Backbone Bourbon Uncut Single Barrel

Big thanks to Trail Inn/Triangle for this store selection. I haven't tried the standard Backbone, which is certainly not ideal. This store pick is just under 5 years old and 123.4 proof. I purchased it based on a store employee's claim that it offered one of the purest chocolate flavors in bourbon. Let's find out if they were correct. (Note: this is not the same store where I was told Rhetoric 23 tasted like Pappy 23-year.) Tasted Neat: The nose is dominated by heavy vanilla and powdered sugar, with a hint of maple. It's a fairly standard, unremarkable aroma, but adequate. The palate arrived with a surprising smoked meat flavor, which I didn't anticipate. It's good, along with a rich chocolate taste. The mouthfeel on the finish is amazing. It creates an intense lip tingle that doesn't feel overwhelming elsewhere. But wow, my bottom lip is buzzing right now. There's more powdered sugar flavor here, and the chocolate fades with a slight dusty note. The finish is by far my favorite aspect of this drink. Usually, 'dustiness' strikes me as an undesirable flaw, but it works here. It's like finding a chocolate bar dropped on the basement floor, but it's still delicious, so I'm not repulsed. On the Rocks: The nose goes wild. That borderline unpleasant dustiness reappears. There's also a sweet cherry scent, creating a chocolate-covered cherry aroma. Possibly dropped on the floor. Still very pleasant within 5 seconds. Have you ever tried a new Powerade flavor and thought, "Wow, that tastes exactly like a margarita," even if you haven't had one in years? There's a recognizable quality that rings true. In a similar way, the palate on the rocks is comparable to Elijah Craig Small Batch. A perfect match. The finish is the same as the neat finish, with less tingle. I've criticized distilleries in Indiana before, and they deserved it. I stand by those criticisms. However... I believe my specific target of criticism was: "Any distillery north of Indianapolis." I'm pleased to confirm that I remain correct on that geographical point. For two reasons: 1. Being correct is satisfying. 2. This bourbon is a surprisingly delightful find (at least this store pick variation). I prefer it neat, because life is too short not to have your bottom lip buzzing. That was fantastic. The flavors were solid too. The more this whiskey was diluted, the more it resembled Elijah Craig. So much so, that I felt compelled to compare their mash bills. This whiskey: 70% corn, 25% rye, 5% magic dust. Elijah Craig: 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% unicorn tears. I'm impressed with this distillery. I prefer this to EC Barrel Proof, which is a significant compliment. If you can find this in your area, give it a try. If the standard version is disappointing, come to Northwest Indiana, and I'll gladly offer an apology and a taste of this exemplary store pick. This offer is valid until my bottle is empty.

After being pleasantly surprised by the quality of their 4-year Rye, I was eager to sample the Bourbon Barrel pick from my local establishment. My hopes were high for a similar delightful experience, though this time with elevated expectations. The aroma is quite sweet, almost like cola rather than caramel to me. There's a slight ethanol presence due to its youth, but it's not overwhelming. The initial taste is definitely caramel-forward. At 60% ABV, I anticipated it to be very intense, but it's surprisingly smooth. A gentle cinnamon warmth begins mid-palate, never reaching the intensity found in full barrel-proof offerings. The finish is pleasantly warming rather than burning, concluding with a soft butter toffee note. Overall, this isn't quite as surprising as the Rye. It delivers classic bourbon flavors exceptionally well for a 5-year-old. While the bottles might not be the most aesthetically pleasing, the spirit inside is quite good. I definitely suggest trying this brand if you encounter it.

Served neat. First pour from the bottle. Cork N Bottle 10 year Single Barrel. Incredible, I'd think this was a rye. I'm so surprised by this aroma. It reminds me of WhistlePig because it's so rye-forward. Beneath the dill and rye, I detect a hint of mint, smooth caramel, and butterscotch, a wonderful vanilla, and black pepper. I love this, but I'm shocked it's not a rye. A pleasant, smooth mouthfeel. Vanilla and black pepper on the tongue. It transitions to caramel, cherries, dill, vanilla, and butterscotch. It's definitely a more familiar MGP bourbon on the palate. The distinct dill is still a unique characteristic of this barrel. The dill really hits you strongly on subsequent sips. I'm aware this is the high rye mash bill, but it's so rye-forward that I'd estimate it's over 75% rye. Not barely rye like Pikesville, but predominantly rye. The cherry and butterscotch flavors in the palate ground it in typical MGP territory. Not the most delightful MGP I've had, but perhaps the most intriguing.

Consumed neat. Opened approximately 6 months ago. From a Cork n Bottle 7-year selection. My initial impression of this bottle was unremarkable. Upon revisiting it today, I detected a surprising green, grassy brightness for a 7-year spirit, which is unusual considering recent 5-year MGP bottlings that were rich and deep without such youthful notes. A delightful, rich butterscotch note is present, complemented by vanilla and baking spices, with a hint of cherry. The mouthfeel is medium, slightly thin at the edges. Bright vanilla at the forefront yields to butterscotch and baking spices. Cherry reappears on later sips and lingers in the legs. This represents an atypical MGP profile; while it has familiar elements, I likely wouldn't identify it as MGP blind. The prominent butterscotch note sustains the entire experience, though the overall quality is just acceptable.

Tasted neat. This is a selection from Gallenstein. It's 5 years old and 137.3 proof (!!!). The aroma initially hit with a blast of spice. There's a lot happening here, with prominent baking spice supported by abundant caramel, berries and cream, and cinnamon. It's delicious. It's the kind of aroma you can spend a long time dissecting. The mouthfeel is very thick. There's a lot going on in the taste, but a wave of heat dominated the first sip, which was distracting. After adjusting to the proof, brown sugar came through upfront, followed by maple, butterscotch, and just a touch of spice. The butterscotch becomes more pronounced over time. This is a fantastic dessert-style MGP expression. The 5-year age statement almost deterred me, but I'm very glad it didn't. It might be my favorite MGP. I'll need to compare it to Boone County.

When I was a child, my mother would take leftover pie crust pieces, shape them like a small flatbread, and sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar, adding a bit of butter. Add some rich caramel to that sweet flatbread, and you get the aroma of this one. Amazing! It's dark, rich, and thick. My tasting is from the last bit in the bottle, and it's slow to reveal itself. Very little alcohol on the nose at any point. The taste is potent but not overpowering. The caramel coats your tongue, and there's a subtle baking spice in the background. This is a very pleasant example of MGP distillate, unfortunately no longer available.