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HomeFood & DrinkThe 2024 Whisky Advocate WhiskyFest Covered…In Hollywood, FLORIDA!

The 2024 Whisky Advocate WhiskyFest Covered…In Hollywood, FLORIDA!

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.)

Bruichladdich Distillery Global Ambassador Abi Clephane
Bruichladdich Distillery Global Ambassador Abi Clephane

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.

Find on Instagram

@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/

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.

 

Eve Bushmanhttp://evewine101.com
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a "certification in 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 Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email [email protected] to ask a question about wine or spirits.
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