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the bourbon observer skip to main skip to sidebar the bourbon observer bourbon reviews history and more december 30 2012 mcaffee s benchmark bourbon review benchmark is one of the many bourbons made at the buffalo trace distillery it s bottled at the standard 80 proof and is sold in a jack daniel s esqe bottle i m not sure how long it s aged by price alone which does not always equate to a measure of quality it s a bottom shelf whiskey benchmark is dull orange in color indicating a young age its nose is part spicy with cinnamon and black pepper notes and part sweet which comes through with caramel and vanilla frosting notes mouthfeel is cool and watery the taste doesn t have the sweetness found in the nose but the peppery spice is there along with crisp fresh corn tang mingled in there is also a dry sootiness benchmark finishes with the slightest of burn and some of the sweetness from the nose creeps in benchmark bourbon is an absolutely serviceable knock around whiskey it doesn t have the complexities of other higher end bourbons but who cares every highball or sour that needs a whiskey can t complain if they re given benchmark like everything else that comes out of buffalo trace benchmark bourbon can easily become part of your daily rotation it s simply a good whiskey and an outstanding value to boot posted by josh at 12 30 2012 08 00 00 pm 12 comments october 20 2012 old forester birthday bourbon review old forester birthday bourbon is touted as a vintage dated bourbon meaning the bourbon is made up of whiskey from production day not from a blend of differently aged bourbons like the standard old forester the bourbon is 12 years old making it relatively old for a bourbon ofbb is bottled at 98 proof and is sold in a squat decanter type bottle which is aethstically nice but its footprint takes up a lot of real estate in the liquor cabinet old forester birthday is a rich warm shade of mahogany indicating the long time spent in the barrel its nose is soft with cinnamon and allspice candy apple honey and some tabacco notes way in the back the nose is very surprisingly not too hot considering the high proof mouthfeel is thick and warm but not syrupy ofbb s taste begins with fresh ground black pepper which dissolves into a woody dryness with whisps of orange peel a slight campari like bitterness and just a hint of cocoa old forester birthday has a long complex finish that starts with a quick flash of ethanol burn that evolves into a ripe sweetness on the roof of your mouth and a simultaneous oaky dryness on the tongue it then mellows to a lingering sweet nuttiness old forester birthday bourbon is certainly a premium bourbon it is complex and surprising and hides its high proof very well allowing its varied character to present itself i am a big fan of the standard 100 proof bottling of old forester i think i may be becoming a fan of it s older brother too posted by josh at 10 20 2012 08 52 00 pm 1 comment september 2 2012 very special old fitzgerald 12 yo review like old fitz 1849 reviewed below and other of expressions very special old fitzgerald 12 year old is a wheated bourbon meaning wheat is used instead of rye in the mash bill vsof is distilled by heaven hill at 90 proof vsof is rusty orange in color deep enough to suggest it spent over a decade in wood despite the wheat its nose is spicy softened by a light sweetness and orange zest there s also a meatiness a chewiness like well oiled broken in leather mouthfeel is not too heavy slightly thick without being syrupy its taste is peppery with a subtle sweetness a candied citrus with a bittersweet dark chocolate note very special old fitzgerald finishes hot and spicy with a dull burn as you might expect from a 90 proof bourbon this bottle of old fitzgerald is nuanced and tasty its wheatness doesn t shine through so if that s what you re looking for try another wheated bourbon i don t think it ll find a place in my daily rotation but that s not because it s not unique and thought provoking after all not every good bourbon can become your favorite posted by josh at 9 02 2012 08 53 00 pm 1 comment june 19 2012 old fitzgerald s 1849 review old fitzgerald s 1849 bourbon is one of the handful of wheaters on the market meaning that wheat is used instead of rye as the flavor grain in the mash bill i ve actually never tasted of 1849 prior to this review so let s see if i ll be buying another bottle anytime soon old fitz 1849 is dull copper in color it s not vibrant or brilliant but is instead has a calming hue it s bottled at 90 proof by heaven hill its nose is soft with clover cinnamon and toffee chips in front vanilla is there for sure alongside a nougat note with the slightest hint of pepper lingering in the back its nose made me think of a stand of trees on a fall evening mouthfeel is a great balance of watery oily and syrupy old fitzgerald tastes of candied orange with a sneaky sour tang some of the cinnamon from the nose is present as is bittersweet chocolate oe finishes with an oaky peppery burn that isn t fleeting old fitzgerald s 1849 is a fine bourbon will i run out and buy another bottle immediately no not because i didn t enjoy it but because it isn t outstanding and as such doesn t warrant cutting in line in front of my next few bourbon purchases like so many bourbons old fitz 1849 is a solid whiskey and for a wheated bourbon perhaps a little more interesting than its cousins posted by josh at 6 19 2012 10 24 00 pm 6 comments labels bourbon reviews old fitzgerald 1849 may 22 2012 bourbon book review a social history of bourbon an unhurried account of our star spangled american drink by gerald carson and in the last installment of my short series on bourbon books like henry crowgey s kentucky bourbon the early years of whiskeymaking gerald carson s a social history of bourbon is written strictly from a historical standpoint carson was born in 1899 in illinois and became an author of several works on american history a social history of bourbon is laden with historical facts and accounts making the book academic and intellectual as is made clear by the book s title it recounts early u s history from the standpoint of bourbon and american whiskey carson cleverly demonstrates the very significant place whiskey occupied in early american government and politics and how it was the impetus behind several congressional acts and many taxes including prohibition and the excise tax a social history of bourbon also situates bourbon at the center of american corruption whether it be socially via moonshiners or politically via the whiskey ring as carson writes the story of bourbon is recorded in many lively pages of our history american whiskey is intimately associated