This was a tasting of Little Brown Dog Spirits Indiana Rye – Single Cask 2017 and Linkwood 2008 Single Cask Brandy finish.
Indiana Rye – Single Cask 2017 58.7% ABV
Our first ever Rye Whiskey. This one was UNSPECIALLY selected.
What does that mean? It means we got lucky. The cask was plucked from obscurity, no agonising over cask samples, no reracking, just a blind pick, and when the cask sample finally came through we realised, we got lucky!
Little Brown Dog Spirits
Appearance
This is the first time I’ve seen a burnt orange coloured whisky, it looks awesome tbh. It has a nice thick swirl line that breaks up into teardrops. An all over coating eventually reveals faint medium legs.
I do love the colour, and I don’t say that often. #thewhiskeychaps
— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) August 8, 2021
Nose
I get spearmint here, it has reduced with time in the glass, then I’m getting grains, Linseed oil, vegetal. That glazing putty is here, spiciness is coming across too, the Rye, rye ryvitas, black pepper, cinnamon, I’ll add notes to this once it’s been diluted a little, I think the ABV is holding the aromas back for me.
With water the menthol comes back, and wood and wood treatments come forward more, carpenters workshop for sure.
Palate
@LBDspirits Indiana Rye P – Yep the strawberries @whiskeychap was getting on the nose is here, it’s lovely and rye spicy, not blow your head off stuff but very warming, and welcoming tbh.
Black peppercorns, cinnamon, ginger root, cardamom, anise, decent mouthfeel too as you drink more of it. Pomegranate, blood oranges, dark chocolate with chillis.
A drop of water does calm it down and there is more fruit, red berries mainly, cranberries and a little drying.
Yes definitely, pastry does come through for me, cinnamon danish swirl, raisins, and a faint salinity too. #thewhiskeychaps
— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) August 8, 2021
Finish
Quite long, lovely and spicy peppery, black coffee, anise, liquorice, plenty of wood, char, red berries still, and a little drying.
I like this. I think the nose hides the treasures the palate is going to offer, the palate is lovely tbh. #thewhiskeychaps
— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) August 8, 2021
My thoughts
An undisclosed Rye whisky from Indiana eh, Little Brown Dog Spirits are so spoiling us in my opinion. I’ve tried a couple of Rye whiskies in the past, and to be honest i really enjoyed them, but i don’t think they were at cask strength, so i was rather intrigued by this bottling, and equally nervous.
As we kick off with the nose on this dram it was noticeable that the nose is quite subdued. It seems cask strength whiskies do this quite often with me, a little water definitely makes a difference. Once i got tasting it (pre water being added) the palate explodes with flavour and abv strength. So much spiciness and warmth, not heat, and it definitely invites you for another sip, and another.
Knowing that this cask was pretty much selected for them the contents are a winner for me, @whiskeychap, as someone who knows way more about american whiskies than myself, was also very impressed, a pretty good endorsement i’d say.
Would i buy a bottle?
I know this bottle is a 50cl, but even so, £45 for a single cask, cask strength, NCF, NAC american Rye whisky that tastes this good is such good value for money, i would definitely buy one. As they say “It’s a no Brainer” as far as i’m concerned.
Linkwood 2008 – Brandy Cask Finish – Single Cask 54.4% Abv
Finished for 6 months in our Petit Chien Brun French Brandy cask, the brandy adding an extra layer of perfume and complexity without overpowering the spirit.
Little Brown Dog Spirits
Appearance
We have damp straw in colour, a nice thick swirl line again, and thick syrupy legs.
Nose
Now, I’ve come across 2 distinct styles of Linkwood, one is fruity, the other is more cereal/grains, this one is definitely the later. There are fruits here, and I’m thinking green grapes, greengages, unripe plums, perhaps a touch of mango.
There are also lots of wood, white pepper, there’s also a floral note, then icing sugar and a touch of menthol.
Mid duration fermentation gives a fresh grass and floral new make.
— Little Brown Dog Spirits LTD (@LBDspirits) August 8, 2021
Palate
Lovely mouthfeel, quite oily, and immediately there is more fruit on the palate, strawberries and raspberries, red currants, and I’ll say blackcurrant jam. It’s 1st fill Bourbon spicy (turned out to be the brandy cask influence), very nice tbh. Vanilla custard, and hot cinnamon kids sweets.
It becomes more syrupy with time, the spice is lovely and warming, cardamom, dark chocolate, perhaps a touch of lemon coming through too, bitter lemon.
Dessert wine sweetness at the back of the tongue. I really like a whisky that has that element to it. Goes to show the benefit finishing has and great to use to explain to someone new to whisky #thewhiskeychaps
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) August 8, 2021
Finish
Again quite long, peppery, ginger nut biscuits, cinnamon swirl, leaning into black coffee, chocolate orange, and a slight earthiness too. Very nice indeed.
My thoughts
I am a self confessed Linkwood fan, and i can see what they meant by saying it was a “safe” cask of Linkwood. I’ve has very fruity Linkwoods, and cereal/grain Linkwoods, and this definitely starts off as the later.
Again the Cask strength nose holds back the delights inside with time it does become fruitier, it may just have needed to sit for a good while to open up because now it’s lovely and fruity with a spicy kick added, something new to me with Linkwood to be honest, and very drinkable too.
Would i buy a bottle?
Yep, yep, and yep, i have to say i love it, it’s one that needs time so no slugging it back here, it’s definitely one to be sipped and savoured.
Overall thoughts
After their fantastic first releases, Little Brown Dog Spirits had much to prove with these two bottlings, the consistency of their releases being one of them. And they have done it again, these 2nd releases are different and wonderful, and there’s more coming along in the pipeline, fantastic stuff from them, their reputation is growing fast and becoming firmly embedded into the current whisky scene.
And now for something completely different
Continuing my whisk(e)y and music thing, of songs iv’e listened to either during my tasting or review. I hope you enjoy this one.
