Gary

Managing apostle and whiskey enthusiast

1792 Bottled-in-Bond

1792 Bottled-in-Bond
50% ABV
$37 – $45
Website

What the Distiller Says
In 1897, the Bottled-in-Bond Act revolutionized the quality of American whiskey. Carrying on that tradition, this well-aged bourbon from barrels all filled during the same season was bottled at exactly 100 proof for a bold taste and a lingering finish – a testament to the Bottled-in-Bond Act established over a century ago.

TASTING NOTES
True to its heritage, the unmistakenable spice of 1792 Bourbon is met with notes of charred oak and fresh mint. Subtle caramel apple tones are delicately balanced with the lingering essence of coffee and black pepper.

What Gary Says
Nose: Vanilla, salted caramel with a touch of cinnamon, charred oak and a hint of dark chocolate.
Palate: Caramel cream candies with vanilla, cinnamon building to a nutty pepper spice.
Finish: Moderate in length with peppery notes.
Comments: A very solid bourbon, and spicy like you would expect a 1792 to be. The nose brings a bit more wood than the typical 4 yr old bottled-in-bond (not sure if this is perhaps older, or from being aged at the top of the rickhouse). While solid, not special – but priced well above other bottled-in-bond offerings.
Rating: Stands Out

I would like to thank my dad for sending me home with a sample to review.

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Rebel Yell Small Batch Rye

Rebel Yell Small Batch Rye

45% ABV
$25
Website
Rebel Yell Small Batch Rye

What the Producer Says

PRODUCED AND SOLD IN LIMITED QUANTITIES, SMALL BATCH RYE OFFERS SMOOTH, SPICY RYE FLAVOR WITH ENOUGH BACKBONE TO STAND UP TO CLASSIC COCKTAILS.
NOSE
Spicy with Hints of Chocolate and Vanilla
TASTING NOTES
Mildly Woody with a Sweet and Surprising Spice

What Gary Says

Nose: Bright and sweet pine notes with a bit of mint and dill.
Palate: Full mouthfeel, corn sweet with a subtle lemon-spice pick-up; a bit of allspice on the back.
Finish: Short and wet.
Comments: This is a 2 yr old straight rye from Indiana, and the nose represents that well. On the palate, it comes across more like a young bourbon to me. Reminds me a bit of Ezra Brooks Straight Rye (also bottled by Luxco with Indiana distilled rye). Smoother than most ryes of this age that I’ve tasted. If I was looking for a rye in this price range, I’d select a couple others over this – although there isn’t anything off-putting with it.

Rating: Average

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Thoughts on Future Prospects for Private Selections

When thinking about private selections, it left me pondering about how much they’ve changed in recent years. 8 years ago, these private selections were less frequent to come upon (not including stores with a long history of them), but today there are pretty readily available. While I’m excited to see more of those selections, I’m also afraid that the odds of getting a great barrel may be decreasing. Several years back, if you went to a distillery for a private selection, they’d roll out maybe 7-10 barrels for you to try – and if you didn’t find something special enough to buy the whole barrel – you could walk away without buying anything (or so I’ve heard; I haven’t personally experienced a complete sh!t show among that many barrels where my group has walked away). Today, more and more distilleries are providing far more limited choices – like three barrels – and some are requiring an up-front commitment to buy one of those three before you sample any of them! That bothers me, as I think it significantly reduces the chance for finding that unique barrel, and increases the odds of private selections being mediocre.

The first private barrel selection I was fortunate enough to participate in was at Buffalo Trace in 2013. They rolled out 9 barrels of bourbon, which were destined to be bottled as Elmer T Lee. They had all been distilled and barreled on the same day (9 years prior to our pick) – and were all from the same rick in the rickhouse. A few members of our barrel-picking team were disappointed with the lack of variability, and voiced that with the barrel manager Beau. For me, I was just thrilled to be trying barrel proof Elmer T Lee! Of those 9 barrels, the team (which was 20+ people!) was split between two barrels, that everyone thought were really special. There was also a consensus that at least 2 of those barrels shouldn’t even be considered for Elmer T Lee, and that they should consider blending those into Ancient Age or something else. The other 5 were good, but not especially great. I walked away with a greater appreciation for the consistency we get as consumers when it comes to whiskey, as well as just how much each individual barrel influences the whiskey. When 9 barrels as similar as they could possibly be had that much variation, I wondered how in the world they maintain the same flavor profile in a standard label.

When I think back to that first selection, I wonder “What if they’d rolled out the two dud barrels and one that was just average?” Or “What if they rolled out one dud and two that were average?” In either scenario, we’d have picked what we thought was the best (and thought it was amazing!); but in a blind tasting with a standard label Elmer may have found it wasn’t really special.

