Excerpt: An honestly impressive effort from Calumet here - a great blend of flavors without going too heavy on the tannin. Complex, sweet, savory, dry where it counts. Winner.
Excerpt: For its complexity, this whiskey is on the sweeter side than most older bourbons I’ve come across (and it’s possibly a tad too sweet for me on occasion). That may appeal to the occasional low-proof bourbon drinker looking to venture — albeit not too far — into edgier, oakier terrain.
Excerpt: Barrell Bourbon batches are 2/3 this price but deliver way more complexity per pour. But this bottle right here is the epitome of a generic bourbon that’s not worth what its being sold at.
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House Review
Intro:
Distilled by an Undisclosed Kentucky distiller - rumored and thought by many to be Barton - this release is bottled by Calumet at a very generous 52.5% ABV with a price tag that strays into the firmly reasonable: a welcome sight to many bourbon drinkers. Let's dive in!
Nose:
Bold char, cherry, vanilla bean and spice. Reminds me of cherry bark bitters on the nose, with a fat scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, graham cracker, touch of cocoa and some cream.
Taste:
Big and bold again, full of char, brown butter, caramel, honey, some light minerality and a bucket of cherry cordials. Oaky and dry, pleasant and complex.
Finish:
Long finish. It’s a touch hot, but not punishing, and the sweetness carries nicely with the proof. Loving the “just right” amount of oak here - brings a lot of complexity here. Cocoa, cherries, brown sugar sees it off.
Overall:
An honestly impressive effort from Calumet here - a great blend of flavors without going too heavy on the tannin. Complex, sweet, savory, dry where it counts. Winner.
Score:
7
By t8ke
Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources