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Best Bourbon
It doesn’t get any more American than bourbon. Ever since Elijah Craig from Kentucky distilled his whiskey from corn mash and opened a distillery in 1789, bourbon has become the adopted spirit of the U.S. And it’s a passionately guarded tradition. True bourbons must be made using at least 51% corn (most distillers use 70 to 80 percent corn), and aged in new, charred oak barrels. Charring transforms the wood and carmelizes the sugars, bringing out the vanilla and caramel flavors characteristic to the bourbon style. The quality of the water also plays a significant part in the process. In fact, products from other countries using the “bourbon” name must be made in the U.S.
Until recently, commercial bourbon distilleries were only located along the Bourbon Trail® in Kentucky. While still associated with the South, bourbon-producing distilleries can now be found in at least 10 states.
The Tasting:
The Fifty Best held a “blind” tasting of 19 premium bourbons with 16 journalists, bartenders and aficionados. Strict tasting rules were applied. Even the order of service was established beforehand by lottery. Each of the bourbons were poured into fresh glasses from new sealed bottles, and immediately served at room temperature. Only ice water and unflavored rice crackers were available to cleanse the palate.
The judges wrote down their impressions of each product on score sheets. The scoring was done on a 5-point system, with 5 as the best. The bourbons were ranked according to the final scores received from the judges. Ties are listed in alphabetical order. Double-Gold, Gold, and Silver medals are awarded based on a set range of point scores.
The tasting notes that follow the rankings are summaries of the judges’ opinions, with duplicate commentary eliminated. Prices quoted are for 750ml sizes. Prices may vary by state and do not include sales tax.
TASTING RESULTS:
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1. Hirsch Small Batch Reserve - (Kentucky) $34
Nose: Butter, vanilla, banana, floral, grassy, sweet, spicy. Palate: Rich fruit, light floral, dried orange rind, molasses, caramel, creamy layers, vanilla, maple, banana, tangerine, ginger, nutmeg, sweet, round, well-balanced, great smoothness, classy, favorite. Finish: Nutty, sugary, malty, some pepper, mellow, clean, soft, short.
Double Gold Medal
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2. 1792 Ridgemont Reserve - (Kentucky) $28
Nose: Caramel, burnt sugar, molasses, vanilla, floral, rose, clean. Palate: Lemon peel, tangerine orange, apricot jam, honey, buttery, pastry, malty, nutmeg, hazelnut, sherry, eucalyptus, allspice, white pepper, medium spice, cedar, woodsy character, sweet, smooth. Finish: Lemon peel, malty, caramel, acidic, spicy, rustic, smooth, mellow, short to medium.
Double Gold Medal
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3. Two-Way Tie - Buffalo Trace - (Kentucky) $23
Nose: Honey, molasses, caramel, butterscotch, smoky. Palate: Orange peel, pineapple, lemon citrus, apricot, vanilla, treacle, nutty, cereal, spicy, cinnamon, coffee, smoky, oak, clean, smooth, well-balanced. Finish: Floral, gtrassy, scotch-like, smooth, mellow, short.
Double Gold Medal
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Elmer T. Lee - (Kentucky) $30
Nose: Sweet, honey, vanilla, caramel, buttery, floral, fruity, banana leaf. Palate: Caramel, honey, molasses, toffee, banana, creamy, buttery, biscuit, floral notes, fresh, smooth, well-balanced. Finish: Vanilla, maple syrup, sweet, soft, smooth, balanced, long.
Double Gold Medal
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4. George Dickel - (Tennessee) $20
Nose: Spicy, sweet, black currant, grainy, rye, cereal, licorice, sherry, very soft. Palate: Caramel, butterscotch, candy, malty, buttery, toast, almond, clove, sweet, spicy, silky, round, complex, well-balanced. Finish: Buttery, maple, tea leaves, smoke, soft, tart, rich, smooth, medium-long.
Double Gold Medal
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5. Old Pogue Master’s Select - (Kentucky) $46
Nose: Light floral, caramel, nutty. Palate: Caramel, treacle, light cream, malty, cedar, allspice, almond, leather, rich, very smooth, well-balanced. Finish: Nice, smooth.
Double Gold Medal
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6. Two-Way Tie - Bowman Brothers - (Virginia) $30
Nose: Sweet, toffee, butterscotch, coconut, tropical fruit, vanilla. Palate: Light honey, caramel, buttery, cream, pralines, marmalade, apricot, citrus, oak, tart, clean, well-balanced. Finish: Buttery, creamy, butterscotch, light spice, astringent, robust, smooth, soft, mellow, short.
Gold Medal
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Wild Turkey Rare Breed 101 - (Kentucky) $38
Nose: Fruity, banana, apricot, peach, toffee, creamy, nutty, floral, sweet, rich, pleasant. Palate: Dark cherry, banana, warm butter, rich layers of toffee, treacle, caramel, chocolate, brown sugar, nutty, pecan, walnut, oak, cedar, clove, eucalyptus, woody, floral, herbal notes, spicy, tart, bitter, dry, slight burn, medicinal, sharp, nice. Finish: Smooth, pepper, citrus, sweet, spicy, fiery, bold, harsh, robust, long.
