Rebel Distiller's Collection Bourbon

For the past two years, late-summer, either August or early-September before the season officially changes, Fine Wine & Good Sprits has received bottles of both Rebel Distiller's Collection and Ezra Brooks Distiller's Collection, and since I noticed them, the idea of picking them up has been kicking around in my mind. In particular, the Ezra Brooks appeals to me because I enjoyed Old Ezra 7 Year back when I picked up a bottle at the tail end of 2019, but Rebel appeals to me too, since I've enjoyed Rebel 100 as a budget bourbon. Thing is, they always come down the pipeline when I have more enticing ways of allocating my whisky budget. Even at $34.99 for Ezra and $39.99 for Rebel, there just always seems to be something else I'd prefer, but this year, I bit the bullet and picked up both in one go. There are a few reasons for this. The first is that Old Ezra's back in stock, but not in the same way. By this I mean, when I picked up the Old Ezra in 2019, it was right at the announcement of its appearance on the Whisky Advocate top 20 and it's price was $39.99. And I guess what appearing on that list means is a bump in price, because now, a mere two years later, the FW&GS has it for $59.99. Now, when I say I liked it, I don't mean I liked it at $60. Plenty of reviewers tout how they don't judge a whisky based on price, but I'm not that reviewer. I don't get sent free samples, I pay for my whisky myself, and as such, the tag has to be worth the experience. And given that $59.99 is also the price of the Maker's Mark Wood Series and Knob 12, do you see where I'm going with this? But I'm talking about Rebel here and not the Old Ezra, really I just wanted to get this off my chest (though since both of these are made by LuxCo, I figured I'd throw this up here if they have someone monitoring social media and they're wondering why no one's buying the latest batch; seriously, bring the price back down and I'll be more than happy to return). When it comes to the decision to pick up the Rebel Distiller's Collection, it's all about the wheat. Going back ages, my favorite bourbon in my 20s was Maker's Mark's standard 90 proof bottling. I didn't know at the time that part of the reason I liked the flavor profile was that it was a wheated whisky, but since learning this (in addition to learning Larceny is wheated, and I love some Larceny), I've started to seek the wheat. And at this price, a barrel proof wheated bourbon just makes sense. Sort of. I say sort of there because so many of my tasting reviews here are a combination of me reacting to what I've read previous reviewers say of a particular bottle and me comparing said bottles to bottles I've had in the past. And I say sort of because, as someone mentions elsewhere in their tasting, this is good, but not quite as good as a bottle of Marker's Mark Cask Strength. Now, in the past that wouldn't have meant much because Maker's Mark Cask Strength was $59.99. But this year that price has dropped to $39.99, the same price as this Rebel, and around here, the Maker's Cask Strength has been going on sale for $36.99, so it strikes me, is Rebel Distiller's worth it when you can get Maker's for the same price or cheaper if on sale? The answer isn't a definitive "no." It's not a strong "no." Because this Rebel Distiller's Edition isn't bad. And when I say it isn't bad, I'm not saying that in the sense of trying to convince myself I didn't waste my money (like I did with my recent tasting of Elijah Craig Barrel Select). I don't regret picking this up, it's just...not quite as good as the Maker's is. I mean, they're similar in profile. The nose here is strong with cherries and cinnamon, and at cask strength you do get a hint of ethanol here that I remember being on the batch of Maker's, but I can dig on that. The palate here is standard wheated with more cherry and cinnamon and the occasional bubblegum note coming through that's also nice, but where this differs from the Maker's is that there's this underlying plastic note that doesn't ruin the experience but mars it ever so slightly and makes me wonder after my atrocious experience with the Elijah Craig Circle Liquors Barrel Select Pick if I'm just not having very good luck with the barrel select bourbons I've been getting my hands on. In a game of would you rather have, I don't necessarily see this coming out on top against Maker's, but I'd rather have another bottle of this than that Elijah Craig (I'm still a little ticked off at dropping my cash on that stinker). I'm giving this a 2.75 because I gave Writer's Tears that rating and I'd rather have another bottle of this than that (at least this was interesting), but obviously I'm not comparing flavor profiles there because this and that are apples and oranges. This tastes good enough to go down relatively easily (I drink enough cask strength whiskies now that the proof isn't that hard on the palate), but it's not particularly memorable. Here's to hoping the Ezra Distiller's Collection will prove better. I guess I can't complain too much: at this price, to get a barrel proof bourbon that tastes this good isn't bad, but it doesn't have me waiting for next year's batch with bated breath either.

