Old WM. Tarr Manchester Reserve

A brand reborn. I was fortunate to sample a generous pour after examining the bottle. My understanding is that this specific blend received backing from a certain SEC Football Head Coach. I'd like to take a moment to consider how incredible that man's bourbon collection must be. A head football coach in the SEC who enjoys bourbon enough to invest in it. Coach, please let's share some pours sometime if you ever read this. Moving on, the Distillery is based in Lexington, KY, but bottling seems to take place in Bardstown, KY. The blend consists of KY bourbon and rye, aged separately for 7 and 8 years before being combined and bottled. The nose was predominantly sweet with baked apple pie, hints of lemon, and chocolate cake. The mouthfeel was decent, not thin but not heavy. I experienced a slight initial burst of heat that quickly subsided into a moderately warm finish. The palate mirrored the nose. Sweet bourbon flavors upfront with caramel and green apple, transitioning smoothly mid-palate to more rye-cocoa sweetness with a touch of praline that lingers into the finish. It reminds me of a High West (MGP) Bourye. It's a bourbon:rye mix, and while the Bourye is spicier with some MGP dill notes, this was sweeter overall. Next point, Bourye also costs $80-90. This is said to be similarly limited (30k bottles) and is undoubtedly sourced, presumably all KY, but the specifics require some analysis. It appears the 7-year bourbon is 75/13/12, which could be Beam or Turkey. Interestingly, this only constitutes 10% of the blend. The remaining 90% is likely Turkey or HH at 37/51/12. Do you enjoy sweet ryes? Do you like Wild Turkey? If so, this might be a worthwhile purchase. There's little to dislike, and while I could mention the mouthfeel isn't heavy, the finish is medium, and the lack of wood and earth notes, I suspect most who try this will appreciate it. It probably won't impress your pretentious enthusiast friends but is accessible and will win over most people.

My initial taste of the new year. I've been eager for this one and have read about it. Bourbon Obsessed Lexington has the history perfectly documented. As someone who enjoys bourbon and some ryes, I'm particularly interested because it's a blend of both, with rye being the predominant component (90%). The producer (if you can even call it that) states all whiskey is sourced in Kentucky but offers no further details. The age of the spirit and stated mash bill ingredients on the label suggest the rye is from Wild Turkey. It's difficult to say about the Bourbon component, but I'd guess it's from Heaven Hill, as it was bottled in Bardstown. So, I sipped and smelled it neat throughout the early afternoon. It's hard to believe it's 114 proof, given the faint ethanol aroma. The nose is very subtle, the color is light, and the body is thin. The aroma intensifies slightly with typical rye spice and a hint of caramel. Butterscotch is more prominent on the palate, accompanied by green apple and rye spice. I find this one better with ice; the aroma becomes much more vibrant. It's a pleasant, easy-to-drink spirit. But for $80, it should be. I like it, but I'll only buy one bottle. A friend mentioned he enjoyed it but was glad he tried mine and won't seek it out himself.

Nose- Enjoyably sweet, strong cinnamon/brown sugar notes. Less oak presence than anticipated, but it's there if you look for it. Smells a lot like coffee cake, perhaps a snickerdoodle cookie. Right at the start of the aroma, before the cinnamon spice notes dominate, there's a hint of something like sweet tea? Taste- Very sweet initially. Intense brown sugar/caramel. So immediately sweet that I might have guessed it was a wheated bourbon like Weller. After the initial taste fades, there's a prominent vanilla cream note. The immediate sensation upon swallowing is potent oak, followed by the same nutmeg/cinnamon/brown sugar as the nose. The finish has a long-lasting warmth that seems to fill my entire mouth, mainly towards the back of the palate. Likely one of the longest-lasting finishes I've experienced in a whiskey, very impressive for "only" 114 proof. It drinks much lower than the 114 proof indicated on the bottle. If I had to guess while tasting it, I would have placed it around a bottled in bond, 100 proof. Overall -- 8/10, very, very good. I would look for it if I were in an area where it was available.

Brought to California by Austin and given to me as a holiday present. Sweet initially. Quite delightful. Thanks, Austin!

Pale hue, producing fine streaks. Aroma of caramel. Caramel flavor profile. Brief conclusion.

Sweet maple with notes of brown sugar.