Rebel Distiller's Collection Bourbon

For the past two years, in late summer, either August or early September before the season officially changes, Fine Wine & Good Spirits has received bottles of both Rebel Distiller's Collection and Ezra Brooks Distiller's Collection, and since I noticed them, the idea of picking them up has been kicking around in my mind. In particular, the Ezra Brooks appeals to me because I enjoyed Old Ezra 7 Year back when I picked up a bottle at the tail end of 2019, but Rebel appeals to me too, since I've enjoyed Rebel 100 as a budget bourbon. Thing is, they always come down the pipeline when I have more enticing ways of allocating my whisky budget. Even at $34.99 for Ezra and $39.99 for Rebel, there just always seems to be something else I'd prefer, but this year, I bit the bullet and picked up both in one go. There are a few reasons for this. The first is that Old Ezra's back in stock, but not in the same way. By this I mean, when I picked up the Old Ezra in 2019, it was right at the announcement of its appearance on the Whisky Advocate top 20 and it's price was $39.99. And I guess what appearing on that list means is a bump in price, because now, a mere two years later, the FW&GS has it for $59.99. Now, when I say I liked it, I don't mean I liked it at $60. Plenty of reviewers tout how they don't judge a whisky based on price, but I'm not that reviewer. I don't get sent free samples, I pay for my whisky myself, and as such, the tag has to be worth the experience. And given that $59.99 is also the price of the Maker's Mark Wood Series and Knob 12, do you see where I'm going with this? But I'm talking about Rebel here and not the Old Ezra, really I just wanted to get this off my chest (though since both of these are made by LuxCo, I figured I'd throw this up here if they have someone monitoring social media and they're wondering why no one's buying the latest batch; seriously, bring the price back down and I'll be more than happy to return). When it comes to the decision to pick up the Rebel Distiller's Collection, it's all about the wheat. Going back ages, my favorite bourbon in my 20s was Maker's Mark's standard 90 proof bottling. I didn't know at the time that part of the reason I liked the flavor profile was that it was a wheated whisky, but since learning this (in addition to learning Larceny is wheated, and I love some Larceny), I've started to seek the wheat. And at this price, a barrel proof wheated bourbon just makes sense. Sort of. I say sort of there because so many of my tasting reviews here are a combination of me reacting to what I've read previous reviewers say of a particular bottle and me comparing said bottles to bottles I've had in the past. And I say sort of because, as someone mentions elsewhere in their tasting, this is good, but not quite as good as a bottle of Marker's Mark Cask Strength. Now, in the past that wouldn't have meant much because Maker's Mark Cask Strength was $59.99. But this year that price has dropped to $39.99, the same price as this Rebel, and around here, the Maker's Cask Strength has been going on sale for $36.99, so it strikes me, is Rebel Distiller's worth it when you can get Maker's for the same price or cheaper if on sale? The answer isn't a definitive "no." It's not a strong "no." Because this Rebel Distiller's Edition isn't bad. And when I say it isn't bad, I'm not saying that in the sense of trying to convince myself I didn't waste my money (like I did with my recent tasting of Elijah Craig Barrel Select). I don't regret picking this up, it's just...not quite as good as the Maker's is. I mean, they're similar in profile. The nose here is strong with cherries and cinnamon, and at cask strength you do get a hint of ethanol here that I remember being on the batch of Maker's, but I can dig on that. The palate here is standard wheated with more cherry and cinnamon and the occasional bubblegum note coming through that's also nice, but where this differs from the Maker's is that there's this underlying plastic note that doesn't ruin the experience but mars it ever so slightly and makes me wonder after my atrocious experience with the Elijah Craig Circle Liquors Barrel Select Pick if I'm just not having very good luck with the barrel select bourbons I've been getting my hands on. In a game of would you rather have, I don't necessarily see this coming out on top against Maker's, but I'd rather have another bottle of this than that Elijah Craig (I'm still a little ticked off at dropping my cash on that stinker). I'm giving this a 2.75 because I gave Writer's Tears that rating and I'd rather have another bottle of this than that (at least this was interesting), but obviously I'm not comparing flavor profiles there because this and that are apples and oranges. This tastes good enough to go down relatively easily (I drink enough cask strength whiskies now that the proof isn't that hard on the palate), but it's not particularly memorable. Here's to hoping the Ezra Distiller's Collection will prove better. I guess I can't complain too much: at this price, to get a barrel proof bourbon that tastes this good isn't bad, but it doesn't have me waiting for next year's batch with bated breath either.

Barrel 7533588/Barreled Nov. 2016/Approx. 5yr "Get a Piece of the Rock" (Rockingham NC ABC) AROMA: Honeycomb, Straw, Cinnamon Stick, Orange Peel, Sticky Toffee, Orange Peel, Musty Oak. NEAT: Fruit Forward. At times it was almost like popping a random handful of Jelly Belly beans in your mouth. Just an assortment of tart fruit. Orange Peel, Bitter Tart Cherry, Crabapple, Not Quite Ready Peach, Cinnamon Discs, Black Pepper, Drying Oak Tannins, Light Toffee, and some Barnyard Funk. Fairly Warm Finish with a growing KYHug. Tart Cherry, Oak, and Unlit Cigar Tobacco coat and layer the palate. This has a great clingy, coating mouthfeel. There was a note on both the nose and palate that just eludes description. It has a "powdery" quality and I just can't quite place it. SPLASH: Not much change to the nose, but the palate gets a floral note and a little increase in the sweetness. Oak also becomes a bit more dominant. VERDICT: I was surprised by the Tart Fruit Character of this barrel. I was tempted to use the descriptor "Fruity Pebbles", but I believe that all Flintstone references are to be reserved strictly for George Dickel releases. It definitely had what you want in a Single Barrel, a unique sipping experience. These Rebel releases (the Cask Strength included) have all been pretty solid, with deep flavors and a wonderful coating mouthfeel. I wish they were just a tad older, but at 113 proof and around $40, it is still decent VFM. It's a solid 3.75, but gets bumped up to a 4 by the unique flavor profile.

Tasted neat from the neck pour. A store pick from Party Source, aged 6 to 6.5 years. I've skipped these before when they were 4 to 5 years old. But this one was barreled in Sept 2014. It was hard to pass up a 6.5-year-old store pick for only $35, even with low expectations. However, my expectations were exceeded; this has a fantastic nose for a wheated bourbon. It's loaded with caramel and vanilla, plus plenty of pepper, clove, and cinnamon. There's even some chocolate and a rich vanilla frosting note. Surprisingly, there are also some nice strawberry notes. The mouthfeel is creamy, with equal parts sweet and peppery on the palate. The vanilla frosting flavor is very prominent, but it's also peppery and spicy. This has so much flavor, arriving in unexpected waves. The mid-palate was initially disappointing, with slight caramel, fresh bread, and muted cinnamon. Just as I started to feel let down, the finish exploded with flavors in several waves. Chocolate gives way to cinnamon, then caramel, and finally a strawberry note remains. This offers ridiculous value. $35? How is that possible? This is easily the best value purchase I've made in a very long time. I believe it could outperform Boone County 6 Year Wheated, which sells for close to $100. I'm eager to include this in wheated bourbon blind tastings; it will definitely surprise some people.

Selected by Meijer Steward Single Barrel Barrel Pick Barrel ID: 7811050 Distilled: 10/15/17 Age: 4 Years, 11 Months First tasting, second pour from the bottle, allowed to rest in a glencairn glass for over 30 minutes. Nose (Neat): A slight ethanol bite. Mildly sweet with soft butterscotch and very faint notes of leather and nuts. Palate (Neat): The initial sip has noticeable spice with a subtle underlying sweetness, light oak, and a hint of butter. The second sip is about half as spicy but still quite present throughout the mouth. Flavors include light butterscotch, mild leather, and a comforting woodsy note. The whiskey has a very light and clean viscosity. It doesn't linger too long, allowing flavors to build with each subsequent sip. Each sip offers a relatively clean slate. Finish (Neat): The finish is slightly sweet, with those woodsy notes and a clove spice. It lasts a moderate duration, approximately 20 to 30 seconds. There's no noticeable warm bourbon sensation; all the sensation is felt in the mouth and upper throat. Overall, this is a pleasing pour, especially considering the $40 per bottle price. I would buy it again, though I wouldn't describe its profile as particularly complex or standout. It's simply enjoyable and relaxing.

Overall: This was an older bottle of Rebel Yell, and I'd happily have it as an aperitif instead of dessert. The baklava flavors and champagne-like effervescence leave me feeling warm and satisfied... if you appreciate wheated bourbons, you should try this. Smell: Honey, grain, and a hint of ethanol. It definitely smells like a wheated bourbon. Taste: Orchard fruit appears first, then transforms into a delightful baklava flavor. It has a good proof strength, with a tingling sensation similar to champagne. As the glass empties, citrus notes emerge and blend with the persistent honey and filo dough. An oily mouthfeel helps the flavors linger. Aftertaste: Medium length, but potent. The numbing sensation on the lips and the popping on my tongue keep the baklava flavors present.

Smell: standard notes of wheat with a touch of floral and strangely… cocoa Taste: expected wheat with notes of caramel Aftertaste: powerful Kentucky embrace with caramel corn concluding the moderate finish This is a particular selection from the Lux Row Visitors Center (number 5). It's dependable and delivers the expected characteristics. I prefer it over the Rebel single barrel 10 year, despite being half the age. The alcohol content here, at 113, enhances the positive qualities of this specific expression.