Bourbon for the Masses
The Straight Bourbon Truth and No BS
W.L. Weller 12 Year Review
About – Weller 12 year is a wheated bourbon distilled by Buffalo Trace using the same mash bill as the famous Pappy Van Winkle series. The popularity and scarcity of Van Winkle has boosted the popularity of other bourbons sharing the same mash bill, the chief among these being Weller 12 Year. Often heralded as “Poor Man’s Pappy” this once easy to find bourbon has become nearly impossible to find on the shelf resulting in a huge price increase of its own. At retail a bottle of Weller 12 should set you back around $50. On the secondary market it is pushing past the $150 mark. Does it live up to the hype? Let’s find out.
Nose – The first thing that jumps out is a rich marzipan, accompanied by creamy marshmallow and vanilla. A beautiful oak acts as a binder holding all of these aromas together.
Palate – Right in line with the nose I am getting cherry, a creamy vanilla almost like a vanilla ice cream, and just like the nose all of these are tied together with just the right amount of oak. On the rocks it just picks up even more of the creaminess. The finish is a long smooth oak.
Score – A+
Verdict – I will start by saying it definitely lives up to the hype. Weller 12 is among the most balanced bourbons I have experienced, and probably the best example of how the oak of a properly aged bourbon really ties all of the flavors and aromas together and elevates the bourbon as a whole. If you see this at retail don’t hesitate, even at an elevated price it is still worth every penny.
Heaven Hill Green Label 6 Year Review
About – Earlier this year Heaven Hill discontinued their “famous” white label 6 year bottled-in-bond and relaunched it as a 7 year product nationwide at an inflated price. There was a lot of talk about this, but Heaven Hill green label seems to have slipped under most people’s radars. This is another one of those products that only available in Kentucky and is an extreme bargain. I picked up this bottle at a Liqour Barn near Lexington for $12, it bears a 6 year age statement and is bottled at 90 proof.
Nose – Herebal mint, brown sugar, vanilla, oak all of the straightforward classic bourbon aromas you would expect, when you pour it on ice it turns into an absolute brown sugar bomb.
Palate – Very oak much oak and vanilla forward, behind that there is a nice note of brown sugar with a slight bit of spice. Putting it on ice has the same effect as it did on the nose. It turns into a glass full off brown sugar and mapley goodness. The finish is a long with oak and vanilla.
Score – B+
Verdict – I picked this bottle up on a whim while on a trip to the Kentucky NASCAR race, and am floored by how much I have enjoyed this bottle. I never tried the white label bottled-in-bond, but I don’t see how it could be much better than this. For my taste preferences this the perfect bourbon for sipping on the rocks. The next time I find my self in Kentucky I will be buying a case if they don’t discontinue this one too.
Wild Turkey 101 Review
About – Wild Turkey 101 is one of those classic labels that doesn’t need much of an introduction. Many people comment that the product has gone down hill since the days of the cheesy gold foil label, but for many is considered trusty daily sipper. Wild Turkey 101 is a high rye bourbon, is bottled at 101 proof, and will cost you around $23.
Nose – Very sweet toffee, big hit of vanilla, caramel. On the rocks it takes on more of a honey covered cereal and stone fruit.
Palate – Vanilla, cinnamon oak. You get a nice balance of sweet and heat here. With ice the grain comes to the forefront and the oak starts to stand out more as well. The finish is medium in length with a slight oak and honey left behind and little bit of a tingle.
Score – B-
Verdict – Is it possible that Wild Turkey 101 has witnessed a slight decrease in quality over time? Yes. Does it still deliver on everything you expect when you open a bottle of 101? Yes. Wild Turkey 101 is one of the most well known bourbons around the world for a good reason, it always delivers an above average drink for the price. For me 101 is what I always choose for situations that require a plastic bottle. If you haven’t tried Wild Turkey 101 before you are probably new to bourbon or live under a rock. Go get some.
2019 Whiskey Awards
2019 is nearly gone and that can mean only one thing. It is time to crown the 2019 Bourbon and Rye of the year.
Bourbon of the Year – George Dickel Bottled in Bond
Yes George Dickel is a Tennessee whiskey, but it does meet the guidelines to qualify as a bourbon. I had to start with that because some jackass always makes that objection. When I reviewed George Dickel Bottled in Bond back in August I was blown away by its complexity especially considering the price point(read review here). In the crazy whiskey environment we live in these days it is hard to believe you can buy a 13 year old expression of this quality for under $40. Congratulations Nicole Austin your first release was a stellar one.
Rye of the Year – Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Cornerstone Rye
I generally don’t like to give these awards limited releases, but I have to make an exception here. Not only did Cornerstone Rye receive the highest rating of any rye this year, it received the highest rating of any whiskey I have ever reviewed on this site(read review here). It is a limited release, but is not generally hard to find in the wild. I was able to secure a second bottle for myself after reviewing it. I generally feel that the Master’s Keep series is overlooked, and this release has taken the series into a new stratosphere. Congratulations Eddie Russell on another fine release.
Parker’s Heritage Collection Heavy Char 8 Year Rye Review
About – Parker’s Heritage is a yearly limited release by Heaven Hill featuring a different type of whiskey each year. It is named in honor of Parker Beam, the long time master distiller for Heaven Hill. Parker passed away after a battle with ALS in 2013. Part of every sale of Parker’s Heritage is donated to fund ALS research. This is the 13th release and the first rye that has been released under this label. What makes this rye unique is that is was aged for 8 years in barrels with a level 5 char, higher than typically used for any bourbon or rye. Parker’s Heritage Heavy Char Rye is bottled at 105 proof and retails for $149.99, but will likely cost you upwards of $200 at retail if you are lucky enough to find one on the shelf.
Nose – Rye spice immediately hits with a heavy influence of stone fruit of a typical Heaven Hill rye. These aromas are met with a good amount of oak and smoke, the longer it is allowed to aerate the fruit comes more forward.
Palate – Very warm and spicy, this rye demands your full attention, there is a touch of orange peel in here and a slightly herbal quality. All of those flavors are accompanied by a tinge of smoke. The finish is long with herbal notes, but more predominately bitter oak.
Score – B
Verdict – I will start by saying that I am a fan of this series in general. I like seeing experimental releases from the major distilleries that are properly aged unlike many you we have seen from craft distillers recently. This release does fall about short when stacked up against others in this series however. It is a solid rye, but no better than could be found at much lower price points. If you can only purchase one allocated bottle per year there are better options out there.
Sam Houston 12 Year 2019 Review
About – Release No. 2 of Sam Houston 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was curated under the watchful eyes of Steve Nally, John Hargrove and the team at Bardstown Bourbon Company. The bourbon was aged for a minimum of 12 years and was held to the highest scrutiny for quality, flavor and complexity. Each barrel was hand-chosen, and the current release has been crafted in extremely small batches, using only 3 barrels at a time. Each bottle is individually hand-labeled with specific aging notes and numbered. This bourbon is released in state specific batches. This review is for the Tennessee batch. The mashbill is 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% malted barley, the youngest barrel used in this batch was aged 12 years and 10 months in #4 char barrels. Sam Houston is bottled at 98 proof and retails for $100.
Nose – This bourbon has a really interesting sweet nutty aroma, a faint touch of banana almost like a banana nut bread. Picked up some caramel on the back while tasting. On the rocks the aromas are much more floral and caramel based with some peanut butter dancing in and out.
Palate – The first thing I notice is a good amount of oak, but not in an overpowering way. A huge blast of cinnamon makes it feel a little hotter than the proof would indicate, there is some cherry to be found when digging in a little deeper. On the rocks this one is much sweeter with the oak stepping up as well with a touch of orange peel. The finish is short and clean with apple and clove.
Score – B+
Verdict – Color me pleasantly surprised. At first I was going to give this a B, but the more time I spent with it the more it grew on me. I have heard some negative comments around mostly concerned with the value you get for the price, and I have to say I disagree with those comments. There is nothing life changing going on here, but it is a damned solid bourbon, and one that I feel is fairly priced in today’s market. Sam Houston would be proud to be featured on this bottle. As a final note it has no effect on my scoring, but I am really a fan of the label design on this bottle, and the hand numbering adds a nice touch.
Bowman Brothers Small Batch Review
About – “John J., Abraham, Joseph, and Isaac Bowman were Virginia militia officers in the American Revolutionary War. This hand-crafted bourbon whiskey is a tribute to their heroism. Our Bowman Brothers Small Batch Bourbon is distilled three times using the finest corn, rye, and malted barley, producing distinct hints of vanilla, spice, and oak.” Bowman Brothers has an interesting story, they are owned by Sazerac (the company who also owns Buffalo Trace), their bourbon is distilled by Buffalo Trace, and is then sent to Virginia where it is distilled twice more in their pot still and age the bourbon. Bowman Brothers Small Batch is bottle at 90 proof, retails for around $30 and carries no age statement.
Nose – Nice mix of baking spice and brown sugar. It is really well balanced.
Palate – A sugary sweetness hits first, followed by a nice cinnamon spice. On ice there is a slight floral note. Short sweet finish leaving behind something reminiscent of a Worther’s Original.
Score – B
Verdict – Overall this a really nice bourbon. It is sweet and very easy to drink. It isn’t overly complex, and could easily be considered a stepping stone bourbon. If that is what you are looking for it is pretty fairly priced, and you should go pick up a bottle.
