Excerpt: The wood notes are nicely balanced out by sweeter and spicier notes and there is something about the overall character of the whiskey that sits just right with me.
Excerpt: While none of the Orphan Barrels have been a complete bomb, the best way to sum them up is with the saying, “I’m not mad at you. I’m just really disappointed in you.”
Excerpt: This is a nicely balanced dry bourbon, with plenty of oak and at $65 per bottle (750ml), this is not a bad deal for a 15 year old 90.5 proof bourbon.
Excerpt: The finish takes the bourbon into darker territory — more lumber and a touch of Madeira. That may sound like a bummer after all the ephemeral fun that’s come before, but it’s actually a nice counterbalance to what’s come before — and what follows in the next sip.
Excerpt: The aroma and palate show bold vanilla and a subtle waft of mesquite smoke. It finishes long and drying, with clove, cinnamon and black pepper spice.
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House Review
Intro:
This was sent to me as a blind mystery and it was sampled live in the Whiskey Network Discord where I also got the reveal. I have filled in the relevant info here for convenience.
Nose:
Molasses, clove, maple, allspice. Vanilla, toffee, oak. Quintessential bourbon notes, a bit corn forward.
Taste:
Medium mouthfeel, no real heat. Fruity, lots of clove and pepper. Allspice, maple, vanilla and tobacco.
Finish:
Short to medium in length, fruity orange, caramel and toffee.
Overall:
This was interesting, as it didn't really stand out in too many ways other than being a very bourbon-y bourbon. I'm guessing that it is a bourbon that is 8-11 years in age, with an ABV of 45% -50%. It is not Beam distillate, nor is it Buffalo Trace distillate. Perhaps Heaven Hill. I'm going to give it a 5/10 - solid.
Score:
5
By t8ke
Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources