J Henry Archives – Whiskey for the Ages

J Henry Patton Road Reserve Bourbon Review

Posted on 05-September-202010-August-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s J Henry Patton Road Reserve Bourbon Review

Original review written on September 3, 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

J Henry Patton Road Reserve Bourbon Review: Very different in an explosive way from the 5 YR from this distillery. Fruity, spicy, floral, it makes for an excellent and enjoyable pour. 92/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Wisconsin, USA
– Distillery: DSP-WI-15005, 45th Parallel Distillery
– Aged at: J Henry & Sons
To a- Classification: Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey
– Age: 7 yrs.
– Mash Bill: Red heirloom corn=60%; Heirloom winter wheat=14%; Heirloom spooner rye=14%; malted barley=12%
– Casks: Char #3 (after 2 yr stave seasoning and light barrel toasting)
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– ABV: 59.75% (119.5 proof)
– Barrel No. 55; Bottle No. 74
– Price: $104.99 USD in Wisconsin

For more information, visit jhenryandsons.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian. Towards the bottom of the glass, we pulled out some Wisconsin style Parmesan cheese. Definitely worth it!

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

With the warmth and explosion of this 7 YR bourbon, I easily see sipping this in a park, surrounded by people on picnic blankets. Look up at the night sky and enjoy a bright and colorful firework show with 7 YR in one hand and some quality cheese in the other.

Photo by Erwan Hesry on Unsplash

NOSE:

Woody and sharp floral scents hit my nose straight off, with an undertone of fruit leather (of a dark stone fruit), and brown sugar. Despite being of higher proof, the alcohol is not overbearing, rather, it’s pleasant and brings an extra warming factor to the glass. Further draws coax out white pepper and ginger – the ginger reminiscent of the punch you’d get in a gingerbread cookie.

Soft and sweet corn melds with traces of vanilla, making the overall vibe of the pour complex, warm, and ever-so-inviting. How different this is already from its younger brother, J Henry & Sons 5 YR!

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Effervescent. Pops like a firework while being soft in body.
– Balance: Fruit heavy, but there is sufficient spice to keep it interesting.
– Visual: Honey in color, there is barely a crown with many clinging droplets. Closely packed legs drop quickly.

– Taste: This starts with a firework of warmth and alcohol tickle, which falls into an equally punchy floral element. It almost seems rosy. The ginger is still here from the nose, but it seems to have a light vanilla as its dancing partner in the palate. Still, the white pepper didn’t fade, mixing with perhaps a green grape quality.

Nothing about the palate seems particularly dark to me – it’s bright, exciting, and very complex… I can almost taste the syrup found in a fruit cup, backed by enough alcohol burn to not be sickly. Instead, it’s incredibly delicious.

A Kentucky chew on this Wisconsin bourbon elevates the once-subtle white pepper/green grape combination, while not burning too intensely. It leaves the salivary glands working overtime long after the sip. Very pleased and am still in shock only two extra years in the barrel can do this to the original 5 YR.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Long. While the warmth doesn’t disperse everywhere, it and the flavor won’t abandon the tongue.
– Between Sips: The fruit cup juice, particularly grapes stick around and leave a fruit-flavor-profile-lover like me in absolute heaven.

– No More: Consistent throughout the glass, which I really appreciate. We brought out some Wisconsin style Parmesan cheese to have with this pour, and the two greatly complement one another.

The empty Glencairn is a sweet and pleasantly sugary oak… I love this bourbon quite a lot, I’ve decided.

WORTH THE PRICE?

I hesitate to say that anything over $100 dollars, is truly worth it, but given the natural rarity – being a single barrel – and being purchased from a Non-ABC state (check out our Vocab sheet!), I could be persuaded to buy this again. I think it’s bright, fun, and very fruity in its sweetness, and there isn’t much more I could ask.

