Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Orphan Barrel Rhetoric 23 year old bourbon

After posting a combined total of zero BARD Fridays from December 2017 to February 2023, I've been true to my word bringing Bourbon and Rye Day back with 11 of these posts in the past nine months. Though none are scheduled for the rest of this year, I do have a slew of American whiskies open, so the BARDs will return in 2024.

I've tried several Orphan Barrel bourbons, and wouldn't particularly recommend any of them, but I found Rhetoric 22yo pretty drinkable. So how about a sip or seven of Rhetoric 23? I had a good week, so I'm feeling naively optimistic.

Owner: Diageo

Brand: Orphan Barrel

Orphan: Rhetoric
Distillery: Old Bernheim
Type: Bourbon Whiskey

Mashbill: 86% corn, 8% barley, 6% rye
Age: minimum 23 years (1990-1993 to 2017)

Alcohol by Volume: 45.3%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The smells come in bundles. First there's pine, saline, and yuzu(!). Then cherry candy and furniture polish. Strawberry frosted cupcakes gradually turn into vanilla frosted cupcakes, with some limeade in the background. After 45 minutes, almond extract starts to take over.

There's less bitterness and sugar on the palate than I expected. It's slightly earthy. More honey than vanilla. Sweet oranges slide into tart limes. The background flavors in early sips are ginger and flowers. Later on, they're replaced by mint and root beer.

The finish gets wobbly with standard barrel char, overripe bananas, mint extract, and tannin-a-plenty.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Don't stop me if you've heard this before: The nose is the best part, by far. But the bourbon is......probably my favorite Orphan Barrel so far. Had the finish not deflated so abruptly, I'd offer some heavily-qualified raves for this Orphan. Tannin takeover is expected for a bourbon this old, in fact it often happens with bourbons half its age. That Rhetoric is still approachable at 23 years makes me wonder what these Old Bernheim barrels were like at age 15 (or 12 or 8). Possibly something like this?

Cheers! Welcome to December.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - ???
Rating - 82

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon, batch 58 "Darth Vader"

I tried one of these Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend batches earlier this year; though I don't remember the batch, it was finished in armagnac, cognac, and sherry casks. Spicy as hell and very sweet, it was reminiscent of a Barrell production, nearly its own unique spirit. Whether it was good or not, I couldn't tell you, but it certainly was A LOT.

Today's bourbon is my second-ever JMCB batch, apparently a well-known one since it sold at auction for $1250 last year. Thankfully, I got in on a bottle split of the stuff for a much lower (prorated) amount. Part of a parcel of Kentucky and Indiana bourbons ranging from 14 to 20 years, allegedly, batch 58 does not appear to have had any alternate cask finishes. The blenders named it, Darth Vader. Will that be the Vader from the end of Revenge of the Sith? Or the Vader from the end of Rogue One?

Brand: Joseph Magnus

Range: Cigar Blend

Source Location: Kentucky and Indiana

Type: Bourbon

Mashbill: ???

Maturation: American white oak

Age: possibly 14 years old

Batch: 58, "Darth Vader"

Alcohol by Volume: 66.17%

(from a bottle split)

NEAT

Who knew Darth Vader had such a big schnozz under the mask? Waves of maple syrup, Rolos candies, cinnamon sticks, and black raisins fill the nose. Vanilla bean, cut lumber, and Endust spray emerge from behind the sweets after a while. It's a palate cooker at full strength. Once the heat lifts, one may find strata of wood spices, with brown sugar, tart cherries, and Demerara-based rum far beneath. It finishes with bitter chocolate, tart cherries, and barrel char.

DILUTED to ~57%abv, or 1 tsp of water per 30mL whiskey

A bit more focus to the nose here. Maple syrup, vanilla bean, and dried cherries up front, toffee in the back. Much more approachable, the palate offers maple syrup, wood smoke, and brown sugar. Quieter notes of pipe tobacco and black raisins arrive after some time. It finishes up with wood smoke, brown sugar, raisins, and a mild unlit cigar.

DILUTED to ~50%abv, or 2 tsp of water per 30mL full strength whiskey

Almost a different whiskey here. Desserts comprise the nose, like vanilla things, caramel candies, and lemon cream pies. The palate is a mix of wood spices, cassia, tart lemons, and brown sugar. It finishes sweet and tart, with more brown sugar than before.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This ain't no Emo Vader, though the high ABV causes most of the violence. Once diluted, it's a great, straightforward, dessert pour, with 57%abv being the money spot for my palate. There are no overwhelming bitter oak notes nor tastebud-stripping tannins present, which is a pleasant surprise for a 14+ year old bourbon. If your cigar smoking days are far behind you (like mine are for me), no worries, you will still enjoy this brawling bourbon. But don't go into it looking for complexity. Much like the Skywalker Saga, it's best consumed mindlessly.

Availability - All gone
Pricing - ???
Rating - 86

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Jews & Booze 4 year old MGP Rye, The Holiday Armadillo

Another BARD for a TIRD! (Translation: Bourbon and Rye Day for a Thing I Really Drink.) And it's another Jews & Booze single barrel of MGP whiskey. This time it's rye. And this time I have plenty of pics.

All American whiskies are legally required to list the state of their distillation somewhere on their labels. So all MGP-distilled whiskies must have something like this:

I am of the religious opinion that all MGP ryes should have the above spelled out in LED lights or at least rhinestones, but for some reason the TTB hasn't responded to any of my emails on the matter. Perhaps they are discussing it in a committee. I await their response with dizzying anticipation.

Though I know that numerous American whiskey producers are playing around with oak stave finishes, I've never actually tried any such creation. But since the 95/5 MGP mashbill is the real boss hoss, I figured it could stand up to the woodwork. So I bought a bottle.

More specifically, this whiskey, named The Holiday Armadillo after a Friends Hanukkah reference, had recharred oak staves added to its barrel for the final six months of aging. See pics below for the rest of the whiskey's data.

NOTES

As a 2:1 Manhattan cocktail: It smells and tastes like a hipster bar's oak-infused Manhattan, with all the flavors perched a thick slab of toasted (not recharred) oak. It's also curiously marshmallowy. The 122 proof is kept ar bay by the Carpano Antica.

On the rocks: A real sweetie pie. Smells like milk chocolate!

