Old Crow Chessmen

1969 Chessmen Nose- brown sugar; butter on toasted bread; dark caramel; plums; dusty oak; graham crackers; spiced honey Palate- Wave of well aged oak; vanilla sweetness; touch of whipped cream; brown sugar; lemon custard; dusty library books Finish- medium, rich finish; vanilla; aged oak; lemon shortbread This stuff is good. More light and nuanced than I was hoping for though. I can definitely taste the age (in the barrel). It’s also very obvious this is a pour not from this day and age, with lots of dusty oak and old library notes. The finish is teetering between short and medium, and it’s not the most complex thing in the world. With all the hype surrounding this pour, I can’t help but be disappointed. I also can’t help but compare it to some other legendary dusties. Wild Turkey CGF blows this out of the water, but I still like it more than OGD 114 or 86 from the 70s. All in all, I wouldn’t go for a bottle of this, especially at the price.

Deep brown color with a noticeable sherry/port nose. Immediate flavors of caramel and oak leading into a subtle anise spicy smoothness. Silky on the tongue with the slightest hint of brown sugar.

The nose is smooth and floral, with licorice, caramel, oak and anise. The palate is rich and mouth coating with brown sugar, oak, buttery custard, baking spices, all perfectly balanced and deep. The finish is long with a slowly fading buttery oakiness, along with baking spices and brown sugar underneath. Truly amazing.