Bourbon for the Masses
The Straight Bourbon Truth and No BS
Heaven Hill 7 Year Bottled in Bond Review
About – “This Kentucky Bourbon pays tribute to the earliest days of the distillery’s history, when it released the original Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond in 1939. The namesake brand quickly became the number-one-selling Bourbon whiskey in the state of Kentucky. Today, the craftsmanship poured into this bottle meets the exacting standards first set forth in the Bottled-in-Bond act of 1897. This historic offering reflects our founders’ firm belief that it takes patience and perseverance to make something of great quality.” Last year Heaven Hill decided to take their famous bottled in bond nationwide. In doing so they tripled the price and added 1 year to the age statement. Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond is 7 years old, bottled at 100 proof, and costs $40.
Nose – This smells like peanut brittle. When digging deeper it comes of as very corn forward with a light leather and vanilla. As it opens up oak becomes prominent along with caramel.
Palate – The first thing I noticed is the light and thing mouthfeel. The most noticeable flavors are peanuts and oak with a strong influence of funky bitter oak tannin. Finish is medium nearing long with more of that bitter oak and splash of cinnamon.
Score – C
Verdict – Heaven Hill missed the mark on this one. It tastes nothing like their previous 6 Year Bottled in Bond. Side by side I would take Heaven Hill Green Label over this all day. There is just something off with this release. If you are really interested in trying this, I would recommend doing so at a bar before purchasing a bottle.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #2 Review
About – The unifying concept in Discovery Series #2 is a 12-year-old Kentucky bourbon combined with light accents of older and younger Kentucky bourbons. The blend for Discovery Series #2 is made up of three different Kentucky straight bourbons 10, 12, and 14 years old. It is unfiltered and released at full proof, in this case 121.21 Proof. Bardstown Discovery Series #2 is available in Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Illinois, Northern California, and Southern Florida for $129.99.
Nose – A blend of caramel and oak come through first followed by a bit of leather. As it opens up a nice touch of apple comes in with a little baking spice.
Palate – Very rich caramel, a good bit of heat that is more from the proof than a pepper or cinnamon heat. There is a strong presence of oak with a bit of bitter tannin. Finish is spicy oak and rye that is on the longer side.
Score – A-
Verdict – This is a great release. The flavors all have an excellent depth to them. The only thing holding it back from an even higher score is the lack of complexity in those flavors.
Early Times Bottled in Bond Review
About – “Established in 1860, Early Times is a true American brand. From our rich heritage we have unearthed bourbon inspiration to create a legacy expression that pays homage to Early Times Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon from 75 years ago. This true old-style Kentucky bourbon honors the high standard of historic bourbon-making set forth by the U.S. Bottled-in-Bond Act.” Early Times was once the highest selling bourbon label in the United States. This release is meant to pay homage to 75th anniversary of the once proud brand. Early Times Bottled in Bond is aged at least for yours, bottled at 100 proof and costs around $25 for a 1 liter bottle. It is currently only available in select states.
Nose – Caramel is the dominant scent here followed by baking spice and a touch of citrus dancing in and out.
Palate – The caramel from the news leads the way backed up by a nice presence of oak. Cinnamon makes an appearance on the backend. The finish is medium length with a very nice sweet oak and cinnamon.
Score – B
Verdict – This bourbon punches way above its price range. An excellent release from Brown Forman hitting all of the classic bourbon notes we all know and love. I would hard pressed to name a better bang for your buck product currently on the market.
Jim Beam Single Barrel 108 Proof Review
About – “Jim Beam Single Barrel 108 Proof is the first single barrel bottling from the world’s most loved bourbon brand. Single Barrel is hand-selected for outstanding taste and color by our expert distillers, ensuring the highest quality. No two barrels are the same and each barrel will have a differentiated taste profile with full and robust flavors at 108 proof.” Jim Beam has decided to up their game with this new single barrel offering by foregoing filtering and upping the proof to 108. This new release carries no age statement and cost around $40 in my area.
Nose – Strangely yeast is the first thing that I pick up like a yeast bread dough. A bit of honey and cinnamon are behind that. Surprisingly no ethanol coming through on this high proof. In all everything in the nose is on the light side.
