
Paid: $80 for 750ml
Distilled/Owned by: Jim Beam & Undisclosed Canadian Distiller(s) / Beam Suntory
Region: Kentucky & Canada
55.9% ABV
Aged For: NAS (Blend of 8, 13, and 40 Year whisky)
Mashbill: Undisclosed (Blend of Kentucky rye, Canadian rye, and Canadian Corn whisky)
Cask Type: Mix of new charred oak, re-charred barrels, and ex-bourbon casks
Chill Filtered: No
Color Added: No
Color: Golden
Drank: Neat, in a glencairn
Nose: Cinnamon rye spice, butterscotch, eucalyptus, vanilla syrup, lavender, caraway seeds, cracked corn, and caramel, the scent of alcohol lingers moderately in the background
Feel: Medium body
Taste: Cloves, tobacco, black pepper, rye, oak, cinnamon, toffee, butterscotch, herbal notes with perhaps cumin? Apple and VSOP brandy if I really focus on the fruit aspects. Bounces back and forth between sweet and spicy herbal.
Finish: Medium length and warmth. If the palate fought over spicy and sweet, sweet is winning now. Oak, vanilla, caramel, honey, butterscotch, and cream soda, with rye spice having a nice linger in the background.
Thoughts: I actually think Freddie made a decent blend here. The rye spices and sweet buttery flavors of old Canadian corn whisky pair nicely. The palate could have used a bit more body, and with most releases these days its priced $25 to $35 dollars over what it should be, but overall its something I think most fans of rye or bourbon would enjoy.
Score: 82 out of 100