This is typically a cornbread-laden favorite of mine. Its also the same juice that doesnt spend quite as long in the rickhouse and gets blended with minorly different barrels for an end product thats very similar to Basil Haydens. On the palate, there is caramel and brown sugar, along with vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and charred oak. The history of Old Forester bourbon is as rich and colourful as the company and family that have been producing it for almost 150 years. This juice is. Last year, I tasted a dozen bourbons that were widely available and selected Ezra Brooks 7-year-old Cask Strength. Type above and press Enter to search. George T Stagg (Some days I prefer it to just about anything) 5. It made my Top 5. Each release represents a historical year for the distillery. Its based on a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley. Bottled in Bond: Under the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, a bottled-in-bond spirit must be produced by one distillery in the same distilling season, then aged under federal supervision and cut and bottled at 100 proof. The finish has a velvet texture that helps it fade fairly slowly while staying warm. For instance, Jim Beam, Bakers, Knob Creek, Old Crow, and Old Taylor all have the exact same mash bill (75/13/12 corn/rye/barley), barrel char (level #4), and barreling proof (125 proof). So no Jim Beam Soft Red Wheat, none of the individual Willett bottlings, none of the Michters 10 year bottlings that were(or were reported to be) wheaters, and none of the Buffalo Trace Single Oak or experimental releases that were wheated. The whiskey is produced by Brown-Forman. The bourbon category has never been more popular than it is right now. My favorite by far of the standard production you mentioned is Larceny. But the truth is, in a pinch, this is a great sipper. Barrell is a blender, not a distiller, and the flavor mastery of founder Joe Beatrice and master distiller Tripp Stimson have won the old bourbon guard over. Case in point is the original wheated bourbon, Wellers signature 12-year bourbon. The price stops most people from ever getting to drink it and thats a shame. Proof: 100. With intense flavors of dark fruit, cocoa, and vanilla, this Cabernet Sauvignon offers a smooth and balanced taste with a long, lingeri. Rate, Review and Discover spirits! Thanks in advance. Sazerac 18 typically demands the highest price in the Buffalo Antique Collection line. The notes kind of just linger. Distiller Score: 86. Thats nuts in todays whiskey world. This is strikingly similar to Woodford on the nose with the same vanilla, tobacco, mint, and floral fruit. Wheaters are my favorites, but I like ryes too. His son, Eddie Russell, took over as Wild Turkeys Master Distiller in 2015, after 35 years with the company. It's made up of whiskeys from Indiana, Tennessee and Kentucky, with ages ranging from 4 to 16 years old. Its just that one of them was in the right spot in the rickhouse and deemed tasty enough not to be blended with other barrels. Its also killer if you want to make a $20 Manhattan. In 2017, Jim Beams Old Grand-Dad line of whiskeys was nearly axed. Cheap bourbon isnt always as bottom-shelf as it seems. Many of these regional brands were ones gobbled up by the big distillers in the consolidation that followed Prohibition in the US or they are expressions that were left out of the marketing campaigns that created the big national brands. In a whiskey market that's become increasingly fragmented and allocated, Knob Creek's classic small batch bourbon distinguishes itself. Notwithstanding the number of bourbon brands, however, and the veritable explosion in craft producers, now close to 2,000 operating distilleries, over 95% of all of the bourbon made in the United States is produced by 13 large distilleries owned by eight major beverage companies. Distiller Score: 84, This Kentucky straight bourbon is the entry-level bourbon for the brand. The whiskey sells for around $25. That brand was owned for a while by Julian P Pappy Van Winkle, and is considered the inspiration for the Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. The brand has been on the shelves for over 150 consecutive years. Medley Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, NAS, 51% ABV. Both mash bills are utilized for this bottling. At times our old standbys can be tough to findand when we do, they are triple the standard price. Gear Patrol participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. That leaves lots of expressions of excellent bourbon, many made by those same national producers, which are available only on a regional basis or have limited distribution. All of the Weller expressions share the same mash bill. At $30 per bottle, this is another excellent value for a classic bourbon. A leather note emerges and lingers at the end. Distiller Score: 88. That bottling is aged at least four years in new, charred American oak. At the very least, this experiment is a good way to see how much luck and