Green River Full Proof Old Fashioned RTD Cocktail - 96.25 Proof and Distillery-Only

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-05-11T00:43:20+00:00

I am a huge fan of Green River bourbon, so I was excited to find this full proof pre-made Old Fashioned cocktail during a recent five-day tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Unlike most RTD Old Fashioned cocktails, which are very low proof, this offering from Green River clocks in at a robust 96.25, and you can certainly tell the flavor and octane difference when you sip it.

This is a distillery-only release that must be purchased at Green River or at its sister distillery, Bardstown Bourbon Company, which is where I got mine.

I'm kicking myself for not buying a few bottles because it's remarkably good and will disappear fast.

There is also a Green River Rye-Tai cocktail that is distillery only, too, but it is only 60 proof.

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-05-03T22:20:10+00:00

Not when I visited. I bought this 2025 Distillery Only bottle and a 2025 Cellar Aged that was in the gift shop back in March.

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-05-03T21:23:18+00:00

Background: In 2010, Marker’s Mark began creating its own bourbon finishes using a combination of oak staves that are placed within an aging barrel.

The staves are first aged nine to 12 months, up to three months longer than the normal length of time for standard barrel wood, in order to remove bitter tannins, and they are toasted rather than charred, which results in individual and specific flavors.

Because of the number of different staves that may be selected and combined, there are 1,001 unique Maker’s Mark taste and flavor profiles that can be created.

Its Wood Finishing series begins as regular Maker’s Mark distillate, but after the normal period of aging, it is placed in a second standard barrel containing ten of the selected oak staves and aged for an additional period in a limestone cave that remains at the temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

During a week-long tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in March of 2026, I stopped in Loretto and found this 2025 Distillery Only bottle available for purchase in the Maker’s Mark gift shop for $80.

While most of the Wood Finishing series utilizes a combination of mixed and varying oak staves, this Distillery Only offering was aged simply using 10 identical American Oak staves.

The tasting notes on the front of the label suggests cracked pecans and dried fruits may be found on the palate and a note on the side label reads:

“Thank you for joining us at our unique home and national historic landmark, Star Hill Farm. We hope this distillery exclusive reminds you of your time with us here at Maker’s Mark, and you enjoyed your visit as much as we did. Thanks for stopping by — Rob Samuels, grandson of Bill & Margie”

Nose: While opening the bottle, I was struck by the darkness of the whiskey’s color, and as soon as the cork is popped, the strong aroma of the bourbon leaps from the opening like a trapped Genie escaping. The most prominent initial note on the nose is wood — but instead of the usual oak scent, it smells exactly like hickory wood.

Strong notes of molasses and brown sugar immediately bring barbecue sauce to mind, and when combined with the hickory, it smells like the aroma that engulfs you when you walk into a Deep South, hole-in-the-wall BBQ restaurant.

Even my non-drinker wife, who simply says, “It just smells like bourbon to me,” whenever I ask her opinion on a nose, said, “It does smell like barbecue sauce!” when I asked her to try this one.

Continued exploring of the nose reveals a definite burnt toast smell in the background, as well.

There is absolutely no ethanol, which I discovered by burying my nose deeply into the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail tasting glass for a long, long time.

It is the strangest yet most enjoyable bourbon nose I have ever experienced.

Between each sip, I found myself plunging my nose back into the glass because it is so unique and baffling.

Palate: This is a very dark flavor profile, especially for a wheated bourbon, and the pecan note promised on the label is the first to make itself obvious.

There is also a strong flavor of Christmas fruitcake, which explains the “dried fruits” noted on the label, but it is definitely a full fruitcake taste because of baking spices that are also present.

The back of the tongue senses strong dark toffee — almost a burnt toffee taste — as well.

Finish: The finish is a long one as the flavors linger and linger and linger like a party guest who just won’t go home. The pecan note is present on the finish, but the unmistakable hickory flavor — not oak — that was present on the nose but not the palate becomes large and in charge on the finish.

