Jersey City Whiskey Fest
The Jersey City Whiskey Fest -- three hours of whiskey madness from the big dogs of the industry to the up & coming craft distillers looking to make a name for themselves . And, although it's fairly easy to run through this type of event like a erratic child in Chuck E. Cheese, a tactical approach to get the most of your time and money -- just ask the girl who was stumbling down the steps and out of the building fifteen minutes after the event started (equal parts impressive and sad). My thought was to prioritize by first tasting the whiskies I was excited or curious about then checking out the others that might catch my eye afterward.
Of course with events this size you're going to have some clear cut winners. Jefferson's OCEAN - Aged at Sea was the first to get my stamp of approval. Jefferson's pushes a cool story that the aging barrels of this whiskey are placed on a ship and exposed to the elements of a voyage (constant boat rocking, salt in the air from sea water etc.), giving the whiskey its unique character. Not exactly sure how legit that story is, but they really hit a homerun with this bottle. So, if they believe it's a result of bumping around on a hot boat then I guess I'll ride the wave with them.
WhistlePig Farmstock 001, the first of their offerings that contains rye whiskey created at their Vermont distillery, was another to live up to and exceed expectations. My first encounter with WhistlePig (their ten year straight rye) left me slightly disoriented so I wasn't sure what to expect from Farmstock. But, I was actually blown away. The rye kick was much more subtle, but the whiskey was still bold and full of flavor. And, even though it dons a hefty price tag, Farmstock is definitely a bottle I'd scoop for the house.
Now, for the participation awards--
There were other whiskies that also stood out -- just not for the right reasons. Laphroaig 10 year -- sighhhh. I know the scotch loyalists are going to hunt me down, but my first encounter with this Islay scotch was not fun at all. I knew what I was getting into too -- Islay scotches are world famous for being heavily peated expressions. If you're unsure what a peated whisky like Laphroaig would taste like, let me paint you a picture -- sit in front of a blazing campfire, inhale the smoke and sip some water. Dangerous, yes, but that's the experience in a nutshell. And I'm not saying I'm completely turning my back on Laphroaig, but I think I just need some one on one time with it to gain some understanding and appreciation for it.
Iron Smoke Straight Bourbon -- another one. At these festivals you can really find some diamonds in the rough beyond the big names in the industry. In this case -- no diamonds, just rough. It was essentially what you're getting shots of when you ask for a round of whiskey at your local dive bar -- very cost effective, but you're going to pay for it on the back end. I slowly walked away from this one.
After a strong hour and change, that solid plan I had in place began to unravel. Each taste of whiskey after this point starts breaking you down and you just have to know when to throw in the towel. All in all, any event where you can explore a room full of whiskies you love (and some you don't) can be labeled a success. And being able to exit like an adult with your legs still under you is icing on the cake. Money well spent.
