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. Uncle Nearest Straight Rye . Name: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Whisky Age: NAS Proof: 115 Proof (57.5% abv) Type: Straight bourbon whiskey Mashbill: 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley Producer: Brown-Forman Corporation Website: https://www.oldforester.com/products/old-forester-1910-old-fine-whisky/ Glassware: Glencairn Review A rich leather note, along with some pepper, emerges at the end and lingers. Jeffersons has released a few wheaters in their Presidential Select lineupthat were great, as did Parkers Heritage. These became known as the Fitzgerald Barrels. Larceny is a wheated bourbon made from a blend of selected barrels made in honor of this legend. image via via modernthirst.com On the palate, you have caramel, brown sugar, candied nuts, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cooked corn sweetness, some mint and a lingering pepperiness. Wild Turkey is known to barrel its whiskey at a lower entry-proof, meaning the product is a lower proof as it comes off the still prior to maturing. This is a NAS Straight bourbon, so it is at least four years old. The bourbons range from the $70, 107-proof Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10-Year-Old to the top-shelf, 95.6-proof Pappy Van Winkles Family Reserve Bourbon 23-Year-Old, which has a suggested retail price of $300. Regular Four Roses (formerly called Yellow Label), Old Forester 100 Proof (formerly called Signature), Wild Turkey 101, Jim Beam Black Label, Larceny Bourbon, Maker's Mark, and Buffalo Trace. No, this isnt as complex as Old Fitzgerald. [CDATA[ amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_enable_interest_ads = "true"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "modernthirstc-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "auto"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "a605ff51e1453cfa02de68c264fd03bc"; amzn_assoc_emphasize_categories = "284507"; amzn_assoc_fallback_mode = {"type":"search","value":"Whiskey"}; amzn_assoc_default_category = "All"; // ]]> Bill is the Co-Founder, Editor-in Chief, and official Bourbon-o-Phile for ModernThirst.com, and Founder and Chief Blending Officer for Four Gate Whiskey Company. Got your Mash? Weller, and to a lesser extent Old Fitzgerald, has been caught up in the cult frenzy that now surrounds Pappy Van Winkle. I drink so much Makers with BBQ, he says. About 10 to 12 years ago, Total Wine opened a store in Clearwater Florida. Each release represents a historical year for the distillery. 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. The 1920 is a crowd favorite on r/bourbon and for a good reason. The current distiller is rumored to be Heaven Hill. Wilderness Trail does not make subpar whiskey. Maybe I should have bought two cases. This is an easy drinking whiskey with a classic bourbon nose and taste and a smooth mouthfeel. It has a suggested MSRP of $150, and Reserve Bar is your best bet for snagging a bottle. Recently have gotten into bourbons. But if I get back to Loretto, Im not leaving without the Makers 101. If Evan Williams were to sell this whiskey to someone else, that brand would mark it up to $40, and people would be happy buying it, Minnick says. Really looking forward to the release of the RY 10 Single Barrel. Beginning in spring 2018, the name for this product is simply Four Roses Bourbon., ABV: 40% It's got a good amount of heat on account of being 117 proof, but you'll still be able to make out classic bourbon tasting notes like caramel, brown sugar, vanilla and oak. The McKenna distillery was established in 1855, founded by the noted Irish immigrant distiller. Additionally, Four Roses uses up to five different yeast strains for its bourbons, and all are used here. Flavor Profile: Sweet & Rich At $30 per bottle, this is another excellent value for a classic bourbon. The look of it was like that of a reddened maple syrup. It has none of the harshness youd expect from a 133.2 proof bourbon, and doesnt undergo chill filtering instead just using light filtration to remove barrel char flakes. There is also a 57% ABV (114 proof) version that is priced under $30. It's a whisky I could drink any time and not get bored with and the 92 proof makes it a prime candidate for cocktails. Wheat as the secondary grain provides a bit of a subtle, yet noticeable contrast to the traditional rye component of standard bourbons. The brand was resurrected by Diageo in 2015 as both a NAS and a 15 YO version. Elijah Craig Small Batch came in sixth. // < ! Relative to Kentucky, theyve been around for a few days. Distiller Score: 88. I realize you wrote this article a few years back, however it is still relevant. It is bottled without an age statement at 80 proof. This has an incredible sweetness to it, Minnick says. ABV: 50.5% Hes pictured on the bottle. 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. While I think the standard version is fine, Ive had two private barrel selections that were great. After about 7 years, they start becoming nice sips. Some expressions have a characteristic leather aroma, although this is not true of all of the bottlings. The latter is a blend of a 16-year-old bourbon and a 15-year-old high-rye bourbon that pays tribute to the familys first distiller, Jacob Beam, and its said to be some of the best bourbon being produced at the busy distillery. Ninety-five percent of all of the bourbon distilled in the US is made in Kentucky. The bourbon category has never been more popular than it is right now. Nose: Honey, caramel, wintergreen, almond. While there's no age statement on the bottle, it's believed that Double Oaked is aged for at least six years. Am looking forward to trying some of the others you listed. #3 barrel char. One of the best new whiskeys of recent memory, Stellum is a more affordable Barrell Bourbon. 