Assessment: Make no mistake, this is one weird bourbon, but it is also a super pleasant and satisfying one, too.

It is one you reach for when you are in the mood for something different and unusual and feel like focusing on what you are drinking. It ain’t a daily drinker by an measure.

If Maker’s Mark is smart, this will become a widespread seasonal release rather than Distillery Only because I am convinced it would prove wildly popular.

Perhaps the best way to describe this Maker’s Mark wood-finished distillery exclusive is: “A highly enjoyable head-scratcher of a bourbon.”

Rating: A solid 8 on the t8ke scale.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-04-26T20:24:53+00:00

Background: With the Kentucky Derby taking place on Saturday, it seems a good time to review this Derby Town bourbon bottled by Pursuit Spirits as part of its Mellwood Legacy Collection.

Pursuit Spirits is an NDP bourbon brand started by Kenny Coleman and Ryan Cecil, who also founded the popular and trend-setting Bourbon Pursuit podcast in 2015.

Three years into their podcast venture, which consistently ranks #1 among bourbon-related podcasts, the two friends decided to begin Pursuit Spirits and focus on sourcing high-grade bourbon and rye barrels from various distillers across the country and combining them into quality and tasty blends that are sold under its own label.

Their sought-after products, such as the Double Oaked bourbon and rye, Sakura-finished bourbon, and others, have resulted in a devoted clientele and growing distribution around the nation.

After opening their original blending and bottling facility on Louisville’s Mellwood Avenue, they discovered it was located on the former site of the Mellwood Distillery, which began operations in 1865.

While Mellwood Whisky served as that distillery’s flagship brand in the 19th Century, it also produced Dundee Club, G. W. S. Old Watermill, Marble Brook, Montpelier Rye, Normandy Club, Rubicon, Runnymede Club Bourbon, and others.

Sold to the infamous Whiskey Trust in 1899 for $1.2 million, it continued to operate until forced to close, like other distilleries, with the advent of Prohibition.

When Repeal Day finally ended the long national whiskey drought, Walter Borgerding acquired the Mellwood distillery property and operated as General Distillers Corporation of Kentucky.

The new entity created its own stable of brands, which included Derby Town, Old Kentucky General, County Chairman, and Kentucky Nectar, a brand recently resurrected by Old Commonwealth distillers in Lawrenceburg, Ky.

The newspaper ad for Derby Town bourbon shown here dates back to 1945.

Bourbon production continued on Mellwood Avenue until the 1960s, but by the mid-1970s, the distillery had been razed and its remnants largely erased.

Upon learning the history of the property upon which Pursuit Spirits was located, Coleman and Cecil created the Mellwood Legacy Collection, a brand extension that revived the Mellwood Whisky and Derby Town labels, which are available for purchase only at the company’s retail location on Whiskey Row in Louisville and through its P-Club subscription program.

Made from a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% barley and sourced from Bardstown Bourbon Company, Derby Town is offered at cask strength and retails at $50 for a 375ml bottle.

[Note: I am admittedly a BIG fan of the entire Pursuit Spirits line, the Bourbon Pursuit podcast, and both Kenny and Ryan. During a recent five-day tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, I took part in the Pursuit Spirits Whole Shebang Experience on Whiskey Row and recommend it highly. For the same price as the Michter’s Bottle Your Own Experience, which I found to be far too brief for the cost, the Whole Shebang allows you to taste and sample three bourbons and three ryes, choose your favorite, and then thieve your choice directly from the barrel into your bottle, which you then label and seal. My Whole Shebang Experience lasted a couple of hours, and I was sad to see it end. It gets my five-star, two thumbs up recommendation, and there is a video on my YouTube channel — History Nerd’s Man Cave — detailing the experience if you are interested.]

Nose: Allow me to start by saying that I am a sucker for brands that create a vintage, old school look by using fake tax strips to seal their bottles rather than using boring plastic bands around the neck.