RATING: 92/100

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Whiskey Reviews

J Henry Patton Road Reserve Review

Posted on 05-September-202010-August-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s J Henry & Sons 07 Year Old Cask Strength, Patton Road Reserve Review

evaluated: 03-September-2020

J HENRY & SONS 07 YEAR OLD CASK STRENGTH BOURBON REVIEW:

J Henry Patton Road Reserve is an amazing bourbon, and so much more than its younger sibling J Henry 05 Year Bourbon (which is a fine bourbon in its own right). At nearly 120 proof, its nose is all bourbon: corn, dusty grains, hints of natural fruit sweetness and some nice woodiness. On the palate, dark fruits abound, dancing with typical bourbon spices and barrel influences. The finish is all bourbon as well; medium long in length, with plenty of oak wafting from the glass. While this may be at the upper end of most budgets, I would buy again if I saw a bottle on the shelf.

J HENRY & SONS 07 YEAR OLD CASK STRENGTH BOURBON VITAL STATS:

– Category: Single Barrel Cask Strength, “Patton Road Reserve”
– Region: Wisconsin
– Distillery: DSP-WI-15005, 45th Parallel Distillery
– Aged at: J. Henry & Sons
– Mash Bill*: 60% Red Heirloom Corn, 14% Heirloom Winter Wheat, 14% Heirloom Spooner Rye, and 12% Malted barley (N. WI sourced)
– Barrel Char*: #3 (after 2 year stave seasoning and a light barrel toasting)
– Barrel entry proof: unpublished
– Age: 7 years
– Barrel No.: 55
– Bottle No.: 74
– ABV: 59.75% (119.5 Proof)
– Price: $104.99 USD (Wisconsin, 2020)

*”All of our bourbons are made using Heirloom Red Corn, Heirloom Wheat, and Heirloom Rye, all grown on our farm in South Central Wisconsin, which has been in our family since 1946 …
These single barrels are bottled at cask strength to maintain the purest expression of our product.“
*Learn more at https://jhenryandsons.com/.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, the whiskey was taken from the fourth pour of the bottle. It was enjoyed neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

NOSE:

On the nose, J Henry Patton Road Reserve is quite bourbony. Sure there is a little burn of alcohol/ethanol but so much more. Fruit tree blossoms, roasted sweet corn and wheaty, dusty grain blend with fresh picked dark berries, cherries and plum who’s aromas are amplified by spices of ginger, white pepper and rye. Additional nosing can coax freshly rolled pie crust infused with a hint of vanilla and light brown sugar caramel from the glass. The subdued theme continues as the light sweet oak of fresh toasted wood enhances clean alcohol which is there in each draft.

PALATE:

J Henry Patton Road Reserve ticks nearly all of my flavor boxes: warming faint ethanol, the herbalness of fragrant blossoms, roasted sweet corn, wheatiness and soft dusty grains blended into a dark fruit nectar of blackberries, plums and figs. Spices of cinnamon, black pepper and rye balance sweets of burnt and woody caramel poured over roasted pinenuts. As the liquid is enjoyed, dry, seasoned oak, gives way to toasted wood, barrel spice and then char with a lingering mustiness of earthy old leather.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
This is well balanced bourbon with all aromas and flavors playing well with one another. In the mouth it has an oily feel yet effervescent as it tickles the tongue and mouth when held. When the liquid is allowed to coat the inside of the glass, long clinging legs break the curtain of liquid before an ill defined crown of drops return to the honey colored bowl in the Glencairn.

FINISH:

J Henry & Sons 07 Year Old Cask Strength, Patton Road Reserve offers a medium long finish with a great deal of warmth lingering in herbal, dusty grain and dark fruit. Spices of cinnamon and white pepper complement notes of rye bread dipped in brown butter. As each sip fades away seasoned dry oak and musty barrel char provides an earthy base to this fine bourbon. And as the glass empties, heavy oak floats from the Glencairn.

