Tastes

My county (Orange County, NC) received a store pick single barrel of this, so I had to pick it up despite the exorbitant price. The week prior I had purchased Jim Beam Double Oak and I could not pass up the opportunity to buy the clearly superior product. The only other time I've had Woodford Reserve Double Oaked was at the distillery. I remember enjoying it immensely, but I was also hammered by the time I got there. (Third distillery of the day, my friends and I killed a fifth between each distillery.) Buttery oak is so prominent on the nose. Unlike Jim Beam's offering, this smells smooth and delicious and in no way artificial. I think of a caramel coffee bread pudding with a dash of oak, something you'll find at an upscale southern restaurant. If you've had a rich bread pudding then you'll know there are few desserts better suited to conclude a meal. I surprisingly had an amazing bread pudding at a brewery last month, the quality far outweighed the dinner. That bread pudding buttery oak is all over the tongue, and the syrupy quality is strong. It is sweet enough that you will probably get 2 drinks max out of this before you want to switch to something else. The oak and sweetness lingers, while the alcohol taste is minimal. Overall I would almost classify this as a dessert liqueur despite its abv, it's something to savor and enjoy. I think people who do not necessarily enjoy whiskey might like this since the sweetness dominates the alcohol.

My county (Orange County, NC) received a store pick single barrel of this, so I had to pick it up despite the exorbitant price. The week prior I had purchased Jim Beam Double Oak and I could not pass up the opportunity to buy the clearly superior product. The only other time I've had Woodford Reserve Double Oaked was at the distillery. I remember enjoying it immensely, but I was also hammered by the time I got there. (Third distillery of the day, my friends and I killed a fifth between each distillery.) Buttery oak is so prominent on the nose. Unlike Jim Beam's offering, this smells smooth and delicious and in no way artificial. I think of a caramel coffee bread pudding with a dash of oak, something you'll find at an upscale southern restaurant. If you've had a rich bread pudding then you'll know there are few desserts better suited to conclude a meal. I surprisingly had an amazing bread pudding at a brewery last month, the quality far outweighed the dinner. That bread pudding buttery oak is all over the tongue, and the syrupy quality is strong. It is sweet enough that you will probably get 2 drinks max out of this before you want to switch to something else. The oak and sweetness lingers, while the alcohol taste is minimal. Overall I would almost classify this as a dessert liqueur despite its abv, it's something to savor and enjoy. I think people who do not necessarily enjoy whiskey might like this since the sweetness dominates the alcohol.

Unfortunately a week after I bought this I bought a Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Single Barrel store pick, so my review is tainted by the discrepancy between the two. The clear benefit of Jim Beam Double Oak is its affordability and uniqueness compared to what you'll find in bourbons under $30. However, this bottle that is half of the price of the Woodford Reserve also packs roughly half of the flavor. For an 86 proof bourbon the nose is particularly strong, mostly due to the heavy oak influence. Other than oak I get a charred, dusty corn. The vanilla or toffee sweetness some note is absent for me. Overall the oak in this bourbon is astringent, young, or artificial, depending on what adjectives you want to use, both on the nose and taste. Unlike the Woodford Reserve and a few other double matured whiskeys, this does not have a rich, complex body that works in unison. There are hot sauces and barbecue sauces that add artificial heat or smoke in lieu of real ingredients to save on cost. I think of that same process with this bourbon, it tastes like artificial oak flavoring instead of the real deal. I know that's most likely not true, but what it signifies is probably a short second maturation with heavily charred barrels to increase production and save on time. I'm not saying this is a bad bourbon, but I prefer other Jim Beam products.

