Welcome to the Lux Row blog…it sure seems that way, doesn’t it? What can I say? They were nice enough to send over a lot of samples this Spring. It just goes to show that they are putting out a lot of new products between the various distilleries that are part of the Lux Row/MGP/Yellowstone/Ross & Squib family. Tonight’s bourbon, however, was bought with my hard-earned money, as was the last one. Never fear, though. I’m specifically working to end the tyranny of Lux Row in order to fit in other producers between the Lux Row samples. It’s been a weird year. And though I tease about how many of their bourbons we’ve covered lately, I really do appreciate them sending me things to write about so that I can spend more of my hard-earned bourbon dollars on quality rather than quantity, like the one purchased for tonight’s post.
Even though I’d like even more to spend less money and get quality in what I buy, I’ve resigned myself to occasionally needing to spend money…I think I might go yell at a cloud next.
Anyway, tonight’s bourbon is a limited edition super-premium bottle of Lux Row bourbon. I was a bit thrown by the name of this one. I wasn’t quite sure what a Double Single Barrel was, but it turns out I was overthinking it. It’s a blend of two single-barrel bourbons. One of the bourbons is a wheated bourbon, and one uses rye as its flavoring grain. Both were filled in 2018. I bought this in March, and though I don’t know how long it was on the shelf before I got my grubby little hands on it, they are currently out of stock, so I’m assuming it didn’t last long. I’m guessing the liquid is five years old, with an off-chance of it being four and leaving it at that.
So, let’s dig in.
Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel
Purchase Info: $89.99 for a 750 mL bottle at South Lyndale Liquors, Minneapolis, MN
Mouth: Spicy with a ton of cinnamon candy notes. Lurking beyond the prominent cinnamon is floral, vanilla, and oak.
Finish: Long and warm with notes of cinnamon, caramel, floral vanilla, and oak.
Thoughts: Wow! This is a spicy beast. Strong cinnamon notes throughout with enough vanilla and caramel notes to give it a nice richness. Followed by an oak note that ranges from bitter to mellow. This is extremely delicious. At 115° proof, you may be tempted to add a little water. If you do, be judicious as even a little tames it a lot and really amps up the sweetness, which may be what you are looking for, but if not, go easy or enjoy it neat.
If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.
It has been two thousand five hundred and twenty days since I last reviewed two separate barrels of what was then known as Rebel Yell Single Barrel. Almost seven years. Since then, the brand has lost the “Yell” from its name and has been on a complete tear to improve its offerings' age, proof, and variety. In addition to the original Rebel and ten-year-old single barrel variations, we now get to enjoy Rebel in 100° proof varieties of both bourbon and rye, as well as six-year-old and small-batch bourbon varieties.
I picked this particular bottle up while I was shopping for items for March’s Bracket series. So, I’ve been sitting on it for a while. But I also haven’t even seen this particular bourbon on the shelf since I last reviewed it, so I knew I was going to have to pick it up. I loved it the first time I tried it. Here is what I had to say at the time:
I am really impressed. And even at $50, I think this is worth the money should you have it to spare. For me, this is on the line between really, really like and love. But because I think the price point is just about perfect, I'll just go with I love it.
Let’s find out if I’m still in love with this one.
Rebel Bourbon Single Barrel, 10-Years-Old
Purchase Info: $104.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Chanhassen, MN.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $7.00
Nose: Oak, cinnamon, caramel, bubblegum.
Mouth: Cinnamon, honey, cherry, mint, and oak.
Finish: Warm and on the longer end of medium length. Notes of oak, cherry, mint, cinnamon and honey.
Thoughts: I'm so happy that I stumbled on this again. It is even better than I remembered. It’s vibrant, and the flavor just blossoms in the mouth as it moves back. It shows a lot of oak without tasting like you are sucking on a barrel stave. In other words, it's delicious! It still straddles the line between love and really like. The first time around, the great price was what bumped it into the love ranking, and now, since the price per drink has doubled in the last seven-ish years, I’m downgrading this to a like rating. It’s very good, but I’m not sure I can recommend anyone spend over $100 on it, especially with all the other great, often barrel-proof, options the company currently offers at a more reasonable price.
