The Blogscotch whiskybourbonslidepollajax

When the Leaves Turn Brown, So Does the Booze: Three New Whiskeys for Autumn

This year, in addition to all the old favorites that have gotten us through many a previous autumn chill, there are three new whiskeys on the market that will cast a warm glow on your taste buds.
By 

Writer of words, drinker of booze, eater of food, listener of music, watcher of baseball.

Writer of words, drinker of booze, eater of food, listener of music, watcher of baseball.
|
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

When the days grow shorter and the nights grow colder, when baseball gives way to football and the sweaters come out of mothballs, it can only mean one thing -- it's whiskey season again. Of course, there's nothing wrong with a snifter of Scotch or a perfect Manhattan on a sweltering July evening. But for me, autumn is whiskey weather. Time to put away the fruity pseudo-tinis and faux-jitos and get down to some serious drinking. This year, in addition to all the old favorites that have gotten us through many a previous autumn chill, there are three new whiskeys on the market that will cast a warm glow on your taste buds.

Three New Whiskeys for Autumn
Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch(01 of03)
Open Image Modal
Four Roses bourbon doesn't have a particularly fancy pedigree and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. It's a solid, no-nonsense and mighty tasty bourbon that's been around since your great-gran'pappy was knee high to a grasshopper (or 1888, in other words), and for a spell in the '30s and '40s it was the most popular bourbon in the United States. In recent years, however, as the spirits market has gravitated toward rarer and higher-end concoctions, they've gotten a little hifalutin. There are now ten different Four Roses expressions, each one aged and distilled differently.Four Roses' new Limited Edition Small Batch is a mixture of three of those recipes, aged between 10 and 15 years and then mixed at barrel strength. On the nose, it's mellow, fragrant and almost perfumey, redolent of young wood and nutmeg -- when my wife took a sniff she said, "It smells like Christmas." On the tongue, it starts off sweet, with a nifty brown sugar vibe, before the alcohol and oak whack you upside the taste buds; the finish is long and super-dry. While the Small Batch is designed to be a sipping whiskey, I think it makes a nifty bourbon for cocktails as well.
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve(02 of03)
Open Image Modal
And speaking of cocktails... when it comes to Manhattans, Knob Creek is my bourbon of choice. It's so flavorful, so bold and robust, with so much... pizazz, that it can compensate for sloppy bartenders who are heavy-handed with the vermouth. And of course if you make it right, a more beautifully balanced drink you'll be hard pressed to find. But on its own, neat or on the rocks, I find that Knob Creek is a little too powerful -- its high alcohol content (100 proof) a little overwhelming, its flavor just a little bit out of control.That's where Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve comes in. In case you're not in the know, "single barrel" means that unlike most whiskeys, which are blended and bottled from several different barrels in which the elixir has been aging, each bottle comes from one specially selected barrel that's determined by the distiller to be (barrel)head and shoulders above the rest of the batch. And with Knob Creek, whoever chose the barrels chose well.Where standard Knob Creek can taste powerful but untamed, like the bourbon equivalent of a bucking bronco, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is a stallion that's been broken in, a fine thoroughbred of a whiskey. Everything's a little more focused -- the flavors are more harmonious, the wood notes even woodier, the sweet notes even sweeter. And what's amazing about this stuff is that it's even smoother than regular Knob Creek, despite containing a full 10% more alcohol (it checks in at a whopping 120 proof). And at a suggested retail price of $39.99 for a 750ml bottle, you can even afford to mix it in a Manhattan, although I think I'd drink it right out of the shaker before having a chance to add anything to it. The only bad thing I can think to say about it's not on liquor store shelves yet. So, what do you drink until it is?
Ransom Spirits WhipperSnapper Oregon Whiskey(03 of03)
Open Image Modal
Already available is a weird and wonderful new concoction from Ransom Spirits, the Oregon-based distiller which brought us the mind-blowingly brilliant Old Tom gin last year. This year's baby, WhipperSnapper Oregon Whiskey, is... well, what is it, anyway? Is it a bourbon? A Scotch? Sort of and sort of. The two main components of WhipperSnapper are malted barley (the same stuff they make Scotch from, although this barley is from Oregon) and un-aged or "white dog" Kentucky corn whiskey (from whence comes bourbon). The resulting alchemy, about an 80/20 ratio of corn to barley, is then aged in barrels that have housed French pinot noir and American whiskey, as well as new unused barrels. The aging process is relatively short -- generally less than two years, hence the "WhipperSnapper" name -- and then various barrels are selected and combined for each bottle. The end result is something akin to an incredibly vibrant young Scotch, while you also get the sweet and unrefined vibe of the white dog. At 84 proof, it goes down dangerously smooth neat or on the rocks. I suppose you could mix it with soda, but it's so damn good on its own that you needn't bother. Because it's not peaty, WhipperSnapper would make a great gateway drug for those timid souls who are scared off by the pungent aroma and powerful flavor of Islay single-malts. But it still makes for a damn fine libation even if you like the "hard stuff" like Lagavulin or Laphroaig.

