Tastes

Color: Light-Medium Copper Nose: Relatively light nose of oak with a mild alcohol whiff, and a hint of cherry. Nice nose, all in all. Palate: (Drank neat, taking the low proof into consideration) My first impression is this is somewhat youthful, but not as off-putting as other young-tasting drams I've sipped in the past. As a matter of fact, I'm getting some licorice on these initial sips. You'd not expect much of a burn at this proof... but this stuff gives you quite a warm hug! Slightly sweet on the tongue with a light mouth feel. There's also some "fruitiness" that I'm getting, once an ice cube was introduceed in subsequent pours, and it begins to dillute. The licorice I mentioned before slowly transforms into menthol the more I sip. Interesting juxtaposition between the warm hug and the "cooling" menthol flavor. Spicy on the back end. Finish: Medium with spicy menthol. Might sound strange, but the finish is the highlight on this one for me. Final Thoughts: Hmmmm.I generally frown upon youthful tasting bourbon, but this one has an interesting enough profile to keep it from receiving a negative review and low rating from me. I've heard that it's aged "at least 4 years", but I can't be sure. In the $30 range, I'd say this is "good". 3.0 stars.

Color: Medium Amber Nose: Sugary nose with marzipan, oak, and fig. Palate: (Drank with a large ice ball) The 126 proof makes itself known right from the first sip by way of a very warm chest hug that lingers. The palate follows the nose as closely as any bottle I've had. Lots of spicy oak and marzipan. A few sips in and things get smoky... like a campfire. Cherry, as well... like "box of chocolates" cherry. Yeah, this is good stuff. Finish: Long finish with all the lingering flavors mentioned above. Final Thoughts: I just stumbled upon this bottle today. Wasn't looking for it, but it found me. I couldn't pass on it — and I'm glad I didn't. Superlative bourbon. 4.5 stars.

Color: Deep Amber Nose: Sugary-sweet nose with oak, molasses, and a touch of butterscotch — yes! Palate: (Drank with an ice cube) First sip follows closely on the nose. It's sweet and oaky, and a little spicy. Mild chest hug. Slightly syrupy on the tongue. Sometimes, the more I sip the spicier things get. But this is maintaining a more "sweet" profile — which I love. I'm struggling to identify specifics on this first pour... though I'm getting many familiar bourbon flavors, along with some elusive ones. Suffice to say, I am liking this very much. As the ice dillutes the last sip opened up in a big way, and I was hit with a very "clean" flavor. I know that sounds weirdly vague. But it was a pleasant surprise. Maybe pour #2 will reveal more... There's that "clean" taste right out of the gate on pour #2. Maybe I'm getting the typical "caramel" and "vanilla", but I'm trying to avoid those typical terms that we all read about on 85% of bottles that get reviewed? OK, I need to wrap this up or I might not stop.... Finish: I'm calling this medium finish with baking spices and that "clean" taste. Jeezus! What IS that? Final Thoughts: Excellent bourbon. This was a recommendation from the Manager(?) at Total Wine in Glendale, CA. He was spot on. I'll update this review with his name in the near future. Sorry I couldn't be more specific with the profile. But if you like your bourbon sweet, oaky, a bit smokey with very little burn, you'll like this. 4.25 stars.

Color: Deep copper-amber Nose: Not a very potent nose with familiar oak, leather, and the slightest indication of alcohol. Palate: (Drank with a large ice ball) First sip is sweet on the front of the tongue, but quickly presents a spicy oak blast and a warm chest hug ensues. This is a very "Booker's"-esque profile — which makes total sense. Yeah, it's got that Beam "nuttiness" and some heavy oak char. It's a potent pour... very spice and oak- forward. As always, the melting ice tamps down the spiciness while revealing something akin to salted caramel. Finish: Long finish with more barrel char and emphasis on "spicy". Final Thoughts: At 13 years, I would expect to place this in the "elevated" column of Bourbon... and that's where it belongs. If there's anything I have learned from these past several years of sipping Bourbon is that "age" — although not automatically being synonymous with "excellence" — will almost always deliver on "complexity" and "refinement". This one definitely drinks per it's proof, and is definitely as refined as you'd expect from such an age statement. Is it all I hoped it would be? Hmmm... not sure. I'm not sure what I hoped for, tbh. Baker's 7 Year I count amongst my favorites, and I'm thinking that is really all I need from this particular brand. This simply didn't stand out enough from the younger version. I acquired this with a Total Wine gift card. Had I paid $$$, I might be feeling slightly... unfulfilled. 3.5 stars for being a quality pour, while not totally convinced that its price tag is warranted. Added 2/20/26: I 'm sipping this tonight. As I was saying originally, this has definitely got a lot going for it. I'm still not totally convinced the price tag is warranted. But it's very good bourbon. Better than what my original review let on. Upping my rating from 3.5 to 3.75.

