The Wiseman represents two milestones for Kentucky Owl. The straight bourbon whiskey, which mixes Kentucky Owl’s personal four-year wheat and high-rye bourbons with five-and-a-half and eight-and-a-half yr Kentucky bourbons, is a collaboration with Bardstown Bourbon Firm. It’s additionally the primary new launch from Kentucky Owl’s new grasp blender, John Rhea, who previously served because the CEO of the 4 Roses Distillery.
It pours a medium, ruddy bronze within the glass and has a nostril dominated by spice but in addition possessed of vanilla, almonds, creamed corn, and a contact of caramel. The whiskey is medium in physique and sizzling in temperature and begins with candy, creamed corn that runs into rice pudding and cinnamon with a touch of vanilla on the middle. These candy, creamy cereal notes meet darkish, cooked caramel on the again together with a contact of oak, earlier than crashing straight right into a wall of allspice. Following its dry, spiced, and extremely fragrant end, we’re handled to a last word of shaved almonds.
The Wiseman is an actual meal of a bourbon with a candy, meaty middle courtesy of all that wheat bourbon, coupled to a kicking spice surge supplied by its high-rye bourbon content material. I additionally discovered that it carried out magnificently in cocktails, making an actual spice rack of a Manhattan or Outdated-Usual.
★★★
Stats:
— 45.4% ABV
— $60
