Country: USA - Kentucky
Producer: Bardstown Bourbon Company
Type: Straight Bourbon
Mashbill: See review
Age: 3 yr (3 & 13 & 15 yo)
Cask: American White Oak
ABV: 48%
Proof: 96
Price: $99.99
Nose: Bitter chocolate, cocoa, grapefruit, sappy, rye spices
Palate: Marshmallow, spicy chocolate, treacle, black pepper, viscous
Finish: Coffee, earthy, black pepper, butterscotch
I just reviewed a few celebrity whiskies including Elvis Presley themed Tennessee whiskey and rye whiskey. However, this whiskey will be about a living celebrity, Brad Paisley, a global country music star. He just launched American Highway Reserve Bourbon working together with the distilling and blending team at Bardstown Bourbon Company.
Another Celebrity Whiskey? Or Innovation?
The making of whiskey was also a showcase of experimentation, in a different way. Some of the barrels that aged this whiskey, were stored in a 53-foot semi-trailer that followed Brad Paisley's 2019 US tour. The trailer traveled across 25 states for 7314 miles! Reminding you of Jefferson's Ocean on the land right?
American Highway Reserve Bourbon - Rolling Rickhouse
Like all the whiskies I tried from Bardstown Bourbon, the ages and recipes are given transparently too!
- 28% - 3yr - 70/21/0/9
- 25% - 3yr - 60/36/0/4
- 24% - 13yr - 74/18/0/8
- 23% - 15yr - 78.5/13/0/8.5
As you can see from the recipes, we are looking at bourbons with high rye content, especially with the younger ones.
American Highway Reserve Bourbon - Born in Kentucky, aged across America
American Highway Reserve Bourbon Tasting Notes
The nose starts with bitter, dark chocolate. Shaved cocoa and grapefruit notes. There is a dark sappy flavor blending in with rye spices and oak spices.
The palate has a marshmallow start, delicate, light, and sweet. Spicy chocolate joins with treacle and a moderate oak impact. Black pepper takes the viscous liquid to the finish.
The finish is earthy with coffee, black pepper, and butterscotch overtones.
Verdict
A really good bourbon with a good blend of young and aged qualities. Sometimes the price tag won't justify, but with the current crazy bourbon market, I can see this bottle going for $100. The complexity on the palate with dark flavors grabbed me to like this one actually.
Rolling Rickhouse is just a good marketing detail for me actually. Bringing in a small innovation is always good, and it looks like Brad Paisley will continue doing it for the next batch in 2022. Did it have any impact on whiskey? I would probably say a minimal impact for that question. Though, I don't think there could be a drastic change.
Buy or pass? A good buy!
