Sam Houston 14 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Rating: 19/23 Nose: Rich, woody, and herbal. Perhaps a bit of floral apple, with some char or creosote. It's not overly complex, but it's rich and inviting. Palate: Rich, bold, with abundant charred oak leading into very nice herbal notes. Vanilla, licorice, dill, some mint (peppermint and spearmint), and an occasional faint apple. It has hints of creosote and leather. There are occasional mineral notes, but the wood prevents them from making it taste diluted, despite the lack of significant spice (though there's a hint of clove and ginger). Finish: Slightly numbing. The wood continues with a less sweet herbal character. The vanilla is fainter, but the licorice is more noticeable. The apple still comes through faintly at times. Dill and mint are definitely present. - Conclusion - This is a very good rye. It's woodier but less complex than Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Rye. Russell's Reserve has more mineral and floral notes, and possibly a touch more dill. It's great, and it's a hard choice between the two. I wish I could compare this directly with more of that Dad's Hat Single Barrel Cask Strength, as both seem like intensely woody whiskeys. I suspect Dad's Hat is higher proof but less mellowed and mature. They seem to be competing for the best rye I've tasted. Kings County Empire Rye, which is stylistically the closest other rye I enjoy, is no match for either. Belle Meade Cask Strength Reserve, a bourbon with a substantial aged rye character, is close in quality. Belle Meade is more complex but tastes a bit younger. This shows excellent rye maturation. I really enjoy the creosote and leather here. It reminds me of Joseph Magnus, though the character is more pronounced here. I'd lean towards Joseph Magnus, but both are excellent. I believe this falls in the 18 to 21 range. Most likely, I'll rate it a 19 or 20. The long finish on my last sip almost convinced me to give it a 20. I'm open to increasing the rating to a 20 after another tasting, but for now, I'll stick with a 19. Still, this is probably the best rye I've ever had, just barely edging out the Dad's Hat Single Barrel Cask Strength sample I tried recently. This is sample A from an unlabeled set of 4. It could be one of about 15 different bourbons and ryes. Okay, so this is clearly a rye. There aren't many rye options: it's either Remus Repeal, Willett 7, or Willett 80th Anniversary. What stands out is that it's clearly barrel-aged for a long time and has a bold flavor. Willett 4 didn't seem that bold, and Remus is known for being MGP that has aged extensively, so I'm betting on Remus. Which batch? I'm not sure. My guess would be batch 1, as it's described as the smokiest Remus Repeal, or batch 4, which is noted for emphasizing richness and vanilla. - The Reveal - Well, you know what they say about making assumptions. It turns out this isn't a rye at all! It's Sam Houston 14. I'm truly surprised. I expected Sam Houston to be bold with smoke, wood, and spice, but tasting it alongside several ryes, it tasted as much like rye as a 100% rye whiskey. Belle Meade, which usually has a strong rye character, tasted much more like a bourbon in comparison. I didn't think I'd guess any of these bottles correctly, but I'm astonished that I mistook an 18% rye bourbon for a 95% rye whiskey. This bottle has been a humbling and fascinating experience. Thank you to a friend for letting me try this.

Despite the considerable buzz and numerous iterations, I acquired the KY-3 after skipping the initial two batches. Nose - Immediately, I'm sensing a Barton influence. While I appreciate their product and have encountered some excellent expressions, it's becoming somewhat predictable with every distillery releasing a 12-14 year single barrel exhibiting similar characteristics. This one offers slightly more oak smoke and oak compared to others, which nicely balances the typical apple and cinnamon notes I detect. There are vanilla undertones, though less rich and creamy than usual. Taste - The initial impression is classic Barton: sweet, fruity, transitioning into spices. The mid-palate develops a funkiness with mature bourbon notes, leading to a finish of rye spice and a significant presence of aged oak barrels. I'm genuinely impressed by some of these elements. The blend of barrels (three in this batch) effectively elevates the complexity in a very positive manner. Exceptional blending and a truly enjoyable bourbon. Honestly, I'd consider buying another at this price. I only wish other distilleries would offer 12-14 year old spirits below $150 with reasonable proofs. 3.25, significantly above average, but not outstanding. I'd need to compare it with Cream of Kentucky and Down Home 12 Year Batch 2. While I'm unsure how I acquired those, this would be the choice for Weller enthusiasts due to its sweetness and resemblance to WLW. The connection is unclear, but it's there. Cream of Kentucky is more standard bourbon, albeit excellent. Down Home leans more towards oak and spice, with greater complexity and assertiveness. I personally favor Down Home, finding it the superior whisky in scoring due to its depth, but that doesn't guarantee you'll prefer it over this one.

