Taconic Distillery Dutchess Private Reserve “Dan the Bourbon Man” Private Pick

NY Bourbon cask strength and picked by Dan the Bourbon Man.

60% ABV/120 Proof, NAS

Cask 470, Distilled 5/16/2016 and Bottled 5/19/2020.

Eye: Bronze-gold, medium rim with hang-on droplets.

Nose: Vanilla power. No heat on the nose, a gentle cereal note. Some rye appears after some air.

Palate: There’s the heat! It’s not overpowering, but it’s definitely there. The caramel off a flan fresh from the oven, bourbon-vanilla custard. Mouthfeel is silky with a bit of heat that coats the mouth, especially under the tongue.

Finish: Medium-length, caramel-forward.

Overall: A very good pick overall. If you liquidized a flan and added alcohol this is exactly what you’d get.

Rating: 7.1

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)

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