Batch 206 Old Log Cabin Bourbon

Rating: 10/23 Nose: Nectar. Possibly some artificial caramel. Banana, Fuji apple, vanilla. This is actually very fruity. I'm not at all sure I'd guess this was a bourbon based on the aroma. Palate: Oh, but this palate is bourbon. Super fruity bourbon, but there's plenty of wood and a fistful of spice here. I also get some smoky wafts. The spices are primarily white pepper, then a little ginger, clove, and cinnamon. That artificial caramel flavor comes through mixed with banana, vanilla, clover honey, a bit of Fuji apple appears and disappears. There's some viscous malty character that reminds me of Old Forester Signature, but younger and less full. Hints of cherry here and there. Perhaps I'm detecting some banana bread here. Finish: Banana, vanilla, white pepper, a bit of viscous malt, and plenty of minerals. A little artificial caramel, but it's reduced. A completely approachable finish. It's adequate. - Conclusion - My overall impression is that this is quite youthful. There's an interesting character present that I would really like to see developed further, but at the moment, it's too young. I find myself wanting to compare it with the regular Ancient Age and Early Times offerings. I think it's competitive within that group, but that's a fairly low-end set of spirits. I'm thinking this will be a 10 or 11. It lacks the mature sophistication to contend with something like regular Buffalo Trace. I'm inclined to say that Batch 206's Barrel Raider Irish whiskey is a superior product to this. Both could benefit from substantially more aging, but the Irish whiskey is more complex. Unfortunately, this is simply too young. I believe this will be a 10.

The aroma is very sweet, reminiscent of Balcones Baby Blue. There's some malt on the nose, but at 49% malted barley, the balance seems off. The palate initially tastes of young malt with its sweetness, followed by a viscous corn sweetness and a surprisingly intense burn. I'm not fond of the young flavor (actually dislike it), but the complexity does increase considerably. This is significantly better than Balcones Baby Blue, with fruity notes appearing towards the finish, adding richness. Still, I would have guessed this was a young malt-forward whiskey (which it appears to be) and considered it bargain-tier. I have mixed feelings about this bottle: it's superior to the Barrel Raider II due to its added complexity, but it still tastes young and reminds me of products like Shieldaig Class (i.e., bottom-shelf material). The craftsmanship is better than that of bottom-shelf scotch, but I wish it didn't evoke that comparison at all. The cloying Sherry sweetness is reduced here but not eliminated. This certainly tastes like young bourbon, which is unfortunate given its age. However, there's more complexity here than in young bourbon, and the balance is better despite its shortcomings. The flavor profile is also on the lighter side. I'd be interested to try a more aged version of this someday, but currently, it's not great and quite pricey. The complexity seems promising, indicating potential. At 12 years, this could be excellent. For now, it's mediocre and overpriced. The complexity is good, suggesting definite potential. At 12 years, this could be quite good.

This time, the aroma is sour, which I don't recall encountering before. The flavor is very delicate and thin, with almost no heat but not much distinct character either. I detect apple and the same sour note on the finish as I did on the nose.

A blend of bourbon and non-peated single malt. The taste is pleasant, the proof is too low, and the price is too high. The barrel strength version is superior but also more expensive.

To me, it smells like cereal. It's very thin and light on the palate, with minimal heat. The primary flavor is light oak, and the finish is short. The entire experience reminds me a lot of plain Cheerios.

A little rough. Burned the front and back of my tongue. Tasted more like a scotch.