Store Pick 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.

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.

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.

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #2

Posted on February 15, 2023February 15, 2023 by Nick

Late last year, we covered the first OHLQ pick of Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon. We gave it high praise for the amazing caramel and vanilla backbone that was layered beautifully with spice, tea, and notes of fruit. At $35 it was nothing short of absolutely stellar. So can Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #2 double down on the amazing path blazed by the first pick?

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #2

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #2 has a 53.5% A.B.V. (107 Proof). It’s barrel number was 7390043, and the barrel was filled 5/10/16. I purchased the bottle in October of 2021, shortly after it’s release. OHLQ provided a generic description of Ezra Brook Distiller’s Collection Bourbon, “…expect a taste profile consisting of notes of oak and black pepper, balanced with cinnamon, caramel, and vanilla.” They also provided next to zero information per barrel beyond the following description:

Description: Hints of pepper spice throughout with a long finish.

Sight: Tawny

Smell: Pops of cherry, caramel, and vanilla float out in a healthy burst. There’s a nuttiness between peanut and hazelnut that joins in and gives nice earthiness. Black pepper and spice join in with a hint of heat.

Sip: The start is more middling in it’s weight. The sweetness on the nose quickly dissipates on the palate, leaving caramel and pulling in notes of black tea, nuts, pepper, and spices. There are some elements of dried cherries, dark chocolate, and stone fruit skins. There is a decent pop of heat from time to time. By the end, things are quite dry.

Savor: The finish drives in more black pepper, bitter spicing, hints of oak, and just a touch of fruit. The finish lingers, leaning heavily into spice and

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection – OHLQ Selection #2 is a decently complex bottle, especially for the price. The nose is significantly sweeter than the palate gives way to. The peppery notes are nice, and the oak is very prominent here. The nuttiness is also more in line with their Ezra Brooks 99. Overall, this represents a significant step up as a sipper from their 99 (being passable to good), but falls well short of the first selection.

In Cocktails

This sequel bottle of Ezra Brooks is quite good as a Manhattan. Somehow the caramel and vanilla really win out here, while the body provides a robust base. The cherry notes and a good amount of berry and plum elements manage to come to the forefront. Toward the backend, the pepper, tea, and oak really kick in and drive things forward. The finish is clean, with just a moderate amount of tannin and a hint of dark chocolate. Unlike enjoying it neat, it really shines again in a cocktail.

In Review – Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #2

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #2 is not quite it’s predecessor, but it’s a darn good facsimile to it. The neat experience is still lacking, but where this bottle shines is in cocktails. Similar to the first pick, it somehow makes a drink more than the sum of its parts. As a result, these Distiller’s Collection bottles are a reasonable way to make a cocktail special, without paying a huge price.

Having had two Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbons, we recommend trying one of these if you see one for a price in the mid 30’s and enjoy drinking Manhattans or other bourbon based cocktails.

Maker’s Mark: Marshmallow Krispy Treat – OHLQ Exclusive 2022

Posted on February 8, 2023January 25, 2023 by Nick

In addition to Maker’s Mark’s annual wood finishing series bottles (FAE-01 / FAE-02), they also have a fairly substantial presence on the shelves as private selections (or store picks). The 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. For this selection, the Ohio Liquor team has named the combination Maker’s Mark: Marshmallow Krispy Treat.

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 Marshmallow Krispy Treat

OHLQ described Maker’s Mark Marshmallow Krispy Treat as follows:

Aromas of vanilla and oak, with a confectionary profile of marshmallow, freshly-baked bread, candy, and hints of pear.

Stave Profile:
- 5 Baked American Pure
- 3 Seared French Cuvee
- 2 Maker’s Mark 46
Proof: 111.3 (ABV 55.65%)
Age: NAS

Sight: Chestnut Oloroso Sherry

Smell: Beautiful notes of a roasting campfire and vanilla start things off. The vanilla laces with a pleasant icing sugar / marshmallow interior. There’s a nice baked pie crust element, and a hint of bittersweet chocolate. There is a slight amount of poached pear.

Sip: The start is slightly hot, but picks up with plenty of roasted oak, vanilla, and toasted marshmallow notes. The heat has a little bit more of that pear note, and a bit of yeastiness. There’s a hint of red hot spice. That vanilla really is slightly drier but picks up a good amount of toasted marshmallow exterior and even more oak.

Savor: The ending has a yeasty, graham cracker like note laced with toasted marshmallow and roasted oak. The finish has a bit more heat and then carries forward with more icing sugar and hints of spice.

