Jesse James American Outlaw Bourbon Whiskey

VITALS:
- $17
- 80 Proof
- 3 Years Old

With a gimmicky name like Jesse James, and the fact that it resided on the bottom shelf at a low price point, I really didn't expect a whole lot from this bourbon. That's not to mention that it's only a three year old bourbon (though, kudos to Jesse James for at least having an age statement!).

The bourbon is from Mira Lima, California. Or, at least, it's bottled by Jesse James Distilling Co. in Mira Lima, California. I don't know where the bourbon itself comes from. In the end, it probably doesn't matter all that much.

The nose is almost all molasses. It smells like a very sweet bourbon, with some hints of leather to bring that sweetness back to earth just a little bit. The nose, sweet as it was, was weak in general. At only 80 proof, I guess I couldn't expect a whole lot, but I really had to work to discern anything from this nose.

The bourbon is watery and thin, with legs as long as Cotton Hill's. This is a characteristic that is common among lower shelf bourbons, and this was not unexpected.

The flavor is not strong either. My overall impression is that this is unimpressive and weak, from nose to finish. Up front, though, what flavor is there is good. I got a nice blend of vanilla with a sweet peanut flavor to it. Interestingly, I got a light wood tone underscoring everything else, as though this bourbon were older than it actually is.

It's a thin and watery bourbon, and for that reason alone I'd prefer this as a mixer as opposed to a sipper. On its own it was simple and thin, and on the finish it had a very weird, astringent aftertaste. I've heard people describe their bourbon as tasting like band-aids, and this is the first time that I've ever gotten that from a bourbon. The finish was, quite simply, bad. A bourbon with a great finish makes me want to go right back to the bottle for another pour. This one just had me looking for something else.

I even tried it as a mixer with some ginger ale, and I just couldn't find a way to enjoy it. Even as a bottom shelf bourbon, this one falls well short of being a decent bourbon.

Grade: D