Support BourbonGuy.com by Buying Some Stuff I Made!

By now, it is no surprise that the only way I can justify keeping this site going is through donations and the sale of hand-made items through my Etsy store. Not that I make my money back–not even a little bit. But it does allow me to have a creative outlet and recoup part of the bourbon budget. I’m not sure you want to know how much I spend on bourbon for reviews.

Let’s just say that the amount we spend is one of the reasons we did Dry January. We wanted to break the rut of buying bourbon, drinking bourbon, buying more bourbon, and drinking more bourbon. The thought was that if we drank less bourbon, we’d probably spend less on it. Though, as far as January was concerned, that just meant that I filled the closet instead of my belly. But baby steps!

Anyway, I’ve been working on a couple of new items for the store that might be especially popular with this crowd. As I was cleaning out my garage to make it so that we could park out of the snow this winter (had there been snow, we’ve had like an inch and it is 50° again today), I found three old bourbon barrels and numerous barrel heads that I’d bought way back in 2016. I mean, I knew they were there. I just had looked past them for many years now as I couldn’t think of anything to do with them.

Kentucky Bourbon Shelf Sitter - $80 each

But then I realized that I’d bought a lot of tools since I last looked at those barrels and heads. I’d purchased a laser engraver to etch designs and a planer, allowing me to give the barrel heads a clean surface to engrave on. And so, I used them both to come up with this design. I call it the Kentucky Bourbon Shelf Sitter, and I’ve made four of them so far. Once these sell out, I’ll start a new batch. If you want one, head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com. They are $80 each, but that includes shipping.

Hardcover Bourbon Tasting Journal - $45 each

Ever since I initially came out with my first tasting journal in 2016 (pictured at the top of the post), people have asked me for a hardcover version with more pages. Well, I finally got the equipment to do that. (It turns out that binding equipment is rather specialized and a little spendy, though not as spendy as bourbon...or at least it will last longer for the same money spent.) This is a 100-page tasting journal with laser-engraved wood covers. It is the same journal my wife currently uses at home and is based on the 40-page softcover journal we’ve been selling for almost eight years. It features an elastic band to keep it closed and wire binding to help you open it. What more could you ask for? This hardcover journal sells for $45, including shipping.

Of course, we also sell other bourbon-themed home decor, stickers, posters, and even barrel bungs should you need to close a barrel for some reason. I hope you’ll check out BourbonGuyGifts and think about helping to keep this site publishing twice a week (mostly). Of course, if you’d rather just donate, please see the links in the footer below.

And a sincere thank you for your continued support.

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If you want to support the work going on here at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com.

Pendleton Midnight

We’ve done it! We’ve made it through Dry January, and I’m going to tell you, much to my surprise, it was super easy. My wife and I both came to the same conclusion: after just a little bit, we didn’t even think of having a nightcap before bed. We seem to have gotten out of the rut that we had fallen into regarding our evening’s libations.

Of course, all that isn’t to say that I didn’t go shopping and pick up a few whiskies that sound super tasty. I mean, my weekly allergy shot is very near Total Wine. And really, why wouldn’t I stop in and take a peek through the bourbon aisle while I was in the area? At this point, I’ve already got almost a full month of tastings and reviews planned out with either things I’ve purchased or samples sent to me. February should be full of tasty treats.

Of course, in moderation. It doesn’t seem right to spend so long getting out of a rut only to jump right back in.

So, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s dive into the last tasting we did prior to the New Year. The Pendleton Whiskey portfolio includes three Canadian Whiskies bottled in Hood River, Oregon, and cut to proof with “pure, glacier-fed spring water from Oregon’s Mt. Hood.” The Pendleton Whisky brand was launched in 2003 by Hood River Distillers. In 2017, the brand was acquired by Proximo Spirits, making the brand corporate cousins with Stranahan’s Rocky Mountain Single Malt Whiskey, Tincup Bourbon and Rye, Bushmills Irish Whiskey, and Jose Cuervo tequila, among others.

If you’ve had the original Pendleton Whisky, you will find this to be a bit fruitier, as a portion of the whisky used in the blend was finished in American brandy barrels. Ok, let’s dig in.

Pendleton Midnight

Purchase Info: $37.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.53

Details: 45% ABV. Some of the whisky used in this blend was finished in American brandy barrels.

Nose: Caramel, honey, and red fruit.

Mouth: Red fruits, ginger, molasses, and caramel.

Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Notes of honey, red fruits, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: This is quite nice. It's a decent step up from the standard Pendleton release. It's more full-flavored and not as gentle. The brandy barrel finish really comes through, bringing a lot of red fruit notes to all facets of the experience. It's sweet and very tasty. I like it.

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Did you enjoy this post? If you want to support the work going on here at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com.

My Wandering Eye: J. Carver Barrel Gin

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.

We are going wandering through the liquor store again for this one. This is another of the late December purchases and tastings from pre-Dry January. This time, I decided to wander into the Gin section to see if something there struck my fancy that could be had for a reasonable price. In this case, I decided on a locally distilled gin from craft distiller J. Carver. And this one is very local. The distillery is just over a half-hour’s drive from my house.

I’ve found that there are times when I really like gin, especially in cocktails. In those times, I’ll reach for a cocktail made with gin over one made with whiskey. I think of it this way: sometimes I want Diet 7-up, and other times I want coffee. Both are calorie-free, but I have completely different mindsets when I reach for each of them.

This particular gin, though, blurs the line between coffee and Diet 7up…err…gin and whiskey. This gin has spent some time in the barrel, you see. Here is what the producer has to say about it:

Yes!  It's gold in color!  Yet this "whiskey-lover's gin" has become the darling spirit of top mixologists across Minnesota.  Dynamic and complex, this gin is distilled with eleven botanicals including orange and cinnamon and finished in new charred oak barrels coopered in Minnesota.  This hearty, 96-proof gin adds something special to gin and whiskey-based cocktails, and begs to be sipped neat or on ice. 96 proof

So, let’s dig in!

J. Carver Barrel Gin

Purchase Info: $37.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.53

Details: 48% ABV.

Nose: Juniper, lemon, white pepper, and coriander.

Mouth: Sweet barrel notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak hit first with notes of juniper, cinnamon, lemon zest, orange, and mint.

Finish: Medium to long and tingly with lingering notes of juniper, lemon, and mint.

Thoughts: While I don't think I would ever sip gin neat, this one comes close. I'm enjoying the tasting quite a bit. But since gin is used for cocktails in my house, I need to see how it tastes in those before I pass judgment. First, I did a gin rickey, my favorite deck drink. It works ok in a rickey. It's not my favorite, but it's ok. It makes the rickey a little sweeter than I'd prefer. My favorite winter gin drink is a Negroni (not that it has to be winter to enjoy it, that’s just when I seem to want one.) Now here is where this one shines. The cinnamon notes I noticed in the mouth come through and play very nicely with the vermouth and the bitterness of the Campari. Very nice cocktail. And also a very nice gin. I like it.

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Did you enjoy this post? If you want to support the work going on here at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com.

Redwood Empire, Emerald Giant Rye

Last month, my wife and I decided that we were going to participate in Dry January this year. Not for any real reason. It just seemed like something to kick us out of our rut. Because of that, I needed to look ahead and see what I could find that I could taste ahead of time. I had a couple of things hanging around that I hadn’t gotten around to writing about yet, but that wasn’t enough for an entire month. So I went to the liquor store, set myself a price limit of $150, and bought everything I would taste for the coming month. What follows is one of those purchases. I mention this because It’s been almost a month since I made my tasting notes and…well…I don’t remember much other than what I wrote down

It’s the penultimate post of Dry January. And we are going to dig right into the whiskey tonight. I’ve meant to get to this one since I reviewed its cousin, Pipe Dream Bourbon. At that time, a reader recommended I give this a try. Well, last month, I finally picked it up.

