There were several important happenings in the bourbon industry this past month including announcements of expansions, ground breaking, new releases, and festival news.
Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already.
For this tasting, Wayne and I decided to select three Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys. Such whiskeys have all the requirements of bourbon: Made in the U.S, distilled at <= 160 proof, barreled at <= 125 proof, aged in new, charred oak containers, bottled at >= 80 proof. Straight bourbon means it is aged at least 2 years (and must have an age statement if less than 4). In addition, to be Kentucky Straight Bourbon, it has the additional requirement that it must be produced and aged at least 1 year in the state of Kentucky.
Mash Grains – Corn, Rye, Malted Barley Proof – 94 Age – At least 4 years
Color – Medium Amber Aroma – Honey, baking spices, smoke Taste – Honey, caramel, vanilla, brown sugar; Tasted with dried cranberry – very similar but there is a buttery taste and the black pepper finish is gone; Tasted with a pecan – baking spice, caramel, and some light oak; Tasted with dark chocolate – creamy, buttery, caramel. Finish – lingering with black pepper General Notes – Solid bourbon with a nice balance of tastes.
Bluegrass Distillers: Bottled-in-Bond
Mashbill – 75% yellow corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley Proof – 100 Aged – At least 4 years
Color – Medium amber Aroma – Honey, salted caramel, vanilla, green tea, light fruit Taste – Honey, pear, oak, butterscotch; Tasted with dried cranberry – more fruitiness again a very light caramel with a really smooth finish with a hint of cinnamon; Tasted with a pecan – more buttery with the pecan, less cinnamon, finish is very light now; Tasted with dark chocolate – strong pepper on the finish. Finish – Lingering baking spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon as well as black pepper General Notes – Very nice, full-bodied, drinks like it would be a warm hug in the cold
James E. Pepper: Decanter Barrel Proof
Note – this decanter is a recreation of a historic bottle from 1945 Mash grains – Corn, rye, malted barley, malted rye Age – average of 5.5 years Bottled – from barrel, uncut, unfiltered Proof – 105.7
Color – Darker amber Aroma – Strong caramel, toasted oak, fruit and nuts Taste – Cherry, raisins, caramel, citrus, toasted oak, cinnamon; Tasted with dried cranberry – the fruit is a little different and less forward, buttery, cinnamon finish; Tasted with a pecan – baking spices with caramel and a hint of cocoa and a light cinnamon finish; Tasted with dark chocolate – creamy, buttery caramel, a little bit of cinnamon and baking spices, would like pair well with a dessert Finish – dried fruits, rye spice, cinnamon General Notes – Beautiful bottle with an inviting complexity, a great pour
Comparison and Ranking
Aroma Wayne: Bluegrass, James E Pepper, Cinder & Smoke Rebecca: James E Pepper, Cinder & Smoke, Bluegrass Taste Wayne: James E Pepper, Cinder & Smoke, Bluegrass Rebecca: James E Pepper, Cinder & Smoke, Bluegrass
Discussion – We enjoyed each of these even though they are incredibly different. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that we love bourbon so much – they are all labeled Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and they are each their own unique offering. What they have in common is that each have rye as their second grain.
**James E Pepper is right in the midst of our favorite profile. It is caramel and fruity with just the right pop of baking spices. **Cinder & Smoke is loaded with honey, caramel, vanilla, and brown sugar with the added interest of smoke and black pepper. **Bluegrass BIB is honey, pear, oaky, and finishes with nutmeg and black pepper.
How to chose? For a cocktail, we know that Cinder & Smoke is amazing in an Old Fashioned (especially a smoked one). Overall, it will depend on your day and what you are in the mood to enjoy. Today, we rank them as listed above. However, the great thing about bourbon is that if we do this again in a few months, the ranking could very well be completely different.
We recommend them all and they would be terrific additions to a bourbon collection, especially since they are so different. Have you tried any of these? What did you think?
Cheers, Rebecca
Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer
NOTE: The bourbons in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producers for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.
Wayne McBrayer shares our plans for a rum tasting.
Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already. We were unable to acquire dried cranberries or pecans and decided to substitute raisins and peanuts. This made for an interesting tasting experience!
Rum? While visiting Punta Cana for a conference, Wayne and I quickly discovered that drinking bourbon was going to be a challenge because the offerings were incredibly limited. Therefore, we determined that we would drink the local favorite – Dominican Rum! Our bartender, Carlos, recommended Ron Barceló and Brugal.
Distillery – Brugal, Dominican Republic Proof – All are 37.5% alcohol, 65 proof Mashbill – Unknown, but they use molasses from the Dominican Republic
>>BrugalAñejo (añejo indicates a premium aged, dark rum) *Aging – up to five years in used bourbon barrels of American oak with a medium toast *Color – bright, light amber *Nose – light on the nose, sugarcane almost a honey, just a slight hint of chocolate *Taste – buttery, light honey, brown sugar, slight caramel with white pepper on the back *Tasted with a raisin – sweeter and the pepper is gone *Tasted with a peanut – it brought brought out a warmth to the beginning and was more savory, less sweet
>>BrugalXV *Aging – a blend of rums aged 3-8 years in white American oak casks and rums aged 2-3 years in ex Pedro Ximenez sherry casks *Color – bright, light amber *Nose – sweet, molasses or sugarcane *Taste – caramel, honey, molasses, citrus, dried fruit, small hint of white pepper on the finish *Tasted with a raisin – more flavors seem to be popping out honey molasses brown sugar. Much fruitier, a hint of chocolate. *Tasted with a peanut – a bit of smokiness, enhanced the sugarcane, and still a hint of pepper on the finish >>BrugalExtra Viejo (extra viejo, meaning extra old) *Aging – the rums in the blend are aged from 3 to 8 years in ex-Bourbon casks *Color – bright, deep amber *Nose – deep aroma, molasses, slightly smoky, hint of spice, dried fruit, cocoa, more complex *Taste – vanilla and caramel, smokiness, touch of honey, finishes with a hint of cinnamon and white pepper *Tasted with a raisin – molasses forward but the smokiness and complexity is limited *Tasted with a peanut – very pleasant, smooth, sweeteness returned.
Ranking – Extra Viejo, XV, Añejo
Part 2: Ron Barceló – Añejo and Gran Añejo
Distillery – Ron Barceló, Dominican Republic Proof – Each are 37.5% alcohol, 65 proof Mashbill – Unknown, but they use 100% pure sugarcane harvested from their own plantations
>>Barceló Añejo (añejo indicates a premium aged, dark rum) *Aging – aged for 4 years in ex-Bourbon oak barrels *Color – bright amber *Nose – molasses sugar, caramel, light spice *Taste -baking spices, light molasses and fruitiness, hint of white pepper on the back *Tasted with a raisin– the raisin muted many of the flavors, but brought the molasses forward and added a stronger white pepper finish. *Tasted with a peanut – there’s just not much flavor and it seems to be all peanut.
>>Barceló Gran Añejo (gran añejo indicates a premium extra aged, dark rum) *Aging – aged for up to six years in ex-Bourbon oak barrels *Color – amber *Nose – caramel, butterscotch, cotton candy *Taste – honey, sweetness caramel, cotton candy, and baking spices (nutmeg) on the finish. *Tasted with a raisin– chocolate, vanilla, caramel *Tasted with a peanut – caramel remains, hint of chocolate covered peanuts, caramel corn
Ranking – Gran Añejo, Añejo
Part 3: Ron Barceló – Imperial Onyx and Imperial
Distillery – Ron Barceló, Dominican Republic Proof – Each are 40% alcohol, 80 proof Mashbill – Unknown, but they use 100% pure sugarcane harvested from their own plantations
>>Barceló Imperial Onyx *Aging – aged up to ten years in oak barrels with a high toast degree, subsequently filtered from real Onyx stones to obtain a rum with intense, deep notes and a unique character. *Color – deep amber *Nose – toasted brown sugar and a woodiness *Taste – like it’s been finished in a different style barrel very similar to what we get in bourbon, hints of cherry, vanilla, coffee, and nuts. *Tasted with a raisin– loses some of the complexity it does, but molasses comes forward *Tasted with a peanut – it’s a little hot as it leans towards a cinnamon finish or perhaps allspice
>>Barceló Imperial *Aging – aged for up to ten years in lightly toasted oak barrels *Color – copper, amber *Nose – honey, slight caramel or butteriness, and a very light baking spice *Taste – spices, caramel, vanilla, dark brown sugar or toffee, oaky, slight hint of white pepper *Tasted with a raisin– more peppery, caramel, fruity, good with the raisin. *Tasted with a peanut – sweet, woody and a pepper finish.