If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.
I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Lux Row for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
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I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Lux Row for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
Hello, my friends! As I write this, I am in the midst of last-minute packing for a flight to Albuquerque. My wife is currently there for a work training seminar and we thought it might be nice for me to join her for the weekend after it’s finished. You know, get away before the summer rush happens in our dog-sitting business. By the time you read this, I will probably be in the air sipping a glass of bourbon while watching a movie.
But since I am super busy tonight, and since we’ve covered all of the Blood Oath releases but the second over the last ten years, I thought I’d just pull an extended excerpt from the press release to help explain what is going on in this version rather than skipping the post and waiting until next week.
ST. LOUIS (April 23, 2024) – Lux Row Master Distiller and Master Blender John Rempe marks a decade of distinction – and secrecy – as he renews his annual pact with bourbon drinkers by releasing Blood Oath Pact 10 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey double finished in Cabernet Franc and Merlot casks. A limited supply of 17,000 (3-in) cases will arrive at retail this month at a suggested price of $129.99 per 750 ml bottle. As with all of Rempe’s pacts, Blood Oath Pact 10 is offered at 98.6 proof (49.3% ABV).
Blood Oath Pact 10 combines some of the finest rare bourbons Rempe could find, including two well-bred ryed bourbons and one finished bourbon each complementing the others. In honor of Blood Oath’s double-digit age milestone, Rempe achieved a double finish for this year’s special, secret blend. The first finish was perfected in Cabernet Franc barrels, imbuing rich flavors of tart raspberries and black pepper. The second finish was refined in Merlot barrels, instilling the tastes of red stone fruits with undertones of vanilla, cocoa and anise. The result is a delicious and distinctive pour.
For a decade Rempe has sought out famous and forgotten rare bourbons and bottled them in combinations for his limited-release Blood Oath Pacts. Not to cater to anyone’s loyalties, he has sworn to never reveal where he finds his bourbon, but only promises to choose and make the best he knows.
“We wanted to create something truly distinctive and unique to mark our 10th edition of Blood Oath and we did just that,” said Rempe. “For this offering I sourced three extraordinary bourbons that could be elevated even further through a double finish in Cabernet Franc and Merlot casks, and would ultimately deliver the kind of rich, fruit-forward notes and smooth drinking experience I wanted to achieve. It’s a superb blend and I’m excited to share it.”
So now that you know what is going on, let’s get back to what you are actually here for. How does it taste?
Blood Oath Pact 10
Purchase Info: The producer provided me with this sample bottle at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price for a 750 mL bottle is $129.99.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $8.67
Details: 49.3% ABV. Part of the blend was barrel-finished in Cabernet Franc and Merlot Casks.
Nose: Caramel, cherry, tobacco, and smoky oak.
Mouth: Cinnamon spice, caramel, tobacco, and oak.
Finish: Medium in warmth and length. Notes of caramel-covered red fruit, tobacco, oak, and after a bit, cinnamon pops back up.
Thoughts: This is a pretty consistent flavor experience from nose to finish, with many of the same notes popping up throughout. The mouth starts out sweet, but the longer you hold it in there to tease out the notes, the more the sweetness fades to dry oak notes. This is delicious! My wife has declared that if we see this, she is buying a bottle. That is considerable praise from someone who is as frugal as a long-time accountant can be. I really like it too.
If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.
I’d like to thank Byrne PR and Lux Row Distillery for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
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I’d like to thank Byrne PR and Lux Row Distillery for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
I have a very short list of what I look for in a bourbon.
Inexpensive.
Rich mouthfeel.
Full-flavored.
Spicy.
Sweet.
Inexpensive.
My wife and I are very frugal people, but don’t mistake that for being cheap. My hobbies are whiskey and vinyl records, for goodness sake. No, we are frugal. We consider where our money is being spent and if we are spending it appropriately. We will buy expensive items, but only if our research shows that those items are worth the extra cost. It’s a holdover from growing up in poverty and spending the first twenty years of our relationship trying to learn how to climb out (hint: luck was more important than hard work…though both were necessary).