To recap what we learned back in July 2023, Redwood Empire Whiskey is a craft distillery that opened its doors in 2014 in beautiful Sonoma County, California. Now owned by Purple Brands of Petaluma, California, the whiskey is produced in Graton, California, alongside Benham’s Gin and Vodka.

This particular release, Emerald Giant, is a blend of both in-house distilled rye and rye sourced from Indiana and Kentucky. The constituent parts are listed as between three and five years old on the company website. And the mash bill is 95% rye and 5% malted barley (also per their website). And in case you wondered where the name comes from, the rye is named for the third fastest redwood tree that has been measured. That tree is located in Redwood National Park. You can read more about the tree here should you wish.

But you want to know how it tastes, so let’s get on with it.

Redwood Empire Emerald Giant Rye

Purchase Info: $35.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.40

Details: 45% ABV. Distilled in California, Indiana, and Kentucky.

Nose: Cedar, mint, and toasted bread.

Mouth: Cedar, mint, cinnamon, ginger, and caramel.

Finish: Medium length and warmth with lingering notes of caramel, mint, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: This is a tasty rye. It’s got lots of flavor and a very nice mouthfeel. It takes a splash of water well if you want it, but it doesn't need it. And it works nicely in a cocktail. Plus, it's not too expensive at around $35 or so. This is one to check out.

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Did you enjoy this post? If you want to support the work going on here at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com.

My Wandering Eye: St-Rémy VSOP French 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.

Last month, my wife and I decided that we were going to participate in Dry January this year. Not for any real reason. It just seemed like something to kick us out of our rut. Because of that, I needed to look ahead and see what I could find that I could taste ahead of time. I had a couple of things hanging around that I hadn’t gotten around to writing about yet, but that wasn’t enough for an entire month. So I went to the liquor store, set myself a price limit of $150, and bought everything I was going to taste for the coming month. What follows is one of those purchases.

I’m in my local liquor store a lot, which is one reason I am participating in Dry January this year. I just buy way too much bourbon. Most of it is for reviews, but I also have stuff on hand outside of that. And since I buy way too much bourbon, that probably means I consume too much as well…as my ever-expanding waistline can attest to.

So, as I spend a lot of time at my local liquor store, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise anymore when I hear the familiar refrain “Anything I can help you find in Bourbon?” from one particular salesperson. If he’s working, he asks me that question every time I go in. And usually, I just politely decline the offer of help. He’s a helpful guy, but I know a thing or two about bourbon already. Really, the only thing he might be able to tell me that I don’t already know is if people are buying a product or not.

This is why when he asked me his usual question in late December, I didn’t decline the offer of help. Instead, I asked him a question. I told him that I write about spirits and am looking for something non-bourbon to write about. “So, what are people buying?” He told me that people have been really liking an inexpensive brandy from St. Rémy.

And so folks, we are wandering tonight. I’m not going to lie. I know nothing about this brandy. I only have it because the salesperson walked up to me and recommended it when I asked. And to be honest, I didn’t have high hopes once I got home. Minnesotans are known for their bland tastes in food. And every time I’ve seen something advertised as “Minnesota’s Favorite” it has lived up to that stereotype. Plus I found this description of it on the liquor store’s website:

St-Rémy VSOP embodies the iconic and historical taste of St-Rémy It is a translation of the original recipe that made St-Rémy renowned around the Globe. The right choice for a great authentic taste. St-Rémy VSOP conveys the taste of small, freshly-picked red berries, while bringing out the sweet vanilla flavor of oak. It is a round, balanced spirit that is easy to drink. With its light and subtle nose, St-Rémy VSOP is excellent neat, on ice or with a simple mixer.

So St-Rémy VSOP tastes like St-Rémy. Helpful. Well, let’s dig in and see if it is any good, shall we?

