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:
Hello my bourbon friends! I wanted to kick off the month of May with something special- I figured it should be a review from one of my favorite distilleries and I also wanted to do something that I have not done before. I am excited bring you the reader (and watcher for those of you who subscribe to our youtube channel) the first, of many, comparison reviews! With the help of my bourbon brother (@Jeff_Ewart) we sat down and decided to compare Eagle Rare 10 and Eagle Rare 17. Eagle Rare 10 90 Proof, Single Barrel, 10 years old. Color: Dark Copper Nose: Sweet and elegant. Vanilla, brown sugar, cherry pie, floral, honey, cinnamon, subtle rye. Taste: Sweetness on the tip of the palate. Medium bodied mouthfeel with little to no burn. Caramel candies, vanilla, rye, baking spices, clove, oak. Finish: Fairly long and warming. Eagle Rare 17 Spring 2013 Release- After reviewing the fact sheet that was provided by BuffaloTrace, the age for this release of ER 17 is actually 19 years. The year of Distillation was Spring of 1993 and the bottling year was Spring of 2013. Like its younger brother, it is also a single barrel and bottled at 90 proof. Color: Rustic Amber Nose: Cigar box, tobacco, brown sugar, candied fruits, cinnamon. Taste: Medium mouthfeel, very smooth. Subtle rye spice. Tobacco, black pepper, leather, and oak take the bull by the horns and never let go. Finish: Very long. Leaves the palate very dry. Tobacco, pepper, and oak linger. Conclusion: The 10 year is a
well balanced bourbon that is very smooth and sweet for sitting 10 years
in the oak. I enjoyed this, and at $25-30 a bottle, I will eventually
buy it again. The 17 year is fairly one dimensional in comparison to its younger brother. However, what it does it does well, and if you are a fan of the dry, tobacco and cigar box style flavor profile, you will love Eagle Rare 17. It certainly fills a special niche in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.While both are in the very good category, I have to prefer the 10 year givin the overall balance, price, and availability. Rating for both: B+ (Very Good)
Hi everyone, thanks for checking back in for another entry of the Blundon Bourbon Review. It's Derby week, and with the race right around the corner, we have a very fitting review: Rock Hill Farms! This single barrel bourbon is a product of the Sazerac Company (Buffalo Trace), and is bottled at 100 proof with no age statement. Color: Golden Amber Nose: A unique yet balanced mix of sweet and spicy. Vanilla, syrup, creamed corn, spicy oak, pepper, pine, hay, brown sugar, dried fruits, grains. Taste: Medium-full bodied mouthfeel. Oak spice, subtle rye, black pepper, caramel, oats, barley, and subtle mint. Finish: Long and tasty. Spicy oak is dominant. Leather and hay also linger for lasting warmth. Conclusion: I really enjoyed this bourbon. It has a rich flavor profile that is fairly unique, yet well balanced. At a $50 price tag, this bottle is a great one time purchase, however, not something I would keep stocked at the home bar. My Rating: B+ (Very Good)
Tom Bulleit, Master Distiller for @BulleitUSA has created a great product in Bulleit Rye. It is said to be a 19th century family recipe. It is a small batch, 95% rye whiskey bottled at 90 proof with no age statement. The juice is sourced from Midwestern Grain Products (MGP) and is made in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Color: Damp Copper Nose: Lots of herbal notes.Evergreen, mint, cut grass. Neat nostalgia factor here- it reminds me of playing in the grass as a kid. Sweet caramel is hidden under the leaves somewhere. Taste: Heavy rye spice with a smooth and delicate mouthfeel. Evergreen, green tea. Finish: Herbal notes wisp away for an extremely short finish. Conclusion: Be it hard pressed to find a better rye whiskey at a $20 price tag. That being said, the blade cuts both ways, and Bulleit Rye has a fairly one-dimensional presence on the palate. It is very drinkable and was fine when drinking neat, however, I recommend it be mixed in cocktails (Manhattan for instance). I would love to try this at a higher proof and older age statement. My Rating: B (Good)
Michter's Distillery has been churning out products rather rapidly over the past two years, recently receiving the recognition as 2012 Distiller of the Year. This small batch bourbon is my first Michter's product. There is no age statement on the label (however it is "matured to the peak of perfection"). This bottle is from batch No. 1272 with a proof of 91.4. Color: Late summer honey Nose: Extremely sweet, floral and elegant. Vanilla, maraschino cherries, cream of corn, brown sugar, Dr. Pepper. Taste: Subtle caramel sweetness that fades rapidly and transitions into a rocky crescendo of earthy and leathery notes. Straw, rye bread, charred oak and tobacco dominate. Finish: Short finish. Very smooth and extremely easy to drink neat at 91.4 proof. Oak lingers and my palate is left dry as if I just smoked a cigar. Conclusion: Michter's claims to use "pre-revolutionary war quality standards" dating back to 1753. Well, it should be a crime against humanity to present such an elegantly complex nose yet leave such a flat presence on the palate. While this is a very smooth bourbon with an decadent nose, the lack of intrigue on the palate and the flat "dry mouth" finish leave a lot to be desired. For me, this was a must try, and while it did get better with time, at $39.99, I won't be buying another. My Rating: C (Decent)