Neat: Heath Bar, whole wheat bread, and toasted oak make up most of the nose for the first 15 minutes. A perfumy note moves to the fore after that. Caramel, fennel seed, and peach juice linger in the background. Hints of halvah, dried oregano, and pencil shaving arrive later. The palate is hot, tangy, and slightly nutty. Sweet oranges, creamy vanilla, and plenty of florals comprise the core. It gets sweeter and more bourbon-like with time. It finishes with sweet and tangy citrus, a little bit of vanilla, and a lot of heat.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This recharred-oak-stave finish seems to neutralize the 95/5 mashbill style, turning it into something more like a lower-rye rye. It works best in a cocktail or on the rocks, for me. The 61.04 points of alcohol have also made neat drinking a bit of a chore for this palate, and I've hit a wall with this bottle at the bottom-third mark, eight months in. Some of you fire-drinking youngsters out there would like this whiskey more than I do. For me, just Holiday Armadillo cocktails going forward.

Availability - Maybe?
Pricing - $75
Rating - 82 (see above for caveats)

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Barrell Seagrass Rye, 59.92%abv batch

Yes, Barrell with two Ls for those of you who are not actively soaking in the American whiskey scene. Not a drop of Barrell has passed through these lips until now, though these eyes have seen many Barrell bottles on liquor store shelves for nearly a dec--

Sorry for that last sentence, I'm straining for a way to introduce a blend of US and Canadian ryes that have been finished in Martinique Rhum Agricole casks, Madeira barrels, and apricot brandy casks. Well, I guess there's an intro. The "whiskey" sure seems like a cask strength cocktail in a bottle, but I'm willing to give it a try because I like rye. And I don't despise Martinique Rhum, Madeira, and apricot brandy. And a portion of some of the sales actually goes towards the conservation and restoration of seagrass. And, what the hell, why not?

Company: Barrell Craft Spirits

Range: Seagrass
Type: blended American and Canadian Rye whiskies

Region: ??? and ???
Age: I wrote "9yo" on the sample label, but I don't know where I got that info from

Mashbill: ???

Maturation: American oak, first maturation. Second maturation: a mix of Martinique Rhum, Madeira, and apricot brandy vessels. Finally, these are blended together.

Alcohol by Volume: 59.92%

(thanks to Dr. Springbank for the sample!)

NOTES

The nose is aggressively floral, and is loaded with cotton candy and lemon candy. Then there's butterscotch, orange juice, citronella, and nectarine skin. After 30 minutes, the fruits are replaced by marshmallows and toasted coconuts.

There's more actual rye in the palate, ultra high-rye rye, like a mix of MGP's 95% bill and Alberta's 100% bill. It's very peppery and minty, almost mentholated. Hints of oranges, dried apricots, and mothballs offer highlights and angles. It's certainly not as sweet as the nose leads on.

It finishes with dried apricots, lemon bars, menthol, and tabasco sauce.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This assemblage (pronounced the French way) is difficult to opine on, much like this odd Ben Nevis from Le Gus't. The nose is kind of insane, with the finishing casks taking over and not even remotely coming together. But those casks barely touch the palate, and for that I am grateful. Though I'm not rushing out to buy a Seagrass bottle, I would absolutely drink this again. Perhaps a batch will come along that will inspire me to get out my credit card.

Availability - Just USA, I think
Pricing - $70 - $95
Rating - 84 (maybe?)

BARD Friday: Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof, 65.65%abv batch

Though I am aware that many of these Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof barrel barrels have approached, and occasionally exceeded, 140 US proof, I have very little interest in that level of abuse. Plus I couldn't source any them.

Instead, this 131.3 proof bottling will be my ethanol apex this week. Like Monday's meh barrel barrel and Wednesday's nicely nicely barrel barrel, I'm going to try this JDSBBP at four alcohol levels to see what develops with increasing dilution. So far the quality and style variance has been very broad. Will that continue here?

Brand: Jack Daniel's
Ownership: Brown-Forman Corporation
Region: Lynchburg, TN

Mashbill: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye
Age: ?

Outturn: ???
Alcohol by Volume: 65.65%
(from a bottle split)

Full Strength 65.65%abv	Diluted to 50%abv	Diluted to 46%abv	Diluted to 43%abv
On one level the nose shows Luxardo cherries, orange peel, milk chocolate and caramel chews. But there's also plenty of nail polish remover and perfume present. It trends towards vanilla and banana peel after some time in the glass.	A big shift in the nose. Think pear-infused mead up front, vanilla and Luxardo cherries in the middle, and cologne in the background.	The nose has simplified and focused on vanilla frosting, caramel chews, and menthol.	Hmmm. Wet cardboard, sawdust, perfume in the nose's foreground. Vanilla, bananas, and black cherry soda in the back.
The palate is really hot, nearly unapproachably so. Barrel char, salt, vanilla syrup, limes, and tannins remain behind the fire.	Nice. The palate is loaded with oranges and coated with honey. A little bit of vanilla here, some cracked pepper there.	Like the nose, the palate has simplified. It's sweet and salty, with a menthol rinse and some drying tannins.	The palate is sweet, very oaky, with minor notes of pineapple and bitterness.
Once the burn subsides, one may find barrel char and peppercorns in the finish. Some savory smoke too, though that may be a cooked palate.	It finishes very sweetly, with a little bit of lemon and barrel char.	It finishes sweet, salty, and tannic.	The sweet and tannic finish doesn't last long.
Summary: Not a fan. Reminds me of the early batches of Stagg Junior, with two dimensions (raw ethyl and raw oak) destroying everything else.	Summary: What a change! I'd be happy to drink this again, at 50%abv. The honey + fruit is a nice combo.	Summary: I appreciate this spartan style. It ain't deep, but it is drinkable.	Summary: Again, the whiskey fell apart at this strength, collapsing into a thin mush.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

One can see via Wednesday's and today's barrel barrels why the standard 40%abv JD bottling is so disappointing. It's a drowning of potentially interesting and characterful whiskey. Though it could be argued that may be a flaw in the whiskey itself, I'm not sure what's to blame. In scotch, aggressive chillfiltration can be such a culprit, so perhaps the Lincoln County process could play a role?

These three JDSBBPs were never boring, and never sunk as low as the aforementioned Old No. 7. But due to the varying qualities between the JDSBBPs, I'm not going to buy one blindly. Also, these whiskies run VERY hot at full strength, so perhaps JD's Bonded whiskey may fit my palate best. I will report back if I buy a bottle.

Availability - Many batches/barrels around
Pricing - $55 - $85
Rating - 81 (carefully diluted)

BARD Wednesday: Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof, 65.45%abv batch

Monday's post may have come across a bit harsh. Mondays gotta Monday. So I'll try to soften it:

It has come to my attention that I also enjoyed the 2021 batch of Jack Daniel's 10-year-old, so that makes two Brown-Forman products that didn't cause my palate to jump out of my mouth. Also, the 76-point score I gave to Monday's JDSBBP barrel is a hell of a lot higher than I'd give to the current Old No. 7 (which would get something between a 36 and 56).

