Bourbon Archives - First Pour Cocktails

Elijah Craig All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel #5

Posted on October 11, 2023October 3, 2023 by Nick

Although less common than Elijah Craig Private Barrels bottled at barrel strength, there are Elijah Craig batches that are bottled at the small batch 94 proof. Given that the small batch is routinely one of our recommended bottles for beginning your home bar, are these viable options to add to your shelf? To find out, I grabbed a (now sold out) bottle of Elijah Craig All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel #5 [they still have batch #6 if you feel inclined as of the time of writing this].

Elijah Craig All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel #5

Barrel No.: 6071250
Age: 10 Years
Rickhouse: T
Floor: 4
Proof: 94 (47% A.B.V.)

Sight: Chestnut Oloroso Sherry – Slightly darker than their standard offering.

Smell: A significant amount of a vanilla and caramel sweetness lead off. Big touches of powdered sugar, peanut brittle, and maple come through. There’s more heat here than you might expect at 94 proof. There’s an underlying spice that compliments the sweetness here, giving good amounts of oak spice, cigar box, and cinnamon. A little hint of orange peel and apple comes through.

Sip: The sip starts off moderately, but immediately pulls through a good run of sweetness. There’s nice hits of caramel, oak, and a little bit of dark chocolate. The predominate nuttiness downgrades a little, turning more into a background note. That slight touch of apple or orange is still there. Overall, it’s pleasant, soft, and mildly assertive.

Savor: Sweet oak continues through out with nice amounts of caramel, touches of maple, and a little spice. It lingers pleasantly and softly.

Elijah Craig All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel #5 is well textured, decently layered, and subtly different than the standard offering. The flavors here are more bent toward fruit and nuts than the standard, but this makes it a little more fun to explore as it opens in the glass. The price difference being less than $10 makes this a nice option if you’re hoping to enjoy your Elijah Craig Small Batch neat.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan, it gives a nice medium body and plenty of flavor. There’s good spicing from the oak and bitters that help to lay the background for some caramel and chocolate notes. The subtle apple notes gain a cinnamon element and it has a bit of baked apple. As Manhattans go, it’s very nice and slightly autumnal.

In Review – Elijah Craig All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel #5

Elijah Craig All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel #5 was very good value at only $40. The age comes through in the neat pour, while it’s versatile for cocktails. These sort of bottles (single barrels that are from producers we recommend for beginning your bar) are bottles you should consider when stocking or restocking your bar to introduce both quality and variety. While not all of them will be like exactly like this bottle, it’s reasonable to go with confidence when selecting an Elijah Craig single barrel selection.

Old Tub Bourbon

Posted on October 4, 2023October 3, 2023 by Nick

Old Tub Bourbon is a tribute to one of Jim Beam’s original best selling bourbons (in the 1890’s). Named after the old tubs that used to be used for distillation, this unfiltered, bonded bourbon used to be a gift shop only offering in 375 ml vessels. A few years back, this changed, and Jim Beam began offering Old Tub as a regular offering in 750 ml. The price is reasonable, and as you might have noticed, this seems to have replaced Jim Beam Bonded. So is it a step-up over Jim Beam White Label?

Old Tub Bourbon

Distillery: James B. Beam
Proof: 50 (100% A.B.V.)
Age: Not Age Stated, Minimum of 4 Years
Filtration: Unfiltered
Bottled-In-Bond

Sight: A solid deep gold.

Smell: Unsurprisingly, the Jim Beam peanut funk comes out here loaded for bear. Around it there’s a nice amount of oak, spice, and caramelized sugar notes. The nose also has a bit of heat to it with a bit of vanilla like notes.

Sip: The mouthfeel starts moderately full. The first notes are peanut like with some oak, before there’s a turn toward hay, tobacco, and black tea. A little bit of caramel and spice flits at the edges, but it’s more on the grain and savory side.

Savor: The ending is oak and more hay-tobacco notes. The finish has a moderate tannic nature, but doesn’t last particularly long.

Old Tub Bourbon is average and not particularly exciting or deep. What it does deliver is a solid, dry, bottled-in-bond offering that gives some more oak forward flavors. The Beam funk is also prominent, but not long lasting. Overall, drinking it straight isn’t offensive, but not exciting either.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan there’s a nice weight and textural component that makes the drink feel solid. Beyond the weight, the herbal notes in the vermouth tend to vibe with the oakier notes of the Old Tub. The subtle sweetness of the vermouth moves the peanut notes a little toward brittle, but ultimately it leans dry again. The ending brings in more herbal components and oak tannins.

