Old Forester 1920

I had to bring out the siblings to welcome home the newest Old Forester Whisky Row release.  The Old Forester 1920 is "Prohibition Style" and is bottled at the same 115 proof as Owsley Brown bottled his medicinal whisky during prohibition.  At $60, it's just a slight step up in price from the first two Whisky Row releases, which were sold for $50 and $55.

The previous two releases included the 1870 "Original Batch" and the 1897 "Bottled in Bond."  The Original Batch is bottled at 90 proof and pays homage to the "first bottled bourbon" crafted by George Garvin Brown in 1870.  Prior to this, most whiskey was sold in barrel to bars and other establishments, where it was often adulterated with chemicals, caramelized sugar, prune juice, glycerine or even tobacco spit.  The 1897 release is named after the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, which offered further protection to consumers from murky marketing and charlatans.  To be bottled in bond a whiskey must be distilled at one distillery, during one distilling season, be aged for a minimum of four years and be bottled at 100 proof.  This is an upmarket expression of the Bottled-in-Bond category.  Others, that are often high quality or a great value include Evan Williams 100p, Heaven Hill, Henry McKenna, Rittenhouse Rye or even Mellow Corn (a corn whiskey).  A fourth Whisky Row bottling may be released this year under the 1910 label, which has already been approved.

I really enjoyed the first two releases and the third is my favorite of the bunch.  It's darker, richer and more complex than the other two.  The proof has something to do with this, but I would imagine isn't the whole story. 

It is deep mahogany in color.

The nose is huge and bursting with brown sugar, dustiness, wood, dark, wet tea leaves, cherry, cinnamon and vanilla.

There is a bit of alcohol burn on the palate. It's full of maple syrup, brown sugar caramel, black pepper, cinnamon, oak and saddle leather. The most notable thing about the palate to me is the texture. It's incredibly rich, thick, viscous, syrupy and elegant.

A lingering finish with wood, toasty flavors and saddle leather.

I really enjoy this pour. It's on the medium to high end price range, but really over delivers with flavors and mouthfeel. If you haven't tried this yet, and it's available in your area, I'd highly recommend giving it a try.

Maker's Mark Cask Strength

Though the Maker's Mark brand was established in 1805 by Scottish immigrants, the true story behind the brand began in the 1940's.  William Issac and Leslie Samuels tried to bring their distillery back from the brink after prohibition.  Soon after, William "Bill" Samuels took over the business and sold it in 1943.  In 1953 he was drawn back into the business and a distillery outside of Loretto Kentucky to refurbish.  As Kevin Minnick mentions in the current Whiskey Advocate, the first release of the current iteration of Maker's Mark was in 1958.

When Bill Samuels first began Maker's Mark he did away with the traditional family recipe and replaced the spicy rye with sweeter winter wheat. He set his brand up to be a higher end, more luxury related whiskey.  One of the earliest Maker's Mark advertising campaigns used the slogan "It tastes expensive, and it is."  With production on the lower end for larger, commercial distilleries, Maker's mark had positioned themselves correctly for tapping into the expanding wealth of American consumers in the latter half of the 20th century.  Another great advertising move was to be one of the first bourbons offered on airline flights.  Consumers would try Maker's Mark while flying and then seek it out when they arrived at their destinations.

Everything I have read suggests that Maker's Mark has stayed true to their roots as a luxury or family run operation despite moving from owner to owner over the years.  Maker's Mark sold to Hiram Walker in 1981 and was moved through many owners until settling under Beam Global Spirits (now Beam-Suntory).

I like the Maker's Mark products.  They have a wheated bourbon base (which I love) and only have three products in mass production.  Maker's Mark, Maker's 46 (aged an additional time with charred oak staves) and Maker's Mark Cask Strength.  I enjoy the first two, and really, really wanted to like the last one.  I've given it a couple of tries now, and while the air time may help, I just can't get behind it (despite my love for all things cask strength and barrel proof).


The nose is piney and slightly medicinal, with toffee and hazelnuts.

The palate has some caramel syrup, woodiness, it's a tad sweeter and more rounded this time around. There is some astringency and pine sap to the palate. A little water brings out more sweetness and rounds out the palate.

