New Liberty Bloody Butcher Bourbon (9 Months)

Appearance: deep gold with extremely thin and sticky legs Nose: Fresh cut grass. The youthfulness is certainly apparent. Taste: Primarily heat and sweet corn. The mouthfeel is mellow, with a persistent bitterness on the back of the tongue. A strong hit of cinnamon and peppermint is present. Overall: Not particularly appealing. Essentially, it's colored moonshine. It doesn't provide a strong flavor in a cocktail, and the taste doesn't linger long enough to be enjoyed neat. Received complimentary at an airport lounge. Did not finish.

To start, bourbon must be aged for four years. This was aged for only nine months. It's simply whiskey. Many purists are likely annoyed that New Liberty is labeling this as bourbon. Their tasting notes mention milk chocolate, butter, leather, and stone fruit. My tasting notes say... Hay. It tastes like dried grass. If this wasn't a gift, I would certainly regret buying it. It's not bad, but I definitely wouldn't call it good.

I was deceived into purchasing this. I saw a new bottle with a '9' on it and mistakenly assumed it was a 9-year-old for $50.00...it refers to the month (mos.). That's what happens when I'm in a hurry. It tastes harsh, and I couldn't even finish my drink. I might try mixing it with soda, and if that doesn't work, I'll save it for people I don't like. lol

Nose: Very sweet, almost like caramel or toffee candy. Cinnamon. Corn. Palate: Tastes of caramel apple and buttered sweet corn. Has a silky texture. Lacks oaky maturity, which is understandable given the 12-month age statement. Finish: A lingering finish with a very soft, slow burn, where cinnamon and caramel compete for dominance.

It just tastes like leather. I don't detect much else. A bit of heat. The aroma also smells off. I won't waste it, but I might use it for mixing.

It tasted like the smell of rain on dry earth in a bottle. I sampled it at the Reading Terminal Market after requesting something interesting.