dmoyer
Boone County Eighteen33 Straight Bourbon 10 Year
Bourbon — (bottled in Kentucky), USA
Reviewed
June 9, 2019 (edited September 17, 2020)
This was an impulse buy at my local Kroger and turned into one of my better decisions.
I didn’t know anything about this bottle when I picked it up. The bottle itself is intriguing: the label is an eye-catching blue and orange with an old-time style script proclaiming its name and the year that William and John Snyder founded their distillery on the banks of the Ohio in northern Kentucky: Eighteen 33. There is a great story on the label about the hard work and sacrifice of those early distillers and it concludes with the phrase, “Made by Ghosts”. With all that I’d probably like it even if the whiskey was mediocre. Fortunately, it’s much better than that.
Boone County Eighteen 33 straight bourbon whiskey is a ten year old distillate produced by MGP. There is a great story out there from the founders of this distillery about how they came across these 1000 barrels of whiskey that they purchased to sell while their distillery gets up and running but I’ll be damned if I can find it now to provide the link. Oh well, on to the tasting.
This whiskey is derived from a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. It’s bottled at a respectable 45.4% ABV. It’s a gorgeous dark amber in the glass and forms long, slow developing legs when given a spin.
The nose is a beautiful sweet bomb of buttery caramel, brown sugar, a hint of vanilla, and light cinnamon. It’s a Cinnabon sweet roll in a glass. In the mouth it’s more of the same: butterscotch and warm baking spices with hints of tobacco and leather. Considering it’s 10 year age, there is very little oak; just that amazing sweet roll. If sweet whiskey is not your thing you might want to think twice about this dram. But the rest of us will just keep enjoying.
The rye kicks in in the finish with cinnamon and pepper. It’s nice and warm and leaves you wanting more. This was $65 locally. At that price it’s definitely at the top of my bourbon price range. But I have to say I’m not disappointed. This is one of the better bourbons I’ve had lately and I’m glad took a chance on it. I will probably replace it when it’s gone, it’s that good. 4/5 even considering the price. Cheers!
65.0
USD
per
Bottle
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well, it was the 12 year I loved, the 10 wasn't as good imo, touch of dill.
I miss these bottles so much, used to be available and simply amazing, easily went through 5 of these before they dried up.
Great review. I’m sipping on the Sauternes finished batch, and I really wanted someone to break down the underlying bourbon. And explain the damn ghosts thing. Thanks for doing a great job with both!