James Ownby Reserve Tennessee Straight Bourbon

NOSE Caramel, oak, herbal notes and baking spice with a bit of vanilla, copper and dried fruit. Smells quite nice. It isn’t heavy or deep, but all out pleasant. PALATE Caramel, watery wood (chewed up toothpick), dried corn, herbal, baking spice and bits of citrus peels, copper and dried fruit. Not nearly as good as the aroma, but still fairly tasty despite coming through a bit raw and “toothpicky”. FINISH Medium -> Dried corn, vanilla, wood and a bit of spice and minerality.

This Tennessee Straight Bourbon bottled by Gatlinburg’s Ole Smoky Distillery is named for James Ownby, the fifth-generation great-grandfather of Ole Smoky founder Joe Baker. The nose has notes of honey, brown sugar, oak, cocoa, tobacco, and hints of apples and peaches. The taste starts out light and sweet, followed by a spicy bite of clove and cinnamon with honey, vanilla, and baking chocolate underneath. The finish is long and dry with a lingering spiciness