malt from barley they use in their brewing process, some of which they grow themselves. Combined with their brewing experience, they should be able to turn out a passable draught.
Turns out, they do. The nose (smell) is a little hot, meaning there is an alcoholic aroma to it. This isn't always the case in whiskey and it might turn some people off. If you get past that, there's a fruitiness underlying it all that I enjoy. Coming from Oregon, the malt never came close to any peat - maybe a Pete, but not the burning soil - so there isn't that to turn off non-Scotch fans.
Some folks care about how the whiskey clings to the glass. This generally translates into mouth-feel, or how the liquor clings to your tongue. Words like silky or astringent tend to be applied here. The Hogshead has quite a bit of cling to it, which does translate into the way it sticks in your mouth. Now, onto the best part. Drinking!
The flavour is more complex than I was expecting from a small distillery that does a variety of spirits. There is some heat to it, especially in the back of the throat, and it clings briefly to the tongue before the alcohol takes it all away. I find the first sip of a hotter whiskey like this hard to notice much about, but the second one brings a surprising sweetness, along with vanilla, oak, and some of the fruit from the nose, specifically cherry. The aftertaste is one of my favorite things about this whiskey as it reminds me of Vanilla Coke, one of the lost loves of my life as I no longer drink caffeine. I guess they were right when talking about the vanilla in their notes! Despite the initial heat, further sips are remarkably smooth and mellow. this is something you can choose to nurse...or not.
To say it's an astounding whiskey would be a stretch, but honestly, I quite enjoy it. I've gifted it to friends who are very into the US whiskey scene and been asked to get additional bottles, which is always a good sign. Running around $35 for a bottle, it certainly isn't the most expensive date in my cabinet but it's not the cheap date that, say, JD might be. Certainly worth trying out if you find yourself able to get your hands on it!
Friday, December 7, 2012
Hogshead Whiskey
While I absolutely love Scotch, it is not the only whiskey on the block. OK, technically, Scotch might be the only whisky, but not the only whiskey (the spelling without the 'e' is used traditionally for Scotch, while all others use the 'e'). I've recently been making an effort to expand my horizons, specifically into the American offerings. This decision was made, in part, thanks to Edgefield's Hogshead Whiskey.
I travel to Portland, OR, a lot for work and ended up dining at McMenamins Edgefield, an incredible destination for many reasons. McMenamins is a strange phenomena that could only really work in the Northwest. They acquire unusual properties (along with a few fairly mundane ones) and turn them into restaurants and brew pubs. The Edgefield location is the grandaddy of all these. Originally a county poor farm, they have turned it into 75 acres of drinking, eating, and entertainment. There's even a hotel onsite for those who prefer to spend their entire weekend in an unusual resort.
To complement the food, golf, theater, and beautiful gardens, Edgefield boasts the trifecta of alcohol happiness onsite; a brewery, a winery, and a distillery!
This entire post could be about the beer, but we're talking about whiskey here. McMenamins makes more than just one type. In fact, they make more than one spirit, branching into brandy, gin, and more. Here's what they say about their Hogshead Whiskey:
Hogshead is an original. Continuing the independent and innovative styles of Northwest brewers and vintners, this whiskey is distilled with only a passing nod to the great Scotch, Irish and Bourbon distillers, before striking off on its own. Boasting a palate-pleasing combination of malty spirit – reminiscent of the malted barley grain that began the process – and the smoky, vanilla sweet-wood that surrounds the spirit until bottling, Hogshead is a rich, amber-hued whiskey.
I may have remembered part way through to shoot this
The whiskey itself is aged for an undisclosed amount of time. I've heard anything from 3-5 years from the staff, but it seems to be about when they think it tastes good. It is a single malt from barley they use in their brewing process, some of which they grow themselves. Combined with their brewing experience, they should be able to turn out a passable draught.
Turns out, they do. The nose (smell) is a little hot, meaning there is an alcoholic aroma to it. This isn't always the case in whiskey and it might turn some people off. If you get past that, there's a fruitiness underlying it all that I enjoy. Coming from Oregon, the malt never came close to any peat - maybe a Pete, but not the burning soil - so there isn't that to turn off non-Scotch fans.
Some folks care about how the whiskey clings to the glass. This generally translates into mouth-feel, or how the liquor clings to your tongue. Words like silky or astringent tend to be applied here. The Hogshead has quite a bit of cling to it, which does translate into the way it sticks in your mouth. Now, onto the best part. Drinking!
The flavour is more complex than I was expecting from a small distillery that does a variety of spirits. There is some heat to it, especially in the back of the throat, and it clings briefly to the tongue before the alcohol takes it all away. I find the first sip of a hotter whiskey like this hard to notice much about, but the second one brings a surprising sweetness, along with vanilla, oak, and some of the fruit from the nose, specifically cherry. The aftertaste is one of my favorite things about this whiskey as it reminds me of Vanilla Coke, one of the lost loves of my life as I no longer drink caffeine. I guess they were right when talking about the vanilla in their notes! Despite the initial heat, further sips are remarkably smooth and mellow. this is something you can choose to nurse...or not.
To say it's an astounding whiskey would be a stretch, but honestly, I quite enjoy it. I've gifted it to friends who are very into the US whiskey scene and been asked to get additional bottles, which is always a good sign. Running around $35 for a bottle, it certainly isn't the most expensive date in my cabinet but it's not the cheap date that, say, JD might be. Certainly worth trying out if you find yourself able to get your hands on it!
I may have remembered part way through to shoot this
The whiskey itself is aged for an undisclosed amount of time. I've heard anything from 3-5 years from the staff, but it seems to be about when they think it tastes good. It is a single malt from barley they use in their brewing process, some of which they grow themselves. Combined with their brewing experience, they should be able to turn out a passable draught.
Turns out, they do. The nose (smell) is a little hot, meaning there is an alcoholic aroma to it. This isn't always the case in whiskey and it might turn some people off. If you get past that, there's a fruitiness underlying it all that I enjoy. Coming from Oregon, the malt never came close to any peat - maybe a Pete, but not the burning soil - so there isn't that to turn off non-Scotch fans.
Some folks care about how the whiskey clings to the glass. This generally translates into mouth-feel, or how the liquor clings to your tongue. Words like silky or astringent tend to be applied here. The Hogshead has quite a bit of cling to it, which does translate into the way it sticks in your mouth. Now, onto the best part. Drinking!
The flavour is more complex than I was expecting from a small distillery that does a variety of spirits. There is some heat to it, especially in the back of the throat, and it clings briefly to the tongue before the alcohol takes it all away. I find the first sip of a hotter whiskey like this hard to notice much about, but the second one brings a surprising sweetness, along with vanilla, oak, and some of the fruit from the nose, specifically cherry. The aftertaste is one of my favorite things about this whiskey as it reminds me of Vanilla Coke, one of the lost loves of my life as I no longer drink caffeine. I guess they were right when talking about the vanilla in their notes! Despite the initial heat, further sips are remarkably smooth and mellow. this is something you can choose to nurse...or not.
To say it's an astounding whiskey would be a stretch, but honestly, I quite enjoy it. I've gifted it to friends who are very into the US whiskey scene and been asked to get additional bottles, which is always a good sign. Running around $35 for a bottle, it certainly isn't the most expensive date in my cabinet but it's not the cheap date that, say, JD might be. Certainly worth trying out if you find yourself able to get your hands on it!
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