In Review – Old Tub Bourbon

Old Tub Bourbon is unremarkable, and priced accordingly at around $20. It’s the kind of bourbon that gives a little more emphasis than standard Jim Beam White Label, but doesn’t quite expand it’s horizons in any meaningful way. While there’s a big jump in price, it probably is worth considering making the leap to Knob Creek if you’d like to go up in the Beam range, while for higher proof, Wild Turkey can deliver with more spice and less peanut funk. Finally, it isn’t immediately apparent that this is an upgrade over Jim Beam Bonded, but perhaps its dry, less exciting cousin.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – C923

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Nick

We’ve highlighted before the idea that proof means flavor. Proof on it’s own isn’t doesn’t mean flavor though. While many factors are important to create the flavor profile of bourbon (mash bill, cask type, etc), perhaps few are so regarded as longer aging. So when the most recent Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – C923 – showed a 133 proof and a 13 year, 7 month age people became understandably excited. So does this combination of age and proof work out.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – C923

Proof: 133 (66.5% A.B.V.)
Age: 13 years, 7 months
Filtration: Non-Chill Filtered
Price (MSRP): $75

Sight: Auburn to Mahogany

Smell: To start, it’s 130+ proof, so just don’t stick your nose directly in it. There’s undeniable heat, but behind it are sweet layers of lacy caramel, spiced oak, vanilla, burnt marshmallow, sarsaparilla, and brown sugar. The vanilla in particular is fragrant and luscious, wrapping floral vanilla bean notes around the baking spices. There’s a bit of nuttiness in the background, and a bit of preserved cherry.

Sip: The body is rich and silky from the start, and the heat begins to build, but slower than the nose would suggest. The flavors gather steam, pulling in creme brulee like vanilla and burnt sugar. Caramel wraps around and builds elements of bing cherry. The oak then steps in with plenty of spice and almost a hint of candied orange. There’s a subtle brown sugar like sweetness, but it gives ways to a strong hazelnut note and perhaps some other nuts. A hint of char is present as well.

Savor: The ending carries forward a wonderful candied praline and layered with vanilla and almost latte like mellowed coffee and char. The spices linger in the background and lean toward a dessert like mocha. Somehow the finish almost feels creamy and coating. As it lingers, the tannins of the oak expand, give a velvet feeling as the flavors continue to linger.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – C923 is impressively balanced, sweet, complex and rich. The flavors are built on a dessert like sweetness but have a great reflection of the char and spice of the oak. Amazingly, despite the proof, it never really gets hot. The lingering finish is pretty, and carries forward the mix of oak and sweet in a balanced way. There’s a ton to love about sipping this, and it should only get better with time.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is unsurprisingly aggressively and powerful. The notes of oak and perfumed vanilla take the lead here with burnt marshmallow, caramel, praline, and mocha leading the charge. The flavors are assertive and pleasant, but beg you to take notice. The ending has a lovely dark chocolate and concentrated brown sugar note with plenty of oak. There’s a nice luscious caramel drizzle and creamy note that occasionally comes through. Overall, this is a heavy handed Manhattan that will mostly apply to those who are a big fan of barrel proof whiskey offerings.

In Review – Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – C923

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – C923 is delicious neat. There’s no getting around the fact that the team at Heaven Hill has produced a particularly good batch with a 13 year age statement. Without a doubt this whiskey will be showing up on several ‘top whiskey of the year’ lists As a result, this is a no brainer at MSRP ($75), and one that those who enjoy high proof, high age statements should hunt down. Unfortunately, as of the time of writing, the secondary market on this is asking for up to double that price. While it’s good, that’s a bitter swallow (approaching $150).

Those looking for cocktails are going to find this one a little harder to justify. While the flavors are delicious, there’s a lot going on here for the average drinker. Additionally, many cocktail elements may impact some of the neat nuances. Combining this with the proof, and you could also set some guests down a path to more consumption than plan. For all these reasons, this is a bottle that we definitely recommend, but more so for enjoying neat than making drinks.

