May 2019

Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

50% ABV
$50-$60
Website

What the Distillery Says

Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond, the second in our Old Forester Whiskey Row Series, is crafted to honor a watershed moment in bourbon history – the U.S. Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897.

This 100 proof expression is the second release in our Old Forester Whiskey Row Series and was specially crafted to honor the U.S. Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. After the U.S. Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 to be labeled as Bottled in Bond, whisky must be the product of one distillation season, one distiller and from one distillery. The concept behind the Act – the idea of “sealed-in quality” – was something that Old Forester – America’s First Bottled Bourbon – introduced in 1870.

TASTING NOTES
NOSE: Robust, intense caramel. Rich vanilla with roasted coffee notes, spiced dark fruit and mature oak.
TASTE: Mouth-filling. Sweet and intense. Deep fruit, spice and oak notes layered over dark caramel and vanilla.
FINISH: Big and bold.

What Gary Says

Nose: Vanilla crème brûlée with caramel sauce, sour oak rickhouse aroma over blood orange, nutmeg, anise and subtle dried mint.
Palate:  Sweet caramel with milk chocolate and vanilla that sharpens with anise, allspice, hazelnuts and a toasted orange zest note, followed by pepper spice.
Finish:  Moderate in length, drying with oak, orange spice and pepper.
Comments:  For fans of Old Forester, this is very squarely in the family with that lovely sweetness and spice. Quite nice, with a bit more depth and complexity than Old Forester Signature.

Rating: Stands Out

Old Forester Single Barrel 90 proof
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

Private selection of Discount Drinks in Wyandotte, MI
Floor 1; Warehouse O
45% ABV
$46.99
Website

What the Distillery Says

Every fingerprint is unique. The same is true for every barrel of bourbon. Old Forester Single Barrel is bottle from one individual barrel, so there is no other bourbon exactly like it.

Old Forester Single Barrel is crafted using the time-honored methods established over 140 years ago. Depending on the barrel selected and the angel’s share lost to evaporation during aging the barrel, each Old Forester Single Barrel selection should produce between 200 to 240 750ml bottle of bourbon.

TASTING NOTES
Each Old Forester Single Barrel selection is a unique expression of Old Forester, with a distinct flavor and aroma. Bottled at 90 proof, with a rich, robust bourbon profile, Single Barrel offers a truly one of a kind taste experience.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich baking spices, vanilla wafers with salted caramel, sprinkle of nutmeg and subtle cinnamon.
Palate:  Sweet caramel cremes that sharpens a tad with some citrus spice zip, pepper and cinnamon.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, with subtle pepper spice and charred oak.
Comments:  This is a decent enough pour, although I really wish Brown-Forman would offer these at a higher proof. Compared to classic Old Forester 86 proof, this is a step up; more nuanced with a richer nose, and less oak and edge all around – no doubt a function of maturing on the first floor. No age statement, but I’d guess it isn’t very old. The few Old Forester Single Barrels I’ve seen where the store posted the age all tended to be 4 to 5 yrs old. They also tended to be on floors 4 or higher. First floor barrels tend to be more tame, less aggressive than their higher floor counterparts (producers use the first floor for barrels they’ll put a lot of age on since they have a chance of surviving that without becoming oak bombs). You get more stable temperatures, so less ‘action’ if you will (the spirit moving in/out of the barrel). If you’re looking for the Old Forester profile with a little less edge (or are a whiskey geek looking to better understand a first floor barrel vs higher floors), this may be right up your alley.

Rating: Stands Out

Legent Bourbon Whiskey

47% ABV
$35
Website

What the Distillery Says

A Bourbon Unlike Any Other.
Legent™ is a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey partially finished in wine and sherry casks. But it’s more than that. It pushes the boundaries for how bourbons can be created while remaining true to the core of bourbon’s principles. It’s a collaboration between two whiskey legends – Fred Noe & Shinji Fukuyo – and two unique styles of whiskey making.

Three Barrels, One Unique Taste.
Three different types of barrels are used to create the unique flavor profile of Legent. Each one imparts its own unique characteristics to this boundary-pushing bourbon.

Bourbon Barrel Aging.
From these barrels, Legent absorbs char notes and rich, traditional bourbon cues like layers of caramel, oak and vanilla.

Sherry Cask Finishing.
Sherry casks add complex layers of spice, raisin and heavy dried fruit flavor. These casks also help give Legent its deeper, reddish color.

Red-Wine Cask Aging.
French oak wine casks impart different oak notes than traditional white oak bourbon barrels. These red-wine casks also give Legent mild, fruity undertones and a light acidity.

Legent Neat or On The Rocks.
As you drink Legent neat or on the rocks you’ll notice it change quickly as it sits on your tongue. It starts like a bourbon – rich, warm and oaky. Then, like a Japanese whisky, it features both complex layers of dried fruits and spice. Adding an ice cube or two accentuates Legent’s already bright, smooth and unexpectedly long finish.

What Gary Says

Nose: Caramel, chocolate covered cherries, raisins, ripe red grapes, honey, wine cask, charred oak.
Palate: Sweet with caramel, honey,  tart cherries, grapes, balanced with allspice and wine notes, a hint of oak.
Finish:  Moderately long, on the wet side with notes of canned fruit salad syrup lingering.
Comments:  If you like finished bourbons, this is well executed. I’ll admit – I was skeptical at first, as it is easy to over-do it with too many different casks where the result is just a mess. I get the bourbon foundation, the expected fruit notes from the sherry finishing, and the wine cask influence. Well balanced between the three without losing any of them. Having said that, I can’t say I love it. Personal preference, but I’ve yet to find a red-wine cask aging or finishing on bourbon that I’ve really liked. Just not in my wheelhouse. But I’m glad I tried this, and respect the craftsmanship at work.

Rating: Stands Out