1792 Small Batch Bourbon

Caramel, vanilla and a strong oaky note.

When you want Sazarec, but Buffalo Trace is nowhere to be found and the higher-end offerings might as well just be doubling in cost every six months, you've always got Barton 1792. I had the Full Proof way back at the beginning of my whiskey career, and don't have much of opinion based on my memory so I'm getting a fresh take on the guys with this one. Nose: Brown sugar and cocoa are the most prominent notes. There's also some apple, apple cider, and orange peel. Carrot cake and caramel. Tobacco smoke and mahogany. Lots of spice: oak, cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and rye (also rye bread). Strong start. Palate: Caramel and vanilla. Rye bread. There's also some apple and maple. There's light cinnamon, nutmeg, and oak. It's definitely the weakest part of the dram for me. A little simple, but also dangerously drinkable. Finish: Cocoa, caramel, and vanilla. Nutmeg and rye spice. Heaps of oak and tobacco. Cinnamon and clove. It's a long finish, which is impressive at 46.85%. It's slightly hot, but I don't mind that one bit. Surprisingly, this is one of the better entry-level bourbons on the market. Price is absolutely a factor in my rating. At $30, this is a fine value. The palate was the only drawback. It was very standard. The nose and finish are powerful. They definitely stand out amongst the crop of daily-drinker bourbons. 3.75 for this one. Like I said before, price is a factor here. I only bumped it up it a quarter of a star though. The whiskey is respectable tasted on its own merits. I may be in the minority here, but this is definitely a dark horse in the entry-level bourbon category. If you're looking to diversify your lineup, this makes for a solid addition.