Tastes

BACKGROUND: Michter’s has long promoted itself as the whiskey that George Washington purchased for his troops during the war with Britain, and it once used the advertising slogan, “The whiskey that warmed the Revolution.” Even the bottles lining liquor store shelves today state that Michter’s dates back to 1753 and continues to adhere to its strict “pre-Revoluationary War” quality standards. But the company’s claims are simply Barnum-like hyperbole that pervades most aspects of contemporary bourbon marketing. The fact of the matter is that the modern-day Michter’s has existed only since the 1990s and, until recently, did not make its own bourbon. In fact, the expression I sampled consisted of sourced bourbon that was merely bottled by Michter’s. Even the name Michter’s comes from a lapsed trademark that was originally created in the 1950s when Brown-Forman executive Lou Forman combined the names of his sons, Michael and Peter. Forman’s distillery operated in Schafferstown, Pennsylvania, and it was located on the site where farmer Johann Shrenk operated a still in the 1750s and might have once possibly, maybe, and allegedly sold some whiskey to Washington’s army, although no corroborating evidence exists in any form. Thus, by simply purchasing a lapsed trademark to a defunct brand that had the slimmest connection to an 18th Century pot still owner, Michter’s has the cojones to claim lineage with our nation’s founding general and first president. The fact that today’s company is not even located in the same state as its supposed predecessor heightens the cheekiness. As if the backstory was not outrageous enough, in 2013, Michter’s announced it was offering an “ultra-premium” whiskey called Celebration Sour Mash that retailed for $4,000 a bottle, which was the highest price ever charged for an American whiskey up to that time. The company received reams of print coverage and extensive electronic media attention for an outrageously-priced whiskey that Michter’s did not even produce but, rather, sourced.. The company eventually opened its own distillery in Shively, Kentucky in 2015 - though most of its offerings remain sourced today - and it operates a visitors center on Louisville’s Whiskey Row that allows bourbon aficionados to fill and affix labels to bottles they purchase. The bottle that I sampled is from Batch No. 19L2269…whatever the heck that means. NOSE: The nose is dominated by corn and a strong banana scent that is reminiscent of Brown-Forman, which happens to be the supplier for Michter’s. Caramel is omnipresent, as well. It is a decidedly sweet nose. PALATE: Like the nose, there is a strong banana presence on the palate along with a sweet corn flavor that one often gets from creamed corn. Some toffee lingers in the background along with some rye spice that seems to be the opening act for the finish. FINISH: While most bourbons finish in the back of the throat, this one is quite front-forward. It is also quite spicy with strong black pepper notes. Like the nose and palate, the finish offers absolutely no evidence of oak. FINAL ASSESSMENT: Many reviewers have said the Michter’s US-1 Small Batch Bourbon offers indications of being quite young, and the complete lack of oakiness that comes from long-term barrel-aging leads me to agree. Much like George Washington, though, I cannot tell a lie. This bourbon is fine. It is not great, but also not disappointing. It is simply “okay” I do think this bourbon is overpriced at $45 and would offer much more value in the sub-$30 range. I can think of several bourbons that are much better at half the price.

