Bourbon

Spirit of America Handcrafted Bourbon
43% ABV
$35

What the Distillery Says:
Our Father, Mike Roberts, had three true passions in life: family, entrepreneurship, and baseball. He also had a vision and a keen sense of seeing winners long before they ever became successful. After getting out of the service, he started his career in the spirits industry working for two industry legends: his cousin, Jules Berman, the original importer of Kahlua into America and his father, Joe Roberts, who ran the entire East Coast for Jules and later started his own creative marketing consulting company. After Kahlua, Mike worked for Glenmore Distillers in New York before relocating to South Florida in 1977 and taking a position with Florida Beverage Corporation. Mike was recruited by Southern Wine & Spirits in 1985. After 15 years with them, he took early retirement and began one of his true passions, entrepreneurship.

In 2013, we found the perfect team and launched our own Distillery in America’s Heartland in Downtown Indianapolis. In April 2014, we formed Hobson & Roberts Distilling Company. From this distillery, we are proud to bring you a line of fantastic tasting Whiskies and Bourbons that are 100% produced and bottled in the USA, and one Dad would be proud to call a winner.

In his spare time from 1990 – 2012, he ran one of the most respected 18u travel baseball programs in the country, The Florida Pokers. He was responsible for sending over 300 players to college to earn a degree and another three dozen into the Major Leagues. Coaching baseball and mentoring the youth of America is something he took great pride in.

During his time in the liquor industry and coaching baseball he tinkered with taking a risk on a brand he trademarked and briefly launched in 1980. Knowing this country needed to get back to its roots, back to creating jobs in the USA, and regaining a passion for being American; he knew this was the right time for “Spirit of America™”. Unfortunately he never found the right product, partner, and time to launch it.

Dad passed away Dec 27, 2012, never having the opportunity to see this one through. As a tribute to a man that did so much for so many, who Served His Country and lived his life by the true Spirit of America: Honor, Pride, Integrity & Hard Work, we went searching for that partner.

In 2013, we found those partners in Jake Ireland and Master Distiller, Stuart Hobson and launched our own Distillery in America’s Heartland in Downtown Indianapolis. In April 2014, we formed Hobson & Roberts Distilling Company. From this distillery, we are proud to bring you a line of fantastic tasting Whiskies and Bourbons that are 100% produced and bottled in the USA, and one Dad would be proud to call a winner.

In honor of the Spirit of America and for the men and women who defend our country, we are donating $1 from every bottle sold to Hope for the Warriors®. Please raise a glass with us to toast not only our Father, but to the true SPIRIT OF AMERICA.
Love You Dad!!

Spirit of America™ Bourbon is a unique, wheated, American Bourbon born in the Heartland of the USA and handcrafted to be the greatest American Whiskey in the world.
Proof: 86
Mash Bill: 51% Corn, 45% Wheat, 4% Malted Barley
Tasting notes: Warm smell of Vanilla, toasted oak, spice and sweet caramel
Finish: Sweet and Smooth

Our partner, MGP selects only the finest Midwestern wheat and Indiana provides a home to the perfect year round climate for this crop. Distilling from wheat is easier to use and matures at a much faster rate. This allows a younger bourbon to provide an amazingly mellow tasting experience every bit as good, if not better, than older aged rye and corn bourbons. Our master distiller selects small batches of Spirit of America™ to blend and bottle in our own classic house style, leaving you with a long lasting, satisfying finish that stands up to any palate. SOA is a bourbon lovers dream; Truly a World Class Bourbon.

What Richard Says:
Nose: I took this to a gathering to see what others thought and one comment that kind of stuck was the similarity to Maker’s Mark on the nose. Light and slightly sweet, nutty with a wisp of vanilla and bit of licorice..
Palate: Sweet…like REALLY sweet. It almost borders on liqueur sweet. Vanilla cream filling and caramel chews.
Finish: Light and fleeting.
Comments: As far as I know, this is the first commercially released bottling of MGP’s new wheated mashbill bourbon that they started distilling in 2013. For that alone the curiosity might make me buy this. Add to it the unusually high wheat percentage mashbill and I can feel the whiskey acquisition disorder kicking in. However, the two years of age kind of works the other way. After tasting it I can say it is much better than I expected. This new mashbill has serious promise. At two years this is easily drinkable. It’s really more of a mixer but it’s not bad on it’s own either.
Rating: Stands Out

Our thanks to Simply the Best PR for sending over a bottle for review.

