This is the latest expression from the 15 Stars brand. This producer takes nine and fifteen year old Bourbons and finishes them in Tawny, white and ruby port barrels. It makes for a fruity whiskey that would taste very good in a Manhattan Cocktail. They sent me a bottle for review the other day and Matt and I sat down and tasted it. Here are our tasting notes.
15 Stars Three Port Whiskey
Proof: 105
Age: Nine Years Old
Nose:
- Mike: Vanilla, raisins, apricots, baking spices and oak wood.
- Matt: Caramel, raisins, black cherries, cola and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Vanilla, raspberries, raisins, apricots, allspice and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and it enhances the fruit and adds cinnamon spice. Tasted with a pecan and caramel, milk chocolate, cinnamon and oak wood come out in the flavor.
- Matt: Cola, black cherries, baking spices with a hint of mint and oak wood. The dried cranberry added a citrus note to the flavor. The pecan made the flavor chocolate with cherries, red pepper flakes and oak wood.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak and allspice. The dried cranberry made the allspice a red hot cinnamon candy. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood, cinnamon red hot candy and lingering caramel.
- Matt: Medium long with oak and leather. The dried cranberry added baking spices to the finish. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood and bananas.
I would pair this whiskey with a cigar that has a fruit note is the smoke with vanilla and rich tobacco. I would reach for a Don Pepin Garcia Original cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller