THE BOURBON RESOURCE: August, 2024
Lots of releases coming, money grab, Yellowstone bourbon finished in cognac and brandy casks
THE BIG NEWS
Get ready for insanity: The Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is scheduled for release on September 5. Old Forester holds a raffle, and winners get a ticket that allows them to pick up their prize at the Lousville-based distillery. The distillery tired of people camping out for long periods of time in hopes of getting a bottle. Can’t say I blame them. According to the rules, no ticket, no booze, so going to the distillery would be a waste of time unless you’ve won the right to buy a bottle. You can sign up for the raffle here. These bottles will start flooding the secondary market on release day at about $1,000, or five times the $199 MSRP. I won’t buy at the secondary price, but if I get lucky? Sure, why not?
The Blood Oath Trilogy is coming. This trilogy contains Pacts 7, 8, and 9 and will also be released in September. Lux Row will release just 1,400 three-pacts at an MRSP of $799. Those are all good bourbons, but I’m going to wait until next year’s release. That will contain Pact 10, which is the best Blood Oath release I’ve tasted.
MORE NEWS:
More September goodness: Booker’s Master’s Distiller (‘24-03), Little Book, Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch, and a host of Penelope Bourbons are all slated for release. I’ll have reviews of some over the next month or so and may send out a bonus newsletter depending on the number of reviews I have.
Penelope’s second release of its annual Straight Rye Whiskey Toasted Series is now available. The first-ever release scored 99 points at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and won a Double Gold. This year’s limited allocation (9,000 six-bottle cases) is 95% rye and 5% with an MSRP of $74.99.
Four Roses Bourbon has announced that its 2024 limited-edition small-batch barrel strength will be released on September 14 at an MSRP of $220. If you want one of these limited-edition darlings, you'll have to go to the distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY, or the warehouse and bottling facility in Cox's Creek. Four Roses, in a press release, said it expects a large crowd, and bourbon is available on a first-come, first-served basis with a limit of one per customer. (Hey, Four Roses, take a cue from Old Forester and start a raffle process instead. You’ll reach more people that way.)
Remus Repeal VII, the delicious Ross and Squibb product, has hit shelves in —- you guessed it —- September. The Repeal is among the consistently excellent bourbons in its price class. You can read our September 2023 review here.
NICKEL AND DIMING AND NOW THE UPCHARGE
We’re all used to the continued increase in retail bourbon prices. We’re not happy about it, but we know anytime a bourbon gets popular — or worse, wins an award —- the price goes up.
But there’s a new and expanding practice that really irritates me. It’s the practice of charging an extra fee if you order a drink neat or with ice.
Here’s what happened. I ordered a two-ounce pour of Cincinnati Distilling’s small-batch Ohio Straight Bourbon. I see it around a lot, and this gave me a chance to sample it before buying. (I found it thin and pedestrian with little character, so that’s a no for me).
The two-ounce neat pour cost $9—or so I thought. When the bill came, there was a $2 upcharge. This establishment added the surcharge for any neat or on-the-rocks order, which pours at two ounces. There’s no upcharge for mixed drinks because they contain less liquor —- a 1.5-ounce pour.
Let’s call this what it is —- an underhanded money grab. I’m not quibbling about how a business sets its policies and price, nor do I care about paying the extra Jefferson. I’m quibbling about not being upfront with customers.
Sadly, I’ve seen this more often. Now, on the rare occasion I want a bourbon at a bar or restaurant, I ask what the size of the pour is, what the cost is, and whether there’s an upcharge. That irritates some bartenders, but, hey, tough. If you don’t ask, you could find yourself paying $16 plus a $4 upcharge for an Ezra Brooks 99 (a price I recently saw). That’s a hard pass. And if some establishment institutes an upcharge, that’s a hard pass for me, too. Just be upfront with pricing so we know what we’re paying for.
NEW: Reader reviews
I’ve had a few readers wonder if they can contribute their own short reviews. YES! If you find something you like or don’t, feel free to send in a paragraph about your thoughts. If the mood hits you, please include the proof and mash bill, if available.
REVIEW
Yellowstone Bourbon Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Cognac and Brandy casks
101 Proof
MSRP: $99
Yellowstone Bourbon Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished on Cognac and Brandy casks
Does the sweetness overshadow the burn?
