whiskeyfortheages, Author at Whiskey for the Ages

Old Forester 86 Bourbon Review

Posted on 26-October-202029-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Old Forester 86 Bourbon Review:

20-October-2020

OLD FORESTER 86 BOURBON REVIEW:

I’ve been on reviewing easier to find bourbons off and on for a while now and Old Forester 86 Bourbon is next up – In fact the bottle has been in the bunker for several months now. On the the review …
When the cap of Old Forester 86 Bourbon was first twisted off, gentle candy sweet aromas wafted from the bottle. In my mouth, an essence of minty freshness mixes with dark fruits and the finish grows as the pour is enjoyed.

OLD FORESTER 86 BOURBON VITAL STATS:

– Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Region: Louisville, KY, USA
– Distillery: Brown-Forman
– Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
– Barrel Char: #4
– Barrel entry proof: 125
– Age: nas (unpublished)
– ABV: 43% (86 Proof)
– Price: ($19.95 2020 – Idaho)

Learn more at https://www.oldforester.com/.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

NOSE:

Old Forester 86 is quite aromatic upon twisting open the cap. When the whiskey is brought to the nose the soft alcohol fades to light fruit tree blossoms and mint. Tart apple and maraschino cherries blend with spices of nutmeg, white pepper and rye and sweet aromas of orange sponge cake, vanilla custard. Additional candy sweets of vanilla taffy, circus peanuts, butterscotch, and caramel corn blended with hints of cashews and light oak. To my nose, the aromas are quite gentle.

PALATE:

The soft alcohol sensed on the nose is warm and passes to the palate. Roasted corn and dusty grain mix with mint giving Old Forester 86 a certain freshness yet I also taste dark fruits of currants and fig and the sensation of ark dried fruit leather on my tongue. Spices of dark cinnamon, black pepper and rye counter sweets of orange sponge cake, burnt sugar, burnt caramel, dark molasses, and a hint of honeycomb. The is also a trace bitter walnut to go with dry, seasoned oak, and barrel flavors of toasted wood and char. A solid Kentucky Chew is not going to hurt seasoned bourbon drinkers and as I drank my pour I noted the palate is much darker than the nose.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
The nose and palate of Old Forester 86 are disjointed; light versus dark yet this is a simple and light bourbon that is a bit watery and at the same time smooth. In the Glencairn a nice crown of clinging droplets gives way to long evenly spaced clinging legs which drop into the russet colored bowl.

FINISH:

The medium long finish of Old Forester 86 lengthens the more I drink. It is a soft alcohol, dry and warm and the dusty grain comes through. The finish is a bit bitter – maybe citrus zest, which is a nice balance to the black pepper and rye. The sweets are gone as dry oak, toasted wood, and barrel char leave a woody aftertaste blending with sensations of leather. When the whiskey is gone, the empty Glencairn presents with sweet woody caramel.

MY RATING: 84/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? NO
While this bourbon is in my wheelhouse and the price point is GREAT, I prefer so many others.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 84/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Old Forester.

WHISKEY TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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Maker’s Mark Private Select ID Director’s Cut Batch #6 Review

Posted on 19-October-202029-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Maker’s Mark Private Select ID Director’s Cut Batch #6 Review

Original review written October 17, 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Maker’s Mark Private Select ID Director’s Cut Batch #6 Review: If you are looking for the fruit and spice face-off of bourbon, any Maker’s with stave selections like Batch #6 will deliver. Each sip is full of fun and entertainment. 95/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Maker’s Mark Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Private Select
– Age: nas (other Director’s Cuts have been approximately 8 yrs in age)
– Mash Bill: Corn=70%; Soft red winter wheat=16%; Malted barley=14%
– Casks: Char #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: 110
– ABV: 53.5% (107 proof)
– MMPS ID-DCB6 finishing staves:
4 Baked American Pure (P2) – adds sweet brown vanilla, caramel and brown spice
3 Maker’s Mark 46 (46) – adds dried fruit, vanilla and spice
2 Roasted French Mocha (Mo) – adds char, maple and cacao
1 Toasted French Spice (Sp) – adds smoke, coumarin and spice
– Stave Selectors: Idaho State Liquor Division
– Price: $69.95 USD in Idaho

Visit makersmark.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

This one is so complex and warm, I really don’t think it needs anything extravagant. Have Batch #6 alone at a picnic table surrounded by quiet and a warm-enough sun. Let your thoughts and feelings wash over you in your solitude. #6 will keep you company and give you a bit of warmth to smile about.

Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

NOSE:

Initial inhales bring out seasoned dark fruit and a marshmallow sweetness. The seasoning includes cinnamon and black pepper (albeit subtle). It’s sprinkled on the fruit in such a way that the fruit may be dried, though that was not immediately apparent to me. The seasoning also contributes to a wheaty/grassy element that likely derives from the mash bill.

Deep draws coax out a dark caramel/brown sugar as well as hard oak that blend together well. Not a lot of heavy alcohol on the nose, reminding me of some of its other Maker’s siblings. However, I can easily tell that there is a greater sense of darkness in the #6 as opposed to others, and maybe more richness and complexity also.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: A distinct tickle that is unaggressive, yet very fun.
– Balance: For as much fruit as there is here, spice meets it sip for sip. Excellent blend.
– Visual: Tawny in color, there is a lingering crown, with fast-dropping legs of varying sizes.

– Taste: Juicy dark fruits burst forth, but they have the mouth feel of something akin to peach fuzz. Cinnamon and nutmeg add to the fruit, creating this dark, syrupy treat.

A hint of black pepper kicks in just at the back of the palate. Other fruit begin to come in with this black pepper kick – among them figs and yellow-fleshed peach. Light vanilla and caramel tickle the tip of the tongue, helping to make every aspect of the palate light up.