Previous Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Reviews:

Elijah Craig B520

Rebel 100 Bourbon

Posted on September 20, 2023September 17, 2023 by Nick

Unless you live in a state like Ohio, you probably aren’t buying Weller Special Reserve for $23 at any regularity. This is a shame too, because honestly, Weller Special Reserve is great at it’s price tag (and not worth $40-50 or even the $100 you’ll see at store that are gouging). So then what should you buy if you’re looking for a wheated bourbon? While the shining example on the hill is Maker’s Mark, they’re not the only brand, so what about Rebel 100 Bourbon which comes in $5 cheaper?

Rebel 100 Bourbon

Distiller: Lux Row Distillers
Age: Not Age Stated
Proof: 100 (50% A.B.V.)

Sight: Deep copper

Smell: Peanut and chocolate lead out with a musty grain and preserved cherry note. Cinnamon and light alcohol notes come through with a little bit of orange and more raw grain. Hints of spice, like pepper or chili are present as well.

Sip: The mouthfeel is thin and pull in light dark chocolate flavors and hints of cereal grain. The mouthfeel is slightly rough, but gets some oak, tobacco, vanilla, and fleeting cherry or plum skin. Light citrus, smoked leather, and grain is present as well.

Savor: There’s a bit of bite that gives way to tobacco and oak and a slightly underlying fruit. Bitter cherry is also a little present in the edges.

Rebel 100 Bourbon is a little rough around the edges but not bad. There’s a few different things going on, but none of them are particularly pronounced or deep. The flavors that are present are cohesive but muddled. The entirety of the experience doesn’t really make it scream ‘drink me’ while neat.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan there’s sweetness and a hint of spice and berry notes to start. The mouthfeel is a little on the light side, and the flavors have a black currant, cherry, and oak underpinning. Bits of chocolate and walnut wood round out the finish. As a Manhattan, Rebel 100 Bourbon feels a bit underwhelming and wouldn’t be a first choice.

In Review – Rebel 100 Bourbon

Rebel 100 Bourbon is light, easy going, and affordable. The proof doesn’t overly assert itself, which is nice. Nothing is bad here, but nothing is great either. At $20, this is right about where it should be, but it’s only a few dollars off of Maker’s Mark (or in the right place, Weller Special Reserve). The price difference just isn’t great enough to justify not taking the step up in quality.

If you’re willing to step away from wheated bourbon, there’s a lot competing in the $20 market, like Old Forester 100 and Jim Beam. Arguably Old Forester 100 delivers more in this context, and it’s really going to be about preference when compared with Beam. All of these might be more versatile choices for setting up your bar, with a wheated bourbon being an add on.

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

Posted on September 13, 2023September 11, 2023 by Nick

Owned by Sazerac since 2003, A. Smith Bowman Distillery has not escaped the hype that follows other Buffalo Trace products. The line up has three relatively findable products:

Bowman Brothers Small Batch
Isaac Bowman – Port Barrel Finished
John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

They also produce an annual 10 year aged variety A. Smith Bowman which last year was a lottery item. One of the interesting features of this distillery is they don’t currently make their own distillate (which is nodded to in their language on the back of the bottle, “Produced By”), but rather get it from some where else in Sazerac’s portfolio. So does the hype for a product that isn’t even distilled there have merit?

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

Please note John J. Bowman has had a packaging change since I wrote this.

Mash Bill: Unknown – believed to be redistilled Buffalo Trace distillate.
Age: No Age Stated
Proof: 100 (50% A.B.V.)

Sight: Russet Muscat

Smell: Peaches and cherries pop cheerfully with notes of vanilla and caramel. A bit of heat comes through with spicy cloves and baked cinnamon pastries. A nice nuttiness and toasted oak pervades around the edges. The fruitiness also continues to abound with hints of white grape, apricot, and other stone fruits. There is a small amount of heat that builds here as well.

Sip: The sip starts smooth and moves toward almond and cherries. The cherries become candied with an increasingly nutty note. There are peaches that start to grow out with with notes of baking spices and tea. The flavor is fruity, but only hints toward caramel and vanilla, giving a fresh fruit flavor. The body is relatively smooth all the way through.

Savor: The ending pulls in charred peach and baked cherry notes before giving way to spice and oak.

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon is fruity and fragrant if not overly dessert like. The flavors really lean into stone fruit with a nice touch of nuttiness and spice. The result is a moderately complex bourbon with a relatively smooth and evenly weighted bourbon that’s an enjoyable sipper.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan the fruit flavors show up with full force pulling massive amounts of jammy peaches, macerated cherries, and ripe berries. White grape and tea come in, with a bit of vanilla and hints of brown sugar. The vermouth really brings a nice sweetness here to counterbalance some of the drier notes. On the finish, a nice touch of dried peaches and oak combine to give a little spiciness and a hint of tannin.

