Bourbon

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Bourbon

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Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year

53.5% ABV
$60
Website

What the Distiller Says

This wonderful bourbon is bottled as close to barrel proof as possible. We add just a splash of our Kentucky limestone well-water when we empty the barrels for bottling. Thus, this whiskey is as smooth as any you will find.

Tasting notes
See a rich, copper color. Smell enticingly sweet, spicy, caramel-nut-fudge aromas. Enjoy a fruity, medium-to full-bodied palate with intense dried fruit and toasted nuts notes. Each sip finishes with a very long, bold wave of peppery brown spices, floral honey and charred barrel flavors that balance the weight of the alcohol. It’s a big, bold, aged bourbon that has great balance for its high proof and flavor.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Dark chocolate, caramel, brown sugar, oak, allspice with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, slight musty smoke note; bit of water tamps down the sweet a bit, bringing more of the oak out.
Palate:  Warm, sweet with vanilla, caramel, cocoa before turning sharp with allspice and oak; some water tamps down the edge and brings out the caramel with a hint of raisins.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with a bit of pepper bite kicking in.
Comments:  For a wheated bourbon, this has more edge to it than I remembered. While I do like a couple of drops of water in almost anything, this drinks better for me closer to 90 proof than the 107 from the bottle. This used to be one of my favorite bottles out of Buffalo Trace – when I could pick it up for less than $40. At the MSRP of $60, I’m less of a fan (and unfortunately it is often sold much higher than that – both at retail and elsewhere). Price aside, there aren’t many wheaters at this age and proof, so if you’re a fan of wheaters, I’d definitely make sure you try this (although I’d seek it out at a bar first). Even if you prefer rye-recipe bourbons, this has more spice/edge than most wheaters and is probably something you’d enjoy.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit

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Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit
(Bottled 5/19/2017, barrel 902, whs H, rick 4; Sherlock’s Selection)
50.5% ABV
$60
Website

What the Distiller Says
Kentucky Spirit is a 101 proof (50.5% alcohol), single-barrel bourbon, with each barrel personally chosen by Master Distiller Jimmy Russell. Known for being fuller bodied, with rich vanilla flavors and a hint of sweetness, it’s the perfect bourbon to enjoy neat. A complex layering of almonds, honey, blackberries, and leather gives way to a long, dark and lingering finish.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Caramel and vanilla mix with rickhouse-oak; subtle cinnamon and allspice; a tad astringent.
Palate:  Burnt salted caramel w/ spiced apple over oak.
Finish:  Moderate in length, with drying pepper spice.
Comments:  Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit is a single barrel Wild Turkey product, and as such there is some variability. The glass bottle itself is lovely – honestly the main reason I bought this particular bottle as I’d heard they might be changing the vessel. As a single barrel product – some are amazing, while others are simply alright (and there’s always a chance one is lousy – although in my experience this is rare). This one is pretty decent, but not amazing (for my taste buddies). It has a fair amount of oak but not too much – and is a bit sharp around the edges; although it takes some water like a champ and really rounds out nicely without losing its rye spice.
Rating: Stands Out

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Old Forester (Dusty; DSP-KY-414 circa 1985)

/ / Bourbon, Review, The Collector's Cabinet

Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky (DSP KY 414; 1985)
43% ABV
$40 (1.75 L)

What Gary Says
Nose:  Caramel, rice/tapioca pudding, toffee, pralines, vanilla, musty sandalwood and soft oak
Palate:  Sweet caramel crème brulee with a hint of nutmeg, touch of oak, and a subtle pepper spice (but little bite)
Finish:  Moderately short and wet
Comments:  I really like DSP-414 Old Forester – and the stuff from the mid-late 80s is really nice. While the label says this is 4 years old, I’m fairly sure this includes some older whiskey. As a dusty, acquiring a bottle like this can be crazy expensive at this time – and while I really enjoy it; I’d never pay the secondary market pricing for it. To be fair – this wasn’t bottled as a super-premium bourbon, and it isn’t. But if you are fortunate enough to spot one of these laying around a forgotten corner of some liquor store and pick one up retail, this punches well above its weight. This isn’t a complicated pour – but I love that about it. Just sweet, pretty well balanced with a touch of oak (and a bit less bite/spice than the current Old Forester). And it has that “thing” that a lot of older dusty bourbon has (and I apologize I can’t find the right words that really nail that). Just a more rich texture and a bit of a twang. If you’ve never had it – I would pay a premium for a pour at a bar just for the experience.
Rating: Stands Out

