Orders are available for pick-up at Restaurant Nicholas at 160 Route 35 South Red Bank, NJ 07701 during the following times:
Monday: 9:30-3:30; Tuesday – Friday: 9:15am – 9:00pm; Saturday: 11:00am – 9:00pm; Sunday: Closed
$54.00
Selecting barrels during the pandemic has been about as challenging as you would think. This is where relationships with distillers becomes even more important. Now that the bourbon shortage has reached a fever pitch, they turn away 100 requests for single barrels for every one that they accept. Clearly I’ve been in the “one” category. Well that “one” isn’t good enough. You really want to be the first of all the “ones”. What the hell does that mean?
The master distiller will select his favorite 20 or 30 barrels for all of us “one’s” to select from. Obviously the first “one” to select will get the best of the best. This was the exact situation when I selected our Knob Creek single barrel of bourbon with Master Distiller Fred Noe.
All 20 that I tasted were outstanding, but I really think I grabbed the best of the lot before anyone else got a chance to taste .
The barrel I selected was born on 9/28/11 (yep, this is a 10 year old private barrel). It rested in what I call the “heart of the good stuff” in warehouse Z on floor 3. Bottled at 120 proof.
One other benefit of being first is I was the first to beg for a Single barrel of Knob Rye. Stay tuned next month to see how well I begged 😉
Tasting Note:
Nose: Toasted oak, vanilla, caramel and fresh baked banana bread.
Palate: Hints of leather toasted marshmallow, maple and caramelized banana. The finish is long and lingering with just the right amount of burn.
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The juice here is so pure and elegant, it tastes much more like a $80/bottle of Tequila than one going for half the price, but that’s why I love these single barrel deals so much. The value is insane. This Reposado spent just under 12 months in used bourbon barrels. Golden brown with fresh agave, oak & vanilla. Remarkably smooth finish. This is one of those oddball tequila’s that is good enough to just sip on the rocks but cheap enough to use to make one hell of a margarita.
91 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Always the one with the most personality of the bunch, this is what Wine Enthusiast had to say about the 2021 release: “This extremely ripe and bold style of Pinot Noir will please those seeking such lushness. Dark in the glass, it begins with black cherry, toasty caramel and cola milk shake aromas.” The cool, coastal days and abundance of sunshine lines up perfectly for a wine that has a good natural acidic backbone, with bold fruit-forward flavors. In an easy 2021 vintage, Joe Wagner had a field day with this single-vineyard beauty.
Gold Medal (Best in Show), 2023 Mundus Vini International Tasting
The area has also been isolated from the rest of Spain for generations, which has kept the wine prices far lower than wines of this quality would be anywhere else in the world. That’s why, despite having the Torres family name on the bottle and the consistent huge press (including the Gold Medal & Best in Show at the 2023 Mundus Vini International Wine Awards in Germany), these wines can still be scooped up for under $20/bottle. It’s like the Sancerre pricing of yesteryear.
90 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Xavier Vignon’s brand spanking new CDR 100% is a thing of beauty. It’s already got a blessing from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate who described this wine as, “Full-bodied, concentrated and supple”. This is a gorgeous and intricate blend that features all of the Southern Rhone appellations. This year, the blend was 40% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, 15% Syrah, 7% Cinsault, 7% Marselan, 6% Terret Noir. Nobody can do it like the mad scientist, Xavier Vignon.
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