Taconic Distillery Dutchess Private Reserve “Mid-Valley Wine and Spirits” Pick

BourbonMid-Valley WineReviews

Sep 10

Written By David Levine

NY Bourbon bottled at cask strength, picked by Mid-Valley Wine and Spirits in Newburgh, NY.

60% ABV/120 Proof, NAS

Cask 482, Distilled 5/19/2016 and Bottled 5/21/2020.

Eye: Orange honey. Thin rim, quick syrupy legs.

Nose: Raw vanilla power. Tiniest bit of heat that’s barely noticeable. Sour cherry on the back end.

Palate: Tip of the tongue gets lit up for a few seconds, but that dissipates into a more all-over heat that carries vanilla extract. Chewy texture lingers on the tongue. The vanilla and caramel are threatened by the alcohol burn but hold on through the finish. Mouthfeel is coating, with a light-to-medium body.

Finish: Hot on the tongue and throat, vanilla in the back.

Overall: A little unbalanced - just a bit too much heat for the sweetness of the vanilla to fully appear. Interestingly, almost same date, age, and barrel number as the Dan the Bourbon Man pick, yet noticeably different.

Rating: 5.9

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)