Average

Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon

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Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon

48% ABV
$40
Website
Daviess County Straight Bourbon
We would like to thank Lux Row Distillers and Common Ground PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

A nod to the past. A sip of the future.
With a heritage dating back to 1874, Daviess County Distilling Company was one of the first great bourbon distilleries of Kentucky. It also paved the way for more than a dozen other distilleries that opened in Daviess County pre-Prohibition.

Now, in honor of the county’s rich history, we are reintroducing Daviess County Bourbon to the world.

A unique combination of two bourbon mashbills – a smooth wheated and a traditional ryed – for a balanced sweetness and spice.

“The combination of mash bills really sets this bourbon apart – the smooth wheated mash bill and the traditional spicy ryed mash bill come together for a balanced taste profile,” says John Rempe, Head Distiller at Lux Row Distillers.

TASTING NOTES
AROMA: Honey, vanilla, and caramel
PALATE: Smooth notes of honey, vanilla, and caramel
FINISH: Long, warm, sweet finish with a hint of spice

What Gary Says

Nose:  Fresh hewn oak, vanilla bean, roasted corn bread with butter and honey, subtle baking spices, a hint of caramel.
Palate:  Sweet and smooth with honey, vanilla, a hint of caramel corn followed by a touch of allspice and gentle pepper.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length with honey and soft spice.
Comments:  This is a pretty nice bourbon. Appreciate it being bottled at 96 proof, although it drinks like a lower proof bourbon to me. Nice balance, and definitely softer than a typical rye-mashbill bourbon, but a bit more spice than a typical wheater. Lux Row Distillery hasn’t been distilling long enough to have a no-age statement straight bourbon (and to be clear, their label doesn’t try to claim that in any way). I inquired if they would share who distilled this particular product, and their response was as follows:  Yes, this is sourced bourbon as the Lux Row Distillers distillate is still resting comfortably in their barrels. We have many relationships in the bourbon industry that have been great partners over the years. There is nothing wrong with sourced bourbon, and if I had to guess, the distillate came Heaven Hill (who make some pretty damn good whiskey).  All that said, other than striking a solid balance between wheater and rye, this one didn’t leave a memorable impression.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Wild Turkey 101 – 8 Years Old (Export)

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Wild Turkey 101 – 8 Years Old
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Export; Sold in Japan

50.5% ABV
$25
Website
Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon 8 Years

What the Distillery Says

For more than 60 years, legendary Master Distiller Jimmy Russell has been crafting Wild Turkey 101 the right way. With a high rye content, this iconic bourbon is perfectly aged in American White Oak barrels with the deepest char for more character.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Musty oak, vanilla, bitter chocolate, cinnamon spice with nutty caramel.
Palate:  Classic Wild Turkey spice – cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper with honey and vanilla, just a hint of dark chocolate and caramel.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with pepper spice and oak trailing.
Comments:  This is only available in select export markets (this isn’t the ‘dusty’ 8 yr you may have found in the states years ago).  To benchmark it, I first sampled it in a blind side-by-side with current Wild Turkey 101.  Personal preferences will vary, but I actually liked the domestic NAS Wild Turkey 101 over this – although they were insanely close.  This had just a touch more oak and a touch less caramel to me than the other, but were incredibly similar.  That said – this didn’t strike me as something special I’d seek out (and I take some comfort in knowing that I’m not missing out).  Although if you like more oak in your bourbon, this might edge out what you find on the shelf – although again, the differences weren’t significant to me.

Rating: Average

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Joseph Magnus Private Barrel Bourbon Finished in Cognac Casks

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Joseph Magnus Exclusive Private Barrel Bourbon
Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cognac Casks

Liquor Barn – Bottle 3 of 135

52.1% ABV
$100-$130 (varies by age/retailer)
Website
Joseph Magnus Bourbon Exclusive Private Barrel

What the Producer Says

Jos. A. Magnus is pleased to offer a limited private barrel selection program. Contact us for more information.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich and fruity, cinnamon with toffee, caramel, notes of balsamic, and a slight mineral note.
Palate:  Butterscotch & toffee soaked in brandy, honey, vanilla with a pepper spice.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying to oak and cinnamon dusted apple chips.
Comments:  As a single barrel program, these will vary from selection to selection, including age (this particular bottle didn’t list any age, but I’ve seen several that do) and finishing cask. This particular offering was a cognac finish, and a bit heavy handed on the finish for my liking. I’ve participated in private selections where the timing from the selection to bottling stretches out many months, so not sure if this was what they had wanted (fans of cognac might love it!) A bit of water improves this one quite a bit, and while the finish is a bit more prominent for my liking, I wouldn’t turn down a pour if offered.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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El Dorado 15 Year Old Rum

