I’ve been chasing bottles since flip phones were cool, and let me tell ya, I’ve dropped stupid money on stuff that left me staring at the glass like “that’s it?” Here’s the nine that get way too much love these days.
Some people say it’s liquid caramel corn with perfect oak. Most barrels I’ve had just taste like slightly fancy Buffalo Trace with a $80 markup for the horse on top. Don't get me wrong its good but I would choose many other bottles before this one.
Some people swear it’s vanilla crème brûlée and wheat heaven. At secondary prices all I taste is regret and the steak I could’ve bought instead.
People lose their minds saying it’s baby Pappy with soft red fruit. Nah, I am not sure I would go that far - at best its an excellent wheated bourbon that now costs more than it did when it actually was a deal.
Some say it’s the smoothest 90-proof corn kiss you’ll ever meet. To me it’s a nice everyday sipper somebody decided to flip for 6x retail.
Half the internet says the port finish adds elegant berry notes and complexity. the other half says it tastes like bourbon that fell in love with grape Kool-Aid and won’t shut up about it.
Some people call it the perfect marriage of bourbon and rye with desert spice. Mostly tastes like MGP with a cowboy hat and a $70 price tag.
Die-hards will tell you each recipe combo is a revelation. A bunch of people just taste “pretty good Four Roses” that somehow costs triple the regular shelf stuff.
People rave about the bold barrel char and peanut brittle blast. Some people say its like sipping 128-proof kindling that’s mad at them.
Some swear the sea motion creates waves of brine-kissed caramel. Tastes like bourbon that got seasick and nobody had the heart to tell it the cruise was a bad idea.