Killing Whisky History, Episode 26: National Distillers-era Old Crow bourbon, bottled in ...

This month's whiskey comes from often-beloved-in-hindsight National Distillers. It is of a certain age and a certain bird. But is it old? And is it anything to crow about? Click to find out!

Old Forester Rye

There have been three failed attempts at starting this post in a witty fashion, so I'll just say it outright: I do not like Brown-Forman's standard American whiskies, from any of their distilleries.

The catch is I've never had any of their ryes, nor any of their new Old Foresters. And I'm trying to expand my mind and palate when it comes to spirits I don't like. For instance, I used to think all tequila was foul. But I've had good tequila now. I mean, it still makes me vomit, but it tasted better on the way down.

My point is, Old Forester Rye. It's new, it's under $30 and it's rye. The official site even has a mash bill. I'm going to fix myself a Manhattan first, then try the rye neat. I hope this works!

Brand: Old Forester
Company: Brown-Forman
Distillery: Old Forester Distillery
Region: Louisville, Kentucky
Type: Straight rye
Age: NAS
Mashbill:  65/15/20 Rye/Corn/Barley
Alcohol by Volume: 50%
(many thank yous to Jack for the sample!)

MANHATTAN, 2:1 ratio

I'm easy when it comes to Manhattans made with Carpano Antica. They're either bad, good or great. And more than three-quarters of the Carpano Antica Manhattans I've had are of the good or great categories.

It is with some relief that I can say my Old Forester Rye Manhattan fits in the good category. It starts out woody for a brief second, then slides right into a fruity spicy zone from which it never returns. Cherries, oranges, wood spice and anise (which is Kristen's note).

RATING: GOOD

NEAT
The nose starts off with simple rye grain and oak notes. Then it picks up brine, black pepper, fennel seed and mint leaf. This is met with a mix floral and toasted grain notes as well as apricot jam and peaches. The palate is surprisingly fruity up front. Lots of black cherry syrup/soda and a little bit of orange candy. Not much outright oak. It starts with moderate levels of sweetness and pepper, then they slowly expand. It finishes sweet and berry-ish, with small notes of orange candy, pepper and salt.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I like it.

There, I wrote it. In tiny font.

I think I like it even better than the current Wild Turkey 101 rye. In any case, it's my favorite Brown-Forman standard American whiskey release. Its bright fruitiness and lack of aggressive tannins hits all the right spots for me. Works as a cocktail and works neat. If Ohio liquor stores actually sell this, then I'm going to get a bottle. Thanks to Bourbon Guy, whose review made me consider trying this B-F product someday. And thanks again to Jack for helping make this happen.

Availability - Slowly expanding across the US since 2/1/19
Pricing - $24-$32
Rating - 84

Henry McKenna 10 year old BIB Single Barrel 3270

Look what I found in the back of my cabinet!

No, not that.

This!

Who here is sick of the Heaven Hill posts? Other than me?

Actually, Henry McKenna 10 year old BIB Single Barrel is both reliable and priced exceptionally well for being bottled in bond, a single barrel and 10(!) years old. I've already reviewed two other HMcK10BIBSBs and one dusty HMcK. Lemme do up a quick review of this barrel.

Oh wait, look what else I found in my cabinet!

Come on.

Thank you.

This is a sample of the HMcK10BIBSB I reviewed 19 months ago. Hopefully this will provide some depth and perspective to this tasting.

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: November 9, 2006

Bottling Year: 2016 or 2017
Barrel: 3270

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

NOSES:
Barrel 3270 - Very intense, full of vanilla bean, almond extract and caramel sauce. Fruity Vietnamese cinnamon, jasmine and ginger ale. Hints of limes, envelope glue and sawdust.

Barrel 3563 - Muted and peppery. Some generic nuttiness, paper and barrel char. Fresh ginger bursts through after 20 minutes, joined by a little bit of orange peel.

PALATES:
Barrel 3270 - Limes, vanilla and nice aromatic oakiness. Gentle sweetness and moderate heat. Dried cherries and a touch of woody bitterness. It picks up more sweetness and citrus with time.

Barrel 3563 - Fruitier than the nose. Lots of dried fruits and tannins, like a wonky sherry cask. Cayenne pepper and ginger powder give it some zip. Bits of cherry lollipops and tangy citrus.

FINISHES:
Barrel 3270 - Lots of small notes: Vanilla, oranges, salt, bitterness. Bigger notes of tart limes, pepper and barrel char.

Barrel 3563 - All drying tannins. No sweetness. Pepper and cherry cough medicine.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
I forgot that I hadn't liked barrel 3563. Curiously, I thought its palate was flat last time and this time I found the nose to be the bigger problem. Well, the biggest problem are the violent tannins that obliterate the finish.

But I'm really supposed to be focusing on barrel 3270 today. Its oversized sniffer is a delight, even with a couple quirky notes. The palate's good oak notes survive the quieter not-good oak notes, while the fruitiness and extra sweetness turn it into a quality drink. Had the finish delivered on the nose's or palate's promise, this would be a very good bourbon.

