This is a product from Diageo that has some tiny component of Stitzel Weller. They make sure to tell you that, over and over, since its printed on the bottle just shy of 20 times. Since the price tag is "only" $49.99, there cant be much SW distillate inside. That leaves the rest to be distillate of unknown provenance. That being said, lets see how the liquid inside is.
There’s not a lot of richness in this glass, but the floral flavors are captivating and the oak isn’t as overwhelming as some recent releases in the bourbon world. At $50 for a 750, there are certainly better buys out there but you could definitely do worse.
Blade and Bow is left chasing the ghosts of Stitzel-Weller and asked to perform an impossible task of trying to live up to the name of a former industry great.
Orchard fruit (orange, apricot, pear) on the front of the palate, segueing to honeyed vanilla, dried pit fruits, and dried spice (evergreen, cinnamon), leading to a warm finish. Intriguing, but lacking polish to garner a higher rating.
Blade and Bow bourbon is definitely better than many of the craft whiskeys out there that hover in that same $50 – $60 range. It’s a pretty good whiskey at what’s becoming an all too normal price and makes me wonder how long until this is the norm.
It starts off as a bit of an odd duck, with its strangely heavy fruitiness setting it apart from the typical bourbon profile — but I found this ultimately grew on me as an evening of tasting wore on.
Add a bit of water and this light, silky sipper unfolds layers of vanilla, almond and oak. It finishes light with a hint of dried apricot and a flourish of baking spice.
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House Review
Nose:
Butter cream, vanilla and a healthy dose of artificial banana. I don't mind this for some reason. Its super sweet but kind of inviting.
Taste:
Light mouthfeel, banana and vanilla, cinnamon and butter cream. It's oddly hot though, for a 91 pf whiskey. Not too hot though, but I notice it a bit more than I thought I would.
Finish:
Medium and well balanced, there's a lot more allspice, clove and cinnamon and kind of moseys gently.
Overall:
This whiskey relies on some heavy marketing, a solera vat and the name of the ol Stitzel Weller. This one isn't amazing, but I can see it's merits. It has a time and a place.
Score:
80
By t8ke
Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources
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