The 2024 Whisky Advocate WhiskyFest Covered…In Hollywood, FLORIDA!
Wowza! If you wanted to know how Whisky Advocate’s WhiskyFest Florida was in one word that would be it. The whisky list grew quite a bit by the time the event rolled around on October 26. (See below or online here for that.) And there was no way we could even attempt to taste everything.
What we did sample is underlined in the Whiskies list at the end of this article, with special shout outs to outstanding rare/aged/new-to-me pours from these domestic and foreign brands: Oban 18 YO, Singleton 18 YO, Fuji 50th Anniversary, Bib & Tucker 15 YO, Loch Lomond 24 YO, Praedictum 15 YO Straight Bourbon, Killowen Rum & Raisin, Glen Moray 18 and 21 YOs, Redemption Sur Lee, Crown Royal 18 YO, Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Redbreast 18 YO, Bruichladdich Octmore 15.1, Truitt’s Old Fashioned Signature Cocktails, Mary Dowling, Sagamore Spirit Manhattan Finish Rye, and then everything from Compass Box, Middle West and Westland.
(Note that you really should pay the extra amount for that first VIP hour, that was where most of the older whiskies mentioned above were poured. They did pour all they had during the evening, so some of the people that came in with the general admission were able to get some tastes. Just don’t want you to count on that.)
Also snagged a class with Bruichladdich Distillery Global Ambassador Abi Clephane where we learned about and tasted The Classic Laddy, Islay Barley 2014, Re/Define Eighteen and Octomore 15.3. We learned that that Islay, (pronounced I-La with the La as in fa la la) where Bruichladdich (pronounced Bru-Laddy) is made, has a population of 3,200 and is the largest employer on the island. Production is on mainland Glasglow. Bruichladdich translates as “hill by a beach”.
All four Scotch whiskies where damn fine. The Classic Laddy has no age statement, unpeated and is made with Scottish barley. The Islay Barley 2024 is also made from Scottish barley, a single vintage and peated. The Re/Define 18 YO was one of my favorites, their first 18 YO, made by a new team, came out six months ago and I will be paying close to $200 to grab a bottle from Total Wine. And finally, the Octomore 15.3, their 15th edition, with Islay grown barley, 61% ABV, considered the world’s most heavily peated whisky but is as smooth as silk on the palate possibly due to being finished in an Oloroso sherry cask.
Link for photos here.
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@MiddleWestSpirits @Bruichladdich @ObanWhisky @TheSingletonWhisky @BibAndTuckerBourbon @LochLomondMalts @KillowenDistillery @Glen_Moray_Whisky @RedemptionWhiskey @CrownRoyal @JohnnieWalker @RedbreastIrishWhiskey @SagamoreSpirit @WhiskyAdvocate @WhiskyFest
Whiskies – those we sampled are underlined with *** if of special note.
Aberfeldy 12 yr.
Basil Hayden
Original
Toast (VIP hour only)
Bib & Tucker
6 yr.
Double Char
10 yr.
15 yr. (VIP hour only)***
Blue Note Bourbon
Juke Joint
Crossroads
Uncut
Rye
Borchetta Bourbon
Small Batch
2024 Cask Strength Limited Release
2023 Cask Strength Limited Release (VIP hour only)***
2022 Cask Strength Limited Release (VIP hour only)
Bruichladdich
The Classic Laddie
Islay Barley
Port Charlotte 10***
Octomore 15.1 (VIP hour only)***
Buchanan’s
12 yr.
18 yr. (VIP hour only)
Bulleit
Bourbon
Rye
10 yr. Bourbon
10 yr. Rye
American Single Malt (VIP hour only)
The Busker
Single Grain
Single Malt
Single Pot Still
Small Batch Single Pot (VIP hour only)
The Busker Breeze Cocktail (VIP hour only)
Charles Goodnight Texas Straight Bourbon
Compass Box
Orchard House
Nectarosity
Peat Monster
Whisky Advocate’s #9 Whisky of the Year, 2020
Crimson Cask***
Delos: Limited Edition (VIP hour only)***
Celestial: Limited Edition (VIP hour only)***
Metropolis: Limited Edition (VIP hour only)***
Craigellachie 13 yr.
Crown Royal
Deluxe
XO (VIP hour only)
18 yr. (VIP hour only)***
Dewar’s
12 yr.
Whisky Advocate’s #4 Whisky of the Year, 2022
15 yr.
18 yr. ***
19 yr.
