Blood Oath Pact No. 2 Bourbon

This is the second annual release of Blood Oath Bourbon.  Similar to the first, it’s a blended bourbon of three different whiskeys, and is a onetime limited release. I'm typing limited with a smirk on my face because there are about 22k bottles available.

  Details:
-Blend consists of the following:
-7 year rye bourbon finished in port barrels
-11  year wheated bourbon
-11 year rye bourbon
-98.6 proof (human body temperature)
-Price: $99

Nose: Pact No. 2 boasts a nutty aroma with a sweet tinge. Plenty of vanilla, with dried fruits, cherries, and cocoa powder.

Taste: Bursting with red fruit sweetness, it’s velvety and soft. It’s a nice mixture of sweet corn, vanilla cream, peanuts, and black pepper.  The spice intensifies toward the end. 

Finish: Longer than anticipated. Mellow vanilla lingers with a backbone of spice and oak. 

Conclusion: Blood Oath Pact No. 2 is good bourbon. I'm normally not a fan of port barrel finished whiskey, but as this was only the case for 1/3 of the blend, I found it rather enjoyable. At $99, it's 10 bucks more than Pact No. 1. I hope this trend doesn't continue in years to come. The marketing is amazing, but don't let it fool you.

My Rating:  B (Good)
 
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Bourbon Brothers Review:

 

E.H. Taylor Jr. Rye Whiskey

Recently I've been delving into the world of E.H. Taylor Jr. whisky. It's a nice world indeed, and if you have never taken a trip, I suggest you pack your bags and get spontaneous. Today for review, I'm enjoying E.H. Taylor Straight Rye. Buffalo Trace uses a unique mashbill for this whiskey, consisting of a vast majority of rye with some barley...no corn! I was very surprised to learn this as all other Buffalo Trace rye -i.e. Sazerac 18 and Baby Saz- contain a significant amount of corn. 

Details:

-At least 4 years old

-100 proof 

-Price: $70

Nose: Herbs and fresh mint pop at front of the nose. Fresh dill, some black pepper, and rye spice combine for a vivacious aroma.

Taste: Waves of spice crash on the tip of the palate. Mint and caramel follow, with a subtle sweetness fading in and out. There is a decent dose of green/herbal notes. The flavors all seem vibrant and fresh. A lengthy, savory, and spicy backbone combines for a nice depth. 

Finish: Medium in length with more of that dominant spice.

Conclusion: With such a high rye content, this tastes similar to the typical Monongahela Rye being mass produced in Indiana, except it's way better. I will say, this took some time to open up. It is by no means a cheap whiskey, and I was dead set on giving this a "B" rating until I worked my way into the bottle.

My Rating:  B+ (Very Good)

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Bourbon Brothers Review:

Bulleit Barrel Strength Bourbon

This is a brand new whiskey from Bulleit Distillery which is limited and currently only sold in Kentucky. My brother in law picked this up at the distillery gift shop earlier this year during his second stent on the bourbon trail.

 Details:
-No Age Statement
-119 proof 
-Price: $50

Nose: Immediately you smell a brown sugar and cinnamon note. The typical caramel and vanilla sweetness follows. There is a subtle spice lurking in the background as well. Nothing too complex; at cask strength you are predominantly getting those heavy barrel components.

Taste: Extremely smooth- this doesn't drink like a barrel proof bourbon. On the tip of the tongue is a nice marshmallow sweetness. It's fairly nutty, with graham cracker and pepper spice to balance it all out.

Finish: Medium in length with slight spice and oak.

Conclusion: This is a very smooth and drinkable bourbon. I'm just surprised this is barrel proof; the flavors aren't extremely bold or exciting. I do enjoy this more than the flagship, 90 proof Bulleit bourbon. It's a solid whiskey but the price tag makes me think twice about buying another bottle.

My Rating:  B (Good)

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Bourbon Brothers Review:

E.H. Taylor Jr. Seasoned Wood Bourbon

The latest E. H. Taylor bourbon has just been released in limited quantities!  I was excited to get my hands on this as it's the first wheated bourbon in the E.H Taylor collection. In addition, seasoned wood is unique as it refers to a proprietary process used to season the staves before they were crafted into barrels.

Details:

-Bottled in Bond, press release states "aged for well over a decade"

-100 proof 

-Price: $69

Nose: Sweet caramel and vanilla cake wrapped in a soft wheat bouquet. It's a very delicate aroma, packed with citrus notes, spicy clove, black pepper, and charred oak.  

Taste: Sweet upfront with a bright mid palate bursting with caramel, butterscotch, and orange peel. The body is soft, yet it's complexity is enhanced by a backbone of spices, predominantly clove, cinnamon, black pepper, and oak.

Finish: Shorter than anticipated with an aftertaste of spice and wood. 

Conclusion: Every time one of these limited bourbons is announced, a cloud of hype is formed and the internet is abuzz with anticipation. All in all, this is your standard Buffalo Trace wheater with additional layers of depth and complexity; it's a very good bourbon that easily met my expectations.

My Rating:  B+ (Very Good)

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Bourbon Brothers Review:

Blanton's Straight From The Barrel

The Blanton's product line (Buffalo Trace Distillery) consists of four different bourbons. Domestically we can get our hands on the flagship, single barrel bottle. In international markets however- including some cruise destinations- there are three other options which are not available in the United States. While on a cruise stop in Grand Cayman, my brother-in-law stumbled across a few of these international bottles. We wanted to hold onto these for special occasions, and decided to pick Blanton's straight from the barrel as  our 100th Bourbon Brothers video review. I want to say thanks to all my readers (and watchers for those of you who subscribe to our Youtube channel) for the support; enjoy the review, and here's to 100 more!

Details:

-2013 release, barrel 184

-No Age Statement

-130.9 proof 

-Price: $50

Nose: Wow. Upfront is an intense foundation of brown sugar, fortified by a bold fudge and vanilla-icing sweetness. Multiple layers of baking spices and toasted oak construct a mouth-watering aroma.

Taste: Immediately you are met by a deep and robust profile; there is a sweet tobacco backbone which transitions from start to finish. Brown sugar, leather, toasted oak. It's complexity is heightened by the never-ending layers of spice- cinnamon, clove, and black pepper.

Finish: This bourbon stays in your chest for a long, long time. It's enticingly smooth, with sweet tobacco and toasted oak.

Conclusion: This is one hell of a bourbon- the fact that it can only be purchased internationally in a damn shame. If you live overseas or are lucky enough to stumble across a bottle, pick one up and thank yourself later.

My Rating:  A (Great)

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