Horse Soldier Reserve Barrel Strength Bourbon

Before you try this Bourbon, do not add water. The bottle states 120 proof. The aroma has a lot of oak with some cedar notes, young corn, and a moment of butter, with cooking cinnamon and sugar, in fact. Cherry appears as well. The aroma is like caramel popcorn. Yep. It has a burst of sweetness, heat from the alcohol content, and a hit of spice at mid-palate. The finish is fruity with oak notes and spice and pepper. By the way, it's a nice finish. The mouthfeel is very oily and rich. It lingers on your tongue for a good while. Some cherry notes are found deep within. It finishes nicely like hard candy with spice. A few drops of water muted the aroma instead of helping. The flavor now has some menthol notes, more spice, and dulls the other flavors. Is there a pine note? It's official, do not add water. I will score based on the flavor before adding water. It's now all wood-forward. The alcohol heat is also accentuated. This is one of the worst water additions ever. Have I mentioned you should not add water? Yikes.

The aroma is delicate and sweet, with no alcohol sting at all, which is unexpected given the proof. The taste is watery, featuring sweet flavors alongside mild oak, concluding with a touch of caramel. It's an acceptable drink, but fails to meet my expectations, which is a letdown. If tasted without knowing the price, I'd rate it a bit higher, but the cost creates anticipation that isn't fulfilled. I've observed some reviews that strongly dislike this bottle. While I don't believe it justifies its price, it's not an awful drink. For the amount paid, I'd anticipate greater depth. However, it is what it is. Among the available options, I favored the premium, then the reserve, and lastly the signature. It's peculiar that the most basic version was superior and more intricate than the others.

My bottle of Horse Soldier Reserve Barrel Strength was 117.2 proof, so a little higher than their standard version. It is a very rich, smooth, unfiltered whisky served without chilling that brings a lot of sugar notes. On the nose there’s a lot of caramel, vanilla and anise or ginger. I also detected fig jam. The palate comes with strong notes of butterscotch, a spicy bite and the sweetness lingers for a while. Caramel and vanilla will last a bit longer. Great bourbon! Cheers!

Scent: Strong smoke, slightly sweet, and has a slight ethanol burn on the nose. Taste: Surprisingly smooth, considering the aroma of ethanol on the nose. Sharp notes of spice to start and a hint of sweetness and warm notes to finish. Value: For many, the higher price may turn them away. It is slightly underwhelming for the price as well. I would definitely recommend trying at least once before purchasing a full bottle.

Served neat. This is a sample. My last encounter with this left me unimpressed. Let's see if this second sample changes my mind. On the nose, it's a bit hot from the alcohol. Smells like nail polish and Playdoh. It's not unpleasant, though. There's also vanilla frosting. It's just not an aroma I favor. Good grief, nail polish again on the palate. Freshly cut grass. Caramel apple, but the apple isn't quite ripe. I'm simply not a fan of this one.

Abundant chocolate, cherries, and vanilla. Sweet and creamy, much like Cherry Bordeaux ice cream. A subsequent wave brings a substantial yet smooth measure of spicy oak. The tannins and barrel spices are most prominent on the mid-palate. It finishes hot with a subtle burnt sugar character. While not overly complex, it executes its profile effectively.