February's Selection
This month I sourced the tasting selection to our Facebook page and got a couple of recommendations. It was an interesting group of whiskeys because they didn’t follow any real theme other than the fact we wanted to try them.
Over time, we’ve had a lot of people become regulars and leave to new locations for work and other opportunities, so the 2 whiskeys that were reviewed here were evaluated for the first time by all of the members at this meet, which made the reviews that much more fun.
Angel's Envy Port Barrel Finished Kentucky Bourbon
Angel's Envy, Lawrenceburg KY
Overall
5.11/ 10
Burn
5.89/ 10
Specs
Age: Blended, N/A
ABV: 43.3 % or 86.6 proof
Price (Oregon State): 750 ML $49.95
(Value) Our club average value placed on this bottle was $27.88
(Flavors) sugary, light, rosemary, spearmint, basil, spruce, black licorice, old leather, raisins, spices, dry red wine
(Notes) This whiskey has all the buzz words. Small batch, port barrel finished, etc. It doesn’t have the punch or complexity that we were hoping for though. The quality is good, but it’s light and the flavors are muddled. It’s very comparable to Basil Hayden’s.
I don’t think any of us would turn down a glass of this, but suffice to say none of us would pay $50 a bottle for it. On the other hand, if a friend was looking for a $50 bottle to give as a gift to someone who was new to whiskey, this is what I would recommend.
Last featured tasting (click here)
Distiller’s website (click here)
A completely different group of people reviewed this whiskey at one of our first clubs reviewed this as part of our first Non-Kentucky Bourbon (click here to see how that went) tastings. What’s great is that both groups got some similar flavors, a deep sense of complexity, and conflicting opinions.
This bourbon is truly one of a kind. It represents a journey for us and brought us a sensation of a shared experience, and that doesn’t always happen with a taste of whiskey.
Bowman Brother's Pioneer Spirit
A. Smith Bowman Distillery, Fredricksburg VA
Overall
6.22/ 10
Burn
5.44/ 10
Specs
Age: 6 to 7 years
ABV: 45 % or 90 proof
Price (Oregon State): 750 ML $29.95
(Value) Our club average value placed on this bottle was $25.63
(Flavors) Roses, lavender, jasmine, lemon bars, margarine, turkey gravy, angostura bitters, spicy apple, pecan, beets, brown gravy, Washington apples, licorice, earthy, bitter, poached pear, bad wood, cheap honey, parsnip
(Notes) This is one of the most conflicted tastings we’ve ever done. Some members said they couldn’t rate this as a bourbon because the flavor was so far off from other bourbons. The flavors were complex and shifting. It starts sweet, becomes savory, and ends with a light and bitter taste. The scores ranged from an overall of 3 / 10 to an overall of 9 / 10.
The one common note about this whiskey was that it was an experience. Some whiskeys just have flavor but this one really felt like a memory of sorts, and for that even those who didn’t care for it said it’s worth trying. Our club’s recommendation, give it a shot and form your own opinion.
Last featured tasting (click here)
Distiller’s website (click here)
Four Roses Small Batch
Four Roses Distillery, Lawrenceburg KY
Overall
5.22/ 10
Burn
6/ 10
Specs
Age: Blended, N/A
ABV: 45 % or 90 proof
Price (Oregon State): 750 ML $39.95
(Value) Our club average value placed on this bottle was $29.38
(Flavors) Several comments were made about the whiskey having a yeasty taste like marmite. Also common were notes about pear and spices.
Nutmeg, cloves, paprika, red pepper flakes, caramel, maple, eggnog, honey smacks, vanilla, apple, earthy, bitter, corn
(Notes) Most of our members have had Four Roses other bottles and have been off put by the brand which is why we haven’t reviewed this one before. However, a member requested it so we tried it.
The reality is, this isn’t a bad bottle of whiskey aside from the weird marmite flavor we all got. Next to other $40 bottles, it falls pretty short of what we expect. If you get this as a gift or it just happens to be available, you might like it. Otherwise, we’re not sure what the hype is about.
Last featured tasting (click here)
Distiller’s website (click here)
This whiskey was one of our first. I was once told, “You never forget your first.” If you want to see how that went check out our first post ever here! It’s one of those great whiskeys that tastes high-quality and has a great feel to it. When our club found out it was a $30 bottle of whiskey several members announced it to be their new go-to whiskey. It comes highly recommended, and it’s a clear winner.
1792 Small Batch
BARTON 1792 DISTILLERY
Overall
7.44 /10
Burn
6.78/ 10
Specs
Age: N/A
ABV: 46.85 % or 93.7 proof
Price (Oregon State): 750 ML $29.95
(Value) Our club average value placed on this bottle was $45.63
(Flavors) Multiple comments were made about being earthy and having a nice viscosity and mouth feel. Most of us got some form of cola.
Roses, maple, peppercorn, spice, shoe leather, char, dry aged fruit, vanilla, floral, caramel, apple skins, raisins, dark chocolate, saddle leather.
(Notes) Our club really enjoyed this whiskey. Next to the others we tasted, it was a clear winner. After I revealed the price to the club they were ecstatic. This may be the best value for a bottle we’ve had so far. I’ve yet to hear a bad thing from anyone about it, and our club is usually pretty diverse in its palettes. For the price this should satisfy a relatively new drinker as well as someone who drinks whiskey regularly.
Last featured tasting (click here)
Distiller’s website (click here)
