Woodford Reserve: New Cask Rye vs Aged Cask Rye

Welcome back to the Blundon Bourbon Review! Today we're doing a comparison review of the 2011 Woodford Reserve Masters Collection. Both are 100% Rye and bottled at 92.4 proof with no age statement.The difference, is that one is aged in a new charred oak barrel while the other is aged in a barrel that has already been used. I love this 2012 release as it shows the significant impact that a barrel has on the aging process.

Color:

New Cask: Golden Brown

Aged Cask: Clear Straw

Nose:

New Cask: Evergreen, mint, vanilla, caramel, nutmeg, honey, chocolate, apples. Love this nose!

Aged Cask: Much more subtle. Citrus, vanilla, caramel, hay and grass.  Still quite enjoyable.

Taste:

New Cask:  Wintergreen, berries, chocolate, baking spices, cinnamon, oak. The rye is present but it doesn’t bite you. 

Aged Cask: Much more grain forward than the Aged Cask. The rye is lighter; earthy tones such as grass are very prevalent. It's still smooth, and the oak note is more subtle. Still very enjoyable.

Finish: For being 92.4 proof, both of these Ryes have a fairly long finish. 

New Cask:  Sweet vanilla and caramel linger along with a strong rye and oak presence.

Aged Cask:  Mint and evergreen linger with slight oak. 

Conclusion: I love this release because it's an experimental release that is not your typical rye. If the New Cask Rye was a part of Woodford Reserve’s regular production lineup it would certainly be something I would keep stocked in my home bar. It is extremely smooth; its full body and unique notes of berries, chocolate, wintergreen, and rye make for an excellent whiskey. The Aged Cask, while more subtle and grain forward, is also quite enjoyable (however not something I would buy regularly). 

Rating

New Cask: A (Great)

Aged Cask: B (Good)

Video Review:  

Barrell Bourbon Batch 001

Tonight I'm excited to review the first product from Barrell Bourbon: Batch 001. I had a great conversation with Joe, the founder of Barrell Bourbon and we discussed our mutual passion for barrel proof whiskey as well as his new company. Joe informed me that every batch they bottle will be different from the previous, and that the company thrives on that freedom. These folks are certainly passionate about small batch bourbon.

Batch 001 was distilled in TN and aged in KY. The mash bill for this bourbon is 70% corn, 25% rye, and 5% malted barley. Aged in new charred oak barrels for 5 years and bottled at 121.6 proof. 

Color: Golden amber- you can see slight barrel char sediment which really gives this juice added character.

Nose: The initial whiff is extremely inviting. Vanilla, honey, orange peel, marshmallows, baked cherry pie, caramel, walnuts, cinnamon, rye spice. 

Taste: The mouthfeel is thick and coats my tongue graciously.  Burnt sugars, maple syrup, applesauce, citrus, cinnamon toast crunch, vanilla, nutmeg, sugar cookies, black pepper. A nice balance of sweet and spicy.

Finish: A long, complex, and warming finish with oak char and rye spice.

Conclusion: These folks at Barrell Bourbon have delivered a fine small batch whiskey. I really enjoyed this neat, as the 121.6 proof is, in my opinion, the perfect sweet spot. It provides the bold flavors you hope to expect from barrel proof bourbon without being too hot (like most 130-140 proofers). The flavors are robust and the long finish leaves me wanting more. I certainly recommend this to all bourbon drinkers and look forward to tasting their future offerings.

More information can be found at there website: www.barrellbourbon.com

My rating: A (Great)

Video Review:

Cody Road Bourbon

Cody Road is a bourbon named after William “Buffalo Bill” Cody and made in Leclaire, Iowa, by the Mississippi River Distilling Company. The mash contains 70% corn, 20% wheat, and 10% unmalted barley An interesting fact about this bourbon is that it is aged (for 1 year) in 30 gallon oak barrels- almost half the size of a traditional whiskey barrel. This is batch #1, bottle #361 (2014) and it is bottled at 90 proof. 

