O.H. Ingram River-Aged Straight Whiskey

Rating: 14/23 N: Spicy rye herbaceousness leading into tannic wood with a hint of creosote. A touch of mineral. Then some nice mustiness comes out, building out a nice toasty grain scent. A little corn sweetness forms a base throughout. Possible hints of green apple and orange. A teensy bit of floral vanilla. P: Lots of rye, but it's mellow and restrained. Spicy with some herbal character and a bit of tannins from the wood. There's some licorice in here. Vanilla comes in strongly, with a little floral character and some minerality. Corn sweetness forms a soft but somewhat thin blanket underneath. The spiciness builds in strength for a bit. Some musty, interesting barrel elements come out of the background as a I swish this around a bit. The palate is, however, a bit thin and the flavors aren't incredibly distinct. F: Sweet creek water minerality with somewhat floral vanilla and lingering spicy heat. - Conclusion - I'm guessing this is some sort of high rye bourbon that's been aged for a decently long time (at least more than 4 years). Though it also reminds me a bit of Jim Beam Black with its somewhat indistinct flavors and mild overall profile. I find Russell's Reserve 10 (15-16) and Whistlepig Piggyback (16) to both be more interesting and fully flavored. This is more in the range of Early Times Bottled In Bond (15) or Wild Turkey 101 (14). Just to check that I wasn't marking this down because it wasn't fitting my present mood, I tried it against Belle Meade Cask Strength (19), which was absolutely delightful. This is going to be either a 14 or a 15. Considering the lack of fullness to the flavor, I'm going with 14. Thanks @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington for giving me a chance to try this.

Nose - caramel, sweet floral notes, grass, vanilla, apple, honey, peach, anise, black pepper, old wood, cinnamon, marshmallow, coconut, cocoa, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - salted caramel, sour apple, lemon, milk chocolate, vanilla, grass, anise, powdered sugar, cinnamon, black pepper, grapefruit, honey, clove, mint, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with caramel, sour apple, and baking spice flavors. The third of nine blind tastings opens with a rather floral, grassy, salty nose. Apples, honey, and caramel aromas are present as well. It’s definitely on the lighter side, although it smells fairly mature. The palate is similarly light, grassy, and fruity. Unfortunately, it veers into sour territory, which leads me to believe it’s much younger than I thought from the nose. It’s light and fresh with some decent aromas and flavors, but I don’t have too much more to say about this one. In the end, it’s better than average for me, but the unpleasant sourness will keep me from going very high on the rating. Well what are we drinking tonight? OH Ingram River-Aged Whiskey. So these were matured on floating rickhouses. That’s pretty cool. Unfortunately, they probably should have left them out there a bit longer. Another big thank you to @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington for the sample!

To change things up, @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington sent me a series of samples that have either shapes or some code on them to prevent me from being able to know what they are until after I’ve tasted them. Will I mistake a rye for bourbon or completely miss a finish, who knows, but I’m dying to find out so let’s continue this blind challenge with the vial that has a B3 on it. The nose starts with a medium rye spice with dill and caramel followed a freshly toasted pumpernickel bagel that fades but remains in the background of fruits of cinnamon applesauce, fresh picked cherries and grilled peaches that transition to spices of wintergreen, spearmint, cloves, leather and light oak with a medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel that starts with a medium rye spice with dill and caramel followed with a freshly toasted pumpernickel bagel that fades but remains in the background of fruits of Granny Smith apple slices, cherries and grilled peaches followed by a moderate spice that slowly transitions to wintergreen, spearmint, cloves, nutmeg, leather and light oak with a medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with grilled peaches, apple slices, dark chocolate, fresh baked pumpernickel bread, ginger, cloves, spearmint, leather and light oak. Overall this is a very tasty whiskey that I believe is a bourbon with high rye content, but I could very well be mistaken. This is a very well balanced whiskey that manages to combine rye flavors with traditional bourbon notes that work well together with nothing out of balance, but could use a higher proof to really amplify those flavors and create a richer mouthfeel. Alright, so Lex what is this one, does it have a rye component or did I just drink too much rye the night before that managed to stick around too long………………….. O.H. Ingram River Aged. Um, wait, what is this brand I have never heard of? So, this is a blend of MGP bourbon and rye that is matured in a floating rickhouse in Kentucky on the old Mississippi River that was aged for 3+ years and then bottled at 96 proof. Well, I wish I knew about this one a while ago when my father in law asked me what my plans were for his daughter and I could respond that I plan to take good care of her by living in a rickhouse down by the river. Because really, what more could a parent really want from their daughter’s future husband but waterfront property and endless amounts of whiskey to drink?

Smooth, oily mouth feel, vanilla, pepper, tastes a little younger with a short finish.

MGP is like syphillis - a great mimicker and too easy to pick up. This is 3y and up, “river aged” in a floating rickhouse. Barge IN068518. Definitely syphillis material. Oh, young MGP, how many names do you have? And why do you smell like Buffalo Trace namesake (or maybe Elmer T Lee). And why does one particular friend always leave leave bottles of cheap whiskey at my house? Oak, stone fruit (apricots, oranges), vanilla, maybe a bit of dill or clove. Oh, but so wood and vanilla. Much spicy fruit. Yum. This has a decently thick mouthfeel and better finish than most BT products. While I hate on Sazerac/BT out of envy this is actually worth the comparison. It’s sweet and yet full of oak character, perfectly balanced with pepper, clove, dill and allspice. The finish lasts longer than I would expect for 96 proof but the heat is right. Wait, holy shit he paid $80 for this?? Why? How can sourced MGP at 3y and 96 proof go for $80?!? Well, at least it’s good. And if ETL is going for $300-400 then maybe this is a bargain?