Whiskey for the Ages Archives – Page 38 of 62

Elora’s Border Bourbon Cask Strength Review

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

Elora’s Border Bourbon Cask Strength Review

original review written August 29, 2022

ELORA’S BORDER BOURBON CASK STRENGTH GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

This bourbon is a sweet pour that gives immediate comfort and warmth. Although there are not a whole lot of herbal, floral, or nutty elements to it, the mellow sugars and fruitiness help make it absolutely worthwhile.

BORDER BOURBON CASK STRENGTH VITAL STATS:

– Catagory: Small Batch Bourbon
– Region: New Richmond, WI
– Distillery: DSP-WI-15005, 45th Parallel Distillery
– Stills: 3 German-made copper
– Barrel Construction: Three-year air-dried Ozark white oak staves from McGinnis Wood Products
– Master Distiller: Bob McKenzie
– Mash Bill: 62% corn, 12% rye, 12% wheat, 14% malted barley
– Barrel Char: #3 (Medium char)
– Barrel Entry Proof: 117
– Age: minimum 5 years
– ABV: 60% (120 Proof)
– Price: $59.99 (at the Wisconsin Distillery in 2022)

Learn more at 45th Parallel Distillery.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed this bourbon alongside my sister, Hannah, and father, Brian, while listening to acapella cover songs featuring singers with wide vocal ranges.

Click Hannah and Brian to read their views!

MUSIC SELECTIONS FOR BORDER BOURBON CASK STRENGTH:

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.

“Photograph” by Ed Sheeran
– Ed Sheeran; May 9, 2015; Ed Sheeran, leader; X (Multiply), album

Swan Lake, Op. 20, Act II: No. 10, Scene. “Moderato” by Piotr Ilych Tchaikovsky
– London Symphony Orchestra, September 15, 2018; Pierre Monteux, conductor

For me, this bourbon captures the feeling of fondness and infatuation. “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran showcases these feelings because it speaks of how a couple’s love for one another is showcased in all the photos taken. It also gives the comfort that even though there may be future conflicts, their relationship will remain strong. For the Swan Lake excerpt, the forbidden love between the cursed swan maiden, Odette, and a prince named Siegfried is demonstrated in the sugars and warm spices in this bourbon. Although the both of them meet their demise in order to break the swan maidens’ curse, their love for one another stays strong and true.

BORDER BOURBON CASK STRENGTH AROMA (19/20):

Oak is a prominent scent on the nose with tart rainier cherries encasing it. There is also a heavy red wine element that seems to ensure the fruitiness of the bourbon. Notes of various candies like sour patch kids, jolly ranchers, and Mike-&-Ikes are present as well. While the aroma of this is proving to be very fruity overall, hints of ginger, allspice, cane and brown sugar, and vanilla extract add to the sweetness. It should also be stated that there are a few grains that help provide a subtle, yet solid backbone to the drink’s aroma.

BORDER BOURBON CASK STRENGTH FEEL, BALANCE AND VISUAL (14/15):

– Feel (5/5): It is very smooth and creamy in the mouth, and it settles nicely in the chest. It is very warm in the heart, almost like it wants to threaten a Kentucky hug.
– Balance (4/5): The flavors blend spectacularly with one another, and while this is a very good bourbon, it is heavily influenced by sweeter tones. There are not a whole lot of herbal, floral, or nutty elements in this.
– Visual (5/5): There is a defined crown that has long skinny legs which are relatively spaced from one another. The color of the dram is mahogany.

BORDER BOURBON CASK STRENGTH TASTE (23/25):

There are more sugary notes than fruity ones in the actual flavor of the bourbon. Charred marshmallows, golden caramel, vanilla, and toffee can be detected. Maraschino cherries, pomegranate, berries, candied peaches, and candied oranges are present and offer a strong fruity tone. There is a subtle note of oak that helps support the sweetness of the bourbon. A hint of gingerbread and banana bread can also be found in the taste, and both flavors help to mellow everything out in an incredibly pleasant, warm flavor.

BORDER BOURBON CASK STRENGTH FINISH (19/20):

The warm feeling in the chest lingers for a long while and is able to simultaneously provide comfort. The taste of cane sugar and candied fruits linger in the mouth for a considerably long time; it would not be out of the realm of possibility to say that it lasts for a full minute. It was a pleasant feeling and taste for the entirety of the finish.

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

For $59.99, I would most certainly say that this is worth the price. This is a fantastic bourbon, and I would be more than willing to splurge on this. (10/10)

I would absolutely get this again. I have had many bourbons over the last few years, but I can definitely say that this one stands out for me. Absolutely fantastic! (10/10)

BORDER BOURBON CASK STRENGTH RATING: 95/100

Back to …

Elora’s Reviews
Individual Whiskey Reviews

Elora’s Border Bourbon Cask Strength Review
written August 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!

Larceny Barrel Proof B522

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

Brian’s Larceny Barrel Proof B522 Review:

reviewed 28-September-2022

LARCENY BARREL PROOF B522 BOURBON REVIEW:

From the nose to the palate and even a bit on the finish, Larceny Barrel Proof B522 (Larceny BP B522) has a strong alcohol presence. Herbal roasted corn blends with wheaty notes as do dark cherries and faint peaches. Dark baking elements of cinnamon, nutmeg and melted butter mix with cocoa, vanilla, brown sugar, making for a delicious treat. BP B522 offers a medium long finish of dry, toasted oak and leather in a pleasant wave of warmth. Read on to learn more about this wheated barrel proof offering from Heaven Hill.

LARCENY BARREL PROOF B522 BOURBON VITAL STATS:

Category: Barrel Proof Wheated Bourbon
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Mashbill: 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Barley
Barrel Char: #3
Age: nas (Heaven Hill states batches contain six to eight year old bourbon)
Entry Barrel Proof: 125
ABV: 61.9% (123.8 Proof)
NABCA CSC #: 18860
Availability: Tri-anual Limited Release
Batch: B522
▪”B” Second release of the year
▪”5″ Released in May
▪”22″ Released in 2022
Price: $64.95 USD (Idaho, 2022)

^{The Larceny line of Bourbon is the modern heir of our historic wheated mashbill, known behind-the-scenes at our distillery as “O.F.D.” or Old Fitzgerald Distillate.
_{— Learn more at Heaven Hill Distillery.}}

ENJOYMENT METHOD FOR THE REVIEW:

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 two Glencairns. My daughter and I enjoyed the bourbon neat as we prepared this review.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

LARCENY BARREL PROOF B522 NOSE:

Larceny BP B522 greets the nose with aggressively strong ethanol alcohol. While it takes time to acclimate, I can coax herbal roasted corn and wheaty grain. With careful concentration, fruit aromas abound … Dark cherries, unripe peaches, orange citrus, and mashed bananas. I am reminded of a freshly made Orange Julius from the shopping mall. Then come baking spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and powdered green pepper mixed in melted butter, cocoa, and vanilla. The sweets build as buttery hard candy and burnt brown sugar caramel come together in dark hazelnut toffee. As I contemplate and continue to nose the confection, faint dry-seasoned oak fades into hazy and toasted smoky-sweetness, bounded in faint leather.

LARCENY BARREL PROOF B522 PALATE:

As with other Larceny BP offerings, B522 gives the mouth a hot but herbal roasted corn and wheaty alcohol bite. I am always surprised at this, as the sensation is what I’ve come to expect from a ryed barrel proof bourbon not something with a wheated pedigree. Further sips bring cherry pipe tobacco then gingered peaches and cinnamoned prunes. There is pepper here too and some nutmeg sprinkled in brown butter and vanilla over crushed graham crackers. Sweetness comes as dark brown sugar, burnt caramel, and robust Grade B maple syrup. The aromas of dry seasoned and toasted oak along with notes of leather pass to the palate as well.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Larceny BP B522 gives the mouth and throat a rough and gritty workout. As I become accustomed to the sensation, my saliva makes the liquid viscous and oily but I still get quite a tickle on the tongue. The flora and fruit are well balanced with sweetness and wood having a touch more impact. As each sip is taken, a thick veil breaks into fat evenly spaced long clinging legs. Then inside the Glencairn a fine thin crown breaks into tiny dots which dribble slowly above a deep, dark, and rich mahogany pool.

LARCENY BARREL PROOF B522 FINISH:

Larceny Barrel Proof B522 offers a medium long finish with a wave of warmth. The herbal roasted corn passes through as do dark fruits and baking spices. Ginger lingers, but the sweetness has faded into dark mocha, light vanilla, and toffee. The empty Glencairn is full of oak sawdust and faint alcohol drifts in and out. This is a nice but hot pour.