The finish is medium length, fairly bitter and has a light simple syrup character.

I'm not ready to give up on this one yet. It should be something I enjoy. Maker's doesn't make more than a few products, which I enjoy in this day of constant line extensions, and I enjoy two out of three.  I'll keep giving it a try to see if it grows on me somehow.

Henry McKenna 10 year - Bottled in Bond Bourbon

I'd seen pictures of this Bourbon bouncing around the internet for a few months and when I saw a bottle in my local retail shop I had to give it a go.  I'll get to my notes in a minute, but first let me tell you what drew me to this bottle.  It's Bourbon, but also a single barrel and bottled in bond.  There are several requirements for bottled in bond bourbon, but a couple that stand out are that it must be bottled at 100 proof (I love higher proof whiskey) and aged at least four years.  An age statement.  In this age where every brand from trusted bourbons (I'm looking at you Elijah Craig - also a Heaven Hill product) to Scotch are starting to pull age statements to keep up with demand and to differentiate their products and new releases, this is aged ten years.  The Price.  Local retailers have it for around $27 though the SRP is $30. It's a good price for a really solid ten year old bourbon.

The original Henry McKenna brand was started by an Irish immigrant in 1855.  The brand has been sold through the years and in 1994 Heaven Hill began producing the Henry McKenna bottled in bond ten year bourbon.  It has the same mash bill as some other well known Heaven Hill products such as Evan Williams and Elijah Craig among others. 75% Corn/13% Rye/12% Barley.


Now let's get to what is in the bottle.

The color is dark amber.

The nose is full of sweet caramel, hazelnut, vanilla, oak and sweet corn.

The palate had some initial heat (100 proof, bottled in bond). The flavors are rich, with a thick mouth feel, lots of honey notes, caramel, medium woodiness, butterscotch and an oily texture near the back and sides of the palate.

The finish is medium to long with a honeyed throat lozenge character, oak wood, coffee and toffee.


I really appreciate this for what it is. The richness and sweeter character fits a niche on the bourbon shelf, especially at that price point.

More bottled in bond bourbon is coming on the market, but as I recently read, the category is still fairly limited.  One of my go to whiskies has always been the Evan Williams White Label bottled in bond.  it's only aged four years, but is great in most cocktails.  The wood and caramel shines and the proof stands up to mixing.  This bourbon is on a different level.  The Henry McKenna has that same wood and caramel, but everything is ramped up.  The Caramel is richer, it's spicier, there is more wood character, it's honeyed and the mouth feel is all that much better.

At this time, the Henry McKenna bottled in bond should be widely available and at a reasonable price.  If the flavor notes above fit the type of whiskey you enjoy, you owe it to yourself to find a bottle and give it a try.

Evan Williams Single Barrel - Beverage Plus Store Select

I came across this lonely store select Evan William Single Barrel and decided to give it a try. It had been sitting there awhile collecting dust. The beverage manager told me that they have had it in inventory since 2008.  Distilled in 1998 and bottled in 2008, it's a ten year expression of some nice single barrel bourbon.

So when looking at this bottle I did a bit of research. People often characterize the few years after 1996 as the "wilderness years" at Heaven Hill Distillery as they had a fire in November 1996 that destroyed almost their entire facility and aging stock. For years Heaven Hill had their whiskey distilled by other producers such as Brown Forman and Jim Beam.  In 1999 they purchased Bernheim distillery and that facility is where all of the distilling now occurs.  My bottle states that it was distilled in Kentucky and bottled by Evan Williams.

A lot of people said that they didn't enjoy the single barrel selections produced in these years. I'm going to put this one down to a great selection by the folks at Beverage Plus, but I really enjoyed it. If it was 2-3 times more expensive I might have a problem, but this is a real solid bourbon for the price charged.


The color is a medium amber.

The nose is rich and full, with notes of caramel, wood, nutmeg/clove and vanilla creme.

