Remus Repeal Reserve Batch III Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $75

- 100 Proof

- Blend of 12 yrs. and 11 yrs.

- Indiana

You know what I love?  Discount whiskey! Now don't get me wrong, this wasn't a huge discount. It was only a mere $5 off the regular price. But, I've been reading a lot of good reviews of the Repeal Reserve bottlings lately, and I have been wanting to give it a try. After all, it's a blend of well-aged MGP whiskey, in a limited release, and at a price that's actually under most of the other big distillers' limited releases.

So, the $5 discount was simply all I needed to tip the scales here. To get a little more specific on the blend (which is put right on the front label, which I love), this is a "medley" that is 12% 12-year bourbon with a 21% rye mashbill; 78% 11-year bourbon with a 21% rye mashbill; and 10% 11-year bourbon with a 36% rye mashbill.  It sounds like a magical mix of rye mashbills to me, and this was one of those bottles that I pretty much cracked open as soon as I got home. 

Before I even started taking notes on the smell or taste, I felt compelled to take note of the color (something I don't typically do). While bourbons tend to be darker anyway, certainly in comparison to single malts, this one was particularly dark in color, almost chocolate-like, and was certainly darker than any bourbons I've had recently.

The smell immediately from the pop of the cork was rich, with dark fruits like plum and raisin. It was also full of brown sugar, and it even had that tang or spice from just a bit of anise. There were light oak tones, but overall it had a rich sweetness to it. Towards the end I started noticing an underlying cereal note, like Cheerios.

The first note that I got when I took my first sip was a sweet but rich nutty note, kind of like a mix between cashew and pecan. It also had notes of dark chocolate to it, adding a little sweetness and a little bitterness. However, that bitterness was certainly welcome to help offset the sweet notes of caramel and vanilla that quickly made their way to the forefront.

I got a bit of maple syrup as well, which mixed with the nutty notes to create a sort of candied pecan flavor that I thought was incredible. There were also light cinnamon notes, and even a bit of a buttery vanilla note as well.

This bourbon was rich and complex, and it really hit all the right notes for me. It was dessert-like in flavor without being dessert-like in sweetness. It had the earmarks of a well-aged whiskey, with just a touch of char and just enough oak to balance out all the sweeter flavors. And it hit on a lot of the more traditional caramel and vanilla notes. 

A good indicator of just how much I like a bourbon is how much of the bottle I end up drinking when I first crack it open, and between my father-in-law and myself, this bottle was half emptied just in the first night. I loved this whiskey, and I'm kicking myself for not having tried it sooner. I don't believe I'll be waiting for a sale before I try Batch IV.

Grade: A

Orphan Barrel Rhetoric 25 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $130

- 91 Proof

- 25 Years

- Kentucky

A while back my wife had the nerve to make a wine run and, while there, pick up two really nice bottles of whiskey for me. I can't remember what the occasion was, whether it was that I had a really good day at work or perhaps I had had a really bad day at work. I just can't recall. Quite frankly, I can't recall as I sit here typing this what the other bottle was. But I do recall her bringing this one home for me.

It's not that hard to recall. After all, having had mixed experiences with Orphan Barrel products, the odds of me dropping $140 on another bottle were pretty slim, even if it were for a 25 year old bourbon. Based on my prior experiences with Old Blowhard, Barterhouse and Lost Prophet, all Orphan Barrel Bourbons at least 20 years of age or older, I figured this would be just as woody flavored as those bottles were. But, I was nonetheless thrilled to get one as a gift (even if it was still my money that bought the bottle)!  It's the gesture that counts, and she did a great job of picking up something I hadn't already had.

Despite my concerns, the nose was not nearly as expected. It packed a decent cinnamon punch, and yes, it was more like cinnamon sticks, but it didn't come across as woody, just Christmas-y.  I also got an earthy type of nougat flavor, like not so sugary sweet but almost leathery. There were also some caramelized or burnt sugar notes, and, despite all this, there seemed to be a sweet honey note in the background to brighten it up a bit.

On the tongue it was thinner than I expected. I get that this is a lower proof bourbon, but the older stuff frequently carries a bit more texture than this one did.  Nonetheless, it did still pack a lot of flavor, which I'm sure was due to the amount of time spent in the barrel.

The prominent flavor is what I would describe as dark cherry and walnut (like drinking well-made furniture).  It didn't come across as over-oaked, at least not with respect to the tannic qualities I often get from more wood-forward bourbons. The wood was there, though, and it certainly made for a dryer bourbon, removing much of the sweetness from the cherry. 

