Tastes

My rating in the bourbon world as a -whole- for this would be closer to 3.25 or so. My rating of 4.0 here reflects how I feel about it given its pricepoint and availability to me. How to review such a bourbon? It's simple. It's straightforward. It doesn't really do anything that'll raise the eyebrows of those that constantly have high age barrel strength yadda-yaddas and whatnots. But where this shines is its real -balance-. There's reward here for those that try to dissect something lower proof and search for those notes. They're in there. This tiptoes a fine line between sweet, apple, brown sugar, etc. with a little side dish of some rye spice flavors in the cinnamon-esque world. This is nice. If you like what Buffalo Trace bourbon does, if you like what Blanton's bourbon does, give this a run. Hell, if you have both of those, blind sample this with them. I bet you'll surprise yourself. Anyway it's good, pick one up.

This is a high rating, I know. This isn't a crazy complicated, high proof, and finished rye that'll do a tango in your mouth. But considering it's $23 and EVERYWHERE, for 90 proof it's honestly excellent. Seriously. Find me another Rye Whiskey in this range of criteria that is anywhere as good as this. In the proof range, I prefer Redwood Empire Emerald Giant, but it's for all intents and purposes, 2x the price. In the price range, it's got more character than the Elijah Craig Rye and the Jack Daniel's Rye IMO. Maybe the Ezra Brooks 99 Rye beats it. I think I'll do that blind tonight. But it's also 10 proof higher. Seriously, I think it's very good given the limitations on it price/proof wise. Is it gonna change your world? Probably not. Is it worth a buy? I say absolutely.

Excellent. Just decadent. Does not beat you over the head with proof. Does not beat you over the head with crazy complexity. There are a lot of flavors, sure, but they are archetypal classic BOURBON flavors. Just amped to the max. I think this is like, the pinnacle of what a classic bourbon can expect to be. It's great, and at $299 MSRP I would buy it and enjoy it.

Excellent. The difference that the toasted barrel makes as compared to the standard stuff, it's honestly incredible. I never would have guessed this was the same thing. If you see one, just buy it. It's gotta be the best 94 proofer out there.

Excellent. The regular Blackened was at the top of my list for "best celeb collab whiskey" that I'd had. Until I had this. It's got spice, it's got heavy sweetness. It's hot, but it's not killer hot for 120 proof. It's just got a little something for everyone. This is great. Buy one if you see it. It's very nice.

Very good, rye dominates the palate, with some fruit notes dispersed throughout. Almost thought this was finished. Drinks slightly lower than its proof, though the heat does linger, it's less of a punch and more of a radiating type of heat. A nice warm hug. Very peppery. Good stuff.

Y.O.E.G.A. Charity Bottle of this. Interesting, some things going on here that are a bit off-profile for a bourbon that led me to think it was finished, but I don't believe it is. Interesting, even if it's not my favorite thing. Worth a try. Tastes younger than the 5+ years stated on the bottle but also drinks less than the 59.5 proof that is stated on the bottle. Interesting.

Really, really expected a lot more from this. Quite disappointed tbh. It's not the proof point. I like a lot of stuff in the 90-100 proof range. It just doesn't... DO much. I expected more oak influence for sure.

Nose- Pleasantly sweet, heavy cinnamon/brown sugar Less oak presence than what I had expected, but if you dig it is there Smell very much reminds me of a coffee cake, maybe snickerdoodle cookie Very beginning of the smell, before the cinnamon spice notes take over, there is a hit of something reminiscent of sweet tea? Taste- Very sweet up front. Heavy heavy brown sugar/caramel. So immediately sweet that I actually would have thought maybe it was a wheated bourbon like Weller. As the initial palate fades, there is a big hit of a vanilla cream note. The immediate taste upon swallow is potent oak, followed up by the same nutmeg/cinnamon/brown sugar as the nose. The finish includes a long-lingering heat that seems to coat my entire mouth, mostly toward the back of the palate. Probably one of the longest-lasting finishes I've had in a whiskey thus far, very impressive for "only" 114 proof. Drinks much lower proof than the 114 suggested by the bottle. If I had to guess when trying it, I'd have put it somewhere around a bottled in bond, 100 proof. Overall -- 8/10 very, very good. Would seek out if in an area where it was available.

Here's the whole review: This is 90% of the way to Blanton's if you don't want to wait in line and pay too much for the fancy bottle. It's the same mashbill. It's the same distillery. It's not a single barrel, and it's slightly lower proof. It's almost Blanton's and it's like 16$ for a 750. What do you have to lose?