Remus Gatsby Reserve, 2023

I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Ross & Squibb Distillery for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Have you read The Great Gatsby? It plays a very large part in the mythology of the Prohibition Era, but I wonder how many people have actually read it. For fun, I mean. Being forced to read things in school and analyze them for hidden meanings tends to make folks enjoy the reading a lot less, at least it did for me. Not to say that assigned readings and analysis are a waste of time, just that they tend to get in the way of enjoyment.

So I guess the question should be, how many of you enjoyed The Great Gatsby? I read it about a decade ago. I think it was about the time that the movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio came out. I hadn’t seen the movie yet, but it was on the list of things I would probably pick up from Redbox or stream on Netflix. So, I picked up a copy of the book. I remember it had a blue cover with giant disembodied eyes on it. I remember the book being…well…not very memorable. It was an enjoyable read, and I almost immediately forgot everything about it. Strange for something that is a part of many high school curriculums. If I were rating it on a scale like I do whiskey, it would get the neutral “meh” face. It’s ok, not great, but not objectively bad. Some people like it. It just isn’t for me, I guess.

I really had no point to all of that. I just had the thought as I pondered tonight’s bourbon, Remus Gatsby Reserve.

Remus Gatsby Reserve is a limited edition bourbon produced by the Ross & Squibb part of MGP. It is a 15-year-old blend of two bourbon mash bills. One is 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% barley malt. The other is 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% barley malt. The bourbon is bottled at the low barrel proof of 98.1° proof. (Want to know how it can be both sub-100° proof and also barrel proof? Check out this old article I wrote that explained such things). The suggested retail price is $199.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Now, let’s let the producers have their say on the product:

Ross & Squibb Distillery announced the return of the most-limited member of the Remus Bourbon family: Remus Gatsby Reserve 2023 Edition. Released to celebrate F. Scott Fitzgerald’s legendary novel, “The Great Gatsby”, a century ago – from the events in 1922 that inspired the novel to its publication in 1925 – Remus Gatsby Reserve is bottled at 98.1 proof (49.05% ABV) and offered in ultra-limited quantities at a minimum suggested retail price of $199.99 per 750-ml bottle. “We have produced great bourbon whiskey over the years at Ross & Squibb, and the Remus Bourbon brand has provided our team an opportunity to showcase some of our best,” said Stirsman. “Remus Gatsby reserve provides a special opportunity to showcase the best of the best – including two different mash bills of some of the finest 15-year-old bourbons in our reserves.

Now onto the important part. How does it actually taste?

Remus Gatsby Reserve, 2023

Purchase Info: This sample was provided to me at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $199.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $13.33

Details: 15 year olds, 49.05% ABV

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, bubble gum, and oak.

Mouth: Vanilla, bubble gum, red fruit, cinnamon, caramel, and oak.

Finish: Medium in length and warmth with notes of caramel, bubble gum, red fruits, cinnamon, and oak.

Thoughts: If anyone wants to get me a Christmas present this year, look no further than this. It's delicious. This is as close to a "heart" rating as I can give based on the price. It is tasty enough to get a heart when judged without context. I don’t know about you, but I don’t actually live in a context-free world. And the context I’m talking about is that $200 is a LOT of money, and I really don’t think any bourbon is “worth” as much as a higher-end small appliance.

That said, if I were to put 5 "reallys" in the statement "I really like this," it would sum up my feeling accurately. It’s a damn good bourbon. Luckily for me, this bourbon will probably never see a shelf in Minnesota, so I will not be tempted to buy it. Because damn, I'd be severely tempted even at $200.

Seriously, if ya’ll want to go together and get me a gift for Christmas, this would be a good one to get.

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Booker’s Bourbon 2023-03 “Mighty Fine Batch"

I’d like to thank the folks at Beam Suntory and their PR team for providing this sample with no strings attached.

I’ve had pretty severe allergies for as long as I can remember. It gets so bad in the summer that I just have to leave the air conditioning on, no matter the temperature because I can’t breathe the air outside without sneezing and coughing. I also run an air purifier in the house to take care of anything that makes it through the heating system’s filter as air circulates.