I also had a layer of cinnamon throughout, which at times seemed to be accompanied by chocolate and cherry notes. The chocolate was the most welcome flavor here, but it primarily lingered in the background. Rather, it was that walnut note that seemed to dominate each pour, with that kind of woody-nutty flavor and a touch of bitterness to go with.

What I really didn't like about this bourbon, though, is that I got this odd, tongue-numbing sensation.  But not like the kind that I would have gotten when I was 21 years old and not used to brown spirits. Rather, and this is going to be completely unrelatable to just about anyone that reads this, it was like the sensation of when you eat barbecue that has too much liquid smoke in it. Obviously this is coming from my own personal experience, but it's a sensation I've only had a couple times, and that's what it brought me back to.  It was really weird and quite off-putting.

Looking past that weird liquid smoke experience, this is a woody, well-aged bourbon that gives you many of the flavors you'd expect from such. Sometimes I find myself in the mood for that flavor profile, and this certainly fit the bill. But the weird liquid smoke experience was, ultimately, pretty hard to get past. 

Grade: B-

Devils River Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $27

- 90 Proof

- NAS

- Texas

So, in a previous post I told the story of how my father-in-law had tried this rye whiskey and he wanted me to try some, so rather than bring his bottle over to share, he stopped by his store and bought both the Devils River Bourbon and the Rye Whiskey.  As I was lying on my recliner, he walked in the door and unceremoniously dropped both bottles right into my lap. Once I got over the pain, I looked inside the bag to find both bottles, and I thanked him profusely, because, after all, who doesn't like free bourbon?!?

That being said, I was a bit gun shy going into this bottle. I started with the bourbon, and it really did not do a whole lot for me at all. In fact, I quite hated it. But, ryes tend to hold up better at a younger age, and I've always found that trying a rye from a small, craft distiller tends to be a less riskier proposition than trying a young bourbon. And so, with that in mind, I tried my best to keep the bad experience from the bourbon out of mind and tried to enjoy this rye with no prejudice.

From the pop of the cork I noticed that this whiskey actually had a really nice aroma.  Yes, I was still gun shy despite my best efforts, and I was expecting that over-ripe apple that I get from young whiskeys. However, what I got was a healthy amount of cinnamon, like red hots candy, mixed with vanilla.  I also got some black pepper spice that tickled my nostrils (that seems weird just typing it, but you get what I mean). There was some sweet corn notes, showing its youth, but also a light orange peel scent. All in all, it worked pretty well together and I found my self nosing my glass quite a bit.

The flavor lacked some of the sharp or rough edges that I was expecting to get. Granted, that could be due in part to the lower proof, but it came across as soft and inoffensive. It certainly had some typical notes of a young whiskey. I got a slight note of overripe apple that I associate with young whiskeys, but it wasn't a very strong note, and it really didn't detract from the other flavors that were going on.

I got a lot of warm cinnamon and brown sugar notes, like some sort of cookie -- perhaps a chocolate chip cookie, but with cinnamon chips instead of chocolate chips (I may have to try this!).  It also had a light cocoa powder note to it as well, making this somewhat dessert-like, but like a less sweet dessert.

I did get the orange peel, and it actually came across stronger on the palate than on the nose. Along with that I got some nutty notes, like nutmeg and even at times that bitter walnut shell flavor. Perhaps it was kind of a peanut skins note.

Overall, this was actually a pretty decent whiskey, and a far cry better than its bourbon brother. With so many craft whiskeys, they come with a hefty price tag to cover the cost of producing and bottling whiskey, and to turn a profit. I'm not sure how Devils River gets away with it, but the price tag on this bottle is great! At only $27 a bottle, this is well-worth taking a flyer on. It's not the best rye I've ever had, and I don't think anybody would expect that it would be. But, for that price, it's a really good product.

Grade: B

Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in French Oak Casks

VITALS:
- $45

- 96 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

With the recent Binny's barrel picks from Rebel and Ezra Brooks, I feel like I've been picking up a lot of Lux Row products lately. This was the first in that trend. I had seen these on the shelves for a while, but I frequently looked right past them. Then a friend recommended this French Oak Cask finished bourbon from Daviess County, giving it incredibly high praise. 