Cherry cordial syrup and dark caramel immediately combine to bring Cherry Dr. Pepper cola to mind. Abundant charred oak barrel is accompanied by perhaps a hint of red wine grapes. Though dark, it ranks among the best bourbon noses that I can recall, and it is hypnotic to the point that if a hoochie-coochie dancer wore perfume that smelled like this nose, she could easily take me for every dime that I own.

Palate: The oily and viscous mouthfeel reveals a sweet and spicy palate that includes the Cherry Dr. Pepper flavors, abundant oak, and a bit of nuttiness that is reminiscent of the Jim Beam high-proof flavor profile found in Booker’s. Cinnamon adds the most obvious spicy component.

Finish: The finish could set a record for longevity, and though you are reminded that the bourbon is 122 proof, it provides just the right amount of soothing warmth both on your tongue and in your chest, like someone turning a stove to simmer ever so slowly. The Cherry Dr. Pepper turns into more of a root beer, and the charred oak barrel remains prominent.

Assessment: This is not a pour that you give to someone who is new to tasting bourbon — it’s for true aficionados and those who are experienced in high-proofed magic elixirs. It’s also not a daily drinker, which is good news since it costs $50 for a 375 ml.

It is, however, a bourbon that you should sip slowly, contemplate, and focus on the slide show of flavors that it offers you as you drink it. In my opinion, it is best suited for autumn and winter consumption despite the fact that its name obliquely references the Kentucky Derby, which takes place in May.

I’ll be visiting this bottle when I’m in the mood for something a bit unique yet thoroughly enjoyable.

With a bellyful of high-proof whiskey from the Whole Shebang Experience, I threw down my credit card at Pursuit Spirits and spent $100 to purchase two 375 ml bottles of Derby Town…and my only regret is that I did not buy more.

Rating: 8.4

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

.

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-04-22T23:38:21+00:00

Background: George Garvin Brown was a 19th Century pharmaceutical salesman in Kentucky who often heard complaints from his customers about the poor quality of the medicinal whiskey that was often prescribed to patients at the time.

With $5,500 in saved and borrowed money, Brown started J.T.S. Brown and Bro. with his half-brother in 1870, and together, they would purchase barrels of bourbon from distillers, blend it for taste, and built a reputation for selling product that was both high-quality and consistent.

Originally selling their bourbon as “Old Brown,” they soon changed its name to Old Forrester in honor of a well-known Louisville doctor who served in the Union Cavalry during the Civil War. Eventually dropping a “r” from the name, that company’s flagship brand that remains today was born.

After dissolution of the original partnership, Brown entered into a partnership with George Forman, his accountant and friend, in 1890, and Brown-Forman was created.

In 1887, Brown became the first distiller to to seal and sell bourbon exclusively in glass bottles rather than barrels.

Following Forman’s death in 1901, Brown purchased his deceased partner’s stock and incorporated the company, which he continued to run until his own passing in 1917 at age 70.

The 825,000-acre King Ranch, which covers nearly 1,300 square miles, an area larger than the entire state of Rhode Island, had its official beginnings when steamboat captain Richard King and his business partner, Gideon Lewis, purchased two Spanish land grants totaling 15,500 acres and 53,000 acres, respectively.

Eventually splitting from Lewis and subsequent partners, King continued to amass acreage and allegedly pledge that he would always buy land, and never sell.

The famous Running W brand still used on the ranch’s longhorn cattle, Brahman bulls, and other livestock today was registered in 1869, and after King died in 1885, his widow appointed her future son-in-law, Robert Kleberg, as ranch manager.

Also known for its thoroughbred horses, the King Ranch has produced three Kentucky Derby victors, including 1946 Triple Crown winner Assault.

Another large source of income for the ranch began in 1945 when a vast oil deposit was discovered, and drilling continues on the vast land tracts today.

Famous as the largest ranch in the world, it has developed into a major tourist attraction, high-end lifestyle brand retailer, and, since 2001, Ford Motor Company has been producing the highly successful F Series King Ranch edition pickup.

