100% Agave | Aged In Oak For One Year PROTECTED APPELLATION OF ORIGIN MADE IN MEXICO
Origin: Zacatecas. Agave tequilana
What Gary Says
DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Mezcal (so read at your own risk!) Nose: Sweet, subtle with vanilla, honey and oak. Palate: Sweet with vanilla and honey, just a hint of oak. Finish: Short and drying with vanilla and a bit of pepper. Comments: This is similar to the Luminar Mezcal Reposado, except the additional months in oak seem to rob it of its character, leaving it mellow but flat. I expected to like this the most, but in fact this was my least favorite of the three. This could have been a mashbill of almost anything, which was disappointing.
100% Agave | Aged In Oak For Three Months PROTECTED APPELLATION OF ORIGIN MADE IN MEXICO
Origin: Zacatecas. Agave tequilana
What Gary Says
DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Mezcal (so read at your own risk!) Nose: Sweet, vegetal with green pepper, touch of vanilla and honey, only a hint of cigar smoke and a bit of detergent. Palate: Viscous, sweet with vanilla, a touch of corn and honey. Finish: Short and drying, sweet with honey, vanilla and roasted corn. Comments: Very similar to the Luminar Mezcal Joven, except with bits of vanilla and honey. In color, this has just a subtle, golden hue. Also similar is the noticeable absence of smoke. While I liked this better than the Joven, that’s not a ringing endorsement.
100% Agave PROTECTED APPELLATION OF ORIGIN MADE IN MEXICO
Origin: Zacatecas. Agave tequilana
What Gary Says
DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Mezcal (so read at your own risk!) Nose: Sweet, vegetal with fresh but mild green pepper, only a hint of cigar smoke. Palate: Viscous, sweet with a vegetal note and a hint of corn and honey. Finish: Short and drying, sweet with roasted corn. Comments: Picked up a 50 mL of this along with two other Luminar offerings. Some of the reviews I’ve read on this called out that it is more like a tequila than a mezcal. While not terribly familiar with either, this definitely isn’t smokey like I’ve come to expect with mezcal. Pretty uninspiring and forgettable.
If the older one isn’t being made anymore, why bother? Well, when I posted a review in 2022 of the newer version, someone commented that they tried it and didn’t like it – preferring the older version. I hadn’t had Dewar’s 12 in ages, so I sought to find an older bottling in case this helps fans of the label with how they are different. This comparison is from a couple of blind side-by-side comparisons, and is focused on the differences.
The Differences
Older
Newer
Package
Colored Glass Bottle
Clear Glass Bottle
What Gary Found Different
Older
Newer
Nose:
Subtle with apples, vanilla, floral notes and malt.
Richer with honey suckle, apples, pears, vanilla, peaches, subtle soft smoke with an earthy mineral note.
Palate:
Creamy with a round mouthfeel, vanilla, malt, pears, apples, honey and a subtle earthy note.
Creamy mouthfeel with more flavor intensity, fruity with peaches, kiwi, pears, apples and a bit of nutmeg.
Finish:
Moderate in length, damp with honey and dried fruit.
Moderate in length with vanilla, honey and fruit notes (pretty similar here).
Comments:
Nothing off-putting here to me, but also nothing that really stands out. This reminds me of what I had thought ‘blended scotch’ was before I had experienced some truly remarkable blends (thanks Compass Box for opening my eyes there!)
When I was sent a sample of this to review last year, I was really surprised by how much I liked it. 6 months after that review was posted, a reader remarked on it that he much preferred the old, so I sought a bottle of the older version out for just this tasting. Glad I did, as I’ll sleep well knowing I don’t need to go and dusty hunt for them! This is absolutely a step up in my opinion; more flavor depth and complexity for the same price? Thank you Dewars!
Frank. The state of being open, honest and sincere. A philosophy we have built our brand upon. Bourbon is America’s native spirit, but as intrinsically steeped in the American experience as bourbon is, it has predominantly had one story; one of origin. Respectfully, we believe there is a more expansive story to tell, one that belongs to all of us because it will be told by all of us. Frank August exists to evolve the identity of bourbon by uniting authenticity with modernity. Taking the best of where we’ve been and projecting those ideals into where we have yet to go. So let the story of bourbon continue; as the story of Frank August begins.
Frank August is a call to be open and undisguised. An invitation to come together and share in America’s spirit.
We believe bourbon has a more expansive story to tell. One that belongs to all of us because it will be told by all of us.
Frank August is a modern expression of what bourbon is…what it can represent.
America’s Spirit. Be Frank.
SMALL BATCH: 10-15 BARRELS 750 ML DISTILLED, AGED & BOTTLED IN KENTUCKY
TASTING NOTES: APPEARANCE: A rich auburn with full legs that beautifully coats the glass. NOSE: Frank August’s Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon opens with hints of caramel and vanilla that are balanced with warm oak and mild baking spices which warm the senses. PALATE: Echoes those initial sweet caramel and vanilla notes on the front of your tongue, with cinnamon and rye bread spices coming forward, as it gradually transitions to the back of your tongue. At 100 proof, it is a perfect balance of heat and smoothness that warms your mouth, while hints of brown and malt sugars begin to present themselves. FINISH: As flavors of vanilla, oak and baking spices transition through all senses, it leaves a medium – long finish, wanting you to pour another glass.
What Gary Says
Nose: Caramel, vanilla, oak, hint of chocolate and wood spices, bit of anise and leather. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel with caramel, vanilla, nutty with cinnamon, a hint of milk chocolate and fruit. Finish: Moderately long and damp with honey, caramel and trailing spice notes. Comments: This is a decent bourbon. There’s a bit of complexity to it above and beyond a $20 bottle, and maybe the small batches leads to high variability so some are much better than others. I was underwhelmed – not that there was anything objectionable other than the price. If this was half the price, or even $40, I’d say it stands-out.