Category: Bourbon Whiskey

Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Review

written on 28-April-2019

KNOB CREEK SINGLE BARREL RESERVE REVIEW:

Knob Creek is an entry level offering in Jim Beam’s Small Batch Collection.  This Single Barrel Reserve is hot, intoxicating and with not much of a detectable flavour profile.  Water does tame the beast, however it washes out any subtleties as well.  While not a “bad” bourbon, KC SiBR left me wondering … Does this nine year single barrel offering really have family ties to the likes of Bookers?

KNOB CREEK SINGLE BARREL RESERVE VITAL STATS:
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Review

– Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Region: Clermont, KY, USA
– Distillery: Jim Beam
– Mashbill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
– Cask: New charred oak
– Barrel Char: #4
– Barrel entry proof: 125
– Age: 9 years old
– ABV: 60 (120 Proof)
– Price: $39.95 USD in Idaho
Note: This bottle had no label markings distinguishing from which barrel it was drawn.

https://beamsuntory.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I drank this spirit neat, from a Glencairn glass.  In later tastings several drops of distilled water were added hoping to coax out its flavors. Other than taming the heat, no change in the initial profile was noted.

NOSE:

On the nose, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve (KC SiBR) is dry and alcohol forward with plenty of intense ethanol heat.  A subtle simple syrup sweetness is there, but it is hard to coax from the dram with normal nosing.

PALATE:

The first and subsequent sips of KC SiBR are strong with plenty of throat burn.  It is harsh, fiery and hot.  After each swallow, dry flavors of dusty corn and figs can be sensed but only deep in the throat.  Its spices of clove, white pepper and rye overpower burnt sugar and toffee sweetness and barely give way to any barrel flavor.

Balance, Body, Look and Feel:
I look forward to nuances when enjoying fine bourbon KC SiBR is so well blended, few individual flavors can be identified. I find this disapointing. KC SiBR is thin and watery, displaying medium legs which drop back in the Glencairn’s mahogany and henna tinted pool.

FINISH:

Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve’s medium long finish leaves one with a deep throat and chest warming sensation.  When the last dram is gone, only a faint light oak aftertaste remains.

MY RATING: 83/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? No
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

To access other whiskies from this brand, click Knob Creek.

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Henry McKenna Single Barrel Bourbon Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Henry McKenna Single Barrel Bourbon Review

written on 02-July-2019

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Henry McKenna Single Barrel (HMSiB) was once easy to find at a nice price point, but that all changed when the bourbon was given accolades as “Best Whiskey” at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.  That award followed on the heels of its 2018 award of “Best Single Barrel Bourbon” from the same competition.  While I found it to be a good bourbon, I wondered who its competitors were.  Still, if you see a bottle on the shelf at a fair price, bring it to the register so you can take it home.

HENRY MCKENNA SINGLE BARREL VITAL STATS:
Henry McKenna Single Barrel Bourbon Review

Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey,
Region: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Barrel Char: #3
Barreled on: 01-April-2009
Barrel entry proof: 125
Barrel: # 6326
Age: 10 years
Bottled-in-Bond
ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
Price: $34.95 USD in Idaho

https://heavenhilldistillery.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I drank this spirit neat, from a Glencairn glass.

NOSE:

HMSiB greets the nose with a subtle ethanol burn which never really goes away, but does dissipate nicely into an herbal potpourri of faint tobacco and essence of fresh dark cherry nectar.  With time, cherry turnovers baking in the oven, faint chocolate cream, and light vanilla custard waft from the Glencairn.  On the nose, its sweetness is subtle but complex: vanilla taffy, light brown sugar, maple sugar, woody char and caramel, and dry sawdust.

PALATE:

Upon tasting, there is a strong bite: a burn which is quite hot but not unpleasant.  The herbal notes sensed on the nose come through as green vegetables, dark berries and fruits.  The juice’s spiciness of black pepper and rye come through and blend nicely with the subtle sweetness of simple syrup and vanilla.  HMSiB is earthy with almost a musty char of barrel spice and seasoned oak.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
HMSiB is well-blended and has a silken mouthfeel, even though the bite tickles  with an effervescent heat.  When turned in the glass, the juice gives a thick coating, then descends slowly into the auburn-polished mahogany colored bowl with long clinging legs.

FINISH:

As the dram is downed, a warm herbal bite remains for a medium-to-long time with a pleasant tickle of earthy rye and barrel spice.  The char comes through on the palate, as subtle oak.  When the juice is gone, heavy oak sawdust wafts from the empty Glencairn.

MY RATING: 86/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
But it won’t be a must have in the bunker.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 86/100 to access other whiskies with this score.

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Evan Williams Single Barrel Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Evan Williams Single Barrel Review

written on 01-July-2018

EVAN WILLIAMS SINGLE BARREL REVIEW:

This Evan Williams Single Bourbon Barrel entry is a nice sip, somewhat light and nothing special, but enjoyable none the less.  This bourbon is wood forward, followed by a pleasant earthy leather aftertaste which diminishes as the dram sits.  For just a few dollars more, there are better bourbons, but this might be a good introductory bourbon to keep on hand.

EVAN WILLIAMS SINGLE BARREL VITAL STATS:
Evan Williams Single Barrel Review

Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Region: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Mash Bill: 78% Corn 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Barrel Char: #3
Barrel entry proof: 125
Barreled: 23-June-2010
Barrel #: 122
Bottled on 30-Nov-2017
Age: 7 Years Old 
ABV: 43% (86 Proof)
Price: $29.95 USD in Idaho (2018)

https://heavenhill.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I drank this spirit neat, from a Glencairn glass.

NOSE:

Evan Williams Single Barrel has a nice bourbon smell that is not overpowering.  There a nuances of cherry, fig and other dark fruits.  Prolonged nosing brings out dried and well seasoned oak sawdust as well.

PALATE:

This is a peppery juice, in fact there is a bit more heat than one might expect at 86 proof, but it’s nice.  The dark fruit sensed on the nose morphs into dark plum and the oak woodiness is more pronounced.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
This is a well blended tawny colored bourbon.  It is not real complex and has a slightly oily mouth feel.

FINISH:

The finish is only medium in length.  The fruit sensed on the nose is long gone. There are wood forward notes, and a pleasant bourbony aftertaste.

MY RATING: 85/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
But it won’t be a must have in the bunker.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 85/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Evan Williams.

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