That’s one of the reasons I love getting samples from Lux Row. Not only are they usually delicious, but they are normally priced well enough that I don’t feel guilty or feel like I’m bragging too much when I recommend them. Sure, they make some very tasty high-priced bourbons. But they also have delicious ones that won’t cause you to choose between a bottle of whiskey or paying your electric bill on time.
A case in point is tonight’s Port Wine cask-finished bourbon. Its suggested retail price is $35. In today’s whiskey market, that’s almost bottom-shelf pricing. I exaggerate, but not by much. In fact, whiskey prices have risen so much since I started this site that I continuously need to reassess if I keep it going (I started it with what I thought was an obscene limit of $80 per month…don’t ask what I spent last year). This is why I am incredibly thankful to the readers who tip me a coffee, buy merch, or even just comment and interact.
So, let’s get back to this reasonably priced bourbon, shall we? This is the standard Ezra Brooks mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley, aged and finished for an additional six months in Port wine casks before being bottled at 99 proof. Here is what the producer has to say about it:
“We created Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish for bourbon fans looking for an elevated taste profile and unique flavor option,” said Eric Winter, Ezra Brooks brand manager. “Lux Row Master Distiller John Rempe was intrigued by the juxtaposition of ryed bourbon’s spicy flavor profile and the sweeter, dark fruit notes often found in port wines.”
Now, the part we’ve all been waiting for: let’s dig in.
Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish
Purchase Info: This bottle was sent by the producer at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $34.99 per 750 mL bottle.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.33
Details: 49.5% ABV. Mash Bill: 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley. Secondary aging in port wine cask for six months.
Nose: Cinnamon, raspberry, black tea, and hints of rose petals and oak.
Mouth: Spicy cinnamon candies, caramel, chocolate, and oak.
Finish: Medium in length and warmth with notes of Big Red Gum, caramel, floral mint, and oak.
Thoughts: This is quite tasty. It's nice and spicy, so if that isn't your thing, it plays nicely with a splash of water. Water tames some of the spice but also dulls the finish a bit, so to each their own on this point. It has nice oak, cinnamon, and lovely floral and red fruit notes. This is pretty damn good. I like it.
If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.
I’d like to thank Byrne PR and Lux Row Distillery for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
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I’d like to thank Byrne PR and Lux Row Distillery for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
We are still working through the backlog of samples that we received during the brackets, so let’s jump right in.
Just about a month and a half ago, I got a great email from the PR folks who work with Lux Row and MGP. And, I LOVE this email. Not wasting my time or theirs, it just said:
And in the spirit of that announcement email, let’s keep this short. Because, really, there isn’t much more to be said about this new, year-round addition to the Rebel portfolio. It’s Rebel 100 bourbon, just a bit older. Most of the information pertinent to the juice inside the bottle is right there in the name. Rebel Bourbon. 100° proof. Aged 6 Years. About the only thing I can add that isn’t in the name is that Rebel is, and always has been, a wheated bourbon going back to its initial launch as part of the Stitzel-Weller portfolio. But the fact that it’s a wheated bourbon is also on the label. Soooo…
Let’s just dig into the review proper, shall we?
Rebel 100 6 Year Old Bourbon
Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes at no charge. The suggested retail price is $59.99
Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.00
Details: 50% ABV. 6 years old. Wheated mashbill.
Nose: Cinnamon, mint, almond, and oak.
Mouth: Spicy cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, almond, and oak.
Finish: Medium in both length and warmth. Follows the mouth with notes of cinnamon, caramel, and a bitter oak.
Thoughts: This is very good. If you like Rebel 100, the six-year-old version will be right up your alley. As a wheated bourbon, the oak is a bit more pronounced than if it were a bourbon that used rye as a flavoring grain, which, depending on your oak tolerance, may be a positive or a negative. Overall, I'm a fan. I usually prefer bourbon that uses rye as the flavoring grain, but this one is darn tasty. It's oak-forward but not too oak-forward. I’ll be picking up a full bottle should I see it.
If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.
I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Yellowstone Distillery for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
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I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Yellowstone Distillery for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
I’ve sung the praises of the folks over at Yellowstone more times than I can count. Well, that’s not true. I can count pretty high. But more times than I care to count, how about that? And because I enjoy their connection with their namesake park and the ways they give back, at the end of the post, I’d like to share the press release for a fun contest that the brand is running. It happened to land in my mailbox as I was getting ready for tonight’s post, and since I’m talking about Yellowstone anyway, I thought you guys would be interested.
So first, the bourbon. Last fall, Yellowstone released the first edition of its Special Finishes Collection with a Toasted Stave-Finished bourbon. Exactly a month ago, they released the second edition, “Rum Cask.” The bourbon is exactly what you think it is. It is four-year-old Yellowstone bourbon that has been finished for nine weeks in casks that previously held rum. In fact, I think I’ll let the press release writer take over at this point. I’d just be summarizing it anyway.
The new release starts with Yellowstone’s traditional bourbon mash bill and then is aged for nine weeks in casks that previously held rum distilled using molasses from sugarcane grown in the rich, fertile soils and tropical Caribbean climate of Cuba. The resulting bourbon features a flavorful blend of spice and tropical sweetness; a medium body with notes of toasted marshmallow, crème brûlée and toffee toasted oak; and the finish is highlighted by tobacco, clove, cocoa seasoned oak and honey.
“Rum has the sweetest notes of all the casks we’ve used for secondary finishing, and it was an ideal choice for the next adventure in our Special Finishes Collection,” said Beam. “Rum is an exceptional compliment to bourbon, and they come together to create subtle notes of sweetness and brown sugar, which are soaked up and stored within the staves and perfectly complement the vanilla, caramel and rye flavors of Yellowstone. Our four-year bourbon is a classic Kentucky bourbon and makes for a fantastic base. This allows me to go in many directions with the finishes while remaining true to or original profile.”
Let’s dig in and see how it tastes.
Yellowstone Special Finishes Collection, Rum Cask
Purchase Info: This sample was sent to me at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $49.99.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.33
Details: 4 years old. 50% ABV. Secondary aging for nine weeks in former rum casks.
Nose: Brown sugar, oak, vanilla, and a touch of cinnamon.
Mouth: Cinnamon spice, toffee, vanilla, oak, allspice, marshmallow, and a touch of molasses.
Finish: Medium in both length and warmth with notes of brown sugar, tobacco, molasses, and oak. There is a final dark chocolate note that shows up after the rest have faded.
Thoughts: If you’ve ever had Angel’s Envy Rye, you will know that Rum finishes can sometimes take over the whiskey base. This is not one of those times. This is a bourbon, and you wouldn’t have guessed otherwise if you had tasted it blind. The secondary finishing adds some sweetness and undernotes that are a little unusual for a bourbon. Molasses and marshmallows are examples that I don’t usually find. However, they aren’t unheard of either. There is more oak than I expected in a four-year-and-nine-week-aged bourbon, which is very nice. Overall, I’m quite enjoying this one. I’d give it a shot should you see it.
Iconic bourbon brand shares its connection to America’s first national park with consumers through new adventure experience opportunity
ST. LOUIS (April 8, 2024) – Yellowstone Bourbon announced a contest for consumers to win an all-inclusive trip to Yellowstone National Park in 2024. Consumers can enter the Yellowstone National Park Getaway Contest now through July 15 by submitting a photo and a writeup about their love for the great outdoors – a hiking story, poem or another kind of written expression.
The three lucky winners and their plus-one will experience the ultimate national park adventure September 5-8, 2024, including hiking, horseback riding, sightseeing, curated meals, private accommodations and round-trip airfare. In addition, four social media influencers will join the winners for this trip of a lifetime:
Dean Unglert, reality TV star and outdoor explorer
Adam Glick, celebrity chef and adventurer
Holly Johnson, travel and outdoor content creator
Patrick Duke, adventure photographer and filmmaker
“For more than 150 years, Yellowstone Bourbon has shared a bond with the majestic Yellowstone National Park,” said Kelly Panzitta, Yellowstone Bourbon brand manager. “This contest gives people the opportunity to experience that connection firsthand and win a one-of-a-kind adventure. It’s part of our commitment to always keep the park within reach.”
