1792 Single Barrel Bourbon Review
Photo courtesy of Barton Distillery.

Photo courtesy of Barton Distillery.

New from the Barton distillery in Bardstown, KY is 1792 Single Barrel bourbon.  Although I haven’t officially reviewed 1792 Small Batch on this blog, I consider it a solid pour.  Now we have a single barrel version of it.  Sazerac, Barton’s parent company, is calling this release a limited edition.  It’s bottled at 98.6 proof and retails for $39.99.

This is the distillery’s first new release since their tasty port-finished expression, which was released last fall.  The press release for this whiskey mentions more new releases of 1792 this year.  I’m curious to see (and taste) what they have cooked up for 2016.  Now, onto the tasting notes.

Lots of official tasting notes for bourbon mention “butterscotch.”  In the case of 1792 Single Barrel bourbon, they’re right.  The nose on this whiskey is full of rich butterscotch, toffee and figs, with just a touch of vanilla extract on the backend.  The entry is a bit spicy at first.  That butterscotch and creamy caramel found in the nose wrap around a roasted corn note, along with a small squeeze of citrus and that fig note.  It’s got a slightly viscous mouthfeel, which I’m attributing to the high-ish proof.  There’s very slight heat on the finish, which is medium-length and leaves behind slight barrel char and toffee.

This is just like the 1792 small batch, only with more character.  That’s the great thing about single barrel releases.  The unique qualities of each barrel of bourbon aren’t washed away in a blend.  You get the flavor profile of the brand delivered in a slightly varied manner.  Going under the assumption that barrel variation isn’t too extreme, this one comes highly recommended.

8/10
(Note:  A review sample was provided by Barton 1792 Distillery.)

Booker’s Batch 2016-01 “Booker’s Bluegrass” Bourbon Review

Photo courtesy of Booker's.

Photo courtesy of Booker’s.

Since 2015, every batch of Booker’s bourbon from Jim Beam has been given a name in addition to a batch number.  From a marketing standpoint, it seems to be working.  The brand experienced double digit growth in 2015, according to Nielsen data.  This particular batch, the first of 2016, is named “Booker’s Bluegrass” after Booker Noe’s love of bluegrass music.

As stated right on the label, Booker’s is aged between six and eight years.  This one sits right in the middle at 6 years and 11 months old.  This batch comes to us at 127.9 proof, uncut and unfiltered.

The nose carries an overall profile that’s typical of Booker’s.  There’s robust caramel and vanilla, with a touch of oak and nuts.  I can pick out some sweet corn grain, but it’s not as prevalent as in past batches.  The high proof delivers big flavors.  On the entry is a little heat, followed by sweet corn grain, roasted nuts, and vanilla.  Caramel provides a bit of sweetness alongside the corn note, but it seems a bit thin.  Booker’s usually ends with a long finish.  This batch, however, features a shorter finish than expected.

This is a good, solid batch of Booker’s, but not a particularly memorable one.  As I wrote before, all batches of Booker’s carry an overall similar flavor profile.  Since they are all “small” batches, some variation will take place. Though a delicious and extremely sippable whiskey, this batch doesn’t quite stand up to last year’s excellent “Dot’s Batch”, but it’s close.  That said, if you’re a fan of the brand, you won’t be disappointed with “Booker’s Bluegrass.”

8/10
(Note: A review sample was provided by Booker’s.)

Michter’s 10-Year-Old Rye Whiskey Review (2016)

Michters 10yr RyeMichter’s 10-year-old single barrel rye whiskey is the company’s first release of 2016.  It was last seen on shelves in 2014, and was scheduled for a 2015 release.  According to press materials, Michter’s Master Distiller Willie Pratt held back the whiskey for further maturation.    This is the same story we heard for Michter’s 10-year-old bourbon release last year.  Cynics will claim this is pure marketing, but I think there’s truth to this.  If the whiskey’s not ready, the whiskey’s just not ready.

As mentioned above, this release is a single barrel release – something all of Michter’s rye whiskies share.  My sample is from barrel number 16A113.  This limited release rye whiskey is proofed down to 46.4% abv, or 92.8 proof.  As with all of Michter’s products, some filtration is employed.  The mashbill is also not disclosed.  The suggested retail price is $150, but I doubt you’ll find it for anywhere near that, thanks to the current American whiskey market.

The fragrant nose is full of dark brown sugar and baking spices.  It smells rich and sweet.  That sharp rye grain note usually found in rye whiskies is here, but is quite subdued.  Some vanilla and a small banana note round out the nose.  Think bananas foster.  I could smell this all day.  In the flavor department, the rye spice quickly becomes apparent.  Cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg swirl around a rich foundation of bittersweet brown sugar and creamy vanilla.  Slightly astringent and spicy oak develop toward the back-palate and into the finish, which is  medium-long in length.   There’s some heat at first, followed by that lovely spiced brown sugar and just a touch of mint.

Wow.

To answer the burning question of whether or not this rye whiskey is worth at least $150, I say yes.  A thousand times yes.  This is another exemplary whiskey release by Michter’s.  It’s perfectly proofed to be sipped.  Though I wish the finish were longer, it’s a small nitpick of an otherwise fantastic rye whiskey.  Highly recommended.

9/10
(Note: A review sample was provided by Michter’s.)