Breckenridge Port Cask Finish

Rosy brown in color, rather thin legs in the glass, drinking neat. Nose is maple syrup and fruit, sweet but light. A little vanilla oak in the background. Sweet and sour explosion in the mouth. Dry and astringent ethanol, thin and meager. Finish is harsh, astringent tannic oak and hot rye spice, but the finish is blessedly short. Odd sour aftertaste. Trying this with ice changes things fundamentally. The vanilla and fruit sweetness other reviewers mention appears. The astringency declines, the rye grass emerges, but a dry sour base flavor remains in the finish. Grows softer with melt. In a word, much better with ice, but still a pretty flat flavor profile. I'm trying to imagine this bourbon without the port cask finish ((shiver)). Nothing deep or rich about this, not even rich corn sweetness or a balanced rye grassiness. At a $60 price point it's decidedly underwhelming. And really disappointing. Going to give this a little time and retaste and re-rate, but right now it's a 3 at best; maybe a 3.25 with ice. Ok, after several nights, my opinion hasn't changed on how this drinks neat. But, on the rocks, it is a better drink, and for that I'll give it a 3.25.

A complex, Bourbon by Bryan Nolt founder of Breckenridge Distillery in Colorado crafted with high rye Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey that has been aged an additional 6 months in Tawny Port casks. It has an aromatic birth with notes of grain, wood, dark fruits, herbs & spices; while a full & rich life adds notes of sweet corn, butterscotch, vanilla & raisins; that led to a warm & complex death of medium length with notes of oak, rye spice & metalic minerality. December 2023

Oh my is this one interesting! A nice smooth bourbon with just a hint if heat that just goes away perfectly. Then it leaves a rather interesting dryness but not the roughness often associated with a dry bourbon. Late in the taste, long after you think you are done, a nice hint from the port barrels makes a subtle appearance. Nice pour for sure!

Loving this rye bourbon. Sweet, caramel nose. Stays consistent from the front to the back on the taste. Big rye flavor with raisins, but also a bourbon sweetness that sticks around well after you finish. The port cask really comes in at the finish as well, with that port wine sugary lingering well after.

The port takes center stage both on the nose and tongue, flavor is quite strong. Bitter estringent tannins, a touch of wine sweetness. Usually I love port cask whiskies but the balance here is way off, it's all wine and no whiskey. The result is bitter and overpoweing.

Not enough port for me and not enough rye spiciness. For my palate, it is just too mild for a port finished high rye. I think this style shines when the rye spices come through and the port notes balance them, this example is very muted on both fronts.