Average

Frank August Small Batch Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Frank August Small Batch
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50% ABV
$70
Website
Frank August Small Batch Bourbon

What the Producer Says

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.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbon

57.5% ABV
$80
Website
Lux Row Distillers Four Grain Double Barrel Bourbon
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.

Rating: Average

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Old Hickory Hermitage Reserve Barrel Proof Whiskey

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

Old Hickory Hermitage Reserve Barrel Proof Whiskey

58.5% ABV
$55-60
Website
Old Hickory Hermitage Reserve Barrel Proof Whiskey
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.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Macaloney’s The Peat Project: Portuguese Red Wine with Washington Peat

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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
Macaloney's Peat Project Washington Peat and Portuguese Red Wine STR Cask
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.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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An Aba Canadian Island Lightly Peated Single Malt Whisky

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An Aba Canadian Island Lightly Peated Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV
$130
Website
An Aba Canadian Island Lightly Peated Single Malt Whisky
We would like to thank Macaloney’s Island Distillery for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

An Aba, our Whiskymjaker’s lightly peated ‘sherried’, signature expression was crafted from a select marrying of Kentucky Bourbon casks, Spanish Oloroso barriques, Portuguese shaved-toasted-re-charred (STR) red wine barriques, virgin American oak casks, and Spanish Pedro Ximénez casks.

Nose: Complex and layered whisky with light peat on the nose, including fresh pine and oak, orange liqueur, lemon sherbet, rum and raisin fruit cake, liquorice, vanilla sponge cake, ripe banana, gooseberry, red currant, dried mango and milk chocolate.

Palate: It has a lush creamy mouthfeel, medium peat, burnt heather and bonfire embers, leading to prunes, dried figs and apricots. Also on the palate there is malted milk, stewed apples, peaches, blooming heather, lavender and daffodils, developing to linseed oil, marzipan, lingering oak and a dry, light peat finish with an essence of the seaside, befitting our island location.

11 PPM*
ABV: 46%
Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sea breeze with lite peat smoke, grilled peaches, tropical fruit, cedar, pine and vanilla.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, fruity and smokey with a bit of oak and pepper, honey, toffee and a slight spice.
Finish:  Moderate in length, damp with earthy peat and light fruit notes trailing.
Comments:  This is a nice, although I hate to say – kinda boring dram. The nose has quite a bit more going on than the palate for me. I’m not someone who thinks when it comes to peat you have to ‘go big or go home’, there’s plenty of lightly peated whiskies that I really enjoy. The palate for me just fell short of what the nose was setting me up for. And at this price point – I expect more than I got here, although your mileage may vary. I do appreciate the non-chill filtration and ABV.
* NOTE: Their website lists this as 11 PPM, and the sample I was sent had 11 PPM on the label, although in other press I’ve read 12 PPM (not that 1 PPM is going to make a noticeable difference, just pointing this out in case you saw something different as I did!)

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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