Elijah Craig Aged 23 Years Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Barrel No 28
45% ABV
$200
Website

What the Distillery Says:
Continuing the tradition of the acclaimed line of extra-aged Bourbons, Heaven Hill is proud to offer a limited edition release of Elijah Craig 23-Year-Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. This bottling follows up on the success of the sold-out Elijah Craig 20-Year-Old Single Barrel, released in the Spring of 2012 and named “American Whiskey of the Year” by Whisky Advocate magazine, and the Elijah Craig 21-Year-Old, released in 2013 and designated “Excellent/Highly Recommended“ at the 2013 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

At 23 years of age, quite advanced for a Bourbon, which of course by law must age in a new charred white oak barrel, barrel selection becomes of tantamount importance. Barrels that age for that long on the highest floors of the rickhouse, where temperature extremes are greatest, can become too woody or tannic. The barrels for Elijah Craig 23-Year-Old Single Barrel are drawn from the middle floors of the rickhouses, where the effects of long aging are mitigated by the more moderate temperature fluctuations. This careful barrel selection, drawn from Heaven Hill’s inventory of over one million aging barrels, means the whiskey offers depth and complexity while still perfectly maintaining the delicate balance between barrel and distillate. This premier Bourbon is a must have for any connoisseur’s collection.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Rich wood, worn leather, hints of burnt caramel, but quite “wood dominant”.
Palate: Plenty of wood, coffee cake, burnt sugar.
Finish: Long and drying, and a bit softer than I expected.
Comments: When bourbon spends 23 yrs in a barrel, you expect a lot of wood – and this delivers. I tend to prefer my bourbon younger than this, but appreciate that while it had a lot of wood – it wasn’t as oaky as I thought it might be. If you like older bourbon with plenty of oak, this might be right up your alley, although the price makes it one whose craftsmanship I’ll admire from afar.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: When you open the bottle after a long closure it’s almost rum like. As it breathes it opens into old polished leather, tobacco, lots of wood and a toffee sweetness.
Palate: Age forward with a back sweetness. The heavy wood influence stands out for sure. Behind it is a nutty note and Fig Newton sweetness that balance out quite nicely.
Finish: Cocoa powdered dusted on wet toothpicks. It’s a rather long but unchanging finish.
Comments: Very nice yes but I’m thinking 23 years is a bit too long. If you ever thought the 18 Year was too woody then steer clear of this one because it has WAY more influence from the barrel. The more older bourbons I taste (or I should say am fortunate enough to taste) the more I’m thinking 20 plus years is just too damn long. 8 to 15 years seems to be my sweet spot with a few exceptions 2-3 years on either end. This is a damn fine bourbon for sure but not for everyone.
Rating: Stands Out

Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 17 Year
Batch 0001, Bottle No 17484
43.4% ABV
$150
Website

What the Distillery Says:
LAWRENCEBURG, KY (AUGUST 4, 2015) – They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and never was this more the case than in the legendary Bourbon-making Kentucky clan – the Russells. Marking his first release since being appointed to Master Distiller in January 2015 alongside his father, Eddie Russell and his Wild Turkey family announce the release of Wild Turkey® Master’s Keep. This limited edition, 17-year-old Bourbon heralds the next chapter of an extraordinary distilling family’s history. After 34 years perfecting his trade, Eddie joined his father, Jimmy Russell, at the helm of Wild Turkey, making them the only father and son master distilling duo in the industry with an amazing 95 years of whiskey making experience.