BACKGROUND: Originally released in June of 2019, Weller Full Proof has quickly become one of the most-sought and hardest-to-find bourbons to enter the market in recent years. According to the Buffalo Trace Distillery, which produces the Weller line, Full Proof will be made in extremely limited quantities and released on an annual rather than continual basis. It joins the other Weller expressions, which currently include the Create Your Perfect Bourbon (C.Y.P.B.), Old Weller Antique 107, Weller 12-Year, and Weller Special Reserve. The back label of the bottle provides the history of the brand and the details of the distillate, and it reads: “William Larue Weller developed his original bourbon recipe with wheat, rather than rye. Bottled at the same 114 proof in which it was entered into the barrel, this non-chill filtered wheated bourbon forgoes chill filtration to preserve all the naturally occurring residual oils and flavors that occur during the distillation and aging process (potentially making it appear cloudy at cold temperatures). This bourbon balances a rich mouthfeel, with robust notes of vanilla and oak. A whiskey that satisfies the demand of the non-chill filtered whiskey enthusiasts, honoring the man who made wheated bourbon legendary.” The bottle I sampled is a “Single Barrel Select” pick by the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Agency, and I acquired it through the ABC’s November lottery for highly allocated bottles. It retails for $49.99 NOSE: The nose immediately brings the smell of a freshly-baked pound cake with vanilla frosting to mind, likely because it is wheat-based rather than rye. A pleasant cherry scent and some oak round out the nose. The nose smells like a desert you would want to eat with a spoon and then ask for seconds. PALATE: The taste of heavily buttered bread presents first on the palate, and it is followed by a bit of citrus flavor. While most bourbons offer warmth on the back of the palate, this one is very front-forward in showing off its proof. Perhaps the best part of the entire experience is the bourbon’s syrup-like texture, which coats the mouth, jawline, and throat and hangs around for a nice visit. FINISH: Oak makes its presence known on the finish along with leather and cinnamon red hots. It is an unusually long finish that begs for a chronograph to time its length. While the flavors on the palate were bight and lively, the finish is delightfully aged and mature, as if the bourbon developed in character from the front of the palate to the back of the throat. FINAL ASSESSMENT: The Full Proof is a great addition to the Weller line, and, in my opinion, offers an experience that is unique from all of the brand’s other expressions. Of the Weller bottles in my collection - I do not have C.Y.P.B. - I would rank them in descending order as: Weller Full Proof > Old Weller Antique 107 > Weller 12-Year > Weller Special Reserve. Because Full Proof has proven so enjoyable, I am even more excited about the development of Weller Single Barrel, the label of which was recently placed on file with the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).

BACKGROUND: When it was originally released in 2010, Maker’s 46 was the first new expression developed and sold by Maker’s Mark in 50 years, and because the company was famous for sticking to the traditional and not upending the marketplace, it created a bit of a splash (no pun intended). In 2008, Bill Samuels, Jr., the son of the brand’s founder, decided it was time to develop a new line, and he assigned the task to Master Distiller Kevin Smith. The assignment included some specific instructions from Samuels, which included: The new whisky had to be sweeter than the current Maker’s Mark and contain distinct caramel notes. It would have a toasty wood aroma. The finished product needed a lingering, rather than a crisp, flavor. It couldn’t have any sour notes, especially the bitter flavors in the back of the throat that drinkers might get from other brands. After much experimentation, the Maker’s 46 formula and process was decided upon. The bourbon begins as regular Maker’s Mark distillate, but after its normal period of aging, it is placed in a second standard barrel containing ten French oak staves and aged in a temperature-controlled limestone cave for an additional period. This oak staves are first aged nine to 12 months, up to three months longer than the normal length of time for standard barrel wood, in order to remove bitter tannins, and they are toasted rather than charred, which results in specific flavors. NOSE: The nose carries a strong scents of cherry cordial and fresh-baked bread. Caramel is present, as well. It is a pleasant nose, and one that finds me lingering over the glencairn to enjoy it before every sip. PALATE: The strong cherry presence in the nose manifests upon the palate, as well, but it is joined by a nice chocolate toffee flavor. Some maple syrup, oak, and a bit of spice are present, as well. FINISH: The long and warming finish is dominated by oak, but contrary to Bill Samuels Jr.’s instructions, it offers deeply bitter and unpleasant tannins. FINAL ASSESSMENT: The nose shines the most, by far, in this bourbon, but the palate is also pleasant. The bitterness on the finish, however, becomes more pronounced with each sip and takes away some of the enjoyment. Honestly, I discovered this bottle in the back of my bourbon cabinet and had completely forgotten that I even owned it, but that pretty much sums up my thoughts about this bourbon. It is not great, and it is not bad. It is just simply average and, in a word, “forgettable.”

