WBOB Original Reads

Liquid Lunch: Milo's Phoenix & Johnnie Walker Director's Cut

9/27/2017

Chris Casci

Through all of the haze, there will be beers that will shine through, there will beers that will get lost and then there will be beers that rise to the top. That is where Tilted Barn’s Milo’s Phoenix can be found. The haze can be the seemingly endless amount of hazy, juicy, hoppy unfiltered New England IPA’s that any beer lover who lives on the east coast, especially here in New England, can drive just a few minutes or miles away, and get a pour, a growler fill or some pint cans to take home. We are right in the middle of some of the best NEIPA’s and NEIIPA’s, and I love being here.

Tilted Barn Brewery is a farm brewery located in Exeter, RI. Canning runs are on Fridays and Saturdays and are usually small runs of two types of beer per week. You will have to wait in line, where you will most likely meet people from all over the east coast that are there for the same reason you are. There’s always a good conversation going on, I’ve made friends every time I’ve gone, and I’ve made really good beer trade connections. The last time I was there I met four guys that drove from Philadelphia, who had hit up Treehouse brewery before coming to the barn. So there is no doubt that the word is out about Tilted Barn, and there is a reason it is. They make outstanding beers.

Milo’s Phoenix is an American IPA, at 6.8 ABV and 79 IBU. The label design is beautiful, as with all of their cans. Colorful collages that pop on white backgrounds. The can date on this can is 9/12/17. The beer pours a beautiful hazy orange with a white, one finger head that dissipates fairly quick. The nose on this is oranges and citrus fruit upfront, a subtle bubblegum sweetness in the middle, then pine and weed weave their way in. A rock of the glass reveals some nice carbonation, and a very slight lacing on the glass. The taste follows the nose, it’s all fresh squeezed oranges and citrus upfront, that bubblegum is there in the background, and the finish is a nice bitter pine and citrus pith. The mouthfeel on this beer is soft and creamy, mildly effervescent. It’s a great mix of orange juice, with the perfect subtle amount of bitterness to make it taste like an IPA. I wouldn’t call this a juice bomb, it’s juicy but it’s not a basket of fruit, or pine, as with some of their other beers that I’ve tried. This is seriously a perfectly balanced IPA, with a nice mouthfeel to make you know that you are drinking something special. I’ll see you in line on Friday’s at the barn.

Johnnie Walker Releases Whisky Of The Future,
Inspired By Blade Runner 2049

Johnnie Walker is excited to announce the official release of Johnnie Walker Black Label The Director's Cut – a limited-edition whisky developed in collaboration with visionary Blade Runner 2049 director Denis Villeneuve and Johnnie Walker Master Blender Jim Beveridge.

The new blend comes thirty-five years after Johnnie Walker Black Label appeared in the original Blade Runner film as an iconic whisky of the future.

The unique, custom blend and the futuristic bottle were created in partnership with Blade Runner 2049, opening in theaters October 6. Both showcase Johnnie Walker's commitment to progress and Alcon Entertainment's dedication to maintaining the legacy of the original sci-fi classic. Fans first saw a peek of the new bottle at Alcon Entertainment's Blade Runner 2049 Experience presented by Johnnie Walker at San Diego Comic-Con. The bottle will also appear in the new film.

To celebrate the promotional collaboration surrounding the film, Johnnie Walker has released four digital vignettes featuring Villeneuve, who discusses the project. "Like many fans, I remember the Johnnie Walker bottle from the first film, so it was a unique privilege to collaborate with Johnnie Walker on designing a totally original, custom bottle for the new movie," he says. "It was also a once-in-a-lifetime experience to help create the limited-edition Director's Cut blend, which perfectly captures the complex and mysterious world of Blade Runner 2049."

Beveridge noted, "What we have created in Johnnie Walker Black Label The Director's Cut is something really special that fans will be able to relate to and whisky drinkers will love. I was truly inspired by Villeneuve's artistic vision for Blade Runner 2049 and how it could come to life in this new blend. I learned that filmmaking is much like blending--you have to constantly be committed to creating the best possible outcome. Johnnie Walker blending tradition dates back to 1820 and I'm honored to carry on the legacy and collective memory of our other past blenders to ensure that the same whisky enjoyed today can be enjoyed responsibly in 2049."

Johnnie Walker has created a series of cocktail videos featuring five innovative Blade Runner 2049-inspired cocktails: The Deckard; Ode to Dreams; Penicillin 2049; Quest; and Ahara. These custom cocktails are prepared by some of the country's leading bartenders, including Ezra Star and Tenzin Samdo of Boston and Sam Anderson of New York City, giving fans a taste of the upcoming film.

Only 39,000 bottles of Johnnie Walker Black Label The Director's Cut have been produced and will be available in select countries around the world while supplies last. The rich, smooth blend has aromatic and vanilla flavors, with clouds of smokiness and will be bottled at 49% ABV - a nod to the futuristic period in which Blade Runner 2049 is set.

Whatever the century, whatever the universe, Johnnie Walker's commitment to the spirit of human progress endures. As we toast to the future, the makers of Johnnie Walker remind you to enjoy your whisky responsibly.

Johnnie Walker Black Label The Director's Cut is available for Blade Runner fans in the US and other select countries with an SRP from $89.99. Prices may vary.

SOURCE Diageo