I‘d like to thank the folks at Luca Mariano for sending this review sample with no strings attached.
I love American football. If a game is on a screen within visible range, my eyes will be on it. I just can’t help it. I love the sport. College Bowl season is my favorite time of the year. If I go out to eat, no matter the day, there will probably be a game on that I should have no logical reason to care about but will still watch intensely until we leave. These days, I am more of a college football fan than an NFL one, but if an NFL game is on the screen I can see, I’m watching it. My Saturdays are emotional in the fall. I’ll be the happiest man alive if my beloved Golden Gophers win. If they lose, it's probably best not to talk to me for a little bit until I get over it. (I think I will have more bad Saturdays than good this year since we just lost to a team without a coach.)
You’d think I’d be used to my teams losing. I grew up in Northern Wisconsin as a Green Bay Packer fan in the 1970s and 80s. I had to read books that were twenty years old to see things written about a good Packer team. But, just like these days with my Gophers, a bad year (or years) doesn’t dilute the passion. I mean, the people I grew up around would motion to the Pastor to speed things up if it looked like church wouldn’t end in time for kickoff (and he’d do it). We were a serious football family surrounded by other serious football families. And when I grew up and moved to the Green Bay area, you knew that I was going to be one of the many rabid fans in the area.
And I was! Of course, by this time, the Packers were actually good, having already gone to a couple of Super Bowls. I watched every game, including numerous games at Lambeau. (Even though every game is a sellout, numerous season ticket holders can’t make it to every game and make their tickets available.) Those I couldn’t be at were watched in my living room with a wife who was extremely tolerant of my obsession. She was a fan, too, but not in the “ruin your day after a bad game” sense like I was. And all those games I watched, I watched wearing my trusty Antonio Freeman #86 Packer Jersey.
These days, I live in a different state and don’t get the opportunity to watch as many games as I used to when I was in Green Bay. Unless you were one of the many establishments that had the game on, the local economy literally stopped during game time. And though I’m not nearly as obsessed as I used to be (like I said, college football fills that role now), I still follow along when I can. I’m even one of the thousands of official Packer stockholding owners.
So when I got a press release saying that Luca Mariano had made a whiskey in honor of their good friend Antonio Freeman? Well, you know, the first thing I did was reach out to them to see if they had a sample to taste and share. Here’s what they had to say about it:
Born from friendship and craftsmanship, Luca Mariano Ambassador 86 is a limited release to coincide with the upcoming 2023 NFL season and to celebrate the career of Green Bay Packer’s former Wide Receiver and Super Bowl XXXI Champion Antonio Freeman. Just like Antonio’s Super Bowl victory, Luca Mariano Ambassador 86 is a three barrel blend of greatness hand picked by Antonio Freeman himself. It’s a 3 Barrel Small Batch, high rye Kentucky straight bourbon, aged 8 years and 6 days, and comes in at 86 proof. This limited release not only celebrates Luca Mariano’s and Antonio’s commitment to excellence but also pays homage to the passion of a champion through its name. Antonio wore jersey number 86 throughout his NFL career and was known for his toughness, power, and ability to make big plays. His Super Bowl XXX1 championship with Green Bay cemented his place as an NFL legend.
According to a company social media post, this is available in Wisconsin at select Festival Foods stores. And according to the Festival Foods website, it runs about $90.
Ok, so now that we have all that out of the way, how does it taste?
Luca Mariano Ambassador 86 Bourbon
Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. No suggested retail price was given. But the Festival Foods website says they have it for $89.99, currently on sale for…$86.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $6.00 (at regular price)
Details: 43% ABV. 8 years old.
Nose: Nutmeg, oak, brown sugar, and a pleasant floral note.
Mouth: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cotton candy, brown sugar, citrus zest, and oak.
Finish: Sweet and of medium length and warmth. Notes of vanilla, oak, and citrus zest.
Thoughts: When I saw 86° proof on this, I was prepared to be disappointed. Instead, I was very pleasantly surprised. This drinks very nicely at 86° proof. There is very nice spice, but it isn't so hot that you can't enjoy it. If you are looking for a comparison, it reminds me a lot of Buffalo Trace.
I like it. I will probably have to pour the rest of the sample into my glass the next time I watch a Packer game. Maybe more if any of my Wisconsin readers want to help a fella out…
UPDATE…and it turns out someone did help a fella out. You know who you are and thank you very much.
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