John J. Bowman Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel Review

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The old saying of 2 heads are better than 1 takes a twist and we will see if 2 distilleries are better than 1. This week I will review John J. Bowman Single Barrel where 2 distilleries are involved to make this juice happen. We will get into that later. Now let’s see how good this is.

 

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NAME – John J. Bowman Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel

 

PROOF – 100

 

AGE – non-age stated (rumored at between 9 to 10 years old)

 

COLOR –toasted almonds (1.4, tawny on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Chocolate, vanilla, oak, tobacco leaf, butterscotch, and praline pecans.

 

TASTE – The palate matches with the nose. Milk chocolate, creamy vanilla, toasted oak, tobacco leaf, butterscotch and praline pecans. Very nice creamy mouth feel.

 

FINISH – I would call this a medium to long finish. The finish keeps that praline pecan, vanilla, chocolate and tobacco until the end. A slight leather note at the very end.

 

REVIEW – Wow! This hits all the marks and has a ton of robust flavor especially for a 100 proofer. The only complaint you can give to this is the lack of any real fruit notes but the other flavors are so pleasant and the mouth feel so good that you really don’t mind. This is a home run of a bottle and for around $60 it is worth every cent.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – The fairly good and supported rumor is that John J Bowman is a blend of Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 and Mash Bill #2 where the distillate is sent to the A. Smith Bowman Distillery where it is distilled again and then aged in Virginia.

 

I do think this carries more of Mash Bill #1 than #2 as the closest comparison would be a combination of Eagle Rare and E.H. Taylor Single Barrel. If you don’t have this bottle, I highly suggest that you find a way to acquire one. You won’t be disappointed and in this case 2 distilleries is better than 1.

Mayor Pingree Red Label Bourbon Review

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When you think of where bourbon is made you probably think Bardstown or Louisville and there are certainly all kinds of places but I’m guessing it would take you awhile before you would say Detroit. That’s exactly where this week’s review was made at the Valentine Distilling Company. This week I review Pingree Red Label. Let’s see if they can make a bourbon or should they go back to making cars.

 

Make sure you put in the comments any bottles that you would like me to review.

 

NAME – Mayor Pingree Red Label Bourbon Batch #27

 

PROOF – 94

 

AGE – non-age stated

 

COLOR –harvest gold (1.4, tawny on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Baked corn bread in cast iron skillet with honey butter, green apple, some vanilla, toasted oak and tinge of citrus.

 

TASTE – Bitter barrel tannins start this experience, and it isn’t pleasant. Dusty corn, vanilla and bitter walnut.

 

FINISH – I would call this a medium finish. The finish is the best part of this but that isn’t saying much. There is some cinnamon and some leather.

 

REVIEW – No flowery language for this review. Did not like this. The bitterness from the barrel tannins puts it on the verge of being offensive. This is a cocktail whiskey for sure. It needs some sweetness added to it to back down that bitterness.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – Mayor Hazel S. Pingree is who this is named after who based on scholars in 1999 was deemed the fourth best mayor in the history of the United States. Many accomplishments in Detroit during tough times and eventually was voted governor of the state of Michigan. Unlike many whiskies named after historical people there is really no tie to Pingree and whiskey. Instead, he was a cobbler by trade and thus maybe why this bourbon taste like an old shoe. (I couldn’t help myself)

Ohio Distillers Guild Whiskey Collab Batch #1

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Another first of its kind review this week in the Sunday Evening Review. This week I get the privilege to review the first ever Ohio Distiller’s Guild Collaboration Whiskey. This will be available at the first ever Ohio Craft Whiskey Festival that is on October 16th. This collaboration is from central Ohio distilleries High Bank Distillery, Echo Spirits, Watershed Distillery and Middle West Spirits. Let’s find out if these 4 can get along or will this turn into cat fight.

Make sure you put in the comments any bottles that you would like me to review.

NAME – Ohio Distillers Guild Whiskey Collab Batch #1

PROOF – 120.2 (was told that some bottles can get above 121)

AGE – non-age stated

COLOR –amber grain (1.4, tawny on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

NOSE – Clover honey, cinnamon stick, toasted oak, cherry pie filling, honeysuckle, and some peanut brittle.

TASTE – Sweet red cherry with cinnamon red hots off the start. Then you start getting mocha, vanilla, charred oak, and some buttered popcorn. It has an oily mouth feel. Make no doubt there is some heat on this to keep you warm at night.