St-Rémy VSOP French Brandy

Purchase Info: $12.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Viking Liquor, Prior Lake, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $0.87

Details: 40% ABV.

Nose: Green apple, brown sugar, honey, and cinnamon.

Mouth: Not much going on here. Very delicate. Faint notes of floral apple and honey.

Finish: Gentle and short with apple, honey, and cinnamon notes.

Thoughts: This is possibly the most delicate brandy I've ever tasted. At the same time, it doesn't taste of ethanol, like so many cheap spirits do, so it's not terrible either. If you take the time to tease out the notes, they aren't bad. The salesperson I talked to said my fellow patrons were really enjoying it. Which, since Minnesotans have a reputation for loving bland foods, makes sense. This one is very bland. It’s not for me but it isn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination. This one gets a neutral face rating.

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Did you enjoy this post? If you want to support the work going on here at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com.

Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur

Last month, my wife and I decided that we were going to participate in Dry January this year. Not for any real reason. It just seemed like something to kick us out of our rut. Because of that, I needed to look ahead and see what I could find that I could taste ahead of time. I had a couple of things hanging around that I hadn’t gotten around to writing about yet, but that wasn’t enough for an entire month. So I went to the liquor store, set myself a price limit of $150, and bought everything I was going to taste for the coming month. What follows is one of those things I had hanging around that I really needed to write about.

I am the worst snob ever. I get accused of it all the time, but I’m just really not good at it. I love whiskey but hate paying too much for it. I love coffee but prefer automatic drip over fancier methods of extraction. But as I said, I have been told many times that I am, indeed, a snob. I buy my coffee from a small roaster in Whitefish, Montana. I have been for almost twenty years now. I just really love their coffee. But to some people, that makes me a snob. It's the same with whiskey. I gave a poor review to a bottom-shelf blended whiskey a few years ago and was called a snob then, too. In fact, the comments are still coming in for that one. I was told to get over myself not three months ago.

Apparently, knowing what you like makes someone a snob to some.

But I’m not here to yuck anyone’s yum. Honestly. If you’ve found that Kentucky Gentleman is your favorite whiskey. Go for it. No skin off my nose. I just ask for the same courtesy when respectfully turning down a weak cup of Folgers. Well, unless we are camping. I’d probably accept one then. All bets are off when we are camping and making breakfast around the fire.

So, it was with great curiosity that I added a 200 mL bottle of coffee liqueur to my shopping cart last summer. After it arrived, of course, I sat on it for six months because, well, I have no idea. The best I can tell is that it is a small bottle and got stuck behind something. In any case, by the time I got around to trying it, I was feeling a little trepidation. With a liqueur, you never know what you are going to get. It could be delicious, or it could be thin and weak like the coffee that much of my older immediate family makes (I mean, seriously, you can see the bottom of the cup through a full cup of coffee from some of them).

Luckily for me, this was delicious. But before we dig in, let’s see what the producer has to say:

Each and every bottle is made at our coffee roastery and distillery just north of Sydney, Australia. Our roasters source specialty beans from the best growing regions to create complex spirits that are bold, balanced and unapologetically coffee, without compromise or equal. Producing consistently concentrated cold brew and fine-tuning water composition, temperature and time are lifelong obsessions for both our Head Of Coffee, Detlef Mohr, and Master Distiller, Philip Moore. The difference between something good and something great, after all, comes down to the details.

Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur

Purchase Info: $13.99 for a 200 mL bottle at Curiada.com, though my corner liquor store has it for $28.99 for a 750 mL.

Price per Drink (50 mL:) $3.50 at Curiada or $1.93 locally

Details: 23% ABV

Nose: Dark, rich coffee, vanilla, and molasses.

Mouth: Thick and creamy mouthfeel. This tastes like a great cup of dark roast coffee with sugar and a dash of cinnamon.

Finish: Medium length. Lingering coffee notes.

