Orphan Barrel Rhetoric 22-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey comes from stocks discovered at the Stitzel-Weller facility in Louisville, Kentucky, and distilled at the New and Old Bernheim distilleries, now part of Heaven Hill. Bottled by Orphan Barrel in Tullahoma, Tennessee, it has a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% barley. The bourbon ages 22 years in new charred oak barrels and rests at 45.2% ABV. Released in 2016, it is the eighth Orphan Barrel release and the third in the Rhetoric series, which will continue with progressively older editions. The suggested retail price is $120.
This is unique bourbon with some very nice notes of red hot candies, cinnamon, white pepper, and a dusty-esk old bourbon funkyness. This would be a nice bottle to have on the bar and bring out when your bourbon friends come over. I don’t like that the story behind the bourbon is so vague and has so many unknowns, but the actual bourbon is solid.
While I wasn't overwhelmed in a way that would lead me to give Rhetoric a perfect score, I enjoyed drinking it and I can't find anything to fault in it. A great sipper, though at a hefty price.