Color: Light Straw

Nose:  Not typical of your average bourbon. There are heavy barley notes which is reminiscent of a single malt whiskey. Peat, corn, light vanilla, and caramel apples jump out of the glencarin glass. There is a final wave of agave which reminds me of drinking bad tequila during my college days.  Being honest, i'm not a big fan of this nose. 

Taste: The caramel on the nose breaks free and tastes just like a Werther's Original candy chew. Scotch like qualities continue to throw me off- is this really a bourbon or is someone pranking me right now? Peat, toffee, and a hint of oak form the back end of the palate. Still not impressed. 

Finish: Medium finish. Peat, caramel, smoke, little burn. 

Conclusion: Certainly not your typical bourbon. The unmalted barley really threw me off and had me checking the label to see if it was really a bourbon. While it was only aged for one year, the 30 gallon barrel did bring out more more oak. If you are a scotch fan at heart, this is for you. While this bourbon wasn't my cup of tea, the Mississippi River Distilling Company just opened in 2010, and I do look forward to tasting some of there other products in the future. 

My Rating: D (Poor)

Video Review:  

Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year

Tom Bulleit, the founder of Bulleit Bourbon is one of the most successful non-distiller producers (NDP).  They have three major products, which include their famous small batch Bulleit Bourbon, their Bulleit Rye (which is 95% rye), and most recently, a yearly release of a limited edition 10 year "Premium" Bourbon. The bourbon is made at Four Roses, which is in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Bulliet whiskeys stand out from many other products as they are known for having more rye in the mash bill. 

This release is bottled at 91.2 proof and was purchased for $49. 

Color: Foggy Orange

Nose: This has a rich nose full of caramel chews, vanilla, cherries and citrus. Maple, spearmint corn and raisins are also present. A bit of varnish here and for being 10 years old, the was oak influence is surprisingly strong. 

Taste: Thick mouthfeel (plus points in my book) with a mellow flavor profile. Vanilla, apple and orange peel are at the center of this bourbon. A nice marshmallow note coats the tip of my tongue along with a subtle spearmint and coffee bean note. Similar to the nose, the oak forces it's way into the mix along with rye and pepper spice.  

Finish: Medium in length. Spearmint lingers until the baking spices and oak dry out my palate.  

Conclusion: The oak influence is big and if you are a fan of woody/drier bourbons than this is for you. At 91.2 proof it is very easy to drink neat. The extra age really seems to cut out the sharp edges when compared to its younger brother.  Now, is it worth the extra $20 dollars over the no age statement Bulleit bourbon..yes, yes it is.
 
My Rating: B+ (Very Good)

My Review: 

 

Templeton Rye Whiskey

Bottled in Iowa, Templeton Rye, or "The Good Stuff" is a Pre-Prohibition Era recipe. As the story goes, this was Al Capone's whiskey of choice and it quickly found it's way to the center of the bootlegging empire.

 "...Uncle Al's favorite whiskey was the good stuff from Iowa...legends suggest that a few bottles even found their way inside the walls of Alcatraz to the cell of prisoner AZ-85."

With that being said, this uses the Midwestern Grain Products (MGP) recipe, so we are talking 95% rye in the mash bill. It is bottled at 80 proof and there is no age statement on the label, therefore we can assume it is a very young whiskey.

Color: Bright honey

Nose: A subtle nose with a very heavy rye push with hints of evergreen. Baked apple, pie crust, vanilla, honey, white grapes. 

Taste: A very light mouthfeel. A sleek rye spice, evergreen, standard MGP style herbal notes, vanilla wafers and white pepper. 

Finish: Rye spice, evergreen and subtle pepper vanish for a quick finish. 

Conclusion: The rye spice is masking a lot of the sweeter flavors that you would expect (...hope?) to pop in a young rye whisky. At $40 a bottle, the price tag is a bit steep. The 80 proof makes for a very drinkable pour but really drops my rating. I've said it before and I will say it again, I would love to see this at a higher proof. 

My Rating: C (Decent)

Video Review: