Doc Swinson's Alter Ego Triple Cask Straight Bourbon Finished in Sherry & Cognac Casks

Consumed neat. First pour from the bottle. Batch 21-006. I have a weakness for MGP spirits with a finish, so I tried this. For $65, it seemed worth the risk given the sherry and cognac combination. That price usually indicates a 4 to 5-year-old MGP product, which can be inconsistent. There's no age statement on this. Regarding the aroma, I detect a significant amount of 4-year MGP. The finishing masks the sharpness but not the underlying grain. I suspect the combination of youth and finishing also imparts an unusual nutty undertone to this MGP. I'm also picking up white chocolate, which, along with the nutty note, creates a sensation like a white chocolate peanut butter cup. It's very buttery with a hint of dark honey. A trace of graham cracker. A burst of cherry preserves. This is an engaging spirit to analyze; it possesses complexity. The texture is light and airy, also oily. It holds its own despite the lower proof. The finish is immediately apparent from the first taste. Sweet preserves, shifting towards strawberry. Bright vanilla. Brown sugar. The mid-palate delivers a cool wave of grape soda mixed with dark honey. Graham cracker also emerges in this section. For the most part, there's a seamless transition from the mid-palate into the finish; the same flavors persist. There's a moment where you anticipate the finish fading, but it returns strongly with the same flavor profile. This is a pleasant, enjoyable, and easy-drinking spirit. The finishing enhances this young-leaning MGP and largely defines the overall experience. While the finish drives the flavors, the MGP still contributes effectively by bringing the honey notes forward. I need to compare this to Joseph Magnus. Offhand, the Magnus would be superior (despite being $20 more). You don't perceive the youth in Magnus the way you do here. That said, I genuinely appreciate the flavors derived from the finishing in this spirit. I find those notes to be more subtle in the Magnus, even though Magnus is 100 proof. I would consider purchasing another bottle, particularly if the blends typically include more 6 to 8-year-old components.

This is going to be an interesting one. Nose - Surprisingly strong alcohol notes are present, even at 47.9%. A buttery, somewhat creamy wine cask element is there. The dominant note is this berry flavor. I will revisit this later, but it's a really cool blend of fruity and sweet casks, though you can already tell it contains young MGP bourbon. I have no information on the ages, but it's got MGP that isn't aged enough. Taste - Okay, so it's a bit thin. OK, so nice PX sherry comes in, nutty XO, and young bourbon. I like the wine casks, I like the creamy mouthfeel. But honestly, you can't ignore that the MGP needs 10 years of aging. I truly believe the wine casks do a great job of masking some of the youth, but it falls short. Overall, if you were to compare this to Jos Magnus, it's comically inferior, but this is a nice pour and offers a creamier, easier-drinking experience. The real question about this is how it performs with ice? And like all MGP that's too young, I love how it takes to ice. What's fun is the wine casks start giving me oloroso notes. It's much more enjoyable. Overall, this would be great at $50; it's $65. It's fun and different. But honestly, I wish they had used older MGP. That would make all the difference, as I think they used really fun casks. 1.75L. Not a guilty pleasure at all. But I hope you typically drink better.

Allow to rest for about five minutes. Appearance: Deep reddish-copper tones with bright highlights, leaves thick streaks, dissipates slowly after slight swirling; Smell: If you didn't know better, you'd think you were smelling a fine cognac (a very strong influence, and we're not talking about the common brand here lol), no bourbon aroma at all, wonderfully sweet; Taste: The bourbon's presence is immediately felt, thick and rich, with abundant sweet caramel corn, a spicy finish with sweet peppery notes, followed by chocolate sweetness, the flavors actually vary with each sip; Finish: A beautiful end, you can still sense the thick, oily texture of the bourbon, this is a truly remarkable chameleon 🦎.

NEAT NOSE - Caramel, Honey, Blackberry/Raspberry Jam PALATE - Decent mouthfeel but tends to be thinner rather than viscous, if that makes sense. No noticeable oak. The primary notes are caramel and honey, complemented by faint berry undertones. It's quite sweet and very smooth. FINISH - Short. BUY? - I'm undecided. I like this, but it doesn't wow me. I believe I'd appreciate it more at a higher proof. However, if you're a big fan of bourbons finished in these types of casks, I'm sure this will be to your liking. In my opinion, the dilution of this spirit masks too much of the finishing casks' influence. BUY AGAIN? - No, but perhaps at cask strength.

The nose is highly spicy with a dark fruit undertone. Cognac leads the palate upfront with that spice, accompanied by a subtle sherry note. The finish dissipates quickly. Some spicy notes linger, but it lacks depth. It's not a bad attempt if they were trying to salvage a less-than-ideal distillate through multiple finishes, but it's definitely not a triumph.

I might be biased towards cognac-finished whiskies (like Jos A Magnus, Sagamore Cognac, Glenlivet 14yr, Brenne), but this is exceptionally good! The complex layers of flavor from both the sherry and cognac finish provide remarkable depth. An incredible value at the $50 I found it for at Costco.