Buffalo Trace Antique Collection: Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye Whiskey

I’d like to thank the folks at Buffalo Trace for sending this sample with no strings attached.

It’s a gloomy day today. We had a touch of snow, but it doesn’t look like any will stick around. Still, it feels cold and dreary—the kind of day when you wish your house had a fireplace so you could curl up under a blanket, watching the flames dance. And as evening sets in, if you were to pour yourself a glass of wine or a couple of ounces of something brown, well, who could blame you? Let’s be honest: on a day like this, that hypothetical glass might pair perfectly with tonight’s whiskey.

It’s been six years since I last reviewed a member of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Back then, the suggested price hovered around $100; now, it’s climbed to $150. But really, what whiskey hasn’t gone up in price over the last six years? Not many. This time, I got my hands on a sample of the 18-year-old Sazerac Rye. To put it into perspective, this stuff has been aging in a barrel longer than I’ve been writing about whiskey. Heck, it’s been in that barrel longer than I’ve been drinking whiskey—I only started diving seriously into the whiskey world around 2010.

So, let’s see how it tastes, shall we?

Sazerac 18 Years Old

Purchase Info: This 100 mL sample was sent to me at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $149.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $10.00

Details: 45% ABV. 18 years old

Nose: Oak and leather lead the way, with notes of cinnamon and plum underneath.

Mouth: Leather, stone fruits, vanilla, cinnamon, and a hint of cedar.

Finish: Medium warmth and long. Notes of oak, cedar, cinnamon, and just the suggestion of anise.

Thoughts: The barrel really takes the stage on this one—which makes sense, given that the whiskey sat in there for the better part of two decades. In fact, the barrel influence is so prominent that it wasn’t until a couple of sips in that I started picking up the cedar notes I associate with rye spice. That said, even though I’m sensitive to overly oaky whiskies, I really enjoy this one. If I happen to see it in a local liquor store lottery, you can bet I’ll be adding my name to the list.

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Original Cocktails by Heublin: Manhattan and Old Fashioned

Memorial Day cookouts are over, and summer is here, even if the calendar has a little catching up to do. And honestly, though I often have a pour of bourbon in the summer, I tend to like cocktails just a bit more on a hot day, especially those that are served cold. Nothing beats an ice-cold drink on the deck with a little music playing while reading a book or visiting with friends.

That said, I’m a busy guy. I’m cleaning up after dogs, I’m designing junk mail for plumbers, I’m building things for my wife. I don’t always have the time or the energy to build a cocktail. Even an easy one. This is why we continually take a look at the ever-increasing selection of ready-to-drink cocktails on the market. Sure, they aren’t usually as good as the ones you make at home, but they sure are easy. Open the fridge, pour a little in a glass, and add ice. Couldn’t be simpler.

Tonight, we are looking at a pair of ready-to-drink cocktails from Sazerac’s 1792 brand—oddly, not including a Sazerac cocktail. I mean, maybe Sazerac makes a ready-to-drink version of a Sazerac cocktail, but I didn’t see one on the shelf, and I can’t find a website for these to find out more information. Aside from what I can find during some internet sleuthing, I know next to nothing about them. In fact, I only know for sure that tonight’s bottles come from Sazerac because I did a trademark search for Heublein, and they came up as the owner.

Heublin is an old name in the cocktail game. According to Wikipedia:

Heublein began as a restaurant founded in 1862 in Hartford, Connecticut, by Andrew Heublein, a German American entrepreneur. His two sons, Gilbert F. and Louis, soon joined the business. In 1875 they accepted a large order for pre-mixed martini and Manhattan cocktails for the annual picnic of the Governor's Foot Guard. Rain forced the event's cancellation. When a restaurant employee whom the brothers had instructed to dispose of the canceled cocktails several days later determined them to have withstood shelf storage safely, they began selling the pre-mixed cocktails from the restaurant. So popular were the ready-made cocktails that Heublein built a distillery just to satisfy the demand. When the focus of Andrew Heublein's business turned more heavily toward its lucrative line of ready-made cocktails in 1890, he transferred the business to his sons, and it became Gilbert F. Heublein and Bro. In 1892 they introduced their brand of “Club Cocktails” pre-mixed cocktails, an early form of ready to drink (RTD) cocktails.

