Old Grand-Dad Bonded Bourbon

Continuing to work through whiskies in my collection that I’ve yet to review. I would’ve liked to have done this with my Budget Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Showdown (September 24, 2023). Color is a clear amber, like Pantone 144. Nose shows sweet corn, orange creamsicle, apple cider, rye spice, and vanilla. Third or fourth time around, also some peanut brittle. Palate has a very light creaminess, with some additional corn sweetness and circus peanuts (the marshmallowy candy—especially when exhaling through the nose with your mouth closed—not the aforementioned actual peanut candy), then picking up some oak, vanilla, and char. Not surprisingly, Old Grand-Dad Bonded drinks like a softer version of Old Grand-Dad 114, which I’ve always liked. Given its high-rye mashbill, I’m a little surprised by the corn prominence on the nose and palate. I need to review this against both OGD 114 and the two corn whiskies that I currently have in inventory (Mellow Corn and Balcone’s Baby Blue), as well as the aforementioned budget bottled-in-bond bourbons. Old Grand-Dad Bonded can be found for under $25. Would I buy it again? Yes. It’s only about $5 cheaper than OGD, but it drinks a little easier, and there’s intrinsic value in inexpensive bottled-in-bond bourbon, assuming it tastes good. 3.5 on the Distiller scale. 100 proof. NAS (but at least 4 years due to its Bottled-in-Bond designation). Mashbill: 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley. N.B.: All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

*This is my third crack at reviewing this one.. As is tradition with me an OGD Bonded, it's an up and down relationship. *NOSE: At first, some sting from the proof and pretty one dimensional (think Cinnamon Toothpick). Let it breathe for a few and come back and you get Leather, Dusty Oak, Peanut Shells, Clove, Cinnamon, Burnt Sugar, and Tobacco. With time it develops a Fruit Tartness. *NEAT: Decent Coating Mouthfeel. As expected Rye Spice with Vanilla, Clove, Cinnamon, Oak Tannins, a Hint of Barnyard with the Clove, Cinnamon, and Oak Coating an Layering after a Medium Length Finish. Nice Blooming KYHug. *SPLASH: Dials up the Sweetness a bit and brings a Stone Fruit Tartness (Peach, Nectarine). *VERDICT: Solid Bourbon and the highest score I've given it yet. I've yo-yo'ed from 3.75 to 2.75 to 4. Don't know if the profile fluctuates or if I just have to be in the mood. Mixes great in Old-Fashioneds and High Balls, passable Neat, and good with a large rock. I found myself asking, "Why don't I buy this more?"... Then reading my previous reviews of this, I got my answer. OGD Bonded is only a couple bucks less than OGD114, and around the same price as Wild Turkey 101. And that's the answer. WT101 has a lot of the same profile, and an extra few years of barrel time for the same price. Gimme' the Turkey or the 114 every time.

Believe it or not, this is only my second bonded whisky (the other was Mellow Corn). I got a fifth from the Total Wine Uptown store here in Albuquerque for $24.49. The mash bill is 63% corn, 27% rye, and 10% barley. It's 100 proof, of course, being bonded, and that also means it's at least four years old, though there's no age statement on the bottle (which isn't necessary for a straight whisky that's four years or more old). In the glass it's copper gold in color. NOSE: The first thing I detected was fruit, which I was able to differentiate into apples, pears, and bananas. Then come sweet corn, something grainy, white grapes, peanuts, cashews (I think), vanilla, caramel, and a bizarre corn tortilla note. MOUTHFEEL: Soft and thin. TASTE: Corn, orange, cinnamon, honey butter, apple juice, vanilla ice cream, pecan praline. FINISH: On the short end of medium, with oak, walnut, and faint honey notes. SUMMARY: It's not as complex as I expected, but it's very good nonetheless. For the price this is an excellent juice, with some surprising notes. RATING: Fine.

Nose: Cinnamon, red hots, vanilla Palate: Orange peel, oak(?), some sweetness ,(but not a lot), spicy as you'd expect from a high rye mash bill. Other flavors that I can't quite pin-point. (Added 4/1/23): Getting vanilla tonight, as well as some nuttiness. Nice! Finish: Medium with some familiar aftertaste I've experienced from most other bottles I've had. I drink my bourbon with one large ice cube. At the first few sips, this stuff sits rather warmly in your chest. Once the ice kicks-in, it mellows that out. I put Old Grandad up there with Old Tub, and Evan Williams 1783 in the, "Very good for the price" category. Am I going to run out and stock-up on it? Nah. Will I buy it again? Yeah.

Nose is bigger and bolder than you’d expect at this price point, but that’s probably the proof coming through. A but of ethanol there, but mainly cinnamon and vanilla. Maybe a hint of cherry. Palate is a tad grainy, but it’s got a lovely woody nutiness to it and a buttery mouthfeel. Finish is a bit rye-heavy — very herbal abd minty — which some may not like, but I am a fan. I do wish it hung around longer. The middle of the palate, particularly, is fleeting. But it’s hard to complain at this price point. Can’t believe I’ve been into bourbon for as long as I have without tasting this until now. Under $30 for a whole liter? Absolutely stellar bang for your buck.

Initial note I got on the nose was a medical cherry, like a cough syrup or cough drop. Eventually more traditional notes of caramel and vanilla appeared on the nose. Also got some cinnamon and orange. Palate is very traditional with caramel and vanilla dominating up front. Midpalate is reminiscent of the toffee peanuts in a box of Crunch and Munch. Finish has some oakiness and a subtle spice and peppery quality that is relatively short.