Reviews

Char 4, toasted medium, 4 yrs, 100 proof, tasting neat. Dull golden brown and average coating legs in the glass. Nose is light-- brown sugar, vanilla oak, and a whiff of spice in the back. Not as "charred/toasted" as I hoped. On the palate, oily and maple sweet, with vanilla oak char and tannic leather, baking spice, anise/fennel (?), but mainly sweet. Coating mouthfeel that runs through a long finish of spice, sweet grass, and tingly menthol mint. Dry and a little astringent, but also a light sour note. An ice cube doesn't hide the tannic toasty flavors, but does soften the astrigentency and lets the toast shine through more clearly. I've had the Bourbon Toasted Barrel char 5 heavy toast #25-301 (more smokey and burnt orange peel notes) and the Rye Toasted Barrel 2 char heavy toast #24-304. Thought both were better, or just more nuanced, than this one. Maybe I prefer the heavy toast flavors over the char level? Maybe not. A little pricey at $60, but a fine toasted 100 proof 4 year bourbon.

Have had this in my cellar for a few years, time to taste it, neat. Dark golden brown and strong coating legs in the glass. Nose I can smell from 2 feet away--charred oak, vanilla, caramelized sugar like a creme brulee, and a whiff of spice and ethanol (62.55% ABV). On the palate, big charred vanilla oak, leather, chocolate, burnt sugar, and an ethanol bloom. Big and chewy, oily coating mouthfeel, but dry. The taste then turns spicy pepper, clove, peppery sweetgrass, and tingly mint, with a burnt sugar baseline. More spicy than I remember past bottles--quite spicy given there's no rye in this wheated bourbon. The finish is long and mint chocolate, tingly, clean, very nice. An ice cube tames the ethanol a touch, but this barrel proof powers through the melt and remains a really powerful, spicy, interesting bourbon. Wish I could taste test some older versions against this one, but... I really like the dark chewy nature of this beast. Just looked--Breaking Bourbon gave it a 3.5/5 and named it the best of the three 2024 Larceny lots, and Fred Minnock rated it the #7/100 best whiskey of 2024. Probably why I bought it and put it away. A good choice.

Bulleit mesquite smoked malt bourbon, limited edition, distilled and aged for 6 years by Bulleit, made with 65% corn, 30% mesquite smoked malt, and 5% malted barley. Bottled at 46.5% ABV. No rye, which is unusual for Bulleit. Tasting neat from a bottled opened and sampled last week. Golden straw color in the glass, light, but strong coating legs. Nose is floral vanilla grain with a little campfire smoke in the back. That doesn’t seem to have changed much since I first opened it last week. On the palate, burnt brown sugar, charred wood, smoked grain, oatmeal, and citrus peel. Light ethanol bloom.The first time I tried it I thought the mouthfeel was thin. This time it feels more coating, but not oily. Pleasant malty sweetness under a smoky surface. The finish remains smoky cereal sweet with a mint tingle and note of bitter citrus peel. Long finish turning a little sour at the tail end. I admit to liking mesquite smoked whiskies (like Whisky del Bac Dorado single malt), and want to find the Santa Fe Distilling mesquite smoke. I also like that Bulleit is finally releasing their own distillate (this and their Bottled in Bond) with some real age to it. Not a fan of squat neck bottles ergonomically, but like their pressed glass and labeling. I like this bourbon more on second trial than first--feels better in my mouth, but it is sweet. I'm sure it will divide people, but if you appreciate single malt scotch, you'll find this an interesting American spin.

Devils Tower, named after a 340 foot tall 9 foot diameter California redwood (named after Devils Tower in WY). High rye bourbon, 54% corn, 38% rye, 4% malt, 4% wheat. Toasted and char 3 cask, small lot batch 3 of 69 barrels, at least 5 years in oak, bottled at 99 proof, distilled grain to barrel to glass in Sonoma County, California. Tasting neat, second night in a row. Dark rose copper color and strong coating legs in the glass. Nose is floral vanilla oak, sweet caramel, with grassy rye in the back. On the palate, sweet brown sugar and then a rush of spicy grassy rye and baking spices. Cinnamon and clove. Vanilla oak, tannic leather, and wood char show up strong. Mouthfeel is average coating, not oily. Finish is grassy spice, mint, and tannic vanilla oak, turning a little sour at the end. Finish lasts a long time. An ice cube tamps down the rye spice on the palate. First taste of this really surprised me--the sharpness of the rye spice rush is very distinct for a bourbon. Maybe I was ready for it this time or it mellowed from that first neck pour overnight. Either way, I really like the assertive rye oak char profile of this bottle (as well as the tall long neck bottle itself--line art label not so much). This is the third Redwood Empire bottle I've had, and I like the company's history and approach to their craft. Making really good whiskies all their own in California wine country at reasonable prices.

Tasting neat. Light copper color and strong coating legs in the glass. Nose is sweet malted grain, vanilla, strawberries and apples. On the palate, tastes like an American single malt. Cooked oatmeal and malted milk, vanilla, followed by a backbone of spicy sweet grass and baking spices. Brown sugar and over-ripe stone fruit, with little oak. Oily coating mouthfeel. The finish builds from that spicy rye backbone, hint of ethanol, and dried fruit. Becomes a little grassy and sour at the tail end. An ice cube softens the spice and accentuates the malt and fruit notes. A really interesting blended whiskey from a company working to build on California sensibilities and terroir. Lovely tall long neck bottles and line art labels paying tribute to CA's redwoods, past and present. And the price is right. Would love to see this at 100 proof (rather than 90), and an older minimum barrel age.

Has been sitting in my cellar for a year, time to set it free. Tasting neat. Light mahogany color with strong coating legs in the glass. Nose is sweet and vanilla oak, stone fruit, bubble gum, with a whiff of spice in the background. On the palate, cotton candy sweet, and then the vanilla oak and leather tannins pop out. Oily and coating, soft mouthfeel. From there the finish turns to light baking spice, sweetgrass, aged marischino cherries, and then tingling mint that lasts a long time. Clean and light brown sugar sweet, not sour, as it fades. An ice cube thins the mouthfeel and tannins--still nice, but less distinct. I was hoping this would be more char smoked like the OF 1920, but it's still a big sweet bourbon with some tannic oak structure. The price is probably out of line given the other OFs, but for a 100 proof 10 year bourbon... well... Here’s a pass this time. Would love to see/try this at a higher proof for the price. Will tell you how I feel as I pour more glasses. Overall, a beautiful OF offering worth looking for.