Horse Soldier Review Archives – Whiskey for the Ages

Elora’s Horse Soldier Reserve

Posted on 10-October-202210-October-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Elora’s Horse Soldier Reserve Bourbon Review

original review written September 12, 2022

ELORA’S HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

This bourbon is unlike anything I have ever had before; it brings nutty and savory notes along with sweeter tones accompanying it. Overall, it offers a warming darkness that encompasses the dram and comforts the drinker.

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON VITAL STATS:

– Catagory: Wheated Bourbon
– Region: St. Petersburg, FL
– Distillery*: American Freedom Distillery
* Distilled by and stored in Ohio at Middle West Spirits
– Mash Bill: 70% corn (yellow dent), 20% wheat (soft red winter), 10% malted barley
– Barrel Char: unpublished
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– Age: nas
– ABV: 61% (122 Proof)
– Price: $65.85 (Montana, Summer 2022)

^{Immediately following [the 9/11] attacks on our nation, the USA responded with a daring insertion of small teams of Green Berets into northern Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance successfully overthrew Mazar-i-Sharif, a Taliban stronghold, with the support of these brave men. This region’s inhospitable, mountainous terrain made efforts [difficult] and enemy engagements on wild Afghan horses a necessity for one Special Operations team (ODA595). Nicknamed the “Horse Soldiers,” all these brave men are honored today by America’s Response Monument overlooking “Ground Zero” in New York City. [In addition,] our bottles … are molded with World Trade Center steel.}

^{— American Freedom Distillery}

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed this bourbon alongside my sister, Hannah, and father, Brian, while listening to folk country music.

Click Hannah and Brian to learn their views!

MUSIC SELECTION FOR HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON:

Music is a big part of my life, both playing and listening and there are many songs I love. As I appreciate a bourbon, songs compliment the dram. The following pieces came to mind as I sipped this pour.

“God Bless the U.S.A.” by Lee Greenwood
– Lee Greenwood; July 1, 2021; Lee Greenwood, leader; You’ve Got a Good Love Comin’, album

The Planets, Op. 32, No. 2 “Venus: The Bringer of Peace” by Gustav Holst.
– Chicago Symphony Orchestra, January 19, 2019; James Levine, conductor

September 11, 2001 was a tragic date in American history. On that day, planes intentionally destroyed the World Trade Center, killing nearly three thousand people. Personally, I have no memories of this traumatic event because I was a toddler when it happened, but I still feel sorrow for those affected by it. I do, however, remember the stories told by my parents, many of which involve people in our hometown having signs say, “Honk if you love America,” or of people consoling one another on the streets.

I wanted to choose a song that encompassed this patriotic appreciation of my country for this modern music selection, hence the reason I selected “God Bless the U.S.A.” by Lee Greenwood. As I am writing this, I also wish to take this time to thank all of the soldiers, first responders, and everyone else involved for their service during and following the events of 9/11.

As for the orchestral choice, I chose Gustav Holst’s No. 2, “Venus: The Bringer of Peace” from his The Planets, Op. 32 because I was able to attribute each of the warm flavors to the strings and winds. There are a lot of hardy and slow-moving low notes from the string basses and cellos that bring a sense of calm while the high, ethereal chords from high winds and strings chime in with hope and happiness.

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON AROMA (17/20):

When I first smell this, I get a lot of wheat bread, which is no surprise, considering how wheated the bourbon is. Sweet notes are evident in this as well, taking up the majority of the scent. Toasted marshmallow, sugar cane, and French vanilla ice cream can be detected. I am having a hard time getting wood out of this since the bread and sugary sweetness seem to overpower this category, but I can track down a hint of char. There are some fruits that I can get out of the dram, such as apricots, peaches, pomegranate, and rainier cherries, as well as a few savory spices, like peppercorn, parsley, and oregano. Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and buttered pecans should also be worth mentioning because they seem to offer a briny tint to the aroma.

