Hancock's President's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey Review:

Out of the large single barrel production done by Buffalo Trace (Hancock, Eagle Rare, Blanton's, Rock Hill Farms, and Elmer T Lee.), Hancock's President's Reserve is possibly the least well known. There isn't any age statement on the label but word out on the street says it has about 8 years in the barrel. As we all know Buffalo Trace is known for its use of two mash bills (Mash Bill 1, Mash Bill 2), of which all its expression come forth. Where you get Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare from Mash Bill 1, you get the likes of Elmer T. Lee and Hancock Reserve from Mashbill 2. Mashbill 1 consist of a low rye percentage and around 80 percent corn. Mashbill 2 is a higher rye percentage, maybe a 60-70 percent corn bill. And this shows up in every bottle. What you get from Mashbill 1 expressions are more wood and corn sweetness, and less rye spice. Hancock is no different. With 8 years of age, you get a great balance of wood, yet the spice is there, more present than say an Eagle Rare 10 Year Single Barrel.

Hancock's President's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey Review:

Price: Around $45-50.00 for a 750ml bottle.

Packaging/Labeling: Classy and unique western (if not 80-ish) decanter style bottle, yet I find nothing written about its connection to the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Not an unusual site by any means, however, I would be willing to bet that more would grab this up sooner if they only would have been let in on its connection to the great distillery.

Alcoholic Content: 44.45% abv, 88.9 proof.

Nose: Super sweet nose, dark fruit – berries. Honeysuckle, nutmeg, tobacco, oak.

Palate: Honeyed apricot and a wonderful spice front. Sweet, yet nothing overbearing like it was alluding to in the nose. Well balanced leather and drying barrel char on the back.

Conclusion: With a full bodied palate this bourbon has enough spice excitement and a nice sweet center to please even the most skeptical.

Rating: Excellent/Highly Recommended

High West Campfire Whiskey Review:

I know, I know! No reviews in almost a month. This isn't how I ever want things to go. I've been busy and a bit sick, so high proof alcohol hasn’t been treating my throat very nice. But alas, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. There are some genuinely exciting changes coming up for the Bourbon Intelligencer that will guarantee more reviews and whiskey content for the foreseeable future. But that is all I can say on that for now. You'll just have to wait for more news. Updates will be coming possibly within the next month or so.

Tonight we've got with us a truly revolutionary product from High West Distillery: Campfire. This thing breaks all the rules and does so with poise and courage – yes... courage. I feel that good whiskey calls for the assigning of virtuous nouns. Campfire is composed of three whiskies: a 5 and a half year old rye distilled at MGPI, a six year old bourbon also from MGPI, and finally an 8 year old peated Scotch. Where the peated Scotch is from, David Perkins at High West does not divulge, though we do know it is not from Islay or the Islands. Ultimately I am not too concerned with the origin – High West has up to this point always been straight forward with their practices and this thing is so damn delicious that we don't care too much to ask.

High West Campfire Whiskey Review:

Price: Around $50.00 for a 750ml bottle.

Packaging/Labeling: Classic High West – the necessary information included.

Alcoholic Content: 46% abv, 92 proof.

Nose: More of a honeyed and fruit nose than I expected. Dried golden raisins, toffee, cinnamon, vanilla. Only on the back end do you find traces of scotch and rye. A hint of smoke that lingers on your jacket after a weekend of camping. Sweet green apples.

Palate: Quite unique indeed. The scotch does seem to play second fiddle to the American spirits here, but the balance of all three seems to work out wonderfully. The smooth and creamy dried fruit of the bourbon, with the spice and pepper of the rye, leads very nicely into the sweetness and peaty twist of the scotch, which allows itself to be ever so present throughout.

Conclusion: High West has really done something unparalleled again. And in many ways, the name fits even better after trying it. This is not necessarily a bold and overbearing whiskey in any sense of the word. It's calming and delightful. That's what I meant by poise and courage. This experiment could have been anything, but High West took the high road and has shown they are always taking their time, always honing their craft.

