Woodinville Whiskey

I love a good Rye but Woodinville Whiskey Rye is truly an artisan Rye.  The taste of cinnamon and pepper with notes of vanilla, make this Rye exceptional.  I truly enjoyed my tasting.

The Whiskey is very good a blend of corn, wheat and rye in the mash bill; it adds significant depth to this bourbon, and the Rye has a mash bill of 100% rye. 

Now apparently the Woodinville Whiskey Company has gotten into making Vodka, but I traded my taste of Vodka for an extra helping of Rye.  I am a purist with Vodka, so I passed on tasting it; probably should have tried the vodka. 

For those of you who have a sweet tooth, Woodinville Whiskey has something truly amazing for you: real Maple syrup aged in used whiskeybarrels.  This adds some outstanding flavors to their maple syrup. We have the sweet of maple syrup touched with vanilla, cinnamon, and that smoky taste of a great whiskey.  Goes great over vanilla ice cream!  When you heat this syrup, be prepared to have the flavors of that excellent Woodinville Whiskey added to your breakfast; much more pronounced when heated. They also do barrel aged Honey!

In short, Woodinville Whiskey is a stop well worth making if you are anywhere near Woodinville, Washington. Deciding on the designated driver can be tough. Woodinville also has several award-winning wineries.  

24 Hours in Seattle

Ok, technically, we spent less than 24 hours in Seattle. Nonetheless, we had a blast and thought we should share some fun spots, some do's, and one don't.

Driving north from Portland, a good lunchtime town is Centralia, Washington. It offers a bit of wandering among antique stores to stretch your legs, as well as a worthy lunch spot: Berry Fields Cafe.

The sandwiches and salads are huge. You can definitely share one between two people. Tasty too. We were too full for dessert. Alas, next time!

After checking in at the W Seattle (centrally located, friendly staff), we wandered Pike's Place, because, well... you have to. Every time we come to Seattle, we visit Pike's Place. 

Now, for one of the "don't do" items... My mom opted to get a henna tattoo outside Pike's Place in the little greenspace overlooking the sound. Don't bother. While the design was cute, it wasn't at all dark after the henna was removed, and the sad/pale tattoo lasted all of a week. Luckily, it was only $5.



Late summer really is the best time to visit Seattle. Warm and sunny days, cool evenings. Happy vibe around town. We visited the Thursday before Labor Day, so it was definitely bustling and rooms were pricey (and even sold out in some hotels). 


As we wandered out of Pike Place, looking for a bite of dinner, the hubs noticed a sandwich board for Radiator Whiskey Bar. Sold! I know, he's an easy mark when it comes to whiskey and rye. 

Between my mom, the hubs, and I each ordering different things over the course of the evening, we were each able to try 6 whiskeys and cocktails. Yummo! Do order their Gold Rush: bourbon, lemon, honey, bitters! They also have a coffee drink that was tasty.

Radiator has an extensive booze menu. Whiskey lover's paradise. Since we were happily getting a snootful, we ordered a few eats off their happy hour menu and specials board. Everything was delicious, and it was no wonder the place was packed.

We toyed with the idea of a ride on the ferris wheel, but Mom wasn't up for it. We wandered about, found some good gelato, and settled in for the next day.

In the early morning, we hoofed it over to the Space Needle, arriving before it even opened for tours. (You gotta get up mighty early to walk 3 miles and arrive before 8am!) Oopsie.

We walked and walked, and intended to have breakfast at Lola but it was so darned packed with a 45-minute wait list, we passed. Instead, we went back to our standard Pike Place and noshed.

We also filled the cooler with myriad cheeses from Beechers, since we were about to spend the week up in Birch Bay, 20 minutes from foodie sources of civilization (e.g., Bellingham). Beechers was making cheese, which made for a nice source of morning, low-key entertainment.

After that, we packed up and headed for Woodinville, which will have to be the subject of another post. Whiskey and rye and wine, oh, my!

McMenamins’ Edgefield Distillery Sampler

The wife and I were out the other day with some friends and after the antique show, decided that lunch was in order.  After some discussion, we headed off to McMenamins - a perennial Portland favorite.  Now McMenamins has a few things going for it: atmosphere, they brew their own booze, and it’s predictable.  The down side is that for whatever reason the service is always slow, which is why we picked it (we wanted to sit and visit). McMenamins has typical pub grub with a few twists. On the other hand they did have what they called, an “Edgefield Distillery Sampler” of which I partook, and review today.

