This bourbon over-delivers for its price and continues to be one of the best value picks on the market. You can get two of these for the price of one Woodford. ABV: 43% Just bought a bottle of Larceny and the more I get into the bottle the more Iike it. The biggest surprise of the blind tasting since I had previously disliked it. Today the brand is owned by Luxco. If I tasted this flight again, theres a very good chance Id have different results. The spice gets a little peppery as a final cut if citrus arrives to help the end slowly fade out. Sure. On the nose, there is caramel, cooked corn sweetness and pralines (think almond roca candy), along with plenty of cinnamon and clove spice. The whiskey is produced by Brown-Forman. Its got so much flavor to it, so much complexity its just brilliant whiskey., Are we including bottles that are impossible to find? Minnick asks. Wilderness Trail does not make subpar whiskey. The finish is long, sweet, with maple syrup and brown sugar notes. Larceny is 45% alcohol by volume, whereas Maker's Mark has 45%. The juice is really crafted as an entry point to Woodfords wider line that showcases their aging and blending prowess. One of the comparisons I did was a side-by-side review of two Bottled-in-Bond bottlings: Old Forester's 1897 BiB versus Old Grand Dad BiB. But those whiskeys are cut from the exact same distillation. On the nose, there is a creamy sweetness, along with cinnamon, vanilla and a little bit of charred wood. This is similar to the various Pappy expressions. Its not. But that doesnt mean the core ingredients dont start off the same. Old Forester Signature 100 Proof Purchase Info: $24.99 for a 750 mL bottle, Total Wine, Burnsville, MN Details: 50% ABV. ABV: 40% (Photo by Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post via Getty Images), Celebrate Bottled In Bond Bourbon, The Spirit That Saved American Whiskey, March Is B Corp Month, Here Are 8 Alcohol Brands You Might Not Realize Are Certified, Top Burgundy Wine Producer Talks About Amazing Value Wines That Often Get Overlooked, Whiskey Of The Week: Michters Celebration Sour Mash Is The Ultimate Event Pour, Whisky Review: 50 Year Old Glenfarclas, Bowmore, Cardrona, And More, Hendricks Gin Debuts Flora Adora As New Limited Release, Thinking About Black Wine Business Beyond Black History Month, Whisky Review: Compass Box, Benriach, Tobermory, And More. Theres no way around it, Wild Turkey 101 is great for the money. Jimmy Russell is the worlds longest tenured master distiller. I got that message twice this week from readers, and thats not a rarity. The label launched with just two bourbons in its portfolio: the two-year Colonel James B. Beam and the more premium Jacobs Well. Flavor Profile: Rich & Spicy Its excellent. Booker's 25th (Probably gets some subconscious points from knowing it was a one-time release) Now, Top 5 that are fairly available (or sufficiently bunkered): 1. [CDATA[ It's also the first brand. Old Forester is the more dark, banana-y, oaky, apple-y and earthy bourbon. Get This Headphone Stand, Complete Guide to Buying Boots This Season, You've Never Heard of 2022's Most-Awarded Whiskey, Tasting WhistlePig's New 21-Year-Old Single Malt, The Best New Whiskey Releases of 2023 (So Far), Psst, Pappy Van Winkle Is Doubling Production, How to Build Your Own Bottle of Whiskey Online, Is Fireball Whiskey? It is a wheated whiskey, that shares a common DNA with Old Fitzgerald and the Pappy wheated bourbons. His bourbon incorporated a large percentage of rye, giving the whiskey a spicy and powerful flavor. We're breaking down the varieties of rum, from sugarcane to bottle. While there's no age statement on the bottle, it's believed that Double Oaked is aged for at least six years. Average Price: $20. For something around $30, you get an expertly blended whiskey aged a minimum of 8 years with notes of cherry, orange, almond toffee and oak and bottled at a casual 90 proof. But again, two for the price of one is a bargain. Anything wheated with evena hint of age is hard to find, and even some younger offerings have come to be so desired by the bourbon-buying public that youre better off giving up the chase if you dont follow release dates closely in some areas. This bourbon won Whisky Advocates whiskey of the year, and Minnick was on the tasting panel. Pick up *several* bottles of 46 Cask Strength! The finish is medium length, sweet, with caramel, vanilla and spice notes and a persistent pepperiness. Craft bourbon's rep is tarnished by a few bad apples makes subpar whiskey. Got your Mash? They find themselves waiting in line and participating in lotteries for the likes of Weller Antique, which once collected dust on the shelf. But that list has a problem: Almost half of them are so limited in production or so high in demand that most readers will never see them a retail. Head on over to Distiller, or download the app for iOS and Android today! I walk in and find 15 year old Pappy in a red velvet sack sitting on the shelf for about sixty dollars a bottle. Old Forester 86 Proof Bourbon Review . Many of