Editor's Note: Whiskey in the Winter, the annual mega whiskey event taking place this Friday at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch, sold out (1,200 tickets!) in record time. And once again, SLM contributor Bill Meyers (aka "The Scotch Guy") will be manning the Golden Ticket Bar, where VIP guests receive a dram of ultra-exclusive whiskey chosen by lot from two groups, red and blue.
Meyers' impressions of those 12 whiskies are noted below, as are his recommendations for the 400-plus other whiskies available for tasting. The aficionado reminds us that if you're not attending the event, a good bottle of whiskey makes an excellent holiday gift.
GOLDEN TICKET WHISKIES
RED
Old Forester 1910: The fourth and final expression in the Whiskey Row series. Bottled at 93 proof, this expression is double barreled, mimicking an accident from 1910 when vatted whiskey ready to be bottled was re-racked in new charred oak barrels until the bottling line could be repaired. The 1910 spends an additional six to nine months in new oak barrels charred over twice the normal time, almost to the point where they cannot hold liquid.
Aberfeldy 21: Should be familiar to Dewar's drinkers, as Aberfeldy is one of the primary single malts in the Dewar's blend. Much older than the standard Dewar's single malt, the Aberfeldy 21 contains malts matured in various cask types before being blended and returned to oak casks for a second maturation period.
Mitchell's Yellow Spot: Relatively new to the United States, this 12-year-old Single Pot Still Irish whiskey is matured in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-Malaga wine casks and bottled at 92 proof. Very approachable, this will likely be love at first taste for Irish drinkers.
Crown Royal XR: Containing some of the oldest and rarest Canadian whiskies, XR combines fruit with the spice of Canadian rye—a treat for Crown Royal and Canadian whiskey drinkers.
Alexander Murray Macallan 20: Merchant bottles, like Alexander Murray, acquire casks from various distilleries and bottle when they feel the whiskies are ready. This is a rare opportunity to taste a small-production expression from Macallan—it's on my short list of ones to try.
Macallan Edition No. 4: The 2018 release is the fourth in the series, which deconstructs this famous distillery by highlighting the different types and sizes of casks with the emphasis on the weighty, traditional Macallan to celebrate the opening of the new still house.
BLUE
Wild Turkey Master's Keep Revival: The third in the Master's Keep series, this 101-proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon is a blend of 12- to 15-year-olds finished in casks previously containing Oloroso sherry for 20 years or longer. While finishing bourbon in sherry casks is not new, the difference is the age of the bourbon and the age of the sherry casks used.
Bowmore 25: As Islay whiskies age, the peat typically dissipates, replaced by complexities from the oak casks. Bowmore tends to become fruity with a note of mustiness, which typically appears as it approaches 30. Bowmore 25 is a delight, and fun to compare against younger expressions.
Kentucky Owl Rye Batch 2: An 11-year-old straight rye whiskey bottled at 101.8 proof is slightly weaker and more expensive than its predecessor (Batch 1), but it's a must-try for rye fans.
Glenfiddich Age of Discovey 19: The second release in the Age of Discovery series, this 19-year-old Glenfiddich single malt was matured entirely in ex-bourbon casks and is bottled at 40 percent alcohol. This follows the initial release finished in Madeira wine casks. Purportedly this is Glenfiddich's “only expression to have spent all its life maturing only in bourbon casks.” Don't miss it if you get an opportunity.
Highland Park, The Dark: The first in a two-part Solstice series, this 17-year-old is matured in first-fill European oak sherry casks and bottled at 52.9 percent alcohol. This is sure to be a favorite among those who enjoy the combination of sherry and peat.
Parker's Heritage 12th Edition: After resting seven to eight years in the upper floors of Rickhouse Q, this bourbon was re-racked in French Orange Curaçao liqueur barrels for four months before being bottled at 110 proof. Don't miss your chance to try this highly allocated whiskey.
Other Highlights
The Lost Distillery Company: New to the St. Louis market, Lost has blended various single malts in an attempt to reinterpret expressions from long-shuttered distilleries. While you may be unfamiliar with the distillery names, the end results are good, complex, and reasonably priced.
Bruichladdich Black Arts 5.1: The fifth iteration of Jim McEwan's secret formula, the purportedly bourbon-cask-matured Bruichladdich is finished in exceptional red wine barrels. An encore not to be missed.
Bunnahabhain 25: For those who enjoy a touch of peat, the Bunnahabhain 25 masterfully blends 70 percent ex-bourbon casks with 30 percent ex-sherry casks to create the perfect balance.
Dewar's 25: Sourced from the same stable of single malts and grains as the iconic and ubiquitous blend, this expression demonstrates what a few extra decades in the right barrels can do.
Glenrothes Whisky Maker's Cut: This recent release is non-chill filtered from ex-sherry casks, and is approachable in terms of both palate and wallet.
Jack Daniel's Single Barrel, Barrel Proof: For those who look down on Jack Daniel's as pedestrian, I challenge you to try the single-barrel, barrel-proof version. Weighing in at around 130 proof, depending on the barrel, this whiskey can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or with your favorite cola or ginger ale. Maybe save this for later in the evening as a palate reviver.
Laphroaig 25, 27, 30: These are each over $500 per bottle, so you can quickly recoup your cost of admission, but try them because they are truly amazing whiskies if you're a fan of the peated single malts.
Yamazaki 18: This Japanese single malt has developed a cult like following—don't miss your chance to see what the buzz is about.
William C. Meyers is an avid scotch collector and local attorney. He co-authored the 6th edition of Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch and is one of 23 contributors to 1001 Whiskies You Must Taste Before You Die. He's written for the Chicago Tribune, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and St. Louis Magazine. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Meyers will again serve as the "Whiskey Sommelier" at Whiskey in the Winter. Look for him at the Golden Ticket Bar.
