MB Roland Barrel Proof Bourbon “Bourbon Enthusiast” Pick
MB Roland was started in 2009 by husband and wife team Paul and Mary Beth. Located in Pembroke, KY, in the southwest of the state, the distillery is closer to Nashville than to the bourbon meccas of Louisville, Bardstown, or Lexington. They play up that western Kentucky heritage in some of their Dark Fired products, where the tobacco notes from corn roasted before distillation adds a smokiness to the bourbon. I haven’t had a chance to try anything other than this single barrel pick, but if it’s at all representative of MB Roland’s potential, I am SUPER excited to try more.
This single barrel was done by James Ashcraft, AKA the Bourbon Enthusiast. James is someone I look up to in this hobby. Starting his online persona in or around 2015, The Bourbon Enthusiast now has over 100K followers on Instagram, with hundreds of Patreon supporters and others clamoring for every pick. Full disclosure: I’m one of them. What can I say? When you find someone who also reviews whiskey and whose palate aligns with yours, you go all-in.
Another reason I support The Bourbon Enthusiast is that not every pick is Wild Turkey or Four Roses. Don’t get me wrong - those are usually excellent, and one of his recent Jack Daniel’s Barrel Proof picks was straight up brown sugar being burned on top of creme brûlée. But I like to support smaller outfits, too.
MB Roland isn’t mint condition new anymore, and they have distribution in around a dozen states, but they’re also not a national brand yet like New Riff or some other smaller, newer distilleries. Still using grains from Christian County Grain in Pembroke, MB Roland isn’t going national just yet.
Anyway - I look forward to the day when I can do barrel picks with and for supporters, and I hope that I try more from MB Roland. Again - if this bottle is representative, I can’t wait to try more.
MB Roland Barrel Proof Bourbon “Bourbon Enthusiast” Pick: Specs
Classification: Bourbon
Origin: MB Roland Distillery
Barrel: A27-16 (#4 Char), Bottle 177/193
Mashbill: 78% White Corn, 17% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
Proof: 112.6 (56.3% ABV)
Age: 5 Years Old
Location: Pembroke, Kentucky
MB Roland Barrel Proof Bourbon “Bourbon Enthusiast” Pick Price: $60
MB Roland Barrel Proof Bourbon “Bourbon Enthusiast” Pick Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Dark amber maple syrup. Disappearing rims and droplets sinking.
Nose: Pure caramel corn, like a Cracker Jack candle. Tons of brown sugar, sweet corn, caramelized vanilla, with barely any proof or oak. Sweet all the way.
Palate: More proof comes out here, but still quite sweet. Smoky roasting corn and caramel popcorn on the verge of turning. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, silky, a bit astringent, with proof building. Still a Cracker Jack party all the way.
Finish: Remains caramel-driven, short-to-medium, creamy deliciousness.
Overall: Definitely for those with a sweet tooth for bourbon - this is liquid caramel popcorn. Absolutely delicious with a well-balanced proof. Only critique is that it’s a bit one-note, but that one note is mouthwatering.
Final Rating: 7.8
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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