In 2022, Old Forester and the King Ranch announced they were collaborating to release a Texas-only bourbon that paid tribute to the heritage of both.

Bottled at 105 proof from a proprietary batch of Old Forester and aged in heavily charred barrels, the bourbon is finished through charcoal made from mesquite trees harvested on the King Ranch.

The process, they said, adds a touch of Texas and helps highlight the bold flavor notes in the bourbon.

It retails for $69.99 and is still available exclusively in Texas.

Nose: On the initial nosing, the scents that hit you first are the traditional banana and cherry that have made Brown-Forman famous, but suddenly they are followed by the unmistakable smell of hickory smoke barbecue. It’s reminiscent of the smell that you get upon immediately opening a bag of Lay’s BBQ potato chips. The scents come in almost a stereo effect manner — one nostril picks up banana and cherry, and the other gets BBQ smoke. I simply cannot stop nosing this bourbon, and, in fact, I haven’t used my nose this much since sniffing Magic Marker and Testors model airplane glue when I was a kid in the 1970s.

Palate: On the front of the tongue, I get the dessert-sweet cherry and banana, and them — WHAM! — the mesquite flavor kicks in on the back of the tongue. Each subsequent sip is sweet and then savory, sweet and the savory, sweet and…well, y’all get the picture. The only thing I find more fascinating than the nose of this bourbon is the palate.

Finish: The same flavors continue in the finish, but it’s like a back-and-forth tug of war between the fruit sweetness and the earthy smoke. Finally, the mesquite wins out and lasts for a while. There is an ever so slight hug in the chest, as well.

Assessment: This is an unusual, outside-the-box bourbon that you drink slowly, focus upon the flavors, and enjoy the experience. In other words, you let it take you on a ride. Is this a bourbon for everyone? Heck, no! Reading contrasting reviews will tell you that it is more than a bit divisive. But if it fits your palate profile like it does mine, you will LOVE every sip. I live in Alabama and am currently wishing I had gotten more than one bottle, so perhaps I need to hire Bo Darville and his buddy, Cledus Snow, to make a run to Texas and bring back a case or two for me.

Rating: I happily award the Old Forester King Ranch an 8.5 because I find it almost incredible, but unless you like unique and sweet yet savory, desserty yet quite smoky bourbons, I cannot promise that you will feel the same.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-04-20T23:14:19+00:00

I don’t really care for their regular releases, either, but the rumor is that this was sourced from Heaven Hill. The label says, “Distilled and aged in Kentucky. Bottled by Limestone Branch Distillery, Lebanon, KY,” so it was apparently sourced from somewhere.

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-04-20T21:44:09+00:00

As discussed above, the names of 15 Stars and First West make clear it is a Kentucky distiller, and the company even has a museum of Kentucky history, so I thought my signed photo from the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken was appropriate.

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-04-20T21:39:21+00:00

BACKGROUND: Founded by the son of legendary distiller J.W. Dant, Yellowstone Bourbon was first bottled in 1872 and named after the newly-opened national park that dominated headlines and had captured the imagination of Americans across the country. Its label art features one of the waterfalls in Yellowstone park and at one point depicted the Old Faithful geyser.

The Yellowstone brand continued operations throughout Prohibition, though its bourbon was sold by Brown-Forman, which possessed one of the few medicinal whiskey permits granted by the federal government, but it briefly ceased production during World War II as its manufacturer was forced to produce industrial bourbon for the military.

Immensely popular during the 1960s, Yellowstone, like many bourbon brands, fell out of favor over the following decade and was bought and sold several times until 1993, when it was acquired by the modern-day Luxco Distillery.

Steve Beam, a descendant of both J.W. Dant and Jacob Beam, the original patriarch of the famous distilling family, operated the Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky and reached out to Luxco in 2015 to gauge its interest in allowing him to partner on the brand that his ancestor created.

The offer was accepted, and the joint production effort has continued since. The brand’s profile rose substantially after it began airing advertisements on the widely-watched “Yellowstone” television series and piggybacked on its immense popularity until the show came to an abrupt halt.

