Earl Settler Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Rating: 10/23 This is a very inexpensive store brand bourbon, and I expected it to be bad. Upon closer inspection, it's a straight bourbon, so it shouldn't be the absolute worst swill, unlike some six-month-old stuff that gets bottled. Still, it's only 40% ABV. Nose: Actually, a pleasant nose with slightly toasty oak, caramel, tangerine, vanilla, and limestone. It might smell a bit young (aside from lacking a bold woody maturity, I mean), but it really doesn't smell bad at all. In fact, I'm quite enjoying this aroma. Palate: Watery, as expected at this proof. Then some hard-to-place spiciness comes in, but it melds nicely into surprising richness. There's caramel with that bit of tangerine leading into slightly tart limestone that adds minerality without making it taste watery. The palate is surprisingly full for only 40% ABV, though it certainly still comes off as low ABV. Vanilla makes its way in too. Perhaps a mild touch of licorice. Finish: This dries out as the wood makes its presence known and blends nicely with the spices. Lingering vanilla for sure. Maybe a touch of licorice and a hint of that sweet, rich core. Conclusion: I'm honestly amazed by this. For $10, I expected something truly undrinkable. This isn't great by any means, but it's shockingly actually drinkable. The core profile here is really good, putting it in solid competition with similar priced options, though I might like this a hair better because it comes across as a bit richer. Hard to say. An easy choice as a mixer if the drink doesn't need a strong alcohol presence. Another store brand bourbon (allegedly sourced from Barton's) is less sweet and more funky, with more of a burn, but less richness. This is a bit flat in comparison, with the licorice coming out much more prominently side by side. I'm kind of getting some flat Jim Beam Black vibes from this now. Revisiting this, I get richness, but it's kind of immature and bland. I get plenty of vanilla and also caramel, but not a lot is happening here. Previously, I rated this about the same as the other store brand, with that one being hotter and more challenging, but also a bit more interesting (though less enjoyable). Now, I'm finding this to be below that other one. I'm thinking a 10 or 11 and I'm pretty confident. This is also below another readily available bourbon, which is just borderline between a 10 and an 11, so I think this must be a 10.

A miniature bottle, grabbed impulsively near the register, as I'm genuinely open to sampling anything, regardless of anticipation. While not remarkable by any measure, this surpasses the prior two. Mercifully, this one is two years old! The aroma is faint with notes of corn, toffee, wood shavings, apple, and alcohol. It's sweet, featuring tastes of caramel, corn, and apple. The finish is practically nonexistent. Still, it's a success, proving to be superior to my initial thoughts.

Mildly sweet aroma. Notes of cherry and a bit of spice. Light taste with a minimal finish. Overall light, sweet, and full of flavor. Not bad at all. It becomes harsher with each sip. The initial taste is quite pleasant with good flavors, though.

A simple but decent tasting bourbon for very little money. Acceptable as an inexpensive sipper for those not familiar with more sophisticated or longer aged bourbons. Probably better suited as a mixer.

Easy to drink and velvety with a touch of spice at the end (think cloves?). A fantastic bourbon, particularly considering its cost.

Turpentine? Yuck, I won't be purchasing this again. Glad I only got a small 50mL bottle.