Rating: 15/23
N: High proof, but not overburdened with the scent of alcohol. Spicy and herbal (including mint) rye comes out with that Beam peanut, moderately tannic wood, some sweetness that I assume is from corn, and a little bit of meatiness that I wish weren't present. It's a bold nose with complexity and balance, but it's surprisingly big on the rye.
P: A sweet, full backing, with some big spicy wood that avoids being overly tannic. Herbal, bitter rye comes in, building off of the wood's spiciness and adding mint. Some vanilla. The sweetness has a bit of caramel, but not too much. An occasional pop of cherry. This is definitely a dry palate for a bourbon, but it has some nice herbal complexity and balance. The alcohol flavor doesn't show through and this tastes aged well enough, though not especially old (I'd guess around 6 years). A touch of meat does come out though.
This makes me think of Henry McKenna 10, though this is rougher with less maturity, less creosote, and more of a kind of floral apple flavor.
The more I sip this, the more I get that Jim Beam lightness, in spite of the high proof. That's really unfortunate, though not damning.
F: The herbaceousness turns a bit more fruity and floral, but the bitterness and mint remain. The wood fades a bit, but ti leaves a spicy burn. Rye continues to be my primary impression.
- Conclusion -
This is a good alternative to Booker's for anyone looking for a full version of that Beam peanut flavor with some nice complexity at a much lower cost. This doesn't really match the general Booker's character, particularly considering the batch variation, but the both make me think of Beam, so if Booker's is now unattainable, this is a replacement worth considering. You need to want some of that Belle Meade Reserve character to be mixed in too though.
I think Henry McKenna 10 is probably better than this is. Russell's Reserve 10 is more mature and dignified, but this is kind of more interesting with its brashness.
I'm looking in the 14 to 17 range, though a 14 seems awfully low.
This seems better than Wild Turkey 101 (14), competitive with Elijah Craig Small Batch (15), and probably slightly inferior to Russell's Reserve 10 (15-16). Despite being quite different, Early Times Bottled In Bond (15) seems quite competitive with this. I think this all means that this is a 15.
30.0
USD
per
Bottle