ctbeck11
Reviewed
December 17, 2021 (edited February 6, 2022)
Nose - toffee, vanilla, brown sugar, earthy herbal notes, anise, honey, apple, coffee, lemon, chocolate, hazelnut, moderate to high ethanol burn.
Taste - caramel, vanilla, black cherry, clove, nutmeg, coffee, sour apple, dark chocolate, leather, rich oak, tobacco, orange zest, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with caramel, dark fruit, chocolate, and oak flavors.
Apparently the name Stellum is derived from the Latin word for star. It also spells mullets backwards. Not sure if that’s significant, but I’m gonna leave it here just in case.
The nose is classic bourbon, but the high rye mashbill is easily detectable. It’s dark with nice brown sugar, chocolate, and hazelnut notes alongside anise and a generalized earthiness. The palate hits those nice dark flavors, but unfortunately some insidious sourness appears. It’s not overwhelming, but it’s unwelcome nonetheless.
Overall this is good bourbon, but nothing more than that. It’s not complex, but there are some nice dark flavors, and it’s a reasonably easy drinker for the proof. Still, it’s young, bright, and a bit sour. At $55 a bottle, I don’t think it’s a good value, but you could certainly do worse.