When your name has been associated with something for over 130 years, that’s a trademark worth holding on to. And boy, have a lot of folks held onto this name. After a series of acquisitions over the course of a half-century (including Grey Poupon, Kentucky Fried Chicken, the US rights to Smirnoff’s Vodka, and others), the Heublein company was purchased by RJ Reynolds in 1982. After corporate mergers caused some divestiture, the name was sold to a company that would go on to become Diageo. I’m not feeling the need to go any further on the topic of corporate history, but suffice it to say that “Original Cocktails by Heublin” is currently a trademark held by Sazerac.

So now that we’ve read a bit of history, let’s see if these are worthy additions to our arsenal of deck drinks, shall we?

Original Cocktails by Hueblein

Purchase Info: $11.99 each at Lakeville Liquors, Lakeville, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $1.60

Details: 35% ABV

Manhattan:

The nose has notes of baking spice and cherry. The mouth continues the theme with a good hit of sweetness, and cherry notes that play nicely with the baking spice. The finish is sweet and medium to long with the same notes as the mouth and nose. I know this says 1792 Bourbon on the label, but it tastes a lot like a bottle of Very Old Barton. Very tasty. I especially like that the Vermouth influence is pretty light, as I’m not a Vermouth fan.

Old Fashioned:

The nose has orange and baking spice notes, which continue into the mouth. The mouth also introduces notes of sweet vanilla to the mix. And I mean sweet. This is very sweet with a thick, syrupy mouthfeel, even after stirring with ice. The finish is of medium length and has notes of orange and baking spice. Personally, I find this too sweet for my tastes, but I almost always use way less sweetener than the recipe calls for when I make an old Fashioned at home. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, though.

Thoughts: I probably wouldn’t take the Old Fashioned camping with me like I would the Manhattan (a bitters bottle is easier to tuck in the bag along with the bourbon than a bottle of vermouth is). However for relaxing on the deck after a busy day, both of these are just fine. I prefer the Manhattan to the Old Fashioned mostly due to the intense sweetness of the Old Fashioned. You will probably enjoy the Old Fashioned more if you have a bigger sweet tooth than I do. But all in all, I like them.

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11th Annual BourbonGuy.com Brackets: The Championship Rounds

Welcome back, folks! We are now at the end of the 2024 contest. Eight whiskeys entered the arena. Four have fallen by the wayside. There have been some delicious treats, with not a single stinker in the bunch. Let’s see how it all ends and see if we’ve learned anything along the way. First, we have the Round Two matchups.

Division 2: Whiskey A (Buffalo Trace) vs. Whiskey B (George Dickel Bourbon)

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: The noses are pretty similar. “A” is more vibrant, “B” is nuttier. In the mouth, “A” is very nicely balanced with a nice sweetness. “B” is spicier, also with a nice flavor.

Winner: “B” (George Dickel Bourbon) moves on to the Championship Round based on the nice spiciness.

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Division 1: Whiskey A (Old Forester 100 Proof) vs. Whiskey B (Old Grand-Dad 114 Proof)

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: The nose on “B” has more caramel and nuttiness. The nose on “A” is more muted with a faint medicinal note. “B” is very spicy on the month. “A” has notes of red fruit and marzipan.

Winner: “B” is spicier, but that spiciness overwhelms the other notes. “A” is more well-rounded, which I prefer. “A” (Old Forester 100 proof) moves on to the Championship Round

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Championship Round: Whiskey A (George Dickel Bourbon) vs. Whiskey B (Old Forester 100 Proof)

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: The nose on “A” shows more caramel and vanilla versus the fruit notes on “B.” The mouth on “A” is showing spice, caramel, and oak. “B” shows more fruit. It’s close, but I think “A” pulls ahead based on the oak and spice.

