Old Forester Statesman

The Albuquerque Total Wine Web site lists this at $51.99 for a fifth. It's a 95 proof bourbon, from a mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley. This bourbon is a red gold in color, and the legs form and run quickly, run long, and are here and there around the glass, without any pattern. Nose: Begins with caramel and vanilla, with some slight spice. Moving into the glass I got some alcohol burn, and a strong vanilla. Taste: The spice from the rye is very forward; it tastes like a rye whisky when it first hits the tongue. Then there's a medicinal note, which I don't want in my whisky, chocolate, and an oak note that leaves a grainy feel on the tongue. Finish: Fairly short, with mixed oak and spice. This is a very over-priced bourbon. It's not bad, but it's not even as good as Bulleit, which costs considerably less. I expected far more than I got; if it were a 20 or 25 dollar bottle I would have expected what this whisky actually delivers.

Sweet, Vanilla notes, fruity with a long smooth finish

A relief from the recent glut of barrel aged bourbons. Simple delicious and straightforward. A tad sweet but extremely easy-drinking. Cinnamon palate with some banana at the end.