Barton 1792 Distillery Single Barrel Bourbon:
Mashbill of 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% malted barley aged 7.5 years to a barrel proof of 135.2 before bottling at 98.6 proof. The nose is a bomb of a bakery conjoined to a confectioner’s shop conjoined to a donut shop. The underlayment of every aroma is baked dough or cake and chocolate. Chocolate graham cracker, burnt orange peel and chocolate donut are standout aromas. Orange and chocolate carry over to the palate before moving to lemon pound cake and charred lemon and golden honey. (Note: These notes were made using barrel strength whiskey.)
Barton 1792 Distillery Full Proof Bourbon:
Mashbill of 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% malted barley aged 7.5 years to 143 proof before bottling at 125 proof. The nose on this high-proof iteration brings a vivid blend of sweet hard candies, cotton candy, tropical fruit and a little pink bubble gum. Eventually darker notes like cured tobacco, cooked cherry and charred oak emerge. The palate is sweet and dark: honey, agave syrup and rich caramel come in waves that warm the entire throat when swallowed. Chocolate ganache, vanilla emerge and toasted oak appear on subsequent sips, luring you in for more sips despite the bold pour. (Note: These notes were made using barrel strength whiskey.)
Barton 1792 Distillery Bottled-In- Bond Bourbon:
Mashbill of 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% malted barley aged 7.5 years to a barrel proof of 135.8 before bottling at 100 proof. The aromas on this high-proof offering are softer than its siblings, but no less flavorful. Black raspberry and chocolate lead with chocolate cookies and a little cinnamon. The palate is equally softer yet still nuanced. Dark honey, golden raisin and baked rye lead the way followed by a long and spicy Kentucky hug all the way down the gullet. This is a superbly balanced bourbon, even at such high proof. (Note: These notes were made using barrel strength whiskey.)
Augusta Distillery Private Label Bourbon:
Mash bill not disclosed, aged 16 years to an estimated proof of 129.8. On the nose is fragrant ripe peach that shifts slightly toward vegetal and herbal with a little swirling in the glass. Fire-cured tobacco and leather move in alongside confectioner’s sugar and baked rye bread. This is a big, bold whiskey on the palate, perhaps attesting its age. Oak and chocolate commingle with tobacco and leather before shifting back to sweeter stone fruit notes. Despite its age, tannins are negligible amid delicious layers of old oak.
Angel’s Envy Single Barrel Bourbon, Tawny Port Cask Finish:
Mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley aged for 5 years and bottled at 110 proof. The nose is floral and redolent with bright fruit, attesting to its 19 month-long rest in a tawny port wine cask. Just imagine a blend of cherry, strawberry and grape preserves, and you’re there. Wine and jammy fruit notes hit the palate dead center before classic bourbon notes of baking spice and caramel overtake them. The finish is long, spicy and laden with dried fig.
Bardstown Bourbon Co. High Rye Bourbon:
Mash bill of 70% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley, aged 6 years to an estimated proof of 114.1. On the nose are golden raisin, golden apple, ice wine and lemon muffin. The palate presents simple, clean and elegant with brown sugar, creme caramel, breakfast cereal and rye spice.
Bespoken Spirits Single Barrel Bourbon Finished with Mizunara Microstaves:
Mash bill of 74% corn, 18% rye, 8% malted barley aged 9 years to an estimated proof of 139. This bourbon’s nose is laden with big aromas like jam cake, warm molasses, chocolate ganache and baking spices. The palate is rich and robust, serving up toffee, pipe tobacco, sorghum molasses, toasted dark rye bread and back notes of bourbon barrel aged stout beer. When informed that this barrel’s proof was 139 — one point below “hazmat” — this bourbon’s deep, dark complexity made perfect sense. Lastly, much of this bourbon’s amazing balance comes from the use of mizunara oak microstaves, 2-inch by ¼-inch seasoned oak sticks.
