Rebel Yell Kentucky Straight Bourbon 100 Proof

This falls into the category of "bourbons that are more expensive than Evan Williams bonded but not clearly better than it". That is not surprising because most bourbons I have tried fall into that category. This one holds up better than most because it is not really worse than Evan Williams bonded and only costs $2 more, which is perhaps a justifiable premium for the added feature of being a wheated bourbon. The aroma is very faint: gentle honey and vanilla with just a hint of cinnamon. It's nice but would be nicer if it were more powerful. The flavor comes with more honey and vanilla along with grainy flavors, like toast with honey, and a bit of lemon. The finish has more spice than was apparent earlier and it lingers for quite a while. It's certainly pleasant. The gentle sweetness makes it a relaxing, "low-maintenance" drink that doesn't rock the boat. Unfortunately that's also the downside, as it winds up feeling a bit light even at 100 proof. I bought this because I tried Maker's Mark Cask Strength and wanted to check out more budget-friendly wheated bourbons, and this was one of the cheapest I found. I don't think I'll buy it again, but it's a good value nonetheless. At $17 a bottle it's definitely worth a look if you want to try a wheater. On the other hand, if you're not specifically looking for a wheater, Evan Williams bonded is only $15. . .

I'm dealing with a cold, so at a later time I probably will experience this stuff differently. NOSE: Sweet corn, butter, grass, honey, lemon, some sort of mustiness, brown sugar, a generic grain note, and buttered roasting ears. MOUTHFEEL: Watery. TASTE: Here's where my cold really began to assert itself. I got honey, black pepper, red pepper, vanilla, and butter, which is an unusual profile for a bourbon. FINISH: Uncharred oak, and a red pepper that lingers. SUMMARY: This is not a bad bourbon, and probably would be better if it weren't for my cold. Getting both black and red pepper is a real surprise, especially since this is a wheated bourbon. I was doubtful about those notes since at 100 proof this has more alcohol in it than I can usually afford, but no, it's not the heat - the spices are really there, at least tonight. At just $25 it's definitely a good value, and I'll buy it again.

Poured neat. Nose is surprisingly light for 100 proof and reminds me of Rice Krispies cereal, fresh cut hay and brown sugar. More sweetness finds its way to your nose after the first sip. Almost watery up the front but the flavors ramp up as it passes across the tongue. More grain forward cereal notes on the palate, moderately sweet and fruity. Makes me think of boozy Apple Jacks. Creamy finish with a cinnamon gum kick. Good value for the price. Middle of the road bourbon that will probably find its way to a future tailgater or two.

Light amber color. The mouthfeel is light, almost effervescent making it incredibly easy to drink. The nose and palate are fairly standard with a lot of vanilla, caramel and cinnamon. There is a little peanut brittle on the nose that I don't get on the palate. The cinnamon on the nose is more cinnamon stick, that transitions to cinnamon chewing gum on the palate, and back to cinnamon stick on the finish. The finish is relatively short, but it doesn't really matter. At this price point, this is a damn good, crushable pour.

Amped up version of the 80 pf. Plenty of cinnamon maple cornbread and oak throughout. Im not getting as much cherry as many others have(do get some marischino). Its vibrant and full of flavor but quite unrefined and a bit ethanol boozy. Cheap enough its tough to ***** too much and to be honest this is probably supposed to be a mixer anyway. Not as good as Makers/Larceny/1843 ...........73/100.......the 80 pf is in same league imo

Some faint honey and oak on the nose. Palate is soft and very sweet with initial tastes of vanilla and honey pastry. Some spice appears and fades into fresh corn and some burnt caramel. Short finish that's mostly bitter but not totally unpleasant. I like this bottle at this price point and probably prefer it to Maker's or Larceny, but I won't be rushing for a replacement.