1792 Full Proof Single Barrel Select

1792 Series (7 of 11): Full Proof Store Pick Note: I don’t have this exact pick, but this feels like one of those times where listing the exact pick probably isn’t worth the effort. Mine has no apparent difference from the main issue, aside from the little gold sticker. No special age statement, no barrel number. Did you know: The designation “Full Proof” has no correlation to the proof coming out of the barrel. I thought it was curious that the full proof 1792 products were always precisely 125 proof. This would be nearly impossible if the bottle was called “barrel strength.” Rather, full proof means they adjust the barrel strength down to 125 proof to equal the proof of the white dog going into the barrel. Neat! Nose is noticeably more astringent than standard FP. Somehow. Same proof, but it tingles the nostrils. Dust, sugar, lemon, cherries. Grapes. Oak. Sweet tea. Body again packs the punch. This one is super hot. There’s bubble gum, grapes, jelly, red wine. Sangria. Cherries. Coke? Finish is like hot lemonade. Bit of black pepper. This finish is delicious. This may be the first sour finish I’ve ever experienced. Not sour like a warhead, but this definitely has a sour mouth feel. On ice: Nose really focuses on the sweet tea. Body is chocolate, fruit punch, dill, mint. Finish is still sour lemons. Delicious. This is radically different from the standard issue, and that intrigues me. I also don’t know how you could create the standard issue with this plus other ingredients, which is more or less how I always assume single barrels differ from batch products. I think I prefer the standard issue, but this is delicious and has a right to exist. Looking forward to the next on-deck (and a descension back to more standard proofs): 1792 12 Year

Uncorked pick, "Gallenstein Selection #14" Barrel No. 421 Open 2 months Nose - Creme brulee, toasted marshmallow, milk chocolate, black cherry, allspice, rich oak, and medium ethanol. Palate - Chocolate covered cherries, orange bitters, custard, caramel, sweet tobacco, and cinnamon cream. Finish is medium-long with rich vanilla glazed churros, sweet oak, white pepper, orange oil, and medium ethanol. These continue to be one of the best value high proof bourbons on the market, full stop. What's legitimately surprising is there is a scarcity of many sought-after bourbons in Kentucky due to tourism, but these 1792 Full Proof picks are actually pretty easy to find. I don't get it. These have a similar profile to what people chase with Buffalo Trace products, but are cheaper and easier to find. You'll never see them more than $70 at any private store, and typically they're under $60. And people actually chase the subjectively much worse 1792 products like Sweet Wheat, BiB, 12 Year, and Single Barrel. Honestly, I think I've seen more Full Proof bottles in the last 2 years than those other 4 combined. If you see a pick, I highly recommend picking one up. It'll compete with Elijah Craig, Old Forester, or Jack Daniel's picks.

Liquor City Uncorked pick, "Gallenstein Selection #12" Barrel picked in 2022 Open 5 weeks Nose - Caramel, cinnamon bun, charred oak, vanilla bean, wildflower honey, red apple, and medium ethanol. Palate - Creamy caramel, sweet oak, cinnamon, black pepper, plum, red apple, herbs, and bread pudding. Finish is medium-long with sweet and spicy oak, vanilla frosting, black pepper, anise, cinnamon, clove, and hot ethanol. What a fucking delight it is to find this at a local store for under $50. I tend to shit on Barton products, whether it's the chase for the core lineup or the generally crappy sourced Barton, but at least Barton hasn't jacked up the prices of the 1792 lineup. Even if this was marked up to $60 or $70, which I've seen recently in other Kentucky stores, I still think it's an excellent buy. It's a great substitute for fans of ECBP or Old Forester SBBS with less oak influence and more sweet notes. Is this one of the best whiskeys I've drank in the last year? No. Is it the best whiskey I've had under $50 in a while? Definitely yes.

The tasting notes below are for a local store pick of 1792 Full Proof. I always think I shouldn't like this so much, but it rates incredibly high every time I put it in a blind with other heavy-hitter, high-proof bourbons. Nose: Dark, rich, cloves, linseed oil, oak, worn leather. Not a lot of sweet, but some dark brown caramel or dark brown sugar after it opens-up. Black cherry. Maybe some dark dried orange or dried red apple peels in the background. Something that comes across as butterscotch or anise. Sometimes get a BBQ note. Flavor: Starts with a brief spicy brown sugar sweetness and some char / campfire, then a spicy tingle and drying oak, ending with black pepper, spice and oak. Body: Caramelly and rich, keeps tongue coated throughout the finish. Finish: Powerful, long, and rich. Caramel, black cherry, Juicy Fruit with vanilla and pear, oak with a little spice and linseed oil, some char. A really long, great finish

Liquor City Uncorked pick, "Gallenstein Selection #16" Barrel No. 812 Open 2.5 months Nose - Butterscotch, cream, maple candy, brown sugar, holiday incense, medium oak, and medium ethanol. Palate - Hot cinnamon, fake vanilla, caramel, mixed nuts, and new leather. Finish is long with harsh oak tannins, artificial syrup flavoring, cheap vanilla ice cream, cinnamon bun, and strong ethanol. If I see new 1792 picks in NKY, I buy them. They are easily one of the best value single barrels on the market. This pick was below average in my opinion, but it's hard to complain about a $55 high proof pick when you see Sweet Wheat, 12Y, and other 1792's jacked up in price on the allocated shelves. I'll let the taters keep buying those.

1792 Full Proof, Oak Liquor Cabinet (Austin, TX) Pick. 125 Proof. No Age Statement. Color - Russet. Nose - Vanilla and honey sweetness. Woody (cedar) and grassy notes. Red apple too. Palate - Pepper, clove, and cinnamon up front. These spicy notes evolve into smoky sweetness, with caramel and cereal grain flavors on the backend. Finish - Medium-short finish. Mint lingers. There's also a slight blackberry flavor at the end of the finish. Overall - The up-front spices make this drink hot for it's proof, and the sweetness on the palate and finish don't stick around long enough for me. It has some complexity to it, but I don't enjoy powering-through the heat to pick out the notes on the palate or finish of this one.