Boone County Eighteen 33 Bourbon Review
The Boone County Distilling Co. traces the history of distilling in Boone County Kentucky back to 1833. This is when William Snyder and his brother, began the Petersburg Distillery on the site of their existing flour mill.
BOTTLE DETAILS
- DISTILLER:Distilled at MGP in Lawrenceburg, Indiana & bottled at Boone County Distilling Co., Boone County, Kentucky.
- MASH BILL: 74% Corn | 21% Rye | 5% Malted Barley
- AGE: 10 Years
- YEAR: 2017
- PROOF: 90.8 (45.4% ABV)
- MSRP: $53.99
- BUY ONLINE: Wine-Searcher.com
JIM'S NOTES
NOSE: Oak | Vanilla | Spice
TASTE: Carmel | Vanilla | Rye Spices | Slight Oak
FINISH: In spite of not being particular high proof the burn hits you with the first sip which gives way to the more classic bourbon taste profile with oak on the finish. A surprisingly long finish with a relatively thick mouth feel.
SHARE WITH: Bourbon lovers interested in the initial offering from this new distiller. Understanding that it is a sourced distillate, the most pretentious may turn their noses up at. It is a credible offering with promise for the future.
WORTH THE PRICE: At over $50 for 750 ml it is on the high end for what it is, but not out of range for most craft products. I am enjoying it and pleased with my purchase. There are better bourbons at this price point, but this is an interesting change of pace. How can you put a price on something made by ghosts?
BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Boone County Eighteen 33 is clearly not a bust. I voted for a bottle but the conservative among us should try it a bar first, if you can find it. In addition, it does come in an interesting attractive bottle that will stir conversation at anyone’s home bar.
OVERALL: I like the Eighteen 33 for what it is, a sourced bourbon well-chosen and bottled. I am generally not a fan of elaborate back stories, but at least the one seems to have a historical relevance to bourbon of the area. It is interesting, and fun reading, and perhaps a little embellished. I find the nose somewhat light and with little the alcohol burn as one would expect by the proof. The surprising forward burn and medium long finish with some complexity is appreciated. Being around 90 proof, it doesn’t seem to benefit from adding water. Boone County Eighteen 33 has earned awards in tasting competitions and was rated 93 points on Tastings.com.
BRAND NOTES
Boone County Distilling Co.
In 1833 in Kentucky’s Boone County, a region of proud limestone hills that gradually fell to their knees at the banks of the Ohio River, a man named William Snyder made a decision that would impact the region 182 years later: He decided to buy a flour mill. And within three years he had begun operating a distillery in conjunction with the mill. Soon, his whiskey business was one of the largest in the nation, and far exceeded his profits in flour.
And while we might consider Snyder an extraordinary man, he was typical of those with a pioneering spirit back in the day. They saw opportunity, and took risks. For them, the biggest risk was in doing nothing.
It’s in a similar pioneering spirit that Boone County Distilling Company is now making authentic bourbon whiskey in the northern hills of Kentucky. Their brand is a living tribute to those that came before, men like Snyder and others, including Col William Appleton, J.C. Jenkins, James Gaff, Julius Freiberg and Levi Workum. Their stories infuse the Boone County brand with truth and determination. They are all part of the story.
EIGHTEEN 33 – Straight Bourbon Whiskey
TASTING NOTES: The first thing you notice is the rich amber color, glowing soft as warm caramel drizzled on an autumn apple. The way bourbon used to look when distillers paid attention to their craft.
Next you’re met with a welcoming aroma, which our patrons have described as reminiscent of aged oak, vanilla, and caramel. Take your first sip and you’ll enjoy notes of sweet oak, vanilla, caramel and a hint of apricot. This is a rich, uncompromising flavor palette, no question.
The finish is unique and complex, ranging from vanilla to a hint of cinnamon and even subtle notes of rye bread. Different people find different things to love. Isn’t that the way it should be? We like to think that we’ve crafted Eighteen 33 to offer something to every bourbon lover.
PRODUCTION AND AGING: Traditional Copper Distilled, Aged 10 years in new charred oak barrels in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 45.4% ABV / 90.8 PROOF
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFO
The Boone County Distilling Co. traces the history of distilling in Boone County Kentucky back to 1833. This is when William Snyder and his brother, began the Petersburg Distillery on the site of their existing flour mill. The current operations began in 2015, over 100 years since the closing of the Petersburg Distillery in 1910.
While Boone County Distilling operates a 500-gallon copper pot still, the aged bourbon is sourced from MGP in Indiana. They offer a 10-year and 12-year expression. According to the label, the distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana is less than 2 miles from the original site of the Petersburg Kentucky distillery.
Eighteen 33 bourbon displays their tag line, “Made by Ghosts”. This, I believe, refers to the host of colorful characters from the history of Boone County introduced on their website. The history goes back to 1785 and the original settlers of the county. Like most emerging craft distillers, Boone County has plenty of historic (or histrionic) backstories associated with the names of the products. Raising the ghosts of the long-dormant whiskey history in this part of Kentucky.
Boone County Distilling Co.