Breckenridge Port Cask Finish

Rosy brown in color, with rather thin legs in the glass; drinking neat. The nose offers maple syrup and fruit, sweet but light, with a hint of vanilla oak in the background. The mouthfeel is a sweet and sour explosion. Dry and astringent ethanol, thin and meager. The finish is harsh, with astringent tannic oak and hot rye spice, but the finish is thankfully brief. An odd sour aftertaste. Trying this with ice alters it fundamentally. The vanilla and fruit sweetness mentioned by other reviewers emerges. The astringency decreases, the rye grass becomes apparent, but a dry, sour base flavor remains in the finish. It softens as it melts. In a word, much better with ice, but still a rather flat flavor profile. I'm attempting to envision this bourbon without the port cask finish ((shiver)). There's nothing deep or rich about it, not even substantial corn sweetness or a balanced rye grassiness. At a $60 price point, it's decidedly underwhelming. And quite disappointing. I plan to let this sit for a bit and retaste/re-rate, but currently, it's a 3 at best; perhaps a 3.25 with ice. Okay, after several evenings, my opinion on how it drinks neat hasn't shifted. However, on the rocks, it's a superior drink, and for that, I'll rate it a 3.25.

A sophisticated Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey, crafted by its founder and aged further in Tawny Port casks for six months. It begins with aromas of grain, wood, dark fruits, herbs, and spices. Its full and rich life offers notes of sweet corn, butterscotch, vanilla, and raisins, concluding with a warm, complex, medium-length finish of oak, rye spice, and metallic minerality. December 2023

Oh wow, this one is captivating! A nice, smooth bourbon with a subtle hint of heat that dissipates perfectly. It leaves a rather intriguing dryness, but not the harshness typically associated with dry bourbon. Late in the tasting, long after you think it's over, a pleasant hint from the port barrels makes a subtle appearance. A commendable pour!

I'm enjoying this rye bourbon. It has a sweet, caramel scent. The flavor is consistent from start to finish. Big rye taste with raisins, yet it also has a bourbon sweetness that lingers long after you're done. The port cask also makes its presence known at the end, with that port wine sugary taste remaining for a while.

The port dominates both the aroma and the palate; its flavor is quite pronounced. There are bitter, astringent tannins and a touch of wine sweetness. While I typically enjoy port cask whiskies, the equilibrium here is significantly off; it's all wine and no whiskey. The outcome is bitter and overwhelming.

Not enough port or rye spice for my liking. For my palate, it's just too mild for a port-finished high rye. I think this style really shines when the rye spices come through and the port notes balance them; this example is very muted on both fronts.