Mystery Monday Part 6: T
Updated: Jan 21, 2021
Taking a break from the series of unaged, agave mysteries and sampling some of the brown stuff. Smelled like pretty good bourbon as soon as I cracked it. I've been doing the mysteries in tandem with my wife, but she's not a bourbon fan so I spared her this round.
Notes were messaged for the reveal.
Nose: Well-aged bourbon (10+ yr). Dried berries. Smarties. Dark chocolate. Old oak. Faint herbal notes. Vanilla frosting.
Flavor: Red apple. Vanilla. Soft tannins - leather, sour oak.
Structure: Mellow early waves. Mid-palate witch’s hat proof spike. Settles nicely into a soft/medium finish.
Alcohol Integration: Guessing 110-115 proof. Some edges, but everything is pretty tidy.
Score: 7 (Highly Recommend) Does everything a higher proof bourbon with sweet-spot maturation should. I'd put this on par with quality-wise with Stagg Jr. Less character/nuance than my favorite Four Roses picks. Oak isn't as aggressive as ECBP.
Reveal: Wild Turkey Rare Breed LL/G
Post Reveal: I grabbed a bottle of this a year or so back and was really impressed as I worked through it. Glad it holds up blind. Nice return to form after some of those transitional batches.
Rating System
10 - Reevaluate The Budget
9 - Stash Two (If Able)
8 - Stash One (At The Right Price)
7 - Highly Recommend It To Strangers
6 - Solid - Above Average
5 - Acceptable For The Situation
4 - Not Vocally Complaining
3 - Wish I Was Drinking Something Else
2 - Nothing Nice To Say
1 - Drain Pour