Jeptha Creed Red, White and Blue Bourbon

Batch number: 1 I'm so glad I could find and purchase this bottle, and even happier that it's available to everyone instead of being restricted by allocation. It's also great that proceeds benefit a local veterans group, though I wish the donation percentage was stated rather than just hoping it's more than 1% of profits. While this isn't the batch from the barrel I signed in 2019, I'm still pleased to have the first batch and will happily wait a few more years for my barrel/batch to be ready. I sampled this at the distillery a couple of weeks ago and didn't think much of it, but considering its unique layers and good price, I'm happy to support local veterans and the distillery by proudly displaying this on my shelves. The color in the glass, a chestnut brown with amber edges, likely comes from the grain rather than the young age of only 4 years. The aroma starts with a bit of honey oats, alongside some fresh, raw corn, but with more natural sugary sweetness than barrel-derived sweetness. The rye is also present with a classic, grassy, cinnamon spice note, now perceived alongside sweet red berries and blueberries, which I find both welcoming and balanced. There's almost no ethanol smell, as one might expect from an 80 proof rather than 100 proof. The body is initially light and uninteresting, with the rye seeming to lead, but after swallowing and with more air, the corn really comes to the forefront. There's a small taste of the aforementioned berries, nicely spiced by the rye, but raw, young corn eventually dominates everything. The ethanol burns smoothly and quite intensely through the finish, transforming the young corn flavor into something closer to unaged distillate. It turns out this tastes quite similar in my home environment as it did at the distillery. It would really benefit from about 8 more years of aging, allowing that diverse and unique corn to mellow, but only time will tell if the distillery pursues that path. Still, it's one of the most impressive initiatives from a distillery to honor veterans, and is far superior to those veteran-owned/operated distilleries that release a single military-themed product (often sourced) and charge hundreds of dollars for a quick profit. Ultimately, this doesn't taste nearly worth the price, but all the other factors bring it quite close, and while I wouldn't recommend buying it for the flavor or even for mixing (unless you enjoy unique, young bourbons), I would definitely encourage you to buy if you're looking for a great way to support veterans, or if you are one yourself. Cheers, and my thanks to everyone serving this country.

Aroma - not much happening here. Corn is very prominent, along with pepper and baking spices. Taste - Corn, pepper, orange peel, cinnamon, baking spices, a hint of toasted marshmallow. Overall - Sweet & Spicy. It's slightly above average. The rye is quite noticeable on the palate, which is good as it provides balance. This would likely make an excellent Old Fashioned.

Smell: caramel, vanilla, and toasted pecans, with layers of dried fruit (red apple, pear, or cherry). Taste: Rich buttery caramel, toasted nuts (pecans), and brown sugar, with a little cinnamon. Finish: A long finish that combines caramel, baking spices (nutmeg, clove), and dry oak.

Caramel and sweet fruitiness at first. Plum and black cherry are joined by pecan and brown butter. A light smokiness appears near the end and earthiness...

Buttery sweet corn mingled with cinnamon.

Subtle taste, not much maturation, a little heat