Double Double
21 yr, (finished in Oloroso sherry casks)*** (VIP hour only)
Whisky Advocate’s #2 Whisky of the Year, 2019
21 yr. (finished in Mizunara oak casks) (VIP hour only)***Whisky Advocate’s #7 Whisky of the Year, 2023
Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur
Frey Ranch
Straight Bourbon
Straight Rye
FUJI Whisky
Original
Japanese
Whisky Advocate’s #19 Whisky of the Year, 2023
Single Grain Whiskey
50th Anniversary Edition Single Malt (VIP hour only)***
Glen Moray
12 yr.
15 yr
18 yr. Whisky Advocate’s #10 Whisky of the Year, 2017
21 yr. (VIP hour only)***
Rye Cask Finish
Warehouse 1
Peated Rioja Finish
Rioja Cask Matured
Glen Scotia 9 yr. Campbeltown Malts Festival Edition 2024 (VIP hour only)***
Glen Scotia 9 yr.
Gold Spot The Generations Edition (VIP hour only)
Grand Mayan Tequila
Silver
Reposado
Extra Aged
Ultra Limited Release (VIP hour only)
Green Spot
Hard Truth
Sweet Mash Rye
High Road Rye
Sweet Mash Bourbon
Wheated Bourbon
Sweet Mash Malted Rye (VIP hour only)
Heaven Hill
Bottled in Bond 7 yr.
Whisky Advocate’s #4 Whisky of the Year, 2019
Grain to Glass
Bourbon
Wheated Bourbon
Rye Whiskey
Heritage Collection 18 yr. Bourbon (VIP hour only)***
Holladay Distillery
Ben Holladay Bottled in Bond 6 yr. Bourbon
Soft Red Wheat Bottled in Bond 6 yr. Bourbon
Soft Red Wheat Rickhouse Proof (Full Proof) (VIP hour only)
Jefferson’s
Very Small Batch
Bourbon
Ocean
Tropics
Reserve (VIP hour only)
Jim Beam
Black
Sunshine (VIP hour only)
Johnnie Walker
Black Label
Red Label
Gold Label
Blue Label (VIP hour only)***
Killowen
Rum and Raisin 5 yr. Single Malt (VIP hour only)***
Pangur Irish Poitin (VIP hour only)
Knob Creek
9 yr.
Rye
Lagavulin
16 yr.
LALO Tequila Blanco
Loch Lomond
Original Single Malt
12 yr. Single Malt
24 yr. Royal Troon Edition (VIP hour only)
Lux & Umbra Dry Gin
Maker’s Mark
Original
46 (VIP hour only)
Mary Dowling
Double Oak Bourbon
Tequila Finish Bourbon
Winter Wheat Bourbon
Mash & Mallow S’Mores Whiskey
Method and Madness
Single Grain
Single Malt
Single Pot Still
Middle West Spirits
Straight Wheat Whiskey
Straight Rye Whiskey
Straight Bourbon
Bourbon Cream
Oloroso Wheat Whiskey (VIP hour only)***
Ported Pumpernickel Rye (VIP hour only)***
Mijenta Tequila
Blanco
Reposado
Añejo Gran Reserva
Cristalino
Minden Mill
Nevada Straight Bourbon
Nevada Straight Rye
American Single Malt
Oban
14 yr.
Little Bay
18 yr. (VIP hour only)***
Distiller’s Edition (VIP hour only)
OYO
Original
Honey Vanilla Bean Vodka
Stone Fruit Vodka
Barrel-Finished Honey Vanilla Bean Vodka
Praedictum 15 yr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon (VIP hour only)***
Rabbit Hole
Heigold High Rye Double Malt Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
Dareringer Kentucky Straight Bourbon finished in PX Sherry Casks
Redbreast
12 yr.
Lustau
18 yr. (VIP hour only)
Redemption
Cognac Cask
Wheated Bourbon
Rye
Sur Lee (VIP hour only)
10 yr. Barrel Proof Rye (VIP hour only)
Roku Gin
Royal Brackla 12 yr.
Sagamore Spirit
Manhattan Finish Rye***
Small Batch Rye
Cask Strength Rye
Double Oak Rye
9 yr. (VIP hour only)
Black Manhattan Cocktail (VIP hour only)
Singleton
12 yr.
15 yr.
18 yr. (VIP hour only)
Stonestreet Founder’s Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Toki
Truitt’s Old Fashioned***
Two Stacks
The First Cut Signature Blend
Single Grain Double Barrel
Vim & Petal
Westland Distillery
Flagship
Beer Cask Finish***
Wine Cask Finish
Garryana Edition 9***
Yellow Spot
https://www.whiskyfest.com/florida
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email [email protected] to ask a question about wine or spirits.
