Jimmy Red Single Barrel Bourbon

For 10 years, High Wire Distilling Co. in Charleston has crafted quality spirits from local and regional crops. When it came time to create their signature bourbon, they decided on a South Carolina grown, 100% Jimmy Red corn mash bill. This is their single-barrel expression.

Pour: Jimmy Red Single Barrel Bourbon b. 794
Proof: 116.2
Age: not stated (reportedly 5 years)
Color: dense copper
Nose: cornbread, trail mix, peanut butter pie
Taste: grilled sweet corn, savory vanilla, white pepper
Finish: medium long w/ toasted caramel, barrel char, faint mint

Overall: Jimmy Red barrel 794 is a fascinating bourbon – savory, yet sweet enough to maintain balance. I’m reminded of my great-grandmother’s cornbread, followed by a slice of peanut butter pie and a sprig of spearmint. A creamy and complex southern delight!

Rating: Top Jimmy.

Noah’s Mill Kentucky Bourbon

You’ve seen it countless times sitting on a liquor store shelf … Noah’s Mill, along with its lower-proof sibling Rowan’s Creek, are two Willett distilled bourbons you won’t have trouble finding or affording. But is the latest batch of Noah’s Mill worth the price of admission?

Pour: Noah’s Mill Kentucky Bourbon b. 23-03
Proof: 114.3
Age: not stated 
Color: rich amber
Nose: butter toffee, nutmeg, orange peel
Taste: vanilla, vibrant oak, quirky herbal spice
Finish: long w/ honey-roasted almond, leather, EARTH

Overall: Noah’s Mill’s nose entices one with a rudimentary, albeit welcoming, Kentucky bourbon profile. Unfortunately, an herbal-esque back palate and a long, distracting dirt-like finish keep me from desiring another bottle. Definitely try before you buy.

Rating: No–ehh, meh

Holladay Soft Red Wheat Rickhouse Proof

To say I’m impressed with Holladay Distillery is an understatement. Having tasted both recipes (wheat and rye bourbon) and nearly every expression, I can attest they’re doing things right. I suppose it only makes sense when your master distiller’s inspiration is Jimmy Russell.

Pour: Holladay Soft Red Wheat Rickhouse Proof
Proof: 119.9 (batch dependent)
Age: 6 years
Color: dense copper
Nose: English toffee, syrupy oak char, blood orange
Taste: brown sugar, charred sweet corn, caramel chew
Finish: long w/ vanilla spice, woody cola, baked cinnamon

Overall: Move over, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength. Watch out, Weller Full Proof. Holladay Distillery’s Soft Red Wheat Rickhouse Proof has the depth and complexity of a serious contender. Given national distribution, this could very well be a game-changer.

Rating: Here’s the proof.

Bottle courtesy of Holladay Distillery, Weston, MO.

Jack Daniel’s 12-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey

Jack Daniel’s 12-Year Tennessee Whiskey seemingly arrived out of the blue. Based on the distillery’s production volume, you’d think we would’ve seen a well-aged product from Lynchburg by now. Nevertheless, it’s here and the whiskey world is going bonkers. Will I feel the same?

Pour: Jack Daniel’s 12-Year TN Whiskey
Proof: 107
Age: 12 years
Color: rich copper
Nose: vanilla bean, brown sugar, dense oak, bananas foster
Taste: English toffee, toasted caramel, chocolate marshmallow, tobacco
Finish: long & intense w/ molasses, cola, charred oak, antique leather

Overall: Robust and remarkably flavorful, Jack Daniel’s 12-Year is a non-stop, one-way trip to Flavortown. A step above barrel-proof bottlings and worlds beyond Old No. 7, it’s an impressive statement of what Jack can do. And, at only $80 (SRP) it’s an instant buy.

Rating: 12/12

Holladay Soft Red Wheat Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

Last year, I reviewed Holladay Distillery’s Bottled-in-Bond rye bourbon. I had low expectations at the time. Boy, was I surprised! Today, I’m diving into Holladay’s Soft Red Wheat Bottled-in-Bond expression. Naturally, my expectations are much higher. Let’s see if I’m right.

Pour: Holladay Soft Red Wheat Bourbon (BiB)
Proof: 100
Age: 6 years
Color: rich amber
Nose: vanilla, butter toffee, maraschino cherry
Taste: caramel drizzle, fresh-baked sugar cookie, nutmeg
Finish: moderate length w/ buttered wheat toast & honey, light spice

Overall: While not significantly complex, Holladay’s Soft Red Wheat is everything the producer claims and more. Sweet? Yes. Soft? Yes. I’ll add to that delicious and incredibly pleasant to sip. If you have the opportunity to try or buy, do both.

Rating: MO better bourbon

Bottle courtesy of Holladay Distillery, Weston, MO.

Company Distilling Tennessee Three Wood

What do you get when you take straight Tennessee Whiskey – filtered through maple charcoal and matured in charred white oak – and finish it with toasted apple wood? A perfect way to make young whiskey taste better. Or, Company Distilling’s Tennessee Three Wood ($55).

Pour: Company Distilling Tennessee Three Wood
Proof: 86.5
Age: 42 months
Color: amber
Nose: apple cider, honey butter, Nilla wafer
Taste: smoked apple, raisin toast, woody spice
Finish: moderate length w/ cinnamon stick, oak char, pepper

Overall: A notable step up from Company Distilling’s bourbon, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find this Tennessee Three Wood fascinating. The secondary maturation is surprisingly well done – enhancing the character of the spirit, rather than simply masking youthful attributes.

After a thorough neat tasting, I had just enough of my 4oz sample left to craft an Old Fashioned. I felt the distinctive smoky apple flavor would really shine through, and I was right. The cocktail was excellent and paired remarkably well with a mild cigar.

Rating: 3 apples.

Media sample courtesy of Company Distilling, Townsend, TN.

Bardstown Bourbon Co. Origin Series – Wheated KSBW

I’d been hearing a lot about Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s Origin Series, particularly the wheated bourbon mash bill (68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley). After discovering it for $60 on a visit to my local, I decided I’d give it a go. Here’s to the latest wheated warrior!

Pour: Bardstown Bourbon Co. Origin Series KSBW (20% wheat)
Proof: 100
Age: 6 years (bottled in bond)
Color: amber
Nose: vanilla, cane syrup, maraschino cherry
Taste: “bright” toffee, sugar cookie, white pepper
Finish: moderate length w/ sweet corn, light spice, lemon

Overall: A clean and inoffensive whiskey. Not much complexity (hardly any, truthfully), but for six years there’s promise for what may come. Keep an eye on Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s wheated bourbon recipe. It might be a Weller killer, just not today.

Rating: Borigins.

Laird’s Tenth Generation Apple Brandy (Bottled in Bond)

Believe it or not, Laird’s has been distilling American brandy for ten generations (since 1780). Forgive me if I’m spoiling this review early on, but their straight apple brandies might be the best-kept secret in spirits. Here’s the first of two recently acquired expressions.

Pour: Laird’s Tenth Generation Apple Brandy (BiB)
Proof: 100
Age: 5 years
Color: honey
Nose: apple butter toast, caramel, cherry Pop Tart
Taste: apple jelly, sweet oak char, warm zesty spice
Finish: moderate length w/ brown sugar, glazed apple, hints of cinnamon

Overall: Vibrant and refreshing without the expected youthfulness. Picture the sweet and spicy balance of a 5-year Kentucky straight rye whiskey, but with a noteworthy apple presence. Laird’s has crafted a winner, and I can’t recommend it enough.

Rating: Apple of my eye.

I.W. Harper 15

“Since 1872,” or so the label reads. I.W. Harper has a storied past, but the bourbon brand now rests in the hands of spirits giant, Diageo. The 15-year expression was once found with little trouble. Nowadays, not so much, but a chance discovery at $99 tickled my curiosity.

Pour: I.W. Harper 15 (KSBW)
Proof: 86
Age: 15 years
Color: rich amber
Nose: honey, fragrant oak, nutty toffee
Taste: antique oak, salted caramel, leather
Finish: moderate length w/ savory vanilla, sweet oak, dry spice

Overall: No complaints here. I.W. Harper 15, while not particularly unique or complex, excels in the “notably mature whiskey done right” category. And surprisingly, the lower proof doesn’t bother me at all. If you like sweet oak, this bourbon is for you.

Rating: Worth it.

Angel’s Envy Private Selection – Southern Beverage

I’d been eager to try an Angel’s Envy private selection since their barrel program first launched. After a chance encounter at a newly opened liquor store in Georgia, that box was quickly checked. But does the additional proof and single barrel status warrant an $89 price tag?

Pour: Angel’s Envy Private Selection b. JB-682C
Proof: 104.9
Age: not stated
Color: dense copper
Nose: toasted caramel, “porty” jam, bubblegum
Taste: singed toffee, maple syrup, charred oak
Finish: moderately long w/ molasses, dry spice, leather

Overall: While this Angel’s Envy selection offers significant depth over the standard 86.8-proof offering, it’s a bit concentrated, or “tight.” The finish leans dry and the profile notes fight for space. Thankfully, a few drops of water remedies this.

Rating: H2OK

Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon

Of the Van Winkle lineup, Old Rip is seemingly the easiest to find (relatively speaking, of course). That being said, when found it’s usually marked up well beyond its $69.99 suggested retail price. I overpaid for it myself, but it was worth it to share with friends and family.

Pour: Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon
Proof: 107
Age: 10 years
Color: rosy copper
Nose: black cherry, sweet oak, spiced blood orange
Taste: chewy caramel, cherry syrup, honey-maple
Finish: long w/ Cheerwine, charred oak, leather

Overall: I’d love to say that Old Rip Van Winkle is dull and overhyped, but it’s not. Well, it’s certainly not dull. Overhyped? I suppose everything Van Winkle is to a degree. It’s damn sure delicious, though. If money were no object I’d likely overpay again.

Rating: A pleasure.

Knob Creek 18 Year

Knob Creek 15, while impressive, didn’t strike me as balanced as its younger sibling, Knob Creek 12. I was, however, open to giving 2022’s Knob Creek 18 a try once it hit my state. The trouble is, it was well over $200. Obviously, I took the chance. (Spoiler: It pays off.)

Pour: Knob Creek 18 Year
Proof: 100
Age: 18 years
Color: dense amber
Nose: medicinal cherry, fragrant oak, barrel-aged honey
Taste: sweet charred oak, antique leather, woody spice
Finish: moderate length w/ cedar, singed caramel, tobacco

Overall: Without question, an exceptional whiskey. Knob Creek 18 delivers everything one could wish for in a considerably mature bourbon – complex oak-driven notes offset by a delicate sweetness and bound together by finesse. Just glorious. Well done, Jim Beam.

Rating: Superb.