Thoughts: I wasn't sure what to think about this before I tasted it. I was prepared for a thin, insipid drink that was really only good for a cocktail ingredient. But damn! This is thick, rich, sweet, and full-flavored. It tastes like a great cup of cold brew. If you didn't know better, you could be forgiven for thinking this is a coffee-flavored syrup, as there is little detectable alcohol burn. This is great! Now to try a few of the cocktail recipes from the brand website.

Cocktails: Delicious in a boozy milkshake. The Coffee Negroni from the website is very good. Chocolatey in a way I wasn't expecting. The Cold Brew Old Fashioned from the website is also very good. The orange bitters and rye bring forward a cocoa note that works very nicely with the rye.

Damn! I look forward to exploring this one further when Dry January is over. If you are a coffee nut like me, this is one to try.

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Did you enjoy this post? If you want to support the work going on here at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com.

Ross & Squibb Distillery helping to bring clean water to Southern Kenya

Still a little under the weather today, so I’m sharing this cool news that landed in my inbox this morning. If I’m feeling up to it, there will be a review tonight, but if not, at least we’ve learned about some good deeds via the press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROSS & SQUIBB DISTILLERY COMPLETES FIRST PROJECT WITH THE CHRIS LONG FOUNDATION'S WATERBOYS INITIATIVE TO COMBAT WATER SCARCITY IN KENYA

ST. LOUIS (JAN. 16, 2024) – Lawrenceburg, Indiana-based Ross & Squibb Distillery, in partnership with NFL legend Chris Long and his Foundation’s Waterboys initiative, announced the completion of their combined efforts to bring a lasting source of clean, safe water to a community of 1,600 people in arid southern Kenya.

In summer 2023, a deep borehole well was dug in the Oloile community in Kajiado County, Kenya, by The Chris Long Foundation’s Kenya implementing partner, Well Aware, to a depth of 80 meters, yielding 100,000 liters of water per day.  In November, construction of a storage tank, distribution points and refillable water trough was completed, ensuring the well’s long-term success in terms of maintenance and sustainability.

"Thanks to the generous support from Ross & Squibb Distillery, Waterboys is bringing life-changing, clean water to the Oloile community in Kenya,” said two-time Superbowl champion and founder of Waterboys, Chris Long. “This well represents hope, health, and a future for the residents who have faced severe water crises for decades. We've seen firsthand how clean water can transform lives - reducing illness, supporting education, and fostering economic growth."

The Oloile community consists of more than 100 households and one primary school and is home to about 1,600 residents. For decades, the community has been experiencing a dangerous water crisis as the rainy season has become unreliable over time with the region experiencing droughts that would last up to two years. As a result of these recent efforts, Oloile has shifted from a “water-lacking” community to one that is “water-filled and fulfilled.”

“We are grateful we were able to make such a big difference in the lives of so many through this successful partnership with Waterboys and the Chris Long Foundation,” said Allison O’Brien, Brand Manager for Ross & Squibb. "We are fortunate to have a clean water source supplying our Ross & Squibb Distillery in Indiana, and we take pride in our mission to help others get access to safe water. We are looking forward to continuing this great work through new projects in the future."

About Luxco
Founded in St. Louis in 1958 by the Lux Family, Luxco is a leading producer, supplier, importer and bottler of beverage alcohol products. Our mission is to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of consumers, associates and business partners. Merged with MGP Ingredients, Inc. in 2021 (Nasdaq: MGPI), Luxco operates as MGP’s Brands Division and manages all MGP/Luxco brands. This extensive and award-winning spirits portfolio includes well-known brands from four distilleries: Bardstown, Kentucky-based Lux Row Distillers, home of Ezra Brooks, Rebel, Blood Oath, David Nicholson and Daviess County; Lebanon, Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery, maker of Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey and Bowling & Burch Gin; Jalisco, Mexico-based Destiladora González Lux, producer of 100% agave tequilas, El Mayor, Exotico and Dos Primos; and Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Rossville Union Straight Rye Whiskey are produced. The innovative and high-quality brand portfolio also includes Penelope Bourbon, Everclear Grain Alcohol, Pearl Vodka, Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream, The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey, Green Hat Gin and other well-recognized brands. For more information about the company and its brands, visit luxco.com.  

