Ok. I can hear you now.
“Eric, the tagline at the top of the page says “The Irreverent Home of Frugal Bourbon Drinkers Since 2012.” Why do you keep featuring whiskeys that cost over $100?”
And to that, I’d like to paraphrase my (can’t believe I’m about to type this) inner Bill Clinton and say that depends on what the definition of is…errr…frugal is to you. To me, being frugal and being cheap are two different things. They are similar, but there is a bit of nuance to my definitions. Being cheap means don’t spend the money. Ever. Being frugal means that you only spend the money if you know that the money is being well-spent. Let me give you an example.
If I were cheap, I would never have spent $138 on a 16-year-old bourbon. But since I am frugal, I did. And I did so because I really (really) enjoyed the 14- and 15-year-old versions of the same bourbon. Or something like that.
So now that we have that out of the way let’s get to the good part. The tasting!
Calumet Farm 16-year-old Single Rack Black Bourbon "Citation"
Purchase Info: $138.99 at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $9.27
Details: Rack number: W4005.09. Batch size: 19 barrels. Non-chill filtered. 53% ABV. Mash bill: 74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% Malted Barley
Nose: Coffee, instant hot cocoa powder, almond, caramel, and dusty oak. Definitely, a pour that needs time to open up in the glass, though.
Mouth: Spicy and sweet initially. Past that, you will find cinnamon, chocolate, coffee, and oak notes.
Finish: Sweet, warm, and long with notes of leather, caramel, and chocolate.
Thoughts: This is delicious, and I don't in any way regret the purchase. Is it better than the cheaper 14- and 15- year old versions? Well, they still live on my fancy shelf, so let's find out.
Ok, so I tasted them all side-by-side, and yep. That 16-year-old is the best of the bunch, though not by a lot. The 14-year-old is the lowest on the totem pole. It’s sweet but not as rich as the 16-year-old. The 15-year is a close second, with less sweetness and more spice. And the 16-year-old is just ahead of that by combining the spice, the sweetness, and the oak into a delicious whole. But the margins in this are razor thin, so if you see one and feel like you can afford it, these are worth the $120-$140 that I spent on them. They are all very delicious. Big, big fans of all three in this house.
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