Peg Leg Porker Tennessee Straight Bourbon

So I have to dedicate this one to @BDanner. A few months ago I got the Wild Turkey Longbranch because I had high hopes from the Texas Mesquite Charcoal mellowing. It was apparent in the flavor profile, but not as much as I was hoping. It was @BDanner who recommended the Peg Leg Poker bourbon because it had an abundance of that charred BBQ flavor I was after, and boy was he right. I've had this bourbon for a couple months now and I absolutely adore it. Sure, the bourbon base that was sourced is nothing horribly special, but what Carey Bringle and the Peg Leg Porker has done with this whiskey is amazing. For those who don't know, Peg Leg Porker is a BBQ joint in Nashville, TN that, in my opinion has the best ribs (it has to be the dry ribs) in the country. Carey, the pit master, uses hickory wood, exclusively, to smoke the meat for the restaurant. He then takes the burned-down hickory charcoals from his BBQ pit to create the extremely char-heavy flavor profile of this bourbon. I lived in Nashville for over 4 years and saw this bourbon on the shelves multiple times. I never gave it a second glance thinking it was for publicity for the restaurant and that there was nothing unique about it. That was a HUGE mistake. If I took the time to read the back label or do research, I would've made sure to have a bottle on hand no matter what. It's too late, however, now that I live in a state where Peg Leg currently isn't sold. Every time I go to Nashville though, I am always sure to pick up a bottle of this or the 8 year old (this particular one is a blend of 4-6 years). I will review the 8 year old soon. This one, however, for the 30-40$ price, is absolutely worth every penny. That BBQ char is the prevailing flavor and for someone like me (a lover of smoked meat and bourbon), it's about near perfect for a bourbon. Now, it's not smoky, it's just very charred and I like that because you can actually taste the hickory notes rather than just the creosote aspect of smoked whiskeys. If you are ever in Nashville and you like good BBQ, you need to go to Peg Leg Porker and order the dry ribs. Not only are they fantastic, but you will pick up the incredible hickory flavor that is found in this incredible creation of a whiskey.

Peg Leg Porker is Dickel sourced and, according to the founder of the company, does not get the Lincoln County Process before barreling. After batching, it is filtered through Hickory Charcoal produced at Carey Bringle's Nashville based BBQ restaurant of the same name. As a NC native, there are few things I like more than good smoked pork BBQ. Let's see how it is. NOSE: When popping the cork, the Dickel nose jumps right out of the bottle, but with the welcome addition of Hickory Smoke. It's like enjoying a pour of Dickel 12 while outside tending the smoker. Pours into my Glencairn the color of lightly stained Cherry Wood. The nose begins as Corn and Hickory Smoked Meat. If you're a cigar smoker, it's reminiscent of a Kentucky Fire Cured Cigar. There are hints of Fresh Mint Leaves and Vanilla. There is a mystery note that I couldn't place. I read another review (thanks, @Ian-Young) and they nailed it. The smell you get when you open one of those movie theater boxes of Sweet Tarts. This one starts out one dimensional, but opens up with time. THIS is what I was expecting from Longbranch. NEAT: Light and Thin, but also Oily and Buttery. It's all Sweet Mint and Vanilla on the front. Mid-palate gets the wood-driven notes of charred Oak and Hickory. The Smoked Pork shows up on the backend. It has a slight Black Peppery Taste and Tingle with a touch of Astringency. There is little to no burn on the finish. It leaves a coating of Light Vanilla and Ash. SPLASH: A little water accentuates the Vanilla and the Hickory Smoke on the palate but has little effect on the nose. VERDICT: I loved this! As both a Cascade Hollow Fanboy and a lover of good BBQ, this was the best of both worlds for me. It was interesting to experience Dickel sans the LCP, and the Hickory Charcoal filtering really shows up in the finished product. It's like 'MURICAN PEAT. The Hickory did for this, what I had hoped the Mesquite filtering would've done for Longbranch. If I were to nitpick here, I would maybe ask for a slightly higher proof? Otherwise, it's an enthusiastic 4!

Pours an orange-gold color. On the inside of the glass it leaves not so much legs as blotches. The nose is more dry smoke than usual, although not as much as I had been led to believe. There is an aroma that is nutty, like the insides of an actual jar of peanut butter. The barrel spice pokes it's head out, but it's a secondary character. The heat of red pepper flakes is what gets me, more than any barbecue smoke. It's like a dry, prickly heat, and plenty of it. The barrel spices bloom here, mingling with candied orange slices and mixed fruit peel and potpourri, with star anise/fennel. A second wave of bitter chocolate and burnt molasses. More of that peanut butter comes around in the flavor. Finishes with smoky ash, tobacco leaf, sawdust and cinnamon/rye. Barrel spices, citrus rind and mint leaf. Black tea, black licorice and root beer barrel candy. Dark chocolate Most of the heat in this comes not from the smoke (though there is that) nor the proof, but from the red pepper. The smoke is charcoal smoke, not the meaty smoke of an Islay Scotch, say. Lots of complexity with spice, dark chocolate, candied fruits and orange peel.

Upon first sniff, the impression is mild spice with a sharp edge. Allowing just a few minutes to breathe reveals layers of complexity. Once you get through the allspice and acetone layer there are more delicate fruit esters of pink berries, peaches, pomegranate pith, green banana peel, and almost a pineapple note. The aroma is perfume-like with those fruity top notes, elusive vanilla caramel peanut brittle and honey heart notes, and a woody base note of creamy cedar. The flavor is spicy sweet, with a hit of hot cinnamon and cracked pepper. Loads more vanilla caramel on the tongue, like candy corn, followed by citrus and underripe strawberries and raspberries. Medium bodied, with an almost fluffy texture. Like the character on the label, the whiskey lacks legs. Dissipation exceeds formation. The finish is gentle and warming though a bit short. Cherry pie, a sprig of mint, malted milk balls, raisins, more creamy wood, and just a whiff of tobacco. Aroma: 7 Taste: 8 Body: 7 Finish: 7

Pale golden straw color with moderate viscosity. Nose shows light caramel and fresh oak and a hit of ethanol. faintly grassy (not unpleasant) and a fresh cardboard box note. Mostly sweet throughout, its got a short to medium finish with minimal complexity. Creamed corn and a slightly bitter and dry woodiness. Hints of milk chocolate. Not anything unexpected for a 3-4 yr bourbon in a good way or a bad one.

Soft nose. Spicy is strong at first with a heavy peppery taste and light cinnamon. Burn doesn’t last long and finishes well with an ice cube. Ice heightens the oak and woody notes. Not bad overall and worth buying again.