these regional brands were ones gobbled up by the big distillers in the consolidation that followed Prohibition in the US or they are expressions that were left out of the marketing campaigns that created the big national brands. Weller, and to a lesser extent Old Fitzgerald, has been caught up in the cult frenzy that now surrounds Pappy Van Winkle. A pioneering brand, it was originally released as an exclusively bottled 90 proof bourbon whisky. Production started on Ezra Brooks around the 1950s by the Medley Distillery. But underneath its fundamentals swims a deep sea of factors additional rules and regulations, hype machines and deceptive marketing, false myths and a boom that began in 2008 and is still going strong today that make bourbon more complex than it seems. Old Forester is richer, so it's less prevalent in this comparison, but it's definitely still there on its own without Jack Daniel's to cover it up. ABV: 50.5% Flavor Profile: Rich & Full Bodied These bargain bourbon brands can all be had for $25 or less, so make sure keep your home bar stocked! Old Forester 100 proof. Distiller.com uses cookies that are essential for us to operate the website and that are helpful for us to improve the services. Distiller Score: 82. This is all about the sweetness.. Both mash bills are utilized for this bottling. It is based on a mash bill of 77% corn, 10% rye and 13% malted barley. In the past decade, good brands went from available to allocated and from $15 to $40. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. The finish is long, caramel-sweet, with a lingering cinnamon and a cooked cereal note. Lots of rye spices mingle with sweet vanilla on the palate here. Average Price: $26. On the nose, Larceny is sweet, offering fruit notes of peach and apricot along with candied citrus zest, and cinnamon. Distillery: Jim Beam, Clermont, KY (Beam Suntory) For 2022, the rugged western whiskey is a blend of 8- and 9-year-old barrels from the distillery and clocks in at a whopping 134.8 proof. Been there, done that, feel silly never again. On the palate, the whiskey has a cooked corn sweetness, with notes of honey, dried peach, tropical fruit, vanilla, caramel and burnt sugar, along with some faint strawberry notes. I drink bourbon. I didnt find this note, however, and it failed to impress in the field. Really looking forward to the release of the RY 10 Single Barrel. Pappy Van Winkle, in his infinite wisdom, allegedly chose wheat in his recipe because he felt is matured more quickly, and bourbon could be moved to market at a younger age. And the 2014 Parkers Heritage Original Batch Wheat Whiskey really showed what that mash bill is capable of with age and proof. Bottled and sealed, his signature guaranteed quality. Distillers Gin Guide: Styles to Know and Brands to Try. Theres a bit more of a pine woodiness on the palate of this one next to the toffee, spice, orange, and vanilla thats more pushed into the background. Its so fucking amazing., Have Apple's AirPods Max? This is not a new phenomenon and it plays a large role in blended bourbons. For our money, the best do-it-all bourbon is Knob Creek's 9-year-old Small Batch offering. This tends to produce spicier flavors in the bourbon. The finish has a velvet texture that helps it fade fairly slowly while staying warm. And THAT I can provide some help on. Old Forester has been on the market continuously since 1870, which is longer than any other bourbon. There is also a Russel Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon that is bottled at 55% ABV, and is matured in barrels that have been toasted to a #4 alligator char. The 10 YO sells for around $35 per bottle, while the single barrel expression sells for around $55. Next time you have a blind tasting throw Larceny in to the mix and see the results. Still, theyre a lot closer to being the same thing than any amount of advertising would lead you to believe. // < ! For the uninitiated, wheat used as a secondary grain was really pioneered at the old Stitzel-Weller distillery in Louisville, birthplace of the Weller lineup, the Van Winkle lineup, and the Old Fitzgerald Lineup. Proof: The percentage of alcohol, displayed as double that of the alcohol percentage. Subscribe to his YouTube Channel to watch his Best American Whiskey taste off December 20. Other states have much lower thresholds, however, some considering anything over $400 to be grand larceny. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It has a suggested MSRP of $150, and Reserve Bar is your best bet for snagging a bottle. The 15 YO, and possibly the NAS version, are distilled at the Bernheim distillery, now owned by Heaven Hill, and matured in the Stitzel-Weller warehouses in Shively, Kentucky. Whether it's the softer flavor imparted by the sweet mash (the vast majority of modern bourbon is sour mashed) or the distiller's proprietary "infusion mashing" process or something else entirely, the result is a wicked, wicked pour. Hes pictured on the bottle. As it turns out, it came in my top 10. Larceny is based on a mash bill of 68% corn, 20% wheat and 12% malted barley. The look of it was like that of a reddened maple syrup. Distiller Score: 88. Redwood Empire Bottled in Bond Rye . Thanks for a great article. ABV: 46% The Old Forester is one of the bourbons that's helped make Kentucky the capital of bourbon. Yes. It is a top selling bourbon in Japan. 