To be clear – I’m not suggesting that they would intentionally push sub-par barrels out to a group that is now locked in. First – the folks I’ve met in the bourbon industry have all been straight shooters, and the effort needed to coordinate a deception like that seems too far-fetched to me. Second – if a store is willing to buy an entire barrel (which isn’t an insignificant up-front investment), they want that store to be happy with the selection, to be able to move the bottles timeline, and ultimately – to buy more in the future!

What I am suggesting is that with limited options, the role of the picker is somewhat reduced – and the odds don’t favor finding that truly special barrel. This doesn’t necessarily make me avoid private selections, but I do plan to pay attention to see if there is a downward trend – while hoping that isn’t the case.

Cheers!
Gary

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Heaven Hill Select Stock: 14 Yr Corn Whiskey

Heaven Hill Select Stock: 14 Yr Corn Whiskey
(available at Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center gift shop)
48.5% ABV
$100

What the Bottle Says
Kentucky Straight Corn Whiskey aged for 14 years, then re-barreled into a used wheat whiskey barrel for an additional two years.
Barrel Serial No: 9900010 / Lot ID: 00J13C
Rickhouse/Floor: I-6 / Rack/Tier: Floor

What Gary Says
Nose:  Burnt cornbread, hint of smoke, oak & leather.
Palate:  A bit creamy on the mouthfeel initially, roasted corn flakes that gives way to a burnt, oak note with a hint of clove as it quickly dries.
Finish:  Short and drying.
Comments:  When I think “corn whiskey”, my mind immediately imagines Mellow Corn Bottled-In-Bond. Honestly, I prefer that over this. On a positive note, this has helped me better appreciate the term “flavoring grain” when describing the wheat or rye in a bourbon mashbill. I once thought “Wow – isn’t that throwing some shade at corn?”, but no – it isn’t. I bought this bottle out of curiosity. I’d never had corn whiskey with significant age – and now I know why it isn’t widely available. To me, this starts off similar to the 4 yr BIB version – corn sweetness (with a bit more smoke), but then it dries out fairly quickly. The sweetness isn’t replaced with anything – it just sorta disappears. While not hugely disappointed that I bought it – if I had a chance to try it first, I honestly wouldn’t have.
Rating: Probably Pass

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Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 11 yr Spring 2018

Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Series
Spring 2018 Release: 11 years old

50% ABV
$110
Website

What the Distiller Says
As the leader of the Bottled-in-Bond category, Heaven Hill is proud to offer a premium, allocated product within this special class that showcases the authenticity and quality of the American Whiskey portfolio. Acquired in 1999 by Heaven Hill, the legendary Old Fitzgerald line is well-known for its distilling pedigree and intriguing story behind its namesake, John E. Fitzgerald. Comprised of barrels produced from February through May of 2006, and bottled in April of 2018, the first release ushers in the latest hallmark series to the Bottled-in-Bond legacy.

Each Spring and Fall, a new edition of the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond series is released. Bottled in an ornate decanter inspired by an original 1950’s Old Fitzgerald diamond decanter, the series reflects the traditions of both the Old Fitzgerald history tied to John E. Fitzgerald and the historic Bottled-in-Bond designation. The Old Fitzgerald line is well-known for its distilling pedigree as the brand was first registered in the 1884 by S.C. Herbst, and was eventually sold to Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle during Prohibition. Pappy moved production of Old Fitz to his distillery where it became the first great Wheated Bourbon. In 1999, Heaven Hill bought the Old Fitzgerald brand and began distilling it at the Bernheim Distillery in Louisville.

Tasting Notes
Color: Deep amber
Nose: Vanilla and dried fruit
Taste: Sweet smooth toffee and caramel
Finish: Cherry and spice on the center of the tongue

What Gary Says
Nose: Soft and sweet, cinnamon toast and vanilla wafers, a hint of nutmeg and oak.
Palate:  Crisply sweet, coffee cake w/ a caramel icing and cinnamon dusted, a hint of cocoa and some oak.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with pepper spice as it trails off.
Comments: This is a perfectly nice wheated bourbon. For me, this hits different from the standard Old Fitz line where Heaven Hill’s house style shines through (again – for me that is a eucalyptus/minty crispness). The crispness is there, but I don’t get that mint note. If tasting blind, I wouldn’t have guessed this was from Heaven Hill. Quite tasty – and a lovely bottle – but just not all that impressive to me; especially for the price. Keep in mind – I’m not a big fan of aged wheaters (yes, I’m one of the outliers who doesn’t really care for Pappy; different strokes). So if you are, maybe this hits you in some amazing way. Again – a very nice pour that isn’t flawed; other than not standing out for me as being particularly special..
Rating: Stands Out

I would like to thank my dad for sending me home with a sample to review.

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