I had a course of allergy injections when I was a teenager. And as far as I remember, they worked great. When I went to see the allergist, she informed me that it certainly wouldn’t hurt to start another course because they apparently only last about a decade. It’s been over three full decades since I finished, so that might explain why they are no longer working for me.

All that is to say that I recently started a round of allergy injections. And boy, let me tell you, they really do a number on me. I had my most recent injection about an hour ago. In about another hour, I’ll probably be asleep for a nap. It turns out that pumping your body full of a small dose of things you are allergic to makes your body work just a little harder for the next little while.

Who knew?

Luckily, I did the tasting for this post last night (paying work has been super busy so I’ve just been running out of time as evidenced by the lack of a Tuesday post.) So, let’s get into tonight’s review before I fall asleep on my keyboard. I really don’t want to subject you to a post filled with:

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So Booker’s Bourbon is released in multiple batches per year. According to their website, they are now at batch 4 for the year. Late last month, I was asked if I wanted to take a look at batch 3, and I readily agreed. I’ve always been a fan of Booker’s even if I don’t really care for the doubling in price over the last half decade or so. And luckily for my quickly approaching lack of consciousness, the Booker’s website has an amazing amount of information on each batch. So, I’m just going to quote from there.

This batch is made up of barrels from seven production dates that were aged in six different warehouses. The breakdown of barrel storage for Booker's "Mighty Fine Batch" is as follows: 2% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse Q, 3% came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse Z, 8% came from the 5th floor of 9-story warehouse G, 10% came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse I, 10% came from the 5th floor of 9-story warehouse H, 12% came from the 5th floor of 9-story warehouse G, 55% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse 3.

Honestly, we are living through an amazingly transparent time for the Bourbon industry. When this site started, finding anything other than a silly marketing story was damn near impossible. These days, we can find out what percentage of each batch was stored on which floor of which warehouse. That’s really cool. But anyway, let’s see how it tastes.

Booker's Bourbon 2023-03 "Mighty Fine Batch"

Purchase Information: This sample was provided by the manufacturer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $89.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $6.00

Details: 63.3% ABV. 7 years, 1 month, 10 days

Nose: Oak, vanilla, honey, mint, and cinnamon.

Mouth: Cinnamon candies, oak, honey, and vanilla.

Finish: A long warmth that fades slowly into sweetness. Notes of oak, floral honey, ginger, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: As usual with Booker's, the first thing on the nose is oak. The mouth is as hot as 126° proof would lead you to expect. Luckily, it takes a splash of water well, bringing out even more pronounced honey sweetness. This is delicious. Big fan, as always

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Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No.3 – Snake River, Grand Teton National Park

I’d like to thank the folks at Wyoming Whiskey for providing this sample with no strings attached.

It is no secret that I love our National Parks. Every vacation these days includes a trip to at least one. And so when I got an email announcing Wyoming Whiskey’s latest National Park Limited Edition, I reached out to make sure that I was on the list. In the past, these have been good whiskey and the fact that it also benefits a cause near to my heart is an added bonus.

In years past, the annual release has helped to support both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. And this year is the same. Quoting the press release now:

For Wyoming Whiskey co-founders, Brad & Kate Mead and David DeFazio, Grand Teton National Park plays a pivotal role in their lives. The Meads historically used parts of Grand Teton National Park land for their annual cattle drive, a vital part of their ranching business based in Jackson, WY. DeFazio is also an avid outdoorsman, and visits the park year-round for fishing, hiking, skiing and more. All to say, Grand Teton is part of the Wyoming Whiskey identity which makes this year’s partnership with GTNPF so meaningful.

“My attachment to Grand Teton National Park is deep and visceral, as I have enjoyed some of the finest days of my ranch life in the park,” said Kate Mead who is also a founding member of the GTNPF board of directors. “Supporting the Foundation is a simple way to show our appreciation for all that the park has meant to our family, and to Wyoming Whiskey.”

“It is an honor for Wyoming Whiskey to be able to give back to the park and help to protect this beautiful land in our own backyard— a place so close to our hearts,” said Wyoming Whiskey Co-Founder David DeFazio.

"Grand Teton National Park Foundation is grateful for Wyoming Whiskey's incredible support," said Leslie Mattson, President of the Grand Teton National Park Foundation. "Their vision and commitment to national park conservation will help continue our work to steward, protect, and enhance all that is special in Grand Teton."

