Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Review

400

About – An innovative approach to twice-barreled bourbon creates the rich and colorful flavor of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. Uniquely matured in separate, charred oak barrels – the second barrel deeply toasted before a light charring – extracts additional soft, sweet oak character. Woodford Double Oaked is widely available, bottled at 86.4 proof, and sells for $43-$50.

Nose – This does not have a typical bourbon nose. I am getting dark sweet notes of oak, chocolate, toasted marshmallow, and a hint of coffee. Very dark and decadent.

Palate – Loads of vanilla accompanied by marshmallow, very creamy with a nice toastiness running throughout. A sweet toasted oak carries into a medium nearing long finish.

Score – A-

Verdict – The biggest mistake Woodford Reserve has made is in naming this bourbon. The name Double Oaked leads many people to think this is will be a complete oak bomb. I know this is the reason that I have passed on it until now, and many of my friends have said the same. If this was named Woodford Reserve Toasted it would fly off the shelves. This is the epitome of an after dinner bourbon. It isn’t something I could drink multiples of regularly, but is a great night cap. You need to try this.

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Review

About – “It’s whiskey as nature intended it—bottled straight from the barrel at its full proof. Intense, smooth, and remarkably varied, Barrel Proof is bottled at anywhere from 125 to 140-proof, taking Jack’s trademark vanilla and toasted oak flavors to bold new levels.” This particular bottle came in at 130.3 proof. It is widely available and costs between $55-$60 depending on your area.

Nose – A big blast of ethanol leads the way, as can be expected from something of this proof. Once you get past that the dominant note is of sweet apricots, caramel, and a strong oak presence.

Palate – Big caramel notes lead the charge followed by smoke, peanuts, tobacco and apricots. There is a lot going on here. The more you come back to it the more you find. The finish is long and carries on the the earthy element from the palate predominately tobacco with a touch of caramel.

Score – A

Verdict – This is not the Jack Daniel’s Black Label that the world is familiar with. This is an example of whiskey making at the highest level. I didn’t expect much coming in to this one, and was blown away with the complexity and depth found in this bottle. I will keep this on hand from now on. If you are questioning whether you should buy this bottle or not, the answer is a resounding yes.

Four Roses Small Batch Select Review

About – Master Distiller Brent Elliott selected and mingled six of Four Roses’ 10 Bourbon recipes, each aged a minimum of 6 years, to handcraft Small Batch Select. Non-chill filtered and 104 proof, our newest permanent product-line extension offers truly unique flavor characteristics. 104 proof. 52% alcohol/volume. Small batch launched in 2019, and is so far only available in select markets. I bought this bottle in Kentucky for $55.

Nose – Light at first. There is a quick hit of ethanol. After getting past that I am picking up some vanilla, caramel, a touch of banana, some barrel spice, but overall it is a fairly light nose.

Palate – No ethanol present, surprising from the nose. Baking spice forward with an oily mouthfeel. Vanilla and clove are lightly present. The finish is odd. I am picking up something that reminds of varnish , and is a but off putting.

Score – C

Verdict – I am usually a large fan of everything Four Roses puts out, but this one misses the mark for me. There are some pleasant flavors to be found, but even those come across as light. The finish is where things really took a nose dive. To be honest I liked this bottle much more when I first opened it. The more times I have revisited it, however, I have enjoyed it less and less. I can’t say I would recommend spending $50+ on this bottle.

Baker’s 7 Year Single Barrel Review

Image result for bakers 7 year

About – Baker’s is a product that has been in the Jim Beam craft portfolio for some time, but never seemed to receive much attention. Last year that changed when the brand went through a complete overhaul. Baker’s received new modern branding and moved from a small batch to a single barrel offering. It did retain the 7 year age statement (check the neck band most bottles I have seen are in the 8 year 6 month range) and stayed at 107 proof. Baker’s is available everywhere and will set you back around $60.

Nose – This is reminding of a nice bread pudding with loads of brown sugar, cinnamon and raisin. As you dig a bit deeper there are some minimal grain notes behind all of that, but bread pudding is the story here.

Palate – A blast of cinnamon heat leads the the way along with a healthy serving of oak. Behind that there is a nice sweet vanilla rounding things out. Finish is long and warm, a big spicy oak Kentucky hug.

Score – B-

Verdict – Overall the redesign of Baker’s has been good for the brand. The bourbon in the bottle hasn’t really changed in flavor profile, and I consider that a good thing. It is a pleasant drink I just wish it had a bit more complexity. It isn’t a bad buy at $60. I will probably buy another at some point, but you can find better bottles in the $30-$50 range.

Most Anticipated Bourbon Releases of 2020

2019 is in the books and the bourbon boom is showing no signs of stopping. Some of the most surprising releases last year were George Dickel BIB and Old Forester Rye. Not only were these great bourbons, but they were released at very affordable prices. 2019 also saw no shortage of high end limited releases either. 2020 looks to be a year that will continue both of these trends so without further ado here are my most anticipated releases of 2020.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye When this label hit COLA it send a lot of Wild Turkey fans into a frenzy. Rare Breed has grown a cult like following in the recent years as a very high quality and affordable barrel proof expression. Rare Breed Rye will look to build on that legacy, and fill the hole in their portfolio that has been caused by the disappearance of 101 Rye from most shelves. No official release date has been give.

Larceny Barrel Proof – Continuing with affordable barrel proof releases we have Larceny Barrel Proof. Larceny has quickly become one of the more popular sub $30 bourbons in the market, and now they are expanding the line. Larceny Barrel Proof has already started to pop up in certain markets and will spread throughout the country shortly for the affordable price of $50.

Elijah Craig Rye – Here we have another line extension from Heaven Hill. The ever popular Elijah Craig brand will be branching out in to the rye category. With Rittenhouse and Pikesville already in their portfolio Elijah Craig Rye will work to fill the gap between those too. I would expect it to be more in line with Pikesville in age, but at a lower proof point.

George Remus Barrel Program – I have not seen a press release or a label for this one yet, but have been told by multiple store owners that they are currently scheduling dates to pick barrels at MGP that will be released at barrel proof under the Remus line. We have all had fantastic releases sourced from MGP, now it is their turn to release them under her own brand. No word on the age yet, but these releases could be potential breakout stars this year.

Wild Turkey Master’s Keep 17 Year Bottled in Bond – Last year’s Master’s Keep release Cornerstone Rye was widely considered the best release in the collection to date, and was named Rye of the year by Bourbon for the Masses. The 2020 release seems poised to contend for whiskey of the year. A true 17 year release of Wild Turkey is definitely on my short list.

Old Ezra 7 Year Barrel Strength Review

About – Old Ezra is and extension of the Ezra Brooks line from Luxco distilleries. While Luxco is now laying down their own rate distillate this is a sourced product from a undisclosed source (many people believe it to be Heaven Hill). As the label states Old Ezra Barrel Strength is aged for 7 years and bottled at 117 proof. Retail price is around $35.

Nose – On the nose Old Ezra presents a set of straightforward, classic bourbon aromas. Vanilla and caramel lead the way accompanied a nice amount of sweet oak.

Palate – Not unlike the nose, this is a truly classic bourbon. The first thing that jumps out at me is a mild roasted peanut that is backed up with the caramel and vanilla from the nose. There is a good bit of that should be expected from a barrel strength bourbon. The finish is long with a good blast of cinnamon, that slowly fades to oak and cherry.

Score – B

Verdict – While there is nothing mind blowing about Old Ezra Barrel strength, there is nothing wrong with it either. It is a very solid representation of a classic bourbon, and does carry many of the familiar Heaven Hill flavors and aromas. At $35 it is an absolute bargain for a 7 year age stated barrel proof product. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys bourbon.

Johnny Drum Private Stock Review

500

About – From the label, “Johnny Drum served as a drummer boy in the year 1861 during the Confederate (Civil) War. At the end of the war, legend has it Johnny returned home to his native Kentucky, where he staked claim among a beautiful spring. Johnny learned the importance of finding a way to convert his excess corn crop into a profitable item, rather than allowing it to go to waste. As the story goes, it wasn’t long before Johnny’s determination produced an exceptional bourbon whiskey.” Johnny Drum is one of the brands owned by KBD (Willet) and is a sourced bourbon of an undisclosed age from and undisclosed source. It is bottled at 101 and costs around $35 where available.

Nose – The first thing that hits is fresh buttered toast (that is a new one for me), followed along by pear and a touch of sawdust.

Palate – Orange leads the way followed by oak. Overall it seems fairly light for the proof. Simple and enjoyable. The finish is medium with a touch of Cinnamon and brown sugar.

Score – B

Verdict – Overall this is an enjoyable easy sipper. There is nothing overly complex or unique about it, but the flavors you do get are enjoyable. A good bottle for when you want to enjoy a nice bourbon, but don’t want think about it to much. If you happen to be in a place where this is available I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up a bottle.

New Riff Bottled in Bond Bourbon Review

253253

About – New Riff is certainly among the hottest names in the craft bourbon world. Until recently they had been selling a sourced product under the OKI moniker, but with the introduction of their own distillate they have done away with sourced product. Bottled in Bond is their flagship product, other offerings include a single barrel bourbon and a rye available in both the bottled in bond and single barrel varieties. New Riff’s bourbon mash bill is a high rye 65% Corn  30% Rye  5% Malted Barley. Bottled in Bond is aged at least 4 years, non-chill filtered, bottled at 100 proof, and costs $40 in most markets.

Nose – The first thing that hits me is a sharp ethanol. While it doesn’t kill the aroma it was a bit unexpected at 100 proof. Hiding behind that is a wall of brown sugar and a very pleasant herbal cola that is reminiscent of Virgil’s Cola.

Palate – Baking spice is at the forefront of the palate, primarily cinnamon and nutmeg with a touch of mint hanging in there. The finish is short and thing with only a bit of spice remaining.

Score – B-

Verdict – I was pleasantly surprised with this bourbon. For the most part craft bourbon is not something that I have enjoyed. Most of those are released at far too young of an age at higher price points. This is a solid sipping bourbon at a solid price. New Riff ‘s approach left them enough room with their pricing to charge more as their whiskey reaches a higher age statement. Of all the craft bourbon I have had , New Riff sets itself apart, and I very much look forward to what they offer going forwards.

Pikesville Rye Review

About – First produced in Maryland in the 1890s, the brand, along with the rest of the once-booming Maryland Rye industry, was shuttered by prohibition. The brand reemerged after prohibition and became the last standing Maryland Rye, as the rest of the industry’s production had ceased. Now produced in Kentucky from extra-aged barrels stored in prime warehouse locations, Heaven Hill keeps this historic Maryland mark alive with this award-winning six year old, 110 proof offering. Pikesville is produced by Heaven Hill and is considered by many the big brother of Ritthenhouse Rye. It can generally be found for around $50 in most places.

Nose – This is reminiscent of a caramel apple. At 110 proof it is hard to miss the ethanol. There are also notes of cinnamon. Not as much rye spice as expected. The aromas are well incorporated with that caramel note running throughout. On the rocks it picks up a hint of cream and some floral notes.

Palate – Brown sugar and cinnamon. It is a bit thinner than I expected. The apple from the nose is taking on more of a pear on the palate. These all fade into a cherry candy and lead in to medium finish that reminds me of biting into a piece of rye bread.

Score – B

Verdict – Pikesville is a big rye that packs a big punch in the flavor and alcohol department. Looking back I actually scored Rittenhouse higher than Pikesville. It isn’t that I don’t enjoy Pikesville, it is a good rye. It is just hard to justify paying over double the price of Rittenhouse for it.

Remus Repeal Reserve Series II Review

About – Produced by MGP of Indiana Remus Repeal Reserve is limited annual release that is an extension of their George Remus line, named after the prohibition era bourbon distiller. As the name implies this is the second release in the series and is made up of a blend of 2 eleven and 2 twelve year old bourbons. Remus Repeal Reserve Series II is bottled at 100 proof (an increase form the first release) and retails for $79.99.

Nose – Very herbal, predominately mint and clove. There is a scent of old wet leather in the background, and something kind of sour. It is a very strange smelling bourbon.

Palate – The first thing that jumps our is spice, and a bit of sour apple. The clove from the nose makes an appearance, and the old wet leather is hanging around too. The finish is long and the best word I can use to describe it is funky.

Score – C+

Verdict – The obvious thing to say is that this is not your typical bourbon. I am sure there are some people out there who will love the uniqueness of flavors and aromas presented here, but I am not one of them.

Update – I revisited this bottle after having a few weeks to air out, and am shocked by how much it has changed. The funk is gone. It has picked up a lot of fruitiness and now has a medium-long finish with smooth leather and tobacco.

New Score – B+