Kentucky Owl Confiscated Bourbon

It's been over three years since this bourbon has touched my lips (and hence no review since then). In that time I've been divorced, sold a house, bought a couple of cars, and sowed a few oats. And tasted a few whiskies--except this one. Time to rectify that. I bought this bottle back in the day at a huge discount from a friend. Tasted following the Weller CYPB that I just had, the first thing I noticed on nosing this bourbon was a distinct dusty note. Not off-putting per se, insofar as dust itself is not intrinsically off-putting. It has its merits. For hoarders; for wine collectors who don't touch a bottle for 40 years; for homeowners in basements who value it on the top of exposed pipes so that they can see rodent tracks; for those who appreciate a fine patina; and for the fine folks at Pledge. Dust can be good. A hint of it (like I get at times in Wild Turkey) can also be good. But like anything else, too much of a good thing can be no bueno. The nose is reticent. There's some corn and vanilla, but you have to blow your nose just to get that. (Note to self: taste this next to Mellow Corn corn whiskey--which I happen to like). There's some snickerdoodle cookie. But I can go to the grocery store to smell snickerdoodle cookie. The palate has caramel and vanilla, and a bite slightly north of the 96.4 proof. The finish is vanilla and espresso bitterness. Don't get me wrong; this isn't the spawn of Satan. It is, however, overblown marketing hype. I'm down for tasting as many whiskies as possible; everything is about context and experience. But try this at your friend's house. Or mine. I'm done experimenting with this one.

Nose- Butterscotch hard candy is front and center. Reminds me of grandma's candy bowl. It is a very welcoming nose. Palate- Vanilla ice cream, caramel drizzle, and peanuts. It is Mcdonald's soft serve sundae. This is sweet, but not sickingly so. The sundae drifts to some peanut brittle propped up with some oak. Finish- this hits harder than I anticipated. Although the nose seems a bit candylike, and the taste is dessert-like, there is some nice warming here. The oak get slightly woody on the finish, but not in a way that kills the experience. Overall- pleasant surprise. I doubted the price and sourcing on this so much that I was shy about buying a bottle. I still think k it is a lot of money for a non age stated, sourced bottle. BUT I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Deep, dark amber color. Fragrant, complex, and fruity nose shows peaches and apple pie, saddle leather, freshly split oak, vanilla, and noticeable but pleasant heat. The heat (96.4 proof) takes a leading role on the palate, with pepper, some woody and slightly bitter tannins, and a touch of cooling menthol. Brief vanilla on the finish. Kentucky Owl Confiscated merits attention: it holds its own in terms of aromatics, but doesn't follow through as strongly with its flavor profile and finish. It's pleasant to drink, but not a great value. It retails around $130 here in CT; I was able to purchase this from a friend of a friend's liquor store for about half that. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

Ultimately smooth entry with notes of tree and vine fruit: fresh apple, pear, and white grape, along with softer flavors of coffee cake, cinnamon toast and mild oak. The body has a medium mouthfeel, with a lot of present flavors forward on the palate. The finish is medium long, with a refreshing peppery finality. What we love about this bourbon is that it just keeps getting better with each sip. One of the most friendly and approachable bourbons we’ve ever had. If indeed this is the kind of whiskey that was apprehended by Prohis back in the bad ol’ days, we are glad that it has finally been granted freedom after 100+ years. Confiscated gets our vote for Bourbon of the Year!

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Lots of vanilla, with some caramel and fruit. Palate: Oak and cinnamon with some clove and baking spice. Finish: Medium length with medium heat. Splash: Clove becomes more pronounced, but no new flavora are revealed. Overall: 8.5/10 - This is actually a bit more complex than what I’ve said above. The balance of flavors is interesting in a way that I don’t often find (although I have been tasting higher proof whiskeys lately). A bit more proof and/or age and this could be a 9/10.

Initial draw; difficult but peppery caramel. There is a strong wheat aroma with a hint of sweetness. Initial sip; bitter complexity of dark chocolate and pepper. Beyond the bitterness there is a caramel vanilla finish. Kentucky owl, is unlike anything else. It’s a profound flavor that takes quiet contemplation to figure out it’s mystery. Overall, it’s very good. I wouldn’t say it’s better or worse than the high end Buffalo trace bourbon. It’s different. Worth a try at the least. Let me know what your thoughts are.