OHLQ Pick Archives - First Pour Cocktails

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 – 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.

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.

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.