To mix things up, a friend sent me a set of unlabeled samples, marked only with shapes or codes to keep me guessing until after I've tasted them. I'm eager to see if I mistake a rye for a bourbon or miss a finishing technique, so let's continue this blind tasting with the vial marked with a diamond. The aroma initially features cherry cola and light banana, followed by notes of caramel apple pie and orange peel, which then transition to earthy dark chocolate, spearmint, peppermint, cloves, light leather, and dusty oak, with a moderate alcohol burn. The taste has a thin to medium mouthfeel, starting with cherry cola and mashed ripe banana, followed by caramel apple pie and orange peel flavors. This then shifts to a mild spice that fades into spearmint, peppermint, cloves, leather, and dusty oak, with a moderate alcohol burn. The finish is medium in length, with flat cherry cola, mashed ripe banana, Granny Smith apple peel, light vanilla, spearmint, peppermint, cloves, leather, and a medium level of tannic oak. This appears to be an older bourbon, offering traditional flavors with some cola notes and dusty oak. It has a thinner mouthfeel than the aroma suggests, maintaining the same flavor profile from the aroma, beginning with fruity and cola notes before a mild spice in the middle that gives way to those dusty characteristics, concluding with a medium finish of cola, citrus, banana, spices, and slightly more tannic oak than I prefer. It's an enjoyable pour, but it seems subdued rather than delivering bold, assertive bourbon characteristics. It's also not as well-balanced as I'd like, leaning towards overly bitter notes in the taste and finish. So, what is this diamond whiskey... Sam Houston 14 year.

This smells like Jack Daniels and Coke. More specifically, it has a floral scent with faint cherry candy notes, akin to a Jolly Rancher or Twizzlers; I personally prefer Red Vines, which are also good for sipping. The initial taste is strong oak, but it evolves into a cherry vanilla coke flavor with a surprisingly long, minty, cooling finish. A spiced plum flavor appears occasionally beneath the oak and cherry vanilla coke notes. Five minutes after finishing, there's still a hint of a cherry cough drop. While I'm glad I experienced it, its value is questionable compared to less exclusive bourbons. I like it better than ECBP, but not as much as 1920. ECBP is similar in quality and half the cost, and 1920 is equally good and half the cost. I likely won't buy another bottle. Try it if you get the chance, but don't feel pressured to buy it. If it cost $80, it would be rated higher. A score of 5.0 means buy all you can find. A score of 4.0 means buy at least one bottle before you die. A score of 3.0 means it's decent, try it at a bar, or get some from a friend. A score of 2.0 means I didn't like it, but you might. A score of 1.0 means your palate is terrible.

Batch KY-3, bottle 502 of 528 from a blend of 3 barrels. Age is a minimum of 14 years and 4 months. Other details include the use of #4 char on American white oak barrels and a mash bill of 74/18/8, suggesting Barton as the source. 49% ABV and a light copper in the glass with slow-moving legs. Oak is prominent from the glass with sweet notes of toffee and earthy overripe banana up close. The latter develops into a varnish-like note with some leather as well. Faint baking spices and no nuttiness or ethanol detected. Light-bodied and spicier than the nose suggests! There’s a burst of nutmeg and allspice with a bit of brown sugar that transitions into overripe banana, raisins, and then a medium-long leathery finish with bits of raisin and tobacco appearing for a minute or so. It drinks like an older bourbon and has heaps of earthy barrel-derived notes reminiscent of an over-aged single barrel but the funky overripe banana screams Barton. It’s not as sweet as a 1792 full proof, and not as balanced as a result. It drinks at or slightly above its proof and is a pleasant sipping bourbon but fails to impress. For the $100+ price tag it’s a good example of a well-aged bourbon but doesn’t bring along many surprises.

Neat. Uncorked for almost 3 months. A Texas batch of this is en route to see if batches vary much. This updated assessment is for IL-01 from Chicago. While some adore this spirit, others find it overhyped. My hunch is batch variation, or perhaps it needs aeration. My initial tasting left me somewhat unimpressed. A delightful aroma. Exhibits fine oak, tobacco, and new leather. Vanilla buttercream with cherries and strawberries. A pleasant honey-glazed pastry. I could happily spend an hour with this bouquet. Velvety, viscous mouthfeel. Buttercream and cherry sweetness at the start. Enjoyable sweet oak, honey pastry. The finish is peculiar. It possesses a surprising tartness midway and then transforms into pure oak and extreme dryness. Strange tartness on the legs that lingers in the throat. It's regrettable because some wonderful flavors are on the brink of emerging before it takes a turn for the worse. There's a hint of caramel apple, but the note becomes too vibrant too quickly. At 98 proof, the sharp and harsh finish is perplexing. IL-01 must simply not be a good batch. I will revisit after obtaining the TX batch, but it still strikes me as overhyped.