Batch 206 Back Porch Bourbon Straight Bourbon Single Barrel Aged 8 Years

Nicely done rye. A little hot but otherwise very tasty.

Rating: 17/23 N: This smells less sweet than Batch 206's 7 year Old Log Cabin Bourbon. I do still get some of that rummy character with tropical fruits and fireworks on the nose Some vanilla and mineral too, as well as some tartness, a little like the Curacao cask flavor they Plantation has. P: OK, this really tastes like bourbon. It has that sour mash flavor. It's sweet but tart with a big boldness. There's a lot of heat here, bit get apple, banana, and orange coming out. There are minerals, but the proof make their flavor big enough that it works OK. The caramel here tastes light but not artificial. Some char from the casks. Vanilla for sure. Lots of spiciness. Ginger and black pepper most prominently. A little night grade A maple. F: Minerals, vanilla, green banana, ginger, a bit of a woody backing. - Conclusion - This is the best official release from Batch 206 that I've tried. Sadly, it's well short of amazing, but it's definitely an easy sipper. There are some flaws here like the minerality and merely solid complexity, but I actively enjoy this one. It does depend on the high proof for its success though. I'd be curious to leave a bottle of this open with a quarter of its contents removed and see how it tasted after 3 months. This is at least a 16. An 18 though? Unlikely. This seems close to competing with Wild Turkey Rare Breed, but it isn't quite there. The minerality here drags this down just enough, that I don't think it can have that 18. My overall impression of the profile is a bit of Wild Turkey Rare Breed mixed with a substantial majority of Old Forester 1920. I'm feeling generous, so this can have a 17. It's a low 17 though. Getting home, I'm finding that Old Forester 1920 is less rich and complex and has more minerals than I'd recalled. At $85 (after tax), Batch 206's offering is starting to seem more appealing.