Somehow, floating in and around these flavors is a cherry blossom perfume, mixed with a sturdy oak barrel char that adds smoke and depth to every solid flavor.

The alcohol, as a whole, is still mild, but with the various spice and char in every second of the sip, I know that this little 107 proof has big dreams to burn. A Kentucky chew brings out a fun tingle that doesn’t quite sting. I taste cherry and apple blossoms here strongly, backed by cinnamon, char and light brown sugar. Very delicious!

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Very long. The warmth clings and clings, even to the teeth. And the aftertaste here with the warmth is great.
– Between Sips: Cherries, vanilla and barrel char. Could I ask for anything more in this category?

– No More: Stronger fruit leather and an unexpected, but tasty, apple tart come into play the further I get into the glass. The spice and original fruit are still here too; they just have extra companions.

The empty Glencairn has a spicy barrel char, with black pepper leading the way. All in all, a great pout that I look forward to having again.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Out of all of the Director’s Cuts I’ve had, Batch #6 is undoubtedly my favorite, and I do think it is worth the price at $70. Director’s Cuts as a whole from Maker’s I think are usually worth trying at least once, with only a couple batches unlikely to be worth the asking price. Luckily for us, this one definitely was worth it!

RATING: 95/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 95/100 to access other whiskeys with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark.

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Maker’s Mark Private Select ID Director’s Cut Batch #4 Review

Posted on 19-October-202029-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Maker’s Mark Private Select ID Director’s Cut Batch #4 Review

Original review written on October 15, 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Maker’s Mark Private Select ID Director’s Cut Batch #4 Review: Sweet and mellow, as is standard with Maker’s, this is enjoyable to those who like floral notes. This is a good offering, but I wish there was a bit more complexity to be found. 84/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Maker’s Mark Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Private Select
– Age: nas (other Director’s Cuts have been approximately 8 yrs in age)
– Mash Bill: Corn=70%; Soft red winter wheat=16%; Malted barley=14%
– Casks: Char #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: 110
– ABV: 53.5% (107 proof)
– MMPS ID-DCB4 finishing staves:
3 Seared French Cuvée (Cu) – adds roasted/toasted oak and caramel
3 Maker’s Mark 46 (46) – adds dried fruit, vanilla, and spice
2 Roasted French Mocha (Mo) – adds char, maple, and cacao
1 Baked American Pure (P2) – adds sweet brown vanilla, caramel, and brown spice
1 Toasted French Spice (Sp) – adds smoke, coumarin and spice
– Stave Selectors: Idaho State Liquor Division
– Price: $69.95 USD in Idaho

Visit makersmark.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

Batch #4, while good, has an aura of affluence – so much so, that I could easily see sipping some of this in an upper class restaurant, where the seats are leather and sophisticated. The seating and atmosphere may be dark in nature, but the sweetness and lightness of #4 make everything meld together nicely.

Photo by Souranshi Magazine on Unsplash

NOSE:

Mild, with dried fruit, particularly raisins, come forth the strongest for me on the initial inhale. Behind that, I find brown sugar, soft vanilla, and a small hint of cinnamon and maple. While these seem dark, this is still a mild pour, tempered likely by the wheat and barley of the mash bill. I can also find a soft oak that keeps things mellow, yet warm. There is a toasted nut element, but I can’t quite make out what it is specifically, but it pairs well with a toffee.

Somewhere in here is a sweet bread bun with a simple syrup/honey glaze brushed over the top. I really like this gentle, yeasty component; it adds a layer of complexity to the nose, for sure.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Oily, with little grip… maybe even creamy.
– Balance: Decent. Flower sticks out, but doesn’t overpower the other flavors.
– Visual: Honey in color, there is a lingering crown with slow-dropping, fat legs.

– Taste: On the first sip, I get a mix of maraschino cherry, while also a cool freshness of an herbal note. It’s certainly floral, with a rose-like blossom and light fruit too. It’s sweet, but not approaching sickly sweet, which is nice.

Not much in the way of spice, except maybe a dash of cinnamon. I get a sense of pear, mixing with light vanilla and a little brown sugar/caramel.

The yeasty bread is gone, along with the nuts. The oak, however, remains, but it tastes and feels like it’s been soaked in water, and I could chew the wood chips contentedly.

I pushed this one around HARD with a Kentucky chew, only feeling the burn after about 10 seconds. What comes of it is a very floral apple blossom, with a hint of cherry. Otherwise, the alcohol on this is VERY mild and unlikely to burn an experienced whiskey drinker.

I realize I noted that the nose was mellow, but this palate is INCREDIBLY mellow, with little for me to grip onto and not a lot of richness or complexity. It’s good, but not great. (Remember, I like bold and dark profiles – this could very easily be phenomenal to those who lean to floral notes.)

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Long. While the warmth stays only in the mouth and throat, the flavor lingers.
– Between Sips: I feel like I’m chewing on a rose petal, or maybe a flower of slightly less intensity. Hint of vanilla and not-quite-ripe pear accompany the flower petals.

– No More: It feels sweet the further I get into the glass – note that I said FEELS. Everything about this screams floral – ALMOST too floral. I feel as though if the palate/taste could be turned into a perfume, I’d very likely get a headache.

The empty Glencairn is an oak that WANTS to be spicy, but doesn’t quite make it all the way there. I wish I could say the floral heaviness dissipated, but it just didn’t.

WORTH THE PRICE?

At $70 USD, this seems like a big ask for those who like the bolder flavors. Out of the Director’s Cuts that I’ve enjoyed (Batches 3, 5, 6, and 7), Batch #4 is definitely my least favorite, and I recommend spending the $70 on a different batch.

RATING: 84/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 84/100 to access other whiskeys with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark.

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