The Representative Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon

Not certain if reviewing another MGP bourbon immediately after my last one is a good idea, as I expect many similar notes, but this bottle was running low, so it's time. Smell is somewhat different from the usual MGP; detecting a lot of cherry and oak. Honestly, this smells much more like a Buffalo Trace product. Additional notes of caramel, vanilla, and rye spice. Ethanol is exceptionally low. Not the most potent aroma, but traditional and welcoming. Taste lacks the fruit promised in the smell. This one is all caramel chew, wood, and smoke. On the brighter side of those flavors (it is MGP, after all) but much less so than other offerings, which I found enjoyable. Flavors are rich and impactful. Aftertaste is where things go downhill; it's a rough experience. Starts with straight oak chips, barrel char, and a hint of generic citrus, which is fine, but the proof and relatively low age make themselves known as a prickly alcohol burn that quickly becomes the main flavor, and we all know better aftertastes exist. It's long, but most of that is just heat. Mouthfeel is slick and oily. Overall, not a bad effort for a 4-year MGP, and I'd say the people at Proof and Wood know how to select a barrel. But ultimately, with a flawed aftertaste and a fairly common flavor profile, it just kind of gets lost in the shuffle at its proof and price point. At $56, there's no way I can recommend this over the far superior MGP product that is Belle Meade Reserve, which is actually cheaper. No repurchase for me.

The Representative Barrel Proof A store pick from Greens Farms Spirits Barrel entry 12/6/17, bottled on 10/20/22 113.54 Proof Served in a Glencairn glass, rested for 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Caramel, marshmallow, and a faint graham cracker scent. Palate: Chocolate and marshmallow with some baking spice and clove. Finish: Lingering with moderate warmth. With a splash: A dry oaky note and some cinnamon emerge with a few drops of water. Overall: 9/10 - It's been two years since I bought this bottle, and I finally opened it, and I really should have tried it sooner. This was a much better bottle than the last one I sampled. From the aroma to the finish, I was impressed.

Appearance: Pale reddish-brown. Smell: Fresh red apples, damp autumn leaves, orchard blossoms, and sweet cake frosting. Light pear and peach notes also emerge. Taste: Tobacco and mint are prominent, with substantial cinnamon and cloves. Butterscotch sweetness extends the flavor. Aftertaste: A touch of salt, similar to caramel corn. Moderately dry, with a gentle, warming heat. With Water Added: Aroma is sweeter, with a hint of cocoa. Taste is smoother, softened by powdered sugar, yet still retaining some rye spice. Aftertaste is shorter and sharper, with a faint mineral water sensation.

The Representative A single barrel straight bourbon from r/Bourbon. 112.94 Proof Served in a Glencairn glass, allowed to rest for 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Caramel, butterscotch, a subtle hint of marshmallow. Palate: More caramel and butterscotch, with notes of clove and baking spice. The mouthfeel is thicker than typical. Finish: Mild heat but it lingers for a considerable time. With water: No new flavors emerge. Overall: 7.5/10 - My initial expectation was higher, but it might improve with time. The finish is remarkably persistent.

Smell: Very strong alcohol/acetone… I actually enjoy it. Once past the acetone notes, it develops. Baking spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla. Some creamy coconut, Red Hots candy, faint wisps of tobacco and oiled leather. Taste: Sweet and spicy, clove, light honey, and some nuttiness. Aftertaste: Long, with spice developing on the back edges of the tongue. Extremely enjoyable and complex for a 4-year-old bourbon. For $45 USD a bottle, you truly can't go wrong.

Nose: Fragrant oak, citrus, with a hint of the spirit's strength. Palate: Vanilla, toffee, and cereal. Finish: Medium to long, with tobacco, mint, and herbs. This pour is potent both on the nose and the finish; in between, it presents a very vanilla and shortbread profile. It's a sipper that awakens the senses and also works wonderfully in cocktails.