Brian’s Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Bourbon Review:
reviewed 17-May-2022
DAVIES COUNTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON FINISHED BOURBON REVIEW:
Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Bourbon (Daviess County Cab) is influenced by the cabernet as wine tannins are easy to distinguish from the aroma through to the finish. The nose offers a bit of corn, fruit and sweetness as does the taste. However, neither the spice or sweets dominate, but it is in the depth of the dry old oak, hazy barrel char, and leather which provides the the foundation for this blended bourbon.
DAVIESS COUNTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON FINISHED BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Category: Blended and Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Region: Bardstown, Kentucky
Distillery*: undisclosed
Producer: Lux Row Distillers
Company: Luxco, MPGI
Master Distiller/Master Blender: John Rempe
Mash Bill: blend of ryed and wheated mash bills (specific volume ratios undisclosed)
Rye Mash Bill: 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley (for spice)
Wheat Mash Bill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley (for smoothness)
Barrel Char: undisclosed
Barrel entry proof: undisclosed
Finish: Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon barrels (6 mo)
Age: nas
ABV: 48% (96 Proof)
NABCA CSC #: 86536
Price: $49.95 (May 2022, Idaho)
*Bottle label notes: “Distilled and aged in Kentucky. Bottled for Lux Row Distillers, Bardstown, KY”
This unique bourbon features a combination of two bourbon mash bills – one wheated, one ryed – and is finished for six months in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon barrels for unforgettable layers of complexity.
— Daviess County Bourbon
Learn more at Daviess County Bourbon.
ENJOYMENT METHOD FOR THE REVIEW:
Alternate pours, equaling about four ounces, were added into two Glencairns. My daughter and I enjoyed the bourbon neat for this review.
Check out her review for this bourbon here!
DAVIESS COUNTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON FINISHED BOURBON NOSE:
When I bring Daviess County Cab to my nose I smell wine tannins. As I breathe in, traditional bourbon aromas of corn, wheat, currants, and stale raisins along with a touch of citrus and faint tart apple come forward. The spices are few and faint and are more like hints of cloves and white pepper. I get some nice toasted rye biscuit aromas and sweets of cocoa, vanilla, and honey as well. But it is the depth of the dry old oak, hazy barrel char, and leather which provides the aromatic foundation for this bourbon.
DAVIESS COUNTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON FINISHED BOURBON PALATE:
The first sip of Daviess County Cab is straight up tannin and dried dark fruits of currant, raisin, and fig. There is a bit of dusty grain here too, along with ginger and black pepper which compliment the flavor of toasted rye and notes of cocoa, flame toasted (and nearly burnt) sugar sprinkled over vanilla custard. And as noted on the nose, dry old oak, hazy barrel char, and dampened old leather make their way to the palate as well.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Not quite a bourbon (and definitely not a wine), cabernet barrel finishing heavily influences Daviess County Cab. Tannins and dark fruit dominate as does the woodiness making this pour a bit unbalanced (for my tastes). In my mouth the liquid is not quite creamy but is relatively easy to hold although I get a surprisingly rough and gritty back of tongue tickle. In the Glencairn, a thick curtain clings between sips. As it breaks, long legs transport the liquid back to the tawny pool before a well defined inverted crown hangs in the bowl.
DAVIESS COUNTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON FINISHED BOURBON FINISH:
Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Bourbon lingers warmly in my throat with the noticeable tannin, and touch of dusty grain, dark fruit, ginger and pepper. While the finish is not sweet, I do sense the presence of an oddly bitter dark molasses after each sip. And when there is no more, dry toasted oak and a little woody caramel wafts from the empty Glencairn.
MY RATING: 85/100
Will I buy this whiskey again? NO
While the score indicates a solid above average performer, there are others I would rather have in my bunker. But for people who seek a tannin and oak filled treat, Daviess County Cab Bourbon might be the one.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
Click 85/100 to access other whiskies awarded this score.
To see other whiskies from this brand, click Daviess County.
WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
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