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7/2008 CHARBAY HOP FLAVORED WHISKEY RELEASE II


7/2008 CHARBAY HOP FLAVORED WHISKEY RELEASE II
At $325 a bottle, this is a whiskey for the deep pocketed collector and lover of whiskey. As CHARBAY explains,

“In 1999, Miles and Marko [Karakasevic] distilled 20,000 gallons of great Pilsner to create just 24 barrels of Whiskey. These barrels will be watched (and certainly tasted) over many years […] they are an art endeavor, not an on-going production. Release I of the series was just 3 years old when it was bottled at cask-strength (124.9 proof) & it was unheard of to taste a whiskey as smooth as a fine 15-year-old (80 proof) ones.”

This bottling is at 55% ABV (110 proof). Like Irish Whiskey and Scotch, it was made from barley in a pot still. (Most American whiskey is made from corn, wheat, and rye in column stills.) We tasted the earlier version and were flummoxed by it. This time, though, aging has coaxed forth something special.

Nose it and your brain will reel in confusion. “This is whiskey?” Hops, barrel… Take a tiny amount in your mouth and savor it for a few minutes. Raspberry, white pepper… What else? Fascinating. A whiskey to ponder in solitude. Utterly unique. (Rating ****1/2) For further details or to learn more, surf to CHARBAY’S website.

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