FINISH – I would call this a long finish. The tobacco and leather come in at the end along with that cinnamon that hangs around along with an almond note that makes a presence.

REVIEW – It is always a crap shoot when you put together what others believe is the best way to do something and then try to put them together. I think this found the right balance and pulled some of the best parts from each. High Bank’s newer batches have a cherry note and charred oak, Echo Spirits has the cinnamon spice, Watershed I have always found earthy notes and Middle West with the traditional caramel notes and richness. They work well together and really give you a well-rounded, balanced and complex whiskey. This is a whiskey that you can spend some time with to be able to pull out all that it has to offer.

FINAL COMMENTS – Anyone that was lucky enough to get a ticket to the Ohio Craft Whiskey Festival (it sold out in 2 days) will have a guaranteed opportunity to buy one of these bottles for $99.99 with a portion of every bottle benefiting the Ohio Distillers Guild. The blend is 30% Watershed, 30% High Bank, 20% Middle West and 20% Echo Spirits.

For those wondering, the Ohio Distillers Guild’s primary function is to advocate for their members and to effect improvements for their industry through legislature which they, in return, will create a reputable, quality driven and successful distilling industry in Ohio.

M&O Spirits Smoke Whiskey Review

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This week it is time to smoke….M&O Smoke that is. In my continuing effort to introduce you to whiskies that you may not be as aware of, I will use the Sunday Evening Review this week to bring to your attention the M&O Spirits Smoke whiskey.

 

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NAME – M&O Spirits Smoke Whiskey

 

PROOF – 100

 

AGE – non-age stated

 

COLOR – auburn hair (1.6, mahogany, henna notes on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Dark roasted sweet corn, cherry frosting, coffee, dark caramel, almond and sweet oak.

 

TASTE – Charred oak with sweet corn is the boldest part of the taste.  There is a fair amount of tobacco, leather and dark caramel. Smoked almond, dark cherry and cinnamon round it out.

 

FINISH – I would call this a medium finish. Charred oak, tobacco and the dark cherry hang around to the end.

 

REVIEW – Again a whiskey from a newer and very small distillery with stock that is not that old, there is a real good chance it won’t be very good and if it is good it lets you know its young. This Smoke whiskey is really good and outside the very pleasant sweet corn note, it would be hard to tell that it is a younger whiskey. Many times when you buy a craft whiskey you feel you over pay but you feel you are supporting small business and craft distilling. You don’t have to feel any of those thoughts as this is a $40 bottle that is more than worth it no matter what distillery it came from. Also, this is listed as a small batch but right now each of their batches are 1 barrel. So you are getting a single barrel product to boot.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – M&O Spirits is a distillery in Ashville, Ohio that is doing things their own way. This Smoke Whiskey is made from a blend of corn, rye, red wheat and malted barley. Pot distilled twice and then each batch is barrel aged with charred white oak staves added to the barrel. That last part is what I believe gives its more mature notes but adding red wheat to the mash bill is what imparts sweetness and that sneaky cherry note.

 

Do yourself a favor and check out this whiskey and if you can check out their Black whiskey, its good too.

Echo Spirits Straight Rye Whiskey Single Barrel Selection Review

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It’s always interesting to see a new distillery starts figuring out what their niche is. Echo Spirits is doing that now right in front of our eyes. With many of the other local distilleries focused in on bourbon, that leaves rye whiskey that is less crowded. They now have gotten to the point that they are ready to put out a limited distillery only release of a single barrel rye whiskey. We will find out if what they thought was a special barrel measures up for a special single barrel release.

 

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NAME – Echo Spirits Straight Rye Whiskey Single Barrel Selection

 

PROOF – 93

 

AGE – non-age stated but states 3 years on the website

 

COLOR –dried fallen oak leaf (1.5 auburn, polished mahogany on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Milk chocolate, vanilla cream puff, dried tobacco, cinnamon dolce latte, and a toasted oak

 

TASTE – Cinnamon vanilla swirl hits you first. The is then a white pepper bite on the sides of the tongue. There is toffee, espresso, and some honey.

 

FINISH – I would call this a medium finish. A great coffee note lingers in the back and the rye spice leaves a nice spicy heat that lingers. A tobacco note sneaks in for a split second at the very end.

