Old Carter Straight Bourbon Batch 5 (2020 Release)

Sadly, while many of these old carter's give good details, this one doesn't. I just know they weren't expecting to release it and then boom, it was too good to hold onto. Nose - apples, spice BOMB, and alcohol all day. Water is getting added here but let me finish my early notes. Water opens this bad boy up. Just a flavor/nose explosion. It's not rich which is what I really want but it's spices and intense aromas. Taste - So with all the batched Old Carters I get this dusty oak. This one opens up insanely pleasantly and sweet. It's so neutral in being a clean and classic bourbon without giving me tell tale signs of a distillery. Lets get to water. Ok water brings out more of these baked goods and middle of the road oaks and tannins. Again Old Carter is that middle of the road bourbon blend with a focus on spice and flavor but perhaps not in my wheel house. I'm a bit torn as I don't love this but I see so much stupid quality. I'm giving this a 2.75. It's kinda the anti bourbon for the buffalo trace lovers as it's all about the spice and kick from that vs the sweet. And it's nothing like the nutty beam world either. A niche product for a niche consumer.

Neat. Sample. Some amazing people sent be a bucket load of Old Carter samples. This will be my first Old Carter experience. Okay, the nose is nothing that I expected. It’s super dark, but not from oak. Dark chocolate and dark maple syrup, molasses. Pralines and a hint of walnuts. Dark, dried cherries. Caramel sea salt taffy. Tobacco for days. I expected oak, but it’s not really here. I was thinking this was a blend of older whiskeys but it comes across more in a 7 to 9 year range. Super oily and coating. Super dark again. Brown sugar and molasses on the tongue. Oh that is really good... wonderful caramel and vanilla mid palate, the vanilla really escalates on the finish. Nice chocolate and nougat mid palate, then the chocolate carries to the finish. Dark cherries on the finish. There is a nice oak on the finish too. It’s the finish on this one, it’s great. The mid palate is just sweet desert but the finish escalates and morphs and keeps going. And going. One of the best finishes on memory. Great first samples of an Old Carter.

I really enjoyed this. It is spicey and sweet. If you want peanut brittle flavor in your bourbon then this one is NOT for you. I preferred it neat rather than with a drop of water or on a big cube. I’ve now had the Old Carter American Batch 3, the Bourbon Batch 5 and the Rye Batch 4. I really liked them all - in that order of preference. I hate to admit it, but I’m turning into a fan of this (well) sourced whiskey. The price for any of them is high - even at the slightly below MSRP that I was able to pick each up at - but the quality is really good. I read reviews all the time that say a bottle is great, but they can’t justify paying 2x the price of some really good old standby. Personally, I’m getting to the point where I’d rather drink less of something ‘great’ than buy two bottles of something ‘good’. Probably a healthier choice too! 😎

Delicious toffee and creme brûlée bomb of a whiskey. Sweet corn, toffee, caramel, oak, vanilla - tasted blind, I would have thought this was sub 100 proof given how seamless this is on the palate. It’s not very complex, but it’s an extremely well integrated whiskey that wears its age well.

Nose is floral, rich fruit highlighted by notes of vanilla. Almost like a cobbler or creme brûlée. Palate is rich and oily, with the perfect amount of up front pepper spice that fades quickly. The finish is long lasting with a raspberry, oak, chocolate medley. So balanced and rich.

Fresh nose, light. Linens. Opens up, some wood, sour honey, maybe a hint of dill. Also pencil lead and car tires. One the palate, this is good old man bourbon. Leather. Some baked bread. Nice spice. Cocoa nibs. Bitterness lingers but it's not too strong. 9/6/20