American

Whiskey Review: Dogfish Head Alternate Takes Volume 4

We review Dogfish Head Alternate Takes Volume 4, 74% finished in Samuel Adams Utopias barrels and 26% finished in Oloroso Sherry cask.

OVERALL RATING

8
Like Conversation
Dogfish Head Alternate Takes Volume 4 review

Tasting Notes

About:

86 proof or 43% abv, limited offerings in DE, MD, NJ, NY, WA, and HI. $54.99 SRP. Color: Amber
Appearance:
Nose:
Vanilla and brown sugar – almost a simple syrup smell. The nose is warm and inviting with delightful, sweet notes. All the best sugars in a baked good. As the sweetness fades you find grain husks of barley, wheat. I liken it to French toast without cinnamon.
Palate:
The nose is the nose. The taste is the taste. This whiskey is warm and light with a soft charcoal backend. Upon successive sips I found pipe tobacco with a flash of pear sweetness hidden in the darker earth tones. Letting it rest the whiskey really opens to reveal more pear and tobacco. The finish is airy and light. It doesn’t linger too long but transitions off the tongue well.
Finish:
Comments:
I think this is one of those whiskeys that different drinkers are really going to find different things. The myriad of casks that could be involved here make for endless complexity. I really enjoyed the notes I found, and thought the whiskey did a good job balancing them. Breweries can sometimes struggle to transition from making good beer to making good whiskey – here the whiskey and complex notes are complimentary.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Charles Steele

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen - if it's peculiar, he's intrigued.

All Posts

Latest On The Whiskey Wash