with valor and splendor and the graces of life with villainy and folly with dramatic events such as the whiskey rebellion the scandals of the whiskey ring and later with the whiskey trust with the whiskey forts of the fur trade the fate of american indian and the toil of civilizing a continent whiskey and government finally are yoked together in an uneasy relationship derived from the power of congress to levy taxes carson has obviously spent considerable time researching bourbon s impact and presence in american history it ties the social and political history of the u s tightly with bourbon illustrating how whiskey informed to a large degree the early federal countenance of america carson illustrates that bourbon is undeniably part and parcel of early american life spanning from the colonies to the frontier and influencing the government that oversaw and shaped a growing nation it should further be noted that the material and information in the book are over 65 years old however despite its age it is still relevant and offers a unique read not duplicated by other more recent authors to that end gerald carson s a social history of bourbon should not be overlooked it should be valued posted by josh at 5 22 2012 09 19 00 pm no comments april 7 2012 bourbon book review kentucky bourbon the early years of whiskeymaking by henry g crowgey henry g crowgey was a history professor at unc wilmington and his pedagogical nature certainly shines through in kentucky bourbon the early years of whiskeymaking this work is almost exclusively devoted to the first half century of kentucky distilling with a certain amount of additional emphasis on those first few years of settlement which have been completely ignored by the early historians in their guarded mention of whiskey and distillers as a result kentucky bourbon the early years of whiskeymaking takes a microscopic view of a very specific period of initial american whiskey making what s important though is that this initial period informed whiskey production as we know it today crowgey s work is rich with historical information and in that regard the book absolutely smells of the lamp crowgey does an admirable job at getting a true story of whiskey and bourbon distilling in the 1700 and 1800 s since there is an unfortunate dearth of historical record on the subject crowgey takes advantage of the few materials still in existence that may shed an objective light on early american whiskey and cites from past newspapers diaries ads letters notes and wills kentucky bourbon is a scholarly effort aimed at historical precision it is a dense read that appeals to bourbon and whiskey enthusiasts as well as american historians the book places whiskey as a centerpiece of colonial living naming bourbon and other alcohol as an undeniably essential part of colonial life whiskey was always a popular guest at weddings funerals political events and in military life the elegance of henry g crowgey s research is how it describes both the ubiquity and significance of bourbon in early kentucky and american life to acknowledge and appreciate the history of american whiskey is to understand and enjoy it in a modern context kentucky bourbon the early years of whiskeymaking provides a huge step in doing so posted by josh at 4 07 2012 08 02 00 pm 2 comments labels bourbon book reviews henry g crowgey the early years of whiskeymaking march 15 2012 bourbon book review bourbon at its best the lore allure of america s finest spirits by ron givens ron givens is a drinks writer and contributor to the new york daily news newsweek time out new york and drinks magazine in bourbon at its best the lore allure of america s finest spirits givens displays both his appreciation of bourbon and his to the point manner of writing bourbon at its best does not take as an in depth approach to bourbon s story as other authors have but that s okay givens work serves as an impeccable introduction to bourbon and discusses the major players in the industry historical facts and lore and present day whiskey production givens effort acts as a survey of bourbon from how it s made to how it s enjoyed and the reader s feeling of satisfaction will come not from microscopic views of historical events but rather from an overall sense of why bourbon is america s finest spirit the book is also very aesthetically pleasing and includes several color photographs of people and places these visual aspects add substantially to the enjoyment of the work showing the reader images from modern day rickhouses to illegal distillation equipment from the prohibition era givens also provides tasting notes and product information for over 50 bourbons offers information about touring kentucky s distilleries and explains numerous bourbon cocktail recipes and one of the most appreciated parts of the book talks about the american distilleries that exist today matching to them the bourbons produced there considering the handfuls and handfuls of bourbon labels you see on a liquor store shelf knowing in what distillery each was made greatly helps you make sense of it all in bourbon at its best the lore allure of america s finest spirit ron givens gives you an extraordinary place to begin your appreciation of bourbon of course the information is still fascinating to bourbon experts but the book s purpose is to provide direction in the bourbon world perhaps givens says it best when he explains why his book exists to help you sort through a world of difficult wonderful decisions that is bourbon whiskey posted by josh at 3 15 2012 07 29 00 pm 4 comments labels bourbon book reviews boutbon at its best ron givens older posts home subscribe to posts atom about the bourbon observer josh view my complete profile blog archive 2012 10 december 1 mcaffee s benchmark bourbon review october 1 september 1 june 1 may 1 april 1 march 2 february 1 january 1 2011 7 october 1 september 1 july 1 may 1 march 2 february 1 2010 6 december 1 november 1 october 1 july 1 april 1 february 1 2009 50 december 1 october 1 september 2 august 3 july 4 june 3 may 5 april 4 march 10 february 17 bourbon spirits links the chuck cowdery blog the bourbon enthusiast the whisky advocate what does john know whisky magazine straightbourbon com other worthwhile links triumph resoration quality daily surf videos dani phaneuf photography custom search the bourbon observer s top bourbons 1 eagle rare 2 woodford reserve 3 buffalo trace 4 bulleit 5 knob creek 6 baker s 7 maker s mark followers ____________________________________________________ the bourbon observer does not encourage underage drinking nor drinking and driving all alcohol should be consumed legally and in a responsible manner always drink alcohol in moderation bourbon observer copyright 2009