Gold Medal
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7. Wild Turkey 81 - (Kentucky) $25
Nose: Woody, caramel, sweet molasses, ginger. Palate: Vanilla, banana, apricot, fruity, touch of citrus, lemon peel, honey, toffee, almond, ginger, buttery, creamy layers, slightly spicy, peppery, nutty, oak, mint, licorice. Finish: Smooth, soft, slight burn, peppery, spice, surprising body, balanced, long.
Gold Medal
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8. Garrison Brothers Texas Straight- (Texas) $78
Nose: Black tea, toasted brown sugar, buttery, leather, dried fruit, cherry, sugar cane, vanilla, oak, oily, spicy, woodsy, clean. Palate: Orange peel, banana, peach, lemon, coconut, creamy, toffee, ginger, spice, floral notes, light oak, cedar, woody, mahogany rich, smoky, sour, oily, balanced, very elegant. Finish: Soft, peppery, spicy, clove, scotch-like, hot, smooth, short.
Gold Medal
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9. Two-Way Tie - Bulleit - (Kentucky) $27
Nose: Molasses, honey, brown sugar, ginger, sweet, toasty, oak. Palate: Caramel, banana, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, buttery, creamy layers, marzipan, malty, clove, almond, nutmeg, oak, syrupy, smooth, great flavor, delicious. Finish: Corn, toffee, soft, light, spicy, balanced.
Gold Medal
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Ezra Brooks - (Kentucky) $14
Nose: Fruity, floral, corn, banana, orange, tropical fruit, honey, maple, hazelnut. Palate: Orange blossom, molasses, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, creamy, flowery, sweet, pepper, spicy, woodsy, rye, coriander, smooth. Finish: Vanilla, tea leaves, citrus, mint, dried fruit, grainy, malty, mellow.
Gold Medal
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10. Two-Way Tie - Cedar Ridge - (Iowa) $34
Nose: Caramel, honey, jalapeño, citrus, light. Palate: Buttery, caramel, creamy, sweet, rich, lemon rind, single malt flavors, leather, cedar, grainy, grassy, mint, floral. light, smooth, mellow. Finish: Sweet, corn, black currant, cedar, nutty, buttery, soft, smooth, robust, lingering.
Gold Medal
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E. H. Taylor, Jr. - (Kentucky) $70
Nose: Fruity, caramel, toffee notes, brown sugar, raisin, coconut, grainy. Palate: Sweet, almond, orange peel, some fruit, pepper, spice, nutmeg, peppercorn, ginger, grass, sublime. Finish: Cereal, medicinal, harsh, smooth, long.
Gold Medal
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11. Two-Way Tie - Hudson Baby Bourbon - (New York) $46 (375 ml)
Nose: Spice, cinnamon, walnut, black tea, smoky, herbal, woody. Palate: Sweet orange marmalade, herbal, malty, rye, cedar, new wood, tobacco, leather, sour, tart, sharp, soft, clean. Finish: Medium, cinnamon, nice, great, lovely, smooth, mellow.
Gold Medal
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Rebel Reserve - (Kentucky) $20
Nose: Floral, maple, hazelnut, lemon peel, coke, licorice. Palate: Rich, light banana, caramel, creamy, clove, mint, rye, spicy, marzipan, sherry, sourdough, earthy, wood, medicinal, clean, smooth, gentle, well-rounded, pleasant, premium. Finish: Smooth, sharp, light, tropical fruit, coffee, maple, pepper, short.
Gold Medal
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12. John J. Bowman - (Virginia) $50
Nose: Rich fruit, orange peel, marmalade, molasses, rich toffee, rum-like, biscuits, soft, woody, floral. Palate: Burnt sugar, butter, creamy, toffee, brown sugar, orange peel, Madeira, grassy, ginger, minty, floral, oak, allspice. Finish: Cereal, vanilla, woodsy, rough, sharp, long.
Silver Medal
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13. Abraham Bowman - (Virginia) $70
Nose: Rich, honey, sweet, molasses, butterscotch, burnt sugar, toffee, caramel, citrus, toast. Palate: Creamy, corn, jalapeño, licorice, rich wood, oak, charcoal, leather, medicinal, iodine, strong, pleasant warming, concentrated, unbalanced. Finish: Marzipan, pecan, spicy, orange peel, brown sugar, hot, harsh, lingering wood.
Silver Medal
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14. - Rebel Yell - (Kentucky) $15
Nose: Sweet, honey, caramel, pineapple, cream. Palate: Honey, sugarcane, molasses, creamy, butter, light pepper, floral, grain, lemon-citrus, cedar, oak, leather, smooth, clean, unbalanced. Finish: Oaky, oily, spicy, marzipan, harsh, mellow, short.
Silver Medal
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