Does that provide some perspective? No? Okay, I kinda tried.

It's Wednesday now, and I'm trying another one of Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof barrel barrels. It's a teensy bit stronger, and I think it's a more recent release.

Brand: Jack Daniel's
Ownership: Brown-Forman Corporation
Region: Lynchburg, TN

Mashbill: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye
Age: ?

Bottled: 2022

Barrel Barrel #: 22-04344

Outturn: ???
Alcohol by Volume: 65.45%
(from a bottle split)

Again, I tried this at four strengths:

Full Strength 65.45%abv	Diluted to 50%abv	Diluted to 46%abv	Diluted to 43%abv
The bourbony nose is loaded with cherries and caramels. Some raspberry jam, red bean paste, and a hint of brine as well. Not hot!	A desserty nose: butterscotch budino, pound cake, and dried blueberries.	The nose changes with each dilution. Now it has plum wine, blueberry pie, and a just a whiff of butterscotch.	Pretty nose. Stewed and baked berries, orange peel, and caramel up top, basic barrel char underneath.
The palate is hot, of course, but it doesn't hide the sweet cherries, candy corn, mild peppery tannins, and a slight umami note.	Ah, the bitter oak appears here in the palate. It's met by sweet oranges, mint leaf, and a hint of ginger. It gets pepperier with time.	Bitter oak is replaced by more palatable peppery tannins. Tart fresh cranberries + sweetened dried cranberries. Raspberries and ginger.	Not much left of the palate. It's lightly bitter, sweet, and peppery.
It finishes with sweet cherries and wood spice.	Bitter oak, tangy chiles, and little bit of sweetness in the finish.	It finishes with plum jam, ginger, and pepper.	Quiet finish made of pepper and salt.
Summary: Though it's big and oaky, I like it. Can imagine it as a hearty colder weather pour.	Summary: Delightful nose, less-than-delightful palate. The bitterness taints it.	Summary: Its parts are most in tune with each other at this strength. And its bitterness has vanished.	Summary: The whiskey ran out of steam here, with too much dilution being the culprit. It still smells great though.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

The new Brown-Forman king has been crowned! (Yes, I know it's American, but a significant portion of Americans want a king.) Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof barrel barrel 22-04344 is something I would buy and drink. 46%abv may be its sweet spot, but the whiskey works at full power. Bitter oak jumps out here and there, so be careful when adding water. Though really, how many people consuming JDSBBP are going to bust out the eyedropper? Please enjoy responsibly.

Availability - Many batches/barrels around
Pricing - $55 - $85
Rating - 85

BARD Monday: Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof, 64.9%abv batch

Once upon a time, circa 2015, Brown-Forman announced a new product called Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof (yes, more barrels in the name than in the whiskey). I saw the announcement on Twitter, and retweeted it with my always insightful analysis. I can't find the tweet, but I'm pretty sure it was:

#barf.

Some Twitter followers took umbrage to my observation and replied with similarly honed reflections along the lines of:

Y U mad bro.

There were three reasons Y I mad bro.

1. The quality of Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 is an embarrassment to all Americans, no matter one's political leanings.
2. I had never liked any American whiskey produced by JD's owners.
3. Everything Brown-Forman touches turns to brown.

Notice the "had", not "have", in point 2. That is because in 2019, I tried B-F's Old Forester Rye and found it to be waaaaaaaaay too good for its price point, a price point that has occasionally dropped here in Ohio.

Because I enjoy that completely unrelated product, that is a different whiskey type, from a different distillery, I have to decided to try THREE barrels of JDSBBP. Four years separated my brilliant JDSBBP tweet and my first sip of Old Forester Rye, and four years have now passed since that sip. So please figuratively join in me in three pours of JDSBBP this week, starting with the barrel with the wimpiest ABV:

Brand: Jack Daniel's
Ownership: Brown-Forman Corporation
Region: Lynchburg, TN

Mashbill: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye
Age: ?

Bottled: ????
Outturn: ???
Alcohol by Volume: 64.9%
(from a bottle split)

I tried this Tennessee nectar at four strengths. Here's how it played out:

Full Strength 64.9%abv	Diluted to 50%abv	Diluted to 46%abv	Diluted to 43%abv
The nose is approachable! Peanut butter fudge, mint leaf, and carob arrive first, followed by sundae cherries and burnt tree bark.	The nose has more vanilla and pastry. A few dried apricots with a dash of clover honey and a splash of balsamic vinegar.	A straightforward mix of mint, menthol, lemon, and barrel char fills the nose.	Wood spice and a mix of citrus zests in the front, and jasmine blossoms in the back of the nose.
The palate is HOT, surprise! It's also peppery, sweet, and minty, with piles of burnt wood, and a hint of earth.	More approachable, but still very oaky, in fact here's where the bitter oak arrives, in the palate. Some decent tart limes mix with honey and cinnamon.	Like the nose, the palate is more focused: ginger, bitter oak, and sour citrus.	The bitter oak mellows out in the palate, which is now mildly sweet and filled with caramel and mint.
The finish is all hot char, menthol, and lime.	Hot char and limes again in the finish, but with some honey too.	It finishes with sour citrus, heat, and bitter oak.	It finishes tart, bitter, and woody.
Summary: The nose is kinda nice, but the mouth's oak and heat assault overwhelms all else, predictably.	Summary: I'm loving the nose here, and the palate improved...until the bitter oak appeared. The finish remains monolithic.	Summary: The citric acidity and woody bitterness were almost unpalatable. I considered dumping the rest at this point.	Summary: A big improvement over the 46%. The finish remains the weak point, but I could see how this would work for cocktails or casual summer sipping.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Good news first. This was MUCH better than Old No. 7, especially once reduced to 43%abv. Oak often imparts lovely noses at the same time it kills palates, and that's what happens to this whiskey at higher strengths. Overall, this was not as bad as I'd expected.

Now, the bad news. My Jack Daniel's standards are subterranean, so the above compliments all have qualifiers. Of course this is better than Old No. 7. A sinus infection is better than Old No. 7. This particular barrel is so woody there's no way to know if the problem with standard JD is the oak or the spirit.

But if you like hot bitter sour oak, you'll like this more than me.

Availability - Many batches/barrels around
Pricing - $55 - $85
Rating - 76 (heavily diluted only)

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye, 132 US Proof batch

(The Royal) We interrupt this Glen Garioch programming to bring you one hot BARD Friday.