Since 2018, Yellowstone Bourbon has donated nearly $500,000 to National Parks Conservation Association to preserve national parks. In 2023, Yellowstone became one of NPCA’s largest annual corporate donors at the $250,000 level.
Yellowstone Bourbon partnered with World Playground to plan the contest itinerary and Under Canvas for the winners’ and influencers’ private accommodations in West Yellowstone. For more information about the contest including official rules, please visit Yellowstone National Park Getaway Contest or YellowstoneBourbon.com. For updates about the contest, follow Yellowstone Bourbon on Facebook and Instagram.
If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.
Welcome back, folks! We are now at the end of the 2024 contest. Eight whiskeys entered the arena. Four have fallen by the wayside. There have been some delicious treats, with not a single stinker in the bunch. Let’s see how it all ends and see if we’ve learned anything along the way. First, we have the Round Two matchups.
Division 2: Whiskey A (Buffalo Trace) vs. Whiskey B (George Dickel Bourbon)
Pre-Reveal Thoughts: The noses are pretty similar. “A” is more vibrant, “B” is nuttier. In the mouth, “A” is very nicely balanced with a nice sweetness. “B” is spicier, also with a nice flavor.
Winner: “B” (George Dickel Bourbon) moves on to the Championship Round based on the nice spiciness.
Division 1: Whiskey A (Old Forester 100 Proof) vs. Whiskey B (Old Grand-Dad 114 Proof)
Pre-Reveal Thoughts: The nose on “B” has more caramel and nuttiness. The nose on “A” is more muted with a faint medicinal note. “B” is very spicy on the month. “A” has notes of red fruit and marzipan.
Winner: “B” is spicier, but that spiciness overwhelms the other notes. “A” is more well-rounded, which I prefer. “A” (Old Forester 100 proof) moves on to the Championship Round
Championship Round: Whiskey A (George Dickel Bourbon) vs. Whiskey B (Old Forester 100 Proof)
Pre-Reveal Thoughts: The nose on “A” shows more caramel and vanilla versus the fruit notes on “B.” The mouth on “A” is showing spice, caramel, and oak. “B” shows more fruit. It’s close, but I think “A” pulls ahead based on the oak and spice.
Winner: “A” (George Dickel Bourbon)
Congrats to George Dickel 8-Year-Old Bourbon, the 2024 BourbonGuy.com Bracket Champion!
Lessons Learned:
This was an interesting contest for me. I like contests where I know I won’t need to brace myself before taking the first sip in a tasting. Every one of the bourbons was good. I don’t think I’d say there is anything in here that would warrant a “meh/neutral” rating if it were being tasted alone. That might be a first.
So, what did I learn about each of these?
Ok, right off the bat, I expected a little blowback on George Dickel Bourbon even being in the contest. I got it last year when I included their Bottled-in-Bond Whiskey, and I honestly expected the same this year. I am personally shocked that Dickel won the contest. I honestly expected Old Forester 100 proof to win based on what I thought my personal preferences were. That said, upon reflection, I’m not shocked that the only age-stated bourbon in the batch won the whole thing. It’s hard to beat time in a barrel for making good whiskey. Add in the fact that it was less than $25 and less than 100 proof, and the whole thing just makes me happy. I love an underdog story.
Moving over to the other Championship contender, as stated above, Old Forester 100 Proof would have been my favorite to win the contest at the outset. Not only does it sit in my favorite proof point, but it was also the most expensive of the bunch. Not that price always correlates to quality (that’s one of the reasons we run this contest each year), but it certainly correlates to how much a company thinks people would be willing to pay for something. And that has at least a passing relationship with how good something is, especially with a product that has been on the market for a long time like this. That said, it came in second and won its division. It’s a good bourbon and one that is often on my shelf.
Newcomer Wheel Horse Bourbon handled itself admirably. It didn’t quite have the gusto to knock off a competitor with lots of age on it, but it should hold its head up high. It lost to the eventual champion this year. That’s nothing to sneeze at. It’s good whiskey and a good value. It may have advanced if it had had a different matchup in the first round. I think I’ll be doing a full review of this one in the near future if I don’t drink it all first.