This bourbon is five years old. It has a mash bill of 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. It is bottled at 105° proof. It is available in select markets for $79.99 per 750 mL bottle.

Now let’s see how it tastes.

Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No.3 – Snake River, Grand Teton National Park

Purchase Info: This sample was provided for review purposes at no charge. The suggested retail price is $79.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.33

Details: 5 years old. 52.5% ABV. Mash bill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley.

Nose: Maple, cherry, allspice, and oak.

Mouth: Cinnamon, vanilla, and a touch of molasses.

Finish: Warm and on the long side of medium. Notes of cinnamon, vanilla, molasses, and oak.

Thoughts: Very tasty. I'm digging the molasses notes. Almost reminds me of a hint of "rum funk" in the way it presents itself in the mouth. And I really enjoy a funky rum. The finish is relatively long and flavorful. I'm wishing that I had a larger sample because this is really good. In fact, since I do not believe that this is distributed in Minnesota, I think that I’ll be heading over to ReserveBar when I’m done here as the the press release says it is available there.

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My Wandering Eye: Laird’s 12 Year Old Rare Apple Brandy

My Wandering Eye is an ongoing series reacting to the rising prices in the bourbon world. We’ve reached a place where even average products have hit the range where they compete price-wise with other types of aged spirits. If I’m going to be asked to drop $40 to $70 on a mid-range bourbon, I might as well see what else I can get for that money. I hope to see if another spirits category offers something downright tasty in that price range. The goal isn’t to find cheap spirits but to maximize the quality I’m getting at a particular price point. The reviews in this series will all be written through a bourbon drinker’s lens.

I hope everyone had a fun Halloween! I took the day off and spent it wth my wife. We went out for lunch, did some record shopping, did a Costco run, stopped off at Fleet-Farm and then came home to hand out candy to the kids. While we manned the door for the nine kids that braved the cold to wander down our practically lightless street, we put together a puzzle and listened to a few of the records that we had purchased during our day off.

It wasn’t until bedtime that I realized that I had forgotten to write this.

Do you ever do that? You’ve been doing something on a schedule for over a decade and then you just…space it out? Happens to me a lot. I’ll blame it on getting old, but I’m pretty sure those that know me well will attest that this is something that I’ve been doing for decades now. I’ve been a space cadet for almost as long as I’ve been alive.

Anyway, let’s move away from my failings of memory and over to tonight’s…brandy? Yes brandy. I’ve been sitting on this one for a bit now (purchased mid-July) as I worked through all the samples sent to me. Though I love my local liquor stores, not everything is distributed to Minnesota so when I learned about Curiada a few years back (coincidentally while buying another Laird’s product) I’ve kept it in mind as a way to purchase things that either are not distributed here, or are distributed in such low quantities that you need to win a lottery to purchase it. And this 12 year old Apple Brandy fit the bill for that.

Here is what the distillery has to say about it:

Laird’s Rare Apple Brandy is the finest, most elegant expression of the Laird’s Apple product line. The aged barrels used in this exclusive brandy are carefully selected by eighth generation Larrie Laird and Master Distiller Danny Swanson for their exceptional taste and character. When first conceived in 1995, tasters agreed 88 proof was the optimum alcohol percentage to highlight the rich and complex flavors of this fine spirit. After peacefully ageing for a minimum of 12 years in our New Jersey barrel-ageing warehouse, the product is then bottled by hand. Each bottle bares a handwritten batch number, date of bottling and bottle number.

So now the I’ve put this off for about 6 months, let’s see how it tastes, shall we?

Laird's 12 year old Apple Brandy

Purchase Info: $122.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Curiada.com

Price per Drink (50 mL): $8.20

Details: 12 years old. 44% ABV.

Nose: This reminds me of a baked apple. Notes of brown sugar, caramel, baking spices, and sweet apple.

Mouth: Baking spices and barrel notes predominate with just a hint of apple underneath. After a couple of sips notes of caramel and brown sugar appear.

Finish: Warm and on the longer end of medium length. Notes of floral apple and cinnamon blossom after swallowing.