Winner: “A” (George Dickel Bourbon)

Congrats to George Dickel 8-Year-Old Bourbon, the 2024 BourbonGuy.com Bracket Champion!

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Lessons Learned:

This was an interesting contest for me. I like contests where I know I won’t need to brace myself before taking the first sip in a tasting. Every one of the bourbons was good. I don’t think I’d say there is anything in here that would warrant a “meh/neutral” rating if it were being tasted alone. That might be a first.

So, what did I learn about each of these?

Ok, right off the bat, I expected a little blowback on George Dickel Bourbon even being in the contest. I got it last year when I included their Bottled-in-Bond Whiskey, and I honestly expected the same this year. I am personally shocked that Dickel won the contest. I honestly expected Old Forester 100 proof to win based on what I thought my personal preferences were. That said, upon reflection, I’m not shocked that the only age-stated bourbon in the batch won the whole thing. It’s hard to beat time in a barrel for making good whiskey. Add in the fact that it was less than $25 and less than 100 proof, and the whole thing just makes me happy. I love an underdog story.

Moving over to the other Championship contender, as stated above, Old Forester 100 Proof would have been my favorite to win the contest at the outset. Not only does it sit in my favorite proof point, but it was also the most expensive of the bunch. Not that price always correlates to quality (that’s one of the reasons we run this contest each year), but it certainly correlates to how much a company thinks people would be willing to pay for something. And that has at least a passing relationship with how good something is, especially with a product that has been on the market for a long time like this. That said, it came in second and won its division. It’s a good bourbon and one that is often on my shelf.

Newcomer Wheel Horse Bourbon handled itself admirably. It didn’t quite have the gusto to knock off a competitor with lots of age on it, but it should hold its head up high. It lost to the eventual champion this year. That’s nothing to sneeze at. It’s good whiskey and a good value. It may have advanced if it had had a different matchup in the first round. I think I’ll be doing a full review of this one in the near future if I don’t drink it all first.

Elijah Craig is a great bourbon. It is more delicate than other bourbons in this list, having neither the age nor the proof of other contestants. Because of that, it doesn’t surprise me that it lost in the first round. But with no comparisons, I'm a happy camper if this is in my glass.

When I think of Buffalo Trace, the old chant from high school sports of “O-Ver-Rate-Ed clap clap clapclapclap.” That isn’t to say that it is a stinker or even a “meh” bourbon. No, it is very good. But when I get comments from people saying that it goes for $50 in their neck of the woods, it’s hard to take it seriously these days. Especially when contrasted with other comparable products. Sazerac won the PR lottery when they got the contract to have Pappy chosen from among their stocks oh-so-many years ago.

I’m just going to copy and paste what I said last year about Old Tub, as nothing has changed in my assessment: “Old Tub reminded me that Jim Beam makes good whiskey. It just needs some proof. Go below 100° proof, and it gets way too nutty for many folks, including me, when the mood isn’t right.”

I didn’t learn much from Old Grand-Dad 114 that I didn’t already know. I knew it was a great bourbon that didn’t cost much, and nothing about that has changed. The proof adds a nice spice to what might otherwise be a lackluster bourbon that would be too grain-forward for my personal tastes. That’s why I like Bonded and 114 so much better than the 80 proof.

Finally, Ezra Brooks 99 is right there with the other bourbons in this group. It was great as a 90° proof. And with that great base, the proof bump makes it an absolute winner. Sure, the price is higher than the now-discontinued 90, but I think the quality went up more. If I’m not buying for content, this is one that I pick up a lot.

Ok, so we have one further contest to take a look at before we put the brackets to bed this year. I retired Wild Turkey 101 from the yearly bracket contest a few years ago. It won every time it appeared until I paired it against other, more expensive, 100-ish proof bourbons during the pandemic. It is literally the GOAT when it comes to inexpensive bourbon. One of the guys I talk to at a local liquor store describes more expensive bourbons using Wild Turkey 101 as the measuring stick. “Is this worth four bottles of Wild Turkey 101?” And I love that. So, I decided to bring it out of retirement to see how this year’s winner stacked up against the old bird. (You may notice it hiding in the back of the photo above.)