Alberta Distillers Limited (ADL), is like the MGP of the North by Northwest, essentially one huge factory cranking out rye spirit that everyone wants to steal bottle. In 2019 they started releasing their own stash at frighteningly combustible strengths. And just in time to fight Covid-19, the rye reached the US border in 2020, in a batch flexing 66%abv. Yes, that's 2/3s poison.

I tried it in 2021, orally. I survived, but it did not keep the coronavirus from invading my borders twice. As far as flavors, it wasn't terrible. In fact it was worryingly drinkable. Now I'm sitting down in the safety of my home to consume two ounces.

source

Brand: Alberta Premium

Distillery: Alberta Distillers Limited

Location: Alberta, Canada

Type: Rye whisky

Mashbill: 100% Rye

Maturation: "charred oak"

Alcohol by Volume: 66%

(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The rye's nose (and my nose) goes through three phases. Phase One: Roasted corn, hazelnuts, and wet sand. Phase Two: Candy corn and spiced rum. Phase Three: Lemon peels, wet dog fur, and flower blossoms. The palate is indeed hot, but not numbing. It's candy sweet, with a sprinkle of salt, a bit of barrel char, and plenty of lemons. Lots of sweet oranges roll into the finish, with hints of mint and pine in the back.

It shines most in a Manhattan (2:1 Rye:Carpano) Cocktail, bringing a pepper sauce spiciness and lots of tart citrus, unique in my experience.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

With a kinda weird, kinda nifty nose, and an approachable palate, this big Canadian can be sipped neatly in a Glencairn glass. I can't say I'd want to drink it all the time, as it's neither particularly rich nor fulfilling, though it could serve to numb one's brain if desired. But its Manhattan was really fun, and I'd certainly buy a bottle of it for that purpose, but not at $80, LOL 🙁. If dropping four score for cocktail booze doesn't ruffle your feathers, go for it!

Availability - North America
Pricing - 70-90USD
Rating - 82 (but mostly for cocktails!)

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Jews & Booze 6 year old MGP bourbon, barrel 420

SPOILER ALERT: This is one of the best privately selected bourbons I've ever owned, not because of things 420 related, nor because it was selected by fellow nerdy Jews, but because of its fruitiness. This is why all the NDPs need to put DISTILLED IN INDIANA in bold, italics, and underlined CAPS on their bottles' front labels. At least as of six years ago, Midwest Grain Products was still cranking out the good shit.

For some reason I took only one photo of the bottle (see further below), so I just now took a pic of the labels:

Yes, I officially tasted this on 4/20. No, there was nothing else in my system before or after consuming the bourbon. Other than some pulled pork and ice cream.

Distillery: Midwest Grain Products

Type: Straight bourbon

Location: Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Exclusive to: Jews and Booze (private group)
Mash Bill: 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
Age: 6 years, 1 month

Bottle #: 45
ABV: 57.6% ABV

(from the bottom third of my bottle)

Fruit dominates the nose. First cherries and plums, then peaches and orange blossoms. Some Juicy Fruit gum too. Cinnamon and toffee decorate the background. Lemon candy, cherry juice, and salted pistachios highlight the palate, with a little bit of bubblegum and heat. It finishes with honey, lemons, orange blossoms, cinnamon, and burst of mint leaf.

It even works on the rocks (especially on an 80ºF day), with tart limes, tart raspberries, and sweet cherries leading the way.

Readers of this blog may know that bourbon is not my go-to drink. But this bourbon was, for much of the summer and fall of 2022, my go-to drink. In fact, I wish I'd purchased two or three bottles. It's just sweet enough without getting too sugary, and it's not too hot for my sensitive palate. And the fruit. The fruit! And now it's all gone. But I do anticipate more J and B barrel picks showing up on BARD Fridays this year.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ??
Rating - 88

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Hayner Original 6 year old Rye Whiskey

Though my friend, Heather, a lifelong Ohioan, is a bourbon fan, she's less keen on rye. She knows I'm a fan, so when her dad opened his bottle of Hayner 6 year old rye, she brilliantly saved me a 2oz sample. Thank you, Heather!

Hayner Distilling Co is a legally licensed distiller located in Troy, OH, but they bottle other producers' distillate. And they are fully transparent about that. For instance, their website lists the four bourbons that go into their Straight Bourbon Whiskey, as well as the mashbills and percentages of each whiskey. Diving for Pearls approves! Their Original 6 year rye, with its vintage label, is 100% MGP 95/5 rye. Diving for Pearls double approved!

BTW, it has been more than 5 years since I've reviewed an indie bottling of MGP rye. 'Twas an Old Scout, reviewed two weeks after my younger daughter Beatrice was born. Beatrice now drives a BMW X5. How time flies.

Yes, I already tucked into it. It's frickin' MGP rye, people.

Brand: Hayner
Region: Troy, Ohio (Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana)
Age: at least 8 years
Mashbill: 95% rye, 5% malted barley
Maturation: 5 five years in new oak, then moved to another new oak barrel for one more year
Alcohol by Volume: 45%
(sample from my buddy!)

NOTES

A massive note of marble rye with pickles leads the nose. Pine sap and halvah fill the middle, with cherry candy and plum wine in the back. The bready, gently peppery, dry palate goes very light on the sweetness (a big plus on this site). Tangy berries, crisp green bell peppers, and mint leaves make up the rest. It finishes dry and salty, with mint, pickle brine, and ginger beer.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I forgot how much I enjoy MGP 95/5 rye. The nose's first note is a like a reassuring old friend, one I've missed so. The Hayner 6yo stood up to its sparring partner, Lot No. 40, more than adequately. In fact, hell, I liked it better. It won't spin your head on your shoulders like the Willet MGP single barrels, but it's a high quality sipper, if you dig this style. I dig this style. Might have to stop by the distillery shop...

Availability - At the distillery shop
Pricing - $49.95
Rating - 85

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Knob Creek 15 year old bourbon, batch KC002

After a 5+ year hiatus, BARD Friday returns! As with all my reviews, I give you no promises regarding the BARD whiskies' relevance, though it's still cheaper and easier to buy contemporary bourbons and ryes compared to single malt scotch, especially here in The Midwest.