BACKGROUND: Initially released in 2013, Stagg Jr. was intended to be the more readily available offspring of George T. Stagg, the highly-sought and much-coveted bourbon in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Its own immense popularity, however, has rendered Stagg Jr. almost as difficult to find as its predecessor. Though it carries no age statement, internet resources indicate the uncut, non-chill filtered Stagg Jr. is between 7-to-9 years old while George T. Stagg spends about 15 years in the barrel. Both are made from Buffalo Trace’s mash bill #1, which is the same low rye mash bill used for the popular Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare 10-year bourbons, and both are known for having unusually high, cask strength proofs. The two expressions are named for George T. Stagg, a Union Army officer in the War Between The States who entered the distilling business after meeting Col. E.H. Taylor around 1877. When Taylor suffered financial hardships, Stagg paid off his debts and became a partner in his distillery. The two men’s relationship deteriorated over the next few years and Stagg eventually took complete ownership of the distillery. He kept Taylor’s name on both the facility and the bourbon it produced, which resulted in a contentious and fractious lawsuit. After a court ruled against Stagg in a landmark decision over trademarks and naming rights, he rebranded the operation as the George T. Stagg Distillery, but today is is better known as the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Two separate batches of Stagg Jr., each with varying proofs, are released per year. The Batch 12 that I sampled was released in the summer of 2019 and carries a proof of 132.3, or 66.15% alcohol by volume. NOSE: The nose offers strong notes of pipe tobacco, cherries, maple syrup, oak, and leather, and it evokes thoughts of rich, decadent sweetness and rustic age. PALATE: An explosion of flavors occurs with the first sip. Chocolate covered cherries and toasted caramel marry with the pipe tobacco, oak, and leather noted above. It is a complex and sophisticated palate, and despite the high alcohol content, there is little initial burn. An oily and coating mouthfeel makes an already excellent experience even better. FINISH: A strong kick of menthol reminiscent of a blast of Binaca breath spray joins all of the palate flavors in the finish. Alcohol burn finally kicks in and results in a warming Kentucky hug. The finish, as one would assume, is a long one. FINAL ASSESSMENT: This batch of Stagg Jr. is completely pleasing on all levels, and its retail price of roughly $60 makes it one of the best values in bourbon. Though I have not had the chance to taste it yet, online reviews indicate that Batch 13 may be equal to or better than the batch I was able to acquire. I hope to have the opportunity to soon judge for myself.

BACKGROUND: Single Barrel is one of the four expressions in the Four Roses line and joins the traditional yellow label, small batch, and small batch select offerings on liquor store shelves. The distillery also produces “limited edition” versions of most of its expressions, but they are both pricey and difficult to obtain. Four Roses utilizes two mash bills and five yeast strains to produce ten different bourbon recipes, and each recipe is denoted by its own letter code. All Four Roses Single Barrels use the OBSV recipe, which can be decoded as follows: O = produced at the Four Roses Distillery B = made with the “B” mash bill comprised of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley S = straight bourbon whiskey V = made with the “V” yeast strain, which the company has said produces bourbon with “delicate fruit” flavors. Because all of the company’s products are made at the Four Roses Distillery and all are aged at least two years, which earns the “straight” designation, only the second and fourth letters in the recipe code change from bourbon expression to bourbon expression. Four Roses also uses an “E” mash bill, which is 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% barley, on some of its bourbons. The other four yeast strains include “O,” which produces “rich fruit” flavors, “F,” which produces “herbal notes,” “K,” which produces “slight spice,” and “Q,” which results in bourbons with “floral essence.” The 100-proof Single Barrel retails for $43.99, and though it carries no age statement, a Four Roses press release that I located said the bourbon is “at least” seven-years-old. I sampled Barrel No. 17-1F from Warehouse No. KE. NOSE: The nose offers the scent of buttered corn, which seems unusual for such a high-rye mash bill, but it is dominated by strong chocolate covered cherry notes that seem as if I had just opened a box of the Queen Anne Chocolate Covered Cordial Cherries that my parents routinely gifted me at Christmas as a child. PALATE: The chocolate covered cherry nose converts into an all-enveloping flavor of the same, although a bit of citrus may be detected toward the back of the tongue. It is a decidedly sweet and pleasant palate. FINISH: Heat rises on the long finish as if someone is slowly turning up the burner on a gas range, and then it subsides just as slowly. Oak makes an appearance in the finish along with an aggressive mint flavor, which I often notice in high-rye bourbons. FINAL ASSESSMENT: Four Roses Single Barrel offers a wonderful mixture of sweetness on the palate and spiciness on the finish. It is like riding a wave of flavor that suddenly takes an unexpected turn. I have often sampled single barrel offerings by various distilleries, but none have proven as initially sweet as this Four Roses version. The company obviously knows what it is doing and has its mash bill/yeast strain recipes dialed in. This experience makes me want to sample more of the Four Roses recipes that are on the market. Given its ready availability, excellent taste, and middle-of-the-road price, I feel that the Four Roses Single Barrel offers excellent value and was money well-spent.

