tasting notes Aptly named, because when you think of Kentucky, you think Bourbon. The nose is toffee, fruit, eucalyptus and oak. The palate is cinnamon, toffee, caramel, pepper, oak, and spices. tasting notes courtesy of: Bill Thomas, Jack Rose Dining Saloon
What Gary Says
Nose: Salted caramel, fudge, vanilla wafers, charred oak, grilled corn, brown sugar and mixed nuts. Palate: Chewy mouthfeel, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate brownie with a hint of peanut brittle. Finish: Short to moderate in length with oak, chocolate, and pepper. Comments: Just a rock solid bourbon right here. This makes an excellent Old Fashioned too. I loved the earlier version of this label, which I’m certain included older stocks than it does now (while not age stated, Willett has only been actively distilling the last 10 or so years, and I think the older renditions of this included stocks of 12+ years old). Either way, this has a very similar profile to what I remember and is quite nice. I do get some corn notes which show its youth, and the peanut brittle note is nice (although subtle; this isn’t as strong as on some Beam products). This proof point is my sweet spot for bourbon which helps, but the blending of barrels from different ages and I’m sure different warehouse locations all go into hitting that profile.
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.
Booker’s “Mighty Fine Batch” 2023-03 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
7 Years, 1 Month, 10 Days 63.3% ABV $90 Website We would like to thank Beam Suntory and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.
What the Distillery Says:
This batch is named in honor of the signature phrase Sixth Generation Beam Master Distiller Booker Noe would use to compliment anything he approved of – from his namesake bourbon to his country ham.
“Mighty fine” was Booker’s go-to phrase. He would often get together with others in the whiskey industry to taste samples of Booker’s Bourbon, and everyone knew he was happy with his selection when he sipped it and said it was “mighty fine,” followed by, “that’s a damn good batch!”
Shortly before Booker passed away in 2004, his son, Seventh Generation Beam Master Distiller Fred Noe, was in charge of selecting the barrels for a Booker’s Bourbon batch. Fred was a little nervous at first – he had big shoes to fill – but after Booker tasted the sample, he looked at Fred and said, “Mighty fine job, son.” A lot of people thought it was one of the best batches, but receiving Booker’s vote of confidence made it that much more special for Fred – a moment he will never forget.
TASTING NOTES Like all batches of Booker’s Bourbon, Booker’s “Mighty Fine Batch” was selected by Seventh Generation Master Distiller Fred Noe to ensure it upholds the qualities and standards that his dad set for Booker’s Bourbon more than 30 years ago. Uncut and unfiltered, this batch has the following characteristics: PROOF: 126.6 AGE: 7 years, 1 month and 8 days BATCH NOTES: Booker’s “Mighty Fine Batch” has a rich color with a pleasant aroma of vanilla and sweet brown sugar. The flavor is full bodied and further opens up with a small touch of water that gives a “Kentucky Hug” finish. SIPPING SUGGESTIONS: Booker’s “Mighty Fine Batch” is best enjoyed neat or with a few drops of water.
What Gary Says
Nose: Caramel, chocolate toffee (almost butterscotch), vanilla, peanut butter, charred oak and brown sugar. Palate: Rich and thick mouthfeel, chocolate fudge with roasted peanuts, caramel, oak, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper. Finish: Moderately long, drying with cocoa and oak. Comments: Unmistakably Booker’s through and through. This batch is a bit richer on the palate than some recent batches, and the tilt towards butterscotch on the nose is lovely! Appreciate the consistency across Booker’s while also enjoying the batches that have that little something that stands out from the others.
Barrell Foundation Bourbon A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies
50% ABV $60 Website We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Blender Says
Louisville, KY (October 11, 2023) – For the past 10 years, Barrell Craft Spirits® (BCS) has become synonymous with some of the most exciting cask strength releases being made in America, showcasing its ability to blend complex flavors in bourbon, rye, and American whiskey from a variety of different distillery partners across the world. Today, the original independent blender of unique aged, cask strength whiskey since 2013 announced the launch of Barrell Foundation Bourbon, its first non-cask strength bourbon, in select U.S. markets. The new ongoing release is a blend of Kentucky (8yr), Indiana (5, 6, and 9yr), Tennessee (8yr), and Maryland (5 and 6yr) bourbon whiskeys bottled at 100-proof (50% ABV). Featuring a derived mashbill of 73% corn, 23% rye, and 4% malted barley, the expression presented a unique challenge for the award-winning blender to show it can produce a great, consistent whiskey at a lower ABV and for all occasions.