The palate is medium weight, with caramel notes, rich woody/oak notes, a smoothness, light tobacco notes, vanilla and some earthiness. Has some earth and caramel that marries the flavors of Elmer T Lee and Rock Hill Farms, sort of like a junior Blantons.

The finish isn't overly long, with smooth vanilla, sweetness and an edge of wood.


I like the Evan Williams products in general (especially their 100 proof bottled in bond bourbon) and this is a steal in ten year, single barrel bourbon. You might need to try a bottle of something barreled in the late 1990's to see if it's for you, but these guys really chose an excellent barrel.

John J Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

I've been eyeing this bottle for a couple of weeks. It's Bourbon, Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey to be exact.

The distillate comes from Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky where it is distilled one or two times (depending on who you read), then shipped to the A Smith Bowman Distillery in Virginia where it is distilled one or two more times (again) to make it to the Triple Distillation proudly stated on the bottle.

The most common thing I've read about it is that it's a Buffalo Trace #2 mash bill which contains 12-15% #rye. Other notable whiskies of this mash bill are Elmer T Lee, Rock Hill Farms and Blanton's (among a couple others).

It's rumored to be aged about ten years and the A Smith Bowman distillery ages their barrels upright, which is a fairly unique and floor space consuming way to age your whiskey. I believe the mash bill rumor as it tastes like the richness of Elmer T Lee and the earthiness of the Rock Hill Farms. It would be nice to get all four out and do a side by side comparison.


The color is darker, mahogany or dark amber.

The nose is appealing with spice, rye grain, caramel, a bit of bubblegum, strawberry, cinnamon, wood/oak, toffee and a light menthol.

The palate is medium plus in weight, dry, but with a sweeter note of grain, dust, earthiness, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon and brown sugar.

The finish is medium length with well-integrated heat, oak, dustiness and a smooth caramel/toffee.


I really enjoyed this bourbon and am glad I gave it a try. Most places it runs right around $50 so it is not an every day sipper. It is worth it if you like richer, smoother whiskey with that dusty, grain like note, or if you are into the three other whiskies listed above.

Broaden your palate and try whiskey from Virginia, New York, Colorado, Indiana and Utah...you will be glad you did.

Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon

I decided to give a classic bourbon a try this weekend: Blanton's single barrel bourbon. I haven't tried it in awhile and it's enjoyable.

It is made by Buffalo Trace Distillery from their higher rye mash bill (12-15% rye) and is the cleaner, more approachable cousin of Elmer T Lee and Rock Hill Farms ( both made with the same mash bill).


 It is amber in color.

The nose (which was a bit surprising ) is huge, with cherries, maraschino cherries and caramel syrup.

The palate is medium weight with apparent alcohol, more cherry, caramel syrup and a bit of oak. It's fresh, without a lot of earthiness.

The finish is medium length, with a bit of heat, caramel syrup and a light woodiness.


I do like this bourbon. It's smooth, easy to drink and really enjoyable. The bright cherry/fruit influence is fun, but there isn't a ton of complexity.

If you can find a bottle of Elmer T Lee in the mid $ 30's, snatch it up. If you like a more earthy flavor, with some dustiness and dried grain husk flavor, grab a Rock Hill Farms. It should be about $ 5-10 less than Blanton's.

This is a nice bourbon, with a good flavor and great packaging. The stopper is a metal race horse and there is a letter (spelling out Blanton's) on each.  Collect them all!  If the price is right for you, I'd definitely give it a try.

National Bourbon Day 2016 - EH Taylor Barrel Proof Bourbon

Since it's National Bourbon Day I thought I would use it as a reason (if one was needed) to open up my brand new EH Taylor Barrel Proof Bourbon that I was lucky enough to grab on Sunday. I am a fan of Buffalo Trace products, barrel proof Bourbon and this one is a little higher in price so I had high expectations. My expectations were shattered!

The color is medium amber with an orange hue.

The nose is fairly effusive. The first thing that stands out is baked or stewed apple, with a little spice and butter. There are caramel notes, some cherry fruit and hay.

There is some heat on the palate, but it is much smoother and there is less burn than you would expect from the 127.5 proof. Right off the bat you get rich caramel, brown sugar, marzipan, more apple and cherry fruit and some butterscotch. The palate is medium plus in weight and is nicely rounded.

