Forged Oak 15 Year Bourbon

So as a rule I like to try these a few times before reviewing, but this one is just too tempting with it being a rare to find 15 year age stated bourbon. So this is a bit more blind going in. Bias going in, I'm expecting this to be underwhelming, somewhat poorly aged, and mostly a small step up from IW Harper 15 year (a disappointing all be it wonderful nosing bourbon). Should also point out Stitzel Weller closed in 1992 meaning this would have had to have been in a steel vate since 2007, 12 years, for this to actually be 15 years old and from Stitzel Weller. The story doesn't really checkout. Nose - vanilla, caramel, leather, finished dusty wood. Very sweet, easily in the top quarter of sweet bourbon noses. There's a lot of that dusty oak, really nice for us oak fans, but I can already tell this is going to be "over oaked" for many. Taste - Vanilla really is the story here. The caramel notes from bourbon are well in the back ground as vanilla just bombards this one. There is some bitter oak on the back, giving it a spice and bit of bite. The 90ish proof is very soft and really only is noticed on the back end. Water really did nothing to the nose or taste - good or bad. Ok so verdict. It's too light up front. The sweetness from the nose doesn't come through here. The oak adds a lot of spice which is going to upset a lot of people but for an oak fan, it doesn't add the more intense leathers or that cherry note I often get. It is however clearly older whisky, it has some very nice sweet and middle of the road quality notes (middle of the road in the sense that it wasn't extreme in more shall we say "special" types of flavor such as super spicy rye notes or super sweet sugary notes). I come to for 30 bucks I can get Eight and Sand with a similar profile for 30 bucks and frankly that might be better bourbon. 2 stars - if 100 bucks is well out of your normal purchase range, this should fall to 1 star for you. It's a hard pass for all but those who want to try any and all older bourbons like myself. I was debating going 2.25 or 2.5 due to my general appreciation of the age statement there are some quality all be it muted notes.

Well, after a week off from reviews while I was preparing for and performing at Tip Up Town USA (if you’re not familiar with it just google it),I’m back home recovering from the marathon weekend. I took an extra day off work to help the recovery and I decided to do a bourbon review. I got a sample of this 15 year old from Orphan Barrel from my Michigan bourbon buddy John. Bottled at a peculiar 45.25% ABV and a natural color of copper and I am guessing that it is chill filtered. The nose is dominated by cinnamon and clove. Plenty of oak as well with some light vanilla. Heavy corn influence, as is to be expected from the high proportion of corn in the mash bill. Mint and some light dill. Letting it sit a while reveals a nice toffee and caramel note with maple syrup. Somewhere in the background there is an orange-like citrus. Even though it’s a bit simplistic, there’s a nice nose to this bourbon. The palate, unfortunately goes the opposite direction. Sweet at first, but turns quite bitter. Very bitter dark chocolate, sharp oak and butterscotch. Pepper and cinnamon bring it to a close. A medium bodied mouthfeel that is slightly oily and dry. A medium long finish that is on the bitter side with cinnamon and oak. This is the third Orphan Barrel that I’ve tried, and I have to say that I haven’t really enjoyed any of them. I hate being overly critical of samples given to me by others, but over valuing them would be disingenuous. At $70 it’s not as expensive as the others I’ve had, but it’s still overpriced. I really did think the nose was good, similar to Buffalo Trace or Wild Turkey or a mix of the two, and that’s why it’s getting a 3 from me and not lower due to the overly bitter taste. Thanks for the sample John, even though I didn’t love it, it’s still fun to review whatever I can get my hands on. Cheers

Nose - Oaky vanilla, cinnamon, mix of woods like you're in a lumber yard (mostly cedar/oak/maple/apple), hint of brown sugar. Taste - Spicy cinnamon tingle & spice, sweet vanilla caramel, dark creme brulee sugar top, lightly tannic on the backend, sort of like a charred cinnamon stick. Finish - Lingering tannic dryness, oaky vanilla simple, light cinnamon tingle mixed with a hotter white pepper tingle. Score - 86/100 Final Thoughts - Interesting nose in that I get some other wood type notes other than oak along with the typical bourbon notes of cinnamon & vanilla. Not overly complex and surprisingly hot for the slightly lower proof. Good balance of oak and I don't think it was overly oaked/tannic but had enough to make it interesting. This is tasty but I'm not sure the price is justified. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Maybe, if the price is right. Would I buy a bottle? - No, I wouldn't pick up another.

Tastes like Halloween. This would be great to drink in the fall! Taste notes of sour apple and woody caramel. Notes smell like what the inside of a wooden cabin smells like. A bit of good black pepper. Also get the taste of the smell of what the inside of a plastic Halloween mask smells like... Tastes like the smell of dead leaves in the fall. If the Which’s Brew on Long Island served a whiskey, it would be this one. Overall 3/5. 4/5 if I were drinking this in the middle of autumn. Pick this up if you can get it on the cheap. Unique and would be excellent depending on the circumstances of drinking it.

I’ll have bourbons who live up to the hype for 100, Alex. This bourbon smells delicious. I’m getting caramel apples. Body has a bit of cherry flavor mixed with sweet tea and caramel. Absurdly smooth and low heat, start to finish. Finish trails off with lemon zest and ginger. There are times where this guy reminds me of the best parts of Russells Reserve. Times where it’s a Four Roses Limited from years back. Got some Wild Turkey 17 year in there. This genuinely is one of the more interesting bourbons I’ve had. 100% worth the money if you can find in on primary.

Drank much hotter than the proof. Much oak and apparently a high rye mash bill. Some decent spice, but faded pretty quickly. Glad for two things. 1) I tried it. 2) I didn't have to pay to try it, let alone buy a bottle at the pricing. So this helps me with the lesson that more is not always more. We continue to hear that Bourbon aging at longer than 10-12 can actually pass peak. I'd say this is probably a good example.