Emeritus Round: Whiskey A (George Dickel Bourbon) vs. Whiskey B (Wild Turkey 101)

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: “A” has a lot of oak on both the nose and mouth, along with toffee on the mouth. “B” shows nice cinnamon on the nose and mouth along with some caramel on the mouth. Both have a nice spice.

Winner: Very close, but I'm leaning toward “B” (Wild Turkey) in the Emeritus Contest.

Now that we are done, it’s time to turn the page to the future. Next week, we will look at the samples that have been stacking up while the contest was going on. As much fun as this was, it’s fun to try new bourbons, too.

Once again, congrats to George Dickel 8-Year-Old Bourbon on their 2024 Championship!

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If you want to support our work 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, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

11th Annual BourbonGuy.com Brackets: The “Not Quite Bottom-Shelf” Edition

Welcome back, my friends, to my favorite posts of the year. It’s bracket time!

Historically, this has been a series where we take a look at the cheapest of the cheapest bourbons, pit them against each other, and decide which you should pick up and which you should leave down on that bottom shelf. The 2022 edition broke me; I dumped out about 7 liters of bourbon, so last year, I tossed out all pricing requirements and did a series of Bonded Bourbons. This year, I’m reinstating the price requirements, but I’ve decided to keep them a bit “relaxed.” My goal was to find readily available bourbons all at about the same price point, in this case, the $20 to $30 price range.

Here is how we set everything up. And it is an oh-so-simple process. I seed the whiskey in the bracket, in this case, by price. Then, I pour 200 mL bottles of each contestant whiskey and label them with a nonsense name. Finally, I make a separate bracket with the nonsense names and give that and the 200 mL bottles to my wife. After that, she takes care of everything. She has no idea what is in each bottle due to the nonsense name. She pours and keeps track of the winners while we do our tastings. And all I need to do is taste and write. It’s a pretty slick system.

So, who are the participants, and how did they get chosen?

Well, every year, I try to put in limitations that will force me to choose a new set of participants. Well, mostly new, anyway. We still have four this year that were in previous editions. Because the “bottom-shelf” ones have gotten so much worse than they used to be due to inflation and strategic price increases, this year, I limited myself to only bourbons priced between $20 and $30 for a 750 mL bottle. This allowed me to get some names that are familiar to the general public but that might be overlooked due to the general public’s idea that “more expensive equals better whiskey.” A while back, I also asked what you guys wanted to see included as part of a giveaway. I included as many of those as I could. Some weren’t available in my market. Others were quite expensive. Some had just been in so many contests that I looked for fresh faces. But I included what I could.

The contestants were seeded by price. If there was more than one at the same price, the tie was broken by proof.

• Division 1, Seed 1: Old Forester 100: This was purchased at South Lyndale Liquors in Minneapolis, MN, for $27.99 or $0.037 per milliliter.

• Division 2, Seed 1: Buffalo Trace: This was purchased at Total Wine in Burnsville, MN, for $27.99 or $0.037 per milliliter.

• Division 1, Seed 2: Old Grand-Dad 114: A reader suggested Old Grand-Dad Bonded, but since I saw this fit the price constraints, I upgraded. This was purchased at Total Wine in Burnsville, MN, for $26.99 or $0.036 per milliliter.

• Division 2, Seed 2: Wheel Horse Bourbon: This was a reader suggestion. It was purchased at Top Ten Liquors in Chanhassan, MN, for $25.96 or $0.035 per milliliter.

• Division 1, Seed 3: Ezra Brooks 99: This was purchased at South Lyndale Liquors in Minneapolis, MN, for $24.99 or $0.033 per milliliter.

• Division 2, Seed 3: George Dickel Bourbon: This was purchased at France 44 in Minneapolis, MN, for $24.99 or $0.033 per milliliter.

• Division 1, Seed 4: Elijah Craig: This was purchased at Top Ten Liquors in Chanhassen, MN, for $24.96 or $0.033 per milliliter.