Palate – Honey hits first and is washed over by a wave of cinnamon. From the middle on I am picking up a really funky taste of wet grain that has been sitting around for a while. That wet grain lasts through a medium finish.
Score – D-
Verdict – I am disappointed in this bottle to say the least. It is like drinking a shitty half baked loaf of cinnamon yeast bread. Jim Beam swings and Jim Beam misses with this one. Buy a bottle at your own peril.
Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond Review
About – As with many brands under the Willett (Kentucky Bourbon Distillers) umbrella, the history of the Old Bardstown label is difficult to trace. What we do know is that this bourbon is currently distilled and aged by Willett. It is bottled in bond so we know that it is at least 4 years old. Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond is bottled at 100 proof, costs around $25, and is only available in Kentucky.
Nose – Cherry syrup with a hint of mint hit first. As it opens up there is a dark brown sugar that comes in. A very typical Willett nose, slightly green, but not in a detrimental way.
Palate – Lots of Cinnamon. Thin mouthfeel. There is a cloying sweetness that seems almost artificial. The youth from the nose shows up slightly on the backed. The finish is an absolutely beautiful cherry and is medium in length.
Score – B-
Verdict – Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond has all of the classic Willett flavors and aromas. It is just a bit young to truly excel. If you are looking for an entry point into the world of Willett this would be an excellent choice. I will be picking up another one of these on my next trip to the Bluegrass State.
Hancock’s President’s Reserve Review
About – Hancock’s Presiden’t Reserve is an often overlooked release of Buffalo Trace, I mean it isn’t even listed on their website. About the only information provided regarding Hancock’s is that it is named after Hancock Lee, co-founder of Leesburg, Kentucky. It is a mashbill #2 bourbon like Blanton’s and Elmer T. Lee. It is bottled at 88.9 proof and is a somewhat allocated product. The retail price is around $50, but like other Buffalo Trace releases good luck finding it at that price if you can find it at all.
Nose – Light and Very Sweet. Honey, apricots, cereal, and a touch of apple. After sitting out for a while brown sugar becomes prominent along with white grapes.
Palate – Apples and oak. There isn’t much to say beyond that. A medium length sweet oak finish. The more I taste it there is a slight cinnamon note to be found in the mid palate if you really look for it.
Score – C+
Verdict – Hancock’s is probably best defined as a light sipping bourbon. It doesn’t pack much of a punch in the flavor department, but what is there is enjoyable. The nose is absolutely beautiful. It is worth trying, and worth buying a bottle at around retail price, but I would be very hesitant to pay more than that.
Kentucky Owl Confiscated Review
About – Kentucky Owl is a brand that has developed a cult like following for their bourbon and rye releases. There has been much talk about their pricing structure as well. They are at the forefront of brands who have moved their pricing in line with secondary either to combat flipping or maximize profit. Whatever the case it has gotten them plenty of attention. Confiscated is their first large scale release since being purchased by Stoli. The name pays homage to a warehouse worth of bourbon that was “confiscated” at the beginning of prohibition. Kentucky Owl Confiscated carries no age statement, is bottled at 96.4 proof, and retails for $125 although I have seen it priced anywhere from $99-$175.
Nose – First impression is that the nose is darker than expected. The note that jumps out is mint, accompanied by leather and dark caramel. Smells well aged despite the lack of age statement
Palate – Huge caramel bomb! There is a touch of barrel spice and on the backend I am finding a hint of younger rye. The finish is medium-long and is all barrel spice.
Score – B-
Verdict – I enjoy the flavors, it just isn’t that complex. It comes across as probably an 80% blend of well aged bourbon mixed with 20% youger high rye bourbon. The youth isn’t overly apparent but does show up slightly on the back of the palate. All in all it is a solid offering, but not so sure I can recommend a bottle purchase given the price. I would suggest having a taste at a bar or from a friend before dropping the $125 on this one.
