The price point is nearly disqualifying. And I thought about it for quite a while. But it is an enjoyable older bourbon, and if you can manage to score a half ounce at whatever bar these end up at, it’s worth a try, if only to see what Dickel thinks deserves this price tag.
I might recommend making this your only pour of the night or at least your first. It’s a bourbon unlike most anything else on the shelves and requires, dare I say, deserves, some devoted attention.
Remus Gatsby Reserve leads with aromas of caramel, candied dark fruit and saddle leather, with slight brown sugar and very sweet candied notes.
This bottle is so unique among the Wild Turkey pantheon that it really has to be experienced and shared, and until another release comes along that tastes this good and carries this kind of backstory, I’m going to say, albeit reluctantly, that it’s worth the MSRP.
Michter’s actually started the whole toasted finish craze back in 2014, but it wasn’t until 2017 that the first toasted rye came along. With this latest release, Michter’s has kept to three-year intervals (the second release hit shelves in 2020).
Despite an MSRP jump of $50 from last year’s already wallet-wounding price point, it’s still a helluva bourbon. It’s also priced to claim a piece of the secondary market pie.
I have to say that of the three expressions, Boston tastes and smells the oldest. The aroma is dense and wood-driven, with notes of rick house, baking chocolate, and damp tobacco.
The aroma is not immediately as big or complex as Series V or VI, requiring some time to suss out the nuance and depth. It doesn’t take long though before notes of dark caramel, black cherry, and pecan pie rise out of the glass, offering up a rich, classic bourbon bouquet.
When I finished the Zoom tasting, I was skeptical about the 25-year-old whiskey in the final blend. Did it contribute that much, or was it just meant to make this Small Batch Limited Edition a little more special on paper for its anniversary?
