Hannah’s Oak & Eden Bourbon & Vine Cabernet Steeped Review
Original review written October 21, 2019
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
A cabernet steeped oak corkscrew sitting at the bottom of a bottle is just exciting. The cab is all over the nose, but the whiskey makes its balanced debut on the palate. Very pleased! Read my Oak & Eden Bourbon & Vine Cabernet Steeped Review here! 90/100
VITALS:
– Made in: Texas, USA
– Distiller: sourced (curated from notable distilleries across U.S., mainly MGP)*
– Classification: Small Batch finished bourbon whiskey
– Age: 2 yrs. in new oak barrels
– Mash Bill: Corn=60%; Rye=36%; Barley=4%*
– Casks: char undisclosed (spire char: medium toast*)
– Barrel Entry Proof: undisclosed
– ABV: 45% (90 proof)
– Batch #0002; Bottle #0624
– Availability: TX, OK, LA, CO, KY, MI, TN
– Price: $60.00 USD in Idaho
– Infusion: 5 inch long spiral cut piece of French oak. Spire rest in Marker Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon for 4-8 weeks before placed in the bottle*
*To learn more visit Oak & Eden website oakandeden.com
DISCLOSURE:
This bottle was kindly gifted to our Dawson household for reviewing purposes by Oak & Eden. While my father and I very gratefully and happily accept this bottle into the collection, the reviews and opinions of this spirit are honest and unbiased.
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.
Check out his review for this whiskey here!
SETTING:
Enjoyable at any time/place, this spirit likely shines that much more under the twinkling lights ornamenting a Christmas tree on Christmas day. The feast is being prepared and joyous warmth and love make the comfort of home potent and peaceful.
Photo by Євгенія Височина on Unsplash
NOSE:
The first several inhales bring about a very soft, velvety texture to the nose. The classic whiskey burn is not present, likely due to the cab’s disembodied present. The rich depth of a red wine, however, still manages to create a warming sensation on the nose that leaves me going back for more of that dark powerhouse of a grape. Never before have tannins been so apparent in a whiskey before.
Little spice is there (cloves?) which is somewhat surprising to me given the high rye content. This smells old, but in a “wizened-with-age” kind of way. VERY pleasant.
The oak is very present and in just the right capacity to marry together dark fruit whiskey flavors and chocolate to the regal cab grape.
Photo taken by Whiskey For the Ages
PALATE:
-Mouth Feel: Silk, velvet… any adjective for soft is applicable. Wine-like.
– Balance: Very balanced; all flavors are in just the right dose.
– Visual: A dark brown sherry color, there is a CLINGING crown with fat droplets that turn to clinging legs far beneath the crown.
– Taste: This spirit is just as soft as soft can be, especially in the mouth feel, but even the alcohol burn is gentle and dare I say, a bit snuggle. Dark fruits, such as the heavy wine graph, warm huckleberry and overripe plum just bloom.
The longer wait between sips transforms those fruits further into an explosive purple firework with pops of rich cloves to play off of.
A Kentucky chew reminds me further that this IS whiskey, but there is a brown sugar or gingerbread cookie element that accompanies an unaggressive black pepper heat. There also seems to be a twinge of salt that’s binded to another flavor I can’t quite put my finger on, but it so nicely puts a bow on the rest of the flavor package that I’m okay with a little unsolved mystery for once.
The oak is soft, again, just a lovely platform for the other flavors to spring from.
FINISH:
– Lasting Power: The finish is not incredibly long, but the warmth sticks around just at the back of the throat. Otherwise, it’s relatively short.
– No More: The last sips are very reminiscent of the mouth feel of a wine, particularly a cabernet. The taste stays constant throughout the glass, and I’m not complaining.
The empty Glencairn smells of spicy oak, contrary to my initial guess of a round, wine cork-esque oak. Still enjoyable, but I’m a little sad at the loss of the full oak I was expecting.
WORTH THE PRICE?
Yes
RATING: 90/100
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