Tastes

Gordon's Single Barrel Select Barrel #221 Barreled on 03-09-2009 Deep copper color. Sweet on the nose with notes of cinnamon, cherry pie filing, Twizzlers, honey and a little oak. Mouthfeel is rich and warm, a little dry. Not as sweet on the palate as the nose suggests, with dark cherries, cinnamon graham crackers, honeysuckle, walnuts, and a peppery spice with oak tannins on the back of the palate. Finish is medium-long and dry, with more cherries, black pepper and oak.

Light copper color. Heavy sherry notes on the nose, fruit-forward with lots of raisins, apricots and marachino cherries, hints of vanilla and marzipan. Light, dry mouthfeel. The palate is dominated by the sherry notes, with more stone fruits, light honey and spicy oak on the back palate. The finish is a continuation of the palate and is over pretty quickly. Not a bad dram but not very complex or exciting.

Dangerously sweet and easy to drink. On the nose I get a strong note of toasted marshmallows, with caramel and charred oak. Full bodied mouthfeel. Notes from the nose continue to the palate, along with leather and sweet tobacco, and a subtle floral note like rose oil. Long finish with a nice hug.

This is fantastic. Hard to believe it's over 120 proof. I get almost no alcohol on the nose or palate. Lots of vanilla cream, burnt sugar and cinnamon on the nose. Creamy mouthfeel with no alcohol burn. Creme Brulee, cinnamon, cherry syrup and oak on the palate with a hint of mint that leaves your mouth tingling. Long, medium-dry finish. This doesn't punch you in the mouth like Booker's, it caresses your taste buds and leaves you begging for more.

This limited release bourbon differs from Mad River's standard bourbon (a 4 grain), having a mash bill of corn, rye and maple wood smoked barley. I sampled it at a tasting a couple of years ago, and have since regretted not buying a bottle because I have not been able to find one since. I stumbled onto a bottle recently and jumped at the chance to buy it and find out if it is as good as I remember. The bottle says it is aged at least 1 year, and the website says up to 18 months. The amber color is quite dark for such a young bourbon, but the youth of the spirit definitely shows in other areas. The nose is reminiscent of a young Scotch, very grain-forward with seemingly more barley than corn. There are also notes of rye spice and orange zest, along with a subtle smokiness and maple sugar candy. The first thing that hits your palate is a light smoky note and maple sugar. Once that fades you find some dark fruits, rye spice and green grass, then herbal and grainy notes that transition unexpectedly to dark chocolate and ground coffee. The palate is more grain- and spice-forward, with very little sweetness that dissipates quickly. The finish is surprisingly long and is the best part of the experience, with more rye spice, black pepper, dark chocolate and coffee, and hints of toffee and freshly chopped wood. While I can't say it lived up to the expectation from tasting it two years ago, this is a good, easy sipper to be less than two years old, and I think it will be excellent as a mixer. There are grainy and slightly astringent qualities, but I appreciate the smoky characteristics, and was pleasantly surprised by the depth of flavor. I think Mad River may be onto something here, and would love to see an older expression in the future.

Batch 12 (Summer 2019) 132.3 proof Ruddy copper color. Nose is reminiscent of cherry pie with a cinnamon graham cracker crust, with undertones of caramel apples and butterscotch. Heavy, viscous mouthfeel. The cherries and cinnamon continue on the palate, with lots of spicy oak, more graham crackers and hints of vanilla extract. It doesn't pull any punches - the alcohol hits you hard. The finish is medium-long, dry and hot, lots of oak, Red Hots candy, burnt sugar, subtle hints of almonds and orange peel, and a slight grainy note that betrays youth but doesn't necessarily detract from the overall experience. This is a beast that comes at you hard, but if you can hold on, it's worth the ride.

Deep amber color. Nose has a distinct note of toasted vanilla marshmallows, with cinnamon spiced apples, cherry cola and oak. Thick oily mouthfeel. Palate brings a blast of cinnamon spice, brown sugar, buttery toffee, and a substantial dose of fruity bubble gum that is unexpected in ECBP (at least to my palate). There is a lot of oak, but significantly less than A119. Finish is medium-long, hot and dry. Lots of oak and cinnamon on the finish, with fresh sweet apples and sweet dark cherries. Overall, more fruit-forward than a typical ECBP profile, but very enjoyable.

Rust color. The nose is light but delicious, with notes of Juicy Fruit chewing gum, cinnamon spiced apples and vanilla wafers. Oily mouthfeel with significant alcohol burn, making it feel even hotter then 107 proof. Lots of oak on the palate, with cinnamon and allspice, and more of the fruity chewing gum note. Long finish, warm and dry, with more oak, cinnamon and dark fruits.