In Review – John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon is fruity and spicy mix with a good complexity. It leans drier, allowing the fruit to show off without overwhelming it in sugar or dessert flavors. The profile isn’t delicate either, robustly communicating the flavors. Overall, it’s a delicious bottle in the $45-50 price point, and that if it were easier to obtain, would be a slam dunk to start your bar with. Given the availability I can’t quite go that far, I still recommend you track down a bottle as this easily earns a recommendations as a great bottle to have around.

1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel Select

Posted on September 10, 2023 by Nick

The last 1792 Full Proof store pick I had I received from a friend, and it was nothing short of delicious. As with most brands, when I find something I like, I think it’s worth exploring further. So on a trip last winter, I knew that the 1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits pick was definitely something I’d have to try. So how does it compare, and did I make the right decision in getting another bottle by a different selector?

1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits

Sight: Deep tawny, hedging on auburn

Smell: The nose here is decidedly more oaky than the last single barrel I encountered. There’s a perfumed vanilla that lingers behind a heavy oak and cigar component. The woody character gives off impressions of roasted walnuts and pecans with a deep dark chocolate and slight berry character. Like the other Full Proof, the nose has a tinge of alcohol that’s obvious enough that you shouldn’t go face first into the glass. Those berry notes add a brightness to the edges here, but make no mistake, this is a heavy nose that doesn’t convey sweetness.

Sip: The start is not at heavy as it might imply, but does quickly pull in some baking spice and toasted marshmallow. The oak notes definitely show up though, giving off a toasted char to compliment the spice. Some nuttiness and cocoa powder shows up. Vanilla works it’s way back in with a hint of brown sugar, but it doesn’t quite run sweet. There’s a tobacco and astringent black tea component moving here as well.

Savor: The finish pulls in some of those baking spices, black tea, and slight perfumed oak note. It lingers with a moderate weight without getting too aggressive, and goes more into a charred oak sort of linger. It pops with a little heat toward the end.

1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits is more of a dry take on things than the last bottle I had. This doesn’t mean it’s bad, but it’s more of a contemplative sipper that isn’t quite as unique or complex. It has some good deep notes in it, but it isn’t going to make anyone run out for another bottle to sip.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan, 1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits is unsurprisingly very full bodied and rich. The sweetness actually opens up though, giving an interestingly vanilla brown sugar character that lingers under a toasted barrel / marshmallow riff. The astringency is complimented by the sweetness of the fruity vermouth, and somehow the bitters kind of bind it. While it is strong in presence here, it also sort of mellows. Better in a cocktail than neat.

In Review – 1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits

1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits is good, and at a price under $50 it really delivers well on full proof without high price. While it isn’t the home run the previous full proof is, it still shows these picks are worth picking up and enjoying at the $50 price point. Generally speaking, it seems like if you happen to like 1792 (Barton’s) normal full proof, you’re going to enjoy other bottles. Thanks to reasonable price point, these are worth getting when you see them at retail.

Taconic Double Barrel Maple Bourbon

Posted on August 9, 2023August 7, 2023 by Nick

Sometimes the hype train gets you going. People review things that they can find in their local area, that you have no way to obtain where you live, and you think, ‘I have to try that’. A few years back, when I was falling down the Bourbon rabbit hole, that same thing happened to me, and when I saw a bottle of Taconic Double Barrel Maple Bourbon, I just had to buy it! So did I make a good decision on this New York maple finished bourbon?

Taconic Double Barrel Maple Bourbon

Made from Duchess Private Reserve Bourbon, this bourbon starts life in new oak barrels. The Duchess is aged, then removed. The barrel is then filled with maple syrup and aged. The maple syrup is then removed, and the Duchess is finished again. No age statement is provided.

Age: No Age Statement
Finish: Maple Syrup Barrels
Batch: 7
Proof: 90 (45% A.B.V.)

Sight: Russet Muscat

Smell: Maple and pecans / peanuts waft out with notes of evergreens. An earthiness runs through the giving a forest floor, fresh softwood, and a subtle caramelization. Fruits hang around toward the background, but are light and a hint of alcohol follows.

