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.
57.5% ABV $80 Website We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.
What the Distillery Says
Lux Row Distillers Introduces Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbon Latest offering, featuring Lux Row’s ryed- and wheated-bourbon mashbills, will be offered in limited allocations starting in August 2023
ST. LOUIS (July 17, 2023) – Bardstown, Kentucky-based Lux Row Distillers is offering the best of both worlds by combining its ryed- and wheated-bourbon mashbills with the introduction of Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbon. A limited allocation of 7,500 (6-pack) cases will start arriving at retail this August at a suggested price of $79.99 per 750 ml bottle.
Offered at 115 proof, Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbon is the combination of a single barrel of 4-year-old wheated bourbon and a single barrel of 4-year-old ryed bourbon. The wheated mashbill produces a smoother bourbon with caramel and citrus notes and velvety oak finish, while the ryed mashbill produces a spicier bourbon with hints of caramel and vanilla and smooth, mellow finish. Together, the bourbon’s four grains (corn, wheat, rye and malted barley) come together in a balanced, flavorful mix of both mashbills.
“The enormous popularity of our Lux Row 12 Year Bourbon, despite being a Kentucky-only distillery-exclusive offering, inspired the creation of a bourbon that could be offered in all markets. The result is Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbon,” said Eric Winter, whiskey brand manager at Luxco. “The ‘double single barrel mashbill’ is a direct innovation from Lux Row 12 Year’s double barrel mashbill. Combining Lux Row Distillers’ two mashbills in this fashion has created a unique four-grain bourbon with a well-balanced taste that is certain to become a favorite of both ryed- and wheated-bourbon drinkers.”
Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel is offered in the same high-end bottle as Lux Row 12 Year and will feature a front metal-plate Lux Row logo and custom metal-plate collar. The customized bottom label features each bottle’s barrel number and fill date for each of the two single barrels utilized. The side and neck label call out the four-grain aspect of the bourbon’s mashbill.
TASTING NOTES AROMA: Oak, caramel, and vanilla PALATE: Caramel, citrus, vanilla, and cinnamon FINISH: Velvety smooth, with a mellow oak finish
What Gary Says
Nose: Caramel, citrus zest, vanilla, grilled corn, oak and honey. Palate: Caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, honey, bit of citrus zest and medium-roast coffee. Finish: Moderate in length, damp with cinnamon, honey, caramel and oak. Comments: I’m a big fan of the Lux Row 12 Year Double Barrel Limited Edition. As Lux Row notes, this is in the same bottle (which is a nice, hefty bottle with a solid topper if you’re into that), and is similar in the ‘double single barrel’ concept. Some key differences are that this is four grain (using one wheated bourbon and one rye bourbon), where the 12 year is all the rye mashbill. Another key difference is the age. I do appreciate the transparency by Lux Row to note the age as 4 years, since many would just not call it out – and age isn’t everything, or even the most important thing. All that said, I did find this to come across on the young side, with some notes of grilled corn on the nose (which with a bit of water brings out popcorn). There aren’t any offputting notes – four years old is bottled-in-bond minimum, and a solid bourbon. But for the price of $80, unless you’re really wanting to have a nice bottle or are trying to fill a hole in your collection with a four-grain bourbon (which there aren’t a ton of admittedly), this one might be tough. I like it well enough, but at this price point, I feel there are plenty of offerings I’ve had (including from Lux Row) at half the price that I like just as well, or maybe more.
Old Hickory Hermitage Reserve Barrel Proof Whiskey
58.5% ABV $55-60 Website We would like to thank RS Lipman for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
Intriguing aromas of vanilla bean, banana brioche, marmalade, and sweet corn brulee with an essence of sandalwood. Graceful on the palate featuring flavors of caramel corn, toffee, and orange zest with a hint of cocoa, all gently wrapped in warm, subtle notes of oak. The extended aging lengthens the taste profile and results in an incredibly smooth, approachable barrel-proof whiskey, matured in 18-year-old ex-bourbon barrels.
A quote from Robert Lipman, owner of RS Lipman: “We are extremely proud of the recipe and mash bill we developed with our distiller partner using whiskey that was laid down back in 2008. Our goal was a barrel proof whiskey that is nicely balanced with color coming only from the ex-bourbon barrels. Sam used his expertise to bring this vision to life by creating a 117-proof whiskey that is mellow, easy to sip and natural in color. We could not be more pleased with the results.”
Aged 10 Years* Mash Bill: 99% Corn 1% Malted Barley Limited Release *The bottle is age stated at 10 years old, which indicates the youngest whiskey included in the batch. Per their website, the majority of the whiskey is 13 years old.
What Gary Says
Nose: Rich vanilla custard with banana, creamed corn and toasted oak. Palate: Caramel corn, honey, toffee, bit of orange zest and pepper. Finish: Moderately long with honey, corn and pepper spice. Comments: If they’d had asked me, I’d have suggested NOT using 18 year old bourbon barrels. 18 years is a long time, and while used bourbon barrels go off to give life to other whiskies, I think that they’ve given up a lot of their flavor over 18 years. This is interesting, but I’m just not a fan of really old corn whiskey. I bought a bottle of Heaven Hill Select Stock: 14 Yr Corn Whiskey several years back (paying $100) and thought that was a complete waste of money and time. Granted, this is just over half that price, and honestly tastes much better. If you’re a fan of corn whiskey, and have wondered what it might be like with more age than you typically see, this won’t break the bank (and is a unique offering in that respect). Corn just doesn’t take on a lot of complexity with age in my experience, or maybe it is the use of tired barrels.
Macaloney’s The Peat Project Series: Single Cask Portuguese Red Wine STR Cask with Washington Peat Canadian Island Peated (54 ppm) Single Malt Whisky
46% ABV $135 Website We would like to thank Macaloney’s Island Distillery for sending us a sample to review.
What the Distillery Says
Distillery smoked using Washington Peat and carefully crafted in a premium Portuguese Red Wine STR Cask
This single cask release comes from a select re-charred red wine barrique, with a peat ‘terroir’ from Washington State (Canadian and Islay peat coming soon).
The nose has medium peat smoke, wood ash, floral notes, fruit, heather, lemongrass, juicy malt, nutmeg & cinnamon. The palate is creamy, very smooth and pleasantly warming, with big peat and waves of peat smoke, heather brush fire, wood wash and tropical fruits. Finishes with floral nectar, a dry malt sweetness, coconut milk, hint of salt and lingering smoke.
Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered
What Gary Says
Nose: Earthy peat, minerality, salty sea air, caramel, subtle fruit, nylon rope, lemongrass and cinnamon. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, fruity with peat smoke, earthy mineral note, pepper, caramel and ashy. Finish: Moderate in length, drying with red berries, peat and sale. Comments: The peat is turned up in this cask, and for my palate maybe too much? Or at least too much for this particular cask? Just not as well balanced as the others and a bit one dimensional for my liking.
