Elmer T. Lee
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Single Barrel, Sour Mash
45% ABV
paid $34
Color: gold. It looks darker in the bottle due to the black back label.
Smell: this smells great. Lots of fresh corn on the initial whiff. Also heavy on the vanilla and caramel. Nothing too spicy or oaky, and there is virtually no alcohol heat that prevents getting your nose all up in there.
Taste: sweet corn flavors upfront - buttered popcorn comes to mind. Supplemented with the same vanilla and caramel from the nose. Spiciness kicks in somewhat on the transition. The spice is slightly oaky but subdued - really well integrated and it brings in a faint clove/cinnamon note. Very smooth going down, and there is a long finish that brings back the fresh sweet corn.
Overall: it's great. I snagged a bottle last fall and drank it way too quickly, and I think this one is destined for the same fate. This doesn't pack the "sniff me forever" punch of big-time barrel proof whiskies, but it's an approachable whiskey that is complex enough to contemplate in its own right. It shares a mash bill ("high rye," but still pretty low rye) with both Rock Hill Farms and Blanton's. To me, Blanton's is sweeter and smoother, while RHF punches with a lovely but one-dimensional dusty cornbread note. All are excellent choices, but Elmer is the most well rounded and interesting to me - largely because it is the bourbon with the most prominent flavors and lingering finish. Highly recommended.
