Welcome to another edition of Tasteless Tastings, which is exactly what it sounds like: tasting notes from the riffraff. If you follow the liquor industry to any capacity, you probably have come across snooty tasting notes from classy people who make the new spirit sound more like a science experiment than something you consume for fun. I want to shoot gayly forward from the hip and tell you how it really tastes. So each time the nice mailman brings me a sample to try, I’ll gather up some friends and we’ll have a candid, lively and unpolitically correct discussion about bourbon.
I’ve been embarrassingly behind on holding this Tasteless Tastings, and I have no one to blame but myself. I’ve had some of these bottles for months, and I’ve tried my hardest not to break into them until I could get some buddies over and do it to it. I invited five friends to join me, and we dove right in, tackling the most in the history of TT. We also had an Olympic theme going and awarded our top 3 with a gold, silver and bronze medal.
So here we are. Without further adieu …
What are we drinking today?:
What the hell is it?:
This is a four-grain bourbon from the new-ish Penelope Bourbon folks, and it’s a blend of three bourbon mash bills sourced from MGP in Indiana. The four grains include corn, wheat, rye and malted barley.
Give me the nerdy numbers:
80 Proof | $34.99
What do we think?:
Elizabeth: It has a nice nose. I like it! It’s got nice legs, too.
Heather: It’s smooth.
Kat: I like how smooth it is, but nothing really jumps out flavor-wise.
Bar Belle: It sure is a mellow little fellow.
Tonya: It’s light and airy. I could sip on this all night.
Elizabeth: I’m not sure I like the bottle because it looks too much like wine.
Zanne: Yes! It looks like a rosé!
Final thought:
A light and refreshing take on bourbon, this standard Penelope release is definitely a gateway whiskey.
Group Consensus:
Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.
What are we drinking today?:
What the hell is it?:
This is the newest release from Heaven Hill that pays homage to the five Shapira brothers who founded the company in 1935. It’s a blend of five ages of bourbon ranging from 5 to 9 years old.
Give me the nerdy numbers:
90 Proof | $59.99
What do we think?:
Elizabeth: The nose is great on this one, but it kind of burnt me a little on first sip.
Bar Belle: That’s because you chugged it! You’re supposed to let it simmer in your mouth, not just swallow it whole!
Elizabeth: You didn’t pour me enough to truly get a taste. Quit being stingy!
Bar Belle: OK, fine! Here’s another pour.
Heather: I enjoy the rich nose on this one. It’s like you’re inside a rick house.
Kat: I’m getting apricot and citrus. It’s nice!
Heather: It’s an easy drinker for sure.
Kat: It really opened up in my mouth and was refreshing going down.
Bar Belle: Nobody say “That’s what she said,” please.
Final thought:
It’s a great sipping bourbon with the quintessential notes of rich caramel, dark chocolate and baked fruit.
Medal Winner!:
Silver — Second Place!
What are we drinking today?:
What the hell is it?:
This is a blend of 4-6-year-old Kentucky bourbon and is partly backed by famed sports announcer Bruce Buffer, aka “the voice of mixed martial arts.” We’ll let Buffer explain the name of the product himself: “A puncher’s chance means that anyone has the potential to succeed, whatever the odds or circumstances, if he or she works for it.”
Give me the nerdy numbers:
90 Proof | $34.99
What do we think?:
Kat: The bottle is not appealing to me. It looks like a rum!
Zanne: It looks like a bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream!
Elizabeth: It looks like it came off a pirate ship.
Kat: It drinks young.
Zanne: There’s a subtle hint of burnt tire in this.
Bar Belle: I’m detecting some mustiness here.
Heather: It’s like watered down Irish whiskey.
Final thought:
While most in our panel did not prefer this bourbon, that doesn’t mean others won’t enjoy it. It drinks a little young, but there are some who prefer those flavors of green apple and pear, drizzled with some caramel. This is Kentucky bourbon, after all, so it’s got potential to be your everyday drinker. Note: A 21-year-old crashed our tasting session during this pour, and he not only loved Puncher’s Chance, but he said he’d buy it just because of the cool bottle. So there you go.
Group Consensus:
Most likely to get bought by college dudes named Kyle.
What are we drinking today?:
Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel Bourbon
What the hell is it?:
This is the 10-year-old version of Michter’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon. It was aged in a heat-cycled warehouse and is very sought-after by bourbon aficionados all around the globe.
Give me the nerdy numbers:
94.4 Proof | $150
What do we think?:
Elizabeth: This smells MUCH better than the last one.
Heather: I get cherry up front — definite cherry.
Tonya: It has a nice burn … it’s that Kentucky hug they talk about.
