Category: Sleeper Hit

Locally made in French Lick, Mattie Gladden is a double pot-distilled 4yr Bottled in Bond, 35% High Rye bourbon. While the Gladden House today is a restored B and B on Main Street in Salem, during Ms. Gladden’s time it operated as a house of ill-repute. On the nose a distinct cherry cordial note, followed by oak spice, cedar, and citrus. On the palate, more soft fruit, a warming baking spice, and a long oak driven finish.

70% corn, 18% rye, 12% malted barely, aged for 6 years and bottled at 120 proof. This barrel was selected as part of a “futures” program at the beginning of 2022 and now it’s here! For the relatively high proportion of rye, this is an oily corn monster with sweet malty biscuit notes throughout the mid palate. Lots of sweet fruit, but with touches here and there of oak that allow the corn and malt to settle and integrate.

Did you know that MGP makes a 95% wheat whiskey, similar to their 95% rye whiskey? It’s a soft, bready, floral, and darn right juicy piece of Indiana distilling fun! Bottled by Fenwick’s in Renssalaer, Indiana at 90 proof and 4yrs old, this MGP mega wheat presents lifted cereal and unctuous florals on the nose. On the palate the whiskey goes sour cherry candy with additional cereal grain notes, and some touches of clover honey. If you’ve got an Old Fashioned Bar and want to provide your guests with a totally different mashbill option, this is a good one to have in the back pocket!

This limited edition release from Jefferson’s pays homage to Trey Zoeller’s 8th generation Grandmother named Marian McLain, a woman who in 1799 was arrested for bootlegging and was one of the first documented women in American whiskey. No surprise, Trey and his father Chet are bourbon historians, the latter having authored several books on the subject of American whiskey. The repository of bourbon stories and history amongst the Zoeller clan is second to none. That being said, their release of a bourbon “blend” is also right in line with current trends, where distillers and bottlers attempting to STRETCH and evolve the resources of aged whiskey in a time of great demand, can create something altogether better than the sum of its parts. The blend is a 14yr old Tennessee Bourbon, an 11yr old Kentucky, an Indiana Wheated Double Barrel, a Kentucky Rum Cask Finish, and an 8yr old Kentucky bourbon, all bottled at 102 proof. Surprising amount of orchard fruit on the nose with florals and vanillas spiking between whiffs, very elegant. On the palate, loads of barrel spice, soft nougat, fruit and leather. Distinct orange and cherry emerge as well, as if READY MADE for an over the top Old Fashioned.

The only allocated bourbon everyone loves to hate! But what does it actually tastes like? This 94 proof small batch bourbon made with 100% aged distillate from Willett exhibits peanut butter, caramel, light cinnamon, and oak on the nose. On the palate, it’s light and spicy with vanilla, some light fruit, then finally spice. It’s NOT a flavor bomb like the Family Estate, but it is perfectly serviceable straight Kentucky Bourbon whiskey.

Booker’s “Charlie’s Batch” is named for Charlie Hutchens a former employee who now makes all the wooden boxes for the Booker’s brand. Bottled at 126.6 proof and aged 7yrs 1 mo and 8 days, the nose is pure hazelnut, soft leather, and tropical fruit. On the palate, it’s everything we love about Booker’s, rising spice and fruit met with heat, vanilla, orange zest and a final lash of cinnamon. This ones a goodin’ for sure!

Matt heads to Loretto to blend a stave profile exclusively for Bourbon World. The “Double French” should be arriving in 3 months so stay tuned to Bourbon World for news on its arrival.

Orange blossom honey, leather and fruit roll up nose. Chewable palate of Albanese gummies, foxy yeast, and another pile of candied oranges and real Corinthian leather! OGD 114 was ignored forever, and now that you can’t get it, everyone wants it! So what’s new! That being said, this is a steadfast sipper, really showing off that foxy beam yeast and orange note in a very approachable price point.

Entered into the barrel at 110 proof, rather than 125, generally means a slower, more gentle extraction. In addition to the lower barrel entry proof, Maker’s has also added 10 Virgin Toasted American oak staves to the barrel as well. The result is a very mellow fruit forward but brown sugar toned whiskey. The nose presents Rainier cherries, lemon curd, vanilla syrup, and leather couch. On the palate, a very drinkable 110.7 proof takes Maker’s in a very different direction, sweeter AND spicier than normal Maker’s. The palate is rich, complex, slightly drying, but also simultaneously juicy. So much complexity, but it manages to not step over the line.

A blend of 5 distinct mashbills all sourced from Lawrenceburg, IN. OKI Reserve is a new day for “blended” bourbons exhibiting a new and exciting combination of flavors not found in a traditional mashbill. Spice is there, but so is a perfumed corn note, and a leather note as well. Sweet and spicy, but with a distinct tanginess like BBQ.