Tastes

Coopers Craft Barrel Reserve has a very nice dark amber color. The aroma is of oak, oak, and some more oak with some caramel, vanilla. There is a alcohol presence here. The legs did not start down the glass for a while and when they started they ran very slow. The taste reminds me of fresh cut wood with quite a bit of alcohol burn on the tongue. The caramel, brown sugar, and vanilla follow. The finish is a medium to long with the oak being the main thing that lingers. If you like big oak then this is the bourbon for you. The tongue burn that normally subsides on most bourbons seems to stick with this one.

This is a strange bourbon. Most people have never heard of or even seen because it was mainly a exported bourbon. Now you can find this only in a few states, Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, and North Carolina. This is a 7 year old bourbon that clocks in at 101 proof and is about $15 dollars. The color is a dark amber with a reddish hint. The nose is brown sugar, vanilla, corn, and oak. The taste is the same as the nose but has a very strong oak flavor. The finish is medium to long with the oak and some spiciness lingering. This is a Heaven Hill product and now that the Heaven Hills 6 year bottled in bond has been discontinued, this might just be a great replacement.

Rittenhouse rye is my favorite rye right now. I have had Sazerac, Dickel, Bulleit, Knob Creek, Old Forester, Old Overholt, and Redemption. I have not had Lott 40 or Pikesville yet. I have heard these are great. That will be for another day. Rittenhouse Rye is a bottled in bond that is 100 proof. This one is an amazing value as it is usually about 20-30 bucks most places. The color is a copper color. The aroma is a light spiciness with caramel and vanilla. The palate is a rush of spice with brown sugar and vanilla. It seems very thick and coating on the tongue which I like. The finish is long with the spice hanging in there and a little sweetness.

im Beam Distillers Cut is supposed to be a limited edition but I still see it on the shelves. This one clocks in at 100 proof and runs about 23 bucks. If you like the Jim Beam signature flavor you will definitely enjoy this as it is turned up a few notches. The color is a nice amber. The aroma is caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, spices, and oak. The tastes is the same as the aroma to me. The finish is medium to long with a spiciness and vanilla. I know this is not a bottled in bond but it sure could be one being a 5 year age and 100 proof. I liked this so much a put a few bottles in my bunker.

Here is one of the most available bottled in bonds out there...Evan Williams BIB. You can pick this up everywhere for 15-20 bucks. The mash bill is the standard Heaven Hill 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% malted barley. The color is a nice golden color. The aroma is sweet vanilla, caramel, corn, and brown sugar. The taste is the same with a touch of oak and some dark fruits. The finish is medium and has some spice and brown sugar. This is a great daily drinker since the price is right. This one should be in every bourbon drinkers cabinet.

Old Grand Dad is a bottled in bond bourbon and probably one of the best values in bourbon out there right now. You can find this for 15-20 bucks a bottle most everywhere. The mashbill is 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley. Even though the mashbill does not have that much rye compared to some rye whiskey’s, To be a true rye it must be 51% rye or more. This is technically a bourbon. The color on this one is a medium to dark copper color. The legs are thin and start to run fast but then they stick and slow down. The nose is corn, caramel, vanilla, some oak, and baking spice. The taste is the same as the nose with some sweetness and the spice really comes through. For this not to have a very high rye content it sure tastes like a rye. The finish is medium to long with the sweetness lingering with the spice and a touch of vanilla and corn. This is a great value bourbon for the money.

George Dickel Bottle In Bond is just a hint darker than the George Dickel 12. I would think it would be darker since it is a 13 year old whiskey. It has a smell caramel and corn and some alcohol aroma. The mouthfeel is definitely better. The taste is of caramel and corn with brown sugar. The finish is medium. It goes down very easy even though it is 100 proof, it seems as smooth as the George Dickel 12. It does have that trademark mineraly taste that many do not like, but I do. If you like the regular George Dickel 12 you will certainly like the Bottle in Bond version. This is an amazing bargain at 36 bucks for a 100 proof whiskey.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (C918) is a 12 year old bourbon that is non chill filtered and clocks in at 131.4 proof! The mashbill is 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% barley. The color is a dark amber with reddish hint. The legs are thin but just cling to the glass and then run very slow. The aroma is caramel, brown sugar, and oak. On the first sip I get a slight alcohol burn but I would expect that. But by the second sip it seems to vanish. The tastes is caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, baking spice, oak, and I think I can taste dark cherries. These flavors are very bold and delicious. This one really coats your mouth with that thick oily feeling. The finish is long and the flavors just linger on and on. This is one heck of a bourbon. I look forward to getting some of the other batches soon.

Here is one of most sought out bottom shelf bourbons of all time. It is Heaven Hill 6 Year Old Bottled in Bond. This one has been discontinued by Heaven Hill but I still see it at several places in Kentucky when I am there. Distributors must have a ton of it still in there warehouses. It also was/is a Kentucky area release only. It used to be about 9-12 bucks all day long. Now when I do see it, it runs 20-23 bucks. It is the standard Heaven Hill mashbill 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. The color is brownish amber. The legs are thin and start to run fast but then slow down. The nose is sweet corn, vanilla, and lots of oak. The palate is the same as the nose but with some alcohol. But as you sip on it the alcohol dissipates and it is just enjoyable. It coats your mouth very nice with a almost creamy sensation. The finish is medium to long and the flavors linger with the oak hanging in there. I would say since this one is getting very hard to find a great alternative is the Evan Williams Bottled In Bond which I have already reviewed but added it below. It is a solid bourbon that is available everywhere.

New Riff Single Barrel is a 4 year old bourbon out of the New Riff distillery that used to source their bourbon under the name OKI. I did not get the chance to taste any of the OKI stuff but heard very good things about it. New Riff stopped sourcing their bourbon when theirs finally reached four years old. This is one of their first offerings on their own and from what I can taste in this one they are on track to becoming a great distillery in the future. The color is a light copper. The legs are thin but run very slow. The aroma is vanilla, caramel, oak, with a whiff of alcohol. The taste is vanilla, caramel, oak, some spice, with the alcohol lingering. The finish is medium with the caramel, vanilla, and spices hanging around. I can’t wait to see what New Riff comes out with in 6 or more years from now. I think this distillate will be amazing after a little more time in the wood.