refinement go into making expensive bourbons worth the price when you can quite literally compare them to the cheaper expressions of the exact same juice. This is similar to the various Pappy expressions. Proof: The percentage of alcohol, displayed as double that of the alcohol percentage. But I spent last season working the phones and visiting many stores, and I will not do that again. For our money, the best do-it-all bourbon is Knob Creek's 9-year-old Small Batch offering. Drink it in a highball or mix up old fashioneds for a few months. Flavor Profile: Sweet & Rich ABV: 50% Old Forester with darker banana, apple, and cherry, while Buffalo Trace with brighter, vibrant, and tropical peach, cherry, and pineapple. I admit I have gotten extremely lucky obtaining a few of these bottles. That said, I felt strongly Jack Daniels puts out worthy whiskey and deserved to be in this Best Everyday tasting. Im going through a bottle a month. Flavor Profile: Vanilla & Sweet Average Price: $300. It was very, very nice bourbon, he says, wistfully. For 2022, the rugged western whiskey is a blend of 8- and 9-year-old barrels from the distillery and clocks in at a whopping 134.8 proof. If I tasted this flight again, theres a very good chance Id have different results. With time, the spirit may seem more balanced. Milk & Honey Distillery: Single Malt Made in Tel Aviv, Discussing the advantages and challenges of producing whisky in Israel. Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Weller Antique 107 Blanton's Henry McKenna 10 Year Noah's Mill 1. I cover spirits, the drinks culture and business. Hardins Creek Jacobs Well: In summer 2022, bourbon legend Jim Beam launched a new high-end label called Hardins Creek. Old Forester Signature Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, NAS, 50% ABV, is the oldest bourbon brand in the US and the first bourbon to be sold in bottle. It bears no age statement and is bottled at 92 proof. The juice is a throwback to Colonel Blanton who expanded the distillery in the 20th century and used to handpick barrels for his personal stash in warehouse H. The bottle in-and-of-itself has become a collectors item with the small horse on each cork varying slightly. The marrying of the corn with the Christmas-y spices helps usher in a long, warming, and satisfying end that embraces you in a classic Kentucky hug.. Distillery: Brown Forman Distillery in Shively, KY (Brown-Forman) It has a highly complex taste, with everything from cotton candy and cayenne pepper to macadamia nuts and underripe blackberries showing up across the nose and palate. Old Elk Single Barrel Wheated Bourbon . Simply, this is Heaven Hills famous wheated bourbon thats aged for nine years and bottled-in-bond. In my early review days, I wanted to compare anything and everything that seemed similar. (Photo by Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post via Getty Images), Celebrate Bottled In Bond Bourbon, The Spirit That Saved American Whiskey, March Is B Corp Month, Here Are 8 Alcohol Brands You Might Not Realize Are Certified, Top Burgundy Wine Producer Talks About Amazing Value Wines That Often Get Overlooked, Whiskey Of The Week: Michters Celebration Sour Mash Is The Ultimate Event Pour, Whisky Review: 50 Year Old Glenfarclas, Bowmore, Cardrona, And More, Hendricks Gin Debuts Flora Adora As New Limited Release, Thinking About Black Wine Business Beyond Black History Month, Whisky Review: Compass Box, Benriach, Tobermory, And More. And this year the brand got its 9-year age guarantee back, too. The current distiller is rumored to be Heaven Hill. This no-age statement bourbon replaces the Black Label 8 Year. Buffalo Trace vs Old Forester 86 Comparison . I bought this bottle for $23 at a local big box store. Nice, easy-drinking proof? The original Stitzel-Weller mash bill was 75% corn, 20% wheat and 5% malted barley. One of the best new whiskeys of recent memory, Stellum is a more affordable Barrell Bourbon. Limited edition and long-aged bourbons go as quickly as they hit the shelves. Average Price: $12. Bourbon drinkers who enjoy spice and dark fruit will be fans of this release. Old Forester packs a banana note that I thought could dominate the competition if I happened to be in a banana mood. The latter is a blend of a 16-year-old bourbon and a 15-year-old high-rye bourbon that pays tribute to the familys first distiller, Jacob Beam, and its said to be some of the best bourbon being produced at the busy distillery. Booker's 25th (Probably gets some subconscious points from knowing it was a one-time release) Now, Top 5 that are fairly available (or sufficiently bunkered): 1. Made using a single recipe and barrel per bottle, its between seven and eight years old and has more complexity than the Small Batch. About 10 to 12 years ago, Total Wine opened a store in Clearwater Florida. They can range from okay to excellent.. There are plenty of expressions of excellent bourbon priced under $50 from the national brands. This bourbon may benefit from some airtime. Distillery: Old