Coriander

Liberty Pole Spiced Whiskey

Liberty Pole Spiced Whiskey

The Liberty Pole Spiced Whiskey is an annual release, usually in October. It is based on a rye that’s at least 3 years old and matured in a 53-gallon oak barrel. To this is added allspice, orange peel, brown sugar and cinnamon. The genesis of this mixture came about at a holiday party where the Old Fashioneds had a homemade allspice dram added, which the distillers attempt to recreate here. Thanks mom! Historically, Pennsylvania distillers during the Whiskey Rebellion also added spices to their whiskies during the holidays. 

Glenmorangie A Tale of the Forest

Glenmorangie A Tale of the Forest

The Tale of the Forest is the third in an annual series by Glenmorangie that centers around an idea, whether that is concepts as divergent as Cake or Winter. This single malt takes another creative approach by Dr. Bill Lumsden, where instead of finishing the scotch like the previous two, the barley used was dried – or kilned, to use an industry term – with juniper, birch bark and heather flowers. This mix of woodland botanicals was apparently an ancient way of kilning barley for beer, and is used to infuse elements of the botanicals with the barley, much like how drying barley with peat smoke imparts other characteristics. The art on the box and bottle was illustrated by famed artist Pomme Chan.

Gouden Carolus Single Malt

Gouden Carolus Single Malt

Het Anker is a Belgian brewery with a long and proud history, beginning in the 15th Century. Gouden Carolus is maybe their most well known beer, though they also produce La Cambre, Maneblusser, and the Konishi sake line. In 2010, the owners decided to open a distillery and launch their first whisky in 2013. The Gouden Carolus Single Malt is that first release, and the distillery boasts a few more expressions along with a Belgian Cream in the style of an Irish Cream. This single malt is based on the Gouden Carolus Tripel beer. It is aged in ex-bourbon casks and then finished in Het Anker casks that have previously held some mixture of their beer. The bottle is a distinctive square shape and, while not seen in the images here, comes with a box that mirrors an image of the bottle on the entire length of one side.