Brian Haara
Bourbon. Law. Author.
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail Releases new field guide
The Kentucky Distillers’ Association Passport program for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® just got a MAJOR upgrade. A new Field Guide is packed full of valuable information about Kentucky’s treasured bourbon distilleries, travel distances from convenient home bases, and it will take you on a memorable adventure through Kentuck’s beautiful countryside.
This new Field Guide does a better job at helping you navigate Kentucky’s distilleries than pricey travel books. And now, Passport stamps unlock bottles and other incredible rewards!
Find the Field Guide and more information here: https://www.kybourbontrailshop.com/kbt-official-field-guide-kbt1114.html.
Sipp’n Corn Tasting Notes: Old Fitzgerald Spring 2021 Bottled in Bond and Four Gate Ruby Rye Springs.
Sometimes you have to try bourbon side by side with another whiskey that is totally different. Usually, a wheated bourbon and bourbon with rye as a secondary grain isn’t truly different enough. In most cases, not even a bourbon versus a 51% rye whiskey will do the trick. But a wheated bourbon compared with a 95% rye barrel finished in ex-ruby port casks from Portugal, which then aged rum before being shipped to Four Gate? That promises to be the sort of distinctive differences that I want.
Old Fitzgerald Spring 2021 Bottled in Bond Tasting Notes
Bourbon: Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Age: 8 years
ABV: 50% (100 proof)
Cost: $85.00
Appearance:
Amber with slight red.
Nose:
Classic wheater in many ways, with sweet caramel, subtle honeysuckle, and spring grass. But another nice layer of cinnamon and dark, dried fruit, too.
Taste:
Caramel dominates, with a buttery mouthfeel, light fruit sweetness, and slight earthiness at the end. Extremely solid and nothing unexpected. On the first pour it almost seemed too much of exactly what I expected, but on the second and third evenings, I enjoyed it more and more. This is an extremely refined and balanced bourbon with complexity that builds.
Finish:
Medium/long with a really enjoyable fade.
Four Gate Ruby Rye Tasting Notes
Bourbon: Four Gate Ruby Rye Springs
Distillery: Undisclosed, but distilled in Indiana, so … MGP
Age: 7 years
ABV: 56.7% (113.4 proof)
Cost: $185.00
Appearance:
Dark amber.
Nose:
Intense rye with dried dark fruit around the corners, along with brown sugar, baking spice, and lemon zest.
Taste:
Intense rye again. Tasting it alongside a wheated bourbon really amps up the rye spice. It’s also a lot sweeter than the nose predicted, like a juicy, syrupy, sweetness, then shifting to slightly herbal with black pepper and oak, but all along a brown sugar backbone.
Finish:
The finish is crisp. Berry sweetness fades first as rye and black pepper surge.
Bottom Line
Many people focus too much on age when selecting bourbon, while others more in the know realize that bourbon is dynamic enough to have sweet spots at different ranges without being wed to a certain age target. Old Fitzgerald has proven that with bourbon as old as 16 years old and now as young as 8 years old. And this Spring 2021 edition absolutely shines.
Four Gate’s Batch 7—which I really liked—is the base Rye for Ruby Rye Springs. When I reviewed Batch 7, I found it mouthwatering, and now with the finishing influence of port and rum, it’s even more so. As with other Four Gate batches, this is extremely limited at 1,444 bottles if you’re in Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, or Georgia, or Seelbach’s if you’re almost anywhere else.
Disclaimer: The brand managers kindly
sent me samples for this review,
without any strings attached.
Thank you.
the Perks of being a book lover
Happy Derby Week! I was so pleased to talk with Amy Smalley and Carrie Vittitoe about what led to Bourbon Justice, books that have influenced us, and what we’re reading. The Perks of Being a Book Lover is a radio show about books, people who read and how reading can be a social experience. Enjoy!
Sipp’n Corn Tasting Notes: Col. E. H. Taylor Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
Some might argue that Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr., is more relevant to bourbon today than he was in the 1800’s. Buffalo Trace now sits on the property where Colonel Taylor’s O.F.C. once stood, and the new distillery has seemingly spared no expense in connecting itself with the legend of Colonel Taylor, even though he attained truly legendary status after he left the O.F.C. to George T. Stagg and built the famed Old Taylor Distillery. With the guidance and expertise of bourbon archaeologist, Nicolas Laracuente, Buffalo Trace uncovered what it calls Bourbon Pompei, tanks used by Colonel Taylor at the O.F.C. Similarly, Warehouse C—built while Colonel Taylor owned the property—has become a top attraction, and the Col. E. H. Taylor brand has become a highly sought-after brand and Buffalo Trace’s sole connection to Bottled in Bond whiskey. My historical sensibilities are slightly offended by the use of a red faux tax strip when Bottled in Bond tax strips back in the day were green, but consumers won’t ever notice.