Elijah Craig is a great bourbon. It is more delicate than other bourbons in this list, having neither the age nor the proof of other contestants. Because of that, it doesn’t surprise me that it lost in the first round. But with no comparisons, I'm a happy camper if this is in my glass.
When I think of Buffalo Trace, the old chant from high school sports of “O-Ver-Rate-Ed clap clap clapclapclap.” That isn’t to say that it is a stinker or even a “meh” bourbon. No, it is very good. But when I get comments from people saying that it goes for $50 in their neck of the woods, it’s hard to take it seriously these days. Especially when contrasted with other comparable products. Sazerac won the PR lottery when they got the contract to have Pappy chosen from among their stocks oh-so-many years ago.
I’m just going to copy and paste what I said last year about Old Tub, as nothing has changed in my assessment: “Old Tub reminded me that Jim Beam makes good whiskey. It just needs some proof. Go below 100° proof, and it gets way too nutty for many folks, including me, when the mood isn’t right.”
I didn’t learn much from Old Grand-Dad 114 that I didn’t already know. I knew it was a great bourbon that didn’t cost much, and nothing about that has changed. The proof adds a nice spice to what might otherwise be a lackluster bourbon that would be too grain-forward for my personal tastes. That’s why I like Bonded and 114 so much better than the 80 proof.
Finally, Ezra Brooks 99 is right there with the other bourbons in this group. It was great as a 90° proof. And with that great base, the proof bump makes it an absolute winner. Sure, the price is higher than the now-discontinued 90, but I think the quality went up more. If I’m not buying for content, this is one that I pick up a lot.
Ok, so we have one further contest to take a look at before we put the brackets to bed this year. I retired Wild Turkey 101 from the yearly bracket contest a few years ago. It won every time it appeared until I paired it against other, more expensive, 100-ish proof bourbons during the pandemic. It is literally the GOAT when it comes to inexpensive bourbon. One of the guys I talk to at a local liquor store describes more expensive bourbons using Wild Turkey 101 as the measuring stick. “Is this worth four bottles of Wild Turkey 101?” And I love that. So, I decided to bring it out of retirement to see how this year’s winner stacked up against the old bird. (You may notice it hiding in the back of the photo above.)
Emeritus Round: Whiskey A (George Dickel Bourbon) vs. Whiskey B (Wild Turkey 101)
Pre-Reveal Thoughts: “A” has a lot of oak on both the nose and mouth, along with toffee on the mouth. “B” shows nice cinnamon on the nose and mouth along with some caramel on the mouth. Both have a nice spice.
Winner: Very close, but I'm leaning toward “B” (Wild Turkey) in the Emeritus Contest.
Now that we are done, it’s time to turn the page to the future. Next week, we will look at the samples that have been stacking up while the contest was going on. As much fun as this was, it’s fun to try new bourbons, too.
Once again, congrats to George Dickel 8-Year-Old Bourbon on their 2024 Championship!
If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.
Hello again my friends! Let’s continue with the brackets, shall we?
If you’ve been following along, you know that these were tasted in an order only known to my wife as another bit of obfuscation to hide what was being tasted. So Round 1 of the 2024 BourbonGuy.com Brackets continues with Division 1’s Number 3 seed Ezra Brooks 99 taking on Number 2 seed Old Grand-Dad 114.
Ezra Brooks 99 recently replaced Lux Row’s Ezra Brooks 90 proof. Much to the dismay of certain commenters. I happen to enjoy the fact that they bumped the proof up. I’m guessing the dismay comes from the fact that they also bumped up the price at the same time. They didn’t go too high, though, since it still meets bracket parameters. When I picked this up at South Lyndale Liquors in Minneapolis, MN, it cost $24.99 for a 750 mL bottle or $1.67 per pour.
Their opponent is another bourbon that wears its proof right in the name. Old Grand-Dad 114 is Beam Suntory’s highest-proof product using the Old Grand-Dad mashbill. This bottle was purchased at Total Wine in Burnsville, MN. It cost $26.99 for a 750 mL bottle or $1.80 per pour.