Rating: Excellent/Highly Recommended

Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Whiskey Review:

Within some family circles, road-tripping is their summer tradition. Nothing but “Old MacDonald” and the open road. For others, there family tradition is a cabin in the woods. A secluded place to get away from the crowds and the sweltering summer sun. For my own family, it has traditionally been the ultimate American recreational summer holiday: camping. Sure, we have had our fair share of road tripping (quite American if I say so myself), back when we all were young. And we did enjoy a cabin every now and again back in the day. But camping by and large has always been the constant pastime that has stood the test of time and keeps bringing us together each summer, even now as we have grown up and started families of our own. It has been the driving force which lifts us out of the daily grind and hustle and bustle of life in the city. No cell phones. No electricity. And many times, no running water in the “bathrooms,” as my mother jocularly calls the outhouses.

Everyone loves the time they get to read, take a day hike, or even a have a midday snooze; but – we all know that the central joys of camping, besides the trees and stars (etc.) that surround you, is the food and drink that sit in front of you. Without the these two important aspects - You. Would. Be. Done. For. Remember: THIS IS NOT BACKPACKING. THIS IS CAMPING. The idea of camping is that one should throw away their relative notion of health and well being and simply eat, drink, and be merry. Don't cook gourmet. Don't pretend your at a wine tasting party. Don't worry about calories (if your into that sort of thing). Your trying to forget your worries, not bring them with you. Of course I am not suggesting that you should subsist on Butter Horns, Entenmann's Doughnuts, Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate, Hot Dogs, and Pabst alone. But just allow yourself to relax for once. (Besides, the Hot Dogs did come hand made from the Italian market down the street. And we may have snuck a few good bottles of wine, cheeses, meat, and whiskey into the dry box to even things out...)

So as I was saying... Tradition. Camping is a wonderful tradition that has been apart of our family and will hopefully always be. I plan on making it apart of my family, whenever my Lover and I start having little ones. The point being is that with all the old traditions come new traditions, and one developing as of late is every new camping trip my father and I will bring some whiskey for the other to taste. Neither of us knows what the other will bring. This particular trip I brought two bottles. One of which is Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel.

Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Whiskey Review:

Price: From $49.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Packaging/Labeling: Classic and pleasant bottle with plenty of information of the particular bottle, barrel number, warehouse, number, rick number, etc. No age statement of any kind unfortunately.

Alcoholic Content: 50.5% abv, 101 proof.

Nose: Christmas spices, spicy vanilla, dry maplewood, fresh green apple.

Palate: Warming and fresh. Red hots and peppery spice from the rye. Huge rye. Apple and caramel candy lollipops. Long char finish. Dry as hell.

Conclusion: If you like a dry bourbon then this is something you will want to try. If you are on a cliff about it, I would suggest it as a dessert bourbon. In fact, that was what I thought when I first sipped this. Chocolate and/or something salty would really allow this thing to fly. I was really pleased with with the overall balance and presentation. If anything I would say, the barrel char may be a bit overbearing.

Rating: Excellent/Highly Recommended

Rebel Yell Bourbon Whiskey Review:

I'm a fan of inexpensive bourbon (hell, I'm a fan of inexpensive booze – who isn't?), and I constantly try to review well priced and easily accessible products on the Bourbon Intelligencer to show that one does not need to spend big bucks to be a true and well educated spirit consumer. Bourbon, specifically, is one of the best market priced spirits out there at the moment (though times are changing), and everyone should know that there are real legitimate options without breaking the bank. However, there are some products that, due to their price point, can be so tempting we are lured into buying something that we end up regretting – spending that measly $10-12 on something we could have used for a few good cups of coffee. Or better yet, you could have saved it for a more expensive, but time tested bourbon you love, right? I know how it is. You're running through Trader Joe's, trying to get in and get out, and then all of a sudden you come to the spirit rack. You already know you are spending way more on these pre-diced, pre-packed vegetables then you really should, and so you don't dare look at eye level, where all the “better-ish” stuff will be (after all – it is Trader Joe's). But look... that Rebel Yell is sooo cheap! And so it goes into the cart, back home onto the bar, and into the glass, where you realize you have made a huge mistake.

A wheated bourbon, Rebel Yell is a former Stitzel-Weller brand, now distilled by Heaven Hill's Bernheim Distillery and bottled by Luxco. And though Rebel Yell wishes to associate itself with those of the Buffalo Trace lineup, a Weller it is not. No age statement means that immediately we know it is bottled from at least four years.