Let's start the fun with the KC002 batch of Knob Creek 15, which was released either in 2021 or 2022. As I'm sure I've written many times, Knob Creek and I have a weird relationship. In general, I almost always prefer rye over bourbon in everything from sippin' to mixin'. But I like the Knob Creek brand's bourbon a lot more than its rye, to the point that I'm unmotivated to ever try another KC rye. On the positive side, yay KC bourbon! Here's the oldest one I've had.

pic source

Owner: Beam Suntory
Brand: Knob Creek
Distillery: Jim Beam Distillery
Location: Clermont, Kentucky
Mash Bill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley (I think)
Age: minimum 15 years
Batch: KC002
ABV: 50% ABV

(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Pretty fruit notes arrive early in the nose, with pineapple, lemon zest, and cherry jello ringing the loudest. A hint of honey drifts towards flower blossoms with time. Soft whiffs of confections. And, yes, plenty of earthy char.

An intense burst of cherry candy meets almost-smoky levels of barrel char in the palate. Cinnamon, mint leaf, and salt rest in the middle, lemon and honey in the back.

Tannins fill the finish, yet do not wreck the tongue. Smaller touches of salt, lemon, blossoms, and mint leaf cower beneath.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

The adorable nose wins, of course. Though quite good, the palate is prevented from ascending further by the brutality of charred white oak, something I frequently find in >12yo bourbons. It's like the leveling-off of a mountain. We never see the top, just an early plateau. This whiskey still works very well though, and may be one of the best contemporary 15yo bourbons I've had, though that's not saying much.

I would absolutely drink this again! And if you don't mind tannin aggression, I hope you find Knob Creek 15 year old at its SRP.

Availability - USA
Pricing - anywhere from $100 to $300
Rating - 84

Welcome 2023! Here's an Ardmore Cluster!

Having been a refuge for the coronavirus on the third week of the year......and then again on the third-to-last week of the year, then burying my last grandparent, and being involuntarily moved to the most difficult job of my life, I am happy to see 2022 in the rearview mirror. But the year wasn't a total bust. I started dating. Yeah, watch out, ladies. Ladies?

**crickets wanking**

Oh yeah, I don't have any non-male readers anymore. It's a veritable snausage festival up in here, so I'm just gonna manspread while I type the rest of this.

Back in August, I tweeted this:

On this, my 44th birthday, I would like to thank the Scotch whisky industry for convincing me to get back to buying American whisky again. Thank you. 🫶

— kravitz underscore hubris (@kravitz_hubris) August 24, 2022

As a result I'm going to bring sexy Bourbon and Rye Day Friday back in March.

I've gotten requests for more Killing Whisky History videos (yes, really), so I'm going to try to do a few this new year.

And clusters? Here's one!

It's about damned time I had some Ardmore, so I'm going to start the year with a month of 'em. Each of the 12, except the first, will be from the direct-fired stills-era (specifically 1996-2000 in this case) and bottled at 20 or more years of age. If you don't already know, I adore this distillery, but I've never lined up multiple Ardmores side-by-side. I may even open up one of my own bottles. Yes, you read that correctly.

Will Ardmore and I still have warm feelings for each other at the end of this cluster? Or will 2023 begin with whisky heartbeak? Stay tuned!

(For more on Ardmore's history, please see this mini three-part series. Part One. Part Two. Part Three.)

ARDMORE ROLL CALL:

1. Ardmore 17 year old 2003 Gordon & MacPhail, cask 598 for K&L - "...contemporary approach to Ardmore, with lots of smoke and cask influence..."

2. Ardmore 24 year old 1996 Gordon & MacPhail, cask 3515 - "Beach, farm, industry, soil, rocks, fruits, dunnage, yeah."

3. Ardmore 21 year old 1998 Single Malts of Scotland, cask 750753 - "A very naked Ardmore."

4. Ardmore 20 year old 1997 SMWS 66.138 - "To recap: neat = curious and awkward; diluted = brighter and cuddlier."

5. Ardmore 21 year old 1997 SMWS 66.146 - "Every Ardmore can't be great. And this one..."

6. Ardmore 22 year old 1997 SMWS 66.168 - "A simple huggable Ardmore...it does what it needs to do..."

7. Ardmore 22 year old 1997 SMWS 66.174 - "...the neat palate hits that earth + citrus style I always enjoy."

8. Ardmore 20 year old 1996 Old Malt Cask, cask HL13770 - "...a clean, lean 20 year old single malt with just a touch of oak influence."

9. Ardmore 21 year old 1998 Thompson Brothers - "...more of a brawler...a relative of Caol Ila..."

10. Ardmore 21 year old 1997 Whisky-Doris, cask 901456 - "It's kinda perfect."

11. Ardmore 24 year old 1997 WhiskySponge, edition 76 - "...reads younger than its age...feels like it wasn't done cooking when it was bottled."

12. Ardmore 22 year old 2000 WhiskySponge, edition 69 - "...an Ardmore for sherry cask fans rather than Ardmore fans."
Cluster Conclusion

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Four Roses Single Barrel bourbon, MW-52-1V

Since it sometimes feels like an American has to travel to Japan to find a bottle of Blanton's Single Barrel, I've elected to audition Blanton's replacements. Four Roses Single Barrel has been pretty reliable and is cheaper than Blanton's ever was during this decade.

This bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel was amongst the whiskies I'd brought to a recent private event. Curiously, none of the 15 attendees voted for it in their Top Two (out of five). Many of them did like the Henry McKenna, though I did not. So I really don't know what to expect...

Distillery: Four Roses
Ownership: Kirin
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Region: Lawrenceberg, Kentucky

Age: ???
Recipe: OBSV (high rye, fruity yeast)

Maturation: charred white oak barrels
Warehouse: MW
Barrel #: 52-1V

Alcohol by Volume: 50%
(Sample from my bottle)

NEAT
The nose is gentle for the ABV. Orange oil, lemon oil, pine, anise and mothballs. Flower blossoms, cherry liqueur and circus peanuts. The palate has none of the nose's character. There's vanilla, caramel and barrel char. Bitter, like over-steeped black tea. Sweet little clementines show up occasionally, but an acidity takes the fore. Also, cardboard. The lengthy finish is very sweet. Corn syrup and lemon juice. Plenty of woody bitterness.

MANHATTAN (3:1 bourbon : sweet vermouth, bitters, luxardo cherry)
It's fine, inoffensive, easy to drink. Oddly thin on the palate, though.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
I'm going to vote with the group this time. This bourbon is not great. While the nose is quite expressive, the palate is boring or worse. In fact, this may be the worst Four Roses I've had. Just to make sure my palate wasn't shot during this tasting, I tried this bourbon side-by-side with Heaven Hill 6yo BIB. The Heaven Hill lorded over the Four Roses.