Elizabeth: I like the nose better than the taste. It kinda burns.
Bar Belle: Are we drinking the same thing? This is amazing!
Kat: There’s a nice spice at the end, too.
Zanne: I’d like this by a campfire in the autumn. Where can I get this?
Bar Belle: It’s pretty hard to find unless you get lucky at the distillery downtown.
Zanne: Money can’t buy you love when it comes to bourbon.
Final thought:
With notes of cherry, caramel and spice, it’s everything nice you want in a bourbon. At 10 years old, it’s a solid pour that is worth hunting for.
Group Consensus:
Most likely to marry a millionaire.
What are we drinking today?:
What the hell is it?:
This is a brand from the Barrell Craft Spirits that blends barrels of various ages from Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee.
Give me the nerdy numbers:
114.98 Proof | $54.99
What do we think?:
Elizabeth: This smells like caramel!
Heather: I thought it would taste heavier than it does.
Zanne: Two thumbs up!
Tonya: I just added some water and that really helped me enjoy it more.
Bar Belle: The water really does open it up a bit. It’s nice!
Kat: I could sip on this while I watch my Eagles win this year.
Bar Belle: I’m sorry, did you mean Bengals?
Kat: No. No I didn’t. Are there still Bengals fans?
Bar Belle: Who Dey.
Final thought:
Not too shabby for a new product. This well-rounded bourbon has some bite, but if you can get past that, you’ll be rewarded with delightful flavors of caramel, cinnamon, vanilla and toffee.
Group Consensus:
Most likely to never be single (because it would be great in a cocktail).
What are we drinking today?:
Penelope Barrel Strength Bourbon
What the hell is it?:
This is Batch No. 6 that is a barrel-strength version of the Penelope Four Grain. Again, the mash bills come from MGP, but the bourbons have been aged a bit longer, at 3.5-4.5 years. The uncut, unfiltered juice won Double Gold in the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Awards, and here it took the third-place Bronze Medal.
Give me the nerdy numbers:
115.8 | $57.99
What do we think?:
Elizabeth: It noses well.
Zanne: P does not stand for packaging — I still think it looks too much like a wine bottle.
Elizabeth: Wow! I’m really impressed with the rich caramel and butter notes in this.
Kat: I like this! It’s smooth for being so high in proof.
Heather: I’d even say it’s sweet, with a little smack to the rear on the finish.
Bar Belle: This is quite amazing and another reason why I prefer barrel-strength to, say, like 80 or 90 proof. If I want to add water, that should be my decision.
Final thought:
It’s a very well-balanced, high-proof bourbon that doesn’t feel high proof. With flavors of orange peel, fruit and caramel, this is the perfect bourbon to sip by the bonfire.
Medal Winner!:
Bronze — Third Place!
What are we drinking today?:
What the hell is it?:
A project by the Barrell Craft Spirits folks, this one blends rye whiskey barrels from Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana to pay respect to the tried-and-true Indiana rye whiskey mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley.
Give me the nerdy numbers:
116.24 Proof | $54.99
What do we think?:
Bar Belle: Wow! I’m getting maple syrup right up front. It’s delightful! Like a bourbon waffle!
Tonya: Whoa … I might set something on fire with this!
Zanne: I’m liking it with a few cubes of ice. It puts out that fire just a bit.
Bar Belle: No ice! Step away from the ice, Zanne!
Kat: This is a great example of a rye whiskey, and even though the bottle also looks like wine, I think it’s sharp.
Final thought:
This tasty little rye snack would make a wonderful treat on a cold night. With hints of maple syrup and brown sugar and a respectable proof of 116, this is a solid choice to add to your bar.
Group Consensus:
Most likely to stay the night.
What are we drinking today?:
Old Forester Single Barrel Rye
What the hell is it?:
This is the single barrel, barrel-strength edition of the Old Forester Rye Whiskey.
Give me the nerdy numbers:
124 Proof | $79.99
What do we think?:
Kat: I really like this one. Wow!
Zanne: I’m in!
Tonya: It’s smooth, and it’s toying with my tongue … in a good way!
Heather: It’s the Pop Rocks of whiskey!
Bar Belle: Holy wow! You better cash me outside with this one! Is that how you say the phrase?
Elizabeth: Not really, but we’ll let it slide. This whiskey has a wonderful after taste!
Tonya: You get all the flavor up front, and then the heat on the back. It’s a fun spirit.
Final thought:
It’s the Pop Rocks of whiskey. This one has the flavor, the punch and the subtle flavors of a candy factory sprinkled with black pepper. Although we sampled this one last, it was the obvious winner of the night, proving that good things come to those who wait. We want more!
Medal Winner!:
Gold — First Place!