Sip: The start is sweet and soft with a moderate weight. The maple notes are in full effect to lead off, while a nuttiness and earthiness joins in. The evergreen notes and slight resin character is prevalent but not overwhelming. There’s a little spice, and plenty of wood toward the end. Characteristic vanilla like notes are present, but not powerful. A little heat is present.

Savor: The ending is more earthy and peppery, with forest floor and evergreen notes. Little maple sweetness helps accentuate with a little nuttiness.

Taconic Double Barrel Maple Bourbon is maple and forest fresh with a bit of nuttiness. Overall, the flavor profile is kind of one dimensional, slightly sweet, and strongly earthy. These notes are also intriguing if you’re feeling the need to try something that isn’t quite a standard offering. While it’s fun, it also is definitely more of a targeted bourbon, and not everyone will want to crush a glass.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Taconic Double Barrel Maple Bourbon works surprisingly well, although again leads to a floral / earthy undertoned Manhattan. The start is sweet, rich, and the maple-walnut notes come out in spades. These give way to an evergreen herbal mix that’s subtle with some berry notes and spice. The finish is slightly evergreen with a dry maple character. As a Manhattan goes, it’s tasty if unusual, and devilishly complex as it keeps opening. This gives an intriguing prospect as an ingredient for extended bars.

In Review – Taconic Double Barrel Maple Bourbon

Taconic Double Barrel Maple Bourbon is unusual, but has some flavors to expand your perception of how finished bourbon can land. The flavors are similar when drinking neat, and can like they need another dimension. In cocktails, it feels incredibly entertaining, and seems to work better than it would drink straight. Overall, the uniqueness here make it a try it before you buy it, and not a recommendation for stocking in your bar unless you have a love of the flavor or a drink that requires it.

Blanton’s Original Single Barrel Bourbon

Posted on August 2, 2023August 2, 2023 by Nick

Perhaps few bottles command the collectability of Blanton’s Original Single Barrel Bourbon. These single barrel expressions of Buffalo Trace’s Mash Bill #2 (more rye – albeit really low high rye at 12%-15%) are well known for not only the solid bourbon they contain, but also their darling little horse toppers that you can collect. Get all 8, and you can spell Blanton’s. Once upon a time, this experience was probably fairly fun and un-stressful. Go to the store, sort through the toppers, and slowly build your set. Now the least stressful ways you can do this are:

Buy Them From Buffalo Trace – They’re over $70 a set – but easy to get them all! [This is not an affiliate link]
Stand in line for hours, and slowly swap bottles or collect the right toppers bottle by bottle.
Buy them at secondary rates ranging from $110 – $130 a bottle (nearly double SRP)

So is it worth it to drink all this bourbon or to buy them to collect them all? How good is the bourbon inside this amazingly crafted bottle?

Blanton’s Original Single Barrel Bourbon

Mash Bill: Corn + 12 – 15% Rye (Mash Bill #2)
Dumped: 12-21-17
Barrel No: 877
Rick No.: 23
Warehouse: H
Proof: 93 (A.B.V. 46.5%)

Sight: Deep Gold to Burnished

Smell: The nose has a pleasant amount of vanilla mixed with fresh cherries and orange zest. There’s a lot of caramel and sugar notes laced with fruity, crushed raspberries berries and gentle notes of oak. The nose is actually surprisingly fruity, with an almost fruit punch like amount of fruits blending in behind the primarily vanilla front. Despite the low proof, there’s a surprising whiff of heat from time to time.

Sip: The body is smooth and balanced with just a hint of sweetness. The vanilla comes through with touches of orange, citrus, and cherry. There are pleasant notes of berries and hints of oak.

Savor: On the finish there’s a pop of citrus zest followed by a wave of vanilla ranging from extract to bean. The finish lingers into a slightly toasty oak barrels with that pastry like dessert vanilla.

Blanton’s Original Single Barrel Bourbon is nice, simple, smooth, and pleasantly fragrant. It owes a lot to that strong vanilla character, that laces from the nose through the finish. The nose is somewhat more enticing than the body, but the smoothness makes it pleasant to return to and sip over and over. If you’re not thinking about it, or don’t want to think about it, it’s a nice bottle to just sip.

In Cocktails

Blanton’s Original Single Barrel Bourbon works better than it would have seemed possible in a Manhattan. The fruitier notes on the nose are given space to expand, splitting out into amazingly bombastic crushed raspberries, blueberry syrup, and fresh cherries. Notes of gentle spice come in, and this powerful way of floral, sweet vanilla slides through with a silky elegance. The result is a truly composed drink, that really sings on every note.

In Review – Blanton’s Original Single Barrel Bourbon

While I wish I could say that I think Blanton’s is worth the hunt and premium to purchase, I just can’t say that I find it interesting enough that I’d like to hunt it down over and over again to drink neat. In a cocktail, it really sings, but it doesn’t provide enough value to justify it over a Buffalo Trace or Eagle Rare Manhattan. If you want to even stretch outside the brand, it a $20 more expensive Manhattan than Four Roses Single Barrel. That’s a tough pill to swallow if you can even find it.

Maker’s Mark: Crumble Coffee Cake – OHLQ Exclusive 2022

Posted on May 31, 2023March 13, 2023 by Nick

As mentioned in our review of Maker’s Mark Marshmallow Krispy Treat, Maker’s does a fairly substantial presence on the shelves as private selections (or store picks). These picks are made up of combinations of finishing staves to impart different flavors on 5 – 7 year old Maker’s Mark Cask Strength. The finished Maker’s Mark Cask Strength then aged for an additional 9 weeks in temperature controlled conditions. Unlike their Marshmallow Krispy Treat, this offering is going for a more breakfast or dessert approach, as they’ve selected the name Maker’s Mark: Crumble Coffee Cake.

As always, be aware these combinations get reused by other private selections with different names, so double check your stave profiles to avoid duplicates or find your favorites.

Maker’s Mark Crumble Coffee Cake

OHLQ described Maker’s Mark Crumble Coffee Cake as follows:

Complex, velvety mouthfeel with aromas of roasted coffee beans, and rich flavors of brown sugar, warm cinnamon and bold baking spices, pie crust, and dried fruit.

Stave Profile:
- 2 Baked American Pure
- 2 Maker’s Mark 46
- 2 Roasted French Mendiant
- 4 Toasted French Spice
Proof: 111.3 (ABV 55.65%)
Age: NAS

As I split this bottle with a friend, the fill level is at half.

Sight: A pleasant oloroso sherry.

Smell: The nose erupts with vanilla and caramel. Behind them comes in this wonderful unctuous, creamy coffee note. Like a cappuccino with some cinnamon on top. A subtle dessert pastry like note comes in with plenty of brown sugar and a hint of preserved fruits, syrupy cherry, and baking spice.

Sip: The body lighter than the proof would imply, and before you read lots of sweet words, drier than it seems from the nose. A coffee and perfumed vanilla note comes through, before the heat starts joining. The midpalate has a more crumbly brown sugar note going on, with more vanilla, touches of caramel, and a bit of dried fruit. The back end gets vanilla cream heavy, somehow feeling lanolin and thin at the same time, but nailing this vanilla frosting note.

Savor: The ending is a cacophony of vanillas mixing with caramel and some obvious oak. The add in of spice and brown sugars make this combination a bit muddle, but does do a good job of conveying a dessert / cake like element. Perhaps just a bit of bitter tannins on the end.

Maker’s Mark Crumble Coffee Cake has a highly developed nose, and a palate that tries to keep up. The influence of the different finishes on the nose is really stunning, drawing you in like you’re about to have dessert. The taste is good but dry, but has a middling level of complexity that keeps you picking at it. The ending is where it gets a little muddled, throwing every sweet note from the staves at you, with vanilla (capital VANILLA) wherever it can. Overall, it’s fun to sip, but certainly not going to be the sort of bottle you shout from the roof tops about.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan, this expression of Maker’s Mark does a beautiful vanilla and caramel cream mix across a background of baking spice (leaning toward clove). The coffee notes of the oak really come out here, giving a nice subtle roasty nature to the whole drink. Made with Maker’s Mark Crumble Coffee Cake, the drink comes out like a mature dessert, that would probably pair well with actual coffee cake or a dessert with less sweetness (like flourless chocolate cake).

In Review – Maker’s Mark Crumble Coffee Cake

While Maker’s Mark Crumble Cake seems like it should be a dessert, it’s more dry than the name implies. Despite this, it’s an ok sipper that probably slightly undersells its $70 price tag. The shine here is in making a bang on dessert like Manhattan. It keeps your wanting another sip that goes all the way through vanilla and caramel with a cup of coffee. While this is a good bottle, the price tag means you’ll have to weigh how much you want to enjoy quite good bourbon, versus how much you want look for great bourbon or a new bottle.