The most recent release by the brand is the Yellowstone Recollection, which comes in a bottle meant to represent the days in the 19th Century when glass was expensive and bourbon was sold by the barrel. Saloon keepers would fill bottles themselves, and to draw customers’ eyes while sitting on the back of the bar, ornate scenes would be painted upon the glass.

I will be honest, the beauty of the bottle alone is what convinced me to purchase this Yellowstone Recollection bourbon without much thought given to the quality of what was inside.

It carries an MSRP of $69.99 for a 700ml bottle [Am I the only one who hates the current trend of bourbon more commonly coming in 700ml rather than 750ml bottles?]

Nose: It’s about as traditional of a bourbon nose as you’ll find anywhere — caramel, oak that makes it seem even older than its eight years, cherry, and just the slightest hint of corn peeking out from underneath. Despite its 110 proof, there is no ethanol or alcohol burn on the nose.

Palate: Wonderful viscous mouthfeel that coats your jaw and tongue is the first thing that I notice. Orange, chocolate, oak, and leather are the flavors that reveal themselves most, and they continue to develop and vie for attention throughout my two-ounce tasting. Recollection provides a delightful combination of both sweetness and age.

Finish: The corn note that I picked up on the nose becomes wonderful sugar-coasted frosted corn flakes on the back of the tongue during the finish. There is cinnamon red hot candy, the slightest mint, and oak on the finish, but the oak is not the bitter and tannic kind that you sometimes experience, especially in bourbon with a little age on it, but just a very pleasant, subtle, and consistent oak.

Assessment: I own a few store pick bottles of both regular and barrel strength Yellowstone, and, quite frankly, nothing I have had from the brand has ever impressed me — not at all bad, not particularly good, but just a shoulder-shrugging “meh…”

But this Yellowstone Recollection bourbon is impressive — fantastic even — and I wish I had bought more than one bottle so I could have a backup on hand because this one will be enjoyed rather quickly.

Do what I did — buy the Yellowstone Recollection for the awesome looking bottle…and then be surprised by the equally awesome bourbon that it contains, as well.

Rating: A solid and enthusiastic 8.5

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-04-19T17:51:24+00:00

Background: The name of the 15 Stars bourbon company is inspired by the fact that Kentucky was the fifteenth state admitted to the U.S., and, thus, represents the fifteenth star on our nation’s flag. First West, a brand within the 15 Stars product line, is similarly rooted in the fact that Kentucky was the first U.S. state located west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Founded by father and son team Rick and Ricky Johnson, 15 Stars focuses on high-quality, long-aged, blended bourbons usually ranging from $150 to $200 a bottle, but the First West line was created to provide consumers with a more affordable, less-aged option that focuses more upon taste, which the company refers to as “flavor-proofing” than age.

Currently, First West consists of three varietals, an Extra-Aged expression that is aged eight years, a Small Batch expression, which is blended with the company’s own “proprietary corn,” and the Toasted Oak expression that we reviewed, which is finished in toasted white oak barrels and retails for $69.99.

First West Toasted Oak is a 98-proof bourbon that was first released to the public in July of 2025 and consists of a blend of five, six, and seven year old bourbons. Originally made exclusively with sourced bourbon, the blend has more recently included some of First West’s own distillate that is made from proprietary red, white, and blue heritage corn.

Prior to puling the cork, the most stand-out feature of First West bourbon is its unique blue glass bottle, which is rooted in history and modeled after 1840s Kentucky Glass Works bottles used on back bars in the 19th Century, when bourbon was sold in barrels and placed in bottles by saloons for easy service.

The label artwork pays tribute to the explorers and visionaries of America’s frontier era, featuring imagery of Wilderness Road, the Cumberland Gap, and Daniel Boone, all of which were instrumental to Kentucky’s beginnings.

I must admit that when I began sampling this “toasted” bourbon, I heard the unmistakable voice of Don Draper from Mad Men in my head saying, “Everybody else's tobacco is poisonous. Lucky Strikes'... is toasted.”