• Division 2, Seed 4: Old Tub: This was a reader suggestion. It was purchased at France 44 in Minneapolis, MN, for $21.99 or $0.029 per milliliter.

I’m going to tell you right now, that there were some real surprises here. I was honestly shocked at the winner. But that is for the future. In the mean time, who you got? Let us know down in the comments.

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If you want to support our work 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, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

10th Annual BourbonGuy.com Brackets: Round 1: Wolcott Bottled-in-Bond vs. Jack Daniel's Bonded

Here we go! Let’s get down to the competitions.  I hope that you guys are as excited by this as I am. Round 1 of the 2023 BourbonGuy.com Brackets opens with Division 1 Number 2 seed Wolcott Bottled-in-Bond versus Number 3 seed Jack Daniel’s Bonded. 

Wolcott Bottled-in-Bond is a Total Wine “Spirits Direct” brand. It was distilled in Bardstown, KY at distillery DSP-KY-12, better known as Sazerac’s Barton 1792 distillery. It was bottled in Frankfort, KY at distillery DSP-KY-113, otherwise known as Sazerac’s Buffalo Trace distillery. Though it is a Total Wine exclusive, it was purchased at Viking Liquor Barrel in Prior Lake, MN. It cost $46.97 for a 750 mL bottle or $3.13 per pour.

And their opponent is a relative newcomer to store shelves, having only been launched last year. Jack Daniel’s Bonded is a bottled-in-bond version of the iconic Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. It has two distillery plant numbers on it, DSP-TN-1 and DSP-TN-4, both of which are part of the Jack Daniel’s Lynchburg, TN campus. This was purchased at Viking Liquor Barrel in Prior Lake, MN. It cost $34.99 for a 700 mL bottle or $2.50 per pour.

All of the competitions this year were tasted blind and we knew the winner of the competition prior to any reveal. Notes, thoughts, and conclusions were all from before we knew what was what. Needless to say, some of my conclusions were surprising to me. Tasting notes may be a little unusual since they were being tasted at the same time and could have influenced the perceptions of one another.

Whiskey A (Wolcott Bottled in Bond)

Price Per Drink (50 mL): $3.13

Details: 50% ABV.

Nose: Nutty with notes of mint and dusty oak.

Mouth: Bready, with notes of almond, cinnamon, caramel.

Finish: Medium length with notes of cinnamon, bubblegum, almonds.

Whiskey B (Jack Daniel’s Bonded)

Price Per Drink (50 mL): $2.50

Details: 50% ABV.

Nose: Chocolate, caramel, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Mouth: Chocolate, cinnamon, and caramel.

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

Thoughts:

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: "B" is much spicier in the mouth. It is also much richer and much sweeter. "A" is pretty good, but the richness of "B" puts it over the top.

Post-Reveal Thoughts: Honestly, I had no idea what to expect from Wolcott. Knowing it is a bonded bourbon, I knew there wouldn’t be any “funny” business going on with it. But I had no idea how it would taste. I like a lot of Bourbons that come out of Barton 1792, but I also find a lot of the stuff they do for store brands to be kinda meh. Not good, but not terrible. And that is kind of how it worked out here. Jack Daniel’s Bonded was very good. Wolcott Bottled-in-Bond was meh. This was an easy choice.

Winner: Jack Daniel’s Bonded is advancing to round 2.

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Thomas S. Moore Extended Cask Finish Bourbons, 2022: Part 2

I’d like to thank the folks at Sazerac for providing these review samples with no strings attached.

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This is the second part of a two-part series. In part one we discussed background information on the Thomas S. Moore line and reviewed the Merlot Cask and Cognac Cask versions. Tonight we are going to pick up where we left off by diving into the two bourbons that were finished in fortified wine casks.

Fortified wine is a style of wine that has had a distilled spirit, often brandy, added to it. Styles you may have heard of include Port, Marsala, Vermouth, and the ones we are interested in for tonight’s whiskeys: Sherry and Madeira. So what are Sherry and Madeira?