Ranking – Imperial Onyx, Imperial
Comparison and Ranking of Top Tastings
*Nose – Imperial Onyx, Extra Viejo, Imperial, Gran Anejo *Taste – Imperial Onyx, Extra Viejo, Imperial, Gran Anejo
Discussion – Wayne and I felt that they are all good. If we were to take only one home with us, it would be the Barceló Imperial Onyx. If we could add a second one, it would be the Brugal Extra Viejo … and that is exactly what we did … bought two to bring home.
Carlos and the other bartenders were awaiting our thoughts. We shared and they didn’t disagree. When we asked what they drink, they each said, without a doubt, the Brugal Extra Viejo as it is HALF the price of the Barceló Imperial Onyx, yet outstanding.
Wayne and I have never been lovers of rum; however, our Punta Cana visit help to bring a new appreciation of this spirit as well as hone in on what we prefer in a rum. These will be a great addition to our spirit collection and a very nice occasional drink.
Cheers, Rebecca
Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer
NOTE: The spirits in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.
Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already.
What constitutes a rye whiskey? The US guidelines for rye whiskey are very similar to those of bourbon except that it must be at least 51% rye. In addition, rye whiskey often has other grains, such as wheat, corn, and barley. Rye whiskey must be distilled to no more than 160 proof, or 80% alcohol by volume (ABV) and it must be aged in new, charred-oak barrels. For additional information, read Rye Whiskey, part of the Sunday Spirit Notes.
Distillery – Jim Beam, Clermont, Kentucky Aged for seven years in charred barrels and bottled at 100 proof. Mashbill – 55% rye, 35% corn, and 10% malt Color – medium amber Aroma – sweetness of rye grass; hint of mint; caramel; ginger; green apple Taste – W: baking spices – nutmeg; R:less sweet, slight mint, tea, hint of dill and white pepper; with dried cranberry – W: nutmeg is stronger; R: rye grass and sweetness is back; with a pecan – W: leads with nutmeg; R: spicy/cinnamon, lost “flavor” Finish – warm linger; light spices and vanilla General Notes – A very solid pour of rye whiskey
MB Roland Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
Distillery – MB Roland, Pembroke, Kentucky Single Barrel, Still and Barrel Proof 110.2 Proof Mashbill – 68% rye, 27% white corn, 5% malted barley Color – medium to dark amber Aroma – W: cherry sweetness; R: roasted nuts, sweetness of rye grass, brown sugar, clove, robust Taste – W: nuttiness, rye grass, then coffee; R: caramel covered nut, rye, mint, cocoa, buttery, all spice; with dried cranberry – W: rye grass bomb with mint & no finish; R: HOT and lost much of flavor profile; with a pecan – W: rye and cinnamon; R: rye and cinnamon Finish – W: coffee; R: warm, sweet, rye and cinnamon spice General Notes – This rye takes you on a journey of sweetness and spice and everything nice!