Maker’s Mark Marshmallow Krispy Treat is full of luxurious vanilla-marshmallow flavors and a touch of heat. This doesn’t quite ever break out of this lane from the smell through the body. Depending on how you interpret very consistent, clear flavors this is either really great, or really boring. As a sipper goes, it’s tasty, maybe better for after dinner or by the fire, and not overwhelmingly complex.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Maker’s Mark Marshmallow Krispy Treat is a decidedly dry despite the sweet aromas. The pear that showed up around the edges comes forward with a touch of the wine notes from the vermouth with plenty of spice from the bitters and oak. There are pleasant aromatic vanilla elements that come into play as well, with a bit of caramel. The finish is roasted marshmallow exterior mixed with vanilla extract. It’s an interesting, if slightly dry Manhattan.

In Review – Maker’s Mark Marshmallow Krispy Treat

In my experience Maker’s Mark picks have a very high floor and a generally low ceiling when it comes to impressiveness. This pick falls closer to that high floor than the low ceiling, showing a solid and enjoyable pick that delivers more in branding than complexity. That doesn’t make this a bad bottle of whiskey by any means, but it is sitting at $70, which is a fair amount of money. Like most picks, you won’t know unless you buy, and while I wouldn’t necessarily seek out this exact pick, Maker’s Mark picks remain a good buy for a dependable store pick for a unique taste of their product.

If you just want the power of the pick, than consider Maker’s Mark Cask Strength at less than half the cost, or their Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength for around the same price.

1792 Full Proof – L&W Single Barrel Select

Posted on January 25, 2023January 15, 2023 by Nick

Our final bottle (for now) as we travel through Barton’s 1792 series is 1792 Full Proof. Where as the small batch comes in at 93.7 proof and the Bottled In Bond is an obvious 100 proof, the Full Proof tips the scale at a whopping 125 proof. This additional proof should result in additional flavor, but can it avoid the extra burn. As a note, this particular bottle is a store pick, 1792 Full Proof – L&W Single Barrel Select.

1792 Full Proof – L&W Single Barrel Select

Sight: Burnished

Smell: Bombastic hits of charred oak lead things off before being backfilled with plenty of vanilla and caramel. Pops of fruit waft out, with an almost fermented like note of booze, implying blackberries and plums that have been steeped in corn mash. There’s a sort of jammy strawberry note that comes and goes as well with a hint of fresh baked danish too it.

Sip: The heat isn’t quite instant, but it starts building from the word go, and there’s a richness of the body that continues throughout. The build up of heat is a real issue as things continue, blowing our flavors that show up early. There’s a beautiful rich chocolate and strawberry note that pulls through, with a hint of baked pastry. The sweetness of deep brown sugar and roasted oak come through to add to the mix. Additional notes of fruit and buckwheat honey randomly appear.

Savor: The ending delivers on a complex mix of grilled strawberry, roasting oak, and baking spices with a touch of burnt marshmallow and plenty of tannin. It lingers for what feels like forever with a just a touch of burn.

1792 Full Proof – L&W Single Barrel Select is bold, rich, and powerfully flavored. This particular bottle bursts with rich pastry, oak, sugar, and complex berry notes. The vanilla and caramel really deliver all the way through, with strong toasted sugars coming through on the end. The overall sippability of this whiskey is on point.

Compared to 1792 Small Batch

The nose on 1792 Full Proof is like getting hit by force of nature. The power of the smells are simply turning 1792 Small Batch to 11, and then adding in a whole extra set. That said, the nose has a tendency to run hot, and the occasional nose burn is likely. The palate is a fire storm, and outside of the high burn from the alcohol, the flavors are all cranked up to the max as well. The result is something powerful, aggressive, and interesting.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan, the flavor profile explodes in a gorgeous and heavenly way. The caramel notes jump to the front, bringing a creamy and rich caramel that cedes into a beautiful fruit forward profile of strawberries, dried raspberries, and figs. The oak and spice bring up the rear drive a massive burnt marshmallow and spice ending. The overall result is a bold, enticing Manhattan that is unapologetic in it’s flavors. If anything, this Manhattan is so big, you might wonder if it still needs to be turned down.

In Review – 1792 Full Proof L&W Single Barrel Select

1792 Full Proof L&W Single Barrel Select is frankly bonkers in a good way. While there’s nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, toned down about this pick, it’s also can be tamed. The flavors explode forward in a beautiful mix of fruit, sweet treacle’s, and spices. With the strength, it means both ice and cocktails are not detriments, but benefits to unlocking the flavors. While unfortunately this barrel is long gone, we recommend you try 1792 FP

OHLQ Russell’s Reserve Winter 2021

Posted on September 23, 2022August 13, 2022 by Nick

Over a year ago, when I picked up my bottle of OHLQ Russell’s Reserve Winter 2021, I walked into the store and found a whole collection of them. As of a a couple of months ago, the state managed to drop bottles around the state resulting in 2 – 3 hour lines in some locations (that wrapped around the building). It most likely goes without saying that the hype train has claimed another victim. While the secondary on these isn’t egregious, and you can find them on shelves from time to time, is it worth the hunt?

