Calumet Farm 8 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Calumet Farm 8YR (reportedly sourced from Barton) *APPEARANCE: Pours a surprisingly pale color into my Glencairn. I'm almost embarrassed to admit I bought this mainly for the updated packaging. It resembles a bottle you might get if you ordered "Pappy" from an online marketplace. It will have a prominent spot in my collection. *AROMA: The aroma raises my expectations! Oak, Cinnamon Discs, Fall Mulling Spice, Cedar, Leather, Pipe Tobacco, and a Hint of New Carpet. *NEAT:...and the palate brings my hopes crashing down. The disappointingly thin mouthfeel delivers Leather, Cedar, Salted Butter, Slightly Bitter Tannins, and Cracked Black Pepper. A Warming Finish with a decent Kentucky Hug, coating the palate with Cedar and Light Tannins. It somehow seems both underproofed and too hot simultaneously. The flavors are present but feel thin and muted. Simply not good. *SPLASH: A little water helps somewhat. The Fall Spice note is enhanced on both the nose and palate. The tannins become a bit sweeter. *CONCLUSION: I knew I was taking a chance on this one since the Barton profile is often a gamble for me (usually a miss). This was perhaps the most "Fall-like" Barton I've experienced. I typically detect Cinnamon, Apricot/Peach/Prune, and Cherry, but this one leaned more towards Leather, Tobacco, and Spices. The nose was so bold and full of potential, yet the palate was muted and thin. When will I learn to trust my gut and skip the attractive bottle to grab that other $30 bottle of Buck 8 Year? In a contest between the two 8-year-olds, this one is clearly outmatched.

The store employee suggested, "Try it, you'll like it," so I bought a bottle. The expectations aren't excessively high since it's from an NDP. Upon researching at home, I discovered it's Barton's mashbill. I'm not fond of their younger expressions, but this is crafted from fewer than 50 barrels of 8-year-old spirit. The aroma is pleasant though restrained, with notes of sweet corn, caramel/vanilla, and a citrus element, despite its very light color. The palate delivers a basic bourbon sweetness that isn't offensive but is unremarkable (so why am I writing this review?). It's not bad, but I paid $37, and I've seen it for $50. The bottle is empty now, so I'll pass on it at either price in the future!

Perhaps I've sampled too many high-proof spirits lately, but this one underwhelmed me. The aroma is fruity, with notes of caramel apple and citrus. A hint of honey. I also detect sweet corn, which aligns with its mash bill. However, none of that sweetness truly comes through in the taste for me. I'm getting much more spice, specifically black pepper and rye. The mouthfeel was also quite thin. After a few more sips, I detected some smoky, black cherry flavor. It added a bit more complexity, but not enough for my preference. It's by no means a bad whiskey, but I would personally opt for a different $50 purchase.

The aroma is like sticking my nose directly into a family-sized bag of original Skittles. In other words - sweet! However, I'm fond of sweetness, so it bodes well. The palate consists of all those fruity flavors mingling together. Yet, it's a rather uninteresting sweetness, as if a few drops of simple syrup were added to my glass. It's not bad, per se, but seems unoriginal. The finish is also a pleasant, though unremarkable, sweetness. I could easily drink a lot of this very quickly without much thought. The issue is that I prefer a bit of complexity in my drink.

👃 A strong cherry aroma. 👄 Very enjoyable. I wanted to sample a product from this brand before committing to the older, more expensive ones. Now I feel compelled to purchase the older expressions. This is excellent and still reasonably priced. 🏁 Likely not as impressive as the taste, but it is lengthy and still pleasant.

It's drinkable, but not my top choice. Something feels slightly off with the finish. Also, it has a surprising amount of heat on the back end for something that feels rather dull when you sip it.