2020 ModernThirst. Crafted at the Brown-Forman Distillery in Shively, KY. Made using a single recipe and barrel per bottle, its between seven and eight years old and has more complexity than the Small Batch. So funky, so rich with cornbread and a honey butter, the only reason it did not win this tasting was it lacked the finish of the winner. Don't drink and drive. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter @BillStraub and email him at [emailprotected]. Entry proof is 125 proof/62.5 percent. It's not lacking in sweetness, with tasting notes of nougat, figs, dates and caramel corn. Like plain Rebel Yell for the polical incorrectness of it. The history of Old Forester bourbon is as rich and colourful as the company and family that have been producing it for almost 150 years. Small Batch: A subjective term signaling a bourbon made using a select number of barrels or recipes in a blended bottling. But it goes into the barrel a 114 proof instead of 125 proof. So, we switched Eagle Rare to its sister brand, Buffalo Trace, which always warms up my palate in the winter. At a minimum, bourbon must be 80 proof (or 40 percent alcohol), with its mash never allowed to exceed 160 proof (or 80 percent alcohol). Single Barrel: A bourbon made using single barrels, providing a higher range of variation in flavor and the chance at specific, unique characteristics. Boy, was I wrong! It's made up of whiskeys from Indiana, Tennessee and Kentucky, with ages ranging from 4 to 16 years old. The finish is rich and powerful, with classic bourbon notes of sweet caramel, dried fruit, vanilla, cinnamon and pepper, with a slight but persistent bitter note on the end. Notwithstanding the number of bourbon brands, however, and the veritable explosion in craft producers, now close to 2,000 operating distilleries, over 95% of all of the bourbon made in the United States is produced by 13 large distilleries owned by eight major beverage companies. In my past blind tastings, Old Grand-Dad did not fare well. Bourbon, the Great American Spirit, is not as simple as one might think. He has contributed frequently to our bourbon coverage over the years and is someone we regard as a friend. High Rye: A bourbon with a higher than normal percentage of mash bill made up of rye (as opposed to using more corn, wheat, or barley, the other main grains used in bourbon mash). On the nose, there is a distinctive sweetness, along with ripe apple, caramel and a little vanilla. To learn more about responsible consumption, please visit, Sign up for the Distiller Newsletter for new bottle & feature updates, Ezra Brooks Kentucky Straight Bourbon 90 Proof, Very Old Barton 100 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Evan Williams White Label Bottled in Bond Bourbon. The finish is short-lived, with caramel and oak to it with very little to no warmth. It didnt make the cut for the finals. image via via modernthirst.com Bourbon drinkers who enjoy spice and dark fruit will be fans of this release. This is the exact same juice thats just aged a little less. I'd say this is a bit of a draw on the nose. The taste is sweet and spicy with a hint of herbaceousness. Had a $45 shot of PVW 23 a few years back in Louisville and wasnt blown away for the price. I usually find Makers Mark to be sweet. This is such a dynamic whiskey, Minnick says. Unfortunately, for Old Fo, I was not. Its 100 proof retains a full body and mixes bonafides without lighting your mouth on fire. Buffalo Trace vs Old Forester 86 Comparison . Its essentially a barrel finished bourbon, and that extra spice is a nice kick to an otherwise soft, wheated profile. The sip leans more into the caramel apples on the end and skips the citrus yet stays warm and mellow. All of this isnt to say that drinking a Wild Turkey 81 is the same as drinking a Russells Reserve Single Barrel. Here's the rub. It is available everywhere and thus resistant to the price gouging associated with brands like Buffalo Trace. In fact, a lot of bourbons are cut from the exact same mash bills (grain recipes), barrels, and even proofs when they start aging. Distillery: Brown Forman Distillery in Shively, KY (Brown-Forman) It is an heir to the Old Fitzgerald franchise; one of the first wheated bourbons. Great mouth flavors. Despite the increasing demand (and price) for much-hyped bottles, bourbon is an every-person drink. Sazerac 18 typically demands the highest price in the Buffalo Antique Collection line. Early Times had already won a blind tasting with me previously, having captured gold in theBourbon Pursuit blind BIB Showdown. The toffee and oak mingle in the end as it slowly dissipates. Theres a clear taste of the honey, vanilla, and toffee carrying the sip towards a very subdued spice and oak. This is an easy