“All Hail Canada!”
As I get older, I think it’s important to keep learning new things. Yes, this includes whiskey! Every month, I learn something new at Whiskey Club. At August Whiskey Club, I learned that the owner of Dive Bar, Karen, first started drinking Crown Royal.
Now before you bash Karen or Canada, she’s the BEST, and Canada makes good whisky! In fact, The Forty Creek Double Barrel Canadian was my favorite whisky of the night! Out of all six pours we tried, this was the smoothest of them all. It’s aged in Kentucky oak barrels for a rich, bold flavor. Those around me said it tasted like a “caramel nut candy bar”, like a Payday.
All 5 of the whiskey’s we sampled at the August Whiskey Club, plus a surprise pour of the Gentleman Jack (not pictured). Look at that inviting patio in the background! Photo by E.B. WhiskeyI’m going to being honest with you because that’s what I’m here to do, in my opinion, the rest of the whiskeys were just “OK,” but everyone’s taste buds are different. That’s one of the great things about Whiskey Club – you come and try a variety of pours without having to buy the entire bottle, AND you get a delicious meal.
Here are the other pours we tried:
Daviess County Bourbon French Oak Pronounced “Davis,” this 96 proof definitely had a spiciness to it. We were encouraged to “blow off the top” before tasting it. It was strong, and the group I saw with all made that “Hoo” face upon tasting. According to their Facebook page, this bottle took home a Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in May. Try it—you might like it!
Amador Whiskey Co. Double Barrel Cabernet A few months ago, I discovered a bottle of wine aged in a bourbon barrel, so I was excited to see if I would like this bottle just as much since it was aged three years in a wine barrel. At 90 proof, it was my first pick until I tried the Forty Creek Double Barrel. One man called this a “very approachable” pour, and I must agree. From vanilla and caramel to black cherry and toast, this bottle has some deep flavors. While it’s aged in barrels from California, as the Amador website says, their goal is to “capture the heart of Kentucky in every glass.”
Bib & Tucker Double Char Small Batch The only thing I liked about this was the bottle. It smelled and tasted a little like pecan pie, which isn’t my favorite. However, like a lot of the whiskey featured at Whiskey Club, it’s won a couple of awards. If you do like pecan pie, try it for yourself.
Dewar’s “French Cask” Smooth – 8 Year Started in 1846, Dewar’s is the oldest blended scotch whiskey in the World and the most internationally imported brand. Pretty cool, right? Scotch is an acquired taste, and this blend was no different. I’m going to leave it at that.
Let me say it again—these are solely my opinions. You might think to yourself, “I like pecan pie or 96-proof whiskey.” That’s why we want you to come to Dive Bar during try different pours for yourself.
Be sure to save the date for Whiskey Week at Dive Bar, September 18-24. The boss lady is going to release a lot of great products throughout the week, starting at Whiskey Club on September 18 at 6pm.
There’s a special barrel, yes, barrel, that has Dive Bar’s name on it that will be debuted for Whiskey Week from the Ben Holladay Distillery. You won’t want to miss it!
Until next time, cheers!
