Redemption Bourbon Straight Bourbon Whiskey Pre-Prohibition Revival Whiskey

Redemption Bourbon Straight
Bourbon Whiskey

I was given this bottle for my birthday. My friends wanted to give me a bottle I had never tried before. They gave me a couple different ones to try, and sure enough they succeeded with giving me a bottle I had never had in the Redemption Bourbon Straight Bourbon Whiskey Pre-Prohibition Revival Whiskey.

When I tried it, I was instantly hooked, and this whiskey has ended up in my glass quite a few times since then. It's that good. Looking through Redemption Whiskey's website, I found that they offer a few other varieties. A wheated bourbon, which I always a fan of, and a couple of different rye whiskies, which I am also partial to. I'll be searching for these two varieties to round out the shelf.

About The Whiskey

Redemption Bourbon is bottled by Redemption Barrell Selections in Lawrenceburg, TN. The whiskey is aged in new charred oak barrels for no less than two years and is bottled at 42% ABV / 84 Proof.

This bottle is from Batch No 29.

Redemption Bourbon has a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% barley.

Tasting Notes

Redemption Bourbon is amber in color. In the glass, the bourbon has quick, short fingers that run down glass almost as fast as they form.

On the nose, I found notes of oak and vanilla, and slight hint of ethanol.

I enjoyed the taste and flavor of this bourbon. The oak and vanilla notes carry over from the nose. There is a sweetness to this bourbon, likely from the high corn content in the mash bill. After the sweetness subsided, there was a touch of spice from the rye. The mouthfeel is buttery and balanced.

The finish of this bourbon is very smooth and even, not fast or slow. There is some that hits you on the end, along with some more spice from that rye in the mash bill. 

Boondocks 8 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels

I've always liked finished whiskeys. That is to say, whiskeys finished in different types of

Boondocks 8 Year Old Straight Bourbon
Whiskey is Finished in Port Barrels

barrels. So, when I got a bottle of Boondocks 8 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels for my birthday, I was excited. Of the four bottles I got for my birthday, this was the bottle I opened first. The flavors and aromas were amazing as soon as I opened the bottle, even for my primitive palate. I loved the "B" embossed on the glass of the bottle. 

About the Whiskey

• Distilled at Boondocks Distillery in Bardstown, KY
• Bottled at 45% ABV / 90 Proof
• Master Distiller David E Sheurich

 

Nose

The Bardstown Bourbon has great floral, fruity, and wine notes on the nose. This is the result of the port barrels. I have not found the whiskeys not aged in port or wine barrels have these aromas in them.

 

“Aged whiskey is hard to find. Good aged whiskey is even harder to find. It’s about investment, time and production.”

 

Appearance

The Bardstown Bourbon is copper in color, with long, lingering fingers. The whiskey almost hangs on the glass.

 

 

Taste

The Bardstown Bourbon has a sweet vanilla flavor it, though not overpowering as if the flavor was added. There is a buttery mouth feel, similar to the long hanging whiskey fingers. I got more of the port on the nose than I did in taste.

 

 

Finish

The Bardstown Bourbon has a long smooth finish, mostly on the front. This is not a hot whiskey, but there was a slight burn on end. I couldn't quit drinking it.

 

 

I really enjoyed this bourbon. It has a great flavor profile that opens up really nicely when a few drops of water is added to it. This is a great bourbon taken neat or with a few drops of water, but also lends itself to a few ice cubes as well. 

 

Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey

A few months ago, I was in Dallas for a conference and brought some samples with me to enjoy in the hotel room and Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey was one of them. Some of those samples I've written about previously. For whatever reason, I didn't get around to actually trying out Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey until

Bernheim Original Kentucky
Straight Wheat Whiskey

now! I like wheated whiskies, so maybe I was saving the best for last. In most cases, I'm a huge believer in Hemingway's old adage, "Write drunk, edit sober," so I was inspired to at least jot down my tasting notes!

From the Heaven Hill Website

This Heaven Hill Distillery original is named for the famed Bernheim Distillery here in Louisville. 7-Year-Old Wheat Whiskey, Bernheim Original is the first new style of American Whiskey to be introduced since Prohibition. Aged for 7 years in our traditional open rickhouses, Bernheim’s mellow taste is refreshingly smooth when served straight or in cocktails.

Distillery: Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey is distilled at Heaven Hill Distillery, Louisville, KY, USA

Proof: Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey is bottled at 90 Proof

Age: Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey is aged for minimum 7 years

Appearance: Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey has a copper, with long fingers running down the glass

Nose: On the nose, Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey has notes of vanilla, caramel, and honey

Taste: On the tongue Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey has sweet notes of vanilla. It is smooth, with almost no spice notes to it

Finish: On the finish Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey is smooth and lingers long,  with mild spice and light oak.

Overall, Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey is very good and enjoyable whiskey. I need to get more than just a sample bottle to try out. I drank it neat. This is not a whiskey that you will want to mix with anything. Just sip and enjoy.

Slainte!

 

Maker's Mark

Maker's Mark

A few weeks ago, I was in Dallas for a conference and brought some samples with me to enjoy in the hotel room. Before I went up to the room for the evening, I stopped at the hotel bar to enjoy a Maker's Mark. As a Maker's Mark ambassador, it only seemed right to offer up my tasting notes.

From the Label:

Maker's Mark, America's handmade bourbon whisky, all started because my grandfather, Bill Samuels, Sr., a sixth generation Kentucky distiller, didn't care for the whisky his family made. So in 1953 he burned the family recipe - literally - and started over. His taste vision was a soft, rich, creamy, full-bodied yet balanced bourbon. Meanwhile, my grandmother, Margie, was busy designing the bottle you're holding. In fact, it was her idea to hand-dip every bottle in red wax. To this day, making Maker's Mark - in small quantities, a little at a time - is still a family affair. Enjoy

Tasting Notes:

Color:

Maker's Mark has a deep rose gold color

Nose:

On the nose, I get notes of sweet, vanilla, and caramel

Taste:

I didn't get a very complex flavor profile. There were sweet notes of vanilla and caramel

Finish:

Maker's Mark has a short, smooth finish. It doesn't linger in your mouth. Up front, there are some spicy notes that give way to sweet notes on the finish. 

Overall, I like Maker's Mark. It's a nice fireside sipper and goes great in cocktails (I've written about a few of these before). It's interesting to get a little spice out of the bourbon since there is no rye use in the mash bill. Instead, wheat is used giving it a smoother profile.