Sample #10 officially puts us in double-digit territory and approaching the halfway point of the calendar. I'm feeling a bit congested tonight, so I am not convinced my sniffer will be all that useful for tonight's pour, but let's see what we got.
Oh a very interesting nose - a gentle, but not timid whiskey. My first sniffs reveal a bit of barley. With subsequent smells, notes of vanilla and corn surface. There are very gentle notes of saw dust and cinnamon here. The alcohol is well controlled, nothing fiery or unpleasant. With enough time, I catch occasional aromas reminiscent of fresh cherries.
A very pleasant initial taste - corn sweetness, a nice strum of an ethanol chord, and a departing whisper of vanilla. The strength seems moderate to me, 43% to 45% ABV. The alcohol prickle is very well controlled making each sip a perfectly approachable and enjoyable experience. Interestingly the cherry note carries over from the smell.
The finish is moderate in length with oak leading the charge. This is not a drying finish however, no black tea sensations anywhere to be found. Accompanying the oak in the finish is a red pepper spice followed by a corn sweetness. Just as with the taste, there is a whisper of vanilla at the tail end of the finish.
Before wagering a guess as to what this is, let me say that I really do enjoy this whiskey. So much so that I feel safe in saying it is my favorite sample thus far. I do think this is a bourbon whiskey, produced somewhere in the United States of America. The oak is very well controlled such that there is near-zero oak char in the experience, but plenty of dry, toasted oak. The vanilla is consistent through each phase of the experience, as was the red pepper spice and cherry notes I experienced. This is, in the best way possible, a very gentle bourbon whiskey. Rather than being a sledgehammer of oak, vanilla, and brown sugar, this is a svelte finishing hammer gracefully finessing in the classic hallmark characteristics of bourbon. Because of this, my gut says this bourbon was produced outside of Kentucky, perhaps the Midwest or Pacific coast of the United States. Strength seems standard to me, 43% but possibly as high as 45%. Maturation barrels would be new oak with a remote chance of used, ex-wine barrels being used.
My Guess
Type/Style: Bourbon Whiskey
Region: North America (United States of America)
Age: 6 to 10 years old
Maturation: Oak, possible ex-wine influence
Strength: 43% ABV
Producer: No idea, but I'll bet it is a smaller 'craft' distiller
Sip, Mix, or Skip?: Sip
Reveal
Name: Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey
Type/Style: Blend of Straight Bourbons
Region: North America (USA)
Age: Non-age stated
Maturation: New charred oak
Strength: 43% ABV
Producer: Breckenridge Distillery (along with sourced bourbons from Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee)Price: $40
Official Tasting Notes
One of their signature products — and arguably one of their best sellers — is Breckenridge Bourbon. The first thing that a Bourbon fan might notice is that this is a blend… but don’t let that throw you. They mash and distill a lot of Bourbon in house and blend it with other high-rye, straight Bourbons from Tennessee, Indiana, and Kentucky.
They are pursuing flavor, and they get it for sure in this deeply hued dram with a luscious mouth-feel. What's the secret of the superior texture? According to Bryan, it's all about the pure, mineralized, snow-melt water that they have in abundance and use for distillation and proofing.
Final Thoughts
Most excellent, this was a very nice surprise indeed. I've long seen Breckenridge's bourbon on local store shelves, and while curious, I have never sampled until tonight. What a treat to finally get to experience this whiskey and I very much enjoyed the bourbon. What I like about this bourbon is its gentleness. All the classic bourbon notes are there, but none of them are pounding your senses. A fair counter-point/criticism of this gentleness is the notion that this bourbon is so gentle, it borders on unremarkable or 'simple'. Yes, it is completely approachable, but truthfully there are nights where I do not want to analyze and sift through a whiskey. I just want to pour a measure, sit in a comfortable chair, shut my brain off, and sip the hooch in blissful silence. This Breckenridge Bourbon fits that bill perfectly.
It is interesting that this is a blend of bourbons from all over the United States. While Breckenridge is blending in some of the bourbon they distilled in Colorado, my inner whiskey-geek would love to know the proportions, source, and age of each component of the blend. Alas, that appears to be a closely guarded trade secret, not even reputable scuttlebutt on the Interwebz can be found on the topic. Oh well, perhaps the acceptance that some questions are beyond our ability to answer fits perfectly for my desire to have a 'turn your brain off' whiskey to enjoy every now and again.
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