Here's an expensive bourbon to avoid
Price doesn't equal quality
I've added to my stockpile (262 bottles on my way to 300) and thought I, on occasion, would send along my thoughts on certain bottles. This gives you a chance to see what's new and interesting and what you may want to avoid.
Western Reserve
Western, headquartered in Lakewood, OH., sells a 4, 8, and 14-year bourbon. I say "sell" because it sources bourbon. I understand, through various social posts, that WR is trying to age its own stock but I haven't seen any reliable info on that point.
This is pricy juice --- $58, $79, and $99 a bottle. Each batch contains a blend of different barrels. For that money, I would expect a balanced bourbon that blows me away with flavor. The only thing that blew me away was the mediocrity. You can find dozens of superior bourbons at half the price. I suppose if you had to have one, the 8-yr taste best to me, more balanced with a tad more caramel and vanilla. But it's overpriced.
Mashbill: 74 %corn, 18% rye, 8 % barley Proof; 86 (4 and 8 yr) ; 90 (14 yr)
SIngle Barrel Huber's Rickhouse Select
The Starlight distillery in Borden, IN, produces wine and spirits. The distillery sits in a fantastic location, just 30 minutes from Louisville, and just over an hour outside of Bardstown. Starlight has been around since the 1880s, first as a farm, and then as a stop on the Indiana wine trial. It released its first spirit in 2004, a brandy. Now, it produces several spirits including Huber's, a product aged 5.5 years in 53-gallon oak barrels.
I love this stuff. I purchased a bottle through Dayton Sippers, the local bourbon site, and I am kicking myself for not buying at least two more. The bourbon starts with chocolate on the nose. On the taste, it's slightly hot but immediately turns cool and sweet --- and I mean sweet, like freshly made caramel and vanilla with a little cream (it's gotta be the wheat). It has a long, big finish that stays with you. I have one bottle and am happy to share when I can.
And yes, I've already been in touch with the owners, and they're happy to host us and sell us a barrel or two when COVID allows us to travel. While I wouldn't pay $40 for any Western Reserve product, this is worth every penny of the $65 I paid. No, it's not available in Ohio.
Mashbill: 51% Corn, 20% Rye, 20% malted barley, 9% wheatProof: 110.8
BEST RECENT CHEAP TASTE:
Evan Williams Black label ($14). Great for sipping or mixing. It's not complex, smooth at 86 proof, and the best thing you can say about it --- it's not offensive. But for the price, it's tasty enough.