Sherry is a fortified wine made in the area near Cádiz, Spain. If you are a Scotch drinker, you’ll know that Sherry casks are often used for aging that style of Whiskey. Along with used Bourbon barrels of course. It probably isn’t surprising to find Bourbon producers following along with that practice. My main use for Sherry is in cooking. I have recipes for Sherried Potatoes and a Sherry Cake that I love.

Madeira is a fortified wine made on the Portuguese island of, you guessed it, Madeira. It is a bit less common in America today than it was in the past. Pre-Revolutionary War America was awash in Madeira. It was very possibly their favorite alcoholic beverage. In fact, George Washington was such a fan that he had copious amounts brought on campaign with him in the War. And he ended up enjoying it the rest of his life, literally on his deathbed. According to Atlas Obscura, the style ended up falling out of favor rather quickly after the War when the Federal government tried to pay off the war debts by levying a high import tax on it.

So now that we know a little about the finishing barrels, let’s see how these taste!

Thomas S. Moore Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Madeira Casks

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by the distillery for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 48.25% ABV. A variety of different types of Madeira barrels were used.

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, oak, and a faint note of lemon zest. After a few minutes "husky" notes of sandalwood and crème brûlée take over.

Mouth: The adjective that first popped into my head was "Round.” There are no sharp edges to this. Notes of cinnamon, crème brûlée, and oak.

Finish: Medium to long. Notes of caramel, citrus zest, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: Sweet with a well-integrated influence from the fortified wine. It's quite lovely. I'm really enjoying it.

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Thomas S. Moore Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Sherry Casks

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by the distillery for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 49.35% ABV. The Sherry casks used previously held Oloroso Sherry.

Nose: Caramel alternating with butterscotch, nutmeg, and fresh mint.

Mouth: Caramel, chocolate, coffee, and bright cinnamon.

Finish: Medium in both warmth and length. Notes of caramel and coffee linger.

Thoughts: This reminds me so much of a fancy caramel coffee drink or a high-end caramel coated in dark chocolate and sea salt. It's delicious. Big fan!

Thoughts on the entire line: I'd buy any one of these. Sure, they have a different flavor than straight bourbon, but that's kinda the point. Bourbon with a bit of "something else" to complement it. And these finishes all complement the bourbon flavor very nicely. Which is something you can't always say about other finished bourbons. All of these are tasty, well-integrated spins on the traditional bourbon flavor profile.

Like I said earlier, I'd buy any one of these. If forced to choose, I'd go with the Sherry Cask. I'm really digging the candy/ coffee thing it has going on.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

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Thomas S. Moore Extended Cask Finish Bourbons, 2022: Part 1

I’d like to thank the folks at Sazerac for providing these review samples with no strings attached.

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Back in late 2020, Sazerac released the first “ultra-premium brand” from the Barton 1792 Distillery. It was named Thomas S. Moore to honor the man who built the distillery that is now known as Barton 1792. It was, and still is, a line-up of bourbons that were aged for five to six years and then placed in a finishing barrel for somewhere between one to four additional years. Quoting the press release (2022 edition):

To create these whiskeys, Barton 1792’s signature high rye recipe bourbon was aged for five to six years in new charred oak barrels before filling other casks that previously matured various wines or spirits from around the world. These whiskeys are then left to age an additional one to four years. This extended cask-finishing method results in elegant whiskeys, each displaying a distinct flavor profile, reflecting nuances of both the bourbon and the finishing cask.

The initial release featured Port, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon finishes. Well, Thomas S. Moore is back for 2022 with a new set of finishes. These include two versions that have been finished in fortified wine barrels (Madeira and Sherry), one version that has been finished in Cognac barrels, and one that was finished in Merlot wine barrels. Back in early 2021 when I reviewed the initial releases, I thought it was an interesting concept that actually performed better than I had anticipated that it would. As such, I was excited when Sazerac announced that they were going to be releasing a new batch. And even happier when they agreed to send me a taste of each of them so that I could let you know if they were worth buying.