Casey Jones Distillery Amburana Barrel Finished Barrel Cut:
Mash bill of 50% corn, 50% cane sugar aged 4 years to an estimated proof of 113. The nose entices with hot cinnamon roll, white icing and buttercream. The cinnamon and icing carry over to the palate and join with baking spice, rye spice, charred oak, caramel sucker and vanilla taffy. The initial distillate in charred oak for 3.5 years, followed by a six weeks in Amburana oak. Finally, the spirit was moved again to rest further in its original casks.
Chicken Cock Whiskey’s Chicken Cock Private Cask Bourbon:
Mash bill of 70% corn, 21% rye, 9% malted barley, its age is 6.75 years and its estimated proof is 129.5. On the nose are ample oak and cedar notes, expressed lemon peel, white pepper, chocolate, coriander and lemon pastry. On the palate are toasted oak, chocolate, dark honey, toasted rye bread and baked oatmeal cookies.
E.J. Curley & Co. Single Barrel Bourbon:
Mash bill not disclosed, aged 7 years to an estimated proof of 126.44. The nose is light, a little floral and jammy, and full of ripe fruit. The fruit basket carries over to the palate with ripe golden apple, plumped golden raisins, cooked cherries and ripe grilled peach.
Four Roses Private Select Single Barrel Bourbon:
Mash bill of OESV 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley aged to 9 years, 4 months, and an estimated proof not available until bottling. The nose leads with whiffs of rich corn casserole before moving toward light citrus and golden raisin notes. On the palate it’s surprisingly dark with notes of old oak, a little leather, rye toast and tannin weigh in before classic Four Roses bright fruit comes to play.
Four Roses Private Select Single Barrel Bourbon:
Mash bill of OBSF 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley aged 10 years, 1 month, to an estimated proof not available until bottling. The nose leads with a surprising combination of dark stone fruits (cooked cherry, and grilled peach) and trop-ical fruits (overripe pineapple and a little papaya) that, with a little more time and swirling, leans toward vegetal. Though initially lean, clean, citrusy, a little spicy and floral, the whiskey reveals its complexity with multiple sips.
Green River Distilling Co. Single Barrel Bourbon:
Mash bill of 70% corn, 21% rye, 9% malted barley aged 6 years, 4 months, to an estimated proof of 125.2. The nose is light, but bright: herbal and citrus aromas commingle with toasted bread and lemon curd. Despite its high proof, the palate features honey, graham cracker, corn casserole and baking spice interwoven with toasted oak and cedar. With a good bit of swirling and a few sips, the proof arrives with a bang, yet the whole remains a nicely balanced pour.
Heaven Hill Distilleries Elijah Craig Private Barrel Selection:
Mash bill of 79% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley, aged 9 years with an estimated proof of 126.8. On the nose is leather, dark caramel, deep oak and stone fruit. The palate initially serves up brighter tropical fruit commingled with mint and lemon shortbread cookie before darkening to chocolate brownies. It is a rich and vivid pour.
James B. Beam Distillery Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Bourbon:
Mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley aged 9 years, 8 months, to an estimated proof of 126.9. On the nose come classic bourbon notes of vanilla, caramel, cooked cork, baking spice and oak. Caramel sweetness carries over prominently to the palate accompanied by cherry, toasted oak and rye, while floral aromas linger in the mouth long after that final sip. Despite its sturdy proof, it’s a great sipper.
Jeptha Creed Distillery Single Barrel Reserve, Barrel 1:
Mash bill of 75% Bloody Butcher corn, 20% malted rye, 5% malted barley, aged 6 years, 4 months, to an estimated 120 proof. On the nose is cooked corn, dark caramel, bitter chocolate, brewing espresso and toasted oak. The palate delivers up a sturdy pour of dark toffee, sorghum, pumpernickel rye toast and toasted oak. Master distiller Joyce Nethery, who plants, harvests and distills much of Jeptha Creed’s estate grains, sorted this barrel into a “fields of the Bluegrass” category, evoking the feeling of a walk through a sun-splashed field.