All of the competitions this year were tasted blind and we knew the winner of the competition prior to any reveal. Notes, thoughts, and conclusions were all from before we knew what was what. Needless to say, some of my conclusions were surprising to me. Tasting notes may be a little unusual since they were being tasted at the same time and probably influenced the perceptions of one another.
Whiskey A (Ezra Brooks 99)
Price Per Drink (50 mL): $1.67
Details: 49.5% ABV.
Nose: Spearmint, caramel, and almond.
Mouth: Sweet and spicy. Strong caramel notes along with cinnamon, mint, and a slight grainy note.
Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Notes of cinnamon, mint, and red fruit.
Whiskey B (Old Grand-Dad 114)
Price Per Drink (50 mL): $1.80
Details: 57% ABV.
Nose: Toffee, red fruits, and baking spice.
Mouth: Baking Spice, caramel, and red fruit.
Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Notes of cinnamon, mint, and red fruit.
Thoughts:
Pre-Reveal Thoughts: Once again, both are delicious, but “B” is the winner on the strength of the overall experience. “A” shows some grain on the month which leads to a slight bitterness on the finish. “B” is sweet and spicy throughout with a nice full mouthfeel. On another day this might have gone another way, but today is “B’s” day.
Post-Reveal Thoughts: I’m both surprised and not surprised by the reveal on this one. On one hand, it is not unusual in these competitions that the higher-proof bourbon wins the day. On the other hand, it didn’t in the last post. In that one, the 100° Old Tub lost to the 90° proof Buffalo Trace. And usually, I’d grab a pour of Ezra Brooks 99 before a pour of Buffalo Trace. So that threw me for a moment. But then again, I really tend to like both of these. So going back to proof being the deciding factor, Old Grand-Dad 114’s win shouldn’t be a surprise.
Winner: Old Grand-Dad 114 is advancing to round 2.
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Welcome back, my friends, to my favorite posts of the year. It’s bracket time!
Historically, this has been a series where we take a look at the cheapest of the cheapest bourbons, pit them against each other, and decide which you should pick up and which you should leave down on that bottom shelf. The 2022 edition broke me; I dumped out about 7 liters of bourbon, so last year, I tossed out all pricing requirements and did a series of Bonded Bourbons. This year, I’m reinstating the price requirements, but I’ve decided to keep them a bit “relaxed.” My goal was to find readily available bourbons all at about the same price point, in this case, the $20 to $30 price range.
Here is how we set everything up. And it is an oh-so-simple process. I seed the whiskey in the bracket, in this case, by price. Then, I pour 200 mL bottles of each contestant whiskey and label them with a nonsense name. Finally, I make a separate bracket with the nonsense names and give that and the 200 mL bottles to my wife. After that, she takes care of everything. She has no idea what is in each bottle due to the nonsense name. She pours and keeps track of the winners while we do our tastings. And all I need to do is taste and write. It’s a pretty slick system.
So, who are the participants, and how did they get chosen?
Well, every year, I try to put in limitations that will force me to choose a new set of participants. Well, mostly new, anyway. We still have four this year that were in previous editions. Because the “bottom-shelf” ones have gotten so much worse than they used to be due to inflation and strategic price increases, this year, I limited myself to only bourbons priced between $20 and $30 for a 750 mL bottle. This allowed me to get some names that are familiar to the general public but that might be overlooked due to the general public’s idea that “more expensive equals better whiskey.” A while back, I also asked what you guys wanted to see included as part of a giveaway. I included as many of those as I could. Some weren’t available in my market. Others were quite expensive. Some had just been in so many contests that I looked for fresh faces. But I included what I could.
The contestants were seeded by price. If there was more than one at the same price, the tie was broken by proof.
Division 1, Seed 1: Old Forester 100: This was purchased at South Lyndale Liquors in Minneapolis, MN, for $27.99 or $0.037 per milliliter.
Division 2, Seed 1: Buffalo Trace: This was purchased at Total Wine in Burnsville, MN, for $27.99 or $0.037 per milliliter.
Division 1, Seed 2: Old Grand-Dad 114: A reader suggested Old Grand-Dad Bonded, but since I saw this fit the price constraints, I upgraded. This was purchased at Total Wine in Burnsville, MN, for $26.99 or $0.036 per milliliter.
Division 2, Seed 2: Wheel Horse Bourbon: This was a reader suggestion. It was purchased at Top Ten Liquors in Chanhassan, MN, for $25.96 or $0.035 per milliliter.
Division 1, Seed 3: Ezra Brooks 99: This was purchased at South Lyndale Liquors in Minneapolis, MN, for $24.99 or $0.033 per milliliter.
Division 2, Seed 3: George Dickel Bourbon: This was purchased at France 44 in Minneapolis, MN, for $24.99 or $0.033 per milliliter.
Division 1, Seed 4: Elijah Craig: This was purchased at Top Ten Liquors in Chanhassen, MN, for $24.96 or $0.033 per milliliter.
Division 2, Seed 4: Old Tub: This was a reader suggestion. It was purchased at France 44 in Minneapolis, MN, for $21.99 or $0.029 per milliliter.
I’m going to tell you right now, that there were some real surprises here. I was honestly shocked at the winner. But that is for the future. In the mean time, who you got? Let us know down in the comments.
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I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Yellowstone Distillery for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
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I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Yellowstone Distillery for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
I think that Yellowstone Bourbon is one of the coolest stories in the bourbon industry. The brand was initially launched right around the declaration of Yellowstone National Park. It was apparently good whiskey and the brand was extremely popular until it fell on hard times. When I first had a pour of a bourbon with the name Yellowstone on it, I was in Yellowstone National Park surrounded by family and drinking a very bad bourbon. This was 2015 at the tail end of the brand’s hard times. But this is where it gets cool.
The brand’s owner at the time was Luxco, now a part of the MGP family. Right about the time they were starting the Lux Row distillery, they also bought a stake in Limestone Branch distillery. Which, it just so happens, was owned by a pair of brothers who were decended from the family that initially launched the Yellowstone bourbon. At that point, the home of Yellowstone was moved to Limestone Branch and placed under the supervision of Steve Beam (the previously mentioned decendant) who has been doing wonderful things with the brand.
Someday, someone should do a short history of the rise, fall, and rehabilitation of Yellowstone Bourbon. It’s a cool story that I didn’t come close to doing justice to.
Tonight’s bourbon is a new extension of the Yellowstone Bourbon lineup. It starts with the standard Yellowstone Select. That is then “stave finished” with five different toasted staves they call high toast, American oak double-toast, vanilla, rick house and spice rack. Here’s what the press release has to say about the new bourbon.
“The Yellowstone Special Finishes Collection is a great way to honor more than 150 years of bourbon heritage while still keeping things fresh and exciting,” said Beam. “I began experimenting with toasted barrels in 2016, 2017, and 2018 with Yellowstone Limited Edition releases and again more recently with distillery-exclusive Yellowstone Toasted Single Barrel. My experience helped in crafting what stave flavors to use and at what percentage to get the right flavor profile for Yellowstone Toasted. I can’t wait for consumers to try this latest full-time member of the Yellowstone Bourbon family.”
So let’s see how it tastes, shall we?
Yellowstone Special Finishes Collection, Toasted
Purchase Info: This sample was sent to me at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $49.99.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.33
Details: 50% ABV
Nose: Caramel, vanilla, spearmint, Juicy Fruit gum, baking spices, and oak.
Mouth: A nice peppery spiciness on the first sip. Beyond that are notes of cinnamon, black pepper, vanilla, caramel, and oak.
Finish: Sweet and spicy and of medium length. Notes of honey, vanilla, black pepper, black tea, cinnamon, and oak.
Thoughts: This is really good. So good that when I went back to check the price, I was shocked that it was "only" $50. I think it is worth every penny. I'm really enjoying the sweet and spicy notes. I love honey, so the honey note on the finish is right up my alley. This is a lovely upgrade from the standard Yellowstone Select Bourbon.
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