MY RATING: 92/100

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

Click 92/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
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WHISKEY TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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Individual Reviews

J Henry 05 Yr Bourbon Review

Posted on 31-August-202010-August-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s J Henry 05 Yr Bourbon Review

Original review written on August 29, 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

J Henry 05 Yr Bourbon Review: I first tasted this with family in the state of Wisconsin. While I may not have been originally impressed, I come back to it constantly surprised by its soft warmth and complexity. 90/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Wisconsin, USA
– Distillery: DSP-WI-15005, 45th Parallel Distillery
– Aged at: J Henry & Sons Distillery
– Classification: Wisconsin Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Age: 5 yrs.
– Mash Bill: Red heirloom corn=60%; Heirloom winter wheat=14%; Heirloom spooner rye=14%; malted barley=12%
– Casks: Char #3 (after 2 yr stave seasoning and light barrel toasting
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– ABV: 46% (92 proof)
– Batch No. 57; Bottle No. 1865
– Price: $49.99 USD in Wisconsin

For more information, visit jhenryandsons.com

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 bourbon here!

SETTING:

This bourbon screams comfort and coziness. It’s the perfect pour to enjoy surrounded by reclaimed wood in a large room, tucked into a leather armchair and covered by a thick, fluffy blanket.

Photo by Drew Coffman on Unsplash

NOSE:

This has a very mild nose, with dusty grain and a yeasty warmth being the first things to hit me. Underneath, I get winey-tannins – not particularly grapey, but there does seem to be a date fruit flavor, or perhaps prune that accompanies the tannins. Either way, the fruit seems dried.

There is also a dark, but non-bitter sugar that conveys a warmth that’s comforting, but not overwhelming. I don’t think it’s caramel or syrup; it could be molasses, but I’m unsure on account of the lack of bitterness. This sugary flavor could even be roasted peanuts or an extra oily peanut bitter.

A soft, but subtly spicy oak lies at the foundation and makes all of the aforementioned flavors mesh together nicely.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Very soft, smooth and oily – so much so, it could be dangerous.
– Balance: Surprisingly complex, with no flavor overpowering another.
– Visual: Tawny in color, this has a crown with clinging droplets. Once they become legs, they drop quite quickly.

– Taste: The oak from the nose comes through first, remaining soft, but chewable all at once. Surprisingly, cherries follow the oak, but they aren’t the maraschino cherries of milkshakes, rather a mildly sweet, pitted cherry. Little spice to be found, minus the tiniest tickle of nutmeg or cinnamon, which kicks at the back of the sip.

Other mild, sweet flavors can also be found, like sweet bread buns (e.g. hamburger buns) and apples. Touch of simple syrup, graham cracker crust, and macadamia nuts… It’s impressive, especially since initial sips did not leave me with a complex impression. Yet each sip shows that there’s still more to be found.

A Kentucky chew brings out an oaky tannin component with white pepper, grains and prunes bursting forth. It barely burns at all, and while being relatively low proof for bourbon (at 92), I see it being dangerous in its smoothness.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. I have some leftover warmth in my cheeks and some lasting flavors at the back of my tongue. Neither travel anywhere else.
– Between Sips: The cherry, oak, and grain linger on the palate between sips, combining with the warmth nicely to make a grand, cozy feel.

– No More: Everything about this pour stays consistent throughout with its warmth and flavors. This is a solid offering, with subtle complexity and coziness being the main takeaways. No new surprises – just pleasantly steady.

The empty Glencairn is a sweet oak with little else, but it’s still incredibly satisfying. It could be a bit warmer, I suppose, but I’m not about to complain.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Hovering at $50 USD, I’m hesitant to call this necessarily a bargain. I think it is a great option for those who like mellow tastes, or like having something simple in the bunker. Yet I’m unsure I would go out of my way to secure future bottlings. However, it does carry a happy experience with me in my memory. So for nostalgia purposes, I could be persuaded to buy another bottle should the brand become available in Idaho.

RATING: 90/100

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