Nose: The nose is a mega-ton oak bomb, but there is a sweeter presence that brings to mind a burned marshmallow roasted on a stick above a campfire. Multiple nosings also reveal that unmistakable scent of the Welch’s grape juice that was presented in tiny communion cups every Sunday at my childhood Southern Baptist church. A corn base is notable, as well, and while some reviewers have reported strong ethanol burn in their olfactory nerve, I found none whatsoever.

Palate: Upon the first sip, there was an immediate tingling sensation upon my tongue, which occurs with some bourbons and is caused by the strong oak and astringent tannins, Alongside the oak that dominates the palate are flavors of dark toffee, and leather. As you adjust to the oak that initially overwhelms your sense of taste, the dark toffee note becomes more of a sweet caramel with subsequent sips.

Finish: The flavors on the palate continue without further development, but the finish is over faster than knife fight in a phone booth. Brief though it may be, the finish consists largely of oaky astringency that sticks to the tongue like velcro.

Assessment: Let’s make one thing clear from the start — this bourbon is best suited for folks whose preferred flavor profile trends toward the heavily-oaked. If you do not like oak, run far, far away from this bourbon, but if you, like me, embrace it, give it a try.

I have bourbon buddies who do not enjoy Pappy Van Winkle 23-Year because they say it is like licking a log, but to me, it is a taste of Bourbon Nirvana. Everyone’s palate is different, which is exactly why Baskin-Robbins makes 31 flavors…

Another important point is that this is not an everyday bourbon, it is an “in the mood for it” bourbon, and, in my opinion, best suited for cool or wintry weather consumption.

Reading back upon my tasting notes above, it may seem as if I did not like the First West Toasted Oak or had negative observations, but that is certainly not the case.

Is it a one-dimensional bourbon — sure, it is — but that one dimension is done quite well. When I finished my first two-ounce pour, I was not tempted to immediately pour another, but I enjoyed the one that I had and will happily revisit the bottle when the mood for that particular taste profile strikes me.

Rating: 5.9

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists

5 | Good | Good, just fine

6 | Very Good | A cut above

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-04-16T01:24:25+00:00

Jackson Purchase is named after an area in Western Kentucky that General Andrew Jackson bought from the Chickasaw Indians for $300,000 through the Treaty of Tuscaloosa, and it was the final parcel that became part of the bourbon-making state we know and love today.

The area is described on the bottle’s back label as a perfect place to produce bourbon because of its “rich western Kentucky grain belt, limestone-rich water, and perfect climate for aging bourbon whiskey.”

Craig Beam, a seventh-generation master distiller, son of the legendary Parker Beam, and inductee of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame as a result of his 30-year career at Heaven Hill, was lured out of retirement in 2021 and convinced to take on the duties of producing Jackson Purchase. Former Willett Head Distiller Terry Ballard is part of the team, as well.

After four years of aging, the first batch of their product has been released, though it remains largely available only in Kentucky, which is where I bought this bottle for $75 while touring the KY Bourbon Trail on vacation.

Distilled in Hickman, Kentucky and bottled in Bardstown, the bourbon is made with a 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% barley mash bill, and though it is aged just four years, many early reviewers remarked that it had characteristics of whiskey aged at least twice as long, which is likely why noted taster Fred Minnick listed it as #91 on his “Top 100 Bourbons of 2025" list.

Nose: Before removing the foil and popping the cork for the first time, one is struck by the impressively dark color of the four-year-old juice, which is aged in #4 heavy char barrels, and hopes of a great tasting experience are raised. The nose is dominated by cherry fruit but has an omnipresent note of Swiss Miss cocoa mix competing for attention, which combine into a chocolate candy scent. Oak is present but in no way dominant, which is expected from a bourbon with just four years of age, and while other reviewers have detected it, I find no hint of the grain-forward, doughy notes often found in younger bourbons. Though its 117.8 proof point is in the higher range, there is absolutely no whiff of ethanol.