Rebel Yell Bourbon Whiskey Review:

Price: From $10-$13 for a 750ml bottle.

Packaging/Labeling: Mass produced. Vague legends of whatever.

Alcoholic Content: 40% abv, 80 proof.

Nose: Phenolic and solvent-y. Corn feed and corn oils. Babe Ruth candy bar and lemons. Slight pepper.

Palate: Sweet sugar. Sour corn meal. Some faint dried fruit and woodiness. The four years is an exact four years – not one second more. This whiskey tastes very young – and watered down. 

Conclusion: As confirmed by some other reviewers, there is a young new-make scotch character to this, but ultimately what you are left with is almost a tasteless wheat spirit. Rebel Yell, the famed bourbon known more for it's cameo in Billy Idol's song and album of the same name, ranked 79^th best hard rock song by VH1, is nothing like what you would expect when hearing about the Rebel Yell drinking party with the Rolling Stones where Billy supposedly came up with the album name. In this instance, the “little dancer” won't cry “more, more, more.” Your money can be spent better on other things.

Rating: Fair/Drinkable

High West American Prairie Reserve Bourbon

David Perkins, the blender at High West distillery, has been pumping out wonderful new expressions of bourbon and rye whiskies since their inception, in 2007. Each expression I’ve tried has been exciting and unique – modern in the best sense. Labeled as a "blend of straight bourbons," the American Prairie Reserve is a blend of bourbons distilled in more than one state. In this case, it's a combination of a six year old bourbon from MPG (formerly Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana) in Indiana with a mashbill of 75% Corn, 20% rye, 5% barley malt and a ten year old Four Roses bourbon (mashbill B) from Kentucky with a 60% Corn, 35% rye, and 5% barley malt mashbill.

Some have made issue with the larger price tag, which is somewhat justified, but it does appear to me that the Four Roses has a larger hand in this whiskey due to high spice forward palate.

High West American Prairie Reserve Bourbon:

Price: Around $42 for a 750ml bottle.

Packaging/Labeling: High West labels have never been the most esthetically pleasing in my mind, but they definitely stand out on the shelf, and are well designed. Good amounts of information which is all one can ask for.

Alcohol Content: 46% abv, 92 proof. Proof does really good things to this whiskey.

Nose: A subtle, albeit pleasant, nose on the first pour. Opens up into a floraled butter corn, cotton candy, and fruit nose. Wonderful – if you like Four Roses Single Barrel, this should please you.

Palate: Candy sweetness is the first thing which explodes on your tongue. Super sweet, but it has a relatively dry mouthful throughout, meaning the sweetness does not overtake the senses in a more syrupy bourbon. The short rye spice and pecan pie finish is a good thing in this case, never overwhelming.

Conclusion: As always, High West has blended together another unique whiskey any enthusiast is sure to enjoy. Though some may not like the dry finish, Prairie Reserve offers a style and flavor profile which is exciting and new, while never straying from a delightful sipper.

Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Black Label Review:

As much of the exposure bourbon, and whiskey in general, has been garnering these days, I still come across many people who will make comments like, “you at least have to spend $25 for good bourbon.” While it is true that the quality of exceptional bourbon begins to climb around this range, there are so many great bourbons out there for under $20. Evan Williams Black label, aged 5-7 years with a price tag of around $11-$12, blows the competition out of the water.

About a year ago I reviewed the Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage and this time around, Black Label, as a bargain brand, still upholds Heaven Hill’s dedication for producing high quality products. The black label is produced using the same mash bill as that in Elijah Craig and the Single Barrel Vintage. That being said, Malt Advocate has given the Black Label the “Best Buy Whiskey of the Year” twice: in 2003 and 2011.

Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Black Label Review:

Price: Around $11-12 for a 750ml bottle.

Packaging/Labeling: Typical bourbon label for this price. I do wonder what they mean by “extra aging,” but one cannot be too picky at this point.

Alcoholic Content: 43% abv, 86 proof. Nice for such a low shelf product.

Nose: Inviting nose of cherry cola, spice, caramel, corn nuts, and oak.

Palate: Vanilla and cherry cola with a good amount of spice. All this is balanced out by the assertive oak palate. The mouthfeel is heavier on the front and tends to dissipate quite quickly, leaving a brief finish (This in turn makes me want to simply keep drinking). I am reminded of a younger cousin of Jim Beam Black.

Conclusion: While some have made complaints about the lack of complexity, I find that the “enjoyability” and the clear production value of this product leaves me with no other choice but to recommend this as a staple bourbon for your bar. John Hansell has stated that “Evan Williams is a sophisticated whiskey for its price: smooth, a great aroma, and neither gets lost in nor dominates a cocktail, a classic table bourbon.” Table bourbon indeed! If you have a long night of relaxation ahead of you (and you don’t want to worry about drinking away the all your expensive stuff), think about picking up a bottle of the Black Label.

Angel's Envy Bourbon Whiskey Review:

Produced by the Louisville Distilling Company, Angel’s Envy is simply a brilliant product. What you get when you buy a bottle is a small distillery production without any of the hype from the micro industry and one which is constructed by a first-class master distiller, Lincoln Henderson. His experience being intensive, Lincoln put small-batch bourbons for Woodford Reserve on the map while he also played a large part in the development of Jack Daniels’s “Gentleman Jack” and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel. Along with two younger generations, the Henderson’s have created a great product with a modern edge. Aged at least four years, the liquid is then transferred and finished in port pipes for four to six months, lending them to label their product as a “Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels.”

Angel's Envy Bourbon Whiskey Review:

Price: Around $45.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Packaging/Labeling: Some comments have been made that the label is a bit much, and I agree that it does at least toe the line. But the in the end the design is clean and elegant with a beautiful wooden cork stopper. The label details are clear and concise. On a side note their website provides great clarity to their product. Exactly what I like to see.

Alcoholic Content: 43.3% abv, 87 proof. The only issue, though minor, is the abv. Could have been higher, and with the flavor profile it would have added a great compliment. More reason to get excited about trying the cask strength version.

Nose: The nose is a wonderful delight. Supersweet corn and honey.Tropical notes. Some Kiwi and tangerine coated in sugar cane juice. Mint, vanilla, toffee, and wood in the back.

Palate: Balanced and complex corn and rich toffee flow into sweet honey and mulling spices. Spicier than other reviewers led me to believe, Angel's Envy has a tactile palate imparting you with orange zest and fresh oak in the back. What you are left with at the end is the port pipe sweetness. Very well rounded. The dram will slowly open up into more maple sweetness on the finish.

Conclusion: When the product was first released in 2011 there was a New York Times article written by Frank Bruni who stated that “[after drinking Angel's Envy] I missed the rough edges of other bourbons and the way they can burn slightly in the back of the throat. When I drink bourbon, I like the sense that I’m playing with fire.” An opinion no doubt and one cannot simply state it is wrong, but I feel like he simply missed the point: that the intrinsic quality of the whiskey is simply different than what he prefers. And that’s the problem. His “review” wasn’t a review, it was an opinion peace. He is practically stating that Angel's Envy is a tempered product for a wider audience, as if a fruitier and more drinkable 86.6 abv bourbon is somehow less to write home about. When tasting spirits one always needs to remove themselves from the current trends and look only at the intrinsic quality. Funny as it may seem Bruni’s article makes a great point: many people who look at American spirits today and do not see them as somehow relating to or holding an aesthetic quality of a “down to earth” and “humble” product simply disregard it. As I said at the beginning, Angel's Envy actually appears quite different from the micro-guys (aka different from current trends in one respect). I agree that it is a modern product, yet one which is expressed clearly, tastefully (aesthetically speaking), and it is superb bourbon to boot. Let’s shelve the idea that good product should be above the need for marketing, while never succumbing to the idea that it really matters. Diversity in the industry, if it be a real quality product, is needed. Angel's Envy is a product I would recommend.

Maker's Reverses Its Decision:

Thought I should at least post this here if you have not yet heard. This was one of the letters sent to the Maker's Ambassadors. Smart move Beam:

Dear Ambassador,

Since we announced our decision last week to reduce the alcohol content (ABV) of Maker’s Mark in response to supply constraints, we have heard many concerns and questions from our ambassadors and brand fans. We’re humbled by your overwhelming response and passion for Maker’s Mark. While we thought we were doing what’s right, this is your brand – and you told us in large numbers to change our decision.
 
You spoke. We listened. And we’re sincerely sorry we let you down.
 
So effective immediately, we are reversing our decision to lower the ABV of Maker’s Mark, and resuming production at 45% alcohol by volume (90 proof). Just like we’ve made it since the very beginning.
 
The unanticipated dramatic growth rate of Maker’s Mark is a good problem to have, and we appreciate some of you telling us you’d even put up with occasional shortages. We promise we'll deal with them as best we can, as we work to expand capacity at the distillery.
 
Your trust, loyalty and passion are what’s most important. We realize we can’t lose sight of that. Thanks for your honesty and for reminding us what makes Maker’s Mark, and its fans, so special.
 
We’ll set about getting back to bottling the handcrafted bourbon that our father/grandfather, Bill Samuels, Sr. created. Same recipe. Same production process. Same product.
 
As always, we will continue to let you know first about developments at the distillery. In the meantime please keep telling us what’s on your mind and come down and visit us at the distillery. It means a lot to us.
 
Sincerely,
 
Rob Samuels
Chief Operating Officer,
Ambassador-in-Chief
rob@makersmark.com

A Gateway Bourbon: Jim Beam White Label Bourbon Review

“You know family is big and me and dad had a good ride together and one of these days we’ll be back together. My job is to make sure that his Bourbon is still as good as it always was.” - Fred Booker Noe III

The scotch reviews have been dominating so I thought I would bring things back to center with a new bourbon review. Jim Beam, of Beam Inc. is the best selling bourbon in the world, and one cannot turn their nose up to this simple, inexpensive, and if I say so, nicely made mass produced product. When approaching something like Jim Beam White Label it needs to be known at the start that this is not supposed to be Knob Creek, Bookers, or any of Beam's other high-end brands. This is a product which is all about consistency. It's for the masses and it's supposed to appeal to bartenders and mixologist. And even though this whiskey is young, we also know that 4 more years produces a great go-to bourbon. As I already reviewed the Black Label, with good marks no doubt, we know the potential in the White Label is present. This means that the desire for a quality product is there - Beam craftsmanship cannot be overlooked due to its large size. Needless to say, if we are not expecting high end, does it mean we should expect a “bad” bourbon? No, not at all. If you mix this in a cocktail, like I do, great. If you enjoy drinking this on the rocks, excellent. Don’t let anyone scoff at you for enjoying of this. This is a great spirit to introduce one into the world of bourbon. Not a benchmarker, but it is good enough to lay the groundwork to eventually make your way into the higher end stuff. Call it a gateway bourbon – if it does its job beyond the cocktail, it will entice one to keep on looking for more flavor, more complexity, and more enjoyment.

Jim Beam White Label Bourbon Review:

Price: Found this Jim Beam White Label for $12.99.Can't really beat that.

Packaging/Labeling: Jim Beam all the way. Classy, traditional and American. The screw top is fine - a cork would actually be out of place on the bottle.

Alcoholic Content: 40% abv, 80 proof.

Nose: Light and soft. You do get some of the more phenolic notes on the front, yet they do yield to young apple and strawberry cream. Sweet corn husk, vanilla, and wood dust.

Palate: A bit lifeless on the arrival. Char on the sides develop into honey, nuts, and an almost grape sweetness in the background. Graininess melts into a little red spice, and a bit of liquorice which is so distinctive in the JB Black. Wood tannins break away into a neat corn finish... very pleasant corn finish actually.    

Conclusion: I’m amazed that it can actually be as “enjoyable” as it is at this age. If any suggestion would come to JB White Label, I would ask that they raise the abv up 3 or 5 percent. With the increasing interest and growing trend for higher proof whiskey the last few years, this is the perfect way to present the product as a more serious bourbon. Ideally, I would love to see a Jim Beam 100 or 101 expression. I do recommend this for beginners, and cocktails alike. There are betters bourbons out there, but this is not in any way to be dismissed.