Hancock's President's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon

Nose: Spicy and Sweet! Lots of spicy herbal notes - mint, rye spice, tobacco, white pepper. A little bit of alcohol bite, but not too harsh. Palate: surprisingly sweet at first. Definitely a bit of rye kick in there with all the same notes that the nose with a a dose of cinnamon as well. Finish: pretty long and slightly dry. Mostly dominated by cinnamon and sweet corn. Conclusion: It's a high rye bourbon. Yup.

I’ve been looking for this bottle for a while with no luck, and then I found one. I wanted to compare it to Blanton’s (same mash bill, also a single barrel and very similar proof). The nose has bright fruit (green apple), baking spices, brown sugar and leather. (Blanton’s is more baking spice forward. It has some apple, but not as much as Hancock’s. In general Blanton’s is slightly subdued overall compared to Hancock’s). The palate has the same thing as the nose with maybe a hint more of rye spice. Very balanced from nose to palate with some sweetness. (Blanton’s still has more spices in the palate) The finish is on the shorter side of medium with dampened notes of baking spices and fruit. (Blanton’s had a longer finish with more of a burn, a good burn) Overall, I think I like this more than Blanton’s, which surprised me. Even with the slightly less proof, Hancock’s stood on its own and had bolder flavors. Blanton’s is nice, but maybe a little too gentle and subtle with what’s going on flavor wise, though it has a better finish. I can see why some people think Hancock’s is a more watered down (weaker punch) Blanton’s, but I think flavors Hancock’s offers are more interesting. As a reminder, these are both single barrels, so your results may vary.

Enjoyable if found for less $ than Blanton’s. Can’t wait until this and Elmer T. Lee are more available though.

Very smooth. Lighter and a unique flavor