 

REVIEW – This is not void of all typical rye notes, but this has none of the grassy or minty notes that is common with a rye that has a mash bill of 95% rye. Really has an interesting coffee note in slightly different variations throughout. This is not a typical straight rye and has several dark notes not normal in a 3-year whiskey. When doing a special single barrel release, you want something that is atypical, but it still needs to be good. This bottle succeeds on both accords. Very nice release.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – Its always hard to put yourself out there for the first time saying what you have is special and you should buy it. If you are wrong, it would take 10 more great special releases to gain back the trust of the buying public. It may be doubly so when you are putting out a rye whiskey that doesn’t have all the normal rye tasting profiles. Kudos to Echo Spirits for have the guts to put this bottle out and what I would call a very successful first special release.

 

1792 Small Batch Review

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Listen I’m like everyone else that likes to find a bottle that has been aged for 99 years in the arms of the virgin Mary and only uses the tears of E.H. Taylor, Pappy Van Winkle and Elijah Craig as the water used to make this bourbon. It also will cost as much as the national debt. So, the next most exciting thing is to find a bargain whiskey that punches over it’s price tag. Let’s find out if 1792 small batch can do that.

 

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NAME – 1792 Small Batch

 

PROOF – 93.7

 

AGE – non-age stated

 

COLOR – auburn hair (1.5 auburn, polished mahogany on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Vanilla custard, raisin, caramel, cinnamon, oak and a slight bread yeast.

 

TASTE – The nose doesn’t lead you astray. Same things come through with vanilla custard, raisin, caramel/brown sugar, baking spices and that yeasty note. Oak plays a stronger role on the palate than it did on the nose. The noticeable thing is the creamy mouth feel that is not usually found in sub-100 proof bourbons. Very pleasant.

 

FINISH – I would call this a medium to long finish. A toasted oak stave with vanilla and cinnamon slide to the very end.

 

REVIEW – The thing I always have liked about this bourbon is the way it is able to do a three-way balance of sweetness, spice and wood notes. None overpowers the others, but I would say that the sweetness may slightly tip the scale more than the others. It’s a straightforward bourbon that is anything but boring. Obviously, it doesn’t get much shine compared to its siblings Full Proof, Bottled-In-Bond, Single Barrel or even Sweet Wheat but if you would do a blind lineup of all of those, I know for sure it would beat out some of those that you wouldn’t think it would.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – The sad part these days is it is increasing difficult to find a $30 or less bourbon that is more than a one trick pony. The whiskey craze has driven up prices and driven down age and quality just to meet demand (by the way, my contacts with the various distilleries tell me prices are getting ready to go up again). To find a bourbon that has really good balance, not an overwhelming complexity but certainly no one trick pony, pleasant sweetness and mouth feel for $30, in these days it is punching over its weight. Now add that it comes in a pretty sharp bottle and stopper and it certainly is one that can easily find a space on your shelf.

Blue Note Bourbon Review

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Sometimes when you are out on the hunt you stumble upon a bottle that just intrigues you for whatever reasons. May be the bottle, distillery its from, age, proof or a thousand other reasons. This week’s review is one of those blind buys I made in Chicago. Was it the simple label, extra tall bottle, 9-year age statement or maybe the liquor store owner’s recommendation? Who knows what made me put down the $57 for this bottle but let’s find out if Blue Note Bourbon will hit the right notes or just give me the blues.

 

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NAME – Blue Note Bourbon Premium Small Batch – Batch 6

 

PROOF – 93

 

AGE – 9 years

 

COLOR – auburn hair (1.2, chestnut ploroso sherry on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Rice pudding with raisin and cinnamon. Some peanut and oak if you continue to explore.

 

TASTE – Wildflower honey, vanilla, cinnamon, honey roasted peanut, toasted oak, and some pie crust.

 

FINISH – I would call this a medium. A toasted oak at the end with some vanilla and black tea.

 

REVIEW – In all honesty I anticipated to absolutely trash this bottle as I had a neck pour of this when I had it and it wasn’t good. I put it to the back of my collection with little intent to pull it out. I has been open for about a year since that neck pour and things have changed. The mineral taste I had before is completely gone. It has opened up to a very pleasant pour. Would love about 10 more proof points on this and then you would really have something. Easy drinking pour with little to complain about.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – Again I am reminded to not judge a bourbon off the neck pour or just 1 pour. I know there are conflicting opinions about “opening up” of a bourbon. Some say it is a fallacy and something in your head. Other total believe that it is as critical as allowing wine to breath. I continually move more and more to the later side. So if you have a bottle that you didn’t like on the first pour, pull it out and give it a try again. Things may have changed.