Jeptha Creed Distillery Single Barrel Reserve, Barrel 2:
Mash bill of 75% Bloody Butcher corn, 20% malted rye, 5% malted barley, aged 7.5 years to an estimated proof of 128. Like its sister barrel, No. 1, the nose starts sweeter with cooked corn, then shifts to dried figs, barnwood and cured tobacco. The corn and rye components of the mash bill stand strong, carrying with them baking spice, sorghum molasses and flamed orange peel. Master Distiller Joyce Nethery sorted this barrel into a “Decadent Desserts” category for its rich and creamy texture and fruity aromas.
Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. High Rye Double Oaked Bourbon:
Mash bill not disclosed, aged 7.5 years to an estimated proof of 115. The nose leads with dried flowers, cotton candy and confectioner’s sugar before heading into darker corners where smoldering oak campfire and leather appear. On the palate the stream of dark notes con- tinues, delivering up smoked oak, cigar leaf, dark cherry and a surprising dose of lemon-backed Hot Toddy (possibly driven by the whiskey’s high rye content). Despite being a double-oaked bourbon, it is neither drying nor tannic on the finish.
Larrikin Bourbon Co. Kentucky Straight Bourbon:
Mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley aged 8 years to an estimated proof of 124.6. The nose is busy and bright with citrus, newly cut cedar and oak and light floral notes. The palate starts off at caramel and moves toward honey with floral accents and finally, toasted oak. The body is light and lean but vibrant with rye spice and baking spice.
Larrikin Bourbon Co. High Wheat Rye Whiskey:
Mash bill of 65% rye, 35% wheat aged 8 years to an estimated proof of 123. The nose combines bipolar elements of meringue candy and dark caramel; it’s reminiscent of craft coffee drink. On the palate it’s traditional rye whiskey interwoven with honey, black tea, sassafras, vanilla and, as a table-mate pointed out, “cream soda.” The light and lively finish surely can be credited to the mashbill’s high wheat content.
Lucky 7 Spirits “The Proprietor” Single Barrel:
Mash bill not disclosed, aged 6 years to an estimated proof of 120.2. The nose heads straight to candies such as malted milk balls and Bit-O-Hon-ey, before aromas of wet oak and dried roses arrive. On the palate it’s dark and surprisingly syrupy, honeyed and under-girded with freshly peeled apples and cocktail cherries.
Maker’s Mark Private Select Bourbon:
Mash bill of 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley aged about 6 years to an estimated proof of 112.2. Stave Combination: Three P2, zero Cuvee, one 46, five Mendiant and one SP. The beautifully floral nose on this bourbon is contributed by the Mendiant stave. More common aromatics of toasted bread, light caramel, sweet corn and oak come from the bourbon itself. On the palate it’s fruity, lively, honeyed and spicy, owing at least in part, trio of P2 staves in the mix. But Maker’s wheated mash bill also exhibits these characteristics at high proofs such as this, so we amped those up. This is a bold iteration of Maker’s Mark, one that’ll sip long and slow, stand up in a cocktail or pair nicely with an after-dinner cigar.
MB Roland Distillery Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey:
Mash bill of 78% white corn, 17% rye, 5% malted barley aged 4.75 years to an estimated proof of 111.8. The nose is light but intriguing, leading with cooked sweet white corn, green apple peel, honey, light caramel, baking spices and toast-ed oak. Toasted oak, split cedar, tart apple and leather combine to form a spicy and slightly drying presentation that hums with expressed lemon peel.
New Riff Distilling Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey:
Mash bill of 65% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley, aged 4 years, 9 months, to an estimated proof of 114. The nose leads off dark with coffee, molasses, chocolate and a little dying campfire before ripe pineapple and orange push through. On the palate, it’s classic bourbon: caramel, sweet corn, rye spice and orange hard candy before shifting to subtler hints of pipe tobacco, barnwood and cinnamon.
NULU Whiskey Co. Maple Brûlée Barrel Finished Bourbon:
Mash bill of 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley aged 7 years to an estimated proof of 117. On the nose are warmed dark caramel, graham cracker, chocolate sponge cake and a hint of pipe tobacco. The palate comes on even richer with dark and milk chocolates, syrupy cola, burnt orange peel and bananas Foster.