46% ABV, is a small batch bourbon assembled from 200 barrels or less, handpicked by Heaven Hills master distiller. Distillery: Jim Beam, Clermont, KY (Beam Suntory) Mouth: Caramel, black tea, vanilla, clove and cinnamon. Were just sayin. Now, bourbon fans grow angry over their inability to find precious gold they once regularly consumed. The dram leans into a honey-sweet edge with the oak, mild spice, and hint of dark chocolate popping at the end. The mash bill here, made entirely of non-GMO grains, is 65 percent corn, 30 percent rye and 5 percent malted barley. Let me share a funny story. As the bourbon opens up, rye spice emerges along with a pronounced alcohol burn. The result is that both the W L Weller Special Reserve and the Old Weller Antique Original 107 brand straight wheated bourbon whiskey often sell at three times or more of their list price. Crafted at the Brown-Forman Distillery in Shively, KY. But, I seem to head back to the Makers 46 as my go-to bourbon. Bernheim wheated whiskey a bit harsh imo. In a whiskey market that's become increasingly fragmented and allocated, Knob Creek's classic small batch bourbon distinguishes itself. The finish is long, honey sweet, with cinnamon and maple syrup notes. Nice, easy-drinking proof? Early Times Bottled-in-Bond was a contender for Best Everyday Bourbon. Old Forester Signature Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, NAS, 50% ABV, is the oldest bourbon brand in the US and the first bourbon to be sold in bottle. Bottled and sealed, his signature guaranteed quality. So its whiskey, at a great proof point of 86 and an age that Minnick says is roughly five-and-a-half years old, goes for less than $20. The finish is medium length, smooth, showing caramel sweetness and pralines, along with spice and some oak notes. You might notice there isnt a price, proof, tasting notes or distillery information listed on this pick. Wheat adds a creaminess to the mouth feel of the bourbon, and has sort of a prickly sweet flavor that is slightly lighter than the sweetness typically derived from the majority corn recipe. 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. In my past blind tastings, Old Grand-Dad did not fare well. This is typically a cornbread-laden favorite of mine. 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. The Controversy Explained, Love Buffalo Trace Bourbon? Old Forester 100 proof. W L Weller, Special Reserve Bourbon, NAS, 45% ABV, is produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery by Sazerac. That extra time is why the Single Barrel costs three times more than a regular old bottle of Wild Turkey. If you're making drinks, we prefer the light and spicy Four Roses bourbon. Flavor Profile: Sweet The spirit is one of those rare drinks that is loved by both bourbon enthusiasts and amateurs. Plum, pear, cocoa and vanilla are among the tasting notes here. This whiskey is also BIB and is bottled at 50% ABV. Charles is a 50-year veteran of the Kentucky distilling industry and his familys history is closely intertwined with Kentucky bourbon. Like plain Rebel Yell for the polical incorrectness of it. Its also the recipe Pappy Van Winkle bought during prohibition. There are, after all, aging variables in play from the length in the barrel to where in the rickhouse the barrel rested to how the master blender married different barrels to create the final product. You can get two of these for the price of one Woodford. Everything you ever wanted to know about Americas favorite brown spirit, including, of course, the best bottles you can actually buy. Its relatively low-corn mashbill (only 63 percent) is also unique, utilizing a staggering amount of rye and malted barley, creating a spicy bourbon ideal for drinking on the rocks or in a cocktail. There are obvious exceptions, most related to older rye based bourbons that are bottled at a higher proof such as George T. Stagg. Drink it in a highball or mix up old fashioneds for a few months. San Francisco World Spirits Competition a few years ago, The 25 Best Whiskies to Try Before You Die, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. So, I switched it to Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond, a very widely distributed bourbon from Heaven Hill. Medley also makes a 12 YO expression bottled at 43.4% ABV, which is outstanding. Buy as much as you can as this price isnt going to last. Elmer T Lee (Wish it was still as easy to find as it was a few years ago) 2. Wheat bourbons are different. Sounds like a pretty good reason the move to Kentucky. His son, Eddie Russell, took over as Wild Turkeys Master Distiller in 2015, after 35 years with the company. Had a shot in Kentucky a few years back when it was introduced. [CDATA[ Look, this is a damn nice dram. 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. Luxcos Old Ezra line could be one of the best-kept secrets in whiskey. Unfortunately, the surging popularity of bourbon has made most any wheater over 6 years old nearly impossible to find. Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company) Old Forester Birthday Bourbon comes in at #3 on our list of overrated whiskeys. Youd think that would make it a shoe-in to win my blind tasting. The Bourbon After a pour I found my glass had a dark, rusty amber liquid. This tends to produce spicier flavors in the bourbon. Dont drink and drive. At the end of 2018, Kentucky had over 7.5 million barrels of bourbon being matured, along with 600,000 barrels of other spirits. Four Roses Small Batch, a household favorite, did not perform well in this blind tasting for Best [+] Everyday Bourbon. It has a suggested MSRP of $150, and Reserve Bar is your best bet for snagging a bottle.Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon: Every year for the past eight years, Texas-based distillery Garrison Brothers has released their fan-favorite Cowboy Bourbon: an uncut and unfiltered straight bourbon thats produced in limited numbers. He has conducted various bourbon and whiskey tastings in cities across the country, and consulted for multiple national labels. Bourbon with an age statement and available at barrel strength for a good price? The original Stitzel-Weller mash bill was 75% corn, 20% wheat and 5% malted barley. Okay, this isnt exactly a huge price tag for a quality spirit. Makers is my flagship wheated bourbon. Ive had/have 5 of the 8 limited/hard to find editions and they are not worth the effort, schmoozing, and gouging required to obtain. Here's the rub. The NAS version would be better with a little more age and at a higher proof. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. With tasting notes that include butterscotch, toffee, caramel and honey, this is one for the sweet tooths. With intense flavors of dark fruit, cocoa, and vanilla, this Cabernet Sauvignon offers a smooth and balanced taste with a long, lingeri. Whats really frustrating is that living in KY just an hour or so from all these distillers you can hardly find some of these choices, and theyre ridiculously expensive if you do. Basil Haydens is a well-crafted bourbon thats pulled from specific barrels, blended, cut down to proof, and small-batch bottled under the watchful eyes of Jim Beams masters. The whiskey is produced by. I didnt find this note, however, and it failed to impress in the field. Average Price: $40. This is a BETA experience. Its important to note that this was just one taste off, and I am one taster. 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. Fred Minnick is a longtime American whiskey writer and author of multiple bourbon books. The Russel Reserve Single Barrel has a similar aroma and flavor profile. Evan Williams White Label Bottled in Bond Bourbon is produced with a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malt. If I tasted this flight again, theres a very good chance Id have different results. Nice to see it make your list. 1870 Original Batch is also blended by Marianne Barnes, the protg of Brown-Forman's master ModernThirst's Comparison Reviews of Wheated Bourbons: 2020 ModernThirst. Yes. ABV: 45.2% 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. Each of its releases makes clear what went into it distillery location, whiskey age, proof, etc. Distiller Score: 88. Foundation For Advancing Alcohol Responsibility. Great mouth flavors. But the truth is, in a pinch, this is a great sipper. Larceny is a small batch bourbon (100 barrels or less) of barrels from the middle three floors of the aging warehouse. The sour mash prevents wild yeast from entering the mash and causing infections. Black Label Extra-Aged is bottled at 43% ABV. #4 barrel char. Minnick has a unique use for one of bourbons classic names. Last year, I tasted a dozen bourbons that were widely available and selected Ezra Brooks 7-year-old Cask Strength. The mash bill used contains: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley. Our inclusions in this guide are based on real-world testing and firsthand expert feedback, but there are a few new and upcoming bourbons we haven't had a chance to try yet that still warranted a mention. This bespoke (and admittedly cool-looking) bottle became extremely famous and then extremely expensive in retail. Thats because Barrell is, at this moment, the best blender of American whiskey there is (they have the trophy case to prove it). But I worried its subtleties could get lost in a deep field, which this was. 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. This is another nutmeg-forward bourbon I thought could standout in blind competition. The other is recipe E and is 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley. There is some alcohol burn, especially on the 114-proof version, along with sweet honey notes, candied citrus zest, brown sugar and that cooked tropical fruits. This whiskey is much better known then the expressions cited above. Unfortunately, for Old Fo, I was not. The name Old Forester was allegedly chosen in honor of a doctor named Forrester, who regularly prescribed the bourbon to his patients at a time when it was still sold in pharmacies for medicinal purposes. However, the signature for which this bourbon gets its name and which is displayed on each bottle, is the founder of the brand, George Garvin Brown. Theres a clear taste of the honey, vanilla, and toffee carrying the sip towards a very subdued spice and oak. This tends to produce a softer, less spicy whiskey. If you want craft bourbon, we love New Riff's dedication to Bottled-in-Bond whiskey-making and rich flavor profiles. But theres so many wonderful bourbons available.