Larceny Barrel Proof (A120) Review
About – Larceny Barrel Proof offers a new opportunity to experience our acclaimed wheated Bourbon mashbill in its purest form: non-chill filtered and bottled at full barrel proof. Released three times per year in January, May, and September, each offering is a bold yet balanced special Small Batch Bourbon rich with depth and distinction. This new release is competitively priced at $50, and seems to be somewhat readily available. I have seen it on shelves in multiple stores in my area. This first batch (A120) is bottled at 123.2 proof and is aged 6-8 years.
Nose – Strong ethanol is apparent on the first whiff. Behind that the main note is burnt sugar, a light apple, and plum. On the second go I pick up peanut. As it opens up vanilla and cinnamon really become prevalent and move to the front.
Palate – The palate is initially dominated by vanilla with brown sugar on the back end and a good amount of barrel spice throughout. The finish is all cinnamon and reminiscent of Big Red chewing gum in an artificially sweet way.
Score – C+
Verdict – Larceny Barrel Proof (A120) is a marked improvement from the original. It is big, bold, and sweet. While it is better than the original there is still something slightly off putting to me in the flavor profile. If you like standard Larceny you will probably love this offering, it just isn’t for me.
The Real Reason Distilleries Don’t Fight the Secondary Market
If you have been around bourbon very long you understand how big the secondary market for bourbon is. Large groups are continually shut down and spring back up as many smaller groups with different names. Frustration over this topic frequently brings up the same comments. People are always asking things like why don’t distilleries do more to stop the secondary market, and why don’t distilleries just raise prices on limited items like Pappy and BTAC to stop hoarding or flipping? The reason is simple. Distilleries are the biggest beneficiary of the secondary market.
The first way distilleries benefit from the secondary market is through the hype and fomo it creates around releases. When people find out they can’t find George T. Stagg they are steered towards Buffalo Trace becuase they share a mashbill. The best example of this is the Pappy craze sparking sells of Weller. As recently as 2-3 years ago you could walk in most good stores and find Weller Special Reserve and Old Weller Antique with ease. As the Pappy craze spiraled out of controlled people were steered towards Weller as an alternative because they share the same mash bill and are produced by the same distillery. This has led to a run on Weller products, and now they are allocated as well. The hype of BTAC and Pappy lead to increased sales of the entire Buffalo Trace boubon portfolio.
The second way distilleries benefit from the secondary market is a little cloudier. They use to push large quantities of the other products they produce such as vodka. Distributors use allocated releases as a way to talk stores into buying stock that they don’t necessarily need or want. I know we are harping on Buffalo Trace as an example here, but they are an easy example to talk about for this scenario as well. Buffalo Trace doesn’t just distill whiskey they also distill several labels of vodka. When stores ask what can I do to get an extra bottle of William Larue Weller the answer is often something like buy 40 cases of Platinum Vodka. Have you ever walked in to a store and seen cases of Popov stacked to the ceiling? This is why. A friend of mine who recently opened a restaurant asked the distributor how he could get some Old Weller Antique and was told he would have to carry the entire Buffalo Trace portfolio including Wheatley Vodka.
Distilleries may talk publicly about fighting the secondary market. They may encourage customers to report stores who are gouging prices on allocated products. The truth though is that distilleries aren’t working behind the scenes to eradicate price gouging or secondary markets because they are the ones who benefit the most.
Evan Williams Single Barrel Review (Bottled 1-18-20)
About – Each year our Master Distillers hand select barrels for this special edition with characteristics unique to that year. Every bottle is marked with the vintage date it was put into oak, along with the year it was bottled and the serial number of the barrel that the Bourbon was drawn from. This particular barrel is 8 years old and was bottled on 1-18-20. Evan Williams Single Barrel is widely available, bottled at 86.6 proof, and costs around $25.
Nose – Interestingly the first thing I am picking up is a distinct buttered popcorn aroma with a touch of sweet oak in the background.
Palate – Light with oak leading the way. There is a touch of cinnamon and a nondescript sweetness. The finish is short-medium with a vegetal tinge that is fairly unpleasant.
Score – D+
Verdict – I am thoroughly disappointed with this bottle. I bought it as part of an under $25 blind tasting and it finished in last place. It definitely doesn’t taste like a 8 year old bourbon. I will say I have had better expressions of Evan Williams Single Barrel, but this one is bad enough that it will be a long time before I purchase another.