Herbal Liqueur #7: This herbal liqueur has a strong anise smell with a hint of cinnamon, and undertones of a day spent baking Christmas cookies.   Herbal Liqueur #7 has a strong anise flavor, too, which anyone who likes Samboca or Grappa would probably like. I felt that the cardamom flavor was a bit over the top lending it that strong anise (Black licorice) flavor.  This drink is more palatable than Samboca but not something I would recommend for sipping; it feels sharp in its alcohol content. It would probably go great in a mulled cider or with something a little sweeter where a hint a spice and some “heat” would mesh well. 80 proof.

LongShot Brandy:  This brandy retains some of the character and flavor of the wine it was made from.  This brandy is sweet and smooth with hints of vanilla and the strength of Syrah without screaming Syrah.  LongShot brandy start outs light and inviting and finishes by letting you know it is still a distilled spirit aged in oak.  This brandy would actually be good to drink straight, but I think it would best if mixed with something slightly sweet like pear juice or in a pleasant cocktail. 80 proof.

Alambic 13 Brandy: This Alambic brandy starts and finishes smooth; it has a sweet vanilla taste that made me sit up and say “mmm, good”. Everyone at the table agreed that this brandy was very tasty straight, probably a result of 13 years of aging in French oak barrels.  This brandy smelled clean with hints of cinnamon. When I first sipped it, I could taste something slightly sweet/floral, yet spicy with a little bit of vanilla. The Alambic slid down my throat silky and smooth.  Alambic is definitely a brandy to sip with some friends or enjoy by the fire on a cold night. It is pleasant, smooth, and a fine example of the distiller’s craft. 80 proof

Edgefield Pot Still Brandy: This brandy is the most dangerous of the brandies I have tasted so far. It is sweet, smooth, lightly oaky and has no burn in the throat.  This lack of a burn may allow one to think they are drinking something that isn’t a distilled spirit.  Pot Still has a sweet vanilla like smell that is clean and pleasant - like a spring day. This pinot noir and semillon brandy tastes light but a bit syrupy - definitely good straight; another truly fine example of the distiller’s craft. 80 proof

Coffee Liqueur:  For those who like a sweet, rich, coffee alcohol, this is for you. This coffee liqueur has a light aroma of fresh coffee, vanilla, and brown sugar, with a smooth taste on the tongue.  Normally I take my coffee black, but this is one case where a little milk or cream would be ok.  This coffee liqueur would be tasty poured over a brownie with fresh whipped cream. Drink it straight or mix it with some chocolate liqueur or chocolate milk. 40 proof

White Dog Whiskey: Ruff! This dog bites back! He starts out good and obedient going down smooth and neat, but he comes growling back onto the palette and barking down your throat. This un-aged whiskey smells clean, like oak, earth, and fresh cut grass, with hints of barley.  After I swallowed, I thought, “wow no burn” but give it a few seconds. I have never been a fan of white whiskey, simply because it always lacked character and complexity, plus it had a large number of bitter notes. Aging the whiskey in a barrel helps smooth out the highs and lows, plus it adds some character of the barrel to the 4 malted barleys they used.  I think that McMenamins will have a hit on their hands if they can keep making a white whiskey this good. 92 proof.

HogsHead Whiskey:  This whiskey is the older brother of the White dog. It has a lot more complexity in taste and in smell, with much more oak - the barrel aging (minimum of 3 years) truly shows.  This whiskey is smooth with a nice nutty, sweet taste.  This whisky has a vanilla-like after taste, which helps smooth the burn and lends a little bit more leg to this truly fine Whiskey. 92 proof. They have multiple locations: Mcmenamins.com All their whiskies, gins, brandies, and liqueurs are done in small batches and some are seasonal, so definitely worth a visit. All photos were taken at the Kennedy School location in NE Portland. 

Balvenie Single Malt Scotch "Whisky"

 

Last time I went out drinking Scotch, I was with an Englishman and the Scotches he wanted to drink reminded me of bogs and swamps. As a matter of fact, the more expensive they got the more they tasted of swamp.  

 

Balvenie Scotch is not like the Scotch whiskeys I drank at that time. Balvenie Scotch is pleasant, sweet and smooth.  The first thing we noticed at the wedding where we opened this bottle, was that Balvenie Scotch did not want any ice.

Balvenie smelled of spice and wood -- not peat and earth. It went down smooth and begged to be sipped.  The Scotch had a sweet and spicy taste with a hint of nut, that was really pleasing to drink.  If you like soda water or even don't like soda water, add a little to some Balvenie and WOW you will really understand how people can drink Scotch and soda.

Their website is TheBalvenie.com and if you love Whiskey, I highly recommend Balvenie 12-year old Double Wood Single Malt Scotch. It is truly an amazing Scotch Whiskey.