About the Chris Long Foundation and Waterboys
The Chris Long Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded by two-time Super Bowl Champion and 2018 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, Chris Long. We mobilize champions, service providers, and experts to help communities access clean water, address basic needs for youth and families, and inspire others to make an impact at home and abroad. Our vision is access and opportunity everywhere. To date, the Waterboys initiative has provided clean water to over 550,000 people in need at home and abroad. Visit chrislongfoundation.org and waterboys.org to learn more.

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Did you enjoy this post? If you want to support the work going on here at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com.

2023 BourbonGuy.com Bourbon of the Year: Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Proof, Minnesota Selection #3

Last month, my wife and I decided that we were going to participate in Dry January this year. Not for any real reason, it just seemed like something to kick us out of our rut. Because of that, I needed to look ahead and see what I could find that I could taste ahead of time. I had a couple of things hanging around that I hadn’t gotten around to writing about yet, but that wasn’t enough for an entire month. So I went to the liquor store, set myself a price limit of $150, and bought everything I was going to taste for the coming month. What follows is one of those things that I had hanging around that I really needed to write about.

You know, I have a fondness for Bourbon. This might not be a revelation for most of you, considering I do tend to write about it twice a week. However, it's worth mentioning from time to time, especially when you play the role of a critic. I genuinely love bourbon, and everything I express on this site is rooted in that passion. Now, I won't go so far as to claim there's no such thing as bad bourbon—of course, there is. But, in general, I enjoy bourbon. That's why the majority of products I review receive a 'like' rating. I just genuinely enjoy the stuff.

Occasionally, I come across one that I strongly dislike. It's genuinely bad. And some bourbons simply don't resonate with me. It's not necessarily bad, but it's not my cup of bourbon. This doesn't happen too often because I make a conscious effort to only purchase things I'm confident I'll enjoy. After all, I'll have the rest of the bottle left after the review, and there's only so much prop bourbon I can go through.

However, every now and then, something surprises me. I've been at this long enough to know that when I encounter a private selection of Old Forester, I'm likely to enjoy it. I expect that and have rarely been disappointed. Old Forester is just exceptional whiskey. But this time, I was taken aback by just how outstanding it was. I believe this selection wasn't exclusive to the retailer I bought it from, given that I also found a Minnesota Selection #6 at another store. Unfortunately, #6 wasn't a barrel-proof one; otherwise, it would be residing in my house at the moment, patiently waiting for January to be over.

Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Strength "Minnesota Selection #3"

Purchase Info: $99.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Village Liquor, Prior Lake, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $6.67

Details: 65.95% ABV. Warehouse I, Floor 8

Nose: Rich caramel, dark chocolate, baking spices, and oak.

Mouth: Dark chocolate, rich caramel, cinnamon, leather and oak.

Finish: Long and warm with notes of cocoa and leather.

Thoughts: I. Love. This. Full stop. It is thick and rich in the mouth. It is hot, but it takes water well to tame the heat. It has wonderful leather, chocolate, and oak notes from its time in the barrel. All in all, this is an excellent way to end a year. I wish the store had another bottle. I'd have gone back and bought it immediately.

In fact, I’m going to pull out a very seldom-used award. I declare that Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Proof, Minnesota Selection #3, is joining an elite group as the third-ever recipient of the BourbonGuy.com Bourbon of the Year Award. I don’t give this out every year. This honor is reserved for bourbons that stand head and shoulders above everything else I've sampled throughout the year. The last time such an honor was bestowed was in 2021, with the one prior to that in 2017. I haven’t had a bourbon that was that much better than every other bourbon since. But this one qualifies. Nice job, Brown-Forman!

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Did you enjoy this post? If you want to support the work going on here at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com.