drinking whiskey with a classic bourbon nose and taste and a smooth mouthfeel. Distiller Score: 84, This Kentucky straight bourbon is the entry-level bourbon for the brand. Perhaps thats why it was in the running to win it all. It can claim to be extremely full flavored thanks to its 115 proof, and its taste profile is like a synthesis of. This no-age statement bourbon replaces the Black Label 8 Year. Weller CYPB, Weller Full Proof, Redemption Wheated, Wilderness Trail Wheated Mash Bill etc, would all be added. In the case of Old Forester, it comes from the recipe used by distiller Brown-Forman during the prohibition era when the government ordered them to keep their doors open to make bourbon "for medicinal purposes." It's 115 proof with vanilla, nuts, and seasoned oak that has a bulky belly which shows its exceptional age. ABV: 40% That hasnt stopped the collectors, however. That bottling is aged at least four years in new, charred American oak. On the palate, there is sweetness, candied orange zest, semisweet chocolate, along with cinnamon and cloves. Larceny is a small batch bourbon (100 barrels or less) of barrels from the middle three floors of the aging warehouse. Theyve also led the way in transparency. Evan William's Black Label is hard to beat for the money. In 2017, Jim Beams Old Grand-Dad line of whiskeys was nearly axed. Wheaters are my favorites, but I like ryes too. Distiller Score: 82. Weve highlighted that time and again. Im not ranking single barrel releases, or one-time releases. Old Elk Single Barrel Wheated Bourbon . Flavor Profile: Sweet . The Bourbon After a pour I found my glass had a dark, rusty amber liquid. If you want craft bourbon, we love New Riff's dedication to Bottled-in-Bond whiskey-making and rich flavor profiles. Distiller Score: 88. ABV: 50% Because its not a hype whiskey, doesnt have a famous name and isnt a limited release, it doesnt get talked about but I challenge you to find a bourbon with this much firepower at the price point. The finish is long, honey sweet, with cinnamon and maple syrup notes. Each release represents a historical year for the distillery. All of the Weller expressions share the same mash bill. Note: the portfolio for Rebel Yell all received a makeover with updated labels in April 2019. Here are my rankings the Best Wheated Bourbons in each category. Buy as much as you can as this price isnt going to last. This juice is. The 1910 was release in 2018, and though it shares the . Distillery: Woodford Reserve Distillery & Brown Forman Distillery in Shively, KY (Brown-Forman) If you find it, buy it. The bourbon is distilled under contract by various Kentucky distillers. Some expressions have a characteristic leather aroma, although this is not true of all of the bottlings. All the Makers versions, and Larceny should sate your wheater crave. The whiskey is based on a mash bill of 62% corn, 28% rye and 10% malted barley. Its estimated that there are over 3,500 historic brands of bourbon in the United States. Average Price: $90. I like some of the new Makers Private Select picks even more, but theyre single barrel private picks, so I didnt include them on the list. It made my Top 5. Dont drink and drive. It was very, very nice bourbon, he says, wistfully. The bourbon business is dominated at retail by a handful of national brands. But I feel very firm in the Top Five, and I was pleased to see three bottled-in-bond bourbons in the running. Our tester found that the 12-year is a little rough around the edges neat it is meant to be an affordable bourbon, after all but dropping in an ice cube really opens up its sweet wheat side. Little did I know, this substitute would play a big role in my blind tasting. Thanks in advance. But it was not in the cards. This high percentage makes the whiskey sweet and complex, a great choice for those looking for something inexpensive but rich with flavor. Hey Bill, what are the best wheated bourbons I can buy?. You can often find this for $9.99 on sale. Maybe even one day I will get to try some Pappy!! A beautiful marzipan note came to life in the blind tasting. I realize you wrote this article a few years back, however it is still relevant. At times our old standbys can be tough to findand when we do, they are triple the standard price. Indeed, some bourbon historians believe that Pappy began as barrel selections of Old Fitzgerald, and was later chosen from hand-picked barrels of W L Weller. At the end of the day, it's a blue-collar spirit, made by thirsty farmers, for thirsty farmers. The bourbon category has never been more popular than it is right now. We don't believe there is one "best" bourbon, but there are bottles that are best for certain moments. It has a highly complex taste, with everything from cotton candy and cayenne pepper to macadamia nuts and underripe blackberries showing up across the nose and palate. This juice is hand-selected to be small batched to match a six-year-old age profile. I want to really sit there and think about it when Im drinking it, Minnick says. On the palate, there is caramel and brown sugar, along with vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and charred oak. But that is why I taste blind: I dont want to be influenced by brand name. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. One is labeled recipe B and is 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley. Once again, this wonderful bourbon was in the running to win it all. I have not had the VW 23, VW 20, and VSOF12. The sip edges into orange zest territory with dark spices accentuated by nice toffee sweetness and a dusting of dark cacao powder when water is added. Going in, I didnt give this much of a chance for my palate. I cover spirits, the drinks culture and business. ABV: 50% First released in 2021, Dickel 8-Year Bourbon is the company's first official foray into bourbon whiskey, and it's a value-driven powerhouse. I do not covet, nor feel compelled to obtain something that is nearly unobtainable for the challenge. They deserve to be on every Best Everyday Bourbon list for their massive fan base alone. Weve already talked about how Weller and Pappy are the same wheated bourbon, so lets give Heaven Hills wheated bourbons some love. #4 barrel char. Uncle Nearest Straight Rye . This one is more of a sipper. Luxcos Old Ezra line could be one of the best-kept secrets in whiskey. Dread River Master Series by Eboni Major: Eboni Major is one of the rising stars of the bourbon world. The marrying of the corn with the Christmas-y spices helps usher in a long, warming, and satisfying end that embraces you in a classic Kentucky hug.. Egg nog spices kick this sip off. His son, Eddie Russell, took over as Wild Turkeys Master Distiller in 2015, after 35 years with the company. These are two of my favorite daily drinkers both coming in at roughly the same proof, roughly the same price, and both readily available from respected distilleries. Drink it in a highball or mix up old fashioneds for a few months. For instance, Jim Beam, Bakers, Knob Creek, Old Crow, and Old Taylor all have the exact same mash bill (75/13/12 corn/rye/barley), barrel char (level #4), and barreling proof (125 proof). Thats only three fewer years than the Old Fitz above, and its a tenth the price. Weller Special reserve has much in common with its more famous cousins, but sells, at least officially, at an average price of around $30a fraction of the cost of the Pappy expressions. Black Label Extra-Aged is bottled at 43% ABV. Nice to see it make your list. The whiskey is produced by. The bourbon is believed to be approximately 6 YO. ABV: 43% Type above and press Enter to search. At $20 per bottle, this is a fantastic bourbon and an excellent introduction to wheated bourbons. This is Buffalo Traces higher-rye bourbon mash bill even though its not that high comparatively. At $30 per bottle, this is an outstanding value for an aged, over-proof, classic bourbon. Its based on a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley. So lets divide them into two categories: Standard Production and Limited Release. Theres more of sweetness at play with toffee and vanilla up top. In bourbon's growth, consumers have paid the price for its popularity. The 1920 is a crowd favorite on r/bourbon and for a good reason. Learn how your comment data is processed. After 20 years, they, too, begin to deteriorate- and they do it quickly. But theres so many wonderful bourbons available. I have a couple of them in my bunker. Press Esc to cancel. brands are now allocated and outside of the consumer's reach. This is typically a cornbread-laden favorite of mine. I am looking forward to trying Old Fitzgerald. I almost included Bernheim Wheat Whiskey in this list, since even though its a wheat whiskey, it taste a LOT like a wheated bourbon due to its high corn content. Elmer T Lee (Wish it was still as easy to find as it was a few years ago) 2. Pappy Van Winkles impossible-to-find wheated bourbon has become such a hype monster that other wheated bourbons from Buffalo Traces portfolio have seen their own popularity skyrocket due to their proximity. Oh, and it's sold in liters. Old Forester 1920 celebrates the Distillery history since 1920 was the year . Old Forester does a slightly better job filling it in comparison. Makers Mark could double their price and people would still buy it by the case. // < ! Flavor Profile: Sweet & Rich But what are the best wheated bourbons out there? Distiller Score: 88. and all are worth seeking out. It bears no age statement and is bottled at 92 proof. That includes retailer specific brands. Russells Reserve has been hitting my sweet spot of late, and many, including myself, thought this would definitely be in the running. But this victory goes to the sister product of Henry McKenna 10-year-old, which won Best Whisky and Best Bourbon at San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and will compete against McKenna for my Best American Whiskey December 20. The 2021 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is bold, spicy, and fruit forward. This bourbon was the first Single Barrel expression sold in the modern era. They can range