Brother's Bond Bourbon

Yet another celebrity whiskey that nobody asked for. It turns out it actually wasn't me that really wanted this whiskey because I happen to know the names of guys who play vampires in some movie or show, as shocking as that is. Normally I would give every whiskey and distillery a fair chance to represent their product from a clean slate, but I've never met a single celebrity endorsed or made spirit that was even remotely palpable. Given that this was likely sourced from MGP gives it slight hope, in addition to the mash bill and barrel charring also not being too weird or different. The nose is full of charcoal, sweet corn, and just a touch of barrel character, leaning towards caramel and vanilla. I might also be detecting some harsh floral notes, almost botanical-like, but it's very similar to the charcoal, which is taking over hard. Naturally there's a very minimal amount of ethanol, since, well, this is the minimum amount of ethanol needed to pass off the minimum standard of whiskey. The body is extremely light, but the flavor starts off with heavy charcoal (think 3 or 4 times that of Jack Daniel's), shocking me to the point of needing several more sips to even detect anything else. The corn is here, very young, but thankfully not raw. The rye also comes through slightly with traditional cinnamon and some vegetal flavors. I don't taste the wheat specifically, but I can tell it's a touch sweeter than it would be without it. The finish is harsh and hot, but not from ethanol, instead letting the (likely) charcoal filtering coat the gums and quench the thirst for anything to rid the continued flavor. This is pretty bad. I really hope this didn't come from MGP, because that would be a shame to their brand. If it truly was sourced from MGP, I can only imagine these "celebrities" didn't want to spend big money (to increase return on investment), and opted for the "clearance barrels" of stuff that should never see the bottle. This is just marginally above corn whiskey, only because the rye provides a spiciness that just barely reminds me of bourbon. If I wanted a charcoal bomb, I'd drink Gentlemen Jack; corn whiskey with charcoal ice cubes may end up tasting better than this.

Golden straw in color, runs off the glass pretty quickly, but leaves a nice ring. Nose shows a good shot of rye, and the wheat behind it. Hay, spice, and a hint of citrus peel and green apple (gotta be an MGP distillate). Soft, a bit sticky on the palate, and sweet throughout, it's got good balance for a younger (no age statement) bourbon. The barley makes itself known on the mid-palate, reminiscent of a rich highland scotch or syrupy Irish whiskey. A bit of warmth, assumedly from the rye, follows vanilla, milk chocolate and a faint hit of mint.The barrel comes through near the short-medium finish, with some nice contributions from the wood and the char. Dangerously easy to drink... with a campfire and a couple of s'mores, it could disappear in a hurry. What it lacks in depth and complexity, it makes up for in drinkability. This is a solid summer drinker and I'm grateful that Corey hooked me up!

Well... another spirit by celebrities that more likely do not care about the craft, maybe they do, or maybe just another group trying to cash in on the market. As far as the spirit, it comes in at 40%, so this is very light (water-like). The nose shows some basic bourbon notes, althought the mash bill is unknown to me, it gives me the impression that is high Rye, with some spices (light), cloves, herbs, burn sugar. The palate is super light... I would not chance it to add water or put it on ice, as it will disolve whatever little flavor it has. The finish, as expected is short lived. FOr the average price of $40 SRP, a RR10, MM46, 1792 SB.. are more flavourful and better quality.

Nose: Light vanilla, oak, some astringency Palate: Soft caramel and a quick transition to a... Finish: Short finish, with some lingering bitterness with some pepper The proof is in the pudding: this 80-proofer is thin, simple, but knows what bourbon is supposed to be. While this will get some notice because of the actors behind the brand and unlike other celebrity spirits, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley claim to be more hands-on in the process. For what this is there's nothing wrong with it, however for the celebrity premium you'll pay there are more affordable options that will give you a similar experience.

Aroma: i found this to be semi-sweet and rich with a hint of vanilla, honey, oak and a touch of cinnamon. It was actually quite pleasant on the nostrils. Palate: Simple palate that really hits your taste. Mild vanilla/honey mix at the start, followed by complimentary oak. What really surprised me was the burn it had for an 80 proof bourbon. The burn was good! Haha Finish: The finish is long and good for the proof. The sweetness, honey and oak continue and pick up a bit of black pepper. Relatively mild burn. Brothers Bond not the greatest but definitely did not let me down.

A great value for a distinct flavor. A peculiarity - maybe my nose is shot at - but I'm getting only a faint nose, perhaps a creamy, fruity, apple waft from it. A respectable color, light gold, nothing surprising (and that isn't surprising). The palette, it's great. I love the oak and leather that is amply spread throughout the profile, with a certain tannin-like quality to it, and a flavor, maybe two, that I can't place. Perhaps not tanning, but there is a dryness to it that really makes those noted flavors stand out. It's great.