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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