At that point I was left with no choice, really, but to make sure to pick one up the next time I was at the store. A glowing review paired with a moderate price made it an easy decision. He was not the only one, though. I bottled a sample for another friend, along with a bunch of other samples, and he made it a point to text me to tell me how much he liked this sample specifically.  And so, the stage is set. 

The nose had a light wood note to it. I don't know if that was just a placebo effect of knowing that this is a secondary wood-finished bourbon or not. But it was there, albeit light and inoffensive. I also got notes of cherry and vanilla, as well as a sweet popcorn note, kind of like kettle corn. It wasn't bold or pungent, but the aromas did mix very well together.

The texture was surprisingly viscous and buttery, given the proof. However, I didn't get that popcorn flavor I got off the nose. Rather, I found that this was very vanilla forward, and if that's your jam, then this is definitely worth trying.

On top of the vanilla I got a certain honey note along with a sweet wood note. In fact, at times it came across almost like a granola bar, with that sweet honey mixed with a nutty, cereal like note. In that sense the wood notes were on the sweeter side, as far as wood notes go.  I guess that's a way of saying it lacked that bitter bite or tannic quality that I sometimes get from a more oaky bourbon.

The sweetness carried throughout, and it was most noticeable on the finish. Due to the oily quality of the whiskey, the finish was nice and long, and it left my mouth with a nice, thick coating of sweet caramel, and more towards the end, a maple syrup note. This is where I would have liked it to be a bit more balanced, though. The syrupy sweetness, whether honey, maple syrup or just sweet vanilla, needed something earthy or even a touch of that wood note as a counter.

That being said, while this may not have been my favorite whiskey, others certainly have loved this. If you like your bourbon on the sweeter side, definitely give this a go!

Grade: B

Jim Beam Old Tub Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $23

- 100 Proof

- NAS (Min. 4 years)

- Kentucky

I've known about the Jim Beam brand Old Tub for some time now, but only as a result of doing some research a few years back when I was planning my first trip to Kentucky. I was researching whiskeys that I could either only get in Kentucky or that were available in Kentucky but not in Illinois.  Old Tub was one that made that list, as it was only available at the stillhouse. Unfortunately, there was none to be found on the shelves when I got there.

So when Beam announced the release of Old Tub on wide distribution, I was actually pretty excited, even if it didn't come with any huge amount of love or hype over the distillery-only release. Then I heard the price and I knew I'd be getting one. It was nuts to me that there was a limited release bourbon coming out that was only going to be $23!  I guess, however, that it is consistent with other very affordable "limited" releases from Beam such as Distiller's Cut and Repeal Batch (both of which I was also a fan). And the best part of it was that when it did finally hit the shelves, it actually hit the shelves, meaning there was no asking for it from the back or finding it at jacked up prices. It was just literally sitting on the shelf waiting for me!

Upon opening the bottle and taking that first whiff, I immediately noticed a soft, nutty nose, kind of like cashew. I also got a soft grainy note, like oatmeal, but with honey added, or even a not-so-strong maple syrup.  There was a light cinnamon spice to it, and also a delicious vanilla scent that also reminded me of marshmallow a bit. The nose on this was really good while avoiding slapping me in the face with strong notes or a bunch of alcohol.

On the palate I first notice the texture. It came across as pretty watery and thin, particularly for its proof. However, the flavor seemed to go right in line with the nose. I first noticed the soft vanilla notes, again at times coming across as a marshmallow flavor. I also got a heavy dose of creamy caramel, like the kind of caramel you'd drizzle over ice cream. In this respect, the flavors worked really well together.

I also got hints of milk chocolate as well as a light, salty peanut note. Again, these are all flavors that have worked well together as long as man has known that each of these things are edible. Interestingly, though, about halfway through my bottle I made a note that over all this whiskey lacked in complexity and was "simple."  Looking back at that note, I'm fairly certain that what I meant by that is there was nothing that really stuck out or separated it from the pack.

This was a really good bourbon, and I thoroughly enjoyed the last few pours. In fact, I had quite a few in my last sitting with this bottle, as I just found myself pouring just a bit more, and then just a bit more. This is a classic bourbon with all the right sweet and dessert-like notes that you want to pull from a barrel. While it may have been "simple" to me, it was nonetheless very tasty, full of vanilla and caramel, and at an incredible price!