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON FEEL, BALANCE, VISUAL (14/15):

– Feel (5/5): It is a rather mellow bourbon when I first sip it. There is heat, for sure, but it is more of a pleasant warmth that settles well in the palate and stomach. It also is a bit creamy and leaves a comforting tingle in its wake.
– Balance (4/5): The taste of this tends to lean heavily on the nutty side rather than sweet, but it is not unwelcomed. All the flavors overall blend nicely into a hardy glass of bourbon that offers a complex array of darker flavors.
– Visual (5/5): I can easily see a thin crown outlining the glass with varying lengths of legs. Big, thick droplets cling to the glass as they slowly trickle down. The color is somewhere around auburn and flame, but I am more inclined to agree to it being the latter.

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON TASTE (22/25):

The taste is quite different from the scent in that I’m not getting nearly as many sweet notes. In fact, I would say I get more savory elements. Sesame and olive oil, toasted corn, toasted rye bread, sunflower seeds, baked beans, pecans, peppercorn, and fennel seeds can be found in this. I do get hints of marshmallow, sweet cream, and caramel, which does help bring a welcomed sweetness. One taste that is worth mentioning is one of honey nut cheerios or the flavors of the Luckies in the cereal, Lucky Charms. As for fruity tones, I get pomegranate, pears, and cranberries.

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON FINISH (19/20):

The feeling lingers on the palate for about a half a minute, but the actual flavors dwindle after a short period of time. For me, more nutty flavors like pecans and sunflower seeds linger longer than any of the sweeter ones, but I am able to get a bit of vanilla, marshmallow, brown sugar, and cranberries. Rye and wheat bread, popcorn, and char are also evident.

WORTH THE PRICE / BUY IT AGAIN (18/20):

– Value (8/10): Honestly, $65.85 to me seems like a pretty big ask. I liked it very much, but it is not a bourbon that I would pay this kind of price for.
– Purchase (10/10): I quite enjoyed it, and the savory notes were unexpected, yet pleasant. If it were offered elsewhere at a cheaper price, I would gladly reach for it again.

ELORA’S HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON RATING (90/100):

Back to …

Elora’s Reviews
Individual Whiskey Reviews

ELORA’S HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON REVIEW
written June 2022 by Elora Dawson
Reviewer, Writer, WhiskeyfortheAges.com

Each review will include a couple musical excerpts; one representing my musical career in a classical setting, and the other from more mainstream genres. I hope you enjoy your whiskies with my music selections!

Horse Soldier Reserve Bourbon

Posted on 18-September-202218-September-2023 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Horse Soldier Reserve Bourbon Review:

reviewed 12-September-2022

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON REVIEW:

Horse Soldier Bourbon Whiskey offers three varieties: Premium (high rye, matured for two years), and two wheated bourbons, Signature and Reserve. This review is for Reserve (the barrel strength offering).

I admit it, I am a bit of a push-over when it comes to bourbon with a good back story. Many times the story is a more of a marketing ploy than anything else. But not so for Horse Soldier Reserve Bourbon (Horse Soldier Reserve). This is a fine wheated bourbon and one I am happy to have on my shelf. Its nose full of dried fruit tree blossoms and dark stone fruits which blend nicely with baking spices, a dark sweetness and seasoned oak. These dark notes pass to the palate and on to the finish. This bourbon is dark and soft. Bring on the next pour!

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON VITAL STATS

Category: Wheated Bourbon
Region: St. Petersburg, FL
Distillery*: American Freedom Distillery
^{*Distilled by and stored in Ohio at Middle West Spirits}
Mash Bill: 70% corn (yellow dent), 20% wheat (soft red winter), 10% malted barley
Barrel Char: unpublished
Barrel entry proof: unpublished
Age: nas
ABV: 61% (122 Proof)
Price: $65.85 (Montana, Summer 2022)