The finish is long. The alcohol heat dissipates quickly and you are left with lots of baked apple fruit, some spice and caramel.

With a splash of water it becomes even more rounded with hints of brioche, brown sugar, caramel, butter and butterscotch.

Benjamin Blanton purchased Rock Hill Farm in Kentucky and built a distillery there in 1865.  In 1869 he sold it to Richard Tobin which renamed it the OFC (Old Fire Cooper) Distillery.  EH Taylor products are now distilled and bottled by the Old Fashioned Copper Distillery in Frankfort Kentucky. In 1870 Colonel Edmund Taylor (who at the time owned Labrot and Graham - Woodford Reserve) purchased the distillery, but later sold to George T. Stagg.  This is the distillery that, after going through many owners and name changes, was renamed Buffalo Trace in the year 2000. EH Taylor was said to have fought for the passage of the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897 and crafted a distillery that had much design and visual appeal.  Its castle like structure is currently under renovation and will re-open to the public in 2016.

The bourbon is currently made at Buffalo Trace from their mashbill #1 which uses less than 10% of a rye component. The same mashbill is used for Eagle Rare, George T. Stagg, Stagg Jr. and Buffalo Trace.

The only other EH Taylor product I've been able to try is their barrel proof rye. I enjoyed that one, but this is a truly stellar release from the distillery.

What are you drinking on National Bourbon Day?

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Manhattan Cocktail

My cocktail of choice is the Manhattan.  It's made up of two parts whiskey, one part sweet vermouth, two dashes of bitters and a couple of cherries.  It's the perfect combination of sweet and dry, herbal and complex.  It's just a classy cocktail.

Not all whiskey works well in a Manhattan.  There are various factors that affect how well it will blend.  These include proof, sweetness/dryness among other flavor components.  I love barrel proof whiskey and especially like using a barrel proof bourbon in a Manhattan.  The higher proof is a great compliment to the sweetness of the vermouth and cherries and mixes well with the herbal complexity of the vermouth and bitters.

Here is a Manhattan made with Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon (135.6 proof), Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Fee Brothers Barrel Aged Bitters and Luxardo Cherries.   Fee brothers creates a batch of bitters released every year that they age in barrel until it reaches the optimal flavor profile.  If you can find some, it usually makes a nice addition to any cocktail.  My standard bitters is Peychaud's which adds a sweeter, more cherry note to your drink.

This is the perfect mix of sweet, herbal and bitter in one cocktail.  The higher proof Bourbon really has a chance to shine and isn't lost like many lower (read 80 proof) bourbons.  There is bright cherry flavor, a nice bitter component, lots of sweetness from the vermouth, whiskey and cherries, and a dry, wood/oak character.  I think Elijah Craig's tendency toward woodiness really plays well in this cocktail.

For the Love of Barrel Proof and Cask Strength Whiskey

I love barrel proof whiskey.  I am unashamedly a fan of bottled in bond bourbon at 100 proof.  Even barrel proof rye and bourbon such as Michter’s and Wild Turkey Rare Breed, which rarely top 110 proof are exciting.  My true love in barrel proof whiskies are the Bourbon and Rye bottling that top 130 proof.  To be a bourbon, it must be bottled at 80 proof (40%) or higher.  

 The difference in concentration and flavors from 80 to 86 proof, or 80 to 90, or 80 to 100 can be dramatic, all adding more complex flavors to the finished product.  Distillers traditionally cut their barrel strength whiskey with distilled water down to 80 proof (or the desired proof) to increase yields or to make a more standardized product.  Old Forester bottles their standard bourbon at 86 proof, Makers Mark at 90 proof, and others such as Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam stick to 80 proof for their standard line.

To be considered Bourbon in the United States the whiskey must not be distilled past 160 proof and must not enter the barrel at more than 125 proof(among other things).  Some producers such as Makers Mark and Wild Turkey add water to their distillate before putting it in barrel to lower the barrel entry proof.  This affects what flavors are extracted from the new charred white oak barrel.   Depending on the aging length, evaporation, location of the barrel in the rickhouse and other factors the "Barrel Proof" or "Cask Strength" whiskey removed from the barrel may be higher or lower than when it entered.  In my experience Bourbon tends to be higher and some cask strength Scotch tends to be lower.

