Larceny is 45% alcohol by volume, whereas Maker's Mark has 45%. First released in 2021, Dickel 8-Year Bourbon is the company's first official foray into bourbon whiskey, and it's a value-driven powerhouse. Now, she's struck out on her own, and in the tail-end of 2022 she debuted her first independent effort a tribute to her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama put out by the city's upstart distillery, Dread River. Booker's 25th (Probably gets some subconscious points from knowing it was a one-time release) Now, Top 5 that are fairly available (or sufficiently bunkered): 1. Many of these regional brands were ones gobbled up by the big distillers in the consolidation that followed Prohibition in the US or they are expressions that were left out of the marketing campaigns that created the big national brands. There can be no doubt that a certain 3-word labelhas greatly influenced bourbon and bourbon demand over the past decade. W L Weller, Special Reserve Bourbon, NAS, 45% ABV, is produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery by Sazerac. Going in, I didnt give this much of a chance for my palate. On the palate, there is caramel and brown sugar, along with vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and charred oak. This is another classic bourbon with a distinctive caramel and vanilla aroma on the nose. But that is why I taste blind: I dont want to be influenced by brand name. It's a whisky I could drink any time and not get bored with and the 92 proof makes it a prime candidate for cocktails. I walk in and find 15 year old Pappy in a red velvet sack sitting on the shelf for about sixty dollars a bottle. Now, thanks to rising whiskey prices and a consistently strong product, the brand shortened to OGD by fans has a cult following. The bourbon category has never been more popular than it is right now. This mash bill leans more heavily into the rye, creating a solid base for two very closely related bourbons. Old Forester Single Barrel Rye Whiskey (Barrel Proof) - T3. This is what you drink when you need a break from barrel-proof juice. It's also the first brand. Weller Special reserve has much in common with its more famous cousins, but sells, at least officially, at an average price of around $30a fraction of the cost of the Pappy expressions. Im not ranking single barrel releases, or one-time releases. And its a bartenders dream for its mixability. ABV: 50% This year, as I did last year, I solicited nominations from Bourbon Pursuit listeners, who are an engaged bourbon consumer base that understand what everyday truly means. The exact mash bill is kept a secret but word on the street is that its a fairly low-rye mash bill with 12 to 15 percent rye. ABV: 50% The finish is medium length, smooth, showing caramel sweetness and pralines, along with spice and some oak notes. I want to really sit there and think about it when Im drinking it, Minnick says. Retail - $250; . Id certainly make a few changes here and there. The toffee and oak mingle in the end as it slowly dissipates. Medley also makes a 12 YO expression bottled at 43.4% ABV, which is outstanding. This is a departure from the classic Jim Beam mash we mentioned in the lede. It now goes on to compete for Best American Whiskey. I realize you wrote this article a few years back, however it is still relevant. But I worried its subtleties could get lost in a deep field, which this was. It's probably a mixture of under-valued and underrated but Larceny is excellent bourbon for close to $25. Nice, easy-drinking proof? The other is recipe E and is 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley. Vanilla and toffee are present with a sense of the wheat. I didnt find this note, however, and it failed to impress in the field. Luxcos Old Ezra line could be one of the best-kept secrets in whiskey. After 20 years, they, too, begin to deteriorate- and they do it quickly. Its price, proof and age suggest it could be your next home bar staple. Weve highlighted that time and again. On the palate, the whiskey has a cooked corn sweetness, with notes of honey, dried peach, tropical fruit, vanilla, caramel and burnt sugar, along with some faint strawberry notes. 2020 ModernThirst. It bears no age statement and is bottled at 92 proof. Name: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Whisky Age: NAS Proof: 115 Proof (57.5% abv) Type: Straight bourbon whiskey Mashbill: 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley Producer: Brown-Forman Corporation Website: https://www.oldforester.com/products/old-forester-1910-old-fine-whisky/ Glassware: Glencairn Review document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Thanks in advance. This high percentage makes the whiskey sweet and complex, a great choice for those looking for something inexpensive but rich with flavor. The latter is a blend of a 16-year-old bourbon and a 15-year-old high-rye bourbon that pays tribute to the family's first distiller, Jacob Beam, and it's said to be some of the best bourbon being produced at the busy distillery. Similar to the straight version, it is smoother, with a little more citrus on the nose and palate and a little dried peach on the finish. Tasting notes include Heath Bar and leather on the nose, with cinnamon candies, roasted vanilla and rye coming through in the palate. Old Forester is one of the oldest whisky houses in America (yes, they spell whisky without the "e"). That extra time is why the Single Barrel costs three times more than a regular old bottle of Wild Turkey. Its important to note that this was just one taste off, and I am one taster. On the palate, the Old Forester 86 has a decent body showing a medium texture. On the palate, you have caramel, brown sugar, candied nuts, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cooked corn sweetness, some mint and a lingering pepperiness. The whiskey carries no age statement but is believed to be a blend of whiskeys between four and 20 years old. Larceny and Maker's Mark can be viewed as offshoot descendants of that distillery due to the connections the labels have with those original three or connections the distillers had with the principal players in that distillery. Once again, this wonderful bourbon was in the running to win it all. It's a robust whiskey that pulls off the wheated softness without becoming weak and spineless. It is an heir to