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Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut

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Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut
50% ABV
$23
Website

What the Distiller Says
Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey aged five to six years that features a medium body and combines caramel sweetness with charred oak, enriched with light fruit notes. The premium expression offers a smooth and complex mouthfeel with a warm, lightly charred oak finish – the perfect gift for a bourbon lover looking to try something different this holiday season. It has a dark amber color with aromas of soft charred oak, sweet caramel, vanilla and hints of dried fruit.
After aging, bourbon typically goes through a chill filtration process, which involves forcing the liquid through a dense filter to remove fatty acids formed during distillation. Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut skips this step, which results in a fuller taste and palate feel. This can also cause the liquid to look cloudier compared to filtered bourbons, especially on the rocks.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Rich, rickhouse oak with dark cocoa and that signature Beam peanut note; vanilla with a hint of cinnamon and anise.
Palate:  Nice mouthfeel – creamy and viscous; sweet vanilla caramel with cinnamon spice that creeps up but maintains a solid balance. Peppery as it fades.
Finish:  Moderately long and dry.
Comments:  This reminds me of a younger Knob Creek. I really love that this is non-chill filtered; the mouthfeel shines. This is a limited edition, although I hope they plan to release this same type of bourbon every year. It’s just flat out delicious, and a great value (which is hard to come by these days). I know some folks don’t care for the signature Beam-peanut twang, and I’m honestly not a huge fan of that. But it plays well here. I just can’t imagine anyone buying this and for the money feeling like they made a mistake.
Rating: Must Buy

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Jim Beam Double Oak

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Jim Beam Double Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finish in Oak
43% ABV
$25
Website

What the Distiller Says
TWO CHARRED BARRELS, ONE INTENSE BOURBON. Like all of our bourbons, the new Jim Beam® Double Oak is crafted in charred oak. Its rich flavor comes from being aged a second time in another separate barrel.

TWO CHARRED BARRELS, ONE INTENSE BOURBON.
Jim Beam® Double Oak is first aged in charred American white oak barrels, then we pour it into another freshly charred barrel to mature for a second time. The added interaction with the oak wood results in a liquid intense in flavour, smooth in taste.

What Gary Says
Nose: Beam’s signature peanut-twang, toasted crème brulee, vanilla and oak with a hint of cocoa.
Palate: Tad sharp but sweet tapioca and vanilla, caramel corn, hint of cinnamon and a dash of pepper over oak.
Finish: Short and drying with some pepper spice at the end.
Comments: Full disclosure – I bought this bottle as a joke (sorry Jimmy – thought I’d out-class your White Label at happy hour!) Well the joke was on me, because I really enjoy it! Is it my favorite bourbon I’ve tried in the past 12 months? No. Top 10? Probably not. But I like it a helluva lot more than I expected to. I’m not a big fan of Jim Beam White Label, nor am I a fan of heavy oak – so I had very low expectations going in. But for the price point – this is a very decent bottle of bourbon with better balance than I expected.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says
Nose: I swear that the more time goes by the more that peanut funk from Beam products becomes more pronounced. You either love it or hate it but all I get is that plus a vanilla and oak.
Palate: More sweet corn forward with a big helping of dry wood to the point of being almost bitter.
Finish: Wood. I’m just left with wood.
Comments: Beam is trying some new things. I appreciate that. They don’t charge you an arm and a leg for them either. I really appreciate that. But this whiskey is a bit of a one trick pony. It’s a very woody trick at that.
Rating: Average

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