Still630 Rally Point Straight Rye Whiskey
Special Evansville Bourbon Society Barrel Pick Distillery – Still630, St. Louis, Missouri Single Barrel, Cask Strength 123 Proof; 4.75 years old Mashbill – undisclosed Color – medium to dark amber Aroma – W: caramel, sweet, smokiness; R: mint, sweet, rye Taste – W: rye, mint; R: mint, dill, sweet rye; with dried cranberry – W: very sweet rye grass, warmer; R: dark choc mint, citrus/orange, cinnamon; with a pecan – W: strong rye grass; R: much hotter, bitter choc Finish – W: warm cinnamon; R: warm cinnamon General Notes – A terrific cask strength rye and it is easy to see why they have won so many awards and typically sell out of RallyPoint
Discussion We enjoyed all three of these rye whiskeys. Knob Creek Rye is solid and easy very accessible with a terrific price point. The RallyPoint Rye was terrific and somewhat different from many Kentucky ryes. Since its proof was much higher than the others, we also added some water to balance it. Overall, that didn’t change the experience from our viewpoint. It is somewhat difficult to obtain and that kept us from ranking it higher. MB Roland makes a fantastic rye whiskey. It was the most unique of the three and also the most complex. As noted earlier, this rye takes you on a journey of sweetness and spice and everything nice! All things considered, we selected MB Roland Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey as our #1 pick.
All three are excellent options when considering a rye whiskey, and we certainly recommend each of them.
Cheers, Rebecca
Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer
NOTE: The whiskey in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.
Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already.
What constitutes a wheated bourbon? First, it must meet all the standards to be bourbon. Second, it is common that the second largest percentage of the mashbill is wheat. However, there is no percentage requirement for wheat. Thus, after the minimum of 51% corn is achieved, the remaining mashbill will likely be a mixture of wheat and barley. In essence, the wheat takes the place of the more common ingredient of rye.
Released in 2023; Batch 1; bottle 03788; 5 years old; 99 proof Mashbill – 73% White Corn, 10% Wheat, 17% Malted Barley Color – medium amber Aroma – orange zest, caramel, vanilla, baking spice/nutmeg, golden delicious apple Taste – oak, baking spice/allspice, cherry, cinnamon, honey, raisin, dates; Tasted with dried cranberry – pulled cinnamon forward, with the sweetness of wheat; Tasted with a pecan – nutty, light cinnamon, ginger/gingerbread Finish – warm, lasting, creamy, vanilla, toasted oak General Notes – A very good bourbon that is different, even for a wheated, and pleasant to drink.
Weller – The Original Wheated Bourbon – Special Reserve
Aged 7-8 years; 90 proof Mashbill – 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley. Color – medium amber Aroma – honey, caramel, floral/honeysuckle Taste – honey, vanilla, light baking spices, butterscotch, light oak; Tasted with dried cranberry – less sweet, more spicy, slight oakiness; Tasted with a pecan – smooth, creamy, caramel, baking spices Finish – gentle hug, nice warmth, honeysuckle General Notes – A very good bourbon that is smooth and very easy to drink.
Maker’s Mark 101
Approximately 6 years old, 101 proof Mashbill – 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley. Color – medium amber Aroma – cherry, vanilla, caramel … caramel corn, apricot, spice Taste – cherry, caramel, buttery, nutmeg; Tasted with dried cranberry – cherry is stronger, baking spice comes forward; Tasted with a pecan – fruit is gone, nutmeg appears, and a woodiness Finish – creamy, gentle, lasting General Notes – Surprised by it being so cherry forward and smoother than we anticipated.
Comparison and Ranking
Aroma Wayne: WSW, C&K, MM Rebecca: MM, WSW, C&K Taste Wayne: WSW, C&K, MM Rebecca: MM, C&K, WSW
Discussion We enjoyed all three of these wheated bourbons. It was interesting to see their differences and similarities. The most “different” of the three was the Castle & Key as its nose had the strong citrus. The Weller SR is incredibly easy to drink on every level. Maker’s Mark 101 was our biggest surprise as it tended to have a bit more complexity and we didn’t anticipate such a strong cherry component. Contributing to our “winning” selection was price and availability. All things considered, we selected Maker’s Mark 101 as our #1 pick.
You can’t go wrong with any of these options, and we certainly recommend each of them.
Cheers, Rebecca
Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer
NOTE: The whiskey in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.
Your Bourbon Journey 