Forester (Brown-Forman) City: Louisville, KY Style: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey ABV: 46.5% (93 proof) Availability: Limited, 375 ml bottles, $50 MSRP Jim Vorel is a. Everything you ever wanted to know about Americas favorite brown spirit, including, of course, the best bottles you can actually buy. It won my American Whiskey of the Year award [in 2018] in a blind tasting, Minnick says. Beginning in spring 2018, the name for this product is simply Four Roses Bourbon., ABV: 40% The spice gets a little peppery as a final cut if citrus arrives to help the end slowly fade out. As it turns out, it came in my top 10. The finish is long, creamy smooth and sweet, with a persistent caramel and brown sugar note and a lingering note of bitterness at the end. Other states have much lower thresholds, however, some considering anything over $400 to be grand larceny. The bourbon is made by Jim Beam, and retails for around $20 per bottle. and all are worth seeking out. (Photo by Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post via Getty Images). In addition, Minnick is the editor-in-chief of Bourbon+ Magazine and host on the Spirits Network. Pappy Van Winkle, in his infinite wisdom, allegedly chose wheat in his recipe because he felt is matured more quickly, and bourbon could be moved to market at a younger age. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Basil Haydens is a well-crafted bourbon thats pulled from specific barrels, blended, cut down to proof, and small-batch bottled under the watchful eyes of Jim Beams masters. The taste is sweet and spicy with a hint of herbaceousness. Over time, the Yellow Label bottle has changed with the label losing the yellow color. This year, as I did last year, I solicited nominations from Bourbon Pursuit listeners, who are an engaged bourbon consumer base that understand what everyday truly means. Yes, aging and blending can have a big impact on taste. And THAT I can provide some help on. But this victory goes to the sister product of Henry McKenna 10-year-old, which won Best Whisky and Best Bourbon at San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and will compete against McKenna for my Best American Whiskey December 20. ABV: 50% Flavor Profile: Sweet It can claim to be extremely full flavored thanks to its 115 proof, and its taste profile is like a synthesis of. On the palate, the Old Forester 86 has a decent body showing a medium texture. A rich leather note, along with some pepper, emerges at the end and lingers. At retail prices between $20 and $30, it is among the best priced wheated bourbon currently available. Corn on the nose and lots of classic notes of vanilla, toffee, and caramel up top. Old Forester 86 Proof Bourbon Review . On the nose, there is caramel, cooked corn sweetness and pralines (think almond roca candy), along with plenty of cinnamon and clove spice. Old Grand-Dad Bonded Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, NAS, 50% ABV, was the nickname of a distiller named Basil Hayden. Nose: Honey, caramel, wintergreen, almond. Its also the recipe Pappy Van Winkle bought during prohibition. His bourbon incorporated a large percentage of rye, giving the whiskey a spicy and powerful flavor. Once everyday, easy-to-find [+] brands are now allocated and outside of the consumer's reach. Theres no way around it, Wild Turkey 101 is great for the money. Yes, Ancient Age is the same mash bill, barrel, and barrel proof as Blantons. Some expressions have a characteristic leather aroma, although this is not true of all of the bottlings. The Old Forester is one of the bourbons that's helped make Kentucky the capital of bourbon. This is a departure from the classic Jim Beam mash we mentioned in the lede. Theres a light, floral fruitiness upfront with a wisp of tobacco, flourishes of mint, and plenty of vanilla. So the second way to look at it is really what this site is focused on- how it tastes. Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond won the taste for Best Everyday Bourbon. Average Price: $40. I W Harper was widely popular in the 1950s and 60s, and was exported to more than 100 countries around the world. No one cared about Early Times until Sazerac (Buffalo Trace Distillery) bought it from Brown-Forman (Jack Daniel's, Old Forester, Woodford Reserve). It now goes on to compete for Best American Whiskey. Sometimes even exactly the same. I almost included Bernheim Wheat Whiskey in this list, since even though its a wheat whiskey, it taste a LOT like a wheated bourbon due to its high corn content. Distiller Score: 88. Small Batch: A subjective term signaling a bourbon made using a select number of barrels or recipes in a blended bottling. At the end of 2018, Kentucky had over 7.5 million barrels of bourbon being matured, along with 600,000 barrels of other spirits. San Francisco World Spirits Competition a few years ago, The 25 Best Whiskies to Try Before You Die, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. The barrels that go into each batch are aged anywhere from 