Average

Black Maple Hill Premium Small Batch Bourbon Aged Sixteen Years

47.5% ABV
$125-$150
Website

What the Distillery Says:

Nothing really. If you want some great background on Black Maple Hill check out this by Chuck Cowdery.

What Richard Says:

Nose: Fresh out of the bottle this is a raw hairy beast breaking out of the cage. Very rough. Let it sit in the glass a bit and breath and you get toffee, vanilla, broken cigarette tobacco, and old broken finished pine. Think of a old pine dresser that split in a move.
Palate: Heavy on the wood and then a big smack of black pepper and rye. This did not age like a Buffalo Trace (George T. Stagg) or Stitzel Weller (Pappy Van Winkle) bourbon. The wood clearly dominates. It’s not bad but there’s not balance here.
Finish: Very tannic and dry. It’s like the driest Cabernet Sauvignon you’ve ever tried.
Comments: I saw, I coveted, I bought. It cost me $130 plus tax. Don’t make the same mistake. It’s not awful but at or below the price point there are SO MANY better tasting bourbons out there. I know there are devoted followers at the pantheon of Black Maple Hill but the bourbons I drank ten years ago are not the ones being bottled now. Some folks like Dave Driscoll over at K&L still sing the praise. I don’t really see what they see in it but that’s one of the great things about taste. It’s personal so drink what you like. However, at $130 a bottle I would suggest you try before you buy. This is not a white whale you need to hunt.

Rating: Average

Redemption High-Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey

(From 2013; note mash bill & packaging has since changed)
Batch 047, Bottle 2051
46% ABV
$22-$26
Website

What the Bottler Says:
We think you can never have too much rye, so our High-Rye Bourbon mash-bill approaches the upper limit of allowable rye grain in a bourbon mash-bill. Bottled at 92 proof the dry spiciness of the rye balances the sweetness of the corn for a really wonderful sipping experience on its own or in classic cocktail recipes.

38.2% Premium Rye
1.8% Barley Malt
60% Corn

What Richard Says:
Nose: Creme brulee, white and black pepper, and a surprising amount of alcohol. I chalk it up to the youth of the bourbon but the nose has the alcohol notes of something bottle with another 10%-15% alcohol by volume.
Palate: Sweetened corn pudding with lots of rye pepper spice.
Finish: Heavy on the pepper and wood.
Comments: Not much of a drinker this one. I can’t say I especially enjoy it as a sipping bourbon. It’s not off putting but just not something I would gravitate toward in the home bar. However, the high rye recipe practically screams to be used in cocktails. We had round after round of sours and Ward 8’s to send off my last bottle.
Rating: Average

Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
50.5% ABV
$20-$25
Website

What the Distillery Says:
Wild Turkey 101 is a 101 proof (50.5% alcohol) bourbon that is a marriage of primarily 6-, 7-, and 8-year-old bourbons. Jimmy Russell notes that unlike some of its competitors, “Wild Turkey 101 has an exceptionally gentle and rich aroma for a high-proof bourbon, thanks to quality at all stages of its production.”

At first taste, 101 is rich with vanilla and caramel, with notes of honey, brown sugar, and a hint of tobacco. Its high proof contributes to its bolder flavor.
Wild Turkey 101 is the benchmark in bourbon, best enjoyed neat or on the rocks. It’s also excellent in more sophisticated cocktails.

What Richard Says:
Nose: From the bottle to the glass this is surprisingly coy. Leave it in the glass a few minutes and sweet caramel, vanilla extract, and honeysuckles begin to come out. Water makes it more orange-like and overpowers the other elements.
Palate: Nothing coy here. Straight forward bourbon goodness. Vanilla, oak, and pepper dominate. Water makes this on a little sweeter but doesn’t really change the profile.
Finish: Heavy on the wood and an interesting blend of pepper spices.
Comments: Wild Turkey 101 is one of those everyday standard bearer bourbons. Some surprise you (Buffalo Trace), some disappoint you (Jim Beam White Label), and some give you exactly what you’re expecting. Wild Turkey 101 falls into the last category. It’s not the hottest girl at the party but you don’t ever regret taking her home.
Rating: Average

Black Maple Hill Kentucky Straight Bourbon
47.5% ABV
$35-$40

What the distillery Says:
(No website but here’s a to Chuck Cowdery’s research into BMH)

What Richard Says:
Nose: Cherries, lavender, oranges, vanilla, fresh cut wood, and strong notes of acetone.
Palate: This is very chewy with an interesting interplay of tart and sweet. The late palate turns savory after rolling it around a bit.
Finish: A little hot and very woody. Seriously woody…like chewing a box of toothpicks plus morning after cigar mouth.
Comments: “The next Pappy Van Winkle” has been said recently. Not even close. Anything you get on the nose is tapered off on the palate and killed on the finish. This bottle of bourbon perplexed me a bit. I remember this being much better than the bottle I bought in 2012.
Rating: Average