Remus Repeal Reserve Series V (2021 Medley)

Rich auburn color and glass coating liquid. Sweet corn, vanilla, and light grassy spice on the nose. Sweet grain, caramel corn, and then lots a rye spice explodes, building to vanilla oak and ethanol in the mouth. Creamy full mouthfeel. Finish is long and a little sour underneath a spicy, grassy, and mint tingle. A classic MGP blend, heavy on the rye, three or four flavor notes, crisp and earthy, good all the way down. Shows the MGP distilling skills. I'm glad they're bottling their own juice now, keep the others honest about what they're selling as their own, and that's good. 6/2023. A year and a half after I first reviewed this, and this bourbon still holds up as an impressive balanced drink. Bumped this up from 4.25 to a 4.5, and added it to my Top Shelf list. Only one more glass left after this. Cheers.

Nose: rich oak. Toffee. Deep amber color. Dark chocolate. Dark fruit. Vanilla. Cream. Palate: Oak. Cocoa. Caramel. Vanilla. The oak is well developed but not overpowering. Complex symphony of flavors. Sweet cake-like notes from the rye. This ryed distillate aged beautifully. Finish: All the best flavors left a medium-long impression. Ends with toffee, caramel, oak, sweet mellow rye.

Tried this, as usual, neat in glencairn glass. Bottle has been open for about 3+ weeks. Have rarely ever had a bad MGP product, let’s see how this stacks up. Nose - candy in a glass, right off the bat very prominent caramel, candied orange, and a sweet oak maybe even a little bit of cedar, just a hint of rye spice, not something I normally get with MGP products but a slight hint of banana, little bit of a cherry note almost like a red licorice, and vanilla. If you like sweet then this definitely checks that box. This was a nose that the longer it set it just kept evolving and more scents were coming out. Palate - jumps all over in a good way, palate matches the nose with the caramel, orange, and oak, little bit of chocolate and cherry, pick up more of those high rye mash bills, allspice and a pleasant spiciness overall in the mid palate, pepper and cinnamon. For a 100 proof it has a fantastic buttery texture, coats the mouth well. This has complexity to it no question, there’s some sweetness, little bit of savory with a buttered popcorn, then finishes off with the spice. Finish - moderate to long, felt like it took over my taste buds, slightly drying but not to bad, oak mostly, the spiciness becomes much more muted, and back comes a little bit of sweetness almost like a chocolate mint. This would be a highly recommend if you can find it. For bourbon lovers I think Remus Repeals are a mystery no longer so might be hard now. This from initial open has just gotten better and better. It’s got a ton of flavor and one of those bourbons that evolves in the glass and will likely change from initial pour to the time you finish it (I guess depending on how big or small a glass you pour). Probably one of the best bourbons I’ve tasted for 2021.