6 to 10 years. McKenna has a classic bourbon nose of caramel, vanilla and charred oak. Distiller Score: 88. But I worried its subtleties could get lost in a deep field, which this was. Each of its releases makes clear what went into it distillery location, whiskey age, proof, etc. Plum, pear, cocoa and vanilla are among the tasting notes here. It is aged longer than Jim Beam Original, also known as Jim Beam White Label. The finish is medium length, sweet, with caramel, vanilla and spice notes and a persistent pepperiness. The 15 YO, and possibly the NAS version, are distilled at the Bernheim distillery, now owned by Heaven Hill, and matured in the Stitzel-Weller warehouses in Shively, Kentucky. Distiller Score: 82. So, we switched Eagle Rare to its sister brand, Buffalo Trace, which always warms up my palate in the winter. He has also been published on Liquor.com. Fortunately, we can still fall back on some tried and true value bourbons. Theres a clear sense of bourbon vanilla next to creamy corn and plenty of honey sweetness. This is a simple bourbon thats cut from the same mash and pulled from the same rickhouses as everyones beloved Blantons one of the more sought after and awarded bourbons in modern times. All the Makers versions, and Larceny should sate your wheater crave. Had a shot in Kentucky a few years back when it was introduced. Old Forester Signature Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, NAS, 50% ABV, is the oldest bourbon brand in the US and the first bourbon to be sold in bottle. I realize you wrote this article a few years back, however it is still relevant. W L Weller, Special Reserve Bourbon, NAS, 45% ABV, is produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery by Sazerac. Please be responsible. Four Roses Small Batch, a household favorite, did not perform well in this blind tasting for Best [+] Everyday Bourbon. This was so complex, with a 20-second finish and layered in vanilla that it was easily the winner. It was a great taste but will never pay that much for it again. Just bought a bottle of Larceny and the more I get into the bottle the more Iike it. Distiller Score: 84. So its whiskey, at a great proof point of 86 and an age that Minnick says is roughly five-and-a-half years old, goes for less than $20. Elijah Craig Small Batch is layered in vanilla and often so soft on the palate. You can often find this for $9.99 on sale. The finish is long, caramel-sweet, with a lingering cinnamon and a cooked cereal note. Our inclusions in this guide are based on real-world testing and firsthand expert feedback, but there are a few new and upcoming bourbons we haven't had a chance to try yet that still warranted a mention. It's not lacking in sweetness, with tasting notes of nougat, figs, dates and caramel corn. Indeed, some bourbon historians believe that Pappy began as barrel selections of Old Fitzgerald, and was later chosen from hand-picked barrels of W L Weller. I believe that to be the definition of nuance. Among that plethora of lingering notes, you'll find interesting tastes like maple syrup, green peppercorn, coriander, and even a s'mores-like finish of chocolate, graham cracker and toasted marshmallow. I bought two. This is the Bottled-In-Bond version of Old Grand-Dad Bourbon, meaning it was all distilled in the same calendar year. The 1920 is a crowd favorite on r/bourbon and for a good reason. Okay, this isnt exactly a huge price tag for a quality spirit. A touch of water brings out more sweetness. At a minimum, bourbon must be 80 proof (or 40 percent alcohol), with its mash never allowed to exceed 160 proof (or 80 percent alcohol). I was more akin to the standard Makers than 46. Flavor Profile: Rich & Spicy So lets divide them into two categories: Standard Production and Limited Release. Little did I know, this substitute would play a big role in my blind tasting. Glad to find your listing. Flavor Profile: Fruity After 20 years, they, too, begin to deteriorate- and they do it quickly. It is an heir to the Old Fitzgerald franchise; one of the first wheated bourbons. Ive always found a bright nutmeg note, which can really stand out in blind tastings. ABV: 50% Yes. The bourbon is bottled-in-bond (BIB), which means it is the product of a single distillation by a single distiller at a single distillery, and has been aged for at least four years under US government supervision. Get This Headphone Stand, Complete Guide to Buying Boots This Season, You've Never Heard of 2022's Most-Awarded Whiskey, Tasting WhistlePig's New 21-Year-Old Single Malt, The Best New Whiskey Releases of 2023 (So Far), Psst, Pappy Van Winkle Is Doubling Production, How to Build Your Own Bottle of Whiskey Online, Is Fireball Whiskey? But it was not in the cards. Hi Dave! That extra time is why the Single Barrel costs three times more than a regular old bottle of Wild Turkey. I like some of the new Makers Private Select picks even more, but theyre single barrel private picks, so I didnt include them on the list. 63 percent corn, 27 percent rye, ten percent malted barley. Wilderness Trail does not make subpar whiskey. The result is bottled at 93 proof. Old Forester is the more dark, banana-y, oaky, apple-y and earthy bourbon. Regular Four Roses (formerly called Yellow Label), Old Forester 100 Proof (formerly called Signature), Wild Turkey 101, Jim Beam Black Label, Larceny Bourbon, Maker's Mark, and Buffalo Trace. That lower entry proof lends to more flavor from the mash bill (corn, rye and malted barley). This is a nice mixing bourbon that works just as well on the rocks. If Evan Williams were to sell this whiskey to someone else, that brand would mark it up to $40, and people would be happy buying it, Minnick says. If you get a chance to visit Loretto, pick up a bottle of the Makers 46 Cask Strength sometime. Its really a question we get very often: What are the Best Wheated Bourbons? Really enjoyed reading it and appreciated your message. Early Times Bottled-in-Bond was a contender for Best Everyday Bourbon. The whiskey has already won an impressive array of awards. Old Forester Single Barrel Rye Whiskey (Barrel Proof) - T3. The finish is rich and powerful, with classic bourbon notes of sweet caramel, dried fruit, vanilla, cinnamon and pepper, with a slight but persistent bitter note on the end. Retail - $250; . The NAS version would be better with a little more age and at a higher proof. That hasnt stopped the collectors, however. I write about wines and spirits and the hidden corners of the world, Whisky Review: 50 Year Old Glenfarclas, Bowmore, Cardrona, And More, Hendricks Gin Debuts Flora Adora As New Limited Release, Thinking About Black Wine Business Beyond Black History Month, Whisky Review: Compass Box, Benriach, Tobermory, And More, Vibrant Whites, Distinctive RedsAppreciating The Wines Of Friuli, Appreciating Some Of Italys Lesser Known Varietals And Grapes, Wine Cocktails That Take The Chill Off Winter, Bacardis Latest Cask Finished Rum Expressions Are Exceptional. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter @BillStraub and email him at [emailprotected]. The mash bill consists of 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley. The mash bill consists of 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley. George Dickel 15 Year Single Barrel . Single Barrel: A bourbon made using single barrels, providing a higher range of variation in flavor and the chance at specific, unique characteristics. Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company) Will be looking to sample some others on your list particularly the Makers Cask Strength. While there's no age statement on the bottle, it's believed that Double Oaked is aged for at least six years. Craft bourbon's rep is tarnished by a few bad apples makes subpar whiskey. This is another nutmeg-forward bourbon I thought could standout in blind competition. To learn more about responsible consumption, please visit, Sign up for the Distiller Newsletter for new bottle & feature updates, Ezra Brooks Kentucky Straight Bourbon 90 Proof, Very Old Barton 100 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Evan Williams White Label Bottled in Bond Bourbon. Head to Head Comparison: Old Forester 100 vs Wild Turkey 101 I like to do head to head comparisons because I feel like it brings out the nuances of each bourbon. Simply put, Minnick knows bourbon better than almost anyone in America. Charles is a 50-year veteran of the Kentucky distilling industry and his familys history is closely intertwined with Kentucky bourbon. The bourbon is believed to be approximately 6 YO. Its a little smoother and feels softer on the palate. [CDATA[ Nice article Bill. It was thick, and the coating of the glass left a thin crown that dropped tiny, slow-moving tears. After being somewhat underwhelmed by Blantons and Basil Hayden, Ibe come to the conclusion that my tastes lean towards the Wheated bourbons. Theres a clear taste of the honey, vanilla, and toffee carrying the sip towards a very subdued spice and oak. Fred Minnick is a longtime American whiskey writer and author of multiple bourbon books. The look of it was like that of a reddened maple syrup. One of the few universally praised non-macro whiskey makers in the U.S., its 6-year-old offering is Bottled-in-Bond, sweet mash bourbon with flavor that suggests the "6" on the label is a typo this bourbon tastes significantly older. Medley Brothers bourbon is made by the father and son team of Charles and Sam Medley. You may opt-out by. Its mellow balance helped by the prominent caramel notes of its wheated mash bill doesnt overpower meaty flavors. Old Forester was one of the six distilleries to hold a medicinal whiskey permit during prohibition. And the 2014 Parkers Heritage Original Batch Wheat Whiskey really showed what that mash bill is capable of with age and proof. Jeffersons has released a few wheaters in their Presidential Select lineupthat were great, as did Parkers Heritage. Retail - $55; Secondary - $90+ Evan Williams 23 Year Old Bourbon - T2. On the flip side, expensive bourbon isnt always as refined as