Put differently, Maker’s continues to put out solid, high floor / low ceiling bottles that range from good to very good, but slide slightly short of great. This bottle falls toward to the good side of the spectrum, but is still very enjoyable.

Old Forester Single Barrel – Barrel Strength Bourbon – Baytowne Spirits

Posted on March 29, 2023February 14, 2023 by Nick

If you just want to have your Old Forester with a bit more power, then you should consider Old Forester Single Barrel – Barrel Strength Bourbon. As the name implies, these bottles are made up of single barrels, and barreled at barrel strength. Unsurprisingly, they’re quite high in proof, and suggest that they might also be quite strong in flavors. This pick comes from Baytowne Spirits in Rochester, NY – where in addition to an amazing selection of single barrels, they have an outstanding selection of rums.

Old Forester Single Barrel – Barrel Strength Bourbon

This barrel has the following stats:

Warehouse: K
Floor: 2
Proof: 130 pf
Common Abbreviations: OFSBBS / OFSiBBS

Sight: Solid Auburn

Smell: The nose starts with a blast of oak spice and cherry. Notes of more fruity elements come out, such as macerated strawberries and ripe banana. Brown sugar and caramel roll around over a layer of heat. The spiciness grows and builds in ways ranging from peppercorn to chili to clove and allspice.

Sip: The start is smooth and more moderate bodied. Cherries cooked in brandy and chewy caramel come sliding out in thick waves. There are more fruity elements like dried strawberry and banana. Walnut comes in with full force and give more pepper and brown sugar elements room to grow. Things get increasingly hot, not unsurprisingly – with a rip of oak in between.

Savor: The ending keeps plenty of oak, walnut, cherry jubilee, and caramelized sugar notes. The ending is dry, tannic, and maintains a bit of warmth throughout. It lingers for a longer period than you might expect, but maintains the oak flavor – adding some cigar box and dried cherry as it goes.

Old Forester Single Barrel – Barrel Strength Bourbon is both complicated and relatively straightforward at the same time. This seems like a contradiction, but what it delivers is consistency of flavor. In all of the tastings I’ve had of this particular bottle, it tends to pull a very consistent flavor profile, and the glass drinks the same at the start as the beginning. As neat drinking goes, this is a barrel proofer that’s quite good, especially for Old Forester fans.

In Cocktails:

In a Manhattan it immediately makes you aware of its prescience. The weight alone is probably in the top 5 of Manhattans I’ve ever made (unsurprising again, given the proof) and the finish reflects this further with a bit of a heat. In the middle are waves of oak spice, caramel, fire roasted cherries, and cigar spice box. The flavor profile doesn’t really ever relax, but instead either sends spice, bombastic fruit, or oaky notes. Drinking it as it warms up, begs for more heat, but lets a bit more of the vanilla and berry notes through. If you’ve been reading previous Manhattan notes, you might conclude (quite correctly) that this is a bruiser of a bottle in the drink – which might excite some hardcore bourbon enthusiasts.

In Review – Old Forester Single Barrel – Barrel Strength Bourbon

Old Forester Single Barrel – Barrel Strength Bourbon is a powerful, beast of a bourbon. The flavors match the strength, and it delivers a well rounded experience. Fans of Old Forester’s regular offerings should find a lot to like here, and it should be a stretch to grab a bottle. If you’re not a huge fan of Old Forester or barrel strength offerings, this is going to be a stretch – especially at $80, and more than double that on the secondary.

Old Forester Single Barrel – OHLQ Exclusive #6418

Posted on March 22, 2023February 14, 2023 by Nick

Old Forester offers three different bottlings at 100 proof. We’ve covered two of these, the Signature 100 and the 1897 Bottled-In-Bond, both of which can be found on the shelf easily. What’s less common is the highly sought after Old Forester Single Barrel. Barreled at 100 proof, this offering proposes flavors with less proof than their barrel strength offerings, but also is typically selected by a retailer. While this is priced close to 1897, is it worth the hunt?

Old Forester Single Barrel – OHLQ Exclusive #6418

Warehouse: H
Floor: 4
Proof: 100 (A.B.V. 50%)
Secondary Abbreviation(s): OFSiB, OFSB

Sight: Between Tawny and Russet Muscat

Smell: There’s a surprising amount of warmth coming out of this nose that gives way to caramelized peanut treacle and spicy oak. Caramel, vanilla icing, and powder sugar join in for a very dessert like character. A banana French toast gets in there with a slight red berry compote element. Like it’s on the whipped cream with the French toast.

