Old Crow Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Old Crow..... Bottom shelf, cheap bourbon, low proof, not complicated. Okay so I bought a bottle of this based on a clerks suggestion stating “one of the regular that spends hundreds here a week says it’s just as good as Buffalo Trace”. Well it’s honestly not far from the truth because A) Buffalo Trace ain’t that great and B) Old Crow is not the worst thing I ever tasted in the bourbon world. So I found this 1.75 on the bottom shelf of course and on clearance at Walgreens for a whopping $11 so I said “what the hell”. When I first opened the bottle and gave her a little pour I was expecting corn and fire but what I got instead was a smooth boring bourbon. I’ve since had a few drunk friends come over and ask for old fashioned’s and used this of course as the base since I’m not giving them anything good out of my cabinet. I also mistakenly lost the cap to the bottle because of partaking in too many other spirits one evening. I used a piece of tin foil as a makeshift cap and it’s since “aerated” possibly because 2 months later and this stuff is now even smoother?? Weird. I’m not complaining though. If you happen to find 1-3/4 liters of this stuff for $11 don’t pass it up because it has many uses.....Eggnog mixer, cakes, bourbon infused meats, or even a knock-off Buffalo Trace for drunken friends etc. etc.

Appearance: The color of this straight bourbon is a surprising copper. It also has very thin oily legs. Nose: The nose starts you on your journey with salted caramel syrup, followed by corn, a sweet floral bouquet, Graham Crackers, and vanilla. There’s also a mustiness and some moss or decaying leaves. The more time it breathes the sweeter it seems to get. Taste: The first thing I notice is this whiskey has an oily body like a WWE wrestler. Notes on the palate consist of cherry Jolly Rancher, black tea with cream, caramel candy, a light dustiness, and a weird kale note. Finish: There is a short finish, leaving an almost fruity ashy note, like a flavored aromatic pipe tobacco. Thoughts: In my opinion, this bourbon is good. I like it, it’s familiar enough while still unique enough to stand out. It’s better than I thought for a whiskey in this price bracket, though I would love to see what a higher ABV would do to it. I would recommend this if you’re looking for a cheap bourbon while still wanting some quality. Beam, you do this brand justice. Cheers!

Decided to downshift after buying some higher priced whiskeys and head to the bottom shelf. This was on sale for $7.99 , how cheap is that! Bargain if its any good at all. Ive read some horror stories online but wanted to see for myself. Poured neat, thin legs but looks like bourbon in a glass. Nose is Beam like gentle spice and soft grain with wispy dusty oak. Nothing offensive or harsh just have to work to get much out. Thin mouthfeel brings palate of candy corn, spice, cardboard and mild wood with a slight sourness to it. Flavor is subdued leading to short finish of fading corn, spice and dry wood shavings. Reminds me a little of a cut down Beam Black. All that being said this was 8 bucks and I don't think it was made to be pondered over and studied. Im sure it will be fine as a mixer in coke or whatever you like and its much better than Canadian whisky..........67/100...... good value for the money with some dusty spice that grows on you. Nothing special but not rot gut as some web reviews would have you believe

I was at a wedding and this was the well bourbon offered so I figured it’d be fun to actually sit down and do a proper tasting rather than choking it down like I did in college. Unfortunately, my memory did serve correct and this was as unpleasant as I remember it being. The nose is quite weak which isn’t surprising due to the low proof. Mild notes of oak and baking spice but it’s short lived and if you blink you’ll miss it. Taste-wise it’s harsh right off the bat with overpowering bitterness to finish. Some mild notes of oak and tobacco but they’re short lived. The bitterness masks any other subtle flavor notes that might be hiding in the background but the finish was clean and surprisingly pleasant. I had extremely low expectations for this one but it was fun to revisit a college classic, plus it was an open bar and bourbon is bourbon at the end of the day

Old Crow bourbon, aged 3 years in "new charred white oak barrels," 40% abv. Found this up in northern California at the duty free store on Travis Air Force Base. This brand is owned by Beam Suntory. Aroma: sharp, apple, fruity. Taste: hints of apple, a little sweetness, oaky on the back end but not a lot. I do not recall it tasting this way, I have had it before but it with coke a while back. Was more expecting it to taste like Jack Daniels, because in coke it was tasting as such. This sampling was had on the rocks. Cost: 9-10 bucks for a 750 ml glass bottle. Grade; C-/C It is okay, but does not impress.

Bought it as a sincere gag gift for a friend during the pandemic - he’s a historian, so I dropped off a flask of this and an invitation for a FaceTime call to discuss the merits of Ulysses S. Grant while my friend was quarantined. Bad whiskey, but better than expected. It’s easy enough to drink. Not a rot gut whiskey, but not one to get excited over either. But the whiskey wasn’t really the point. Like Grant said - “The friend in my adversity I will always cherish most” Excellent conversation. Good memory.