Knob Creek Jewel Osco Private Pick #3 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $60

- 120 Proof

- 9 yrs, 11 mos.

- Kentucky

It really feels like store picks have flooded the market these days. It seems that every store I go in has at least two or three store picks on the shelves, with the big liquor stores having dozens to choose from, including multiple picks of each brand. With so many to choose from, I almost experience paralysis by analysis, and often find myself grabbing something else of the shelf.

But, for whatever reason, this Jewel Osco Knob Creek pick made it into my shopping cart.  I don't know if I was feeling particularly randy that day, or if it was the fact that this was only one month shy of double digits. For whatever reason, I gave this particular bottle a go, and, quite frankly, I'm pretty glad I did!

The nose was sweet and rich toffee, but balanced out with a bit of milk chocolate, kind of like a Heath bar. It had a light oak note to it as well to balance out some of the sweetness, along with some warm cinnamon spice. There was also a bit of a pecan or walnut note as well. This was one where I sat in my recliner smelling my glass to the point it completely annoyed my wife. 

So, when she finally snapped, "Just drink it already!", I felt I had no choice but to oblige.  And (but don't tell her this) she was right. I should have put that glass to my lips far sooner than I did, because this was a super caramel-forward pour. It was that rich, smooth caramel like you get from a candy shop.

But, it also had a spicy backbone, with cinnamon and perhaps even a bit of chili spice. It was rich and full of flavor, and as I enjoyed more sips, I got the milk chocolate I had found on the nose, as well as a bit of a dark cherry note. All in all it was kind of like a spiced chocolate cherry cola. I don't know if such a drink exists, but it should!

While the caramel and cinnamon seemed to linger the longest on the finish, it was there that the walnut came through as well, offering a somewhat different, but very enjoyable, experience. And this finish seemed to last for an exceptionally long time.

It's been a while since I've enjoyed a Knob Creek pick quite this much. Again, I don't know what brought me to buying this bottle on that fateful day (other than I simply can't help myself), but I'm very glad I did!

Grade: A-

Sazerac Rye Jewel Osco Single Barrel Select Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $30

- 90 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel #063

- Kentucky

There are always those bottles that will almost always provide quality whiskey at a good price. Throw in actual availability, and you've got what I'd call "go to" whiskeys. Sazerac Rye is one of those for me. While it's not the typical rye profile that I like--I tend to prefer a spicier versus a sweeter rye--it's still a consistently good pour.

So, when I hear of any store getting a single barrel pick of Sazerac in, I'm usually up for trying it out. Jewel, though, is not typically on my short-list of stores whose single barrels I make it a point to buy. But, given that they had a good amount on the shelves when I was there, and it was a mere $30, one nonetheless made its way into my shopping cart.

The nose gave off an immediate impression of wheat bread, slightly sweet, grain-forward and somewhat yeasty. It also had a bit of a honey butter note as well.  I also got a bit of orange peel, adding some brightness as well as just a touch of bitterness to the nose.

As to flavor, my first impression was this was very watered down. I realize that it's only 90 proof, so I wasn't expecting fire water, but this seemed even more watered down than it should be. Nonetheless, I was able to pick up initial flavors of cherry and brown sugar, along with a light cinnamon spice note.

There was a certain richness, that was something like an almond liqueur note mixed with a bright citrusy orange note. The breadiness that I was getting on the nose also came through as well, though without the honey butter note that I enjoyed on the nose.

While the forward flavors were good but not great, this one seemed to fall off a bit for me on the finish. It had a certain grassiness to it that seemed out of place compared to everything else I was getting.  I also got the cherry on the finish, except there it translated to more of a cherry cough syrup flavor that I just really could not get past.

While it won't detract me from buying other single barrel Sazerac picks in the future, this one was a bit of a dud for me. The flavors were just okay, and I just didn't really like the finish all that much. While I liked the nose, unfortunately I don't buy whiskey to smell it.  That's what candles are for.

Grade: C-

Buffalo Trace Jewel-Osco Single Barrel Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Barrel No. 528

VITALS:
- $24
- 90 Proof
- NAS
- Barrel No. 528

If there is one thing that Jewel-Osco is known for, it's their incredible private picks . . . no, that's not right. It's their incredibly refined palate . . . no, that's not right either. In the bourbon world, at least around me, Jewel is primarily known for occasionally having Blanton's in stock at retail, and that's just about it.

Yet, despite not being actively in the market for Blanton's, and knowing that I'm not going to find much else, I nonetheless wandered into the whiskey aisle during a shopping trip, and I saw all the usual suspects sitting on the shelf.  Then something caught my eye.  Was that a sticker?!?  I quickly pulled a bottle of Buffalo Trace off the shelf, figured I must have seen something, turned the bottle in my hands, and sure enough, it was a Jewel-Osco Single Barrel Select! I had no clue such a thing existed.  So, of course, at only $24 a bottle, I picked one up, because what the hell, why not?!?

I got home and cracked it right away, because quite frankly my curiosity was getting the best of me. On the nose I immediately got caramel and almond, almost a hint of amaretto. I also detected a certain amount of Maraschino cherry as well. Later on, after making my way through a good portion of the bottle, I got hints of dark chocolate, and it also seemed to sweeten up quite a bit, providing a rich, dark molasses note.

Flavor-wise, it seemed to follow suit with the nose. On the first few pours, I got primarily burnt sugar and oak. It was more char and wood than I expected from a Buffalo Trace. The sugars were there, but they were buried. It was as thought it wanted to be sweet but just wasn't quite there. I also got a bit of a cherry cough syrup note, which is always a bit of a turn off for me.

However, as with the nose, after a number of pours from this bottle, it sweetened up significantly. Rather than char and sugar on top of wood, it turned into something far more delicious ad interesting. I got more of a brown sugar tone to it, and a certain amount of cinnamon also came through.

I also got a certain bread quality, which together with these "developed" other flavors gave it a sort of cinnamon french toast quality that I really liked.  Unfortunately, though, that fake cherry flavor still seemed to linger as well, and it just didn't fit. While the flavor softened, it still retained a bit of that medicinal quality that I do find off-putting, and it was really weird with that bready, yeasty flavor that developed.

All in all, if Jewel-Osco released another private selection of Buffalo Trace, I assure you I'd grab that as well.  While it has some off notes for me, overall it was still a tasty bourbon at a great price, and it was fun to see what I was going to get with such a pick.

Grade: B-