Forgetting all those words words words, and the decent score I'm probably going to give it, there's still an issue here. I opened this bottle a year ago, and I'm still barely at its midpoint. Perhaps it's all the oak or the uninspiring finish or my desire to drink something that kicks more ass at the end of a crap day. Just because something is a good deal doesn't mean it's going to be one of the ten most interesting things in your cabinet (including Pinkie Pie!). Though I appreciate its price point, barrel 3270 is my last Henry McKenna.

Henry McKenna 10 year old, Barrel 3270
Rating - 81

Henry McKenna 10 year old, Barrel 3563
Rating - 76

Elijah Craig NAS Small Batch, current version

Alas, The Present. The end. For now?

A year after removing the 12 year old age statement, Heaven Hill gave Elijah Craig a whole new outfit, further distancing it from its previous forms. Gone was the dark old whisky in the bottom-heavy bottle, here was something taller, lighter, thinner and younger.

This was known as Sample B in the Taste Off, or whisky 3 in my home lineup. It finished dead last among the group, and next-to-last in my own notes. I lined it up next to the pre-fire EC12 for the tasters to see how far apart the whiskies were.

During my blind tasting, I somehow guessed the three 12 year old ECs correctly, but got the two NASes mixed up. I rated this higher than the previous NAS, while also thinking this one was that one. I wouldn't buy either again.

To recap again, I tasted this bourbon blindly, then did another tasting when I knew what was in my glass. I've listed both sets of notes below. The final rating is weighted heavily towards the blind tasting experience.

Distiller: Heaven Hill
Brand: Elijah Craig
Region: Bardstown, Kentucky
Distillery: DSP-KY-1
Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: no age statement
Bottled: likely 2018 or 2019

Alcohol by Volume: 47%

When I didn't know what I was drinking

The flattest of the noses. Corn syrup, almonds and brown rice. Cherry candy and BBQ-flavored peanuts. “Black & White cigarettes on the casino floor.”

Halvah, black pepper and nuts start off the palate. Then it shifts to a weird gear: very earthy and very sweet, with a definite paint note.

The finish is tannic and drying on the first two sips, then gets tooth-rottingly sweet and tangy in subsequent sips.

When I DID know what I was drinking

The nose is plain and sugary. Berry jam and barrel char. Almond extract, flowers and vinegar.

The palate is bland, nutty, sweet and peppery.

The finish is nutty, sweet and acidic.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
The palate was odd during the first tasting, then boring on the second tasting, but the nose was consistent. It's probably not the worst thing in the extensive Heaven Hill portfolio, but it's a damned shame that's the best thing I can say about it. Six of the tasters from the group ranked this EC first or second, so there are still folks who'd enjoy it. And its score was so close to that of the back-label-12yo that scores from one more taster might have flipped their overall rankings.

But for palates like mine, Elijah Craig Small Batch is just a cocktail bourbon now. I wish it were better. I went into this experiment hoping I'd like the whiskey. Instead, I'll hide remainder in a few old fashioneds. Not all in one night. Probably.

Availability - Everywhere
Rating - 75

Elijah Craig NAS Small Batch, bottled ca. 2016

And then Heaven Hill dropped Elijah Craig's age statement. And everyone was shocked, SHOCKED. Now 8-12 year old whiskies were in the mix per the marketing blurbs, but those numbers were worthless since they were not listed on the label, nor did this become Elijah Craig 8 year old Small Batch.

I found this bottle in Newcastle, IN, during a drive last year. The printed bottle code has a 16 on it, so it's very possible this was from the first batches of this new bourbon. Here's a look at that back label now:

This was Sample C for the 20 other participants in the Elijah Craig Taste Off, while it was the first glass in my own blind tasting. Overall, the group gave it a decent score and it tied in second, considerably ahead of the 12 year old it had replaced. Meanwhile, I ranked it dead last.

As per the previous reviews this week, I tasted this bourbon blindly, then did another tasting when I knew what was in my glass. I've listed both sets of notes below. The final rating is weighted heavily towards the blind tasting experience, unless otherwise noted.

Distiller: Heaven Hill
Brand: Elijah Craig
Region: Bardstown, Kentucky
Distillery: DSP-KY-1
Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: no age statement
Bottled: around 2016

Alcohol by Volume: 47%

When I didn't know what I was drinking

“Aromatic woodiness” in the nose, which I think is connected to the vanilla bean and jasmine notes I’d also listed. Then cherry candy, peanut butter and brine. It all fades quickly.

The mild, warm palate leads with vanilla, tart berries and tart limes. Sawdust and dango. An all too brief moment of tropical fruit candy.

The warm finish is all sawdust and salty caramel.

When I DID know what I was drinking

The flat and cardboard-y nose has some berry fruitiness and peanuts.

The palate is very sweet, with honey, berries and citrus. Also some oats and peppery tannins.

The moderate length finish is tannic, tart and sweet, with a little bit of that oat note.

