Just like the bourbon industry, The Original Bourbon Club in the New Orleans area has been rapidly expanding. Not too long ago, it was called the Mandeville Bourbon Club. Mandeville’s about 25 minutes away from New Orleans. Now, the bourbon-oriented social club has grown into different chapters in southeast Louisiana as well as Texas.

One great thing about this bourbon club is the constant stream of single barrels it offers its members. Most recently, The Original Bourbon Club took part in the Maker’s Mark Private Select program. They were kind enough to share a bottle with me.

If you’re not familiar with Maker’s Mark Private Select, read up on it here. This particular selection features the following staves:

• 3 Baked American Pure 2
• 3 Seared French Cuvée
• 2 Maker’s 46
• 2 Toasted French Spice

After a short secondary maturation with this stave selection, the bourbon was bottled at barrel proof, or 109 proof (54.5% ABV) in this case.

The robust nose features hints of caramel corn, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla. Orange peel adds a bit of vibrancy. The palate closely follows the nose with initial waves of caramelized sugar, burnt orange peel, and vanilla. A moderate dusting of baking spices ramp up the mid-palate just as sweet and slightly astringent oak develops. The finish is medium-long, with lingering hints of orange Starburst, oak spice, and toffee.

The folks at The Original Bourbon Club have something really nice on their hands with this bottling. This Maker’s Mark Private Select is rich and balanced. Those sweet notes are complemented by citrus and spice. It still has the Maker’s DNA, but the flavor spectrum here is deliciously widened.

This bottling is available to club members only. All the more reason to join the club. Highly recommended. 9/10

Thanks to The Original Bourbon Club for the sample. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

As a whiskey blogger, I’m thrilled to see “one of us” create a whiskey. Bill Straub from ModernThirst.com, together with Bob D’Antoni, have come together to create the Four Gate Whiskey Company. Straub, the Chief Blending Officer, has a great palate and, based on his whiskey reviews, can sometimes be tough to please. I say that with respect. That trait serves him well in his role at Four Gate.

Every batch of Four Gate is to be barrel finished, barrel proof, and unique. The first batch, “The Kelvin Collaboration,” is a 5- to 11-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in ex-sherry rum casks bottled at 61.7% ABV. The bourbon came from a mash bill of 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% malted barley. “The Kelvin Collaboration” yielded 1,732 bottles released in Kentucky and Tennessee at a suggested price of $199.99.

The nose features deep notes of red fruit, dark caramel, honey roasted nuts, and a sprinkling of spice. Taste-wise, bold dried fruit notes explode on the palate alongside hints of brown sugar and banana pudding. There’s a base of bourbon (caramel, vanilla, and rye grain) underneath it all. Red wine and tannins pave the way for a long, fruity, and slightly dry finish.

This first batch of Four Gate whiskey is quite tasty. It might indicate a mantra for the brand: bold barrel-finishing. The use of sherry rum casks for the finishing of the first batch dominates the base bourbon, but complements it nonetheless. I wouldn’t call what Four Gate is doing traditional, but it’s interesting and more importantly, it’s delicious. Really, that’s all that counts. 8.5/10

Fourgatewhiskey.com

Thanks to Four Gate Whiskey Company for the sample. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nine and a half is a number Barrell Bourbon should embrace. It’s the age of the company’s 19th batch of bourbon. Wow… we’re at 19 already. It harkens to some of my favorite batches. Notice I didn’t say ‘best batches.’ Each batch of Barrell Bourbon is intentionally unique, featuring a different flavor profile than the batch before. So far, it’s been a winning strategy.

Barrell Bourbon Batch 019 comes from whiskies distilled in Kentucky and Tennessee and aged 9.5 to 14 years. It’s bottled at cask strength, as always. In this case it’s 109.4 proof.

The nose is full of praline, grilled corn-on-the-cob, green pepper, and butterscotch. Taste-wise, we’re looking at buttered corn and roasted peanuts upfront. Some fruit sweetness arrives mid-palate along with a hint of spice. A touch of dried herbs mingle with oak tannin and leather on the back palate, leading to a long, warm, and slightly dry finish.

I really appreciate the lack of inherent sweetness on this whiskey. It’s a nice change of pace. There’s an interesting earthiness here, most likely due to the 14-year-old barrels that make up part of this batch. What we have here is a big, oily bourbon full of dried fruit, herbs, peanuts, and oak spice. What’s not to like about that?

Fifteen minutes after taking my last sip, the finish is still with me. That’s the mark of good whiskey. Recommended! 8.5/10

barrellbourbon.com

Thanks to Barrell Bourbon for the sample. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.