Devil's Bit 2014

[tanstaafl2]

St. Patrick has smiled on me today as a bit of preplanning has helped me acquire several bottles of this years Devil's Bit from McMenamins in Portland. Don't have them in hand quite yet of course but I have been looking forward to it since Chuck Cowdery blogged about them last year.

information from a blog about it indicates this year the whiskey has a rather convoluted history. It reportedly is a single barrel Hogshead that has gone through some rather unique twists and turns. First copper pot double distilled in 2006 from 100 percent two row malted barley, it was barreled in a charred, new American white oak barrel at a whopping 160 proof. After sitting for two years, it was cut to 115 proof and then rebarreled into a smaller American white oak cask. Sitting for a further two years, half of it was used for a Devil’s Bit release and the other half was put into a used port-style wine barrel for further aging. Fast forward three more years and the whiskey was transferred to a used wheat whiskey barrel for a year to “calm the port influence.” What’s has now been released comes in at 92 proof and fills around 1,000 or so 200ml bottles. It is being describe as an eight-year-old single barrel whiskey produced from malted barley that’s been aged in four distinct barrels.

The single barrel designation sounds like they are using the same interpretation of a "single barrel" that Glendronach does.

Reported tasting notes include a description of "an amber whiskey with a garnet hue that on the nose has subdued port notes and nutty, spicy grain characteristics. It shows itself on the palate as rich chocolate cake with cherry glaze, finishing with some slight hints of dryness and a lingering sweetness."

It sounds like it will be my kind of whiskey!But I don't have a clue what it will taste like.

At least not yet! :grin:

[ChainWhip]

Nicely done there B - I was planning on taking the day off to head down but my wife is out of town so that put a kibosh into my plans. I'm hoping to head down next year though.

[ChainWhip]

This year's release is an 8yr while last year was a 12yr. I want to try that Rye that Chuck blogged about.

[tanstaafl2]

This year's release is an 8yr while last year was a 12yr. I want to try that Rye that Chuck blogged about.

Yes, but chances of finding the version from last year (without paying a pot of gold for it!) are likely somewhere between Slim and Remote, and Slim just got on his horse and headed out of town! Although I recall last years was a 12yo wheat and malt blend.

Early reviews from people in the Portland area are that this year is pretty darn good as well but more from the finishing it underwent. Someone who is not a fan of finished whiskey might not like it but I think we are both likely to be able to appreciate it!

[tanstaafl2]

Surprisingly not a lot of info out there on the history of this. Release have at times been in the 300 of the 200ml bottle size range which is well under the equivalent of 100 750ml bottles. This year was closer to 1200 200ml bottles or around 320 750ml bottles. Pretty tight supply but then again it was only a single barrel of whiskey.

Not even sure when it started. From what little I can find past mashbills included:

2008 Rye?

2009 10yo Barley malt

2010 10yo Wheat and Barley malt blend?

2011 Blend of past 3 years: 11yo Rye, 10yo Wheat and 12yo Barley malt

2012 Rye?

2013 12yo Wheat and Barley Malts

2014 8yo four barrel Barley malt

[ChainWhip]

I think that 2014 was 2-row barley.

Nicely done on the data collection there B! Much thanks!

Edited March 18, 2014 by ChainWhip

[tanstaafl2]

I think that 2014 was 2-row barley.

Nicely done on the data collection there B! Much thanks!

It was indeed 2-row barley malt that had been "finished" in 4 different barrels.

[ChainWhip]

Got mine in today (thx to a very generous SBr):

[tanstaafl2]

Got mine in today (thx to a very generous SBr):

Looks intriguing. Will be curious to hear what you think. Got word my bottles hit the mail yesterday so hope to have them by early next week or maybe the weekend.

[ChainWhip]

Looks intriguing. Will be curious to hear what you think. Got word my bottles hit the mail yesterday so hope to have them by early next week or maybe the weekend.

Allergies are wrecking my sense so it may be a few weeks before I get to get acquainted with this bottle.

[TunnelTiger]

Looks intriguing. Will be curious to hear what you think. Got word my bottles hit the mail yesterday so hope to have them by early next week or maybe the weekend.

We can have bottles mailed to Jawga? I had no idea.

[tanstaafl2]

We can have bottles mailed to Jawga? I had no idea.

You can if you happen to have relatives who live in Portland and can convince them to play along...

[TunnelTiger]

You can if you happen to have relatives who live in Portland and can convince them to play along...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhh! A wise man you are tans and quite resourceful.

[ChainWhip]

McMenamins Edgefield Devils Bit 8yr/2014 - 46%, 200ml

Yeah... first sip of liquor in over a week & daddy likes!

[cowdery]

Still really nice but seems a little overoaked compared to last year. Still, a very special whiskey.

[ChainWhip]

It's really a fruity pour - not too shabby...

It's interesting this year's 8yr old is oakier than last year's 12yr

[tanstaafl2]

It's really a fruity pour - not too shabby...

It's interesting this year's 8yr old is oakier than last year's 12yr

Not sure I am that surprised. Not 100% clear on the barrels but it sounds like it had 2 years in a new barrel and then 2 more in a second "smaller" barrel (unsure if it was also new or was used) before it ever saw the port barrel. So potentially a kind of a double oaked process plus the port style barrel and the used wheat whiskey barrel.

I still find the nose carries more port/fruit notes for me than the palate does.

Would love to be able to try past bottles.

[cowdery]

The label for the 2014 says "aged in four distinct casks." No such statement on the previous one, so obviously there is more difference here than mere years in wood.

[squire]

Does a plastic tote count as a cask?

[tanstaafl2]

The label for the 2014 says "aged in four distinct casks." No such statement on the previous one, so obviously there is more difference here than mere years in wood.

Yes, that much we know since, as you note, it is on the label. There generally doesn't seem to be a ton of info about any of these on the web that i can find. What I have found about those four different barrels used for this edition is the following:

The whisky was first barreled in a charred, new American white oak barrel at a very high 160 proof for two years.

It was then cut to 115 proof and rebarreled into a smaller American white oak cask for a further two years.

Then it was put into a used port-style wine barrel for further aging for three years.

Finally it was transferred to a used wheat whiskey barrel for a year before being bottled to "calm the port influence".

How accurate this all is I can't say.

[ChainWhip]

Thanks B for that link & information

[cowdery]

The only reason it wouldn't be accurate is because those guys are sometimes high. Otherwise, I'm confident it's what they did. Doesn't it sound like the way stoners would make whiskey?

[tanstaafl2]

The only reason it wouldn't be accurate is because those guys are sometimes high. Otherwise, I'm confident it's what they did. Doesn't it sound like the way stoners would make whiskey?

True, although that may well apply to a lot of those West Coast distilleries and breweries!

[ChainWhip]

I wonder what the number one cash crop is in Kentucky? Since MJ is legal in WA & CO now, I wonder when we will start seeing it make it's way into beer & spirits...

Edited April 28, 2014 by ChainWhip

[Paddy]

I wonder what the number one cash crop is in Kentucky? Since MJ is legal in WA & CO now, I wonder when we will start seeing it make it's way into beer & spirits...

#1 cash crop in KY = Marijuana. :shocked:

Legally; corn, soybeans, tobacco, hay and soybeans are the top 5.

Edited April 28, 2014 by Paddy