OHLQ Russell’s Reserve Winter 2021

The state described this pick as follows:

Creamy, smooth caramel up front with an extensive wood finish. Enjoy this one as you sit back and relax after a long day of working in the yard.

This barrel’s information is as follows:

Distilled: 12-12-11
Dumped: 08-08-20
Bottled: 10-27-20
Age: 8 years 8 months
Barrel # – 20-0464
Warehouse: B
Floor: 4

Sight: A solid tawny.

Smell: The nose is complex and weighty off the bat with a tobacco and red fruit like sweetness. Notes of ethanol, strawberry, jammy blackberry, and raspberry combine before giving way to caramel and vanillas. A pecan and peanut nuttiness comes in with some powdered sugar. Notes of coffee, tobacco, and oak with a subtle creaminess. There’s a solid amount of heat here as well.

Sip: The sip almost starts off sweet with light berry flavors before things get extremely hot with a wave of black tea and oak. Tones of caramel and vanilla run through the background, and there’s almost a tobacco or unripened stone fruit flavor to the body. The most interesting thing other than the brown sugar, nuts, and heavy spicing is the way that it seems to turn the flavors on and off like a light switch. The turn from sweet and lightly fruity to spice, tea, and sugars is the almost a vertical take off.

Savor: The finish is spicy, with plenty of rye, oak, ethanol, and black tea. There’s a medium to heavy amount of astringency from the tannins here.

OHLQ Russell’s Reserve Winter 2021 a spicy fire bomb with a slightly fruity edge. The roller-coaster of flavor is powerful, and not necessarily a good starting point for those who prefer more toned down spirits. While the heat is noticeable, the flavors are equally powerful. The heavy notes of herbal tea, caramel, nuts, spice, and sugars are the predominate notes. Expect a powerful hit on your first sip from this bourbon.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan It’s exemplary. The fruity characteristics show up interlaced with ribbons of sweet dulce de leche. The spices and oak join in, giving an amazing mix of sweet caramel, stone fruit, black tea, and vanilla laced oak. The body is smooth and rich, but the finish lets those spice, oak, and vanilla notes really shine with just a bit of silky smooth tannins. It’s a little hard to fully state how much the caramel, and the refinement of the caramel, really comes through in this application.

In Review – OHLQ Russell’s Reserve Winter 2021

OHLQ Russell’s Reserve Winter 2021 is nothing short of amazing, and another example of why these store picks are leaving the shelves faster than ever. So should you spend the time to hunt for one? That question depends more on what you find you enjoy in a bourbon. As a cocktail whiskey, it is delightful, but probably too expensive and time consuming to find and justify. If, however, you’re already a fan of Wild Turkey’s offerings, and enjoy sipping them straight, than these picks are worth the search.

Blue Note Uncut Single Barrel – r/bourbon “Supper Club”

Posted on August 26, 2022August 12, 2022 by Nick

When I first began trying to find new bourbons to try, I found myself reading reviews on many websites. While reviewers palates vary, you can generally find alignment if you try a few liquors or beverages and compare notes. This works because reviewers are relatively static, but what about a hivemind like Reddit’s r/bourbon? Well things become trickier, as you have a mix of reviewers sharing opinions on the same bottles. Yet, there are few things they agree on as much as the positive reviews for t8ke’s single barrel picks. And as luck would have it, the first lottery I ever won was for a chance to buy a bottle of Blue Note Uncut Single Barrel – r/bourbon “Supper Club”

Blue Note Uncut Single Barrel – r/bourbon “Supper Club”

The particular barrel chosen has the following statistics and tasting notes:

Aged: 4 Years
ABV: 118.5pf
Bottle Count: 145
Price: $52 (before shipping)
Tasting Notes: Pound cake, citrus, maple, orange rind, a big root beer note, confectioners sugar and butter cream. Syrupy vanilla bean and butterscotch, long citrus and maple finish. Back on that Old Fashioned in a bottle vibe that I got from our first Blue Note (barrel #15036) and I’m here for it. Reminds me of a night at the supper club here in the Midwest.

Below are my tasting notes:

Sight: Amontillado Sherry to Copper.

Smell: Toasted sugar, maple, and pound cake come out. There’s a strong smack of alcohol top note here that keeps flitting in and out. There are notes such as sarsaparilla, toffee, hazelnut, and game meat or smokey leather. Fruit notes are pretty sparse, leaning slightly toward candied orange or white grape.

Sip: The palate is moderate in weight, leaning thick as it sits. Heat starts building quickly, and the edges can get rough. Toasted sugar and cake are present with hits of oak, smoke, root beer. There are some tobacco notes here has well, with just a hint of burnt marshmallow, and a touch of caramelizing green banana towards the transition to the finish.