/ / Other Spirits, Review / ,

El Dorado 15 Year Old Special Reserve Finest Demerara Rum

40% ABV
$50
Website
El Dorado 15 Yr Rum

What the Distillery Says

This rum has been laid down in oak barrels for at least 15 years then artfully blended using the Enmore and Diamond Coffey Stills, the Port Mourant Double Wooden Pot Still and the Versailles Single Wooden Pot Still – for you to savor and enjoy

Tasting Notes
Full nose packed with dark coffee, candied orange, almonds, dark chocolate, pepper and rich vanilla. Beautifully rounded palate with a great spread of flavours: grilled tropical fruit with smooth oaky spice – silky, vibrant and moderately full-bodied.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Similar to the 12 yr with more brown sugar and molasses, a bit more of an herbal quality (celery?) and roasted coconut husks.
Palate:  Bit more candied orange, along with bits of kiwi and green plantains in dark molasses, little pepper and oak.
Finish:  Short and dry, more bitter than the 12 yr with a wisp of pepper.
Comments:  I definitely prefer this over the 12 yr. The nose is a small step up, but the palate made a much bigger leap (almost to where I enjoy the nose and palate equally, but not quite). The finish isn’t much better.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

El Dorado 12 Year Old Finest Demerara Rum

40% ABV
$35
Website
El Dorado Special Reserve 12 Year Old Rum

What the Distillery Says

This rum has been laid down in oak barrels for at least 12 years producing a rich and diverse spirit. Blended to perfection using a combination of the Enmore and Diamond Coffey Stills and the Port Mourant Double Wooden Pot Still.

Tasting Notes
Lush tropical fruit and spice nose with hints of honey and dark sugar. The profile is round, mellow and full bodied with rich flavors of fruits and spice. The finish is delightful, elegant and dry.

NOTE: Back in April 2009, El Dorado 12 Yr was actually our 9th review (ever) on this site. My notes below are new, but including both Richard & Matt’s notes from that review below as well.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Crème brûlée that’s extra toasty, floral notes, coconut, tobacco, subtle orange zest with bits of toffee.
Palate:  Sweet with a touch of candied orange, vanilla, a hint of cinnamon and a slightly sour oak note.
Finish:  Short and drying, with a slightly bitter molasses note.
Comments:  I’m not a rum aficionado. Richard had bequeathed a sample set from El Dorado which included the 12 yr, 15 yr, and 21 yr for site review – so I assumed (yeah, I know what it means) that it hadn’t been reviewed. It wasn’t until I was putting together the post that I realized the boys had review this over 10 yrs ago. We all had a bit of a different take on this one, although like them I found the nose to stand out while the palate was highly ordinary (and agree with Richard – I don’t buy to just smell!) I will say this isn’t as syrupy sweet as some other rums, which I appreciate.

Rating: Average

What Matt says:

Nose: It has your typical rum notes (vanilla, caramelized sugar), but there are also some botanicals in there. It is almost like a craft gin married with a somewhat typical rum.
Palate: Vanilla, the sugar moves a little toward burnt from the nicely caramelized nose, there is also an oak component.
Finish: Here the sugar moves all the way to burnt with a long alcoholic burn.
Comments: Rum has never been my favorite alcoholic beverage. In my youth, I had too many encounters with inferior rums like Captain Morgan or Bacardi. I did not really appreciate rum until I spent some time in the Caribbean, where rum is a part of the culture. I discovered that rum can be really good. Indeed, rum is starting to become part of the craft distillation movement. This means that rum will be increasingly drinkable as a stand-alone. This rum lives up to those standards. This means that it holds up to being served neat. However, compared to other craft rums, this lacks a little nuance on the palate. The palate just does not deliver what the nose promised. This makes the rating a little difficult. By the standards of every rum on the market, I would say that it stands out, but compared to craft rums it is only average. In fact, I would recommend Appleton’s, a widely available macro-rum, above this one.

Rating: Average

What Richard says:

Nose: Burnt caramel, vanilla, candied apricots, honey-dipped oranges, a hint of mint, floral notes of lavender and…rose? Very, very sweet. You can almost taste the sugar cane through the nose.
Palate: All sugar and alcohol. As lovely as the nose was, the palate is very two dimensional.
Finish: Heavy on the alcohol. It kind of finishes like a strong cough syrup.
Comments: I am admittedly not the most well versed rum drinker. That said, this stands out against your baseline Bacardi and Captain Morgan. That palate and finish aren’t noteworthy but nose is exceptional. But we buy it to drink it not to smell it.

Rating: Average

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