Kentucky Owl Dry State 100th Anniversary of Prohibition Bourbon

During a recent trip to Kentucky with companions, the three of us began our day with bourbon at Lux Row distillery while searching for peacocks, inspired by a story from a writer, then had dinner at Bardstown Bourbon Company. When seated, we received a whiskey list, but none of Bardstown's finished products were listed, and we were told many items were unavailable. After ordering, I was informed my first choice was out of stock, followed by another unsuccessful order, while the other two successfully picked on their initial try. Frustrated, with my bourbon craving growing and watching my friends with envy as they enjoyed their drinks, I might have impulsively ordered the Kentucky Owl Dry State, assuming no one would order it and I'd finally get a glass. The aroma begins with aged wood that dominates but allows subtle fruit notes of apple and orange, with vanilla caramel, and hints of salted peanut shells to emerge before barrel spices like ginger, black pepper, worn leather, and what resembles two planks of charred aged wood with acorn paste filling, accompanied by moderate alcohol vapor. The palate has a medium body, starting with aged wood in the background, complemented by light apple peel, mild cherry, and orange zest, followed by moderate spice, then fading into cocoa, worn leather, and very tannic aged wood with moderate alcohol vapor. The finish is lengthy, featuring notes of light citrus from apples and oranges, some vanilla sweetness subtly present behind the impression of a worn leather armchair, tannic aged wood, black tea, and cocoa. In summary, this is a very mature bourbon where the earthy, woody characteristics have overshadowed the typical bourbon flavors, requiring effort to detect them beneath the heavy oak. When the pour was served, we all took a taste, and the best way to describe this whiskey was the reaction from my two friends when I offered more: "Nah, we're good!" If you appreciate a mature, tannic, earthy, woody profile with faint citrus, this might appeal to you, but those earthy notes were excessive for me and, it seems, for my friends as well. It's not a bad spirit, but likely just slightly above average and certainly not justifying its high cost.