Buffalo Trace has expanded the brand from the sad bottom shelf Old Taylor to Col. E. H. Taylor Small Batch, Single Barrel, Rye, and limited editions. A slew of Rye hit local retail last fall, so I picked one up. I opened it on Halloween with some friends and none of us were overly impressed (but, to be fair, we had some pretty good bottles open). I revisited it several times since and it grew on me over these months.
Colonel E. H. Taylor Bottled in Bond Rye Tasting Notes
| Whiskey: | Colonel E. H. Taylor Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey |
| Distillery: | Barton, but bottled at Buffalo Trace (so not distilled at the property once owned by Col. Taylor) |
| Mashbill: | All rye and malted barley; no corn |
| Age: | Not stated, but at least four years old |
| ABV: | 50% (100 proof) |
| Cost: | $75.00 |
Appearance:
Medium amber.
Nose:
Black pepper and dried apricot dominate, with a bit of sweet citrus, vanilla, and nougat.
Taste:
I’m more familiar with the 95% rye grain Straight Rye Whiskey from MGP, and this E. H. Taylor does not taste anything like it. Somehow, despite all of that rye and the lack of any corn, it’s more like a bourbon. It’s rye grain dominant for sure, but it shares some characteristics with a buttery bourbon. After the rye there are ripe berries, caramel, and oak flavors, before it shifts back to black pepper.
Finish:
Medium-ish and dry.
Bottom Line
The Buffalo Trace website touts that E. H. Taylor Rye received a Silver Medal in 2020 and 2019 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, but, frankly, that’s not saying much. Silver doesn’t mean “second best” in San Francisco; it comes after Platinum, Double Gold, and Gold. Silver is probably a fair ranking; it’s well above average and certainly enjoyable, but it’s still overpriced compared to its peers.
Other, less expensive (and arguably better) options include Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye and one of my favorites, Heaven Hill Pikesville Rye, but then again, neither of those come in a fancy tube.
Sipp’n Corn Tasting Notes: Heaven Hill Batches A121 of Elijah Craig 12-Year Barrel Proof and Larceny Barrel Proof.
We all have high hopes for 2021, and if one thing is for certain, Elijah Craig 12-Year Barrel Proof can be counted on year in and year out. The first edition of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof for 2021 is lower proof than all three of last year’s batches, and it’s the lowest since Batch B519. I tend to like barrel proofs in the 120’s better than those in the 130’s, so I was excited to see this proof.
In the meantime, Larceny’s inaugural year for its Barrel Proof edition saw so much fanfare, from things like Double Gold at San Francisco to Whiskey of the Year from Whiskey Advocate. Starting so strong out of the gate sets the bar pretty high for 2021, where the first edition is a little lower than last year’s proofs, just like A121 for Elijah Craig.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 Tasting Notes
Bourbon: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Age: 12 years
ABV: 61.8% (123.6 proof)
Cost: $65.00
Appearance:
Dark amber brown.
Nose:
Oak leads the aromas along with the expected rich caramel and vanilla, and a mocha chocolate candy. This is decidedly sweeter than many of the Elijah Craig Barrel Proofs and really enjoyable, if a bit subtle.
Taste:
The flavors flood in—a backbone of oak is balanced with caramel, cinnamon glazed pastry, and a slight orange zest. Nothing overly complex or unexpected, but so satisfyingly balanced. This is what I think of when I think bourbon.
Finish:
Long and warming with a cocoa and pralines.
Larceny Barrel Proof A121 Tasting Notes
Bourbon: Larceny Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Age: NAS, but 6-8 years
ABV: 57.4% (114.8 proof)
Cost: $49.99
Appearance:
Amber with more of a copper tone.
Nose:
Candy corn, corn bread, and a little medicinal or floral.
Taste:
Most notably, this Larceny Barrel Proof has more black pepper spice than I’m used to in a wheated bourbon. Great sweetness from caramel, vanilla, graham cracker, and honey. Not really any fruit sweetness—it’s more of a candy sweetness, and then followed by the misplaced spice.
Finish:
Crisp and medium in length.
Bottom Line
This first batch of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof starts 2021 off on the right foot as a classic bourbon. This has been a can’t miss release and, no matter the batch, and I highly recommend picking this up whenever you see it. Elijah Craig continues to be the top barrel proof brand out there.
The year’s first batch of Larceny Barrel Proof needs a little air to open up. After letting it rest the pepper subsides into more of complimentary role, which is precisely what it needed. Four batches in and I’m still excited for the promise of Larceny Barrel Proof.
Disclaimer: The brand managers kindly
sent me samples for this review,
without any strings attached.
Thank you.
Brian Haara 