HISTORY
The 2024 expression features the first double finish in French brandy and cognac casks. Bottled at 101 proof (50.5% ABV), it has a limited allocation of 10,000 cases (3-in) and will arrive on shelves in September.
MASH BILL: Blends of 7-year and 17-year-aged bourbons
Yellowstone Bourbon Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Cognac and Brandy casks
Let’s taste it:
🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass
👉🏻Nose: Pepper, ginger, pear, floral scents (mostly lavender), sweet cherry
👉🏻Taste: Caramel, pepper, sweet dried fruit (predominately cherry)
👉🏻Finish: Sweet pear, spicy pepper, marsala wine, oak
Yellowstone Bourbon Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Cognac and Brandy casks
Summary
There’s a lot going on here. It’s a bourbon that takes on characteristics of brandy (the sweet fried fruit) and cognac (oak, caramel). After the initial heat on the nose, you don’t think you’re going to get much until that fruit subtly pops. It has a long, sweet, and thick finish that’s perfect for sipping. This bourbon tastes hotter than 101 proof, with an immediate and pronounced medium burn going down. I don’t mind it and think it would be great on a cool evening. But some will need ice or water to cut this and make it more enjoyable.
Yellowstone Bourbon Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Cognac and Brandy casks
Conclusion
This is one of those tough bourbons because I need to consider how others might approach it (and I’ve found that some reading this newsletter buy bourbon after reading these reviews. NO PRESSURE!). Some will be turned off by the burn and the near $100 price tag, both legitimate concerns. You can buy two bottles of excellent bourbon for this price and be just as happy. For me, I like this quite a bit because I’m partial to sweet, higher proof bourbons. (This isn’t higher proof, but it has those characteristics.) If you’re curious about this one, do what I do —- buy a shot at a bar and take your time with it. The complexity changes the characteristics over time, and the third sip might leave a different impression than the first.
Have you tried the Yellowstone Bourbon Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, finished in Cognac and Brandy casks? What do you think?
REVIEW:
Evan Williams Bottled in Bond
100 Proof
MSRP: $19.99
Evan Williams Bottled in Bond
It’s always nice to find a solid bourbon at a price point that doesn’t make you choke.
Evan Williams Bottled in Bond
Mash bill:
78% Corn, 12% Malted Barley, and 10% Rye
Let’s taste it:
🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass
👉🏻Nose: Sweet caramel, vanilla, light oak
👉🏻Taste: Pepper, brown sugar, vanilla, caramel
👉🏻Finish: Spice, sugar, caramel
Evan Williams Bottled in Bond
Summary
This expression of the Evan Williams brand (made by Heaven Hill) doesn’t have the longest finish, boldest flavors, or make for the most memorable pour. It makes for all of that with price and consistency. It’s a very good daily drinker that sips well.
Conclusion – Evan Williams Bottled in Bond
I didn’t buy this for the longest because stores often relegate it to the bottom or near the bottom shelf, so my immediate placement bias kicked in. That was dumb of me. This is one of the better bourbons at its price point, and the price makes it a real winner.
Have you tried the Evan Williams Bottled in Bond? What do you think?
REVIEW: KANARS Old Fashioned Whiskey Glasses with Luxury Box - 10 Oz Rocks Barware
For some reason, I’ve found myself short of nice whiskey glasses. The KANARS looked great, got solid reviews, and seemed like a steal for $32.
The KANARS come in a beautiful boxed set that’s easy to display if you’re into that sort of thing. It’s an impressive-looking glass, but sadly, for me anyway, the appearance is its best quality.
The glass has decent weight but not the heft that I look for in a quality set of glasses. The edges and rims are a tad rough. While I’m not worried about cutting myself, I look for a glass that’s smoothly polished.
VERDICT: These are fine for what they are. Guests will be impressed, given that they look so good. And the 10 oz size makes a terrific cocktail glass. For me, I’ll look for something heavier and smoother. Beauty is only skin deep.
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Ray Marcano writes and publishes the Bourbon Resource monthly, and he’s president of the 32 Staves Society. He’s a bourbon lover and long-time journalist who freelances for some of the country’s largest media brands. He’s the former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, a two-time Pulitzer juror, and a Fulbright fellow.
The Evan Williams was really good, shocked that it's priced how it is.
When I feel like a bourbon and coke, this is the mixer