John J Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

Aroma - from the depths of an abyss… this thing is dark! Leather, deep oak, dark fruits of plums and black berry jam. Really liking these dark tones that are bold and in your face. The alcohol presence is undetectable. There is a slight “funk” to it as it opens up but I cannot pin point what profile that is. Taste - wow that wasn’t what I was expecting coming off the nose… a dump truck of vanilla mixed with berries. Some major nostalgia coming through here… my grandma used to always buy a particular brand of Christmas cookies for us when we were growing up … and for the fist time in 15-20 years I’m experiencing that flavor profile again. Overall - this offering is very good. I view the plate experience as a “U” the from the of the palate starts off strong, mid palate is soft, then the back of the palate and through the finish is great. Medium- Long finish. 4.35

NEAT NOSE - Warm Apple Pie drizzled with caramel and sprinkled with cinnamon. Oak is there but faint. PALATE - Amazing mouthfeel. Very light on the palate, yet very oily. Main note here on the palate is caramel and light brown sugar. I wish there was more of the apple and cinnamon, but it is good nonetheless. FINISH - Short, unfortunately. BUY? - Absolutely. I’d love to get my hands on more bottles to see how consistent these are and if more of the notes that I get on the nose shine more from other barrels. BUY AGAIN? - For sure, especially at SRP. I also wouldn’t pay over retail for this one, just my 2 cents.

Color: Dark maple. Nose: Chocolate fudge and hot buttered cider meet a lighter dessert note, like crème brûlée or vanilla ice cream. Palate: Leather notes arrive with sprigs of mint and tobacco. Doesn't quite keep the nose's richness, but pleasantly herbal. Finish: A little flat, but nice and warm with cinnamon and barrel character. Diluted: Stronger nose of vanilla blooms along with fragrant wood shavings. Palate gets a little sweeter but maintains a leafy, spicy core. Finish is actually a little nicer with water - stretches it out a little more.

This has an incredibly silky, creamy mouthfeel. Different people will get different profile notes from different batches, but I don't think anyone will miss how great this bourbon feels in the mouth. It just coats everything. Yes there's vanilla, cherry, molasses and oak (to me anyway) but boy does that mouthfeel shine through as a winner. 100% worth $50 and a nice upgrade from the regular small batch. Not that I'd want to, but if I could only find this on the secondary/inflated market, I'd still pay $80 for a bottle.

Nose: Wood, vanilla, carmel Palate: Spice, cinnamon, and corn that quickly gives way to sweet vanilla frosting midway. Finish: A medium finish with a lingering heat from that 100 proof. Lots of comparisons to another single barrel bourbon in the same distillery family A. Smith Bowman belongs to. I don't think the two compare- they are both fine sippers on their own accord. This one brings sweetness but has a good amount of spice as well.

Such a good bottle. Funny how this is slightly sought after, as in it’s usually only findable at $100, yet the ratings are low. This is a great base level bourbon to keep on hand. Very basic flavors. Reminds me more of Eagle rare than Blantons but its for sure a simple pleasing sip reminiscent of buffalo trace products. I prefer low proof so this is right up my alley. If you can find a small batch store pick you will find a 90 proof gem.