Alc. 40%
Bottle:
a somewhat stubby, chubby cylinder like bottle reminiscent of the danfields 21 style. The label is cool, and states what i like to see; a huge name, an age statement and the finishing barrels. The knot, is a miller’s knot, mr. dykstra.
Nose:
Egg nog and vanilla custard are outstanding. Dark fruit, cloying red wine notes and some acetone. Menthol pokes through, along with fresh cut wood. Bright nose, lacking any real bass notes.
Palate:
Vanilla fudge, egg nog and sweet/spicy red wine barrels. Pastel candies, burnt rubber and a touch of fresh mint in the finish. Red wine holds down the dank notes with some brown baking spice. The finish is full of oak and a dusting of black pepper. This is a very complex palate, difficult to coax out individual flavours, but the focus us: vanilla, spice, sweet, port, fruit. Pleasant, creamy texture.
Overall:
Very good. Buy.
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Pike creek export version – nas
Alc. 40%
Bottle:
Nose:
Vanilla, toffee and egg nog, followed by gummy mint leaves, dark fruits and stewed berries some dry wood and burnt sugar, this nose has no surprises compared to the Canadian pike creek, although the Canadian version may be more pungent.
Palate:
Creamy smooth, dry with tannins and tobacco, sweet with fruit. Thin on the mouth, artificial grape gum, mint and orange cream. A little spice through the middle. Rose pedal jam, almost rubbery.
In comparison:
The Canadian version seems to be a touch heartier, a little bigger. The Canadian version carries more fruit, whereas the us carries more vanilla, even by a thread.
87
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Pike creek rum finish – 10 year
Alc. 40%
Nose:
Brown sugar, deep red berries, egg nog and dry oak to start. Herbal and floral. Still no dank, dark notes, but the nose is turned down by some more ‘brown’ elements.
Palate:
Spicy and angular entrance, packed with brown sugar and spice. Creamy corn texture, if a bit thin. Floral and fruity with eucalyptus notes hiding near the finish. Much resemblance from the ‘other’ pike creek, with a sweeter finish. Surprising to find some marzipan and pine in the palate.
Overall: 88
A suitable replacement for the port finish
Pike creek 21 year finished in speyside casks –
Alc.45%
Nose:
Eggnog, nutmeg, green apples, under ripe pears, raisins, brown sugar. A bit sharp and angular on the nose as to say not as smooth, fluid nose. Fresh flowers, toast, corn oils, vanilla cake and fresh sawdust.
Palate:
Good viscosity on the palate, creamy, fruity, full of roasted apples, apple sauce, nutmeg, cinnamon, Demera. Toffee, soft caramels, fresh berries, light chillies and spiky, horny pallet. Ending spicy with orange path.
Overall: 88
Please note:
Pike creek is named after its resting place, where it is aged in first fill bourbon barrels, then finished in port barrels.
The warehouse in pike creek has no electricity, therefore no heat. During the extreme climates of a Canadian year, the barrels become very hot during the summer and since there is no heat in the warehouse, the barrels become very cold in the winter which reaches lows of -40f.
Pike creek is a ten year old corn whisky, distilled in a column still. The resulting spirit is not so full of corn flavor, but lets the barrels take the reigns and imply some vanilla and fruity notes.
Score: 89
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