The Gifted Horse American Whiskey

I acquired this bottle quite some time ago—it was released in early 2016—and perhaps there's a reason I still have a quarter of it left (or maybe it's the sheer volume of spirits to sample). Diageo's marketing narrative suggests this bottling, from its "Orphan Barrel" collection, resulted from a significant oversight, where "barrels of much-younger whiskey were accidentally combined with a batch of fine 17-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey." Alright. The younger, overly-enthusiastic whiskey enthusiast in me felt compelled to try it and understand the nature of this mistake. I remembered it being good, but not exceptional. So, without further delay... The appearance is a slightly deeper shade than the typical bourbon caramel/mahogany/russet. The aroma is pleasant, featuring notes of oranges, maraschino cherries, apple pie, crème brûlée, sandalwood, and vanilla. The palate amplifies these notes, and the finish introduces some dry leather and tobacco characteristics, along with additional vanilla. There's also a subtle buttery note on the finish that I haven't encountered before in a bourbon (or whiskey, in this case)—similar to the diacetyl sometimes found in over-oaked California Chardonnay. I enjoy this. As before, it's good, but not great. Assuming the mashbill details are accurate, the bourbon exhibits traits from each component: dry leathery and tobacco notes from the 17-year-old whiskey; sweetness from the corn whiskey; and an unknown contribution from MGP. The whiskey is smooth, and the warmth is proportionate to the 115 proof. 4.0 out of 5 stars. I'm unsure of the original price years ago, but I do recall (like the other Orphan Barrel releases) that it was not inexpensive. Perhaps around $100? A quick internet search reveals it can now be purchased for $400-500, likely due to its scarcity (there was only one release). I would definitely sample this again, but not at the current prices. For those who prefer objective analysis, seek out an acquaintance! 115 proof. 39% 17-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; 61% 4-year-old Corn Whiskey and Indiana Bourbon Whiskey (i.e., MGP). Note: All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

Well, I paid just over $90 for this rare, "rescued" bourbon from Diageo so I feel like I should give it a proper review. The story behind this is quite the fable - after rescuing some 17-year old bourbon from a recently acquired rack house, the folks at Orphan Barrel accidentally dumped in some 4-year old corn whiskey into it and "ruined" the older stock. (39% 17yo and 61% 4yo). But, upon tasting it they realized they had created something much better. (This is the actual story printed on the bottle label). Rolls eyes... Anyway, a quick review as I've used the majority of this bottle as a mixer with Coke. I know, I know - who does that? Someone craving a Coke and Bourbon that couldn't get to the liquor store before it closed - that's who LOL. This comes in at 115 proof and is a dark, caramel color in the Glencairn. The nose is predominantly corn with a bit of sweet caramel/toffee and the slightest hint of oak barrel. On the tongue, it's lots of corn and caramel apples. It's not complex at all and washes away with a blast of heat from the ABV. The burn lingers on for a while as the oak barrel residue hangs around longer than I expected. That saves this from being a complete, one dimensional dud. As a mixer, it was merely an expensive way to drink through an overhyped bottle of rare bourbon. It did get the job done quite well, I might add, as I woke up this morning with what seemed like an entire bag of cotton balls stuffed into my mouth and my head pounding like my local, high school drum line was practicing just outside my bedroom window. Overall, avoid this $30 bourbon with a marketing hyped $60 markup. It's worth an $8-10 try at your local watering hole if you must sample these Orphan Barrel offerings. Otherwise, there's a ton of better bourbon available at 1/3 the cost of this one. 3.25 stars. Cheers, my friends.

Taking a short break from the distillery tour to review an American whiskey. This blended whiskey from Orphan Barrel (Diageo) is bottled at 57.5% ABV and I would assume it is also non chill filtered. This sample was sent to me by a friend. This blend consists of 17 year old Bernheim bourbon (38.5%), 4 year old high rye bourbon from MGP (51%) and 4 year old corn whisky also from MGP (10.5%). The story is that the Bernheim was "accidentally" added to the blend. The nose is potent, plenty of alcohol. Ripe red apples, cinnamon and oak. Lots of corn. Vanilla, toffee and a little butterscotch. Some orange and a little rye spice. Milk chocolate and toasted nuts. The palate is powerful and peppery. Apples and oak, lots of both. Lots of corn too. Toffee and caramel. Not much more to it than that. Very little complexity. The power of the high ABV drowns out anything else that might be there. I added some water to see if anything else could be coaxed out. More apples on the nose and what seemed to be a bit of a rubber hose note. On the palate it just brought out more corn. Full bodied mouthfeel. Hot and spicy. The finish is long, spicy and full of oak and corn. Not a very impressive blend. Seems a bit too high on the corn. Way too overpriced for what you get at $90. Seems like a result of Diageo's typical over inflation of prices. While I am a bit disappointed, I'm still glad to have tried it. Variety is the spice of life after all, and the more variety the better. 3.25. Thanks again to a friend. Cheers

Enjoying an evening on the porch with a friend during a whiskey night in October. We had a fire pit, conducted a few blind tastings, and opened some new bottles. All samples were served from a Norlan glass. Tasting order: Murray Hill Club, Batch 7 The Gifted Horse, Orphan Barrel Larceny Barrel Proof, A120 Lux Row Double Barrel 12y Garrison Bro. Cowboy Bourbon, 2019 Blind tasting: I was told it was approximately 115 proof and a blend of corn whiskey and 17-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon. Color: Light amber with quick, thin legs. Nose: I'm surprised by the proof; there's no harshness or ethanol scent. It smells of bubblegum, Dymatap, and marshmallow cream. Body: Light and mouthwatering, it doesn't coat the palate but goes down smoothly and quickly without significant heat or burn. Palate: As expected, it's sweet with notes of bubblegum, cough syrup, and straw, balanced by a touch of spice. There are no bitter or off-flavors. Finish: Quick, clean, and straightforward. There's no discernible flavor evolution, or at least none that I recall. Two observations: I quickly identified this as an Orphan Barrel due to its sourced high-age, low-proof bourbon. It reminds me of Barterhouse 20, but it's less complex and notably lacks oak. Secondly, I suspect it's from Bernheim, as I detect little to no MGP rye. It was great to try! Moving on to the next one...

This release does not do Diageo's premium Orphan Barrel series any justice. The stated reason for Gifted Horse's existence -- and I emphasize 'stated,' as it's clearly just marketing -- is that the distillery 'accidentally' mixed aged Bernheim bourbon with younger bourbons, creating a fantastic blend. I doubt that. The company likely had some over-the-hill bourbon barrels and wanted to mellow the mix with young, sweet spirit before charging a lot for it. The primary characteristic of this whiskey is apple cider, specifically a spiced, mulled version. The issue here is the young whiskey's excessive heat at this high proof; it would have been better under 50% ABV. As is, it's harsh and burns going down. It's not easy to drink and lacks complexity to make enduring the heat worthwhile. For $100, I'll easily skip it.

Marketing nonsense. I won't buy another Orphan Barrel. It was bad, and they oversold Forged Oak as a limited 15-year-old bourbon. They claimed 'when it's gone, it's gone,' yet it's still available a year and a half later. Orphan Barrel isn't scarce or allocated; it's Diageo misleading consumers. Get some VOB BIB instead; it costs $15 or less and is superior to any Orphan Barrel marketing hype. I heard the next Orphan Barrel, Unicorn Tears, is made with actual unicorn tears. Get real, Diageo.