Category: Sleeper Hit

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.

As mysterious as a snow-bound yeti and as dazzling as the northern lights, comes Sazerac’s single barrel Canadian Whiskey…Caribou Crossing, a playful twist on “Buffalo Trace” with the silly sculpted animal on top to match. What’s the real story though? This is an 80 proof Canadian whisky single barrel with no age statement (other than for legal purposes 3 yr. requirement) with no known origin distillery. It’s truly one of the LEAST transparent and most popular products on the market. Why? Because Sazerac fanatics love the Buffalo Trace connection, but when they actually TASTE a Canadian whiskey for the first time, they kind of love it. And what’s not to love? Canadian whisky is good. Really good. It’s usually lighter than bourbon, smoother than bourbon, and generally lower proof, which makes the complexity more subtle, and oftentimes more pleasurable. This particular single barrel 167 presents fresh cut oak, vanilla bean ice cream, and butterscotch on the nose. On the palate a creamy vanilla and citrus pairing, crème brulee, then a touch of spice. It’s a refined sipper, with a unique profile, and an exceptionally smooth finish.

This Booker’s batch named “Pinkie’s Batch” is a combination of four different warehouse productions, aged 6 years, 10 months, and 10 days and bottled at 122.4 proof. Named after Fred Noe’s grandfather Fredrick “Pinkie” Booker Noe, this batch launches into the atmosphere with hazelnut, cedar wood, camphor, and spice. On the palate, a wave of hot vanilla, then mint, then back to brown sugar and cinnamon.

This spring we picked two delicious Bulliet single barrels. Bourbon World High Rye which is the “B” mashbill of 36% rye and the “1” yeast featuring a rich tropical fruit and leather profile. Given a 10-12yr age range for this one with only a 7 case yield. We also selected a Bourbon World “Fruit Bomb” with utilizes the “E” or 21% rye mashbill and the Number “2” yeast which gives the spirit a fruity aroma and creamy texture. This is the the 8-10 yr range. Since these are both much OLDER barrels than what the current Bulleit facility has been operating you can bet these are older MGP barrels. They are bottled at 104 proof, perfect for the mash and yeasts used. These are definitely higher quality single barrels than the current profile of the program itself, so take advantage a grab a few. They’ll be incredible daily drinkers.

One of the weirdest standard releases in whiskey gets a facelift with this 118.8 proof version of Bernheim wheat. A WHEAT WHISKEY, and not a wheated bourbon, the grain note on the nose is massive, like a wood-fired oven bakery, then follows oak, then a touch of orange fruit on the end. The palate is a full flavored grain blockbuster, almost austere, but with JUST enough vanilla and toffee to balance it out. This is what I would call a “change up” whiskey. If you’ve been banging away at Sazerac products, or wheated whiskies for a month give your palate something completely different but still in the bourbon/whiskey universe.