Four more bourbon whiskies


July 11, 2022

Four
more bourbon
whiskies

Four like Fourth of July. A wee session I forgot to post on July 4. Silly little Whiskyfun.

(Stitzel-Weller Distillery)

David Nicholson 'Reserve 100 proof' (50%, OB, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, +/-2021)

A higher rye content in this sourced whiskey, after the very good-not-great '1843' that we tried a few weeks ago (WF 80). Colour: deep gold. Nose: a make that I think we've already tried several times under various guises, but I'm absolutely not sure about that. Oranges, vanilla, butterscotch, touch of coconut, a little violet and lavender, a pack of finger biscuits, a little sawdust… With water: some paraffin and plasticine, ryebread, a little cardboard. Mouth (neat): rather spicy, a little soapy, with a little cologne, triple-sec, curious notes of gin, vanilla, toasts, fresh oak, violet sweets, white pepper… With water: an even bigger feeling of gin aged in new oak. Orange drops and cinnamon in the background. Finish: medium, breadier, always with a little gin, especially in the aftertaste. Oak. Comments: not particularly convinced, but it's good. Say reduced service and a little too oak-forward for us.
SGP:451 - 78 points.

Heaven Hill 12 yo 2009/2021 (53.5%, Liquid Treasures, eSpirits, Winter Edition, bourbon, barrel, 131 bottles)

Colour: light gold. Nose: varnish, kirschwasser, sawdust, oranges, cut apples… It doesn't talk much this far, but water should wake it up. With water: not the first time that I'm finding one of these Heaven Hills rather malty and doughy. Very nice notes of pancake, with the obligatory maple syrup (or pancake sauce). Touches of fresh teak (new garden furniture). Mouth (neat): marmalade, nutmeg and cinnamon, those violets (sweets, crystallised petals…), touch of grapefruits… What's really excellent with these indie bottlings is that they would rather display less straight oak. Some liquorice. With water: some preserved fruits coming out, wholegrain bread, tiny touches of rye. Finish: medium, with ripe apples perhaps. Those violets in the aftertaste. Comments: perhaps a little less impressive than an earlier HH by Liquid Treasures (2009/2019, WF 88) but still really good, in my opinion. Careful with the amount of water you add, having said that, it's probably not the best swimmer ever.
SGP:651 - 85 points.

Heaven Hill?...

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 24 yo 1994/2022 (47.9%, C. Dully Selection for MustHaveMalts, 350 bottles)

If this is well Heaven Hill – the bottlers wouldn't disclose the name of the Distillery - it was distilled before that big fire that happened in 1996. 350 skittles from a 24 yo barrel is a nice outturn. Colour: light amber. Nose: fudge, shortbread, butterscotch, raisins and dried figs, a touch of coffee, even a hint of lighter rum (Cuban style), shrub, as well as some corn syrup. Bourbon for your breakfast, clearly. Mouth: you do feel the oak, but that would rather be oak as in some old Scotch whisky than a varnishy oakiness as can be experienced in bourbons. Very nice oranges, triple-sec, a little ginger and ginseng, gingerbread, cinnamon cake… Finish: medium, cakey, fresh. Madeleines. Comments: it started a little drying but the oak was soon to blend in and it never stopped improving. Never rush old Americans… (Hey Joe)…
SGP:561 - 88 points.

We said four…

Van Winkle 12 yo 'Family Reserve' (45.2%, OB, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, +/-2000)

From Pappy Van Winkle's private stock, I believe this is still from Stitzel-Weller. There are many stories, some a little hard to follow from here, but there, it is said that this would be 'the stuff'. Colour: light amber. Nose: of course. Preserved peaches and apricots, ganaches and homemade vanilla fudge, butterscotch, caramels, heather honey, a cup of rooibos tea with a drop of milk, a drop of chicken bouillon, a drop of miso, a drop of goulash sauce… This is the kind of complexity that I've not found very often in bourbons – now of course, if you mention Old Fitzgerald… Mouth: holy Suzy! This talks, starts with easy stories (some chitchat around fudges and toffees), goes on with cigars, chocolate and coffee, and would then bombard you with salty and honeyed sauces and coverings, some of Asian heritage. You would almost believe this was distilled in pot stills (*). Finish: long, perfect, complex, with these touches of rye (rye bread, spicy violets, lavender sweets) and just a feeling of some very, very dry and rather meaty old oloroso. I know, how bizarre. Blood oranges in the aftertaste, orange sweets, Szechuan peppers… Comments: not surprised, but extremely impressed. Perfect bottle aging too.
SGP:661 - 91 points.
(*) Just realised that they may have been pot stills indeed.

Belated happy birthday, America!

(Thank you Dominic and Sebastian!)

Check the index of all American whiskies we've tasted so far