This one's so wobbly that I wonder why Four Roses didn't set the barrel aside for blending. No, it's not a disastrous whiskey, but it will cause me to pause now before buying another Four Roses Single Barrel.

Availability - Ohio and Kentucky, I think
Pricing - $35-$50
Rating - 76

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Henry McKenna 10 year old BIB Single Barrel 3563

These Henry McKenna 10 year olds are one of the last of Heaven Hill's throwback whiskies. And by "throwback" I don't mean, like, two decades ago. I mean, like, two years ago. There's an age statement (of two digits!), it's bottled in bond and it's a single barrel. And it's still in the $30 range.

Even more importantly, the quality is consistently......of quality. As long as Ohio keeps selling these bottles at $29.99, I'll always have one on hand. Today I'm reviewing the McKenna I brought to my private event in September. The attendees liked it even more than the Four Roses Single Barrel it had followed. This is my first moment to dissect the stuff. (Meanwhile, I'll review the 4R soon.)

Brand: Henry McKenna

Distillery: New Bernheim, Louisville, KY

Owner: Heaven Hill

Type: straight bourbon whiskey

Age: at least 10 years

Mashbill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley (maybe)

Distillation date: August 16, 2006

Bottling Year: 2016 or 2017
Barrel: 3563

Alcohol by Volume: 50%
(Sample from my bottle)

NEAT
The nose starts with mint leaves, brown sugar and shoe polish. Then apricots, tree sap and cherry lollipops. Also some tahini, applesauce and mild vanilla bean note. The mild palate begins slightly soapy. Ginger and black peppery. Moderate corn sweetness. Peep of rye. Kinda flat, actually. After a half hour it thankfully ditches the soap. It softens and sweetens up. A salty lemon thing shows up. Soap lingers into the finish, which also has nondescript stone fruit, cherry candy, barrel char, vinegar and Robotussin.

MANHATTAN (3:1 bourbon : sweet vermouth, bitters, luxardo cherry)
Good. Pretty easy and simple aside from some oak spice. Actually aside from that spice, the bourbon totally disappears into the other ingredients.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
The nose works, but since bourbon's for drinking, the strange flat palate weighs it down. Also, I don't like soap in my whiskey, so that note gets very distracting. The bourbon needs time in the glass to straighten itself out, but it still doesn't meet the standards of the previous Hank McKs I've had.

If you have a bottle of this and are experiencing these same issues, then I encourage you to utilize the bourbon in familiar cocktails like Manhattans and Old Fashioneds.

Availability - This barrel may still be lingering around Ohio and Kentucky
Pricing - $25-$35
Rating - 78 (includes an extra point or two for its cocktail performance)

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Smooth Ambler Old Scout Rye 8 year old single barrel 971

The plan seemed airtight. I'd save my sample of Thomas H. Handy (2011 edition) rye for a special occasion. And after my second daughter arrived, I knew this was the moment. Then I pulled the sample bottle — poured for me by Florin (a prince) five years ago — from storage, only to discover that 2/3s of the whiskey had evaporated and the remainder was full of swirling murk. I'm an idiot for waiting so long. And yes I'm an idiot for having given it not one, not two, but three sips just to make sure it was really spoiled. It was really spoiled. Moral of the story: DON'T WAIT FIVE YEARS TO CONSUME A SAMPLE.

Now the night was zipping by and I wanted to taste something while my nose and palate were still working, so I grabbed my last Smooth Ambler / MGP single barrel rye sample. It was also from Florin (a prince) but from only 2.5 years ago. That was back in the day when these bottles were selling for 1/5th of their current "value" on the secondary market. But I love full strength MGP rye more than most single malts, so here we go.

Brand: Old Scout
Company: Smooth Ambler
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey

Region: Maxwelton, West Virginia (Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana)
Age: 8 years
Mashbill: 95% rye, 5% malted barley
Retailer: Davidson's
Barrel: 971
Bottled: 11/12/14

Alcohol by Volume: 60.9%

NEAT
The nose starts off bourbon-like, thick with vanilla, caramel and cherry syrup. Then apricot and dark chocolate notes arise. Underneath is a floral rye note, and a minor pickle brine thing. And cinnamony churros! A good lack of heat. The palate is more rye-ish. Dark dusty spices, a jar of multicolored peppercorns. Salted caramels and fennel seed. Sweet and tannic with a velvet texture and very little burn. It finishes with honey and black pepper. Sweet lemons, fennel seed and barrel char. Medium length.

Gonna drop it to the standard Old Scout Rye abv:

WITH WATER (~49.5%abv)
The nose becomes more focused. Caramel candies, mandarin oranges, cloves and a hint of flower blossoms. The rye element intensifies in the palate. All vanilla and caramel stuff has been stripped away. It's very spicy and peppery. Hints of citrus and tannins. The finish is all zing. Tangy citrus. Feisty pepper. Curmudgeonly char.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
This is an impressively easy drinker considering the considerable (sorry) alcohol content. The rich oak notes in its nose will likely appeal to bourbon fans. Rye enthusiasts will prefer the palate over the nose. That's where the rye lies. It dilutes well too, which is another plus.

Due to all that oak, I think it's a half step back of Willett's similarly aged MGP rye, but it's close enough to provide some similar joys. This was a good buy back when this stuff was $50-$65. And, girl, I'm missing those days.

Availability - Secondary market only
Pricing - allot of munny
Rating - 87

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Old Weller Antique 107 proof (pre-2017 label)

Over the past three years, about 75% of the whiskies I've obtained have been from purchases made during international trips: Japan, Scotland and Japan. My recent Japanese excursion resulted in a suitcase full of, mostly, bourbon.

One evening, after a particularly lovely dosage of dry sake, I wandered around some residential streets in northern Kyoto to appreciate the summer night and also explore the nearby liquor store. Though there weren't too many surprises on the scotch shelves, I did instantly notice a certain bottling on the bourbon shelves. I hadn't seen Old Weller Antique at an actual liquor store in three years. And here it was, stocked six deep. Going for about $24.

Though I'm not a wheated bourbon enthusiast [apologies for the lack of trigger warning], I have found the Antique 107 to be the most compelling of the Old Weller series. I was also planning a private bourbon tasting event at the time, so I bought a bottle and brought it home. We opened it at the event last week, and it rated pretty well with the guests. I salvaged three ounces for myself so I could finally review this bourbon.