Tonight we will be looking at two of the four as I didn’t want this to get too long. The second set will come in Part 2.

Thomas S. Moore Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Merlot Casks

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by the distillery for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 46.65% ABV. The merlot barrels are from wineries in the Napa and Sonoma areas.

Nose: Oak, cinnamon, red fruits, and a touch of mint.

Mouth: Strong wine presence on the initial sip which fades to the background in subsequent sips. Lots of cinnamon and oak after the wine fades.

Finish: Long and not too warm. Very flavorful. Strong notes of Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and oak.

Thoughts: I don't care for wine-finished bourbons generally. So when I got the strong wine presence on my initial sip, I was worried. I shouldn't have been. After that initial sip, this is full of bright and lively baking spice notes. Which are very tasty. I like this one. Surprisingly. I had guessed that I wouldn't.

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Thomas S. Moore Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cognac Casks

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by the distillery for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 46.7% ABV. The cognac barrels used generally held cognac for six or more years previously.

Nose: Brown sugar, oak, and nutmeg.

Mouth: Dry with vibrant spice. Notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla, and a mild—but noticeable—Cognac influence.

Finish: On the shorter side of medium. A burst of cinnamon that fades relatively quickly.

Thoughts: This one has a subtle influence from its finishing barrel. If I was handed this blind, I'm not sure I would have known it was barrel finished. That said, it is delicious. Vibrant is the first word that came to mind and it stuck with me throughout the tasting.

As stated above, check out part 2 for the Madeira and Sherry Cask Finished editions.

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Ancient Age 90 Proof

I love getting emails from readers. You guys are literally the only thing that keeps me going as this is not, and never will be, a profit center for me. Between hosting, domain registration, email accounts, and of course purchasing new and interesting bourbons for review? Well, let’s just say that if the time comes where I need to really look at making cuts to the budget, the thousands of dollars per year that I spend on this site will be one of the first things thought of for the ol’ chopping block.

And you guys write in for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes to correct me, which I appreciate. Many times to give me the ol’ attaboy, which I love. And occasionally one of you will write in with a request for the type of thing you’d want to see covered in upcoming posts, which is super helpful.

Sometimes the requests are for certain brands, but by far the most common of request is for more coverage of inexpensive bourbons. I like that suggestion. I’m a frugal guy. To be honest, the main reason that I don’t cover more inexpensive bourbons is not because I don’t like them, but because after doing the Bottom Shelf Brackets for so many years, I’ve basically run out of them. Or at least ones sold locally that aren’t TerrePure. I’m never knowingly putting that shit in my mouth again.

So I knew it was going to make at least a few of you very happy when, on my last trip to Kentucky, I saw a 375 mL bottle of a whiskey that I’d never had before. And one from a beloved producer at that. I’ve never picked up the 90 proof version of Ancient Age before. I’d had the 80 proof numerous times. I’d had the 10- year-old back in the day. I’m unconvinced that I’ve had the Ancient Age 10-Star bourbon. I just can’t remember. But I knew I had never had the 90 proof. So I picked it up. This is distributed in Kentucky, Tennessee, and parts of West Virginia.

Ancient Age 90 proof

Purchase Info: $6.49 for a 375 mL bottle at Liquor Barn, Louisville, KY

Price per Drink (50 mL): $0.87

Details: 45% ABV. 3- years-old.

Nose: Delicate on the nose. Notes of caramel, vanilla, red fruits and baking spice.

Mouth: Spicy cinnamon touched with cocoa powder, mint, dried grains, dried fruits, and vanilla.

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

Thoughts: While this won't win many awards, it is nothing to turn your nose up at. At only three years old and less than $1 per pour, this is much spicier than I had anticipated. Especially as I've had the 80 proof that is sold here in Minnesota and it has next to no spice to it. For the price, I like it. I'd probably reach for Very Old Barton first, but if I'm in a Buffalo Trace kind of mood, but don't have a Buffalo Trace kind of budget, then this'll do in a pinch. Kinda gets lost in an Old Fashioned but would work ok in a Whiskey Sour.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, posters, and more.