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON BACKSTORY

^{Immediately following [the 9/11] attacks on our nation, the USA responded with a daring insertion of small teams of Green Berets into northern Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance successfully overthrew Mazar-i-Sharif, a Taliban stronghold, with the support of these brave men. This region’s inhospitable, mountainous terrain made efforts and enemy engagements on wild Afghan horses a necessity for one Special Operations team (ODA595). Nicknamed the “Horse Soldiers”, all these brave men are honored today by America’s Response Monument overlooking “Ground Zero” in New York City. [In addition,] our bottles … are molded with World Trade Center steel.
_{— American Freedom Distillery}}

*Website notes include the following statement:
“Due to federal alcohol regulations we must leverage a third party partner for fulfilment.”
Partner Distillery: Middle West Spirits in Columbus, OH

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

Taken out of the newly opened bottle, the first one and a half ounces mixed with the bourbon in our Infinity Bottle Project. Then, by alternating the pours, four once review amounts went into three Glencairns. My daughters and I enjoyed the bourbon neat as we prepared this review.

Click Hannah’s review and Elora’s review to check out their thoughts for this bourbon!

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON NOSE:

Horse Soldier Reserve has a pleasant bourbony aroma. I get a potpourri of dried fruit tree blossoms and stone fruits of dark cherries, currants, plum, and soft dried prunes. As I continue to nose, I smell allspice, ginger, and white pepper along with brown sugar dusted pastry. Additional sweets come in as caramel corn, dark brown sugar, and dark molasses while the woody elements present as walnuts, sweet, fresh cut and toasted oak, with some BBQ smokey sweetness. I also sense an additional darkness in the form of musty, old leather. This bourbon is soft and dark.

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON PALATE:

My first sip of Horse Soldier Reserve has a bit of heat, and a fairly warm bite. I taste the potpourri floral notes sensed on the nose as well as the stone fruits of currants and dark plums. As I sip, baking spices of cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper mix with vanilla and sweets of dark brown sugar, and dark molasses. This bourbon tastes rich and it’s chopped and crushed walnuts blend into dry seasoned oak, toasted wood and smoky sweet barrel char. These flavors are well anchored in musty damp leather.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Horse Soldier Reserve is simple and gentle with good balance from nose to finish. It is viscous and oily yet can prickle the tongue. In the Glencairn, thick, evenly spaced, long-lasting clinging legs transport the liquid back to the auburn pool. Left behind is a thin ring broken by a few small droplets.

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE BOURBON FINISH:

Horse Soldier Reserve Bourbon offers a medium long soft and warm finish. As with other bourbons, I can sense roasted corn as well as the sensations of blueberry nectar and plum. Ginger and pepper warm the throat and light vanilla mix with dark brown sugar and subtle molasses flavors. As each sip is downed, seasoned oak, toasted wood and leather fade away. The empty Glencairn smells dark but fresh and is both caramelly and oaky at the same time. I look forward to the next pour.

MY RATING: 91/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
This bourbon makes me want to seek and try the other Horse Soldier offerings.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 91/100 to access Brian’s other whiskies with this score.
To access other reviews from this brand, click American Freedom Distillery.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

Back to …

Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Individual Whiskey Reviews

Horse Soldier Reserve Review

Posted on 18-September-202210-October-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Horse Soldier Reserve Review

Original review written September 12, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

An emotional story for bourbon, I don’t think Horse Soldier forfeited the craft and quality a drink of this stature demanded. This exceeded my personal expectations without a doubt. 93/100

VITALS:

– Made In: St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
– Distiller: American Freedom Distillery
Distilled by and stored in Ohio at Middle West Spirits
– Classification: Wheated Bourbon
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: Corn=70%; Soft red winter wheat=20%; Malted barley=10%
– Casks: unpublished char
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– ABV: 61% (122 proof)
– Price: $65.85 USD in Montana 2022

“Immediately following the [9/11] attacks on our nation, the USA responded with a daring insertion of small teams of Green Berets into northern Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance successfully overthrew Masar-i-Sharif, a Taliban stronghold, with the support of these brave men. This region’s inhospitable, mountainous terrain made efforts and enemy engagements on wild Afghan horses a necessity for the Special Operations team (ODA595). Nicknamed the “Horse Soldiers”, all these brave men are honored today by American’s Response Monument overlooking ‘Ground Zero’ in New York City. [In addition], our bottles … are molded with World Trade Center steel.” – American Freedom Distillery

Visit horsesoldierbourbon.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

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

Check out Elora’s thoughts here and Brian’s here!