Owner: Buffalo Trace (via Sazerac)
Brand: Old Weller
Distillery: Buffalo Trance Distillery
Location: Franklin, Kentucky
Mash Bill: BT's mystery wheated mash bill
Age: probably south of 7 years
ABV: 53.5%

NEAT
Loads of cherries (fresh, dried, candy) on the nose. Orange creamsicle, vanilla bean, halvah and Milk Duds. The palate isn't that hot considering the ABV. Some nice citrus notes. Lots of barrel char. Some moderate hard candy sweetness. Witbier, dried ginger, caramel and cayenne. It also has an acidity that continues into the finish, where the sweetness turns cloying. Some dried ginger and lemon sour candy.

WITH WATER (~45%abv)
More caramel on the nose. Dried cherries, cherry shisha, Luxardo syrup and cologne. The palate has citrus, pepper, vanilla and lime lollipops. The finish's sweetness improves. Cherry and lime lollipops. Still quite some acidity.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Like its older and more expensive sibling, Old Rip 10yo, Antique's nose is the highlight. The 10yo's nose is better, but I like Antique's palate more than Old Rip's. Antique's main weakness is its finish, but it improves once water is added. It also results in a much too sweet Manhattan.

Though Antique 107 is younger than Old Rip, their overall qualities are very close. Considering that whiskey is for drinkin' and considering the crazy price difference, I'd always be happy to go with Antique first.

Neither of those two bourbons are must haves for me, but if I ever find the Antique at its old price, I'd be happy to pick up a bottle.

Availability - Worldwide, on the primary and secondary markets
Pricing - All over the place, though usually $22 to $122. Some retailers are being cute, charging north of $200 for it. Good luck to them.
Rating - 83

Tamdhu 10 year old (current bottling), and pausing BARD Friday

I'm taking a few weeks off from Bourbon and Rye Day Friday. American whiskey has been my go-to for casual drinking this summer and, as often happens, I've reached a saturation point after two months. All that oak stuff exhausts my palate after a while. One might say I can't handle my wood. Or perhaps I've handled it too much.

Also my Scottish samples outnumber my American samples by a ratio of 7:1, so I need to make a dent in the scotch. And it wouldn't hurt if I occasionally reviewed a contemporary whisky.

---

Back when it was in The Edrington Group's portfolio, Tamdhu bottled a very limp 10 year old. I always found this odd because Edrington was simultaneously releasing excellent official versions of their other distilleries, Highland Park and Macallan. My theory had been that the 10yo was just an afterthought, with most of the Tamdhu malt going into Famous Grouse, but then The Group sold Tamdhu to independent bottler Ian Macleod. The new ownership pulled the old version off the market, replacing it with a sexier bottle, with more sherry cask action and a 125% price increase.

The bottle is cute and I do want to support a small-ish scotch company, but damn, $65 for a 43%abv 10 year old?! Luckily this whisky made an appearance at Columbus Scotch Night in July, so I was able to slink away with a review sample.

Distillery: Tamdhu
Ownership: Ian Macleod Distillers
Region: Speyside (Central)
Age: 10 year old
Maturation: ex-sherry casks, a mix of American and European oak
Alcohol by Volume: 43%
Chillfiltered? Probably
Colored? whiskybase says No

NEAT
Its dark gold color looks only moderately suspicious. The nose begins with an amusing combo of dark chocolate, toffee, new sneakers and a slightly funky moldy note. There's something phenolic in here, but I'm not sure it's from peat. With time it picks up toasted oak notes, and the dark chocolate turns to milk chocolate. The palate starts with a rich Oloroso note reminiscent of (if not better than) GlenDronach 12. As it opens up, it gets a spicy and effervescent feeling, like good ginger beer. Here comes some PX sweetness to go along with a bitter chocolate note. Both floral and earthy at times. The finish has fresh ginger, milk chocolate, black pepper and soil. A good length to it.

WITH WATER (~35%abv)
The nose is maltier, cleaner. More toffee. Some orange peel and roses. The palate is less earthy, more peppery. The sherry is nuttier and there's just a hint of bitterness. The finish stays long. Similar to the palate, yet it picks up the nose's new orange peel and rose notes.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Much better than I'd expected. There's still some youth and funkiness to it that the big sherry doesn't choke out. Despite the low abv, it swims well, delivering a prettier whisky when diluted. Though I still balk at dishing out ≥$60 for it, Tamdhu 10 is better than most of the sherried stuff at this price, especially Mac 12. If I'm in the mood for its type, and I can find it ≤$50, then I'd buy it.

Availability - Worldwide
Pricing - $55-$70 USA, $35-$50 UK (ex-VAT)
Rating - 85

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Corbin Cash Merced Rye Whiskey

I knew nothing about Corbin Cash rye when my buddy Brett handed me a 2oz sample of it, more than a year ago. It sounded like yet another craft rye, probably two months old, something that will face the Market Correction Reaper in a few years.

THE TALE

Turns out, Corbin Cash has a pleasant story, and it's not one with Al Capone or George Washington or Ron Jeremy or John Wayne or Brooklyn water. Instead, the Souza family grows sweet potatoes up in Northern California and makes vodka out of the excess tubers. And, per K&L and D&M:

"It turns out that Corbin hasn't only been distilling sweet potato vodka over the past few years; they've also been growing, harvesting, fermenting and distilling their own rye ... The sandy soil of Atwater leeches a lot of the nitrogen deep into the earth and a cover crop is needed to help remove some of the nitrogen before another round of sweet potatoes can be planted. It just so happens that rye is the perfect cover."

That's legitimately interesting to me. But, is the whiskey good? That's the important part, especially when a bottle costs $50+. As for its age, I've seen "up to 4 years" and "3.75 years". Yet, I don't believe they list an age on the bottle itself. So I went into my tasting with low expectations.

THE PICTURE

THE INFO

Distillery: Corbin Cash
Type: Rye Whiskey (no straight designation)
Region: Atwater, CA
Age: see notes above
Mash Bill: 100% rye
Maturation: new American white oak 53-gallon barrels
Alcohol by volume: 45%

THE REVIEW

At first the nose has a nice combination of apples, honey and cinnamon. Then a candy cane and some malt (yes, I know there's no malt in it). There's a wave of something green, like green onions and pickle brine. But it's subtle. Later on it mellows out into vanilla bean, toffee and cream soda. Lots of spice in the palate, both of the rye and oak variety. Every other note is in the background: stone fruit, bubble gum, fizzy minerals. A little bit of alcohol heat creeps up late, making it a bit sharper. The finish is a rye bomb, like Collingwood 21 but American style. By that I mean yooge. Plenty of pepper, rye bread, a little bit of tartness and fresh ginger.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Much much better than expected. It's got a bite to it, but it drinks well neat. And the nose is very good. I can't help but think this is due to the rye spending some real time in a full-sized barrel. I'd even be willing to accept the 3.75 year story. While I'd love to see what happens with 4+ years (maybe 6?!), as it is this feels like a product ready for the market, unlike the vast majority of craft whiskey.