“Barrell Foundation is a delicious and easy drinking bourbon whiskey with all the flavor of a cask strength bourbon whiskey at 100-proof,” said BCS Founder Joe Beatrice. “We believe that a true art form in bourbon-making is the ability to produce bourbon whiskey that can be enjoyed by everyone, and we welcomed the challenge to show that we can produce great bourbon whiskey at a more approachable strength and price for all occasions. For 10 years we’ve led the blending movement in the U.S. and now welcome this exciting opportunity to be a trailblazer of an entirely different style of bourbon whiskey.”
Having recently opened its new 31,000 square foot blending facility in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, BCS can now support the growth of its current brands as well as new product launches. Featuring eight blending tanks with 64,000 gallons of capacity, the new facility enables the team to blend larger stocks of its bourbon into a profile that tastes great neat and works well in cocktails.
Founded in 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky, BCS selects and blends products that explore different distillation methods, barrels, and aging environments. BCS’s extensive stocks of high-quality casks mean it can craft extraordinary blends that maximize the nuances of each ingredient. Creative finishes and a liberated approach to blending guides every product release.
Barrell Foundation is now available for purchase online via the Barrell Craft Spirits website and in select markets (AZ, CA, DC, DE, IL, MD, MI, MO, NJ, NV, NY, TX, and WA beginning this month for the suggested retail price of $59.99 per 750ml bottle. The new offering will rollout nationally in January of 2024.
BLEND COMPONENTS: Kentucky: 8 years old Indiana: 5, 6, & 9 years old Tennessee: 8 years old Maryland: 5 & 6 years old
FLAVOR NOTES Neat Appearance: Golden amber. Nose: An initial wave of honey, candied-strawberry, dark cherry, and grilled cantaloupe greet you. Notes of lavender and fennel emerge and are balanced by cocoa, brown butter, and cardamom. Grilled peaches and hazelnut linger, followed by a burst of lemon and lime zest with a touch of oily, waxy fruit peel. Palate: Maple pecans, dark chocolate and cinnamon unfold and are quickly followed by rich flavors of tiramisu and cardamom cake, with a mouthfeel to match. This expands to include hints of fennel, lemongrass, and lemon zest, balancing the creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel. Finish: Creamy and sweet, emphasizing cinnamon, toffee, vanilla pudding. With a splash of spring water Even more viscous and creamy with the vanilla pudding evolving into bananas foster. The citrus zest and the lemongrass become more elevated with notes of orange sherbet.
What Gary Says
Nose: Cocoa, caramel, oak, toasted citrus zest, blackcurrant, black cherry, subtle floral and mineral notes. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel with caramel, cinnamon, dark chocolate, blood orange, vanilla, cherries and toffee. Finish: Moderate in length with cinnamon, coffee cake with vanilla icing. Comments: This is Barrell Craft Spirits first foray into bottling a bourbon at a specific proof with a consistent flavor profile. They’ve proven that they’re damn good at blending bourbons from different distilleries to create something unique and delicious, and Barrell Foundation continues this legacy. This is a delicious, complex but approachable bourbon. A bit of water brings out a bit more of the mineral note on the nose as well as amping up the citrus vibe, although I really love this neat. I did find this delightful in an Old Fashioned as well, and look forward to picking it up when it comes to Georgia next year (and seeing how the consistency holds up over time).
Daviess County Medium Toasted Bourbon Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Medium Toasted American Oak Barrels
48% ABV $50 Website We would like to thank Lux Row Distillers and BYRNE PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
This limited edition Daviess County variant is finished in medium toasted American oak barrels, providing a smooth mouthfeel with notes of caramel, cocoa, and hints of oak. Like all Daviess County variants, it features a signature combination of ryed and wheated mashbills, aged for over four years and is 96 proof.
TASTING NOTES AROMA: Roasted nuts, cocoa, and hints of oak PALATE: Caramel with notes of honey, roasted coffee, and coconut FINISH: Warm, sweet finish with a touch of oak
What Gary Says
Nose: Caramel, cocoa, vanilla, honey, hint of anise, toasted oak and roasted marshmallow. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel with caramel, honey, oak, coconut macaroons, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cherry, peaches and a bit of orange bitters. Finish: Medium in length, wet with oak, vanilla and a hint of mulling spices. Comments: I like this one quite a bit. I’m not sure if I like this more than Daviess County Double Barrel Bourbon (since I liked that one so much – it’s all gone!) but at least as much. This is a lovely fall bourbon with those spice notes getting me ready for the holidays, and is a solid drinker neat – no dilution required. Well balanced, and with the four grain blend has a little (or maybe a lot) for everyone!