I picked this up shortly after finishing Russell's Reserve Single Barrel, on sale for $45. It is frequently $4 off in NC, making it one of the cheapest high proof bourbons you can readily buy. The nose belies the high proof. The Russell's Reserve was more potent. You cannot tell this whiskey is 116.8 proof by smell and usually by taste as well. I get oak char, spiced dessert, dark cherries and berries, and alcohol. Nothing stands out and the alcohol burn is subtle unless you swirl the glass. Oak char is the dominant flavor, with a long finish. I also get sweetness that is mostly derived from hot cherry compared to brown sugar or caramel. The finish is where the proof really presents itself to your taste buds. The spiced dessert is covered by the long finish of cherry oak and alcohol. Some of the more subtle flavors on the smell and taste vanish. In a blind tasting you may be fooled into thinking this is under 100 proof until the finish. Overall this is a great, affordable cask strength bourbon. I'd rate this and the Russell's Reserve about the same, so if you are looking to try one reach for Rare Breed since it is $11 cheaper in NC and probably significantly cheaper in most states. Just know you cannot go wrong with either purchase. I also have to mention I love the bottle design. It looked cheap upon first glance, but it has 2 things that are much better than most bottles. I can't tell if the top is real or fake wood but it feels good in the hand and fits snugly around the mouth. The real advantage to this bottle is the tapered mouth with thin glass. Most bottles have thick glass and a straight mouth, which leads to a wide pour and dribbling down the sides. This mouth produces a fantastic pour, I've never lost a drop. For me this is a bottle I'm keeping for other uses.

Before I got into whiskey I often ordered cheap rye on the rocks at bars, so I figured I enjoyed rye whiskey. However, now I realize the ryes I drank were lower rye content. I have never had a 95% rye until now and I haven't enjoyed drinking it neat so it's taken me a while to finish this bottle. I've mostly used it for amateur cocktails at home, which is a good use of this rye. The nose is very strong. I don't know if it's tobacco like the expert review states, it smells more herbal and perfumey. It is similar to scented candles I like, but that's not a smell I want in a whiskey. I guess that may be what everyone describes as eucalyptus or cloves, but for me it is a combination of many air freshener and cleaner type scents. I get more pine sap on the taste, with hints of pepper and cinnamon. It lacks sweetness on the taste and finish. If you told me I was drinking Pine Sol I would find it hard to disagree with you. The only reason I'm rating this as a 2.75 is it works really well in cocktails, but then again, cheaper ryes than this also work well in cocktails. If you don't like really strong rye, don't buy this.

I purchased this around the same time I also bought 1783 and Single Barrel for an EW comparison. I have tried the other two multiple times, but never purchased this. The EW BiB has received a lot of hype from whiskey enthusiasts. At this point I think it is slightly overhyped, but for $16 this is still a great purchase. Just don't buy this and assume you are getting a $50 bourbon. It is simply a cheap bourbon that is better than most $20-30 offerings. Up front I get much more alcohol than I do with 1783 or Single Barrel, as expected with 7% more alcohol. I get some caramel spice, but also oak and corn dust. I taste heavy corn and oak, with less spice and sweetness than expected. The finish is medium with lingering oak and everything else seems to disappear. I see the value in all 3 EWs. Personally I prefer the Single Barrel, but this is a good buy as well. The 1783 may be the worst of the 3, but it also comes in a plastic 375 mL, perfect for trips. Personally I recommend all 3 options and the Black, EW in my mind makes the best affordable bourbon on the market. I don't understand the Distiller rating of 80 considering the written review, it makes little sense.

If you have a friend who is hesitant to drink whiskey neat due to limited experience, this is a perfect starter. Since the market is extremely limited for wheat whiskey, I compare this to the drinkability of Maker's Mark and Larceny. All 3 are widely available and sub $30. Bernheim is smoother and lighter than either due to higher wheat, which is why I recommend it for beginners. Oak is most prominent on the nose, due to the 7 year statement. I also smell caramel, but keep in mind everything I'm smelling is subtle. The taste is equally light. All of the flavors I see in reviews are mild at best, including the oak and alcohol. This whiskey basically disappears on the tongue. I barely know I had a sip of it 10 seconds after swallowing. It is honestly impressive how light and drinkable a 7Y whiskey can be. But that's not what I want these days. I see value in this, especially for $29 with its age statement and uniqueness. However, it is boring to drink and I'm having a hard time finishing the bottle because I always want to reach for something else. Buy this for your friend who drinks whiskey on the rocks or Crown Royale straight, I'm sure they'll enjoy this.