Tastes

Not a sweet profile, at least not the LL/GG bottle I’m drinking.....much more of an earthy profile with subdued dark fruits. I wasn’t crazy about it when I first tried it a few weeks ago, but it has really opened up and offers a complex nose and palate with spice, oak, and the dark fruit all in play. The mid 2018 bottles like this one have 13-year old Bourbon in the blend as mentioned by the RareBird 101 blogger on an episode of Mash & Drum. Some nights I will add a dollop of Rare Breed 116.8 to my pour of Russell’s Reserve for a sweetness and proof kick that I really enjoy.

Holy crap....why didn’t you guys tell me this stuff is so good? OK, I guess you did....just opened my first rare bird thanks to all of your high praise.....116.8 LL/GC date code. Full throttle Wild Turkey....sweet, spicy, woody, rich....with a perfect burn to make it truly wild. I just wish this damn Michigan weather was better, ‘cause this bird wants a cigar to go with it. In fact, it might be the perfect Bourbon to pair with a tasty stogie.....c’mon Spring!!

Tried it once at a bar and wasn’t impressed, but that was immediately after trying ball-buster George T. Stagg (yes, I’ve since learned to drink the lower proofs first). Purchased my 1st bottle of FRSB today and am delighted with it’s unique flavor profile. Not as sweet as Eagle Rare or Taylor Small Batch, and has a nice spice element with a hint of anise that I want to keep going back to (on my 3rd pour!). At a smidge over 30 bucks and easy to find here, this dram is the proverbial slam dunk.

I’m in Love....tastes as good as it looks....Valentines day with every pour. Sorry babe 😍

Charred Oak Syrup. Still can’t decide if I like this one or not after finishing a bottle. Will try with a Cigar when the weather breaks. Recommend you try this one before you buy given the price.

This is a fantastic daily Bourbon that is getting harder to find as the Bourbon world falls more and more in love with it. It has all the elements of a more expensive Bourbon and drinks very nice at 90 proof. The bottle just seems to get sweeter and spicier the longer it is open (good to the last drop! :). Probably my favorite after dinner Bourbon with its brown sugar sweetness. One can only hope the price will stay palatable as well.....

2010 Bottling. Just finished the bottle.....I like how it opened up some after being open for about 1.5 months. Classic Bourbon nose and taste, but not overly sweet like many others. Good flavors overall, and a great value at less than $30 bucks. A little surprised more people don’t seek this one out (i.e., always available). I used some of this bottle to mix with a hot 120 proof Bourbon that was difficult to drink neat but had a similar flavor profile....the Evan Williams worked nicely for this home blend at its very drinkable 86 proof. Recommended!