WORDS WORDS WORDS 
Not a fan of it either time. It isn't craft whiskey bad, but it's getting much too close, especially considering it's a bourbon brand that had produced much higher quality up to this point. I found it a considerable step down from the back label 12yo that was bottled only a year before. It had the weakest nose of the 5 ECs, but folks with sweeter palates than mine would probably like the taste of it more than I did.

Availability - It's still around, though one has to search for it.
Rating - 73

Elijah Craig 12 year old Small Batch, 12 on back label

This final edition of Elijah Craig 12 year old was Sample D in the recent Taste Off. It just missed landing in last place by two points, though I ranked it 3rd during my own blind tasting.

I picked up this bottle just before leaving Long Beach. As you'll notice, the 12 year old age statement has vanished from the front label. Where did it go? The back label.

This was not Heaven Hill's finest hour. I've written about this before, but to recap: When the company moved the age statement off the front label, bourbon fans expressed worry that this portended the end of the age statement. Heaven Hill's brand ambassador denied it with an unwise dose of condescending sarcasm. Then the age statement was pulled seven months later.

As per the previous reviews this week, I tasted this bourbon blindly, then did another tasting when I knew what was in my glass. I've listed both sets of notes below.

Distiller: Heaven Hill
Brand: Elijah Craig
Region: Bardstown, Kentucky
Distillery: DSP-KY-1
Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: minimum 12 years
Bottled: around 2015

Alcohol by Volume: 47%

When I didn't know what I was drinking

The nose is nutty, salty and woody. There's also some coca cola syrup, mint and a whiff of smoke. More vanilla and wood spice with time. “Twigs in the rain.” ← I was clearly starting to feel the bourbon at this point.

The palate is sweet and fruity, with limes, oranges and black cherries. Caramel, smoked nuts and just a little bit of woody bitterness.

The sweet and tart finish is full of oranges and tannins.

When I DID know what I was drinking

The nose is all over the place. To wit: paste, honey, lemon, oak, sugar, ground mustard seed and burnt peanuts.

The palate is mostly made up of dried grass clippings. Then there’s tart citrus, earth, an odd sweetness and a hint of eggs.

Grass clippings and tannins in the finish. Tart and not that sweet.

WORDS WORDS WORDS 

Unlike the previous Elijah Craigs, something definitely happened to this whiskey in the two weeks between the tastings. It was much better when I tried it blind. The palate was very strange during the retry. Even so, it's curious that I gave this edition such a high score in my review three years ago. It's another good bourbon, and I'd be happy to buy a bottle of the stuff I tried blindly, but a number of the other Heaven Hill brands (such as HH BIB, Evan Williams, Henry McKenna) often match or top this edition's quality in their own more recent versions.

Availability - Secondary market, or in some random corner liquor stores
Rating - 82 (from my blind tasting experience only)

Elijah Craig 12 year old Small Batch, 12 on front label

Sample E for the Elijah Craig tasters, #2 for me, was this bottle of Elijah Craig 12 year old Small Batch. This is the version of Elijah Craig a lot of us remember best, I think. Not only is from the 12 year old days, but it was from when they listed that 12 right on the front label. This bottle, purchased during a dusty hunt in Buena Park, CA, is likely from 2014, the final full year of the front label red 12.

Though tied in 2nd place in the Taste Off overall rankings, it scored significantly lower than the first place EC, and without my own ranking it would have fallen to third place.

As with the other four ECs, I tasted this bourbon blindly, then did another tasting when I knew exactly what I'd poured. I've listed both sets of notes below. The final rating is weighted heavily towards the blind tasting experience, unless otherwise noted.

Distiller: Heaven Hill
Brand: Elijah Craig
Region: Bardstown, Kentucky
Distillery: DSP-KY-1
Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: minimum 12 years
Bottled: 2014

Alcohol by Volume: 47%

BLIND TASTING
The nose is a bit flat and there’s less oak than some of the others, at first. It needs time to open. Then there’s plenty of decent oak, more vanilla and caramel than lumber or sawdust. There’s also Purple Stuff, roses, paper and a hint of smoke.

The oak is “woodier” in the palate. But there’s also some tangy fruit punch and unripe melon. Bits of earth and smoke.

Melon and green herbs highlight the otherwise sweet finish.

SIGHTED(?) TASTING
An intense barrel char note sits right up front in the nose. There’s also a lot of dark chocolate. Then some black pepper, envelope glue and simple syrup.

The palate is minty, bright and orange-y. A good balance of sweet and tart.

The finish is sweet and tangy like orange candy.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Though I ranked it second during the blind tasting, I liked it better when I knew what I was drinking. In fact, there's a bit of difference between the two sets of notes. There wasn't a lot of time for oxygen to affect the whiskey, so perhaps there were some unconscious things going on during the second tasting. In any case, this Elijah Craig proves to be simple stuff, but very easy drinking, a good everyday bourbon.

Availability - Secondary market, or random dumb luck dusty hunting
Rating - 83