All three of these fine American-made whiskies will make you proud of your country. And by buying them, you'll be giving the economy a boost. Meet you at the liquor store, fellow patriots!

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Related

scotch whiskybourbonslidepollajaxWhiskeyFood
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

REI's Hiking Apparel Was Already Kind Of A Steal — And It's On Ultra-Sale Right Now

The 1 Shoe That Has Helped Eliminate My Dad’s Plantar Fasciitis Pain

18 Shoes That Nurses Say Are Super Comfortable

18 Items That Will Turn Your Concrete Backyard Into A Total Oasis

This Inconspicuous And Truly Effective Bug Hack Is Only $20 On Amazon

MORE IN LIFE

Style & Beauty

OK, But Is Sunbathing Really THAT Bad? Here’s The Realistic Answer

Wellness

The 1 Word Therapists Say You Need To Stop Using With Yourself

Relationships

‘Boysober’ And Celibate By Choice: Why These Women Are Swearing Off Sex

Wellness

Do You Have ‘FOPO’? Here’s How To Spot The Damaging Habit.

Work/Life

6 Work Habits That Are Secretly High-Functioning Anxiety In Disguise

Relationships

These Are The Top 5 Fantasies Women Want To See More Of In Porn

Shopping

Reviewers All Over The Internet Say This $10 Crepe-Reducing Moisturizer Is Legitimately Effective

Shopping

This Electronic Bug-Zapping Wand Just Made My Summer A Thousand Times Better

Shopping

32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler

Shopping

27 Exercise Products That Let You Get Fit While Doing Something Else

Shopping

Reviewers With Mature Skin Are Obsessed With This $7 Eyeliner

Work/Life

You've Probably Heard This 3-Word Career Advice. It's A Total Trap.

Style & Beauty

The Ideal Morning Skin Care Routine For Every Decade Of Your Life

Shopping

9 Handy Travel Cases For Transporting Those Unruly Device Cords

Shopping

22 Hair Care Products Reviewers Over 50 Swear By

Shopping

Reviewers Say They Walked All Over Europe In These Shoes

Style & Beauty

Lace Undies Have Been Banned In 3 Countries. How Dangerous Are They?

Wellness

Podiatrists Share 10 Things They'd Never Do (And Wish You Wouldn't Either)

Parenting

The Funniest Tweets From Parents This Week

Shopping

This Back-Saving Electric Spin Scrubber Is Under $40 For A Limited Time

Parenting

German Parliament To Relax Strict Restrictions On Family Names

Life

The Funniest Tweets From Women This Week

Shopping

This Internet-Famous Cleaner Is Somehow Less Than $100 — And The Sale Could End Any Second

Shopping

5 Inflatable Hot Tubs That Amazon Shoppers Love

Shopping

13 Products That Make Cleaning Hard-To-Reach Places Actually Easy

Shopping

These Cult-Favorite K-Beauty Products Are Hiding In Plain Sight On Amazon

Shopping

37 Effective Products You'll Want To Immediately 'Add To Cart'

Shopping

The 1 Thing You Need To Prevent Your Bed Pillows From Turning Yellow

Shopping

Why Brushing Your Pet’s Teeth Is Way More Important Than You Think (Plus The Best Products To Use)

Parenting

8 Things You Should Never, Ever Say To A Teenager

Relationships

5 Signs Your ‘New Relationship Energy’ Is Actually Unhealthy

Shopping

These Nike Sneakers Feel Like 'Walking On A Cloud' & They're 50% Off

Shopping

The Travel-Friendly AeroPress XL Makes The ‘Best Coffee Ever.’ Get It For 30% Off.

Shopping

Some Reviewers Chose These Earbuds Over AirPods — And They’re On Sale For $19

Shopping

These Beloved North Face Rain Jackets Are Up to 50% Off At REI

Shopping

Reviewers Love This Tiny Speaker’s ‘Small But Mighty’ Sound Quality — And It’s Under $50

Life

Love Petting Your Cat? There's A 'Red Zone' You Need To Avoid.

Shopping

A Podiatrist Reveals The Best Walking Sandals You Can Buy

Shopping

These 10 Mascaras Will Be Game-changing If Your Eyelashes Have Zero Curl

Shopping

Highly-Rated Outdoor Enclosures For Your Pet That You Can Get On Amazon