SETTING:

This bourbon calls for rusticity; there’s a desire to walk onto a patch of farmed earth and break off a stalk of wheat – the bloom of America’s dinner table. Pair it with a homemade apple pie with chunky, ungraceful pie crust designs (it’s made with love and butter), and the Horse’s Soldier is finally able to dismount. Time to come home.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

NOSE:

Burnt wheat, dark caramel and candied apples all but attack the nose even on the first inhale, remaining surprisingly distinct from one another despite these flavors being quite bold, even on their own. Regardless of the bold, subtle notes can be found underneath with only a little coaxing, such as a faint vanilla, mixed together with a fresh herb rosemary as well as light vanilla and yeast.

There is a dark fruit here as well, like plum, but it comes in such a heavily reduced form, it’s almost become a syrup. It’s hard to tell if this plum is burnt, and if it’s not, then it is certainly close to that point. It’s as though it’s meant to be painted within the confines of pastry, but bitterness of the near-burnt quality prevents it from seeming too indulgent.

I can’t find too much oak on the nose, but with the assortment of the other aromas, I’m not too bothered. A surprising gentle alcohol burn makes these flavors both approachable and discoverable.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Heavy and oily. It sinks into the palate in a way that both grips the taste buds while simultaneously feeling slippery.
– Balance: Excellent. I can detect grain, sugars, fruits and alcohol heat in each sip in equal proportion.
– Visual: Flame in color, this leaves behind a thick ring with droplets clinging just under the rim.

– Taste: For being 122 proof, it’s a bourbon that I can hold in my mouth for a significantly long time before I feel pressured to move it around. When I do, caramel-esque candies – from the hard butterscotch to the chewy cubes of caramel themselves – are all presented. There’s a bitter wheat element that comes with this sweetness, but it grounds the flavors from becoming overbearing. It sits heavy on the palate as well, much like the aforementioned plummy gooeyness on the nose. The heat of the alcohol finally kicks in at the back of the palate in a single rush, but it doesn’t burn – just wants to be acknowledged.

In the midst of the caramel and warmth, are poached figs and pears, doused in another light caramel. Again, there’s some bitterness, but the accompanying warmth makes it all seem purposeful. There are even cherries to chase back the fig and pear. A Kentucky chew absolutely burns the palate, awakening cinnamon and black pepper, with the cherry as well as an alligator-charred oak. Exquisite.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Exceptionally long. I can feel the heat at the back of my palate linger long after the sip is gone. It’s certainly another enjoyable aspect of this bourbon.
– Between Sips: I can find a hint of cherries between sips; however, the predominant flavor comes from wood chips, soaked in water and incredibly chewy.

– No More: This grows in depth and complexity the further into the glass I get. Each sip brings out more darkness in flavors, especially the sugars. It’s truly a treat to the palate that is looking for a rich texture of sweetness.

The empty Glencairn is a spicy oak with more of that black pepper and cinnamon from the palate. A great finish to a pretty great bourbon.

WORTH THE PRICE?

I like to think I remained objective in my review and kept the story to the back of my mind, as it is an emotionally driven bourbon with its marketing. Nevertheless, I find that Horse Soldier offers a wide variety of flavors. At least one is sure to impress any preferred flavor profile. It’s a wheater that stands apart from the crowd, whether you’re talking about proof or distillery (Heaven Hill’s Larceny Barrel Proof’s are perhaps the most analogous at this time). Do I think it’s worth $65? All day. If I lived in Montana, this would be a bottle I’d endeavor to keep in the bunker at all times.

HORSE SOLDIER RESERVE REVIEW RATING: 93/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 93/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.

Back to …

Hannah’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews