Jimmy Red Straight Bourbon

A distinguished, Straight Bourbon Whiskey by Scott Blackwell & his wife Ann Marshall, creators of High Wire Distilling Company in Charleston, South Carolina, made with 100% locally sourced Jimmy Red corn; then matured for at least 2 years in American oak barrels with a char level of 3.5 before being bottled at 47.5%. It presents an aromatic beginning with notes of corn, wood, nuts, herbs & spices; while a creamy development adds notes of mint, brown sugar, tobacco, graham cracker & vanilla cream; culminating in a silky, medium-length finish featuring notes of pepper, oak & honey. January 2024

The aroma has shortbread, some vanilla, and a slight grassy note. The taste starts with vanilla custard and quickly shifts to cinnamon with a touch of peppermint. The finish continues with cinnamon and undertones of dry oak. Overall, the elements don't combine into a unified experience. It needs more time to mature.

2023 Flaviar Advent Calendar - day 22 Aroma: syrupy, corn, and coffee notes Taste: the syrup note gets stronger and the corn remains, but the coffee is replaced by spicy notes Finish: very mild and smooth, just a hint of leather and bitter notes and some delayed spiciness

On the nose, I couldn't really discern any specific scents. On the palate, it was heavily focused on baking spices and had a burn that lingered for a while. Considering the price point ($90 per bottle), I've experienced much more complex and better-tasting bourbons at half the cost.

It might not be the smoothest bourbon available, but it's certainly intriguing! It has a bit of spice that builds briefly, but the backend is where all the character resides. It's perhaps a little woody and dry, yet a touch of butter redeems all that dryness!

Nose: honey, brown sugar, baking. Palate: incredibly smooth, coating the mouth with a creamy texture and cinnamon notes, leading to a very smooth conclusion. It's highly drinkable, and I truly appreciated this sample.