Single Barrel
Kentucky Straight Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Whiskey
Aged 10 Years
50% ABV
approximately $25
Color: pretty dark brown. Noticeably darker than the Elijah Craig, with more of a deep red/garnet tinge as opposed to orange.
Smell: fairly restrained. A little corn sweetness, as well as some oak/solvent notes. I notice a pleasant yet faint woodiness, but it's overcome by hot alcohol heat fumes, so I can't get as close to it as I'd like to.
Taste: this is pretty nice, if straightforward. Great corny sweetness at the entry, and then the woody spice hits mid-palate and continues into the finish. The flaw on the palate is the same as the flaw on the nose: the solvent/paint fume element creeps into the mid-palate and finish. It doesn't ruin the whole experience, but it's definitely noticeable for me. Overall, the end result is it isn't as smooth as I'd hope for. Then again, I mean - come on - it's $25.Overall: great value play, and overall a decent "B" bourbon. I prefer Elijah Craig, as it packs everything into a slightly smoother and more complex package. That said, even though EC has 2 more years in the barrel, the woodiness isn't as noticeable. If you gravitate toward the racier/woodier bourbons, this should be your choice in the value category (well, also Wild Turkey).