BACKGROUND: For many years, Heaven Hill Distillery produced a white-label, bottled-in-bond bourbon that was aged six years and sold only in the state of Kentucky. Because of its quality and roughly $12 per bottle price tag, it was much loved and received a cult status among bourbon aficionados. As a result, many were shocked and disappointed when Heaven Hill announced in 2018 that it was discontinuing the beloved bottled-in-bond. Bourbon enthusiasts hoarded and stockpiled bottles, and its value skyrocketed on the secondary market. Just one year, later though, Heaven Hill also announced that it was coming to market with a substitute bottled-in-bond offering. Aged seven years rather than six and widely available rather than Kentucky-only, the new Heaven Hill BIB also carried a much heftier price tag and retailed around $40 rather than $12. Despite its higher cost, curiosity seekers snapped up bottles as they appeared on shelves, and in many areas the updated Heaven Hill BIB has achieved a bit of scarce, allocated status. Made with a mash bill of 78% corn, 12% rye, and 10% barley, Whisky Advocate magazine ranked the new offering at number four on its list of “Best Whiskies of 2019.” NOSE: In a Glencairn, an acetone/ethanol scent makes it difficult to discern any competing notes. After switching to a Norlan glass, which helps mask the alcohol, some corn notes and nuttiness were present. There was absolutely no hint of vanilla or caramel, which is odd since almost all bourbon noses contain at least a trace of those characteristics. PALATE: The sweet corn and nuttiness that is present on the nose become significantly more prominent on the palate to the point that all other distinguishable flavors are excluded. It is a very sweet and pleasant bourbon, but not too terribly complex by any measure. FINISH: The finish brings a suprising heat, much like “Da Bomb” sauce on the “Hot Ones” YouTube show. It is a long finish that just keeps going. Cinnamon and mint notes that develop on the finish mimic the flavors of Big Red chewing gum. FINAL ASSESSMENT: The Heaven Hill 7-Year Bottled-In-Bond is a bit of a one note wonder in flavor, but the one note is well done. Though I have never sampled the previous 6-Year offering, I can understand why it was so popular given its amazingly affordable price. At around $40, though, the 7-Year version seems just a tad bit overpriced. It is a perfectly fine bourbon, but not the first one I would grab off of my shelf even among daily sippers. I struggle to understand why Whisky Advocate magazine awarded it 92 points and rated it so highly on its 2019 “Best of…” list.

