Bourbon is a section of the whiskey world that has only recently become something that interests me. I have to admit that to a large extent I had until a few months ago dismissed most drams with an e in them from America. My line would have been that they all taste the same and only have a place in a cocktail. Luckily, however i have patient friends, both online and in real life who have been generous with their own collections in order to point me to the light, that is a good bourbon. Now whilst I have experienced some very average bourbons, I have had a few like this one that stand out and have given me a window in a great an interesting world.
If you like me, haven’t tried any bourbons, then seek out some good ones and then make your mind up.
Price: £50-60
Appearance: Dark caramel brown, like drops of pretentious sugar work on the pudding of a Masterchef loser.
Aroma: Vanilla, Oak, Lime and floral furniture polish.
Taste: Both sweet and sour initial flavours are present in this dram, like boiled sweets combined with sour candy.
These give way into an unmistakably bourbon middle. All oak, dark brown sugar and vanilla. Here there is also a nutty flavour that reminded me of Cadbury Whole Nut chocolate. It is for me these nutty flavours that mark out this bourbon as a different, more interesting than average bourbon.
Finally as the sweetness and notes elapse there is a spicy, fruit peel led end, like a super awesome mince pie. The kind of mince pie that would force you to quickly consume the whole packet.
Mouthfeel: Sweet, nutty and yet still spicy.
Overall: I thought that this was a great bourbon, lots of the great notes that are familiar to this genre of whiskey, whilst having enough interesting different things to raise it above the tons of average bourbons out there.
Real Dram Factor: 8.3
Source: A sample, from the lovely @adramaday’s extensive American whiskey collection.
More Information: www.oldforester.com
Buy Online: Difficult to buy online, why not ask your local dram shop to get it for you!