Tastes

Nose: Maple syrup, some proof Palate: Dark sweetness then oak and wood Finish: Medium If you are looking for the definition of "sweet oak" look no further!

Nose: Green apple, astringent Palate: Caramel, vanilla, bold and hot Finish: Medium-Long, typical baking spices It was nice to try Heaven Hill's first attempt at Larceny Barrel Proof. Overall it's raw yet bold. For me, it was an interesting time capsule to see where the line started before evolving to today's solid wheated sipper.

Nose: Banana, sweet oak Palate: Banilla, a hint of citrus and grain before transitioning to baking spices Finish: Short I haven't compared this to the small batch, but this version of 1792 benefits from the added quality you can come to expect with a BiB release.

Michael Gerard left Australia in 1992 for Georgia. After working in the brewing industry, he decided to jump into the spirits category in 2019. As part of the move he developed a new way of purifying spirits that he calls, "Quantum Distillation Refinement Technology" (QDRT.) It's a 5-stage process that claims to eliminate up to 65% of congeners, allowing the full flavor of the spirit to shine without the burn. Legends Distillery in Cummins, GA is the result of Gerard's work, highlighted by their Single Barrel Bourbon. It's bottled at barrel proof (my pour was 123.70 proof) and is at least aged 3+ years (mine was aged for seven.) On the nose, it's sweet vanilla cream, butter, and a hint of nutmeg. The palate continues those sweet notes with caramel and a nice transition to those baking spices we have come to expect. The finish is short, with a drying effect. For a single barrel, barrel-proof sourced bourbon the finish is indeed shorter than expected. The body is on the thin side. Indeed the flavor and notes of the nose and palate make this one a serviceable sipper, but I would have liked to see more from the finish.

The maiden product for Big Spring Distillers out in Big Spring, TX. This upstart was founded in 2021 by Will Reed, a spirits industry vet formally with Virginia Distillery Company. Ninety-Eight is a five-year, Indiana sourced, bourbon with a stated mash-bill of corn, wheat, and rye- no malted barley! Ninety-Eight is a nice nod to its proof. On the nose I get sweet oak along with stewed apples, like the filling of a fresh apple pie. The palate is sweet caramel that quickly transitions to baking spices and a medium finish. This is a classic bourbon with the softer notes you'd expect out of a wheated recipe. Not as bright or fruity as Maker's, and has a nice finish thanks to the extra proof points. A good start for this new Texas brand.

Nose: Faint wisps of brown sugar and vanilla with some smoke and proof. Palate: Baking spices and graham cracker upfront and throughout most of the palate before giving way to some sweeter notes including classic vanilla but more spice with oak. Finish: Short-medium finish with spice, and tannic oak So this is Elijah Craig's "double oak" offering. This sits right between Old Forester 1910 (Sweeter) and Woodford Double Oaked (Oakier.) The nose on this one isn't as sweet as the other two, but the palate isn't as woody as Woodford. While this is an acceptable sipper, it's a bit middling in the double-barrel game.

Nose: Grapes, pear, and other fruits, caramel, some baking spices Palate: Vanilla takes center stage along with baking spices Finish: Short, with more baking spices and some mint A frutier, sweeter take on Old Forester. Just as light in body as the 86 and 100 proof varities but for me a more refined easy sipper and a clear step above the entry level varities.

Nose: Marzipan, creamy vanilla, toffee Palate: Hints of warm caramel and apple that transitions to baking spices Finish: Medium finish that continues the baking spices through and through. A medium bodied pour that has rich sweetness on the nose, a nice finish that offers a little complexity, a good but not great pour. I foind that the palate doesn’t deliver on the nose.

Nose: Sweet leather, tobacco, vanilla Palate: Vanilla, peanuts Finish: Medium-long with baking spices and rye For an MSRP that you should be able to find $30 and under- this is perhaps one of the best values in bourbon currently out there. A classic bourbon profile, solid proof, a fantastic value sipper.

Nose: Rich brown sugar, brown butter, a hint of maple and oak. All the brown sweet things. Palate: Sweet oak, coffee, dark chocolate, Finish: Short to medium, a sweetness lingers with some baking spices but not much. Indeed this is a sweet and rich pour, however, compared to other double-barrelled bourbons this has a strong influence from the wood. The extra wood finishing imparts more wood characteristics. I find the nose lets on more sweetness than you'll get on the palate but that's not bad- it's simply different. If you like more wood and "sweet oak" then you will love this.