My favorite barrel proof bourbons are the Stagg Jr and Elijah Craig,  Stagg Jr comes from Buffalo Trace Distillery and the Elijah Craig is crafted by Heaven Hill.  Both top 130 proof and offer an intense concentration of color and flavor.  Elijah Craig has offered a so called "Hazmat Release" topping 140 proof that shouldn't be brought on commercial airliners.

The Stagg Jr is made from the Buffalo Trace mashbill number one which contains at least 51% corn and 10% or less rye along with malted barley.  Each release differs in proof and the one I have is 132.1 proof.  My cocktail of choice is the Manhattan with Bourbon, sweet vermouth, bitters and cherries.  Barrel proof spirits work especially well in this instance, with the high proof and strong flavors of the bourbon matching the sweetness and herbal complexity of the vermouth, bitters and cherries.  Try the Stagg Jr in one of these and you will not be disappointed.  

The color is   a dark amber.

The nose is rounded with vanilla and oak, cinnamon, creme brulee, brown sugar syrup and coffee.  It becomes more effusive and rich with the addition of a little water or ice.

The palate has some heat of alcohol at 132.1 proof.  There are rich flavors of butter and toffee, some burnt sugar, vanilla and oak. There are some higher toned fruity esters such as banana and raspberry.

The finish is smooth considering the proof.  There is a throat coating buttery caramel character.

My current favorite Bourbon is the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.  The batch I have clocks in at 135.6 proof.  It runs about sixty dollars.  Tasted neat out of a glancairn glass.

The color is a dark mahogany.

The nose is full, with rich brown sugar notes, sweet caramel, wood and a hint of grain husk, almost dusty.

The palate is huge, rich and concentrated, with some alcohol burn, it is smooth and velvety feeling, with flavors of brown sugar, toffee, wood/oak, some red berry fruit character and cinnamon and nutmeg.

The finish is nice and dry.  There is an instant warming sensation followed by brown sugar syrup, a medium length wood/oak flavor and a hint of coffee bitterness.

This is one that I can highly recommend and will pick up when I have the chance.  They've made nine or ten batches at this point and I'm sure that they all have distinct nuances and flavor profiles along the traditional Elijah Craig sweet/rich/oak flavor profile.

I've enjoyed other barrel proof whiskies including the EH Taylor Barrel Proof Rye.  Many producers are recognizing the demand for barrel proof offerings and are starting to release more as special releases.  Bulleit and Knob Creek are about to release their own barrel proof offerings.

WL Weller 12 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

The Weller Bourbon line is one of my favorites and it is becoming harder to find as it has become more popular and barrels from this lineup are being saved for more prestigious (and hence more expensive) bottlings.  Crafted by Buffalo Trace Distiller in Frankfort Kentucky, the Weller lineup is a wheated mash bill.  While the exact percentage of grains used in the mash bill isn't widely known for this brand, the rye (and possibly some other part of the grains) has been replaced by wheat.  It is still at least 51% corn which is one of the factors that qualifies it to be named as Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

This is the twelve year expression of the Weller lineup at 90 proof (others include a 90 proof seven year? Special reserve and a 107 proof version the Antique, along with the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection version).  It is getting harder to find, but when found at around $30, it's a steal in the Bourbon world.

Tasted neat in a glencairn  glass out of a 750ml bottle.

The color is mahogany.

The nose is rich, with buttered toffee notes, caramel, a bit of alcohol heat, sea salt, caramel, honey, taffy and a light wood/oak note.

Initially the palate is wide and forward with wood/oak notes, a medium alcohol burn,  is sweet, rich, honeyed, full of caramelized sugar syrup and vanilla.

The finish is medium length, some alcohol burn is apparent, along with flavors of warm honey, beeswax and wood.

92/100

I always enjoy this bottle and would use it as a regular drinker if it was more widely available.