The price does give me pause. Three years ago, I'd be saying "You can get Willett at this price." Two years ago, I'd be saying "You can get Smooth Ambler at this price." Today, I can't say that. In fact, cheaper good rye options are dwindling. Rittenhouse BIB's quality isn't what it used to be. High West Double Rye's quality swings widely from batch to batch. Wild Turkey 101 rye is decent, if you can find it. Other MGP ryes are available here and there, but most cheap ones are very young ones. Pikesville 110 Proof and Russell's Reserve Small Batch might be the second and third best options at the under-$60 range, with Lot No. 40 (yes, the Canadian) leading the way.

So—I can't believe I'm typing this—but Corbin Cash might crack the top five sub-$60 rye list. That's partly due to the product's quality, but also inspired by the market itself.

Availability - California only (I think)
Pricing - $48-$58
Rating - 83

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2014

Time for some more burban. This time it's the annual Four Roses LE small batch bourbon which magically hits the secondary market before anyone has opened a bottle. Though back when this edition was released, people actually drank it. One of those people was Ryan from NJ who tossed in this sample when we did a swap. Thank you, Ryan.

Designed by the beloved former distiller Jim Rutledge, the 2014 limited edition small batch is made up of 13 year old OBSV recipe bourbon, 12 year old OESV, 11 year old OBSF and 9 year old OBSK. So it's a 9 year old, for those keeping score. It does include my two favorite Four Roses recipes, OBSV and OBSK, both high-rye.

Distillery: Four Roses
Ownership: Kirin
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Region: Lawrenceberg, Kentucky
Maturation: new white oak barrels with char #3 and #4

Age: 9 years and older
Recipe: see notes above
Bottle Count: 12,516
Release Year: 2014

Alcohol by Volume: 55.9%

NEAT
The nose is much gentler than I'd expected, with no alcohol heat. Cherry bubblegum, clementines, Grand Marnier and cardamom. Some roses and Nutella too. The palate is hotter, woodier. Very spicy and tannic. Cayenne pepper and ginger powder. Sticky simple syrup in the center. A savoury note in the background. The hot finish holds bitter chocolate, wood smoke, wood tannins and wood spice. Notes of Frangelico and bananas arrive late.

Feels a bit tight. Adding a little water...

WITH WATER (~46%abv)
The nose picks up a big charred marshmallow note. Vanilla fudge. Clementines and lumber. The palate has become bitterer and sweeter, both being wood driven. It's both slightly floral and nutty. With sweet corn and tangy citrus. The finish has new notes of caramel and vanilla. It keeps the palate's bitterness and tang. The bananas remain.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Though the nose is a pleasure, I'm a bit underwhelmed by the mouth. The harsh oak shuts everything down. It's more approachable with water, but the oak still reads like there's more 13yo than 9yo in the mix. To some that's great! To me, not so much. It's a palate thing. Past a certain point, pending age and warehouse conditions, the wood overwhelms all else.

It also seems like every time I have a limited or well-hyped barrel/batch Four Roses, it falls short of my expectations. In fact, I always prefer their regular $40 single barrel release (like this one). I'm not saying this limited edition is bad whiskey. It's good. But I'm okay with never drinking it again.

Back in the day, reviewers (such as here, here and here) said this was "good, but..." or it wasn't as great as the 2013 edition. I've never had the 2013 edition, but I did compare this one to Heaven Hill 6yo BIB. The $11 bourbon was much more fun.

Availability - Secondary Market
Pricing - $185-$225
Rating - 82

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Evan Williams 12 year old 101 proof, for Japan

Despite the occasional weird bottle, I like the Evan Williams bourbon range. They're priced very reasonably. Hell, I'll say it. They're cheap. Yet, they're often a good measure better than bourbons 4x-5x their price.

At the Heaven Hill distillery shop, a customer can find Evan Williams 12 year old 101 Proof. That's the only (legal) place in the US one can buy a bottle of it. And it costs at least $130.

Or one can buy it at most liquor stores in Japan for $25-$30.

Guess where I bought mine!

I considered getting a second bottle, but my luggage was already full of other fine things. Like dirty laundry and travel toothpaste.

My uninformed guess is Heaven Hill doesn't make EW12 a regular American release because the demand would far outstrip the supply, and we'd kill it off in under a year.

Anyway—to keep jumping back and forth between thoughts—I opened my bottle the very night I came home from my trip.

Distiller: Heaven Hill
Brand: Evan Williams
Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Region: Bardstown, Kentucky
Age: at least 12 years
Mashbill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley (I think)
Bottle Code: B126 614 37
Purchased in: Tokyo, Japan

Alcohol by Volume: 50.5%

(from the top third of my bottle)

REVIEW

Though the nose shows plenty of oak, it reads very pretty and fragrant, rather than massive char or sawdust. There are also big notes of peach skin and brown sugar. Some sherry cask-like dried fruit. Hazelnut liqueur. A mellow vanilla and Cow Tales candy undertow. In a tumbler glass, the oak notes move to the background. The palate leads with fresh cherries, orange soda and a warming heat. The sweetness stays around the edges, wood spice in background. A burst of ginger beer. NO vanilla. It develops an intense saltiness with time. The tannins remain surprisingly mild in the finish. The sweetness stays mellow too. Limes, clementines and fresh ginger. A hint of the palate's salt.

The bourbon stands strong in a Manhattan, giving it a real punchy boozy edge. There's also a cherry bubblegum note. Bit of a peach+cinnamon thing. I'm sipping one of these cocktails between sentences and enjoying it immensely.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This one is growing on me. It is NOT worth anyone's $130 (plus tax). But I'd be happy to keep this regularly stocked if it sold for $30 or less here. Which will never happen.

While it doesn't have the finesse of Elijah Craig 12yo (R.I.P.), it manages to keep the oak in check. I really enjoy the fruit notes. And it sticks the landing well. Plus these Manhattans are mighty hardy. Yum. If you're drinking it neatly I recommend you consume it from a tumbler as opposed to a Glencairn.

So if you're in Japan, and still have room in your luggage because you haven't already found a dozen other wonderful things, Evan Williams 12 year old 101 proof is a pretty fun thing to bring home.

Availability - this particular bottling was from Japan, this bourbon is also sold at the distillery shop
Pricing - $25-$30 in Japan, $130+ in Kentucky
Rating - 84