Drink the Bottles

Every so often, when the timing is right and the aging process is exactly  where they want it to be, Augusta Distillery releases their Buckner's Single Barrel 13 Year Bourbon.  There are two things you should know about this bourbon; it is delicious and it always sells out - quickly!  The bottle we are tasting today has a "bonus" to it if are a proof hound, because this one is just a tick away from being considered a hazmat bottle.  Let's get into it... Reddish brown with streaks of burgundy throughout the bottle and Glencairn.  The packaging is eye-catching (yes folks, that matters) and this is one of those bottles that makes your heart skip a half of a beat when you see it in the wild.   The nose gives vibes of an old dusty bookstore, damp country road, grilling spices and buttercream frosting.  Tasted neat, we uncovered flavors of roasted nuts, cigar smoke, pecan pie filling and a peppery goodness.  Underlying interests of homemade vanilla...

  Just over a year ago I had the opportunity to taste Russell's Reserve 13 Year Old Bourbon for the first time.  A friend of mine had picked up a bottle locally for $107 (MSRP at the time was $99) and surprised me with a taste.  He knew, at the time, that this was on my top-10 "wish list" so I was ecstatic to have this opportunity.  We later discovered that he had Batch 2 of this limited release bourbon from Wild Turkey Distillery. The mash bill on this is 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley and it comes in just under 115 proof (114.8).  The initial nose was on the sweeter side with cinnamon toast, apple pie and baking spices at the forefront.  Admittedly, we didn't really let this one sit very long which was a mistake in hindsight.  In the mouth was a fruity and leathery blend of whiskey that brought to light more complexity with cracked pepper, cherry pie and maple towards the mid palate.  The 13 year oak helps frame this bourbon, bringing ...