it seems. According to their story, back in the day, John E. Fitzgerald used his privilege of holding the keys to Pappy Van Winkles bonded warehouse, where the Old Fitzgerald bourbons were kept, to steal the best casks for himself. Larceny is a small batch bourbon (100 barrels or less) of barrels from the middle three floors of the aging warehouse. It's got a good amount of heat on account of being 117 proof, but you'll still be able to make out classic bourbon tasting notes like caramel, brown sugar, vanilla and oak. ABV: 46% Flavor Profile: Sweet & Rich Distiller Score: 88 Very Old Barton 100 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Very Old Barton, owned by the Sazerac Company, is produced in Bardstown, Kentucky. Whether it's the softer flavor imparted by the sweet mash (the vast majority of modern bourbon is sour mashed) or the distiller's proprietary "infusion mashing" process or something else entirely, the result is a wicked, wicked pour. New Riff Distilling was founded in 2014. If you find it, buy it. The 15 YO version is similar but far richer and complex. The sip edges into orange zest territory with dark spices accentuated by nice toffee sweetness and a dusting of dark cacao powder when water is added. Subscribe to his YouTube Channel to watch his Best American Whiskey taste off December 20. Next time you have a blind tasting throw Larceny in to the mix and see the results. In the case of Old Forester, it comes from the recipe used by distiller Brown-Forman during the prohibition era when the government ordered them to keep their doors open to make bourbon "for medicinal purposes." It's 115 proof with vanilla, nuts, and seasoned oak that has a bulky belly which shows its exceptional age. 1870 Original Batch is also blended by Marianne Barnes, the protg of Brown-Forman's master You may opt-out by. Got your Mash? This 100 proof bottling is also bottled-in-bond. Quite the contrary, I didnt care for the whiskey in the blind tasting. This is all about the sweetness.. Entry proof is 125 proof/62.5 percent. This bourbon was the first Single Barrel expression sold in the modern era. Finish: Medium length and warm. The sour mash prevents wild yeast from entering the mash and causing infections. Here are my rankings the Best Wheated Bourbons in each category. This is not a new phenomenon and it plays a large role in blended bourbons. Henry McKenna Single Barrel, 10 YO, 50% ABV, is bottled by the Heaven Hill distillery. But underneath its fundamentals swims a deep sea of factors additional rules and regulations, hype machines and deceptive marketing, false myths and a boom that began in 2008 and is still going strong today that make bourbon more complex than it seems. Foundation For Advancing Alcohol Responsibility. This is a side by side comparison review of the Old Forester 1920 and 1910, both are part of their Whiskey Row series. Larceny and Makers Mark can be viewed as offshoot descendants of that distillery due to the connections the labels have with those original three or connections the distillers had with the principal players in that distillery. The first Black blender at a major distillery, Major previously made waves as the Whiskey Blender at Bulleit. On the palate, the whiskey has a cooked corn sweetness, with notes of honey, dried peach, tropical fruit, vanilla, caramel and burnt sugar, along with some faint strawberry notes. Overpowering taste and smell of alcohol. Its more complex than regular FR, but still drinks easy. Theres certainly less refinement at play. Four Rosess upgrade over its standard offering blends 180 barrels of four different recipes per bottling. If you can get your hands on the bottle like the Dutton clan did in season 5 of Yellowstone youll be treated to notes of creamed corn, toasted vanilla and a heavy dose of wheat. The finish is medium length, smooth, showing caramel sweetness and pralines, along with spice and some oak notes. For being the same brand as the Small Batch, they taste very different. Boy, was I wrong! Minnick has a unique use for one of bourbons classic names. This makes a wonderful sipper or gift to a friend, and since Woodford Reserve is the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, you best believe this makes an excellent base to a mint julep with its myriad notes of fruit and spice. The dram leans into a honey-sweet edge with the oak, mild spice, and hint of dark chocolate popping at the end. This whiskey is also BIB and is bottled at 50% ABV. Really looking forward to the release of the RY 10 Single Barrel. For my qualifications, I limited them to products under $40, available in the majority of the states and it could not be a limited edition. Flavor Profile: Sweet Going in, I didnt give this much of a chance for my palate. A wheated bourbon brand contract distilled at Heaven Hill Distillery, Rebel Yell is owned by Luxco. Average Price: $26. Buy a case. 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, 12 percent malted barley. Am looking forward to trying some of the others you listed.