After only a few days of these bourbon posts, you have probably gathered that I enjoy both sampling quality bourbon and matching them up in competitive brackets. I relayed the results of my first bracket yesterday afternoon, as my creation, Old Forester “Baby Birthday” 102 won my initial “Tournament of Champions.” I have since expanded my shelf and will soon commence a full-on tournament of 64 good-to-great-to-amazing bourbons. But in the meantime, I have another blind bracket, this time of bourbons (and one rye) ranging from 99- to 102-proof. (And, yes, I’ve allowed the “Baby Birthday” to continue into this competition).
As I write this recap, I’m enjoying a dram of Old Forester 1910, which is super enjoyable at 93-proof. There are a lot of baking spices on the nose, combined with a healthy dose of vanilla and caramel and a slight edge of oak. The flavor bursts with rich cinnamon, followed by deep caramel. There’s a nice oily texture to the 1910, which leads to a beautiful finish where the flavors linger and grow for a couple of minutes. This might not be my favorite bottle, but it’s in my top 10 percent.
Now, for the competition, which, given that most of these bourbons are on top half of my shelf, should be enjoyable and fierce!
First Round
Henry McKenna Bottled-in-Bond 72, Early Times Bottled-in-Bond 62. The first time I sampled the McKenna, it only rated a 62. I’m guessing my palate matured in the time since that first blind. There’s a lot more going on here than I realized initially, and the brown sugar finish rounds off a really nice experience. The Early Times is a massive bargain, especially since I picked up the 1-liter bottle for $14 at Sam’s Club. As for the flavor, it’s a really nice PBJ sandwich in a glass, but there’s not much depth to it. I love this bourbon any time I have it, but it’s no match for the McKenna.
1792 Single Barrel 69, Wild Turkey 101 64. Both of these are super solid pours. The 101 has a burst of baking spice that leads the way and floods the mouth. At its price, there aren’t many better bourbons. The 1792 is simply better on most levels, especially in flavor and complexity. It’s the lowest-proof of all the bourbons in this competition, but it starts will with a solid win against a delicious competitor.
Wild Turkey 101 8-year 67, Old Grand-dad Bonded 65. The Old Grand-dad is bourbon at it’s classic best, but not at it’s best complexity. All of the best flavors and aromas are there, and if you want an affordable dram, this one will do you right. I really thought I’d like the Wild Turkey 101 8-year more than I did. It’s a small improvement over the original 101, but at twice the price, it doesn’t feel worth the cost. The mild sweetness is pretty quickly overwhelmed by darker flavors like tobacco. The complexity and richness win the day over Old Grand-dad, but a second-round matchup against John J. Bowman doesn’t seem promising.
Jack Daniel’s Bonded 69, Knob Creek 9 67. This is my first experience with the Jack Daniels Bonded, and it was at least rewarding. The classic Jack Daniel’s banana nose (and palate) are absolutely present, along with bursts of cinnamon and caramel. It’s a step up in price by a handful of dollars, but it’s worth it. Knob Creek’s 9-year bourbon is nice, but the aroma is lighter, and so are the flavors. It’s delicious, but it just misses the bar against the JD Bonded.
High West Chardonnay Cask 71, Knob Creek Rye 53. No competition. The Knob Creek Rye is not quite medicinal, but it’s close.
Chattanooga Bottled-in-Bond 73, George Dickel Bottled-in-Bond 65. Dickel’s Bonded expression is 13 years old, but it doesn’t come across as mature as its age. The nose is fainter than I expected with some notes of stone fruit. Cherries show up on the palate and it’s pleasant, if not great. Chattanooga’s bonded whiskey borders on greatness. The nose bursts with fruity goodness, mixed with hints of cinnamon and deep, rich vanilla. The flavors are all of those things, but the cinnamon jumps to the front and stays through the finish.
Bank Street Straight 70, Bushwood Long Ball 68. If you read the recap of the previous bracket, you might recall that I was completely surprised by how good Bank Street Straight is. I typically don’t love (or even like) most of Total Wine’s Spirits Direct offerings, but this one consistently holds its own in blinds. It’s not amazingly complex, but the caramel, vanilla and oak exist in a strong balance, and the finish lingers much longer than expected. Bushwood’s Long Ball was a purchase because of the tie-in with Caddyshack and the crystal golf ball on top, but the bourbon inside is delicious (but probably not worth the $100 I paid for the bottle). Vanilla and caramel on the nose lead to notes of apple and pear on the palate. It’s good stuff – but just short of a first-round win.
End of the first round. Round two results and commentary will follow.
Copyright © 2025 Doug DeBolt