High West Bourye 2019 Review
About – High West Bourye is a limited yearly release that is as the name suggests a combination of bourbon and rye whiskeys. This is a sourced blended whiskey, but one of the great things about High West is their transparency when it comes to sourcing. The 2019 batch of Bourye is all sourced for MGP and consists of Straight Rye Whiskey: 95% rye, 5% barley malt, Straight Bourbon Whiskey: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% barley malt, and Straight Bourbon Whiskey: 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% barley malt all of which have been aged at least 10 years. This blend is bottled at 92 proof and retails for around $74.99.
Nose – Baking spices jump out in a big way along with vanilla very much like a holiday baked good with a bit of cherry on the end. One the rocks the vanilla takes on more of an ice cream note covered in a luscious caramel sauce.
Palate – Brighter than the nose indicates. A citrusy caramel followed by just the right amount of oak. Nearly perfect lingering finish of barrel spice. On the rocks it becomes thick and creamy some of the spice remains along with that caramel covered ice cream from the nose.
Score – A
Verdict – This is an all around excellent whiskey. If you tend to prefer sweeter dessert type flavors this will really standout for you. I have not tried previous release so I can’t say how this stacks up with them, but I do recommend picking up a bottle of this if it is still on the shelves in your area. Even at the $75 price point I will be picking up another bottle to bunker for the future.
Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Cornerstone Rye Review
About – Master’s Keep Cornerstone Rye is the fourth release in the Master’s Keep series, and the oldest rye whiskey ever released by Wild Turkey. For this one-of-a-kind Limited Edition, Eddie Russell hand-picked and set aside a secret lot of his oldest and boldest rye whiskey barrels, all aged from 9 to 11 years, then used his nearly four decades of experience to create a perfectly balanced spirit. Aromas of vanilla, black pepper and toasted rye give way to cascading flavors of honey and baked apple before a long and lingering finish of spice and oak. I have seen Cornerstone Rye priced between $169 and $199 in my area. It is a limited release so retail price can be expected to vary greatly. It is bottled at 109 proof.
Nose – All of the components of apple pie are here, apples, baking spice, brown sugar, vanilla, honey, ginger, and a touch of cherry.
Palate – Very complex and spicy with white pepper, ginger, rye spice, a good helping of oak, honey. It is oily on the back end with one of the longest finishes I have experienced jumping between oak, spice, and clove.
Score – A+
Verdict – I can’t think a better rye that I have ever encountered. Cornerstone rye is a very complex whiskey that should definitely be reserved for more experienced drinkers as there are a lot of nuances here that probably wouldn’t be picked up by a beginner. This may very well end up being my choice for whiskey of the year. It is a limited release, but I have seen it on the shelf in at least 3 stores that I can think of. I feel like the Master’s Keep series is definitely slept on by a lot people, and this is by far the strongest release in the series. If you can find a bottle at a reasonable price pick it up and don’t think twice.
Best Bourbons for Thanksgiving
Need some bottle advice for Thanksgiving? Whether you are trying to figure out what bourbon you will share with your closest friends and family or which bourbon will best help drown them out we have your covered. For each category I will give you my choice and some alternates. Also I am going to keep this list realistic. Of course we all want to close the evening with a flight of Pappy, but that just isn’t happening for most of us.
First Drink – You have just walked in you are saying your hellos, checking out the appetizer spread, and it is time for the first drink of the day. This is the perfect time to go with a bold choice. A good barrel proofer will wake up your taste buds and get you into the groove so to speak. Since this is turkey day my choice here is Wild Turkey Rare Breed. Other good options for the first drink include Maker’s Mark Barrel Strength, Booker’s, or if you can get your hands on a bottle Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.
The Main Course – This is going to be the bourbon that you use for the better part of the day. You are going to want to go with something that is fairly affordable and is versatile. The choice here for me is Bulleit Bourbon. Bullet is among the most versatile bourbons you will find. It is a favorite of many bartenders for cocktails, and is a smooth sipper that won’t overpower your meal. Other options here are Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam Repeal Batch, and Evan Williams 1783.
The Nightcap – Here we are at the end of the evening, and it is time to move to something a little more significant to put the finishing touches on a great day. This is the time to pull out a bunker bottle if you have them if you don’t have those type of bottles to pull from my choice here is Jefferson’s Reserve Old Rum Cask Finish. It takes an already above average bourbon and finishes it in Gosling’s rum casks. It is a bourbon that you and those you choose to share it with won’t forget. Other choices here are Noah’s Mill, Belle Meade Cask Strength Reserve, Blanton’s, George Dickel Bottled in Bond.