whiskeyfortheages, Author at Whiskey for the Ages

James E Pepper Single Barrel Rye BWE Pick

Posted on 30-May-202230-May-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s James E Pepper Single Barrel Rye BWE Pick

Original review written May 24, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

A great rye with plenty of complexity and intrigue from several different flavor profile characteristics – from fruit to spice to earth, this has it all. Happy to have it open in the collection. 95/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Indiana and Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Ross & Squibb Distillery/MGP/Old Pepper Distillery DSP-KY-5
– Classification: Single Barrel Straight Rye; Prive Select Barrel
– Age: 4yrs
– Mash Bill: Rye=100% (both raw and malted)
– Casks: 12-month air seasoned Kentucky Oak; Char #3
– Cask #: 1239
– Selected by BWE (Boise Whiskey Enthusiast’s Facebook Group)
– ABV: 55% (110 proof)
– Price: $54.95 USD in Idaho 2022

Visit jamesepepper.distilleryspirits.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the spirit neat from a Glencairn glass with sister, as well as father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this rye here!

SETTING:

I imagine James E Pepper Single Barrel Rye would taste that much more phenomenal with a light and fresh cake to coax even more of the sweetness that this rye has. The cake may have honey, vanilla, and floral tones and that would pair well here. It exacerbates the summery brightness of both rye and cake and makes everything warm and the sipper quick to reach for another taste.

Photo by Hayley Maxwell on Unsplash

NOSE:

Malt and rye grain wash across the palate with hazelnut and light vanilla following close behind. Despite being so rye forward, there is already a noticeable complexity to this, with other sweet flavors like honey and flaky pastry with sugar crystals dusted on top. And there are deeper, earthier tones to match this sweetness like leather and caramelized/charred oak. I can’t find much for fruit sweetness aside perhaps from a dark fruit/berry nectar or a cherry jam preserve.

This rye may be 110 proof, however, the alcohol is incredibly mild and doesn’t sting at the nose at all. It’s a rye that invites deep draws and falling into the flavors offered.

PALATE:

James E Pepper Single Barrel Rye BWE Pick

– Mouth Feel: Viscous with a bit of grit to it, making the flavor linger and linger.
– Balance: Complex. I don’t know if it’s the proof influence but more and more seems to emerge, all in balance.
– Visual: Flame in color, this falls in long, thick legs from an irregular ring.

– Taste: Sweet vanilla with freshness trailing is the immediate impression. It’s floral yet buttery like a summery cake batter with even some tropical fruit kick like pineapple. Rye spice and grain mixes with a woody caramel that is just shy of being burnt – at the peak of its sugary performance. Accompanying this rye is more of the powdered ginger from the nose, and a pinch of white pepper. Cherries exist at the back of the palate, mixed with a syrup that deepens and enrichens the other existing flavors all the more.

The complexity abounds, and all the while, the alcohol offers just the right amount of kick for the flavors to play off of. This certainly does have a bite to it, and I can tell that it does want to give me a Kentucky Hug if I’d let it. (I like that.) When I give it a Kentucky chew, a brininess comes forward with a subtle fruit leather and light caramel to soothe the burn.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Long. The heat lingers at the back of the throat along with a good aftertaste.
– Between Sips: Warm caramel, cherries with a raspy rye – yum, yum, and yum.

– No More: This grows more complex and enjoyable the further into the glass I get, with the balance showing more and more maturity. I am thoroughly enjoying this rye, and I’m quite glad to have it in the collection.

The empty Glencairn is buttery oak and pecan and simple syrup/light caramel. It’s a different kind of empty glass that I’m used to, but it is entirely delicious.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Absolutely. This has complexity, depth, and heat, and it’s everything I could hope for in a rye. If you get the chance to buy any Single Barrel Rye, give this a try. You won’t be disappointed. And even if you’re only a bourbon drinker and trying to get into ryes, this may be a good gateway into doing so.

JAMES E PEPPER SINGLE BARREL RYE BWE PICK RATING: 95/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 95/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.