Grade: B+

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Kentucky Straight Rye

VITALS:
- $60

- 112.2 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

It's been a while since I've been really excited for a new release, but when Wild Turkey announced the release of Rare Breed as a new regular in its line-up, I was practically giddy.  I've made no effort to hide my love for Wild Turkey ryes, and a barrel proof Turkey Rye under the Rare Breed label would have been on my wishlist of whiskeys I want to see produced.  

When it got near the anticipated release date, and when I started seeing people in other parts of the country start posting pictures, that's when I began hounding my local liquor store manager. I'm sure I couldn't have been more annoying, but each time I went in I simply asked, "Did the Rare Breed come in?"  "Not yet" was all I was ever told . . . until I wasn't.  When I finally got a bottle in my hands it was all I could do to wait until I got home to crack it open. I only hoped it would live up to all the hype I had built up in my head.

On the nose I got that familiar cinnamon spice. However, there were also softer notes as well. I also got a sort of buttered toast note, which reminded me of cinnamon sugar toast (a very underrated snack, by the way).  I also got a root beer note that I really liked. The vanilla undertones gave it hints of a root beer float. 

While the vanilla wasn't strong on the nose, it was very present in the flavor. This was one of the more vanilla forward ryes I've had in a long time. The cinnamon spice was also present, and it seemed to hit from front to back. It hit the tip of my tongue immediately with each sip, and it seemed to linger on the long finish.

That cinnamon paired with a honey and graham cracker note to provide a sweet, crackery flavor. There was also a healthy dose of caramel to add to the sweetness and give it a little bit more richness in flavor. This was certainly a sweeter rye, but it never got anywhere near being too sweet. As far as sweeter ryes go, this was right in my wheelhouse.

The vanilla that lingered throughout also stuck around for a long time on the finish, and on later pours seemed to pair with a sweet spearmint note that I couldn't get enough of. It added a light crispness to the whiskey that seemed to round it out.

Overall, I thought Wild Turkey hit this one out of the park. This rye is full of rich and complex flavors but is completely balanced. The high proof is almost not noticeable, and it provides the right balance of sweet and spicy. What's great is that it's not some super rare limited release, and we should be seeing this on shelves semi-regularly.  This is my whiskey of the year so far for 2020, and I need to go get more . . . like now!

Grade: A

Baker's 13 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $115

- 107 Proof

- 13 Years

- Barrel No. 222056

- Kentucky

If you ask me, the Baker's re-branding is one of the best things that Beam has done in recent years. I've always been a fan of the Baker's small batch. Something about it has always hit the right notes for me, not to mention that I've got some fond memories of enjoying a nice tall pour of the stuff. That being said, the old labeling left much to be desired, and I think it was a bit reason why it was frequently the forgotten bourbon in Beam's small batch series.

I was excited for the re-branding, and just as excited for the switch from small batch to single barrel, even if for no other reason than that I anticipated it would generate more love for one of my favorite brands. The release of a 13 year limited edition only added to that excitement, and when one was offered to me, that was an incredibly easy yes. I only hoped it'd be as good as it was in my head before I plopped down that kind of cash.

The nose was hot, not only on the first pop of the cork, but even on the last few pours after the bottle had sat on my shelf for a while. Behind that alcohol burn, though, I was getting a lot of cinnamon and peanuts, a combination which initially seems alright, but then, when I thought about it, I could not recall ever having that combination of flavors before. I also got some hazelnut and chocolate, making this smell a lot like a cinnamon spiced Nutella. 

The flavor profile was not nearly as sweet as the nose led me to believe. There was a certain burnt sugar flavor, as well as a dark caramel sauce, like the sauce that's on flan.  There was also a soft, nougat flavor along with some milk chocolate.

However, there was something behind those flavors on each pour. I couldn't quite pin down a particular flavor, but it was an earthy and musty note. There was a certain amount of wood in the flavor, but that was coupled with a certain funk, like wood that had been out in the rain all night (and no, I've never eaten a log off the ground after a hard night's rain, but you get my point). There was just this constant musty note that seemed really odd.

Luckily there was a decent spice on the finish to keep me going back. The finish was probably the best part, with cinnamon and black pepper spice lingering for a long time, along with the peanut and nougat notes. It's only because of this long, tasty finish that the musty note didn't drive me away.

I really wanted to love this whiskey. In fact, when I initially tried a pour from my buddy's bottle (don't know if it was the same barrel or not), I thought it was great. My bottle, though, just had something funky and earthy to it that really distracted from everything else going on, which is a shame, because everything else that was going on was really delicious.

Grade: B-