"Rather than taking time to express tasting notes immediately, let me just say that this bourbon is a real sleeper; and has been since it first hit the shelves several years ago. Since I’m a big Buffalo Trace fan, I would hasten to say that this falls just slightly below BT. On the pallet, bit less sweet and complex, Big House hits you immediately with a full and dense mouthfeel of oak, leather, tobacco, spice and just the right balance of vanilla and smoke. The nose literally takes me to open fields of grass, and then into the woods, where a pastoral panorama makes you long for a countryside resplendent in wildflowers. (Sometimes I do the pallet before the nose.) A nice long finish makes one long for more. Giving new meaning to “bang for the buck”!! This is always in my stash, regardless of my love affair with high proofed bourbons. (Can you say Booker’s, Bakers, Knob Creek SB etc.?! Ah knew ya could....) Cheers!!!!" 11-20-21 Over three years since the above review. Couldn’t find Big House for the longest time. Then earlier last night I visited an obscure liquor store outside my stomping grounds, and low and behold I found a bottle!! No changes in my review. As good (or better) than I remember. And more of a sleeper than before. Too bad it never caught on. My gain, the world’s loss. 😉
About this bottle
Big House Bourbon is sourced from MPG of Indiana (aka Lawrenceburg Distillers of Indiana) and a product of Underdog Wine & Spirits, a large producer of wines and spirits based out of Livermore, California. The mash bill consists of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley, which is why this bourbon is considered a "high-rye" whiskey. It's aged for at least 6 years in charred, American white oak casks and bottled at 45% abv.
How it tastes
Measured across 14 flavor axes. Tap a note to find other bottles that lead with it.
Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 20 parsed reviews.
Nose of vanilla and oak. Pallet of rye spice, vinilla, oak and slight pepper. Splash of water opens up vanilla and Carmel, but suppresses the pepper fi ish. On the rocks mites moste flavors but Carmel, but really opens up the pepper. I prefer this neat as on the rocks or with a splash mites the burn in the chest that I prefer. The finish is very long neat, but subdued other ways.
This is the definition of mediocre. It is a little lacking in flavor although you can definitely taste spice and very small amounts of caramel. I will say it's quite smooth and I wouldn't recommend adding any ice or water at all. For 20 dollars you could do better but you also could do a lot worse.
All I can really say is, WOW. What a sleeper. Just because this doesn’t have a well know name, don’t pass it up. Give this sleeper a try. This Is a well rounded Bourbon for the money. At $19.99 I find this Bourbon really really good....
Cherry is very distinct in the initial smell. Fades as you continue to drink it. The rye definitely takes over the sip. The cherry scent helps to dim the bite from the rye. Great bourbon for the price.
Excellent for a cheaper bourbon! Picked it up October 2016 for less than $30, incredibly smooth and rich for a rye this cheap, with a long, spicy finish. Definitely a "sip and sit a minute" bourbon.
14 more reviews were collected for this bottle. The longest ones are shown first.
Tastes like this
Closest flavor profiles across the whole catalog.
