Old Carter Kentucky Straight Whiskey Batch 1 (2020 Release)

Rating: 17/23 It's always enjoyable to sample the first batch from a producer's new line. I've had positive experiences with Old Carter before, so I don't anticipate disappointment. Nose: Okay, wow. I detect a lot of alcohol, but it's the youthful, somewhat sour kind, not the smoother type found in older spirits, though it's not exactly robust. It reminds me of a bourbon aged about 5 years. Beneath that, I begin to notice some grain. It's dry corn and rye, with a whisper of tart cherry. This gives me serious Wild Turkey Rare Breed 116.8 vibes. Perhaps some very faint licorice. Not much wood influence here. After about 10 minutes in the glass, that youthful alcohol fades, and I can now smell some musty wood and spices that make me think more of a 10-year-old bourbon. There's a bit of sweet vanilla as well and some minerality that only slightly detracts from the nose. Also, some peanut shells. I'm getting some corn, but it's dry rather than creamy or sweet. Actually, it might be slightly creamy, but still not sweet. Palate: I get that strong alcohol blast with a mix of caramel and tart cherries. Vanilla. Pepper, cinnamon, some bitter herbal notes. Not quite licorice. Some minerality. It strongly reminds me of Booker's combined with Wild Turkey Rare Breed 116.8, although the Wild Turkey is a bit lighter with more subtlety, but also a stronger alcohol bite. After sitting for 15 minutes, it shows much more wood and spice than the palate initially suggested. It's more balanced and tastes more mature. A bit of peanut shell and some clean yet slightly full minerality that doesn't seem to impact the flavor. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove. About halfway between the fresh pour and the 15-minute mark, it becomes lighter while retaining peppery heat and tart cherry, making it so similar to the Wild Turkey Rare Breed that it surpasses the Wild Turkey profile, becoming lighter and spicier with more cherry. Finish: Quite numbing. There's a lot of clove. The syrupy tart cherry with some caramel lingers, along with some woody spices and faint minerality. Long into the finish, it becomes predominantly woody and numbing, reducing to clove. - Conclusion - I find this to be in the general vicinity of a fresh bottle of Wild Turkey Rare Breed 116.8 (18/23), but it consistently struggles to outperform the Wild Turkey. There's much to like here, but it does come across as not very old (perhaps 7 years?) with excessive minerality, making it somewhat light. The complexity and balance are solid, but nothing truly makes this stand out as a special dram. I think the best I can rate this is an 18, placing it on the same level as the Wild Turkey Rare Breed. Honestly though, I'm leaning towards the Wild Turkey being the superior dram now. Not by much, but definitely by a little. George Dickel Bottled In Bond (1st release) (16/23) is quite similar to this in terms of fullness and richness. This one has a bit more going on, but the Dickel has less burn (though it's also a much lower proof). I'm inclined to rate this higher than the Dickel, though not significantly. Uncle Nearest 1856 (15/23) is also not far off in quality (once the Uncle Nearest has had considerable air), but it's definitely not in the same league. I can see a rating anywhere from 16 to 18 for this. I think I'll settle on a 17. This is very good, but certainly not my favorite Old Carter release. I'm curious about what makes it "whiskey" rather than "bourbon". I thought it might be obviously different from bourbon, but I'm really not detecting that. Many thanks as always to a friend for the Old Carter sample!

Back again with another review of Old Carter. For those unaware, Old Carter is a whiskey line bottled by a couple from the Louisville region with a history in wine blending. They generally acquire sourced MGP and pay premium prices for their chosen barrels. Their offerings span various types, including rye, bourbon, American whiskey, and now a Kentucky Straight Whiskey. Therefore, we know this particular bottle doesn't come from MGP. I haven't identified the source yet, but I'll share it when I do. Nose - The aroma is highly floral, reminiscent of a department store. I'm detecting a distinct note similar to orange cleaner. The oak presents with a strong pine character, suggesting youthfulness, which is understandable for a NAS product. As it warms, a very noticeable spice emerges, one I've encountered in past beers but can't quite pinpoint. It evokes juniper or hibiscus, like spices added to a Belgian white ale. There's also more of that rich orange cleaner scent. Taste - That orange cleaner flavor hits the front of the palate intensely. It's rich and citrusy in a way I haven't experienced with other whiskies. Following the swallow, a wave of alcohol, oak, and floral spice appears. It's an exceptionally bold, wild, and unique experience. Adding water enhances the oak and slightly reduces the drying effect of the high proof, but not entirely. I'm not sure orange cleaner has ever been considered a positive whisky note; it sounds unappealing to me, yet I'm quite enjoying this. It delivers a significant punch of alcohol and spice, one of the strongest I've had. It's also simply pleasurable. I have no idea what the Carters did here, but I'd rate it a 2.75, a very good whisky, though not a truly outstanding one. For $180, I wouldn't call it a good value, but its uniqueness and distinctiveness make it potentially worth a one-time purchase to share with friends and explore an unfamiliar flavor profile. I'm eager to revisit this bottle in a few years to observe its evolution and anticipate batch 2 to see how adventurous they get.

The aroma begins with a sugary note reminiscent of opening a new bag of marshmallows, followed by deep caramel, then chocolate-covered candied nuts (leaning towards peanut brittle). This progresses to caramelized banana, cherries jubilee, apple pie filling, and orange zest, before revealing old leather and polished mahogany. It concludes with spearmint, mild barrel spices like cloves, ginger, red hots candy, and a strong ethanol sting. The palate offers a substantial mouthfeel, starting with a robust Kentucky embrace of rich caramel. Then, dark chocolate-covered candied nuts emerge, leading to banana pudding, cherry cough syrup, apple streusel, and orange zest. This shifts towards a moderately drying tannic spice before subsiding into spearmint, then barrel spices of ginger, cloves, old leather, and ashy oak, accompanied by a strong ethanol burn. The finish is moderately long, featuring salted roasted peanut shells, spearmint, ashy oak, old leather, banana pudding, orange zest, apple streusel, and dark chocolate-covered toasted marshmallow. This is a substantial and assertive whiskey, presenting a well-rounded nose with classic bourbon notes of chocolate, nuts, citrus, leather, and oak, plus some earthy spices. These carry to the palate but are disrupted by an unwelcome medium tannic spice in the middle, upsetting the balance before fading into earthy spices. The medium finish brings back those classic flavors for a final reprise before the whiskey's performance concludes. While Old Carter consistently sources excellent to exceptional bourbon, their offerings frequently, though not invariably, tend toward a bitter note on the mid-palate. This might appeal to some, but it always detracts for me. Given the price point of over $200 and its current almost cult following, I would recommend trying their batches and single barrels at a bar first to confirm your preference before committing to a full bottle purchase.

Smooth and mellow with a spicy note in the background. Tastes of cooked apricot and cream soda. The finish is long and drawn out with creamy sweet cinnamon

Strong citrus aroma. Pine cleaner / citrus oil on the palate. It's a fresh pour, so I'll try it again in a month.

Straight Kentucky Whiskey, Batch 2, 65.5% ABV, 131 proof