Color: Medium Copper-Amber Nose: Fairly light nose, considering the 100 proof. Some familiar oaky-ethanol, but nothing thats jumping out at me. Hmmm... let's see what the palate offers... Palate: (Pour #1 Neat) The palate follows closely on the nose. Slightly sweet on the front end, with a slightly syrupy mouthfeel. The alcohol from the nose translates to a moderately warm chest hug right out of the gate. Very spicy... which sits at the back of the tongue. I'm not getting a whole heck of a lot from this neat pour. I'm hoping for more revelations from pour #2, with the addition of ice.... Not much else new to report with the addition of ice. The chest hug is stubborn, and doesn't back off after subsequent pours like most other bottles do. As you can imagine, the "spiciness" does get tamped down a bit as the ice dillutes the juice. What the hell IS that, that just came through on that last sip? Ah, lost it. Maybe caramel.... Finish: Finish is petty short with tingly tongue and spicy oak tannins. Final Thoughts: OK.... this is a decent pour. Lacks complexity (which is fine), but is all in all an inoffensive neutral bourbon. Pleasant but unremarkable. I'm glad I bought it at the price I paid. Anything over that would bring my rating down. I appear to be the outlier here. Everyone else seems to love this. Perhaps it will improve over time...? But going on my first impressions, 3.00 stars for being enjoyable, yet uninspired. Added 1/11/26: I'm revisiting this tonight, and I'm thinking that I may have been a bit too harsh on it originally. This is "good " bourbon. Upping my score to 3.25.

Color: Medium Copper Amber Nose: Strawberry! I've NEVER gotten "strawberry" from any bottle before. Wow! But not just that — it's very "berry" in general... plus "oak" and "brown sugar". Palate: (Drank with a large ice ball) Sweet and spicy. Moderate chest hug right off the bat. Lots of oak. More berries on the palate. I've had OG 80 Proof, 100 Proof BiB, and 114 Proof. This one is unlike those in that tastes very unique to me, in general. Second pour reveals much of the same berry-fest. It's like a combo of "fresh" berries and Nestle Quik Strawberry milk powder. As the ice dillutes, cocoa powder makes an appearance. Nothing complex about this juice, but it's damn good! Finish: Fairly long finish with baking spices and some oaky-cinnamon. Final Thoughts: I've been looking for this bottle since July, but I've not been able to locate it anywhere here in Southern California. So, before heading to Florida for the holidays, I researched the local Total Wines and saw it in-stock near where I was going to be staying. Lucked out and grabbed the last bottle on the shelf. If we ever finally get it out here, I'm definitely buying it again. 4.25 stars!

Nose: Oak(!), sugar, and caramel. Palate: (drank with a large ice cube) Lots of oak and spices. I'm not sure of the rye content in this one, but I do believe it's rye that is coming through like gang busters. However, as you continue to sip, this is one of those bourbons that achieves an ideal balance between "sweet" and "spicy". I'm often at a loss to articulate everything I'm tasting... but suffice to say, this is very good. It's a standout among the many, many bottles that are out there to log into your Whiskey ledgers. Finish: Long finish with spice and other slightly astringent qualities. Final Thoughts: I'm a big fan of the Bardstown brand. Up 'til now, I've only had their "Origins" Series offerings (before I ordered this, I finally tried their Wheated Bourbon)... and this "Discovery Double Barreled" proved the quintessential "try before you buy" — and I'm buying this as soon as I can find it!

Had this at a Christmas party tonight. I don't have a lot to say about it, as I couldn't really sit with it for a few pours, as I would normally do. That said... This is not my typical jam. But I like to try things that I know I would never "buy before I try". If you like those Pinot, Sherry, Cognac, etc. Cask expressions, I think you'll dig this. From the first sip, I got blasted with the Pinot Noir finishing barrrels. Fruity grape through and through. That's all I got! 2.75 stars for being different.

Color: Medium Copper-Amber Nose: Fairly light nose with familiar hints of sugar and/or molasses and burnt oak. Palate: (Pour #1 - Drank with an ice cube) Slightly bitter oak tannins on the very first sip. Pretty spicy on the tongue. Definitely more spicy than sweet. Yes... this is a very spicy pour (I see the expert review concurs). Bitter and spicy. Something akin to "wax" also comes through. As the ice dilutes it, the spiciness mellows out a little. I'm not sure whether this is going to end up on my "Least Favorite" list, but this first pour has not impressed. Maybe pour #2 might show me something worth getting more excited about... Pour #2 I drank with a large ice ball... and I did the same with Pour #3.... The main takeaway from the two subsequent pours was the "old library book" flavor that I've gotten from nearly every Rye whiskey I've had. I think that's what threw me off Initially. I'm designating this, "Rye masquerading as Bourbon". Furthermore, I would place this one in the "better for mixing than sipping" category. Finish: Medium with the aforementioned spicy rye elbowing everything else out. Final Thoughts: Not bad, not great; Not the worst, but far from the best; Glad I bought it, but won't be buying again. 3.0 stars that are flirting with 2.75.

Color: Medium-light amber Nose: Maple, molasses, leather. Great nose. Reminds me of some other noses I've nosed in the past. Palate: Butterscotch, licorice, graham cracker. Slightly sweet with spicy oak. Medium mouth feel with very little burn. Buttery on the back of the tongue. Finish: Fairly long finish with baking spices... want to say "nutmeg", but not sure if that's it. Well, well... Every once in awhile, I will encounter a fairly inexpensive bottle that impresses me right out of the gate. This is one of them. I'd seen it on my grocery store shelf for a few weeks and it caught my attention when I first saw it. Finally decided to grab a bottle and I'm glad I did. This is excellent bourbon at this price point. I've read here and there how some have compared this to Weller. I totally get where they're coming from, and wouldn't be surprised if this beat it in a blind. I will definitely buy this again. I'm giving this a solid 4.25 stars.