BACKGROUND: Jim Beam Repeal Batch is a limited edition expression that is meant to take you back to the same era, and it officially celebrates the 85th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition on December 5, 1933 It is interesting to note that even though the Beam family had been deeply entrenched in bourbon distilling since the 18th Century, 1933 was also the year that the company we know today was officially branded as “Jim Beam.” Prior to being named for proprietor James Beauregard Beam, the company had been known as “Old Tub” since around 1864. According to the the official announcement about the limited edition Repeal Batch offering, seventh-generation Master Distiller Fred Noe said, “For the 85th anniversary of Repeal Day, we wanted to release a bourbon inspired by our heritage and dedicated to the hard work my great-grandfather (Jim Beam) put into rebuilding our family business after Prohibition,. Jim Beam Repeal Batch pays tribute to all the generations of Beams that came before me.” Unlike most bourbons, Repeal Batch is non-chill filtered - which allows some of the fats and acids that affect flavor to remain intact - and it is supposed to have a fuller mouthfeel and bolder char and oak palate than regular Jim Beam. NOSE: The nose offers the unmistakable scent of buttered popcorn along with oak and the nutty funkiness (funk being good, not bad, in this case) that seems to be a trademark of most Beam products. PALATE: The Repeal Batch palate is super nutty but also contains sweet cornbread goodness along with oak and a bit of cherry cough syrup flavor that is present in some bourbons. FINISH: The long finish consists almost entirely of oak and a definite mint flavor that develops on the back of the tongue. It drinks a bit hot for an 86 proof and even offers a slight Kentucky hug in the chest. FINAL ASSESSMENT: I am a fan of Jim Beam’s more limited offerings, such as Double Oak, Distiller’s Cut, and Bonded, and their higher end expressions, which include Knob Creek and Booker’s. Repeal Batch falls nicely into that niche of Beam products that meet my liking and flavor profile. At just 17.99 a bottle, Jim Beam Repeal Batch is a worthy daily sipper that can stand alone in a Glencairn while also being inexpensive enough to mix, if necessary. I give Jim Beam Repeal batch three-and-a-half stars out of five.

BACKGROUND: The 1897 Bottled In Bond expression was the second of four releases in the Old Forester Whiskey Row series of bourbons, which highlights various periods in the Brown-Forman company’s history. The other Whiskey Row releases include the 1870, which symbolically evokes the original batching process of the first Old Forester bourbon, the 1920, which represents the company’s transition to a medicinal whiskey supplier during the 13 years of Prohibition, and the 1910, a heavily-oaked bourbon highlighting a bottling line fire that occurred at the distillery in the early 20th Century. The 1897 celebrates passaged of the federal Bottled In Bond Act, which was promoted by large distillers seeking to combat rectifiers that sold low-end, sub-par products under the bourbon standard. In order to be marketed as “bottled in bond,” a bourbon must meet stringent guidelines outlined in the federal law. The guidelines stipulate it must be the product of one distillery during one distilling season, it must be aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least four years, and it must be bottled at 100 proof. The Old Forester 1897 is made from a mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% barley. It is bottled at 100 proof, as stipulated by the BIB Act, and, because it carries no age statement and must meet the BIB federal requirements, we know if is aged at least four years. NOSE: The nose offers an interesting combination of both light and dark notes. The red apple, citrus, and banana scents you would find in a fresh fruit salad are married with oak, leather, and musty goodness that the inside of a rustic rick house offers. PALATE: A surprisingly full-bodied palate possesses the same apple, citrus, and banana that were present in the nose, but black pepper and spice are equally strong and prominent. The sweet and savory aspects are each the distinct opposite of the other, but they marry together perfectly. FINISH: The extra-long finish consists of oak and barrel char, but the well-defined flavor of chocolate mint swirls strongly on the back end. It offers a good bit of mouth heat kick - perhaps from rye spice - but absolutely no chest hug follows. FINAL ASSESSMENT: As noted earlier, the Old Forester 1897 offers competing and opposite flavors that combine exceptionally well. If you like the Brown- Forman taste profile - including its trademark banana presence - you will enjoy this 1897 Bottled In Bond. If Brown-Forman ain’t your bag, I recommend you go in another direction. I have sampled all of the Old Forester Whiskey Row series offerings with the lone exception of the 1870 and have, to this point, enjoyed each of them immensely.