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Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Bourbon

Posted on 23-May-202228-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Bourbon Review:

reviewed 17-May-2022

DAVIES COUNTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON FINISHED BOURBON REVIEW:

Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Bourbon (Daviess County Cab) is influenced by the cabernet as wine tannins are easy to distinguish from the aroma through to the finish. The nose offers a bit of corn, fruit and sweetness as does the taste. However, neither the spice or sweets dominate, but it is in the depth of the dry old oak, hazy barrel char, and leather which provides the the foundation for this blended bourbon.

DAVIESS COUNTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON FINISHED BOURBON VITAL STATS:

Davies County Cabernet Sauvignon Finished

Category: Blended and Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Region: Bardstown, Kentucky
Distillery^*: undisclosed
Producer: Lux Row Distillers
Company: Luxco, MPGI
Master Distiller/Master Blender: John Rempe
Mash Bill: blend of ryed and wheated mash bills (specific volume ratios undisclosed)
Rye Mash Bill: 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley (for spice)
Wheat Mash Bill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley (for smoothness)
Barrel Char: undisclosed
Barrel entry proof: undisclosed
Finish: Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon barrels (6 mo)
Age: nas
ABV: 48% (96 Proof)
NABCA CSC #: 86536
Price: $49.95 (May 2022, Idaho)
_{*Bottle label notes: “Distilled and aged in Kentucky. Bottled for Lux Row Distillers, Bardstown, KY”}

^{This unique bourbon features a combination of two bourbon mash bills – one wheated, one ryed – and is finished for six months in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon barrels for unforgettable layers of complexity.
_{— Daviess County Bourbon}}

Learn more at Daviess County Bourbon.

ENJOYMENT METHOD FOR THE REVIEW:

Alternate pours, equaling about four ounces, were added into two Glencairns. My daughter and I enjoyed the bourbon neat for this review.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

DAVIESS COUNTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON FINISHED BOURBON NOSE:

When I bring Daviess County Cab to my nose I smell wine tannins. As I breathe in, traditional bourbon aromas of corn, wheat, currants, and stale raisins along with a touch of citrus and faint tart apple come forward. The spices are few and faint and are more like hints of cloves and white pepper. I get some nice toasted rye biscuit aromas and sweets of cocoa, vanilla, and honey as well. But it is the depth of the dry old oak, hazy barrel char, and leather which provides the aromatic foundation for this bourbon.

DAVIESS COUNTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON FINISHED BOURBON PALATE:

The first sip of Daviess County Cab is straight up tannin and dried dark fruits of currant, raisin, and fig. There is a bit of dusty grain here too, along with ginger and black pepper which compliment the flavor of toasted rye and notes of cocoa, flame toasted (and nearly burnt) sugar sprinkled over vanilla custard. And as noted on the nose, dry old oak, hazy barrel char, and dampened old leather make their way to the palate as well.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Not quite a bourbon (and definitely not a wine), cabernet barrel finishing heavily influences Daviess County Cab. Tannins and dark fruit dominate as does the woodiness making this pour a bit unbalanced (for my tastes). In my mouth the liquid is not quite creamy but is relatively easy to hold although I get a surprisingly rough and gritty back of tongue tickle. In the Glencairn, a thick curtain clings between sips. As it breaks, long legs transport the liquid back to the tawny pool before a well defined inverted crown hangs in the bowl.

DAVIESS COUNTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON FINISHED BOURBON FINISH:

Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Bourbon lingers warmly in my throat with the noticeable tannin, and touch of dusty grain, dark fruit, ginger and pepper. While the finish is not sweet, I do sense the presence of an oddly bitter dark molasses after each sip. And when there is no more, dry toasted oak and a little woody caramel wafts from the empty Glencairn.