MY RATING: 89/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
Like other Heaven Hill barrel proof offerings, I will always be on the lookout for the next Larceny BP when released.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 87/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other reviews from this brand, click Larceny.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

Back to …

Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Individual Whiskey Reviews

Larceny Barrel Proof B522 Review

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

Hannah’s Larceny Barrel Proof B522 Review

Original review written September 28, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Unfortunately, my least favorite of the Larceny Barrel Proof bunch. It’s on the simpler side with traditional bourbon warmth being the only major offering here. 75/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
– Classification: Wheated Bourbon
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: Corn=68%; Wheat=20%; Barley=12%
– Casks: Char #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 61.9% (123.8 proof)
– Price: $64.95 USD in Idaho 2022

“The Larceny line of Bourbon is the modern heir of our historic wheated mashbill, known behind-the-scenes at our distillery as “O.F.D.” of Old Fitzgerald Distillate.” – Heaven Hill Distillery

For more information, visit heavenhill.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the spirit neat with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian. Sister, Elora also enjoyed this pour with us.

Check out Brian’s review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

This is bourbon to have when you’re preoccupied. I imagine sitting perhaps in a music studio, surrounded by sound and ultimate focus is being channeled. This bourbon will keep the fire alive in the gut while not distracting you from the task at hand. It’s a coal powered locomotive machine of determination.

Photo by Caught In Joy on Unsplash

NOSE:

Classic Heaven Hill pepper greets the nose first, followed by a dark molasses, chocolate, and seasoned fig. Along with them is a dark maple syrup, drizzled over the top of a sweet, fluffy waffle. They all meld together well and even though this is high proof, I can really dig into the glass with an inhale, not feeling too afraid about the burn. I can find oak as well, but I think a fresh evergreen pine really lies at the heart of the wood foundation for this bourbon. There’s a bite of freshness all while being consistently soft and unaggressive. Despite the initial inhale of Heaven Hill pepper, this nose really stands out from its distillery peers, carrying dark sweet notes with it. It’s refreshing and original, and I’m looking forward to the sip of this one.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Perhaps my favorite aspect of this bourbon, it’s raspy and settles nicely across the palate.
– Balance: Uniform in the way that there isn’t a hero here.
– Visual: Mahogany in color, this left small droplets in a haphazard crown.

– Taste: I can hold this impossibly long on the palate without feeling the burn nearly at all. And while the nose had offered many complex aromas, I’m finding initial impressions of the flavor to be a little lackluster. There’s a yeasty essence and certainly grain, but beyond this, it feels a bit plain. The alcohol grows from the chest – well beyond the ability to taste anything new, but present enough to give a hug. I keep searching and searching but all I am really met with is traditional bourbon heat. These are not flavors I am accustomed to finding in a Larceny Barrel Proof, and I find myself disappointed. If I want a deep and warm pour, I’ll reach for this, but it does not offer the complexity I have come to expect of these BP’s.

A Kentucky chew unfortunately doesn’t evoke any other flavors beyond a deeper oak. The alcohol penetrates the tongue like needles – tightly compacted to make the burn more akin to a limb falling asleep than alcohol burn.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. The warmth is there, and it grows in intensity the longer I sit with this.
– Between Sips: Empty of extra flavors. Really only left with bourbon warmth.

– No More: This, regretfully, didn’t change the further I get into the glass. I wanted to find more flavors, and I traditionally love Larceny Barrel Proof’s for their complex, fruity flavors. They just never appeared in this bourbon.

The empty Glencairn is a beautiful oak sawdust – full of warmth and the Heaven Hill stamp I’ve been hunting for in this bourbon. Why couldn’t this be here earlier?

WORTH THE PRICE?

For $65, I’ll just say it – I’d rather buy Old Forester 1920. The bourbon warmth is the highlight of this Barrel Proof, but beyond that, I’m hitting a wall of simplicity. For $65, even in a growing price market in bourbon, I need a bit more complexity in my pour. This batch isn’t quite worth it for me.

LARCENY BARREL PROOF B522 REVIEW RATING: 75/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 75/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Larceny.

Back to…

Hannah’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews