It’s coming up on Father’s Day and I’m reminded of something that my step-father did on one of the many trips my wife and I took to the cabin to spend a holiday with he and my mom.
My step-father is a Jack drinker. He has been for longer than I’ve been alive. He likes a good bourbon, Basil Hayden was an appreciated treat one year for Christmas, but Jack is his go to. Jack on the rocks to be specific.
Well, knowing that my wife and I are bourbon drinkers, my step-father will occasionally stop off to grab a bottle to share on his way up to the cabin. He tries to grab something not Jack when he does this. He finds it to be a bit too expensive unless it is a special occasion. On this particular occasion he grabbed Jesse James Outlaw Bourbon Whiskey. He was pretty proud of the purchase, finding it on sale in the low teens. And as we sat around playing cards, it kept our glasses from going empty.
Jesse James is named in honor of the Old West Outlaw, but it is named after founder Jesse James Dupree of the band Jackyl. (Think early 90s and a chainsaw.) I originally bought it for my Bottom Shelf Bourbon Brackets back in March, but noticed just before we cracked open the bottles that it didn’t qualify. This bottle, though it is age stated at three years old, was not labeled straight. I have no idea why that is, but it was enough to put it out of contention and back into the closet.
But I’ve been bunkering this whiskey for long enough. It was time to take it out and make room for things that I’d want to bunker. And while we’re at it let’s see if it was the company and the ambiance or the whiskey that kept us filling our glasses that night at the cabin.
Jesse James America's Outlaw Bourbon Whiskey
Purchase Info: $14.98, 750 mL. Ace Spirits, Hopkins MN
Details: 40% ABV, 36 months old.
Nose: Berries, grain, cinnamon and a hint of mint.
Mouth: Thin, cocoa, cherries, hints of baking spices and mint.
Finish: Gentle, dusty cocoa and mint fading to a lingering bitterness.
Thoughts: This reminds me of a cross between Evan Williams and Jack Daniels. It’s too gentle for sipping, so I’m guessing this was intended to be taken as a shot. To be honest, I expected it to be terrible in a glencairn, but it’s not. It’s just kinda meh. I can see why my Jack drinking step-dad liked it.
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