Thoughts: This is a wonderfully apple-forward brandy. In the past, I've had a few apple brandies that were very dried fruit forward, but this is more like a sweet and floral apple note. And 12 years in a barrel has allowed sweet caramel and spicy cinnamon notes to develop and come through even at a relatively low 88° proof. I really like this. And due to the cost, it will be going on the special shelf for sure.

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Union Horse Reunion Rye Barrel Proof & Union Horse Rolling Standard

I’d like to thank the producer and their PR team for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Tuesday we revisited the bourbon and rye whiskeys from Union Horse Distillery in the Kansas suburbs of Kansas City. We’d first covered those whiskeys over seven years ago, way back in 2016. Tonight, we take a look a couple of the items that they’ve released since that time.

The first is a barrel-proof version of the Reunion Rye that we looked at on Tuesday. The other is a unique mixture of their new American Single Malt and a Wheated Bourbon. It is called Rolling Standard and here is what they have to say about it:

Rolling Standard Midwestern Four-Grain Whiskey is a very interesting approach to creating a four-grain. Instead of using all four grains together in the same mash, Union Horse Distilling distilled a wheated Bourbon and distilled an American Single Malt, aged both for five years, and then blended them together. After the blending process, the whiskey is then returned to those barrels another 18 months together before being blended again as a small batch. It is non-chill filtered and bottled at 92°.

We have a lot of tasting notes to get through tonight so I’m going to jump right into those. First we will be taking a look at the Barrel Strength Reunion Rye Whiskey followed by Rolling Standard.

Union Horse Barrel-Strength Reunion Straight Rye Whiskey

Purchase Price: This review sample was provided at no cost by the producer for review purposes. The suggested price is $57.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.80

Details: 100% Rye. 60.7% ABV. 4-5 years old. Batch 12. Barreled at 110° proof

Nose: Mint, cinnamon, and cedar.

Mouth: Cedar, mint, ginger, clove, cinnamon, and chocolate.

Finish: Warm and long with mint, cedar, cinnamon, and ginger.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed the standard Reunion Rye and I like this barrel proof version even more. It’s the same, just dialed up to eleven. It is really damn good! It makes me wish it was distributed here in Minnesota (though next time I’m in Kansas City, I may see about bringing one back).

Union Horse Rolling Standard

Purchase Price: This review sample was provided at no cost by the producer for review purposes. The suggested price is $33.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.20

Details: 46% ABV. Batch 21. 18 months old. Mash Bill: 45% corn, 20% wheat, 20% malted barley and 15% rye.

Nose: Butterscotch, cinnamon, chocolate, and roasted peanuts.

Mouth: Very malt forward with caramel and cinnamon.

Finish: Medium warmth and length. The notes remind me of a snickers bar, chocolate, caramel, malt and peanuts.

Thoughts: I like this one, but I like it a lot more as a cocktail ingredient than I do out of a tasting glass. It has a lot of good qualities, but doesn't quite align with my palate when neat. That said, I really enjoy the "Snickers Bar" finish. But the malt-forward notes in the mouth aren't quite for me. All-in-all, if you like a whiskey that has malted milk style malt notes in the mouth and a candy bar finish, you should certainly pick this up if you are in a market where it is sold. It makes a killer old-fashioned so I will be using mine for that.

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REVISITED: Union Horse Reunion Rye & Union Horse Reserve Bourbon

I’d like to thank the producer and their PR team for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

It has been two thousand six hundred and forty-four days since I last reviewed Union Horse Reunion Rye and Reserve Bourbon. Just over seven years. It was one of the very first review samples I accepted, and I mostly did it because I got an interview filled with reader questions out of the deal. At the time I stated of the rye:

This is one where it had to grow on me. In my initial tasting, I felt it tasted a bit young. After spending almost a month with it, I've warmed up to it. This certainly is a unique whiskey and is outside the normal American Straight Rye flavor profile, which threw me at first. But I've come around.

And of the bourbon:

I am not a fan of smoky whiskey. I can appreciate it, but seldom like it if it is too pronounced. In this case, the smoke flavors are just light enough that it doesn't bother me too much. My wife on the other hand likes this a lot and has been the primary consumer of the bottle above.

