Corsair Triple Smoke
One of the many American distilleries sprouting in the decade, Corsair Distillery is located in the somewhat unlikely city of Nashville, TN*. Founded by friends Andrew Webber and Darek Bell in 2008, Corsair has not wasted any time, purposefully eschewing what’s been done before. Not waiting seems to be a core value, as many of their spirits are aged less than a year and pushing the boundaries is an expectation. Not content to use one grain, they produce everything from absinthe to genever to pumpkin spice moonshine in several core offerings and many seasonal or experimental spirits. Thankfully they have good taste to back up their creativity. Many of their spirits have won awards, most of all this Triple Smoke whiskey that is pot distilled from three elements of malted barley, each smoked by cherry wood, beach wood and peat.
Aberlour 12 Year Double Cask
Nestled in the heart of the Speyside region a few miles north of Ben Rinnes along the River Spey, Aberlour has a proud history of distilling that covers centuries and intertwines a sense of heritage with exploration. While an increasing number of distilleries are replacing their aged offerings with No Age Statements (NAS), the Aberlour range has two 12’s, a 16 and an 18. The Aberlour 12 claims to be double matured, as it is aged in oak casks with buttes from ex-sherry casks.
Glenmorangie “Companta”
Sometimes the Scotch Gods smile upon you. After first encountering this whisky at a Merlin’s Rest tasting in 2014, it quickly sold out in the state and we didn’t think we’d ever encounter it again. Therefore, it was quite a pleasant surprise when we stumbled upon it while driving to Madison, Wisconsin to retrieve another hard-to-find dram, the Glen Breton Rare 10 year. When presented with such an opportunity, the last thing you do is not seize upon it. Glenmorangie’s Private Edition series are yearly releases, with the Companta spirit matured in 60% Burgundy wine casks from Clos de Tart and 40% Rasteau casks from the Côtes du Rhône region of France. As with others in this range, like the 2013 Elanta, the Companta has also won multiple whisky awards.