The story of Master’s Keep begins in 1997. Wild Turkey had a surplus of Bourbon and no warehouse space left, so Eddie needed a place to store and age the extra barrels. A friend at another distillery offered his empty stone warehouses, but Eddie knew these would age the Bourbon differently than the wooden warehouses at Wild Turkey. He decided to take a chance and experiment a little, and so the barrels spent several years in stone warehouses before eventually coming back to Wild Turkey’s wooden ones. After 17 years and 200 miles, Eddie felt these traveling barrels had reached their peak flavor. It is fair to say that this Bourbon is a welcome innovation in long-aged whiskey. And, much to his surprise, when the barrels were dumped they were at a much lower proof than anticipated. Barreled at 107 proof, the whiskey was 89 proof when dumped and 86.8 proof (43.4% alc./vol.) when bottled – a result of the time these particular barrels spent aging in stone warehouses.

Master’s Keep is the result of a lot of experimentation, patience and faith, said Eddie Russell. The sweet spot for Bourbon aging is usually between 8-12 years because older Bourbons tend to become too woody or spicy from sitting too long in the barrel. What I was able to do with Master’s Keep was retain the Bourbon’s rich caramel and vanilla flavors by aging the barrels in both stone and wood warehouses, sampling from them every few months to decide their next move.”

Jimmy Russell added, “I tend to not like Bourbons aged longer than 12 or 13 years because they lose the caramel and vanilla flavors, but Eddie and I both agree thanks to the unique way this whiskey was aged we have something special here that we truly hope our Wild Turkey fans and Bourbon connoisseurs enjoy.”

Master’s Keep is delicate yet distinctly Wild Turkey. With a smooth and silky introduction that transforms into caramel and vanilla sweetness, and finishes with a satisfying burst of spiciness and oak, it is one of the finest sipping whiskies to ever come from the distillery. It is a golden hue, perhaps lighter than one might expect from a 17 year old whiskey. The color is attributed to the whiskey’s time in the stone warehouses, where the liquid would have less interaction with the barrel’s charred wood thanks to the cooler temperatures within.

Delivered in a distinguished bottle that reflects the craftsmanship and passion that went into the Bourbon itself, Master’s Keep is made of the highest quality crystalline glass. The bottle’s unparalleled clarity showcases the rich color of the liquid, while the intricately embossed work of art brings the iconic image of the wild turkey to life in a way that you can see and feel in exquisite detail. This latest limited-edition from the iconic Bourbon brand will be available nationally in small quantities starting in August 2015 for a suggested retail price of $150.

Tasting Notes:
Aroma: Fruity, smoky, oak, spice, vanilla
Taste: Creamy, citrus caramel candy, spicy, hints of smoky oak
Finish: Caramel, vanilla, woody, spice, very smooth

What Gary Says:
Nose: Soft wood, a rickhouse in the fall; anise is prominent but not overbearing, nice vanilla and baking spices with a hint of cinnamon.
Palate: Softer than a typical Wild Turkey bourbon (it isn’t what I would call Wild Turkey “amplified”), sweet cornbread (but not “corn” as in young whiskey – no mistaking that!), light spice, candied almonds.
Finish: Moderately long and lingering.
Comments: As a 17 yr old bourbon, it is not nearly as oaky as I expected – either on the nose or the palate. Quite mild and gentle. I find Wild Turkey to typically be bolder, with more dominant rye spice – so this was a departure from that. I like it quite a bit, but the pricing (which I can’t fault them for in this market) puts this as one I will admire from afar (but sample when offered someone else’s!)
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Rich and creamy, oozing with spicy oak, aged tobacco, and vanilla extract.
Palate: This has the best mouth feel of any sub 100 proof bourbon I’ve had. There is a clear oak and black pepper forward spice from the long years of aging but there is a nice rich sweetness like sweet corn pudding and burnt toffee.
Finish: This finishes a little hot with lots of oak and spice.
Comments: When I was at Wild Turkey in April picking a Georgia Bourbon Society barrel we spent a good bit of time with Eddie Russell. He gave us a heads up on this pending release and I’ve been looking forward to it ever since. The odd chemistry that led this to be such a low proof leaves it deceptively robust for an 86.6 proof bourbon. The price is pushing the boundaries of reasonable for me and I would say Must Try at $100 but coming it at $150 it’s good but really more only for those with the financial means.
Rating: Stands Out

We would like to thank Campari and Edible PR for sending over a bottle for review.