Category: Bourbon Whiskey

Noah’s Mill Genuine Bourbon Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Noah’s Mill Genuine Bourbon Review

written on 27-December-2018

NOAH’S MILL GENUINE BOURBON REVIEW:

Noah’s Mill is a disjointed bourbon of citrus, baked goods and other flavors not normally associated with a fine bourbon.  So much so, this was a challenging bourbon to review.  I am sad to report there is something amiss with this juice.

NOAH’S MILL GENUINE BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Noah's Mill Genuine Bourbon Review

– Category: Small Batch Bourbon
– Region: Kentucky, USA
– Distillery: Various and unpublished; made from sourced barrels (Bottle Notes indicate: KBD/Noah’s Mill Distilling Company)
– Mash Bill: undisclosed (sourced bourbon)
– Barrel Char: undisclosed
– Barrel entry proof: undisclosed
– Age: nas (Since 2012 the age statement is no longer reported)
– Batch No. 18-8
– ABV: 57.15% (114.3 Proof)
– Price: $49.95 USD in Idaho

Operating as a non-distilling producer, Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD) purchases bourbon from other distilleries, ages it in their warehouses, and bottles it from their extensive family of labels (Rowan’s Creek, Kentucky Vintage and Willett Distilling Company to name a few.)  Noah’s Mill Distilling Company is a KBD company.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I drank this spirit neat, from a Glencairn glass.

NOSE:

Alcohol hits the nose first on this release and is so strong it masks all other flavors.  After a short time in the glass, I was able to discern orange peel followed by a unusual cacophony of fruit: banana, prune and raisin. Subsequent sniffs coaxed caramel and vanilla, then yeast, baking spice, and cinnamon filled baked goods. Nut meat or wood of any sort was never detected throughout the four ounce tasting.

PALATE:

Because of the initial alcohol on the nose, I expected more of the same however the first sip was warming and mellow but with a grassy, citrus bite.  More sips brought out acidic orange marmalade and ginger spice.  There is a hint of bitter walnuts, and as on the nose, no woodiness whatsoever.  This iteration of Noah’s Mill tastes unfinished, weak, and is quite disappointing.  

Balance, Body, Feel, and Look;
I wanted to like this bourbon as I enjoyed the Willet Pot Still Reserve and looked for the good in this one as well; I can report impressive legs in the glass and a creamy mouthfeel, but in the end this bottle of Noah’s Mill, Batch No. 18-8 is unbalanced and unrewarding.

Note: Sold in a light green glass bottle.  Light in color … Tawny; The light color may be an indication of minimal barrel time.

FINISH:

Short with only a little lingering warmth and an unpleasant green vegetabley aftertaste.

MY RATING: 60/100

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

Click 60/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Willett.

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Col EH Taylor Single Barrel Bourbon Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Col EH Taylor Single Barrel Bourbon Review

written on 06-October-2019

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

In this Colonel E.H. Taylor Single Barrel (EHTSiB) Bourbon review, I note how the whiskey from this barrel produces an apple bomb.  I wanted so much to like it, but the pours from this bottling are just good; and the purchase price may not be justified.  There is so much to like but in the end, this barrel only offers a simple and gentle sip.  Maybe a dram from a different barrel would be better?

COLONEL E.H. TAYLOR SINGLE BARREL VITAL STATS:
Colonel E.H. Taylor Single Barrel Bourbon Review

Category: Bottled-in-Bond Single Barrel
Region: Frankfort, KY, USA
Distillery: Buffalo Trace
Mash Bill: Unknown but believed to be Buffalo Trace mash bill #1:
Corn: 75%; Rye: <10%; Barley: 15% (approximates)
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel entry proof: 125
Age: nas (Internet sources indicate EHTSiB is aged exclusively in Buffalo Trace’s exceptional Warehouse C, built by Col. E. H. Taylor himself in 1881, and believed to be 7 years old or more.)
Bottled-in-Bond
ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
Price: $69.95 USD in Idaho
Unfortunately, there are no batch or bottle number identifiers

https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For this Colonel E.H. Taylor Single Barrel Bourbon review, 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:

Col. E.H. Taylor Single Barrel greets the nose with no burn and a gentle hint of apple blossoms.  Its apple nectar sweetness blends with fresh citrus, grilled pineapple and bananas.  There is also a little vanilla custard and an apple turnover pastry sweetness which mixes with nicely with red licorice, buttery caramel and loads of honey.  But this bourbon is simple, with only a touch of fresh cut, toasted sweet oak.

