When it comes to American Highway Reserve, despite some older whiskey in this blend, it all smells young: new wood, green apple, cooked corn, dried rye and ethanol. Initially, the aroma is faint, but a few vigorous swirls moves it from non-existent to hot in the nostrils; from “Is anybody home?” to “Please go back inside your house!” It’s corn-whiskey-sweet and light on the palate before finishing unpleasantly dry. I hate to sound like a jerk, but I like nothing about this bourbon.
Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 17-Year-Old Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Review
This is a delicious mature whiskey, far from overly oaked, and full of complexity and nuance. The nose is loaded with cooked dark cherries, warm dark chocolate, macaron, green apple and Juicy Fruit gum. On the palate it’s rich and mouth coating, not drying at all. Surprises like dried strawberries and Cap’n Crunch Cereal (think sweet-sweet corn) interweave with darkly toasted bread and s’mores. For me, the 20- and 19-year-old barrels are ideally balanced with the younger 17-year barrels.
Jeptha Creed Bottled-In-Bond Rye Heavy Bourbon Review
On the palate, the Jeptha Creed Bottled-In-Bond Rye Heavy Bourbon begins with earthiness and intrigue, but ultimately the pour falls apart for me on the finish. The fact that it’s so drying is distracting, and that isn’t helped by the fact that it’s quite earthy and in need of a sweet or spicy kick to provide balance. It certainly rewards anyone patient enough to let it sit in the glass a while … as the saltiness is tempered … while the dried apple and bacon fat notes become more robust. However, that doesn’t change the fact that sitting with it for a while is made difficult by an unpleasant finish that you won’t want to dwell on.
Green River Bourbon Review
I’m pleased to report that after scientifically tasting about half the bottle of Green River Bourbon, I can confirm that it’s beyond good. A nose of enticing warming spices greets you thanks to the high-rye mash bill which is followed by the standard trio of bourbon flavors (vanilla, caramel, and a hint of oak) with the addition of cinnamon and sweet candied fruit. It’s a lighter bourbon (especially compared to what I normally drink) but the mouthfeel is luscious and the finish is surprisingly long, warming, and flavorful.
Kentucky Owl St. Patrick’s Limited Edition Bourbon Review
This bourbon is truly delightful to drink. Too many multi-whiskey blends lack the synergy and symmetry that this bottle presents in spades. Its sibling, Kentucky Owl: The Wiseman Bourbon, released last September, was one of those. On the palate, it felt like every whiskey competed for attention rather than working as a unit. (It makes a good old fashioned, though.) Lastly, I recommend reading the press release below just to get an idea of how this came together. Full disclosure: When I first read it, I thought, “Here we go again. Another history story made modern and a mess in the same effort.” I happily admit that I was wrong. I’m now intrigued.
O.H. Ingram River Aged Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review
View PostOld Soul High Rye Bourbon Review
As the great Yogi Berra once said, “It’s déjà vu all over again.” Here we have yet another bourbon with this mash bill. I think this may be the fifth I’ve tasted this year. This bourbon by Cathead Distillery is their second release of Old Soul Bourbon. The first I reviewed a couple years ago and it can found here. This release is a blend of MGP bourbon and the same mash bill distilled at Cathead. Unfortunately, the distillery would not disclose the mix of MGP vs their own distillate. There is no age statement on the bottle but on the website, they mention the age at between four and five years. This is an improvement over the first release which included some younger Cathead distillate. At 90 proof however it struck me as somewhat thin with a short finish. I believe a bit more proof and age would really improve this. However, this is an improvement over batch one and certainly worth trying at a bar or the distillery.
Bare Knuckle High Rye Cask Strength Bourbon Review
This is a great bourbon. Distilled by MGP, aged in Virginia. When KO Distilling opened, they sourced bottles from MGP and aged them here in Virginia. If care and feeding of aging barrels makes a difference, they nailed it on this one. It is the third different bourbon I have had in the past few months with this same mash bill. Totally enjoyable. It reminds me of eating a white chocolate truffle with a spicy filling of cinnamon, Yes, I am a huge fan of MGP bourbons and this mash bill. This KO distilling release is one of the better MGP bourbons I have tried. According to the distillery, the cask strength bottles will range from 120 to 128 proof. The sample I received was 127.6. I find it drinks below its proof. I would say this is a must try.
Buffalo Trace 2021 George T. Stagg Non-Release Review
Every year, I wait longingly for the release of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, praying to snag just one bottle. This set of five ultra premium, highly prized whiskeys from Buffalo Trace garners a wild-eyed, cash-throwing frenzy from bourbon collectors and flippers alike. Many see George T. Stagg as the crown jewel in this esteemed quintet, snagging the top spot on many bourbon-centric listicles. Not only that, the illustrious juice has garnered a gilded and star-studded bouquet of medals from every whiskey awards under the sun, so you know it has to be good.