BACKGROUND: Old Bardstown is produced by the Willet Distillery, which originally opened in 1935 - two years after the end of Prohibition - and continued operating through the mid-1970s, when it converted to the production of ethanol fuel. Norwegian Even Kulsveen acquired the distillery in 1984, changed its name to Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, and served as a bottling plant for other brands. The facility turned its focus to bourbon production and marketing in 2012, first by acquiring product from contract distillers and, eventually, making its own whiskey. In addition to the 90 proof Old Bardstown that I sampled, the distillery produces a 101 proof Old Bardstown Estate Bottled and a 100 Proof Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond. The bourbon retails for around $24, and is aged at least four years as determined by its lack of age statement. NOSE: The nose offers an odd combination of cherries - not cherry cough syrup like some bourbons but like you stuck your nose in a jar of maraschino cherries - and hay. PALATE: Like the nose, the palate is very cherry-forward. Some butterscotch - not caramel but butterscotch - is also present, but it is buried in the jar of maraschino cherries. FINISH: Old Bardstown offers a short finish with a most unpleasant grassy note that hangs in the back of the throat. The grassy note becomes more obvious with each subsequent sip. FINAL ASSESSMENT: Old Bardstown is a very one-dimensional bourbon, and even that one dimension ain’t a great one. This bourbon is obviously more at home in a rocks glass mixed with something else rather than standing alone in a glencairn.

BACKGROUND: Blanton’s Single Barrel has become among the most sought after and highly allocated bourbons in the world, though many attribute its desirability more to the unique bottle shape and horse racing-related topper rather than the quality of the whiskey inside. In addition to Blanton’s Single Barrel, the Buffalo Trace Distillery also produces Blanton’s Gold, a 103 proof version with a gold topper; Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel, a cask-strength version with varying proof; and Blanton’s Special Reserve, an 80 proof entry-level offering. The Gold, SFTB, and Special Reserve versions are unavailable in the United States and sold only in international markets. Blanton’s became the industry’s first single-barrel bourbon when George T. Stagg Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee was challenged by his corporate bosses to find a way to jumpstart sales in 1984. Inspired by stories about one of his predecessors, Albert Blanton, who would save “honey barrels” for private use, Lee selected a small number of high-quality casks and had them bottled individually, with the details handwritten on the label. He named the bourbon after the man who inspired it. At a time when most bourbon cost less than $10, Blanton’s originally sold for $30, but after initial lackluster sales, Lee’s idea eventually proved successful as a premium product that could compete with single-malt scotches, craft offerings, and other distilled spirits sought out by high-income consumers. Blanton’s bourbon is made from the higher-rye mash bill - Mash Bill #2 - that is used at Buffalo Trace, and while exact proportions are not disclosed, it is believed to consist of roughly 15% rye. Other popular brands that use the same mash bill are Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel, Ancient Age, and Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel A 750 ml bottle currently retails for $59.99 and is available either in a box with a velvet bag or “naked” and wrapped only in netting to prevent breakage. I sampled Bottle Number 240 from Barrel Number 131 of Rick Number 9 in Warehouse H (all Blanton’s comes from Warehouse H), and it was bottled on August 17, 2019. NOSE: The nose possesses a strong ethanol presence and offers a nice combination of sweet pipe tobacco, leather, citrus, and caramel. PALATE: Blanton’s has a wonderfully oily viscosity that coats the inside of the mouth and jawline. Orange and oak flavors initially dominate the palate followed by a candy corn sweetness on the back end. Though it is a relatively low-proof bourbon, a lip and tongue tingle that usually accompanies higher-octane whiskey occurs on initial sips. FINISH: The long finish consists mainly of oak and barrel char, but a bit of maple syrup flavor develops on the very back of the tongue. Though oak is strong in the finish, Blanton’s is not drying or tannic like many oak-heavy bourbon finishes. FINAL ASSESSMENT: There is no doubt that Blanton’s is a solid bourbon, but there are better and easier-to-obtain choices available at similar price points. The bottle, the topper, the unique handwritten label, and the overall presentation, however, make Blanton’s more than just a bourbon - it becomes a full-sensory experience. The presentation is especially impressive to those who know nothing about bourbon.