I can tell you right now that in the intervening years, one of my reservations about the whiskeys has been addressed. They are no longer two years old, instead landing in the four- to five-year-old range. It looks like they still use no malted grains in the mash, instead using commercial enzymes to accomplish the starch-to-sugar transformation (which I think is pretty cool). And the bottles still look very nice.

But most importantly, do they taste better than they did seven years ago? We will start with the Rye first.

Union Horse Reunion Straight Rye Whiskey

Purchase Price: This review sample was provided at no cost by the producer for review purposes. The suggested price is $45.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.00

Details: 100% Rye. 46.5% ABV. 4-5 years old. Batch 43. Barreled at 110° proof

Nose: Cedar, cinnamon, mint, and just a hint of smoke.

Mouth: Cedar, mint, cinnamon, ginger, clove, honey, caramel, and a hint of cocoa.

Finish: Warm and on the longer side of medium length. Notes of chocolate, cedar, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: Vibrant, sweet, complex. I'm really enjoying this. It needs no water and I’m enjoying the heck out of it neat. It also makes a mean Sazerac.

Union Horse Reserve Bourbon

Purchase Price: This review sample was provided at no cost by the producer for review purposes. The suggested price is $41.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.73

Details: 46% ABV. 4-5 years old. Batch 64.

Nose: Cinnamon, maple, cedar, and toffee.

Mouth: Cinnamon candies, cedar, clove, toffee, and dried grains.

Finish: Medium length and warmth. Notes of cinnamon, clove, and cedar.

Thoughts: Spicy and flavorful with a lot of baking spices. The finish has a nice burn but isn't hot by any means. It doesn't have your stereotypical bourbon flavor profile, but that's kinda what I like about it. And even better, at least for me personally, I detect almost no hint of smoke, even though it is listed in their official tasting notes.

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Bernheim Barrel Proof, B923

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

I’ve been very into jigsaw puzzles lately. Last year, while on vacation, I spent many an evening in a National Park with a drink, a little music, and a puzzle to fill the time between our last venture out into the local sights and bed. And then, I picked up one from the airport and spent the next couple of months putting it together (it was very hard) only to find that one of my guest pups had eaten the final piece.

This year, I grabbed a couple from the airport to shove in my bag to sort of extend the vacation feeling. I tell you what, a glass of whiskey, a record on the player, and a partially completed puzzle have become my favorite way to spend an evening with my wife. It’s low-tech, it’s relaxing, and honestly, it’s fun.

And what whiskey might I be pouring these days? Well on at least a couple of evenings, it was the predecessor to tonight’s whiskey. I’d stashed the bottle of A223 that we reviewed in February so that when the second release came out, I’d have something to compare it to. And now that we are here, that bottle has become the go-to pour.

As far as specs, not much has changed between the two. A223 was 118.8° proof. B923 is 120.6° proof. Other than that, they use the same mashbill, they have the same non-stated age range, and are aged in the same locations. So, let’s see what Heaven Hill has to say before we dig into the important part of how it tastes.

The Bernheim Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey mashbill consists of 51% wheat, 37% corn and 12% malted barley. This is the same mashbill used in the Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey. Aged between 7-9 years in Heaven Hill's traditional open rickhouses, this edition is bottled at 120.6 or 60.3% by volume.

Bernheim Barrel Proof, B 923

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $64.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.33

Details: 60.3% ABV. Mashbill: 51% Wheat, 37% corn, 12% Malted Barley. 7 to 9 years old (per the press release).

Nose: Caramel, chocolate, and leather.

Mouth: Caramel, chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, and oak.

Finish: Long and spicy with vibrant notes of Cinnamon Red Hots candy.

Thoughts: This is much more vibrant than I would have expected. There is a lot of barrel influence with the chocolate and leather notes. Plus, there is a ton of cinnamon on both the mouth and finish. It's quite warm in the mouth, but it takes a splash of water well. I really like it.

Comparison to A223: Very similar on the nose. B923 has a much stronger cinnamon focus and is quite a bit hotter in the mouth than the previous release. Both are quite delicious, and I don't think one could go wrong with either. If forced to choose, I'd probably have to flip a coin as there are only subtle differences that could only be noticed in a head-to-head.

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