This is the final round of the red wine finished division of my barrel finished bourbon bracket. This was a blind taste test between Bardstown Pfifer Pavitt and Hooker’s House 7/21. The third blind taste test in these divisions is always my favorite. You’re almost guaranteed at least one stellar bourbon. Tonight, I had two. Bardstown rightly won this fight. It won out on nose, body, finish, and overall enjoyability. I look forward to reviewing it in the near future, because it’s truly special. The tasting of Hooker’s House: The nose is the best part of this whiskey, and it’s not close. There’s honey, lemon, cane sugar, and a hint of oak. Smells just like something I will probably genuinely like. Body is a bet less dynamic than I’d hope. My history with Solera aging is one of incredible noses with lackluster bodies, and this is no different. The body is fine, but it’s a letdown from the complexity suggested by the nose. I get caramel and maple syrup, with a hint of the red wine influence. That red wine note comes in full force on the finish, and that transition really does hit at just the right time. A bit of deep fruits on the finish along with a wonderfully dry mouth feel. This finish is solid. Does this bourbon have redeeming qualities? For sure. Will I enjoy this bottle? Absolutely. Will I ever buy another one? Absolutely not. If your going to charge $125 for your product, you better knock it out of the park, and this one just fails to live up to expectations, particularly when compared to Bardstown. I’m still waiting for someone to provide a sound argument to justify this Solera aging trend. I’ve yet to try one that doesn’t seem to disappoint in some category, and every time I think: why not just make an old batch and a young batch? The stuff I like about this whiskey (like unique complexity hidden behind an oak wall) is often found in older whiskeys. The stuff I don’t like as much (like uninteresting, if not offensive bodies) is often found in younger whiskeys. This Solera aging process at worst can make you fight like hell past an oak wall to get to crap flavors. Hillrock, I’m looking at you. At best (which to date, this is “best in show” for Solera aging) there’s some really provocative note part way through the drink that makes you feel disappointed later on. With this drink, it makes me wonder what could’ve been with a smaller, older batch.