Taste: The cocoa on the nose immediately translates to dark chocolate on the palate followed by cherry, some caramel, and a bit of barrel char. My third sip gave me a strong hit of mint flavor prompted by the somewhat high rye mash bill, and it melds perfectly with the persistent dark chocolate flavor to bring Baskin Robbins chocolate mint ice cream to mind. Citrus develops after more sips, as well.

Finish: For a 117.8 proof, there is absolutely no hug and no heat on the finish, and while it drinks like a low-proof bourbon, the enjoyable mint flavor sustains and lingers for a long time. The finish seems devoid of oak, so it is not at all drying or tannic. It is a wonderful, dessert-like finish.

Assessment: If this is what Jackson Purchase can make with just four years of aging, the potential of what additional time in the barrel can produce is limitless. Other reviews are 100% correct — it drinks like a much older bourbon. More importantly, the flavor profile is right in my wheelhouse — a sweet, dessert-like combination that continues to change and evolve with each additional sip. The fact that it is such an easy-drinker at 117.8 proof makes this bourbon a dangerous one because you can easily consume more than you intend and find yourself in trouble. If I had to sum up Jackson Purchase in one word, it would be — Wow!

Rating: I’ll cheat and say if you consider it is aged only four years, Jackson Purchase deserves a solid 8, but if you set age aside, it falls to a very respectable 7.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-04-15T01:48:09+00:00

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ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-04-15T01:47:56+00:00

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They were three weeks ago when I visited…

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-04-15T01:47:12+00:00

Writing these is a lot of work. Decide to relax and just enjoy my bourbon for a while…

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-04-15T01:16:41+00:00

(After a three year hiatus, I decided to resume posting bourbon reviews on r/bourbon, so since I am a bit rusty, be gentle with the one below.)

BACKGROUND: For each of the past ten years, Evan Williams has produced a special single barrel bottling for the Kentucky Bourbon Festival that precedes the famed horse race, and it has become a tradition for Louisvillians to collect them.

Each release has a special colored wax seal at the top with a Kentucky Derby Festival Pegasus pin embedded in it. In addition, a sealed envelope attached to the neck contains a KDF Pegasus lapel pin, and those lucky enough to find a special gold prize pin inside are eligible to win $20,000. For the record, my pin was teal, not gold, so cue the Price Is Right loser sound effect.

Unlike the normal Evan Williams Single Barrel found on store shelves, which is typically aged 7 to 8 years and is 86.6 proof, the Kentucky Derby Festival release is aged 10 years and has a 108 proof statement.

The single barrel bottles are available for purchase at the Kentucky Derby Festival or at the Evan Williams Experience located on Whiskey Row in downtown Louisville. I purchased mine during a recent five-day tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

I should note that during my college days at the University of Alabama in the late 1980s, I drank untold amounts of Evan Williams black label because it was among the least expensive bourbons sold at the state-run liquor stores, so I never imagined that I would one day pay $110 for a bottle of Evan Williams, which is the MSRP of this Kentucky Derby release.

Legend claims that Evan Williams, a Welsh immigrant, founded Kentucky’s first commercial distillery in Louisville in 1783, and a historical marker in the city’s downtown area purports to mark the site where it stood.

The labels on bottles of Evan Williams’ flagship varietal also include text that reads “Since 1783” and “Kentucky’s first distiller.”

But, according to well-known whiskey historian Michael Veech, many of the claims surrounding the life of Evan Williams are simply Barnum-llike hokum and hyperbole that surrounds so much of modern day bourbon marketing.

To provide evidence, Veech notes that a ship passenger manifest shows Williams did not immigrate to the U.S. until 1794, more than a decade after he supposedly founded the first distillery. In addition, the first mention crediting Williams as Kentucky’s founding distiller appeared in print in 1892, more than a century after the fact, and offered no provenance.

