Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon

Slightly sweet, slightly spicy. Well rounded

Batch #1, curtesy of my brother in law. Four grain, non-chill filtered. The non-GMO and locally sourced grain is a nice thought but unclear if the terroir will translate to a distinct final product. I’m unsure if the still type, distillation and barrel entry proof but would love to find out. With other craft distilleries looking at the latter factors it seems like a worth while variable to consider. At first glance this looks and smells like a 4-5 year, $45 bourbon. Light golden color, subtle nose. Pleasant though. Sits among the New Riff, Buffalo trace (and dare I say Blanton’s), 4R realm of vanilla, young oak and fruit forward qualities. There is a bit of char behind the wood and vanilla but largely apricot, lemon and tobacco. Vanilla, young oak, faint char, apricot, a hint of tobacco. Very little heat or spice to speak of. Medium, fruity/oaky finish. The sawdust mid palate gives away its youth, but this otherwise rivals Blanton’s. This is dangerously good if that’s your jam. Fill an empty Blanton’s bottle and crush the ego of your friends. Well done Frey Ranch, well done! If the score seems low, keep in mind I shrug off BT mash bill 2 in favor of fuller proof, spicer bourbons and am openly biased about this.

Initially smells of vanilla and some oak. Initial and second tastes are of oak, little spice, and a bit of fruit. Has a bit of alcohol burn towards the end. Not bad for a newer bourbon. Tasted while at a Las Vegas casino.

It is worth noting that I am commenting on batch 2. The nose is a pleasant citrus and oak with the sweetness expected for a four grain. Fantastic mouthfeel. The finish was surprising for 90 proof. I’m assuming it is because of high-quality rye. The hug comes in on the second sip but it is there. This has all of the complexity I could have hoped for for in a 90 proof four grain. It’s fantastic neat or even over ice. I tasted batch 1 in November 2019 and haven’t stopped thinking about it since. Batch 2 did not disappoint.

Very smooth, not too spicy, great flavor, easy to drink