Charbay Double and Twisted lot 3 review [In Depth]
Charbay Double and Twisted lot 3
by: ALEX WANG
Founder, writer
Founder, writer
Charbay Double and Twisted lot 3 Details
Distillery: Charbay
Type & Region: Hop flavored whiskey, California, USA
Alcohol: 45%
Composition: 100% malted barley
Aged: 4-8 years
Color: 1.4/2.0 on the color scale (tawny)
Price: $50
From the company website:
Made from a blend of custom brewed straight malt, pilsner beer and Big Bear black stout and distilled in Charbay’s custom-made Alambic pot still. The straight malt and pilsner are aged for 4 years and the stout was aged for 8 (for lot 3). Layered, smoky, hoppy, delicious.
Charbay Double and Twisted lot 3 overview
If you’re not familiar with Charbay (like me), there’s a lot to learn about the distillery and this whole hop-flavored whiskey thing. There’s also a lot to learn about Charbay Double and Twisted Lot 3.
First off, this whiskey is a blend of distilled malt (similar to Scotch), distilled pilsner beer, and distilled Big Bear Black stout beer. This is the same distilled Big Bear Black stout that makes up the entirety of Charbay S (S meaning stout). That’s right, distilled beer.
If you want more detail, the Charbay website already provides a lot of it here Here’s a history of the distillery and a timeline of the family and their involvement in making alcoholic beverages. It’s all interesting to read, so I recommend reading it if you can.
The short version is that the Karakasevic family has been in the alcohol business for a long time, and not just in the United States. Charbay as we know it was founded in the 1980’s, and distills a wide range of spirits. The focus of this review, and where my curiosity is, is with their single malt and hop flavored whiskeys.
Until I reviewed Charbay S Hop Flavored Whiskey, I knew nothing about hop flavored whiskey. When I previously thought about hop flavored whiskey, it made me think that hops / hop flavoring was added at the end of the process to infuse some of that character. It made me think of flavored vodka or some other flavored whiskey that felt…cheap and bad.
In reality, hop flavored just means beer was distilled into a spirit, you know…beer that’s hopped and could easily be enjoyed as is. Who the hell has the bright idea of distilling beer you could buy at the store and just…enjoy? Why go through the time and effort to distill and oak age it? That’s insane…that’s ridiculous…that’s…holy shit…a great idea.
If you think about it, it makes sense. Beer is usually made with barley. Guess what, single malt scotch / single malt whiskey is also made from barley. Beer and single malt both at one point are fermented barley juice (not the scientific term for it). For beer, the juice is hopped, and for single malt whiskey it is not (although the malt could have been peated).
Beer is consumed after brewing, but single malt whiskey must first be distilled and oak aged. You might even consider beer and single malt whiskey to be cousins, and hop flavored whiskey an even closer cousin to single malt whiskey.
Let’s uncover what this unfamiliar whiskey has to offer Charbay Double and Twisted Lot 3 review.
This bottle was provided to me at no cost. All opinions are still my own.
As an FYI, I bought and use these Glencairn glasses for everything (they’re the best): Glencairn Crystal Whiskey Glass Set of 6, Set of 4, Set of 2, or just one. Full transparency, this is an affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.
Charbay Double and Twisted lot 3 smell
I smell bright, vibrant, and tropical honey, grapefruit, chrysanthemum tea (I know that sounds odd but I’ve drank a lot of it over the years), candied orange peel, lychee, toasted oak and malt, and anise. The scents are very floral and herbal with toastiness and darker sweetness in the middle and back that feel a lot like an herbal but not earthy rye whiskey, or a bourbon cask aged single malt.
The hops fit right in the mix. Nothing specifically screams out that hops were added and I think most people would have no idea that this was hopped, and that’s truly a good thing. It means that the hops complement and enhance the whiskey. It doesn’t feel half-assed and out of place, which would create an odd and dissonant experience.
I like this a lot already, but more oomph and body would be so nice.
The scents shift a bit after swirling. I get more creamy candied lemon, lychee, toasted oak and malt, a little darker mocha sweetness, chrysanthemum tea, apple, clove, and peppercorns. It’s like rye whiskey with the bright and herbal scents, but with a different twist.
Apart from wanting more fullness, richness, and definition, Charbay Double and Twisted smells quite nice. It hits the range of sweet, fruity, tropical, oaky, and spicy scents that I enjoy a lot. I’m not totally blown away by it, but I still appreciate and enjoy it for what it is.
Charbay Double and Twisted lot 3 taste and aftertaste
I taste grapefruit, honey, toasted malt and biscuit, toasted oak, lychee, darker cherry, floral sweetness, lightly numbing and effervescent peppercorn, and a hint of bitterness and darker oak char. Charbay Double and Twisted Starts off fruity and sweet and then quickly shifts to toasty and oaky flavors, showing off the mix of malt, hops, and oak married into one liquid.
There are a lot of unique and interesting flavors that have moderate body and fullness.
While hops might feel like an out at first thought, it feels well integrated into the entire experience. I can’t say for certain, but it probably adds floral, tropical, and lightly bitter flavors that all feel right at home
With “chewing” I taste lychee, effervescent and lightly bitter hops, candied grapefruit peel, toasted oak and malt, clove, and a little roasted coffee and caramel nougat. “Chewing” pulls out a little more hops, but that’s great for me because I enjoy IPAs of all types.
The flavors start bright, floral, and tropical, then the toastiness and spiciness come out to join.
Overall, Charbay Double and Twisted is a flavorful, unique, and interesting whiskey that’s approachable and a lot of fun to drink. Sure, I’d love a cask strength or at least 55% ABV version that’s more bold, expressive, and punchy, but I also recognize that this still offers an easy-sipping, yet still developed and varied-enough experience.
I’ve unfortunately lost some Glencairn’s while in transit, and that made me very sad. So, I wised up and bought this Glencairn Travel Case that comes also comes with 2 glasses so I don’t need to worry so much about them breaking. I think it’s great, and I think you’ll love it too.
Seriously, if you already have glasses, protect them.
Charbay Double and Twisted lot 3 Rating
Charbay Double and Twisted is a lot of fun to drink. It’s a fresh and welcome change to the bourbon and rye that I usually drink, and it’s compelling enough for me to recommend it for $50. I checked the price after doing the review, and I’m very pleased with the price and quality.
Now if you’re a little hesitant about hops in your whiskey, which I was at first but have been thoroughly converted, then try it first before buying a bottle. Now if you’re a whiskey and IPA lover, then definitely go for it. I get it though, the idea of hopped whiskey seems crazy and probably nasty, but that is most definitely not the case here.
Charbay has more expensive releases (I’ve tried one), but this is the one to buy if you want to get a feel for what they’re doing, understand why it’s so unique and interesting, and not spend a ton of money in the process.
This gets a thumbs up and recommendation from me.
Meet the Author: Alex
I have far too much fun writing about whiskey and singlehandedly running The Whiskey Shelf to bring you independent, honest, and useful reviews, comparisons, and more. I’m proudly Asian American and can speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and some Japanese.
There are no sponsors, no media companies, and no nonsense. Support The Whiskey Shelf by Buying Me A Shot.
Shattered glass really sucks, so if you’re on the move, this Glencairn-like stainless steel snifter glass should survive your travels. Full transparency, this is an Amazon affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.
BrüMate NOS’R, Double-Wall Stainless Steel Whiskey Nosing Glass – 7oz (Matte Black)
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