Barrel 7533588/Barreled Nov. 2016/Approx. 5yr "Get a Piece of the Rock" (Rockingham NC ABC) NOSE: Honeycomb, Straw, Cinnamon Stick, Orange Peel, Sticky Toffee, Orange Peel, Musty Oak. NEAT: Fruit Forward. At times it was almost like popping a random handful of Jelly Belly beans in your mouth. Just an assortment of tart fruit. Orange Peel, Bitter Tart Cherry, Crabapple, Not Quite Ready Peach, Cinnamon Discs, Black Pepper, Drying Oak Tannins, Light Toffee, and some Barnyard Funk. Fairly Warm Finish with a growing KYHug. Tart Cherry, Oak, and Unlit Cigar Tobacco coat and layer the palate. This has a great clingy, coating mouthfeel. There was a note on both the nose and palate that just eludes description. It has a "powdery" quality and I just can't quite place it. SPLASH: Not much change to the nose, but the palate gets a floral note and a little increase in the sweetness. Oak also becomes a bit more dominant. VERDICT: I was surprised by the Tart Fruit Character of this barrel. I was tempted to use the descriptor "Fruity Pebbles", but I believe that all Flintstone references are to be reserved strictly for George Dickel releases. It definitely had what you want in a Single Barrel, a unique sipping experience. These Rebel releases (the Cask Strength included) have all been pretty solid, with deep flavors and a wonderful coating mouthfeel. I wish they were just a tad older, but at 113 proof and around $40, it is still decent VFM. It's a solid 3.75, but gets bumped up to a 4 by the unique flavor profile.

Neat. Neck pour. Party Source pick, 6 to 6.5 years. I’ve passed on these before when I have seen them at 4 to 5 years. But this was barreled in Sept 2014. Hard to resist a 6.5 year store pick for only $35, even if my expectations aren’t high. And my expectations are high, this is a great nose on a Wheated bourbon. An abundance of caramel and vanilla. Lots of pepper, clove and cinnamon. Even some chocolate. The vanilla is a royal vanilla frosting. Gosh, there is also some nice strawberries. What the hell! Creamy mouthfeel, equal parts sweet and peppery on the tongue. Vanilla frosting is really coming through but it is peppery and spicy as well. There is so much flavor in this. It comes in waves and it hits unexpectedly. Mid palate I was disappointed at first. Slight caramel, fresh bread, cinnamon but muted. Just as the disappointment settled in, boom, flavors all over the finish and there are a few waves too. Chocolate transitions to cinnamon transitions to caramel and leaves with the strawberries. Ridiculous value. $35? How? This is the best value buy I have made in a long long time. I think this could beat Boone County 6 year Wheated and those cost close to $100. Can’t wait to start throwing this into wheater blind flights. It will surprise some people.

Meijer Steward Select Single Barrel Barrel Pick Barrel#: 7811050 Barreled: 10/15/17 4 Year, 11 Month Old First taste, double neck pour, open in glencairn glass for over 30 minutes. Nose (Neat): Light ethenol bite. Slightly sweet with soft butterscotch and a very slight leather and nutty note. Palate (Neat): First sip provides noticeable spice with an underlying faint sweetness, light oak and slight buttery tone. Second sip is about half as spicy, but still very present throughout the mouth. Notes of light butterscotch, light leather and a woodsy note that is comforting. The viscosity of the whiskey is very light and clean. It does not linger too long, which would allow for flavors to build into the next sip. A relatively clean page for every sip. Finish (Neat): The finish is slightly sweet with those woodsy notes and clove spice. Lasts a moderate length, say 20 to 30 seconds. No noticeable warm bourbon hug to this one. All sensation is in the mouth and upper throat. This is an enjoyable pour overall and a very enjoyable pour for the $40 price per bottle. Would buy again, but would say that this is not a very complex or stand out profile. Just simply enjoyable and relaxing.

Overall: This was an older bottle of Rebel Yell, and I would gladly drink this as an aperitif in lieu of dessert. The baklava flavors and champagne tingle leave me feeling warm & content... if you love wheated bourbons, you should check this out. Nose: Honey, grain, and a touch of ethanol. Definitely smells like a wheater. Palate: Orchard fruit comes forward, and morphs into a delicious baklava flavor. It is proofy in a good way, there is a tingling sensation reminiscent of champagne. As the glass dwindles down citrus notes pop through, and morph together with the consistent honey and filo dough. An oily mouthfeel helps this hang around. Finish: medium, but strong. The numbing sensation on the lips and popping on my tongue keeps the baklava hanging around.

Nose: classic wheated tones followed by a hint of floral and oddly enough… chocolate Palate: typical wheat followed by caramel Finish: strong Kentucky hug with caramel corn closing out the medium finish This is a Lux Row Visitors Center Pick (#5). It is solid and hits the notes you expect it to hit. Like it better than the 10 year Rebel single barrel, even though it’s half the age. The proof point on this one at 113 accentuates the strengths of this particular offering.