from okay to excellent.. The rest of the nation is just kinda getting to know em, Minnick says. Simply put, Minnick knows bourbon better than almost anyone in America. There have been quite a few individual barrels of wheated bourbon released, or reportedly released over they ears. While it has an MSRP of just $40 (and costing half that much just a couple of years ago), its become one of the industrys hottest bottles more recently, and these days market prices hover around $300. George Dickel 15 Year Single Barrel . Don't take Woodford Reserve's Double Oaked's ubiquity for mediocrity. Medley Brothers bourbon is made by the father and son team of Charles and Sam Medley. Distillery: Old Forester (Brown-Forman) City: Louisville, KY Style: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey ABV: 46.5% (93 proof) Availability: Limited, 375 ml bottles, $50 MSRP Jim Vorel is a. Unfortunately, both also have that unpleasant metallic vodka-y alcohol taste, which I don't find in other bourbons. Look, I know Jack says Tennessee whiskey on the label, but theres an argument made for it being bourbon. With time, the spirit may seem more balanced. Sounds like a pretty good reason the move to Kentucky. No need to wait for a special occasion, these are great for any day of the week. 72 percent corn, 18 percent rye, ten percent malted barley. I bought this bottle for $23 at a local big box store. The mash bill used contains: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley. Overpowering taste and smell of alcohol. Still, its not the cheapest expression you can get from Brown-Forman. But I worried its subtleties could get lost in a deep field, which this was. The sip leans into the toffee with a subtle dose of cinnamon spice lingering in the background with more of that honeyed corn. This makes a wonderful sipper or gift to a friend, and since Woodford Reserve is the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, you best believe this makes an excellent base to a mint julep with its myriad notes of fruit and spice. About 10 to 12 years ago, Total Wine opened a store in Clearwater Florida. The dram leans into a honey-sweet edge with the oak, mild spice, and hint of dark chocolate popping at the end. Additionally, Four Roses uses up to five different yeast strains for its bourbons, and all are used here. Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond won the taste for Best Everyday Bourbon. It did not make my Top 6. You may or may not see these bottles show up in a more official form in a future version of this guide once we've tried them ourselves. But its so much cheaper that who cares? Makers is my flagship wheated bourbon. The whiskey carries no age statement but is believed to be a blend of whiskeys between four and 20 years old. And its the best cocktail bourbon out there. Four Roses is a highly regarded distillery, with a high-rye mash bill that produces an extra spiciness to go along with its fruity and floral notes, and a concentration on yeast that has been eye-opening for the bourbon world. This Kentucky Straight Bourbon from Beam was formerly known as Jim Beam Double Aged. Medley Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, NAS, 51% ABV. Division 1: Old Grand-Dad Bonded (Whiskey 1) vs Larceny (Whiskey 2) Pre-Reveal Thoughts: Both noses are sweet, but Whiskey 2 is showing a bit more graininess. A $125 1oz shot of Old Fitz bonded 1965-a real treat! I had always found an over-oaked note here. Seagrams closed the business in the 1970s, and Heaven Hill purchased the brand name in 1994, but no longer uses the original recipe; as Minnick notes in his book, The original yeast, mashbill, and flavor profile are gone, lost with time. But one thing the new bottle does have is time: its 10 year age statement makes it one of the older bourbons at this price range. There is also a 57% ABV (114 proof) version that is priced under $30. You might notice there isnt a price, proof, tasting notes or distillery information listed on this pick. From your daily sipper to the best bottle to bring to a party, here are the best bourbons to drink in 2023. On the nose, there are faint notes of vanilla, and cooked corn, along with some caramel and oak notes. Fred Minnick is a longtime American whiskey writer and author of multiple bourbon books. Ive always found a bright nutmeg note, which can really stand out in blind tastings. The first is as a collectors item. Instead, it was allowed to rest until it hit a point the distillers wanted to hit and then bottled as is. Barrell is a blender, not a distiller, and the flavor mastery of founder Joe Beatrice and master distiller Tripp Stimson have won the old bourbon guard over. The whiskey has already won an impressive array of awards. No, this isnt as complex as Old Fitzgerald. On the palate, you have caramel, brown sugar, candied nuts, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cooked corn sweetness, some mint and a lingering pepperiness. There can be no doubt that a certain 3-word labelhas greatly influenced bourbon and bourbon demand over the past decade.