PALATE:

In the mouth, EHTSiB is dry and warm.  There is a surprising hint of apple flavoured pipe tobacco along  with sweet and sour dried Montmorency cherries mixed with the ever present fresh apples.  There is no spice on the palate but plenty of white pepper on the back of the throat and tongue.  The honey detected on the nose remains simple but gentle and a little light oak begins to peek in.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
This bourbon is well balanced and offers a smooth and pleasant mouthfeel.  Its light tickle nearly masks an unusual savory but sweet dried fruit-Thanksgiving stuffing aftertaste.  In the Glencairn, many long and clinging toothpick sized legs give way to an ill-defined reversed crown.

Auburn, polished mahogany

FINISH:

EHTSiB offers a warm, medium-to-long finish.  The apple pipe tobacco sensed in the mouth carries through to the finish as does light cinnamon and honey drizzled banana bread.  An earthy finish also offers hints of leather and toasted, seasoned wood … In fact, only when the dram is gone does any significant oak waft from the Glencairn … and of course it closes with pecks of apples.

MY RATING: 86/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
At first read it would seem Col EH Taylor Single Barrel would not be a must have in the bunker – BUT this is a single barrel offering. The next bottle from barrel will be different (and maybe better). When another is found at MSRP I will certainly buy.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 86/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To see other whiskies from this brand, click EH Taylor, Jr.

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Old Forester Statesman Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Old Forester Statesman Review

written on 16-May-2019

OLD FORESTER STATESMAN REVIEW:

Old Forester Statesman is a blossomed fruit tree treat.  Its faint clove spiciness blends with cherry-vanilla pastry and a handful of caramel candy.  It closes with a memory of warmth, old leather and smoky oak.

OLD FORESTER STATESMAN VITAL STATS:
Old Forester Statesman Review

– Category: Straight Bourbon
– Region: Kentucky, USA
– Company: Brown-Forman
– Distillery: Old Forester Distillery / Brown-Forman Distillers
– Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
– Barrel Char: #4
– Barrel entry proof: 125
– Age: 4 years (said to be a mingling of 4 to 6 year old barrels selected from warmer sections of the distillery’s heat-cycled rickhouses)
– ABV: 47.5% (95 Proof)
– Price: $54.95 USD in Idaho
No batch or bottle number identifiers

Learn more at https://brown-forman.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I drank this spirit neat, from a Glencairn glass with daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Hannah.

Check out her review of this bourbon here!

NOSE:

On the nose, Old Forester Statesman has at first a floral presence; fruit tree blossoms combine with new cut grains, red berries, fresh citrus, and bananas.  Faint clove spiciness fades into orange sponge cake then on to banana bread and light vanilla custard.  OF Statesman’s intense sweetness is like a handful of carameled candy corn and vanilla taffy.  This bourbon has a pleasant mustiness which combines nicely with oak barrel spice and sinus clearing wood smoke.

PALATE:

The first sip is nice, and after a little burn, and another mouthful, the elixir coats with warm candied orange and cinnamon-sugar covered dark cherries.  Statesman’s heat is a pleasent blend of pepper and baking spices which work well with its rich vanilla and woody caramel covered desert pastry sweetness. The mustiness sensed on the nose comes to the taste buds as buttery smooth old leather along with a peanuttiness which blends nicely with its seasoned oak barrel spice.

Balance, Body, Feel, and Look:
Old Forester Statesman is well blended and has a rich, oily mouthfeel.  In the Glencairn thick wide-spaced legs drip down the inside of the glass to its mahogany and henna toned pool.

FINISH:

O.F. Statesman’s finish is long with a blend of seasoned oak, old smoke, brown sugar, pepper and fruit leather.  The floral and herbal notes detected on nose come back as does the warmness felt in the mouth.  When the dram is gone, a nice oak aroma remains in the glass.

MY RATING: 89/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 89/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Old Forester.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR WHEEL AND SPIDER GRAPH

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