Sip: The start is on the sweet side, and very approachable with plenty of caramel and vanilla cake notes. The nuttiness quickly catches up with a strong roasted peanut brittle character. There’s a nice amount of cinnamon spice here, and a bit of that caramelized banana again. There’s a build of cigar box and toasty oak that come in as well.

Savor: That sweet caramel and toasty oak spice roll through with a beautiful amount of vanilla icing. The banana foster notes lean in throughout the rest of the palate, but the oak also gets more spicy as it goes, giving off cigar box and clove with a certain sweetness.

Old Forester Single Barrel – OHLQ Exclusive #6418 is complex, sweet, and enticingly layered. The nuttiness is well balanced with the caramelized notes, and the baked goods mixing with the banana tones is really a well balanced mix of flavors. While the influence of the oak is strong, it also doesn’t overwhelm the more delicate flavors. As a single barrel, this bottle is well balanced and enjoyable.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Old Forester Single Barrel – OHLQ Exclusive #6418 is smooth, caramelly, lightly banana oriented, and solidly spiced. There’s a good amount of sweetness here, and the general texture is rich. On the finish, it carries forward a blast of spice, ranging from cinnamon to clove to nutmeg, before picking up some notes of vanilla cake. As a Manhattan it’s good, if heavily spiced.

In Review – Old Forester Single Barrel – OHLQ Exclusive #6418

Old Forester Single Barrel – OHLQ Exclusive #6418 is a really a solid bourbon, especially at $50. Single barrel variation should thoroughly be expected to come into play with these, and as such you’re likely to have more success if you’re already an Old Forester fan. If you can’t find this, remember that Old Forester Signature 100 Bourbon comes in at the same proof point. Although in my experience the flavors won’t reach this level, the cost is less than half at $21.

Buffalo Trace Bourbon

Posted on March 1, 2023February 20, 2023 by Nick

Thanks to explosion of popularity driven by Pappy Van Winkle, all things Buffalo Trace became scarce. This didn’t just impact rare and high end products like the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, but also impacted everything from the under branded Hancocks to the dusty Weller Special Reserve on the bottom shelf. Not spared from this desire to taste the distillate was Buffalo Trace Bourbon. Lest you think this is just some trendy fad, Buffalo Trace Bourbon had fans like Death & Co recommending their product for your home cocktails well before the current hype.

Buffalo Trace Bourbon

Sight: A deep copper

Smell: Big notes of caramel and cherries come floating out from the op. Red strawberry licorice and notes of oak slowly waft out. Slight notes of ester or banana come in before getting big pops of brown sugar, molasses, and a touch of vanilla.

Sip: The sip starts out easy to drink and moderate bodied. There’s a good amount of brown sugar, vanilla, and caramel that lead things off. Cherries come in big and bold here, with a mix of preserved and fresh notes. There’s a lot of other nice fruity notes in here as well, ranging as light as strawberries to as dark plum. There’s a slight uptick toward tannin near the end and a little clove or tobacco note.

Savor: The ending is smooth, not particularly aggressive, instead lingering with nice caramel, spice, and red cherries.

Buffalo Trace Bourbon is iconic and easy going. The flavor profile is quintessential bourbon layering spice, sugar notes, and fruitiness. The result is a great bourbon that’s doesn’t make you work hard to find the fun in it. Experts will find it isn’t the most complex bourbon in the world, but the quality is exceptional in the mid $20 range, and is easily enjoyable on it’s own.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Buffalo Trace Bourbon is graceful, smooth, and elegant. The resulting Manhattan is caramel laden, fruit forward, and at times almost funky or full of banana notes. The vanilla of the vermouth and herbal notes balance this, giving it a sweet and creamy character. The angostura even gets space to shine, showing off clove and spices in spade. As Manhattans go, it’s beautiful and inviting if not the most complex or extreme.

In Review – Buffalo Trace Bourbon

Buffalo Trace Bourbon is easy going and perfectly priced at an MSRP of $25. While the availability can be low, it’s worth a pick up if you find a bottle on sale. The result is a bourbon that’s perfect for both enthusiasts and new drinkers. It also has an advantage of being both firm in cocktails, but elegant enough to allow other flavors through. Overall, this is an easy recommendation for starting your home bar or keeping around for guests.