Review by: The Auditor
Review #1119; Brandy #62
This Apple brandy comes to us from Clear Creek, a distiller based in Hood River, Oregon that distills various different brandy styles. This single cask was selected by the Aficionados group. This apple brandy was fermented and distilled from from yellow apples from the Yakima Valley. It was aged for 15 years in a 450 Liter French Oak Barrel before being bottled at cask strength with no additives.
Distillery: Clear Creek
Bottler: Clear Creek
Region: Oregon
Still: Pot
ABV: 52.3%
Age: 15 Years
Nose: Apple, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Black Tea, over-ripe blueberry
Palate: Thick oily mouthfeel, Cinnamon, Apple, blueberry, earl grey tea, black pepper, nuttiness
Finish: Medium length finish, Cinnamon, Apple, Blueberry, pie crust, earl grey tea, black pepper
Conclusion: This is a great Brandy for sure. The oak influence is nice and the age kicks the complexity up a good bit. The cask strength isn’t over powering and it drinks well at its proof. The initial kick of apple is accompanied by spices, other fruits, and nice nuttiness. Overall, quite an impressive release.
Final Score: 88
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 