the Old Fitzgerald franchise; one of the first wheated bourbons. ModernThirst's Comparison Reviews of Wheated Bourbons: 2020 ModernThirst. Old Forester 86 Proof Bourbon Review . Its not complex, but the sweetness is really nice the way it hits the palate. So its whiskey, at a great proof point of 86 and an age that Minnick says is roughly five-and-a-half years old, goes for less than $20. Its estimated that there are over 3,500 historic brands of bourbon in the United States. I like it. The result is bottled at 93 proof. The whiskey is based on a mash bill of 62% corn, 28% rye and 10% malted barley. Pappy Van Winkle, in his infinite wisdom, allegedly chose wheat in his recipe because he felt is matured more quickly, and bourbon could be moved to market at a younger age. We relied on one of the most-esteemed bourbon experts in America, Fred Minnick. // < ! The taste is sweet and spicy with a hint of herbaceousness. Really looking forward to the release of the RY 10 Single Barrel. Theres a clear sense of bourbon vanilla next to creamy corn and plenty of honey sweetness. He has contributed frequently to our bourbon coverage over the years and is someone we regard as a friend. Yet, it always sort of baffles me when people go on about Evan Williams (which is the same mash bill as Elijah Craig at Heaven Hill) but not this. Sure. The juice starts its time in a new charred oak barrel (as it should) before its dumped into a second charred oak barrel that's been more deeply toasted. Old Forester Signature Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, NAS, 50% ABV, is the oldest bourbon brand in the US and the first bourbon to be sold in bottle. But by and large, I find traditional bourbons aged past 12 years to be more often worse than their younger siblings (Elijah Craig is a good example). From your daily sipper to the best bottle to bring to a party, here are the best bourbons to drink in 2023. Makers 46 is a good pick. The end is rich with a note of toffee and a whisper of salted caramel. The juice is the same stuff that goes into Woodford, although this entry is blended with different barrels for an end product thats a great, basic bourbon at a great price. That leaves lots of expressions of excellent bourbon, many made by those same national producers, which are available only on a regional basis or have limited distribution. The sip leans more into the caramel apples on the end and skips the citrus yet stays warm and mellow. Its got so much flavor to it, so much complexity its just brilliant whiskey., Are we including bottles that are impossible to find? Minnick asks. There is also a Russel Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon that is bottled at 55% ABV, and is matured in barrels that have been toasted to a #4 alligator char. The 10 YO sells for around $35 per bottle, while the single barrel expression sells for around $55. For instance, Jim Beam, Bakers, Knob Creek, Old Crow, and Old Taylor all have the exact same mash bill (75/13/12 corn/rye/barley), barrel char (level #4), and barreling proof (125 proof). With no effort and normal market prices, I can have Makers, Larceny, and OWA. Old Forester 1870's name refers to the year that Brown-Forman founder George Garvin Brown began batching whiskey from three different distilleries (Atherton in Bardstown, Mattingly in Marion and Mellwood in Louisville) to ensure a consistent product. The whiskey sells for around $25. Average Price: $26. At 12 years, they become really nice sips, and out towards 20 years, they can still be outstanding whiskey. Weve already talked about how Weller and Pappy are the same wheated bourbon, so lets give Heaven Hills wheated bourbons some love. Our tester found that the 12-year is a little rough around the edges neat it is meant to be an affordable bourbon, after all but dropping in an ice cube really opens up its sweet wheat side. This was a single release of only 2,500 bottles. Larceny Bourbon ABV: 46% Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery, Louisville, KY Average Price: $26 The Whiskey: This is the exact same juice that's just aged a little less. First, bourbon can only be made in America, and its grain bill must include at least 51 percent of corn. Subscribe to his YouTube Channel to watch his Best American Whiskey taste off December 20. There are, after all, aging variables in play from the length in the barrel to where in the rickhouse the barrel rested to how the master blender married different barrels to create the final product. It's our best overall bourbon not by way of life-altering tasting notes which include marmalade, honey and maple but by stuffing the stat sheet in a way no other bourbon can. Some expressions have a characteristic leather aroma, although this is not true of all of the bottlings. But theres so many wonderful bourbons available. Wheated Bourbon Throwdown: Larceny vs. W.L. Been there, done that, feel silly never again. Give the whiskey a few minutes to open up and for the alcohol burn to dissipate. This is an excellent mixing bourbon to have on hand. Relative to Kentucky, theyve been around for a few days. Bourbon, the Great American Spirit, is not as simple as one might think. Ill have to revisit this sometime soon and update the list. At $30 per bottle, this is an outstanding value for an aged, over-proof, classic bourbon. Larceny is a wheated bourbon made from a blend of selected barrels made in honor of this legend. His son, Eddie Russell, took over as Wild Turkeys Master Distiller in 2015, after 35 years with the company. This is a classic bourbon thats been around for a long time. Please be responsible. Little did I know, this substitute would play a big role in my blind tasting. It is bottled without an age statement at 80 proof. These bargain bourbon brands can all be had for $25 or less, so make sure keep your home bar stocked! This whiskey is much better known then the expressions cited above. That bottling is aged at least four years in new, charred American oak. Its really a question we get very often: What are the Best Wheated Bourbons? The juice is a throwback to Colonel Blanton who expanded the distillery in the 20th century and used to handpick barrels for his personal stash in warehouse H. The bottle in-and-of-itself has become a collectors item with the small horse on each cork varying slightly. A touch of water brings out more sweetness.