Jacob's Pardon Small Batch American Whiskey Recipe No. 1

Definitely a buttery, sweet bourbon. This is the closest thing I’ve tasted to caribou crossing.

Bottom Line: Great nose, but leaves a lot to be desired, lacks complexity, hard to recommend at $80-$90. I suspect this same exact pour would be so much better concentrated at 110pf. The only person I would recommend this to is someone who really likes to buy lighter whiskeys that drink around the 90 proof range, whose primary measure of good whiskey is how exceptionally "smooth" it is, and/or who wants a fancy looking bottle to show off. The same kind of person who might consider spending $100 on secondary on a bottle that's only worth $60 (Blanton's) might be better served buying this one instead. Nose: Rich, sweet, full of molasses and Demerara sugar. Smells almost more like a low-ish proof (<90pf) Demerara heavy rum than bourbon or corn whiskey. The more it opens up, the more it smells like rum and less like whiskey (although I haven't had many light whiskeys, so maybe that's what they all smell like). There are faint hints of chrysanthemum tea in the background. Flavor: Jarring contrast from the nose. Doesn't drink like a rum. Initially silky (but no sweet cream notes that usually accompany that mouthfeel) with no heat or punch (no surprise considering the majority age of 15 years). Nonetheless, I was shocked by how light and not complex the taste profile is. Dry, mild rye spice and black tea in the mid palette that quickly makes way for, ever so faintly, some fading Demerara with a slight almost red wine like tannic structure in the finish. I let it sit in the glass for 10+ minutes to open up before trying again, and it drinks a bit more like rum now, but it has also thinned out and lost its rye spice/black tea profile. One more note of interest: It's a blend of two mash bills - 86% 15-year-old Indiana (MGP) light corn whiskey, with 99% corn and 1% malted barley, and 14% 8-year-old Tennessee sour mash whisky, 70% corn, 22% rye and 8% barley - not the usual Dickel mash bill. That means that the Tennessee portion of this blend is A) not Dickel, or B) not the usual Dickel and most likely not run through the Lincoln County Process. This is almost certainly the same stuff used in Heaven’s Door Tennessee Bourbon which uses the same mash bill at around the same ages (8 Years- 9 ½ years). I found this about Heaven's Door: "Spirits Investment Partnership (SIP) went to a major Tennessee distiller, and found an experimental mashbill that they had been working on. This distiller had made a new mashbill, didn’t run it through the Lincoln county process, and was thinking about releasing it, but instead they sold all of their barrels to SIP. The last of this batch was made back in 2012."

The nose is straight on burnt sugar. Palate hits with butter and cinnamon sugar cookie, but fades very quickly. Finish is non-existent save for the chest hug. The nose and initial flavor of this whiskey are very nice, but there is no relaxing with it. It leaves you with nothing in between sips so has no time to express much. Too bad, it starts with a lot of promise.

Really good stuff- wish the price was closer to $60 though

Really good. No burn on the nose.

Light flavor on the nose. Reminds me of that melted butter just before it gets poured onto a bag of popcorn. It has that initial smell when you open the plastic wrapper on butterscotch hard candy. Lastly some cotton candy or candy corn mixed in the scent, can’t decide which.Very smooth on the tongue, cool and pleasant. Just a little reminder that it’s whiskey at the end and medium finish. Taste is definitely corn and some rye spice. I like it! Not a traditional whiskey but reminds me of a Armagnac....fruity flavor. Great for after a dinner meal as the final offering to finish the conversation. I had three servings while writing this review. Price is more for the limited release. There’s better stuff for under $90 but honestly...this is unique enough to justify the cost, plus a really neat bottle that will stay in use. I’d buy it again. Oh, orange peel...add that to the nose.