Old Carter Straight Bourbon Batch 3 (2019 Release)

Coming back to this bottle after 10 days. Main difference from this tasting and the last is the rye spice is less up front. If this is a blend of 12-15 yr/old Dickel, which previous releases were rumored to be, it isn’t surprising because of their high corn and low rye mash bill. Proof: 106.8 Batch 3, Bottle 994 of 1539 Color: beautiful amber Nose: deep, dusty cherries, corn, butterscotch and caramel Palate: quite rich but lighter and not as oily as I remembered from the last tasting, more caramel and some vanilla, a nice amount of oak, baking spices start to show up mid palate Finish: medium to long and spice shows up at the end Overall this is a great blend, and I’m not sure how much 15-year-old Bourbon is in this but it’s not overly oaky at all. Is it worth the $150 - $200 price point? I don’t think it is. A good Russell’s Reserve Barrel pick is just as good for 1/3 the cost. If you want something closer to this (probable) mash recipe then grab some Knob Creek Single Barrel — especially if you have store picks in your area that are more than 10 years old.

Returning to this bottle after eight months. Nose: like dipping your head into an oak barrel. It’s balanced though, with some toffee, and on the... Taste: the oak is not overpowering at all but a spicy mint develops with some butterscotch and caramel. Finish: medium to long This is still a fine bourbon. Is it worth $150-200 that I’ve seen it for sale? That’s up to you to decide. I’ve had lots of barrel strength Elijah Craig and Knob Creek or other full proof bourbons that were as good as this for half the price. It’s a nicely balanced and rich bourbon.

Batch 3: 2019 Purportedly a blend of 12 to 15-year-old bourbon from Tennessee. Can’t find the mashbill but previous releases have had 8% barley and 8% rye with the rest being corn. Nose: dusty dark fruits, possibly a little cherry, oak, vanilla, hints of cinnamon and apple Palate: rich and oily with plenty of rye spice, hint of more dark fruits, more oak Finish: medium to long, more rye spice Surprisingly spicy but as this is the first pour out of the bottle, I will revisit in a couple of weeks.

Rumored to be 12-15 yr. old Dickel/MGP juice. Dark fruits and baking spices on the nose. Dark cherries and delicious creaminess that fully coats the mouth. That perfect amount of heat/spice you want from being barrel-proof. I wouldn't ever spend the money on a bottle, but if you have the opportunity to try this through a friend or at a bar, I would do that.

Decent. Mild baking spice but not much rye. Pretty smooth. Subtle cherry. Not too oaky given the rumored 15yr age. Good bourbon, very good for Dickel which I’m usually a big fan of. Not much that really stands out though. Was hoping for a little more for the price.

Tasty and spicy. Very strong flavor with no aftertaste