 

Other facts from this bourbon, it is a blend of 2 mash bills that are aged a minimum of 9 years. 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley on the one mash bill and 70% corn, 22% rye, and 8% malted barley on the other.

 

Some other interesting facts or questions. They call it Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey instead of Tennessee Whiskey. I can’t find any clarifying rules for Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey like you can find for Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. My guess is they follow Tennessee Whiskey rules which still qualifies it as a bourbon.

Most think this is sourced from Dickel. After my first pour I would have said the same but now I don’t know. That famous Dickel Flintstone vitamin note or any mineral note is not there.

 

This bottle seems to take you on a journey and is a bit mysterious similar to a good blues song. Where did it really come from? Why certain notes appear when you open it and then is now no where to be found. Even on the Blue Note website, this wasn’t to even be available in Chicago but there it was. What I would say is, DJ play that song again.

To find out more about Blue Note Bourbon you can check them out here.

You can check out all the past Sunday Evening Reviews and still let me know what your own thoughts are on the whiskey reviewed.

Cooper’s Craft Barrel Reserve 100 Proof Review

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There are sub-$30 bottles that are always on the shelf that some whiskey drinkers would like to keep a secret. This is one of them that you will hear as one of those bottles. Cooper’s Craft Barrel Reserve doesn’t get much press or fanfare. Being that it is from Brown Foreman is it another Old Forester or Woodford Reserve in different clothes? Let’s see what is really going on with this bottle.

 

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NAME – Cooper’s Craft Barrel Reserve

 

PROOF – 100

 

AGE – non-age stated but website says aged at least 4 years

 

COLOR – weathered leather (1.4 tawny on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Cherry, raisin, vanilla, cinnamon, honey, almond and some charred oak

 

TASTE –  Charred oak upfront then melds into dark fruits like raisins, stewed plums and black cherry. As it continues to move across the palate you get tobacco, leather, cinnamon, and barrel spice.

 

FINISH – I would call this a medium to long finish. Raisin, charred oak, leather and tobacco ends the journey.

 

REVIEW – The nose gives you hints that there would be some bright fruits on the palate. There is nothing bright about this bourbon. This has all the dark notes that is usually found in far longer aged whiskey. More like a 12 to 15 year bourbon notes. If you like dark notes then you would be hard pressed to find a $30 bottle that will give you more of those flavors than this bottle. If you like brighter and sweeter notes than I would tell you to look elsewhere.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – With a mash bill of 75% corn, 15% rye and 10% barley there is nothing unique about the recipe. Cooper’s Craft was named as a homage to the craftmanship of the people that make Brown Foreman’s company owned barrels. So, the unique part is how they use a post-char chisel technique that enables more wood surface for the whiskey to come in contact with.

 

Each of coopers will raise about 300 barrels per day. Collectively, this totals to around 2,500 per day and over 600,000 per year. All have a signature “B” hoop rivets help identify that the barrel is from Brown Foreman’s Cooperage. The staves used to make those barrels are seasoned for 6 to 9 months outside and then put into a kiln to get the wood to a 12% moisture level.

To find out more check it out here – Cooper’s Craft 100

You can look at all the past Sunday Evenings Reviews and I would still love to hear what your personal reviews are from each of the whiskies reviewed.

OF 1870 Sunday Evening Review

Old Forester 1870 Review

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This week I am reviewing Old Forester 1870 which has to be the least talked about bottle of the Whiskey Row series. The 1870 signifies the year that George Garvin Brown, founder of Old Forester, began blending or batching bourbon from 3 different distilleries from 3 different towns in an effort of creating consistency. Consistency is one thing but to mean anything it needs to be consistently good. Let’s find out if Old Forester succeeded.

 

Don’t forget to post in the comments any whiskey you would like me to review in the future.

 

NAME – Old Forester 1870

 

PROOF – 90 Proof

 

AGE – non-age stated (rumored at 4 – 4 ½ years)

 

COLOR – aged copper penny (1.5 auburn, polished mahogany on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Very fruit forward with the traditional Old Forester cherry note. Also, pear, orange zest, vanilla, oak, chocolate, and a little peanut.

 

TASTE – Oak comes on stronger on the palate, still the cherry, vanilla and now caramel comes to the party. Slight bit of tobacco and peanut drift in.