Savor: The ending maintains that heat and pulls in more notes of roasted pecan, slight pastry, and again, a cola or root beer like note.

Blue Note Uncut Single Barrel – r/bourbon “Supper Club” is complex enough to keep revisiting, but not quite well put together enough to be enjoyable. The palate is hot and the flavors are a bit inconsistent from sip to sip. Given the price point, I want to be wowed, or at least impressed. Instead, it feels young, partially developed, and not quite smooth enough. It feels out of its depth.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Blue Note Uncut Single Barrel – r/bourbon “Supper Club” doesn’t quite work as expected. There’s a lot of weight added, which makes for a nice solid Manhattan. Vanilla bean and maple candy mix with an herbal-woodsy note and sweetness that immediately shifts dry on the finish. The herbaceous notes are nowhere in the general palate of just the whiskey. There’s also an interesting smokiness that presents on the finish. Overall, it’s an interesting, if non-traditional Manhattan.

In Review – Blue Note Uncut Single Barrel – r/bourbon “Supper Club”

Reviewing Blue Note Uncut Single Barrel – r/bourbon “Supper Club” is a bit of an exercise in futility. With the extremely limited availability, you’ll never see it. Given it’s a single barrel, it’s subject to all the variation that happens from barrel to barrel. Combine this with the fact that it’s a surviving barrel from a tornado strike, and we’ll it just isn’t representative. So why spend the time?

The fact is that limit availability bottles like this are good ways to peak behind the curtain of different distilleries, and to get an idea of the stock they’re working with. They can serve as potential guideposts when trying to evaluate either a single barrel selector (such as r/bourbon) or the brand (Blue Note). Ultimately, the challenge here is a mix of exclusivity and cost. These picks are not uncommon in many states, and retail for something closer to $40. After exclusivity mark up and shipping, this bottle ended up at $65.

That $20+ is a big jump, and brings this bottle into competition with things like 1792 Full Proof, Maker’s Mark Wood Finish Series and Private Selections, Russell Reserve Store Picks, and more. Those are some big competitors, and Juke Joint’s age and complexity just doesn’t feel like it has the depth to hang here.

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #1

Posted on September 17, 2021September 21, 2021 by Nick

Allocated bourbon and store picks are exciting. They offer an opportunity to receive a single barrel selection at an equal or better price than the equivalent bottle. Theses picks are typically highly sought after and generally hard to find. They also have a significant amount of bottle to bottle and batch to batch variability. In some cases, it can even be dependent on the selector for the store or liquor authority. For these reasons, I generally don’t purchase these selections since they’re two variable to recommend as liquors for bases for cocktails. I generally follow this rule, but made an exception for Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #1.

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #1

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #1 has a 53.5% A.B.V. (107 Proof). It’s barrel number was 7015900, and the barrel was filled 2/23/15. I purchased the bottle in early January of 2021, shortly after it’s release. OHLQ provided the following information on the barrel:

Warehouse: 1
Floor: 5
Rick: 39
Tier: 3
Position: 17
Description: Warm caramel and vanilla, sweet.

Sight: Bordering on tawny.

Smell: The nose undoubtedly starts sweet, and instantly leans into vanilla and caramel. Touches of hay and wheat join in, with black cherries and black tea. A rough splash of clove joins in with touches of clove and tobacco.

Sip: The sip starts smooth and sweet, before opening up into vanilla, caramel, brandied cherries, and oversteeped spice tea. Pops of clove overwhelm the other spices, before allowing oak to come to the forefront. A hint of ethanol comes out too.

Savor: The finish gets tannic, pulling in notes of charred wood, strong clove, and a slight sour cherry.

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #1 is sweet and spicy sip that doesn’t disappoint. The proof isn’t so high as to be difficult to drink, but it comes loaded with flavor. The texture is smooth with just a hint of burn. The complexity is in line with a $35 bottle, and opens up with more sweetness, especially after a sip of water.

In Cocktails

This particular bottle of Ezra Brooks is unbelievably great as a Manhattan. The caramel and vanilla notes come through with touches of black pepper and black tea. The weight feels perfect, just like liquid silk should. The play off the vermouth shows them sharing the space as equals, giving space for the fruity flavors of the vermouth and the sweetness and herbal notes in the bourbon.

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #1 in Review

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon is honestly one of the standout bottles I’ve had in 2021. Upon sharing it with my father, he confirmed my bias to enjoy it. At $35, I picked this up as an impulse buy and found it punched well above it’s weight. Which led me to wonder whether or not the rest of Ezra Brook’s selection is anywhere near as good.

In short, I recommend Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection, but as a store pick or limited time offering, we won’t be adding it to any of our formal lists.