Hannah’s Smooth Ambler BWE Private Pick Review – Old Scout
Original review written August 10, 2021
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
While I had Smooth Ambler on a vacation, bringing this home and sipping it again doesn’t quite live up to the standard I’ve created in my head. Woody and salty, I find this leaves my palate confused and lost. 82/100
VITALS:
– Made In: Lawrenceburg, Indiana, USA
– Distillery: Midwest Grain Products (MGP)
– Bottled by: Smooth Ambler Spirits, Maxwelton, West Virginia, USA
– Classification: Bourbon Whiskey; Private Barrel Pick
– Age: 5 yrs.
– Mash Bill: Corn=60%; Rye=36%; Malted Barley=4%
– Casks: unpublished char
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– ABV: 58.4% (116.8 proof)
– Barrel #: 24339
– BW1=Smooth Ambler, Boise Whiskey Enthusiasts (BWE)
– Price: $52.95 USD in Idaho
For more information, visit smoothambler.com and mgpingredients.com/distilled-spirits/beverage/product/bourbon/bourbon-36-rye.html
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with sister, Elora, as well as father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.
Check out his review for this bourbon here!
SETTING:
I imagine sitting outside, perhaps in the middle of a wood. Looking up, I can picture seeing birdhouses, standing out in bright colors and decorated with songbirds and chirping. Smooth Ambler belongs with the earth and is meant to be surrounded by nature. Settle in, bury your toes in the dirt and let nature take over the senses with Old Scout sitting in the soul.
Photo by Johnny Brewer on Unsplash
NOSE:
Caramel and butterscotch leap from the glass with a bit of earthy nuttiness chasing just behind it. The nuttiness is very reminiscent of unsalted peanuts, and even still settled in their shells. Deeper inhales bring out a savory oakiness, smoke of a mild barbeque, and a freshly baked rye bread. There’s almost a vegetable quality, perhaps like a potato starch, though it is still very fresh and not at all unpleasant. I find a slight hint of black pepper and sea salt, but otherwise, the spices are very gentle and mild. The sea salt pairs with the aforementioned caramel along with a bit of dark chocolate for some sweetness. I do not find any fruit here whatsoever.
PALATE:
– Mouth Feel: This is very soft and velvety on the tongue, with only a slight zing of an alcohol tingle.
– Balance: Wood forward, yet still mostly balanced. The saltiness might be a little heavy at times and cover other flavors slightly, but it does add an interesting dimension to the bourbon overall.
– Visual: Carrot in color, there are long legs that disappear quickly, but the crown lingers for a good while.
– Taste: The freshly shelled peanuts, pine nuts, and corn come across the palate first, along with some smoky, oaky sawdust. The smokiness is a lot like the bark on a cut of cooked meat. The rye bread from the nose is here again, with the rye lifting the natural depth of the bourbon a bit. I taste a leather element that seems to be seasoned with a rich herbal quality, like a sprig of rosemary. I find a rich, but odd sweetness, almost like brown butter. The other sweetness noted on the nose is still here also, but seems more confined to a salted caramel.
The alcohol tickles just slightly, but otherwise is mild and blends with the freshness of the herbs. A small amount of sweetness emerges when I partake in the Kentucky chew, with brown sugar apples taking lead. The salt kicks in again and once again, makes the palate quite savory.
To be sure, this is a good bourbon; however, the savory flavors and surprises around every corner of this whiskey make it difficult to predict. It makes my mouth salivate for the saltiness, but without a poignant spice or juicy fruit, I can’t help but feel slightly lost. The woodiness and corn accents make this definitely bourbon, but by also being nutty and almost meaty, my palate just doesn’t know what to do.
FINISH:
– Lasting Power: Medium. I get some flavors that stick around for a while, but any kind of bourbon heat dissipates quickly.
– Between Sips: Sea salt, fresh and bright rye, and a certain tang linger between sips. I wouldn’t say it’s a citric acid, but it does make the back corners of my mouth tingle a little.
– No More: Salted caramel and toffee color the empty glass with sweet oak. If the pour itself had tasted more like this, I know I would have enjoyed it more, because this empty glass smells incredible.
WORTH THE PRICE?
This is a good bourbon to be sure, but at over $50, the uniqueness of flavors and confusion settling on my palate makes me hesitate. I think the price is fair, and I’m sure for some, this would be an absolute steal. However, as it doesn’t quite line up with my preferred flavor profiles and leaves me more lost than found, I do not think I will be purchasing again.
I would like to note that I did enjoy this bourbon before partaking in reviewing it. I had been in the company of friends and family, and that can have more than enough effect on any pour to make an event enjoyable. And while I would have loved to have encapsulated that joy and carried it to an existing bottle at home, a part of me is happy to have left the bubble around the campfire of my vacation. There, it can always exist as a distinct point in time when everything tasted warm and delicious.
SMOOTH AMBLER BWE PRIVATE PICK REVIEW RATING: 82/100
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