 

FINISH – I would call this a medium finish. Oak, tobacco, some bitter chocolate, and a very slight citrus note. Pretty good finish for how thin the mouthfeel is with this bourbon.

 

REVIEW – This is a good bourbon that is pleasant to drink and punches above its 90 proof weight. I do understand why it gets lost against the likes of Old Forester’s 1910 and 1920. If you have the full lineup don’t forget about this 1870 and even sneak it in with friends unknowingly and see what they think.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – The original batching of 1870 was done by Marianne (Barnes) Eaves when she was the understudy of Master Distiller Chris Morris of Brown-Foreman. Instead of coming from 3 distilleries from 3 different towns, this is blended coming from 3 different warehouses, each barrel originating from a different day of production, with a different barrel entry proof and a different age profile. This was the first release of the Whiskey Row Series.

To find out more, visit the Old Forester 1870 page.

You can look at all the past Sunday Evenings Reviews and I would still love to hear what your personal reviews are from each of the whiskies reviewed.

Hayner Bourbon Sunday Evening Review

Hayner Bourbon Review

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Who doesn’t love a comeback story? We have one for you today as I review Hayner Bourbon from Troy, Ohio. A distillery being brought back after 100 years of being dormant due to prohibition. Let’s fine out if it was worth bringing back.

 

Make sure you put in the comments any bottles that you would like me to review.

 

NAME – Hayner Bourbon

 

PROOF – 90

 

AGE – non-age stated – but it is a blend of 13 year, 4 year and 3 year bourbon

 

COLOR – 14 karat gold (1.4, tawny on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)

 

NOSE – Cherry pie crust, amber honey, vanilla, toasted oak, very slight tobacco and also corn bread

 

TASTE – At first taste at the very front is caramelized sugar like the crust on a crème brûlée, Traverse City cherries, pie crust, slight pecan with touch of cinnamon and rye spice. There is a toasted oak that finishes it off.

 

FINISH – I would call this a medium finish. A toasted oak stave with vanilla and caramel.

 

REVIEW – It’s always a crap shoot with brand new distilleries but this initial blended bourbon is really good. The blend is well done as you get notes from an older whiskey with the 13 year and then some of the youthful notes from the 3- and 4-year bourbons. For a 90 proofer it packs a lot of flavor, a very good nose and a decent finish.

 

FINAL COMMENTS – Want to thank Hayner Distilling for sending me this sample. Here is the story: 155 years ago Lewis Hayner opened a small distillery on the banks of the Miami River in Troy, Ohio. Hayner Distilling grew into one of the largest distilleries in Ohio and the largest mail order whiskey business in America. Known for their superior Bourbon and Ryes, Hayner was shipped directly to doorsteps all across America.  Like all distilleries Hayner Distilling closed in 1920 with prohibition. From a few surviving bottles we analyzed the original whiskey and working with Bardstown Bourbon Company created a blend complimentary to the original Hayner. (directly from website)

 

The first whiskey put out from its rebirth was June 4th of this year. They are brand new but seem to be doing a lot of things right. They are very transparent about their blend which is:

 

40% Kentucky 13 Year Bourbon

MASH BILL: Corn 74% / Rye 18% / Malted Barley 8%

 

25% Bardstown Bourbon Co. 4  Year Bourbon

MASH BILL: Corn 78%  / Rye 10% / Malted Barley 12%

 

20% MGPI 4 Year Bourbon

MASH BILL: Corn 51% / Wheat 45% / Malted Barley 4%

15% Bardstown Bourbon Co. 3 Year Bourbon

MASH BILL: Corn 60% / Rye 40%

 

Guessing there is an NDA on why they can say where the juice from the 13 year is from but if I was a betting man, I would say it is Heaven Hill. The transparency is absolutely great for those with a deep passion for bourbon that likes to see these things.

 

They also at the distillery location in Troy, Ohio will postmark the top of the bottle with a date that’s special to you such as the birth of a child, anniversary or any other date like when the next time either the Bengals or the Browns win a Super Bowl….Sorry, you have to win it once to have a next time. So, it would be when they win their first Super Bowl. Details, details.

 

Those that have signed up for the September meeting will get to taste this very bourbon then. I think you will like it.

To find out more check it out here – Hayner Bourbon

You can look at all the past Sunday Evenings Reviews and I would still love to hear what your personal reviews are from each of the whiskies reviewed.