Old SteelHouse Single Barrel Bourbon:
Mash bill of 64% corn, 24% rye, 12% malted barley aged 6 years to an estimated proof of 111. On the nose are notes common to good wheated bourbon: light butterscotch, caramel, toasted bread and oak. The palate reflects the nose but with cooked stone fruit filling in alongside whiffs of milk chocolate, graham cracker and dark honey.
Pursuit Spirits Double Oaked Rye:
Mash bill of a blend of rye whiskies from Bardstown Bourbon Co. (95% rye, 5% malted barley) and Sagamore Spirit (52% rye, 42% corn, 5% malted barley, and 95% rye, 5% malted barley) aged in a secondary cask with medium toast French oak staves for 6 years to an estimated proof of 108. The nose starts off boldly with oak, cedar, cinnamon and baking spice. The palate is surprisingly nuanced with Juicy Fruit Gum, stone fruit, light caramel and oak. The finish is dry but properly tannic for a double oak.
Old Forester Forester Single Barrel Barrel Strength:
Mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley, it’s aged 4.5 years and has an estimated proof of 135. As if to point to its proof, the nose is robust with baking spice, bitter chocolate, dried pineapple and cherry and dark caramel. The palate is characteristically Old Forest-er: baking spice and rye spice softened only a little with tropical fruit, honey, vanilla and brown sugar. Despite its high proof, it’s a fairly mannerly sipper, though chilling it in the fridge for an hour wouldn’t hurt. If eager for a cocktail made using this, the ultimate mint julep would be my choice.
Old Louisville Whiskey Co. Single Barrel Bourbon:
Mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley aged 11 years to an estimated proof of 115.6. The nose is explosively fruity before softening to cotton candy, creme candy and caramel corn. Caramel continues on the pal-ate and is fortified with baked pineapple, vanilla and orange marmalade. Despite its age it’s barely drying on the finish, and even at 115.6 proof, it’s an easy sipper.
Preservation Distillery + Farm Estate Pot Distilled Wheated Bourbon:
Mash bill not disclosed but at least 51% corn with some percentages of wheat and malted barley, aged 7 years, 6 months, to an estimated proof of 116.5. The nose is practically in bloom with spring flowers, and fruit aromas of banana and bruised apple intermingle with cinnamon and pie crust. That pie crust carries over to the palate alongside lemon curd, golden apple, bitter chocolate and a hint of smoke.
RD1 Spirits Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Amburana Wood:
Mash bill not dis-closed, but at least 51% corn, aged 6 years to an estimated proof of 121-125. On the nose is baked apple pie, particularly allspice and cinnamon, and cinnamon powdered cake donut. The palate is nicely balanced between straight bourbon’s common caramel, citrus and oak characteristics and the amburana’s floral and baked goods notes. At least a few on our picking team dreamed aloud of making cold weather old-fashioned cocktails with this whiskey.
Rabbit Hole Distillery Heigold Bourbon:
Mash bill of 70% corn, 25% malted rye, 5% malted barley aged 5 years, 9 months, to an estimated proof of 109. The nose is elegant: highly fragrant and loaded with ripe fruit (green apple and cantaloupe), spring flowers and Lemonhead candy. The fruit character carries over to the palate while picking up burnt orange peel and ripe dark cherries. A warm wave of toasted oak, toasted wheat bread and baking spice moves in before finishing with a hammer blow of vibrant rye spice.
Whiskey Thief Distilling Co. Rye Whiskey:
Mash bill of 65% rye, 30% corn and 5% malted barley aged 7 years to a barrel proof of 120. The nose leads with baking spice and toasted oak before fresh raspberries, baked pastries, black tea, light caramel and cinnamon join in. The palate is lively, packed with spiced honey, golden raisin, white pepper and just a little cardamom. The finish is coating, soft and lingering.
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Personal Selection:
Mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley, each of two barrels in this blend aged approximately 6 years before moving to a second cask for double oaking. Finished proof is 90.4. The nose delivers a blend of maple syrup and cedar, chocolate icing and dried cherry. The double oaking brings campfire directly to the palate along with sweet corn baking spice and a little milk chocolate. The finish is warm, simple and just a little drying.
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