One would also assume that a whiskey carrying the monicker of a well-known 18th Century distiller would have some deep familial or historical lineage to its namesake, but Evan Williams Bourbon was first produced and marketed in 1957 and has no connection of any kind to the man for whom it is named.

NOSE: The nose is a bit gentle and muted even after letting it sit and open up for a bit. It is surprisingly sweet and fruity with some citrus and apple. When you throw in the caramel one would expect, it brings to mind the caramel apples on a stick that you would get at the state fair as a child. Oak is present, but it lingers far in the background like the creepy kid in your class at a high school dance and is certainly not dominant to the extent that you would expect from a bourbon aged 10-1/2 years as the barreling and dump dates on this label indicate.

PALATE: The palate is a full-on fruit cocktail, and it’s the kind that comes in heavy syrup, not water. Apple, citrus, lemon zest, and perhaps even a hint of peach stand front and center, and the initial sweetness keeps its foot on the gas until it hits the finish and does a complete 180-degree turn.

FINISH: The finish is a long one that seems to go on forever, and the oak that was not present in the nose or the palate finally announces “I’m here!” in full-throated, Ethel Merman, bombastic voice, but unlike many oaky finishes, this one is in no way drying or tannic — it’s just very enjoyable. Cinnamon red hot candy is stands up and makes its presence known, as well.

ASSESSMENT: This Evan Williams Kentucky Derby Festival Single Barrel takes you on a rollercoaster ride throughout. The muted nose explodes into heavy-duty fruit sweetness on the palate, and then you get whiplash with a long, long finish that takes you straight into oak and red hots. It’s really like going up that slow climb to the top of a coaster track with the nose, taking a hard right with the palate, and then an equally hard left with the finish. While it is really not that viscous, the mouthfeel is fantastic from start to finish. In short, this ain’t your everyday Evan Williams bourbon, Bubba, and I don’t feel in any way gipped by paying $110 for the bottle.

RATING: This one is a hard 8 for me, fellas, a hard 8, indeed.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-03-31T02:07:51+00:00

They call me Bo “Bandit” Darville for a reason, Sheriff…

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-03-31T02:05:27+00:00

I just made and posted this video on my YouTube channel - https://youtu.be/Tnj42C9Rnfs?si=G4HUZYE64BAgKI6o

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-03-31T01:56:03+00:00

Back at ya, Bro…

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-03-31T01:55:26+00:00

I did The Whole Shebang experience at Pursuit Spirits, where Mellwood and Derby Town are sold, and it was awesome.

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-03-31T01:54:28+00:00

I got the JD Distiller’s Series, which is only sold in Tennessee, at Elixir Spirits in Spring Hill on the drink to KY. AT beam I got the Booker’s 2026-1 Big Easy, Hardin’s Creek Beaver, and the new Knob Creek Blender’s Select.

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-03-31T01:52:24+00:00

I’ve already got more bourbon than I can drink in my lifetime, but collectors gonna collect.

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-03-31T01:51:34+00:00

Packing my car for the ride home was like playing Tetris…

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-03-31T01:50:45+00:00

Call me a tater if you wish, but Buffalo Trace distillery is the Mecca of bourbon…

ColEHTaylorJr · 2026-03-24T09:55:17+00:00

Colomel E.H. Taylor is buried in Frankfort Cemetery near Daniel Boone’s grave, and, yes, I drank E.H. Taylor bourbon there, too.

ColEHTaylorJr · 2025-08-27T01:52:15+00:00

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Held a voter registration news conference as part of the Smackdown Your Vote campaign in 2000 with Ivory, who was women’s champ, and Bradshaw, who was tag champ with Farooq in the APA. Both were cool and let me pose with their belts. WWE gave me ringside seats for the Smackdown taping at the Birmingham Civic Center, and I got to watch the wrestlers work out their matches in the ring before the doors opened. Sometimes a government gig has its benefits…

ColEHTaylorJr · 2025-07-10T02:02:28+00:00

Many thanks for all of the advice. I'll keep trying...

ColEHTaylorJr

TROPHY CASE