MY RATING: 85/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? NO
While the score indicates a solid above average performer, there are others I would rather have in my bunker. But for people who seek a tannin and oak filled treat, Daviess County Cab Bourbon might be the one.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 85/100 to access other whiskies awarded this score.
To see other whiskies from this brand, click Daviess County.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finish Review

Posted on 23-May-202228-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finish Review

Original review written May 17, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Dry wine, wood, and occasional dark fruit, this is unlike any bourbon I’ve had before – finish or no. It’s decent, and I remain intrigued by the line. Would I buy this particular special finish again? Perhaps not, but I won’t struggle to finish this bottle. 86/100

VITALS:

Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finish Review

– Made In: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Lux Row Distillers (specific distiller undisclosed)
– Classification: Special Finish Blended Bourbon
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: blend of ryed and wheated mash bills (specific volume ratios undisclosed)
Ryed: Corn=78%; Rye=10%; Malted Barley=12% (for spice)
Wheated: Corn=68%; Wheat=20%; Malted Barley=12% (for smoothness)
– Casks: undisclosed char; finished for six months in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon barrels
– Barrel Entry Proof: undisclosed
– ABV: 48% (96 proof)
– Price: $49.95 USD in Idaho in 2022

Visit daviesscountybourbon.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the spirit neat from a Glencairn glass with sister, as well as father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

This bourbon is reminiscent of drought, where each sip makes you want more – not necessarily ever feeling entirely quenched. Instead of choosing a setting to balance this dryness, I wonder if finding someplace perhaps even drier would push this bourbon to perform with the potential I know it is capable of. Find dry earth with dusty air and let this bourbon stretch its legs with depth, fruit and richness – I know it can do it.

Photo by Micaela Parente on Unsplash

NOSE:

Despite this being a special finish, this is immediately recognized a bourbon even on the first inhale. It smells sweet with corn and deep with age. There are plenty of dark, dried fruits – like dry raisins, fig, prunes, currants, and a hint of ripe plum as well. These are coupled with a mixture of cinnamon and ginger that brightens the tone of this bourbon. There is earth here also with leather, and of course, the aforementioned grain. Caramelized oak and waffle cone round out the complex nose, absorbing any kind of alcohol burn right along with it. It’s a nose that’s right up my alley with fruity darkness, and I’m looking forward to taking a sip. This doesn’t necessarily smell like wine, but the wine influence is certainly there.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: There is a bit of raspiness, but it doesn’t cling to the palate at all.
– Balance: It’s on the simpler side with the notes it provides, but the flavors are unique to our bunker, all the same.
– Visual: Honey in color, there are many long legs that fall from a well-defined ring. They don’t cling much, but they are thick.

– Taste: There is little to no alcohol to be found on the palate, and I can sit with it for some time before feeling any kind of urge to aggravate it at all. When I do, I am met with a staunch black bread heavy with dark bittersweet molasses. The wine barrel tannins are more pronounced here on the palate than they were on the nose, and that depth is backed by sharp currants and a type of sweet custard spread, like what you’d find in a Boston Cream Pie. Additional richness comes from a nutty essence, like unsalted, chopped peanuts.

The fruitiness of wine influence isn’t as apparent as it was on the nose; however, the dryness coupled with oak, yeast, and earth is very strong. None of this affects the alcohol, which is inoffensive and gentle. At its most aggressive with a Kentucky chew, wood dominates and very little else comes through.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. I find a little remaining warmth at the back of the throat, and minor aftertaste.
– Between Sips: Yeast and wood are the most pronounced between sips, and it does feel a little like a one-note wonder, but it’s decent enough.

– No More: This grows a bit simpler and drier the further into the glass I get, with the pre-existing, minimal fruit becoming even more faint. It’s disappointing, as I was hoping for the fruit to be more intense.

The empty Glencairn smells like a pure bourbon with heavy rye, and spicy oak. I wish a bit more of that bite was in the pour itself, as this smells heavenly.

WORTH THE PRICE?

While this is decent, and while I also appreciate that each of the Daviess County offerings received by our stores hover at $50, I would say this is not their strongest pour. If you like dryness with oak and bread, this is beyond worth the price, but if you’re buying this, thinking that you’ll find a great deal of fruit, prepare to be a little let down. I won’t have any difficulty finishing this bottle, and despite this being unique to our collection, I’m not entirely convinced I’ll need another. That being said, I would be intrigued to try the French Oak Finish of this line just to know what it offers. $50 isn’t an offensive price (to me), and it’s an experimental price I don’t usually mind paying.

DAVIESS COUNTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON FINISH REVIEW RATING: 86/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 86/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
To see other whiskies from this brand, click Daviess County.

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